High school (movie) musical:

“High School Musical, who says we have to let it go, it’s the best part we’ve ever known…”
A Disney Channel original classic, “High School Musical” is about a group of diverse students at East High that come together to all participate in “the theater!” Troy Bolton, the star basketball player, and Gabriella Montez, the honors student, unite and realize they love to sing and want to be the leads in the musical. As a child, I watched this movie musical religiously, but I then realized others might not know it exists, or just have not watched it before. For all my musical loving friends out there, and anyone who is looking for something new to watch, this review is for you.
East High is a high school full of kids who love to dream but are too afraid to show it. Sharpay and Ryan Evans, the lead music stars, assume to be the leads in every school musical performance… until this year. Troy Bolton, basketball team captain, and Gabriella Montez, a shy honors transfer student, suddenly meet and adapt a music-loving romance. As Gabriella and Troy audition together to become the leads of the musical, Ryan and Sharpay seek to sabotage their relationship in order for them to not want to perform. Will Ryan and Sharpay succeed and play the leads themselves?
The entire “High School Musical” cast is very well known. Although, because it was 2006, this movie was most of their first performances. Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, and especially Ashley Tisdale, did an admirable job. In my opinion, Ashley Tisdale (who plays Sharpay) does not get nearly enough credit for her acting and use of expression for her crazy character. One specific scene I enjoy the most is the iconic moment in the lunchroom where they all sing, “Stick to the Status Quo.” The main theme and purpose of this song is that everyone should do what others think they are meant to do and not be themselves, but the overall lesson to learn is to do the exact opposite. No matter what other people say or think, do what makes you happy. Whether that is playing basketball, or auditioning for the school musical.
This movie musical is a perfect fit for teenagers, or young kids, who are just starting high school. It shows you exactly how to have fun, express and love who you are, and dream big. It is a relatable PG movie that I would personally rate 50 stars out of 5, but in reality 4.5 stars out of 5.


‘Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer’ needs stage crew:

Attention! The middle school production, “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer,” is coming up very soon and the staff is in need of volunteers who are willing to be a part of the stage crew. Being a part of the stage crew may entail being in charge of lighting/sound, set design, etc. 
The show will take place on December 2, so if you are thinking of becoming a part of the stage crew staff, confirm your interest and availability at least a week beforehand.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming a stage crew member, please join the Google Classroom with the code: Nk4qq4f! If, for some reason, the classroom code does not work, contact Mrs. Smrcka ([email protected]), Mrs. Britten ([email protected]), or Ms. Britten ([email protected]).


UNICEF fundraiser winning results are in:

For the past few weeks, CAMHS has been participating in a money drive for UNICEF. 
On Monday, November 1, the UNICEF boxes were collected, the contents of which have been counted to determine the top three homeroom classes that donated the most money. The first place winner will be awarded with a donut and juice party.
Without any further ado, here are the three winners of the CAMHS UNICEF drive:
3rd place: Mrs. Happoldt’s homeroom class ($94.35)
2nd place: Mr. Brewer’s homeroom class ($95.26)
1st place: Mr. Woods’ homeroom class ($109.26)
Thank you everyone who participated in this drive, it is very much appreciated. Also, a special thank you to Mr. Woods’ homeroom class for all your hard work raising and donating the most money in favor of UNICEF. Enjoy your donut and juice party!


The brave, bold Beebe:

Barbara Anne Beebe was born on September 17, 1968. Beebe grew up mostly in Corry, PA her whole life. Throughout Beebe’s years of teaching she said she had enjoyed watching her students learn more and more efficiently throughout her years of teaching. Beebe also mentioned that she only has three or five more years of teaching before she retires.
In Beebe’s free time she enjoys photography. When asked what Mrs. Beebe’s favorite color was she said, “My favorite color would probably be green and black because I find the colors amusing to me.” She also stated that her favorite food would mostly be potatoes and chocolate.
When I had asked Mrs. Beebe what her favorite book was she had said her favorite book was “Bridge to Terabithia,” but she also mentioned that she really likes just about any book.
To conclude getting to know Mrs. Beebe, her perfect date is April 25, because “It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold.”


Wise Woods:

Mr. Woods has been teaching at Corry Area High School for years. He teaches history, Global Media, and psychology, his favorite being psychology. After attending Erie Academy High School, he went to college at Edinboro. He did not play any sports in high school or college.
Mr. Woods likes to spend time with his family, walk his dogs, and to be mindful in his free time. His favorite quote is “May the Force be with you,” from Obi-Wan Kenobi in “Star Wars,” which is also his favorite movie series. He likes “A New Hope” the most.
Mr. Woods does not have a favorite color, when asked he said that he could not decide on just one. One of his favorite foods is Corned Beef Hash. One of the many places he would like to travel to would be Ireland. After the interview Mr. Woods left me with “May the Force be with you.”


The glorious Gibsons:

Do you know the Gibsons ? Not only do the Gibsons show love, but they’re also always there for each other. The Gibsons are a big family.
They have five animals, three dogs (Saint Bernard, Yorkie and a lab) and two guinea pigs. How many kids are in this family? There are five kids. Derek (Der-bear) is five years old. He was born on January 23, 2017, and he’s in Kindergarten. When I asked him what he loves to do at school he replied, “Playing at recess and talking to my friends at Green table.” Luke ( Peanut) is four years old. He was born on July 23, 2018, and he’s in Pre-K. When I asked him what he loves he said, “Police Officers because I’m going to arrest people.” Jaxson (Nugget) will be two in January. When I asked him what he loves the most he answered “My bottle.” Hunter is six years old born on February 29, 2016 (R.I.P.).
Amber Rose Gibson is my stepmother and the mother to my brothers. Born on December 12, 1989. She is an only child. She grew up in Arizona and moved here when she was 12 in 2002. When I surveyed her these were her responses. When asked if she likes being an only child she replied, “I don’t like it because it would be nice having siblings to be with and talk to.” What does Amber do for a job? She is an LPN in a medical office. When I asked her what her biggest fear is she replied, “Probably my children getting hurt.” What does she like to do on her free time? She likes baking, camping, planting and being with her family. Some of her favorite things are: Mexican food, the color baby blue and Luke Bryan (where she got her sons name). When asked what animal represents her, her son said, “an ant because ‘A’ for Amber.” Last but not least, her biggest pet peeve is lying.
Benjamin David Gibson (Ben)  is my father and the father to my siblings. Born on February 3, 1987. He has two siblings Jessica, who is 38, and Jeremiah, who is 40. He went to Corry School his whole life. Ben is not only a father but a husband, brother, cousin and an overall inspiration. An animal that best matches his personality would be a wolf. His idea of a perfect date is camping with the wife. Some of his favorite subjects in school were obviously physical education because he’s a boy and boys love gym, and history. His favorite food is Mexican food, and his favorite sport is baseball. His pet peeve would be two-faced people, but most of all he enjoys being with his family, being outdoors, bike rides and going camping.
Last but not least, I’m Rubie Sue Gibson and I was born on May 27, 2008. I have 4 brothers and 1 sister who are Derek, Luke, Jaxson, Hunter and Diamond. I go to Corry Area High School and I love being outdoors. I also love being with my family and I love going to see my mother (Rikki Spencer). When not in school I enjoy cooking, skating, being with friends, and most of all sleeping. I love to sleep.


‘Better Call Saul’: The best writing in TV history:

“Better Call Saul” is an American drama series by Vince Gilligan following criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill’s transition into the character Saul Goodman. Saul Goodman is a character from award-winning series “Breaking Bad,” also created by Vince Gilligan.
“Better Call Saul” is a spin off series taking place in the “Breaking Bad” universe. The show dives into the life of lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), both before and after the events that took place in “Breaking Bad.” The sixth and final season of “Better Call Saul” finished up this past July, thus wrapping up a franchise that started in 2008 with the first season of “Breaking Bad.” The first few seasons of the show start out sort of slower because the writers need to establish background  and introduce lots of new characters. The audience is quick to find out that Jimmy McGill is the real name of the infamous lawyer. In the beginning of the series, the show is about Jimmy rather than Saul. Although the show is primarily based on events prior to those of “Breaking Bad,” every once in a while the show will convert to black and white  as it peers into the life of a post-“Breaking Bad” Saul Goodman. This pattern goes until the events inevitably collide in the show’s breathtaking final season.
Vince Gilligan was masterful with the way he wrote this show and its characters, specifically Saul. What makes this show so great is Jimmy McGill’s transformation into Saul Goodman. Obviously his name changes, but the differences between Jimmy and Saul go so far beyond that. Gilligan does such a marvelous job building up this transition just as he did with Walter White and his alter ego, Heisenberg. The great writing does not stop with Saul Goodman though. New characters such as Chuck McGill or Lalo Salamanca are great additions to the show. I would argue that all of the characters in the show are extremely influential on the character of Saul Goodman and the show as a whole. I think it is amazing how Gilligan ties past and future together, as well as creating closure for the “Breaking Bad” universe. I thought the ending was very poetic and I believe it was really the only way the show could have ended.
Additionally, the production and acting elevate this show to new heights. I love how the picture goes to black and white when the show pans to Saul Goodman in the future and it has a sort of hopeless vibe. I am a huge fan of all of the different camera angles that are presented throughout the show. The cinematography is on point. The acting is also phenomenal across the board. Bob Odenkirk leads the way with stunning performances in all six seasons. Rhea Seeborn puts on an exceptional, emotional performance playing Kim Wexler. Michael Mando and Giancarlo Esposito also standout with big time performances, but it doesn’t stop there because each character is played to perfection.
I would highly recommend this show to anyone who has or hasn’t seen “Breaking Bad.” The show can be dark and gritty at times, so I definitely wouldn’t say the show is for everyone, but if you are someone that is into that sort of thing it is a must-watch. The show is slower and lighter in the earlier seasons, but the action and intensity pick up tremendously as the show goes on. There is a great deal of suspense throughout and the audience is always on the edge of their seat. I would give this show a 5/5 rating and I would argue that “Better Call Saul” is a top three TV show of all time.


‘Barbarian’ will keep you guessing:

“Barbarian” is a 2022 horror film directed by Zach Cregger. The film had a theatrical release on September 9, and was added to the streaming platform HBO Max on October 25.
“Barbarian” follows a young woman, Tess (played by Georgina Campbell) and the conflict that arises when she arrives at her Airbnb that has already been booked by Keith (Bill Skarsgård). This is just the beginning of “Barbarian”, and the plot takes many turns as the film progresses.
This is the type of media that should be consumed with little to no background knowledge, as the plot progression is truly the best part of the story. That being said, this review will be completely spoiler-free, but will cover specific plot points that could potentially undermine the viewing experience, so be warned.
The plot twists in “Barbarian” are the strongest parts of the story. The film starts as a very typical “girl ends up alone with strange guy” affair, and the viewer can immediately guess what will happen. However, about 30 minutes in, the film diverges from the main characters Tess and Keith, and takes on a drastic tonal shift.
This is when a new character, AJ (Justin Long) is introduced. AJ is in the entertainment business, but is facing backlash due to a sexual assault allegation from a former associate. To escape the heat, AJ travels to one of his Michigan properties, which happens to be the Airbnb Tess and Keith were staying in. Disturbing events ensue.
The film takes two more distinct turns that will not be discussed here for the authenticity of the viewing. “Barbarian” is one of the most unique films of the past decade. It takes an unconventional route that diverges from typical horror storytelling tactics. If you get nothing else from “Barbarian”, you will at least get surprised.
The performances in “Barbarian” are impressive, but lacking in some ways. To begin with the positives, Campbell was likable and realistic as Tess. She was a good, if not unoriginal, horror movie protagonist. Bill Skarsgård was an incredible as usually, but felt somewhat underutilized given his acting prowess, especially in other horror films such as “It”. Justin Long was fantastic as AJ, a character that the audience loves to hate. He provided comedic relief as well as a sense of karmic justice.
“Barbarian” certainly delivered in the horror category. The film provides some classic creepy shots but thankfully shies away from the often over-utilized jump scare. The cinematography provides an eerie, disturbing atmosphere. It also utilizes more graphic and gory shots, but the true horror lies in the overall concept. The film explores both the horrors of the supernatural and unknown, as well as the horrors of humanity and the violence people can subject each other to. This is an interesting concept, as the grotesque horror of the film stems from the all-too-common barbarity of sick and twisted individuals in the real world.
Overall, “Barbarian” is a must-watch for horror fans, especially those who enjoy unexpected twists and turns. This movie earned 4 stars out of 5.


Top 10 favorite “Young Royals” quotes:

“Young Royals” season two is finally out! After almost two years, we are reunited with Simon and Wilhelm’s beautiful story. This season includes many parallel-connections to season one and they are heartbreaking.
10. Simon: “You don’t get it cuz you haven’t felt the consequences.” Simon and Willhelm get into an argument and Simon starts saying hurtful things to Wilhelm. Wilhelm has felt the consequences but Simon does not seem to understand that.
9. “Cozy.” Both Simon and Willhem say this but in different scenes with different people. In season one, Wilhelm checks out Simon’s room and says “Cozy.” In season two, Simon walks around Marcus’ room and says “Cozy.”
8. August: “We could murder someone, and no one would say a word.” This was said in season one. In season two, we can see that this is possible.
7. Simon: “We haven’t done anything wrong.” This scene showcases their sadness and fear in such a comforting way. This quote carries so much meaning with it. Being queer is looked at as if it’s a bad thing and what Simon says really shows what every queer person is thinking. There is nothing wrong with being queer but many people think the opposite. 
6. “I love you.” At the very last episode of season one, Wilhelm hugs Simon and whispers that he loves him. Simon did not respond and they went their separate ways. In the last episode of season two, Simon finally whispers that he loves Wilhelm and this was Wilhelm’s chance to say nothing but say everything at the same time.
5. Simon: “I just don’t understand why I can’t fall in love with him.” You are in love with Wilhelm not Marcus!
4. Wilhelm: “It was me in the video that leaked last term, the one with me and Simon.” Wilhelm is finally telling the world what he could not admit before. Wilhelm is in love with Simon and wants the world to know.
3. Wilhelm: “You’d wish that Malin could just ignore them. […] It’s not just coming from the outside. It’s her own fault too.” During this conversation between Simon and Wilhelm, they are using characters in a book to justify each other’s actions.
2. Felice: “Yeah, but it’s not just about some boy.” Sara crossed the line when falling in-love with August. Only a small group of people know what he did and both, Sara and Felice, are some of them. It’s not about the boy; it’s about what he did.
1. Sara: “Hi. I’d like to report a crime please.” Sara knows what August did was wrong and she is taking the step that is needed to get Simon and Wilhelm their justice.


Top 10 most beautiful places the world made:

10. Acadia National Park, Maine. From rocky shorelines shrouded in mist to conifer-cloaked mountainsides, Acadia is a wild place of sea, stone, and forest. Visitors flock here to hike, fish, climb, camp, and experience the end-of-the-world feel in New England’s only national park.
9. Okavango Delta, Botswana. The mighty Okavango, the largest inland delta in the world, is a vast network of winding waterways, salt islands, and animal-attracting lagoons. Navigating through reed-studded channels in a mokoro (traditional canoe) and spotting hippos, leopards, and elephants is one of the world’s great travel experiences for nature lovers.
8. Grand Canyon, Arizona. First-time views of Grand Canyon occur at either Mather Point or Yavapai Point. Mather Point is situated at just over 7,000 feet elevation and is named after the park’s first superintendent, Stephen Mather. Visitors will be awe-struck by the view before them.
7. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. There’s no better way to experience Patagonia’s rugged natural beauty than in Torres del Paine National Park. The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is home to its namesake granite towers as well as sparkling lagoons and otherworldly glaciers — the park’s Perito Moreno Glacier is part of the third-largest ice cap in the world.
6. Whitehaven Beach, Australia. Arguably one of the loveliest shores in the world. Part of Australia’s Whitsunday Coast, the star attraction is remarkable for its amazing combination of pure silica sands and vivid blue-green waters.
5. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. The world’s largest salt flat covers 4,000 square miles of Bolivian altiplano. In the dry season, it’s an endless white sheet of salt tiles made all the more dazzling by clear, sunny skies. November through March, regular rains create a mirror effect that merges lake and sky. No matter when you see it, Salar de Uyuni is one of the most captivating sights on earth.
4. Lake Eyre, Australia. Officially known as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is an endorheic lake in east-central Far North South Australia, some 700 km (435 mi) north of Adelaide. When the lake is full, it has the same salinity level as seawater, but becomes hyper-saline as the lake dries up and the water evaporates.
3. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the world’s greatest sheet of falling water and significant worldwide for its exceptional geological and geomorphological features and active land formation processes with outstanding beauty attributed to the falls i.e. the spray, mist, and rainbows.
2. Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico island of Vieques. Better known as Bioluminescent Bay, is a tranquil, warm, shallow bay on the southern shore of the Puerto Rico island of Vieques. The bay is world famous for its extreme bioluminescence, declared as the brightest in the world. It is the only bay in Puerto Rico where swimming is allowed, and it adds to the magical experience of the kayak tour
1. Peyto Lake, Canada. Peyto Lake is a popular Canadian hotspot thanks to accessibility by car, easy access to elevated view, countless Instagram pictures and overall popularity of Banff National Park. The lake itself is near the Ice fields Parkway. It was named for Bill Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area.


The Pennsylvania governor election: what you need to know:

The election for the new Pennsylvania governor will be held on Tuesday, November 8. Josh Shapiro (Democrat) and Doug Mastriano  (Republican) are the candidates. Tom Wolf has been the governor of Pennsylvania since 2015, having run two terms. 
Josh Shapiro was born June 20, 1973, and is 49 years old. His education was earned at the GeorgeTown University Law Center, and the University of Rochester. He would work at law school during the night while working in the government during the day. Sharpiro has been a part of the Attorney General Pennsylvania since 2017.  
Shapiro’s Beliefs follow abortion rights, raising the minimum wage to $15, supporting LGBTQ rights, more restrictive gun laws, and much more. 
Some of Shapiro’s accomplishments include arresting more than 6,000 drug dealers, obtaining over 328 million dollars in relief to Pennsylvanians who were scammed by pharmaceutical companies, and he is leading a reform to keep employers from taking money from Pennsylvania workers. 
Doug Mastriano was born January 2, 1964, and is 58 years old. He gained his education from the University of New Brunswick, Maxwell Air Force Base, National Intelligence University, Hightstown High School, US Army War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Eastern University, and Mercer County Community College. 
Mastriano has served in the U.S. Senate since 2019, representing the 33rd district. He is a member of the Republican party. Mastriano has had accomplishments as a retired military colonel and combat veteran. He was a professor at the Army War college. Mastriano is also a former vice chair of the agriculture and rural affairs committee. 
He beliefs in banning gay marriage, making less restrictions on gun laws, the deportation of illegal immigrants, and much more. 
Make sure to get out and vote!


Stunning sunsets a source of harmony:

In my opinion sunsets are beautiful, relaxing and even inspirational.
What is a sunset? “A sunset, also known as sundown, is the daily disappearance of the Sun below the horizon due to Earth’s rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, the equinox Sun sets due west at the moment of both the spring and autumn equinoxes.”
Why are sunsets so special and important? They are so special because you can see them anywhere you go. They come out a lot of the time. They tend to get pink and blue and even sometimes purple or red. They can be all sorts of colors. In my opinion they just make me happy, I can go look at a sunset and it takes all my stress away and it even makes me happy.
A good quote for sunsets would be, “Sunset is so marvelous that even the sun itself watches it every day in the reflections of the infinite oceans!” Many psychological effects that sunsets relieve stress.
Although some people may not like sun sets for various reasons: it can give people anxiety and even makes them upset, maybe its because it makes them think of a loved one.


Meet Officer Bayhurst:

This year our school has hired a new resource office, Officer Bayhurst. Officer Bayhurst is originally from Erie, PA. When in high school, Bayhurst attended  Cathedral Prep. and then went on to attend college at Mercyhurst. Before getting the job at Corry, Bayhurst worked in the Girard and Albion burrows.
When Bayhurst was younger he dreamed of being a chef. But he chose to be a police officer because it is fun and keeps his life interesting. In five years, Bayhurst sees himself here, continuing his career at the school. When asked how he likes it here, he responded, “I love it, I look forward to it every day.”
Bayhurst has one brother. In his free time he loves to spend time with his kids. He also teaches outdoor cooking classes on the weekends, which allows him to do something he loves, and he gets to travel because of it.
Bayhurst says that his favorite movie would have to be “Bedtime Stories,” and if he could travel anywhere in the world it would have to be New York City. He wants to experience the underground food clubs that you have to be invited to attend.
I would like to thank Officer Bayhurst for taking the time out of his day to answer my questions.


‘Madden 23’ doesn’t excite fans:

“NFL Madden 23” came out on August 19, 2022.  The game is an American Football game, which is based upon the NFL League. With the recent bugs, players are left furious.
Although EA Sports  said they have fixed this issue with a recent patch, players have encountered the draft revert glitch. This glitch is a glitch where your franchise rewinds to an earlier time in Franchise, which wipes out the result of your draft. There’s also another glitch which is called the “31-32” user bug. This glitch makes it so you are not allowed to have a completely online franchise.
I would definitely recommend this game for beginners looking for a new game to play as the game is fun in some aspects.


Survey: Students’ favorite music artists:

Music is such an emotional experience. It helps people connect with certain things, relate to one another, express their feelings, etc. Different music artists have their own unique and definite fan bases. Students around the school were asked their favorite music artists and a variety of interesting answers were collected. 
Charley Gantz: Luke Combs
Kyla Frisina: Drake
Devin Way: Eric Church
Kieran Graves: Sza
Nick Scouten: Guns and Roses
Chelsey Butcher: Taylor Swift
Willow Bowen: Melanie Martinez
Dolly Peters: Luke Bryan
Landon Deane: Isho Speed
Carter Slocum: Kesha
Zoee Vincent: A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
Thomas Slone: Tim McGraw
Ruthie Light: Lady Gaga


Jacob Collier’s latest album is an experience in emotion:

Jacob Collier‘s latest album, Djesse Vol. 3, was released on August 14, 2020. This is the third album for Djesse and has the most electronic sounds of the three. There are five of what he calls beat sketches: “Bird Scuff,” “What’s Impossible,” “Dreamer,” “Train to Saskatoon,” and “Believe in Love.” On Collier’s website he said, “About a minute long, taken from the edges of the album-making process – a collection of crazy sounds, little canvases, windows into universes I have visited over the course of my Vol. 3 creating time.” There will be four volumes in total. His goal is to combine all of the types of music he’s listened to his whole life, and if you’re just starting to widen your musical horizons, then his music is a good place to start. The genre styles that he writes in are:  jazz, pop, funk, a cappella, classical, and rhythm and blues, and he often does multiple styles within each song. Collier has a great passion for music and does a lot of the work for his albums within the confines of his bedroom. This was an album released during the pandemic, so it had to be constructed in isolation. He has been writing and performing music on YouTube since his teens. (Here is a cover he did of “Isn’t She Lovely“– he is about 18 or so here.)
The songs on the album are: “Clarity,” “Count the People,” “In My Bones,” “Time Alone With You,” “All I Need,” “In Too Deep,” “Butterflies,” “Sleeping On My Dreams,” “Running Outta Love,” “Light It Up On Me,” “He Won’t Hold You,” and “To Sleep.” My personal favorite would have to be “He Won’t Hold You,” which was released earlier than the initial album at the beginning of July, 2020. Part of why I loved this song so much was most likely half to do with how excited I was when I saw its early release date and knew that the next volume was coming out. Another thing I enjoyed, however, was the section in the middle at 2:30, and it has a beautiful concept. It’s a section of spoken word and then after the moving section of unsung words over music and how they almost sing without the melody in its seams, the music expands and fills the mind and grasps onto each empty bit of gray matter within you and the universe and turns them into rays of color, light, and sound. It’s an experience in itself and an emotion. You feel full. I’m not a huge fan of poetry, either. I like to read, but once there is that drive, like what is created in this song, that is coming from all sides around it with how it speaks and communicates to it, the meaning shifts beautifully with the music and other lyrics, blending and weaving in and out of emotions and concepts. It’s all connected and it is beautiful.
My least favorite song on the album is “Light It Up On Me.” It really just wasn’t my cup of tea. It felt like he was trying to accomplish a lot, and it didn’t seem finished. It felt weird and out of place with the rest of the album and the sounds were like some weird ASMR. None of the other songs seemed to give off the same odd vibe that I felt this one did.
In comparison to the other volumes of Djesse, volumes one and two, this one was probably my least favorite but had some of my favorite individual songs. I liked the different woks with textures, but the style of music isn’t necessarily the style that I personally most enjoy, but it is a good head start for other people widening their horizons to more classical and jazz music and just music that has more musicality to it. It’s very brainy and brilliant, but I enjoyed his other two volumes more. This album is very experimental and new compared to what he’s worked on in the past, so it does feel very different. Altogether though, the album is amazing and so is all of his work. I suggest giving this and his other music a listen if you get the chance. I’d rate it 4.5 stars out of 5 because there are things that he can still improve on. He is still relatively young and this is just a beginning to experimenting with these styles, and I am excited to see how he grows from this Volume to Djesse 4.


Welcoming winter sports:

Now that fall sports have officially come to an end, winter sports will soon begin. There will be girls’ basketball, boys’ basketball, high school swimming, and wrestling. All sports have already started pre-season training. 
I asked several winter sports athletes what they were feeling about the upcoming season.
Sadye Dyne, sophomore on the girls basketball team, said, “I am excited. I think it won’t be as good as last year’s season since we have less experienced people on our team with only one senior and just a couple juniors. I think that Rob, the varsity coach, will be able to teach us a lot though.” 
Ashton Mineo, senior on the boys basketball team, said, “I’m excited for this season because we have a young team and a lot of guys that are ready to prove themselves. I think the season will have its ups and downs, but I think we should be competing for a playoff spot again.”  
Jon Albers, senior on the swim team, said, “Yes, I’m excited, and I think the boys will do okay. We still don’t have the numbers that other teams do but we do have the talent. And the girls will do great this season.” 
Cody Proper, sophomore on the wrestling team, said, “I would say that I’m pretty excited for this season, and I’m going into the season pretty confident that myself and the team will qualify for states.” 
All sports will officially start Friday, November 18, and the Beavers will battle all season long until the spring sports come around.


Wrapping up the 2022 volleyball season:

Tuesday, November 8, was the last volleyball game of the season for the Corry Lady Beavers. The girls played at 6 o’clock in the first round of state playoffs against the Freeport Yellow Jackets, who are ranked number one in the state. The Lady Beavers played hard, but ended up losing in 3, ending their season.
This whole season the girls worked very hard and put their hearts into every game they played this year. They ended up being 2nd in District 10 region 4, and got the incredible opportunity to play in the D10 championships. They went 7-1 in conference, winning every match except their last one versus North East, and they lost in 4 sets, taking the first but losing the following three.
Seniors Tayler Elchynski and Lakota Donaldson played their last game as a Lady Beaver on Tuesday. 
Giving insight on how their senior season went, and how they feel about their high school career as a volleyball player being over. Elchynski said, “I think this season went well, it’s always fun to make it far in the D10 playoffs and go to the state playoffs. We knew our strengths and weaknesses as a team and I thought the whole year that we played very well together.” 
Elchynski added, “It is sad that my high school volleyball season is over, I wish I had more time to be in the gym, but I know this team has great things in store for them next year, and I can’t wait to see their future.”
This is Donaldson’s view on how she thinks her final season went. “I think the season went pretty well, and I was happy how our team played throughout the season,” Donaldson said.  “It hasn’t hit me yet, but I think next year I will realize that I don’t have any more practices, games, or camps to go to anymore.”
Coach Goodsel also gave his input on how he believes this high school season went, stating, “The 2022 Corry Volleyball season was a huge success. After losing their first two matches- to AAA D10 finalist Warren and Conneaut- the team won 11 matches in a row including  5 set victory over AAA Meadville. Senior’s Lakota Donaldson and Tayler Elchynski led the team to the Region championship match and D10 finals against North East. The season ended in the first round of the PIAA state playoffs against number 1 ranked Freeport.” 
Coach Goodsel said how proud he was of all the individual improvement and team accomplishment this season.


Iconic Lady Gaga songs based on your zodiac sign:

Lady Gaga is one of the most iconic artists of the modern era, and with such a broad and influential discography, its no wonder she has a song that fits each one of the 12 zodiacs. Keep reading to discover which Gaga ballad best fits your sign.
Aries: “Bad Romance”
Taurus: “You and I” 
Gemini: “Poker Face” 
Cancer: “Speechless”
Leo: “Alejandro”
Virgo: “Lovegame”
Libra: “Telephone” 
Scorpio: “Paparazzi” 
Sagittarius: “Judas” 
Capricorn: “Edge of Glory” 
Aquarius: “Born this Way” 
Pisces: “Just Dance”


Marching band banquet closes out 2022 season:

The marching band ended their season with a celebration on November 10 at the Corry High School to show what they have accomplished this year and to take a step back and reflect on the year, from all the emotional points, to the football games, and competitions from the 2022 season.
The band worked hard over the summer to learn all of the music and drills to be in shape and ready for the first competition, and they showed what they had at each and every competition. The improvement was definitely seen by all the audience and the band themselves throughout the seasons with all the changes being added in the show in between various competitions to comply and better themselves with the judges. They had placed at various places at each and every competition but never swayed from always being close the top, which brought them into third place at the LMBA Marching Band Championships.
Ali Torz, sophomore, trumpet, said, “It was an amazing season development wise. We all really worked hard during practices and it turned out so good.”
The banquet started off with everyone getting food and others sharing gifts and candy grams with everyone else in the band along with the senior gifts that some of the band came together and got for all three seniors of the band, Haylee Brewer, Jayden Southworth, and Wesley Love. The slideshow was then played as a gift from Jayden Southworth to everyone in the band.
Austin Nickerson, Junior, Pit, said, “The band season was a great one. Despite the roller coaster of emotions throughout the season we pulled off a great show and a great season. I know that we worked hard and participated even harder when we got third. Next year will be another unforgettable experience.”
As the banquet came to a close the awards were presented to every person and they were given a certificate and were awarded a variety of different awards for each individual and also either a pin depending on how many years they have participated in or a patch for the first years. The seniors were given an additional gift that was a C with pictures from all the seasons they participated in and this became a tradition as of last year.
Maggie Reed, sophomore, color guard, said, “This band season was amazing. Everyone grew and color guard did amazing this season! All of the hard work really paid off and improvement was amazing and I can´t wait to see what next year brings.”
That banquet was the close of the 2022 marching band season and also a final goodbye to all the seniors who participated in the band as of this year.


Students and faculty invited to donate blood:

The Corry High School is hosting a Blood Drive on Friday, November 11, from 8:40 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with help from Community Blood Bank.
Students and faculty can sign up with Mrs. Dow in the guidance office. Blood donors must be at least 17 years old or 16 years old with parental consent form, weigh at 110 pounds, no tattoo or body piercing in past three months, and be in generally good health and eat before donating blood. Photo ID is required.
Come celebrate the best day – the day you donate blood. As an added incentive, all donors receive a soft spun t-shirt.


The Astros defeat the Phillies in the World Series:

The Houston Astros are World Series champions as their impressive 2022 season ended in complete success.
While many MLB fans are not fond of the Astros for their cheating scandal in 2017 and possibly 2019, they have established themselves as a dynasty. Their young, talented core of sluggers and hurlers has them set up for the foreseeable future. Players like Yordon Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, Alex Bregman, and Christian Javier will continue to keep this team in contention. Now, let’s recap the 2022 World Series.
The series started out with the Phillies grabbing the lead with a road win. The Phillies overcame a 5-0 deficit to take the game to extras tied.  JT Realmuto drove in what would be the Phillies winning run on a double.
Game two was also in Houston, with the Astros knotting the at 1-1. The Astros would win 5-2, riding on a strong first inning and an Alex Bregman 2-run shot.
Game three took us to Philadelphia, where the Phillies looked to take the series lead on their home turf. They did just that. The Phillies put up 7 runs, all off of Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. MucCullers was tipping his pitches, and the Phillies took advantage, hitting five home runs. The Astros would go on to win game four, five, and six.
The Astros will look to continue their dominance in the A.L., while the Phillies will hopefully have a better regular season in 2023.


Benevolent Beckerink:

I’d like to shine a light on our school’s new mental health counselor, Mrs. Beckerink. Beckerink grew up in Clymer, New York, which is where she attended school throughout her childhood and high school. After high school, she decided to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia for four years. She said she decided to attend Liberty because it is such a beautiful campus and she enjoyed hiking in nearby areas. Following her four years at Liberty, she attended Edinboro University for grad school. A few years after her time in college she ended up right here at Corry High.
Mrs. Beckerink is a big fan of the outdoors. She told me that she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and if she could travel anywhere in the world she would choose to go out West and that she has always wanted to go out there. Beckerink also finds joy in reading and spending time with her two kids. She has a son in second grade and a daughter in seventh grade here at Corry. Beckerink explained that she loves attending her daughter’s wrestling matches and supporting her.
When asked why she ultimately chose to be a mental health counselor, Beckerink described how she has always liked helping people and getting them through their problems. She said she likes being someone that people can talk to and she wants to make a difference. She also said she has really enjoyed her time here at Corry so far. The kids and staff have been great to her. Beckerink said that her favorite part of her job is being part of this community. Now that she lives in Corry she feels that by doing her job and helping others, she is positively impacting her community.
I’m very glad I got the opportunity to talk to, and get to know, Mrs. Beckerink. She is really easy to talk to and she is working extremely hard to make a difference here at Corry. I would like to thank Mrs. Beckerink for taking the time to answer my questions.


Survey: What do you love most about your life?:

Having at least one thing that you love close to heart is very important in being yourself. Our happiness stems from these things and without them, life would be pretty dull. Take a look at what some of the students and staff said:
Mrs. Cirigliano – “My god, my family, my friends, and my job; all of the above!”
Drew Kuzma- “My friends.”
Cashlyn Reed – “People, my happiness, and God.”
Mr. Knapp – “My family.”
Olivia Jackson- “My boyfriend, whom is my savior.”
Brooke Beatty- “Bella.”
Bella Chase – “Brooke.”
Yvonne Fay – “My mom, my brother Justin.”
Hallie Graves – “My mom.”
Nyssa Greene- “My job.”
Ashlynn Sherwood – “My family.”
Kloe Bingham – “The fact that I know how to do hair.”
Ashlynn McGahen- “My animals.”
Lexi Fox – “My cows.”
Alexis McGahen- “My mom, my dog, my boyfriend.”
Klay Martin – “The people in it.”
Alec McCray – “I’d say my friends and my family.
Peyton Earls – “Probably the friends that I have.”
Sky Messinger – “I love the people I have in my life supporting me the most.”
Mrs. Audet- “My kids.”
Maddie Braswell – “Probably my family and friends.”
Shelby Fox – “My twin Sara.”
Patience Sherrer – “Getting in trouble.”
Amiyah Thompson – “My dog.”
Emiley Greenaway – “My friends.”


Truehearted Tyler:

Do you know Tyler Sproveri? If you don’t know him, he is a 7th grader and he goes to Corry Middle School. He grew up here in Corry, too.
When not in school Sproveri enjoys playing video games. He has two siblings: his sister is 10 and his brother is 21. When Tyler gets older he wants to be a scientist.
When I asked Tyler where he would like to travel he said, “Florida because it’s hot.”
What’s Tyler’s favorite movie? “The Iron Giant.” His favorite color is blue and his favorite emotion is happy.
For upcoming vacation days Sproveri would like to hangout with friends. When I asked him his favorite class he said, “Science with Mr. Brumagin because it’s cool.” And his biggest pet peeve is “when people leave a mess at my desk after their class.”
He would like to leave the readers with “Always be kind!”
I had a great time getting to know Tyler and I thank him for his time to answer my questions.


Pennsylvania election results:

On November 8, the polls were opened to Pennsylvanians to vote for governor and senator.
The results from the Pennsylvania governor race following candidates Josh Shapiro and Doug Mastriano was released. Shapiro has won the governor election having received 56.1% percentile of votes or in other words, 2,958,399 votes. Mastriano had a 42.1% percentile of votes or 2,220,692 votes. This reflects an under performance from the Republican party and Mastriano, who was expected to be a political comeback for the GOP.
The results for the Pennsylvania senate race were also finalized. John Fetterman (D) won the race against Mehmet Oz (R). Fetterman received 50.5% of the vote, coming in at 2,638,456 votes. Oz got 47.1%, or 2,458,607 votes. This fulfilled the common projection that Fetterman would beat Oz.
With two Democrats winning both the seats, PA is now officially a blue state.


My time with Rosie:

I remember the first day that Rosie came to our home so that we could “babysit” her for a few hours while her parents claimed to be repainting their apartment. These few hour visits became more frequent as time went on, eventually getting to the point where her parents would not pick her up for weeks at a time with varying excuses. Some time later, my parents had to remind her parents that they forgot to pick Rosie up on several occasions. A few times in particular, they had not responded for over a day.
When they tried to start getting her back more often, they were not properly caring for her. It got to the point that the Office of Children and Youth (OCY) was called by a nurse after Rosie spent over 12 hours in the emergency room due to being neglected and malnourished. At which point OCY determined that Rosie should be put in our care while they did an investigation of her parents. Since then, Rosie has never been able to be around food and not have some of it. If she did not get her way she would scream and cry until she did.
Not that all of our time with Rosie was undesirable though. In fact the opposite was true. Her smile could light up a room. She did like to get into things like papers we had on our tables or laptops, but she never ended up ruining anything. I believe it was mostly out of her curiosity. One time, I let her write on a paper with a pencil (with guidance of course). Mainly making sure she was not trying to walk away with the pencil because I did not want her to fall or trip with it in her hand.
Her favorite song to listen to by far was “Sea Shanty Medley” by Home Free. She would dance the best she could whenever we played it. We never had anyone babysit her because we were the babysitters. Anywhere we went she was with us. Whether it was to Conneaut, Ohio to celebrate D-Day, or just riding around town with my parents while they ran errands.
Just recently, on Wednesday November 9, 2022,  Rosie was returned to her parents. As the judge of her case decided that they had managed to fix their known issues and could not make a case on her parents for the things they were suspected of having done. We only had Rosie for a year but she will be missed.


Fourth annual holiday door decorating details:

All middle school, high school,  and CTC teachers are encouraged to participate in Corry High’s 4th annual holiday door decorating contest. The theme for the doors this year is holiday movies, so pick your favorite holiday movie and start decorating.
The top three teacher’s doors that win the contest will receive the following prizes: front-row faculty parking the week before Christmas break, a special principal’s prize, and a party for the students in a class period that helped decorate the door.
When it comes to decorating it is encouraged that you use supplies on hand or students/teachers can make things as well. If in need of paper to cover the doors, or painter’s tape, that is all available in Ms. Carey’s room 66.
The doors must be completed by Monday, December 12, at 3 p.m. Judging will begin the following day. When the competition is over, all decorations on the doors must be taken down by the end of the day on Friday January 6, 2023.


Record snowstorm moves Bills game to Detroit:

The Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills were set for a match up this Sunday in Buffalo. Buffalo is known for being the snowiest city in all of America. There have been many classic games played in the snow of Buffalo.
When the forecast called for six feet of snow in Buffalo this weekend, fans were excited to see another classic match up. I was personally looking forward as a fantasy owner of Nick Chubb because he was going to be the workhorse of the game.
Unfortunately, NLF and NFLPA moved the game to Detroit to get away from the snowy conditions. It was the right decision, but this raises the question whether the Bills should be building a dome instead of another outside stadium. But don’t worry NFL fans, you will most likely get to see another snow game very soon.


The Harry Styles experience:

In 2011, I became a huge fan of the band One Direction. I loved their music and the members. I had One Direction themed birthday party, a ton of merchandise, went to the theater to watch their movie and have supported them through and through. After their hiatus was announced in 2015, I was devastated. But, I still listened to their music and supported the members individually. The lead member, Harry Styles, was the first to start his solo music career. In 2016, all the guys were busy creating and releasing their own music, and I loved it all, but Harry Styles was always my favorite solo musician. 
In 2020, Harry Styles was set to go on his worldwide tour “Love On Tour.” Covid-19 pushed the dates back to the end of 2021 due to the spreading, contagious, deadly pandemic. In December of 2020, I had received two concert tickets from my grandparents to the Pittsburgh concert, which was October 14, 2021. Opening these tickets was one of the happiest, unbelievable moments of my life. I immediately started crying tears of joy in complete shock. Since I had an extra ticket to bring someone to the concert with me, I chose to invite my aunt to take me. I daydreamed about this concert every day for months, and spent such a long time to plan my outfit, it had to be perfect. 
When the concert day had actually come, I couldn’t believe it. It took me up until the day of the show that I actually realized I was going to be in the same room as Harry Styles, who I have loved since I was five. I was excused from school at 11, and my aunt had come to pick me up. We grabbed my packed bags that were waiting at my house and began the trip to the city. 
Once we had arrived in Pittsburgh, it really sunk in. I was completely full of excitement. We checked into the hotel and started getting ready right away. I did my hair, changed into my outfit, and was ready to go. My aunt and I began our walk to the arena, passing by so many other girls dressed in extra outfits, colorful pants, and feather boas. Pittsburgh was full of “Harries.” We waited in line to get into the arena, and at this point my adrenaline was so high. 
Once we got into the arena, it was the most fun atmosphere ever. Everyone was dressed as either different eras of Harry, bright outfits, fruits, or other things Harry likes. We used the restroom and it was now time for us to make our way to our seats. Entering the actual performing area hit me so hard, in the best way possible. One Direction music was playing from the speakers, causing everyone to share an enjoyable throwback moment and sing along before the show. Reading our ticket numbers, “Row 4.” Seeing this caught my attention, I hadn’t realized before this that we were seeing Harry from the fourth row of this sold out arena. It was way closer than I could have ever pictured once we got to the seats. 
After about 30 minutes of waiting, the sweet opening act, Jenny Lewis, comes out to perform her set list for the show. Although it seemed like people were not singing or even knew the words to her songs, the crowd was still cheering her on with great energy. After nearly a half hour of her singing her music, she exited the stage and all of the fans, including me, went crazy because that meant Harry was coming soon. 
After the entire playing of “Bohemian Rhapsody” on the speakers, a black box was rolled from one of the floor entrances and taken under the stage. If you are a Harry Styles fan, you would know the significance of this box. It had Harry in it! I was screaming my lungs out, and then Harry’s band comes behind the box and walks on the stage and takes their places. Suddenly the introduction video for the concert plays on the big screens, and now all the fans are going insane. This moment did not even feel real to me. I was now holding my phone out besides me recording the introduction and the stage to capture when Harry first rises from under the stage. Everyone was already screaming so loud, but it somehow got even louder. This was because Harry was up! It took me 20 seconds later than everyone to notice him rising, but when I did see him, tears started streaming out of my eyes so rapidly. He opened the concert with “Golden,” and went on to sing most of the songs off of his latest album at the time, Fine Line. With a few songs from his debut album, Harry Styles, Harry’s set list and performance lasted about an hour and a half. He interacted with the crowd countless times and just brought the absolute best energy. 
Once he closed the concert with “Kiwi” and left the stage, I was so shaken up and did not even know what to do. I never wanted to leave the arena. I was looking forward to that day since the Christmas when I got the tickets. My aunt and I walked back to our hotel that night, passing by piles of feathers from boas and outfits. 
We got back to the hotel and were starving at this point, so we ordered a pizza. The time was about 11 p.m., and the last time we ate was almost twelve hours before. We waited hours for the pizza, actual hours. It had finally shown up two hours later at 1 a.m. 
This entire day was one of my favorite days ever, and I will never be able to forget it. I cannot wait for my next Harry Styles concert, which hopefully will be sooner than later.


The All-Star: from homeless to NBA champion:

The year is 2023 and the Cleveland Cavaliers have NBA finals against the Utah Jazz in a game seven special with super-star point guard Javon Wilson draining the game winning buzzer beater.
After the game, a reporter went into the locker room and asked Javon, “How did you get to this point in your career?”
He answered, “It’s a long story…”
***
It was 2015 in a rough Chicago neighborhood and I was walking down the street with my cousin who was my caregiver because both of my parents sadly passed away a few years ago from gun violence. A dark, shadowy vehicle rolled down the road, then I heard a loud bang. Yet another family gone from gun violence.
I was homeless for a few years trying to find my way in life.  So I had to work my hardest for those who I lost. I woke up at 6:00 am every morning to go to the local park and work on my basketball skills. I worked so hard every day and eventually I got a scholarship from Duke University to play basketball for them.
In my sophomore year in college, we were playing the Kansas Jayhawks. As I was going up for a lay-up, I felt my knee pop and I went down with agonizing pain in my right knee. I thought my basketball career would be over. I rehabbed almost every day to get back to play at my full strength.
I came back to the court in my junior year and no one could stop us. I was averaging 23.4 points and 7.8 assists a game. We made it all the way to the national championship and we were playing the Kansas Jayhawks; I had to get a comeback story.
It was a close game until five minutes left in the game. My teammate Kayvon Jackson drove the hoop, then threw me the ball in the corner, and I splashed a three right in the defenders face. That was only three of my 21 points I got that quarter. They were driving down the floor and I got a steal and hit a wide open three. As the ayhawks were in-bounding a ball, I stole the pass and hit another three. I finished the game with 26 points, 7 threes, 8 assists, and won the national championship.
I declared for 2020 NBA Draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers had the No. 5 pick and selected me.
***
“So I’m truly blessed to be in this situation after all the things I’ve been through,” Wilson told the reporter. “What got me to this point was the killer that killed my cousin because he gave me so much motivation to work so I can make my cousin, my mom, and dad proud.”


‘Turbo Kid’: So bad it’s good:

There have been plenty of retro sci-fi films and shows. There is one in particular that was never quite as mainstream as the others. I found it difficult to even find a following for this movie. The movie in question is called “Turbo Kid.” It was released in 2015 and follows The Kid, living in a ’90s  post apocalyptic society, where a hierarchy fights for the water supply, his only outlet in this world being comics written about a hero named Turbo Man. 
On one normal afternoon for The Kid, he is startled by a mysterious girl named Apple, who he soon finds out to be a robot. After his temper is tested, the antagonist Zeus makes it his mission to kill The Kid, Apple, and the western arm wrestler Frederick who is helping them. They have been on the search for a generator since their first encounter with Zeus resulted in Apple getting shot. One of their only advantages to winning their battle with Zeus is a high tech glove that The Kid stole off the arm of a dead corpse. This corpse resembles Turbo Man. 
“Turbo Kid” only had a budget of 60,000 dollars, so what they produced from that was actually quite impressive. Unfortunately, it only grossed about 67,069. It’s odd considering the fact that “Turbo Kid” is a lot like “Mad Max,” which has a huge fan base and franchise, but it was barely even recognized. If this movie had the budget of a Marvel movie, then it would mostly likely be a huge part of pop culture today. 
The plot was simple but effective. There were some moments where the characters were not doing much, but it did give a little more room for relationships to grow and develop smoothly. There was one plot hole that was questionable, and that was whether Turbo Man is real or not. When The Kid finds this glove in an abandoned space shuttle with a corpse who is wearing similar gear to Turbo Man, does this mean he is a real person? I guess that is something that the viewer will be left to interpret. 
The action scenes were a bit overly dramatic and gory, but that’s one of the things that makes this movie comedic and likable, which is odd because usually you wouldn’t find a bloody scene funny or likable. Despite the circumstances these characters are in, they create a fun environment that the viewers can enjoy. 
Many of the characters in this movie were unique and had their own distinct persona. The Kid and Apple had well thought out costumes and likable personalities, which made the story more enjoyable to watch. One of the villains named “The Bald Guard,” who wasn’t actually bald at all, had a great and memorable costume. It’s honestly a little upsetting that you don’t see people recognizing these characters in pop culture or at comic events. 
Music is a very important thing for many viewers and “Turbo Kid” is full of well-executed musical scores. They used a synthesizer for the music, which is a nice touch because of how retro and nostalgic it makes people feel. This came out one year before the hit series “Stranger Things,” but you can’t help comparing them based on the music, and honestly, that’s not a bad thing. 
At the end of the day “Turbo Kid” is so bad it’s good. I would give it a 4 out of 5 for its comedic action scenes, lovable characters, and the charming touch it will have on your heart. I would recommend this to people who enjoy comedy/action/sci-fis, but if you don’t like blood, beware. There is a lot. You can currently watch this movie for free on streaming service Tubi, so if you get around to it hopefully you enjoy what you see.


Beaver Tales staff gives thanks (2022 edition):

Jon Albers: I am thankful for the health and happiness of my friends and family.
Willow Bowen: I’m thankful for Tumblr, my friends, and my health.
Alivia Burger: I am thankful for my family, friends, dogs, Austin Powers, Mike Myers (he is an absolute unit, director, actor, and genius), Mrs. Brown, The Beatles, and raccoons.
Hannah Daily: My family and friends.
Kylynn Deane: I am thankful for all of the loving people in my life, for the Taylor Swift and Harry Styles albums they each released this year, for my mom buying me and Ryan tickets for Taylor Swift concert, and most of all for my parents doing so much for me and giving me way more than I need.
Rubie Gibson: I am thankful for my family, friends, and most definitely Mrs. T!
Tony Kerr: I’m thankful for my friends and family being there for me.
Ruthie Light: My family, friends, and “Midnights” by Taylor Swift.
Jenna Martin: I am thankful for the people that have come into my life this year.
Ashton Mineo: I am thankful for my friends and family this year.
Emma Minnick: I’m thankful for my dogs, Bailey and Princess, and how much joy they bring me.
MaKenna Moore: I am thankful for my family, friendship that I have, and the many opportunities that I am given.
Cameron Richards: One thing I’m thankful for is my family.
Jacob White: I am thankful for Dreya Titch for helping me through everything that has happened recently.
Reagan White: I am thankful for my cats.
Trent Williams: I am thankful for friends and family.


Top 10 Thanksgiving foods:

Since Thanksgiving is around the corner, I thought it was a good idea to write about what my top ten favorite items I like to eat at Thanksgiving are. To continue on what my favorite top ten foods for Thanksgiving are…
10. Green bean casserole
9. Cranberry sauce
8. Yams
7. Sweet potatoes
6. Rolls
5. Corn
4. Pumpkin Pie
3. Turkey
2. Stuffing
1. Mashed Potatoes


Lake effect snow expected in the Corry area:

On Wednesday night, those in and around Erie county can expect quite a bit of winter weather. A lake effect snow warning will begin at 7:00 pm and is expected to persist until 10:00 pm Thursday night. People can anticipate anywhere from three to seven inches of snow, with wind chills ranging between 13 to 15 mph.
The poor weather will make for dangerous road conditions, and meteorologists recommend that unnecessary travel should be delayed in order to avoid accidents.
I asked Corry science teacher Mr. Simmonsen about his thoughts on the upcoming weather warning. He said, “The lake is still really warm, and the land is cooling off rapidly. This means the first couple [lake effect] storms are the ones you really have to watch out for.”
Will the impending storm result in a school delay or cancellation? Time will tell! In the meantime, stay safe and warm.


November Girl of the Month:

Every month, there is a girl and boy selected to represent Corry. Mrs. Bourgoine is the teacher in charge of finding the female nominees. Mrs. Britten is in charge of the boy of the month. Usually, every month the boy is chosen by a committee of  high school staff members, and is honored by the Corry Rotary Club. Unfortunately, the response was too late for this article.
When looking for nominees for the “Girl of the Month” Bourgoine looks for someone who is in the program that honors society, exemplifies the qualities of scholarship, citizenship, and leadership the winner is chosen by a committee of high school teachers and is honored by the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. This month’s girl of the month is Gwen Adams.
When I asked Gwen what her initial reaction was when she found out she was chosen, her response was, “My initial reaction when I found out was I was shocked and honored!”
I then followed up and asked her why she thought she was chosen, she then continued with, “I think I was chosen because I feel like I’m a good role model and I try to put a smile onto people’s faces!”


Make a note to watch “Joyful Noise”:

“Joyful Noise” is based upon two women that are very strong-willed, and throughout the movie they are compelled to comply with one another when a small-town choir is threatened to shut down due to budget cuts.
The movie takes place in Pacashau, Georgia, and begins with the unfortunate death of the small-town church choir director, played by Kris Kristofferson. This leaves his widow G.G. Sparrow played, by Dolly Parton, and Vi Rose Hill, performed by Queen Latifah, in arguments on what should happen with the choir. Hill was given the position of being the head of the church choir, but Sparrow thought differently since she was the main benefactor for the church.
The church competed in competitions every year, and made it the regional finals, but it always results in disappointment when the rival choir beats them. This year is different though, and budget cuts jeopardize the choir. The women bicker and argue, and have to decide if they will come together in harmony too do what is best for the choir.
As a whole the movie was very enjoyable to watch, and I would recommend it to people. The movie was well played out, and seemed like normal daily conversations were happening, not like something read off of a script. I would not recommend the movie to young children because the movie is rated PG-13, uses some foul language, and finally parent and child quarrel. Overall, I would rate the movie a 3.5 out of 5 stars. This is because it was a good movie to keep one interested, but there was not a wow factor that set it apart from other musical comedy-drams films drastically.


Survey: What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?:

Thanksgiving is a very important and special holiday to celebrate. It serves as time to pay tribute and thanks to the people who make our lives better every day while eating a delicious home-made meal. As Thanksgiving approaches this year, many people all over America are getting excited to celebrate the magical and liberating experience that is eating Thanksgiving dinner with their loved ones. Thanksgiving dinner usually includes delicacies like turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries, stuffing, pie and many others!
As I pondered the thought of my favorite Thanksgiving food, I began to wonder how my favorite differs from others in my school district. With that being said, here are some Thanksgiving favorites from around CAMHS!
Willow Bowen: Mashed Potatoes
Chesney Hodack: Sweet Potato
Lucas Morningstar: Pumpkin Roll
Seth Alsdorf: Rolls
Hannah Roach: Stuffing
Emma Minnick: Gravy
Ava Gjertsen: Mashed Potato
Kylynn Deane: Stuffing
Jack Hallberg: Stuffing
Nevaeh Gamble: Stuffing
Bella Chase: Mashed Potato
Brooke Beatty: Stuffing
Ashlynn McGahen: Stuffing
Lauren Thomas: Pumpkin Pie
Kieren Graves: Corn Casserole
Maddie Braswell: Pie
Avery Gates: Sweet Potato
Carter Slocum: Mash Potatoes and Ham
Cooper Slocum: Aunt Chris’s Mac and Cheese
Baylee Smith: Cranberry Sauce
Kendyl Scouten: Stuffing
Jon Albers: Turkey
Ashton Minneo: Gravy
Rylan Smith: Turkey
Mrs. Carey: Apple Pie
Mrs. Brown: Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Mr. Buona: Gravy and Stuffing
Mr. McBriar: Stuffing
Mr Getty: Apple Pie
Mr. Potocki: Mashed Potato
Mr. Carney: Stuffing
Mr Brewer: Pumpkin Roll


Avery’s Pawsitive Change: Christmas cards exchange:

Get in the Christmas spirit this year by donating to Corry student Avery Sontheimer’s fund for helping animals.
This December, Avery’s Pawsitive Change is having a Christmas card exchange, where participants will send a card with any amount of donation to her house, and in exchange will receive their own Christmas card and an ornament, along with a tag that states “I helped animals this Christmas 2022 Avery’s Pawsitive Change.”
Any readers who wish to take part in this can mail their donations to 351 East Pleasant Street, Corry, PA. Let’s spread some positivity and kindness this year by helping animals.


Class spotlight: Candy killer in the cafeteria:

Mr. Brewer’s Criminal Justice class investigated a case of murder during school hours in the cafeteria. The following is presumed from the evidence they gathered.
Mason Savitz was going about his regular day when he stumbled upon Mr. Soprano eating Mr. Brewer’s candy. In a panic, Mr. Soprano grabbed the nearest sharp object, which happened to be scissors, to silence his victim.
In the process, Mr. Soprano cut himself. Realizing he wanted to leave as quickly as possible to avoid being caught he fled the scene leaving candy spread across the floor along with Mason’s body. To cover the blood on his hand he put a band-aid on, which he later threw away.
Mr. Brewer’s Criminal Justice class began investigating the crime scene upon walking in on Mason’s body. The case only took three days for them to solve. The main evidence used in the case was the discarded band-aid and the blood from the scissors as the murder weapon with Mr. Soprano’s blood on it.
Mr. Soprano denied the accusation at first. After Mr. Brewer and his justice-seeking class explained the evidence and how the blood matched between the band-aid and one of the two samples of blood on the scissors, Mr. Soprano confessed to the murder of Mason Savitz. After which he was handcuffed and sent to processing. Mr. Soprano has yet to have his day in court.


To the class of 2021:

To the class of 2021…
We are almost there. As we come to the end of our first nine weeks, seniors are stressing about college applications, early admissions, scholarships, financial aid, and really any and all future plans after high school. Being a senior during a pandemic is not easy let alone just being a senior in general. With everything going on in the world, graduation plans are unknown, college tours are cancelled, sporting events are not the same, class materials and objectives are different. As a senior myself, I am confident we can all push through to get our diplomas and receive them proudly.
Everyone has a different plan for their future, whether it is to go to college, a technical school, join the military, or even just jump right into a job. A few Corry seniors would like to chime in on this topic, and explain their feelings and plans involving their future:
Bryce Maleski, 17, is a senior here at Corry High School, and when asked about his future plans and feelings about graduation he said, “I’m pretty excited, I’m going to join the Air Force. Kinda just hoping it plays out.”
Nick Albers, 17, is also a senior here at Corry High School, and his future plans include going to a technical school and really exploring his job opportunities. “I want to be an IT manager, and go to EIT…maybe a realtor after…but like on the side” he said.
Morgan Brooks, 17, is a virtual senior this year at Corry High School, and when asked about her hopes and plans for her future/graduation, she has a different perspective. “I am not exactly sure where I want to go to college, but I am leaning mostly towards Edinboro. I plan on majoring in English and then going to law school to be a child advocate lawyer. At the beginning of the year, I decided to do virtual school, which I am really happy with my choice. I have a module due every week and I get to finish my homework at my own pace. Overall, I’m really excited about graduation so I can start a brand new chapter in my life. I am gonna miss Corry High and all the people for sure though,” she said.
As many things are different throughout this school year, teachers and other faculty members strive to give the seniors advice and the best last year possible. They also are aware of many of the virtual opportunities we are able to have during this pandemic, and they would like to speak their advice for the upcoming graduates now:
When thinking of faculty that I knew I could count on to give great advice to the seniors through this hard time, I thought of Mr. Brewer, 9th grade seminar and history teacher. Brewer said, “It is important to embrace the changes because life is all about changes. You will acquire many set backs in life and it will take time to over come them. This is just one of the many you will have throughout your whole life.”
Another faculty member that has helped us all in one way or another would be Mrs. Dow, the guidance counselor. “We all learned last year that circumstances can change without warning, so take advantage of every experience presented to you. Keep planning for whatever your goal is after high school and look for support and information from your teachers, counselors, and parents,” she said.
Overall, together as seniors, as students and faculty, and as one Corry High School, I believe we can achieve our goals and make our dreams become a reality. Looking back on the last four years can seem stressful and worrisome, however, when realizing how much everyone accomplished, and all the people who made close relationships, remember to not regret anything for a second. Never take for granted all the memories and opportunities in high school because next thing you know, you will be graduating too.
To the class of 2021…


What about?:

i can throw away your clothes
i can throw away the love letters you wrote
i can throw away the stuffed animals you gave me
i can throw away the photos
what about the ‘I love you’s
what about the way you touched me
what about the way you looked at me
the memories?
where do i put those?
please, tell me
i cannot hold onto them any longer
take them back
please


Wounded Warriors:

The defending champs are off to a very shaky start to the NBA season. Through 15 games, the Golden State Warriors have gone an extremely disappointing 6-9. Last season the Warriors finished with a 53-29 record and they went on to win the NBA finals. With pretty much everyone deciding to come back in the offseason, there was plenty of reason for optimism and high expectations heading into the season. So far, these high expectations have not been met.
The Warriors were experiencing issues before the season even started. A video from a preseason Golden State practice arose displaying a physical altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole. The Warriors took a lot of heat in the media for this fight as questions and controversy piled up. There has been no recurrence of an issue like this during the season, but it does raise the question whether or not this situation has affected the Warriors’ season.
Steph Curry is still doing Steph Curry things. Curry is second in the league in scoring, 32.8 points per game, and he is maintaining a +/- of +63. Despite the great output night in and night out from Curry, his supporting cast is not enjoying the same success, thus holding the team back. Fellow splash brother, Klay Thompson, is arguably having the worst season of his career. He is shooting 35% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, both career lows. Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green have also decreased in production from last season.
The young players are struggling as well. There was a lot of hype for Jordan Poole going into the season, but he has been extremely disappointing this year along with the other young guys. His numbers are down from last season including a +/- of -66. It will be interesting to see if Curry’s supporting cast can turn it around and lead the Warriors to another championship push.


Top 10 best Thanksgiving foods:

Thanksgiving is most known for Thanksgiving dinners, and all of the food that comes with it. Most people eat some of the same foods every year as many other families.
10. Turkey: The most commonly known Thanksgiving food, but still not that enjoyable.
9.  Cranberry sauce: This used to be my favorite food, I ate it by the spoonful. Now, not so much.
8. Cottage cheese: This is a classic side dish, and to me, you can never go wrong with this and some pepper on it.
7. Rolls with butter: This is also something that is very hard to go wrong with; they are even better if they are warm and the butter is melted.
6. Ham: It depends who makes it, but it is never my favorite traditional food.
5. Macaroni and cheese: If it is Stouffers, Velveeta, almost any brand or any kind, it is always so delicious.
4. Pies: Pumpkin pies are not the best, but peanut butter pies are one of my favorites.
3. Cheesy potatoes: So good! The kind with the frosted flakes placed on top and then baked: it is so good. The cheese, the crunchy layer on top, the cut up potatoes, so great.
2. Mashed potatoes and gravy: This is such a classic, you cannot have Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes and gravy. It is even better if the gravy is not too think, but also not too runny.
1. Stuffing- This is a personal favorite. Sometimes the wrong people can make it and include the wrong ingredients that can totally ruin it all. But, if it is a really good stuffing, it is the best Thanksgiving entrée ever!


The welcoming Aiden Williams:

Aiden Williams was born on October 22, 2007, and is 15 years old. He lives by Sparrow Pond and is back in Corry schools after being online for two years alongside his sister, Gabby Williams. 
In Williams’ free time he likes to film things, like his dogs, and is currently working on a documentary on the city, Corry. In his future, he can see himself being a filmmaker or a writer. When asked what genre he would prefer to write in, his response was sci-fi. 
His dream vacation spot would be Miami because that is where his favorite show, “Miami Vice,” takes place. Speaking of films, his favorite would the first “X-Men.” 
Musical artists that Williams’ likes to listen to are ’80s bands Journey and Duran Duran. 
An animal that he says matches his personality best would be a dog because they can have multiple characteristics and personalities. When asked about a specific breed, he chose a German Shepard. 
Somewhere Williams’ would consider a perfect hangout spot would be Niagara Falls.
The subjects he enjoys most in school would be history because he enjoys learning about the countries and how they were created. Another class he added to his list of favorites is English because of the amazing teacher, Mr. McBriar.
One of Williams’ favorite quotes is from the sci-fi franchise, Star Trek. The quote by the iconic character, Spock, says, “Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end.” 
The biggest pet peeve of Williams’ would be open mouth chewing, so make sure to take that advice. A piece of advice he would like to leave his readers off with is, “Don’t give up.”


The epidemic of being “chronically online”:

If you have been on the internet lately, I’m sorry. Just kidding. But seriously, the internet has been an absolute nightmare lately. And I say this as someone who is online all the time. The current online climate is incredibly tense, and ruled by discourse and arguments.
I want to clarify that important discussions can (and should) take place online. Social media in particular is a good place to talk about significant issues because so many viewpoints are readily available at our fingertips. Now, its easier than ever before to discuss the issues that matter. But there are considerable drawbacks, and I would argue that the cons far outweigh the pros.
The fact is, the online world is a breeding ground for misunderstanding, contention, and overreaction. A popular term floating around social media, especially TikTok and Twitter, is “chronically online”. This term is usually aimed toward those who, as the name suggests, spend an extensive amount of time on the internet.  As a result of this, these people are deemed overly sensitive and easily offended.
When the term “chronically online” first gained traction, I was skeptical. Oftentimes people use words like “snowflake” or “sensitive” in situations where offense is justified. That’s not to say overly offended people do not exist; I have seen my fair share of them in real life as well as online.
But the term “chronically online” encompasses something more: people who have a problem with seemingly anything. I mean anything. Countless times I have watched a harmless video about a completely innocent topic only to open the comment section and see a firestorm of discourse. A recipe video turns into a debate on veganism, a character edit into diversity discourse, a cat video into an argument about the ethics of owning pets. Some of the comments I have seen on harmless videos have been baffling and frankly disturbing.
“Chronically online” individuals have a way of twisting anything into a controversy; usually in order to make themselves seem more socially aware. The result, however, is the opposite. It is very obvious that these people crave conflict and “correctness” above all.
Is online discourse important? Of course. We should be discussing morality, ethics, politics, and religion, both online and in person. But above all, I want to emphasize that time and place matters. And I would argue that a 15 second video on an app marketed toward children is not always the best place to argue real world issues. Issues like racism, poverty, misogyny, war, political strife; these are all real things that hurt real people every day. And to simplify and inflate these topics just for the sake of an argument is harmful and reductive. “Chronically online” discussions take the spotlight off of important and relevant discussions, and turn important topics into a laughingstock.
So, next time you type out a long winded rant in someone’s Twitter replies, consider the impact your comment may have on the real world.


Survey: Who will win NFL ROTY?:

Since the NFL is already in week 13, I decided to ask students and teachers who will win ROTY.
Blake Cook: Drake London
Wyatt Swan: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Gavin Peck: Tariq Woolen
Owen Nickerson: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Colton Anderson: Kenny Pickett
Mr. Soprano: Kennth Walker III
Carter Jewell: Kennth Walker III
Landon Habrouck: Kennth Walker III
Chris Leek: Bailey Zappe
Mr. Lesher: Chris Olave
Ace Mcelravy: George Pickens
Roman Kafferlin: Malik Willis
Owen Anderson: George Pickens
Zach Rouch: Kenny Pickett
Logan Willis: George Pickens
Weston Rhodes: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Zach Nichols: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Andrew Kuzma: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Miss Pound: Kenneth Walker III
Nick Scouten: Kenneth Walker III
Jack Vancheri: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Bella O’Connor: Alec Pierce
Audrey Baker: Kenny Pickett
Keaton Frisina: George Pickens
Tucker Jackson: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Lucas Baker: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Alex Schmidt: Kennth Walker III
Braedon Fiesler: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Mr. Fallon: Chris Olave
Logan Rhodes: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner
Gavin Greer: Ahmed (Sauce) Gardner


Swifties vs Ticketmaster:

Taylor Swift announced embarking on her “Eras Tour,” set to begin mid-March. She has over 50 stadium shows all over the United States planned. November 2, fans had the opportunity to wait in a digital line for a chance to qualify for a presale code through a ticket-selling website, Ticketmaster, who was in charge of the sale for the tour. November 14, fans got emailed their presale code, and the early access purchasing would occur the next day at 10 a.m. Once Tuesday the 15 had come around, fans were going crazy and filled with excitement to finally get to see their favorite artists. These fans call themselves “Swifties.”
Many Swifties skipped school, work, or had a reliable friend do so for them. But, the sale did not go as smoothly as it should have. Fans waited all day in the queue line, waiting their turn to be let into the checkout to view the stadium and choose their tickets. For many Swifties, they waited up to six hours just to be told all of the tickets were sold out. For others, once they had selected their tickets the website would kick them off and put them all the way to the back of the line. Another issue people had was getting so close to picking out their tickets, having just a few people in front of them, and the website crashing. This upset many fans incredibly, considering that tickets were meant to be guaranteed if you received the exclusive presale code.
After all of the problems Ticketmaster created during the presale and after countless fans couldn’t get tickets, Swifties still stayed hopeful for the general sale that was said to happen Friday, November 18. Not only were fans furious over the unfair problems with the first sale, they also got angry the longer Taylor Swift stayed silent about the situation. To add even more to the frustration, Ticketmaster did something unforgivable. November 17, the night before the general sale that was keeping fans hopeful, Ticketmaster dropped a bomb. It was announced on Ticketmaster’s Twitter account that the general sale set to happen the following day, was now canceled. Meaning no more tickets were to be sold for the tour.
With Taylor Swift still staying silent after all of this, it continued to make fans even more upset. It had later come out that Ticketmaster made a huge mistake. Rather than sending out 1.4 million presale early access codes, sources say they sent out 14 million. While nobody knows what Taylor was saying to Ticketmaster behind the scenes, still no apology had come from her to all of her devastated and crushed fans.
It was not until November 18, the planned day of the general sale, that Swift herself publicly brought any attention to the situation. She posted an Instagram story saying things like, “It goes without saying that I’m extremely protective of my fans.” She then writes, “It’s really difficult for me to trust an outside entity with these relationships and loyalties, and excruciating for me to just watch mistakes happen with no recourse.” Taylor even said how it aggravates her that only 2.4 million fans were able to purchase tickets, when so many more had hopes to.  She even admitted how Ticketmaster claimed they would be able to tackle this. As of this publication, nothing else has been said by Taylor Swift.
An interesting conspiracy many fans have is that Ticketmaster got mad at Taylor Swift. The theory is, Swift saw how horrible the presale was going, and talked to Ticketmaster telling them to pause the presale to fix it. Swifties think Ticketmaster was being greedy and didn’t want to temporarily stop it. It is believed that some disturbing words were exchanged between Swift and Ticketmaster, and the company got mad at the singer, so announced the cancellation of the general sale. This is backed up by the fact that Ticketmaster posted the canceling of the ticket sale, not even Swift when it is her own tour. 
Needless to say, Swifties are furious at Ticketmaster, even those who were able to get tickets because it is still unfair the amount of true fans who weren’t able to get some. Swift said she hopes for another way to have fun and sing her songs together another way, so Swifties stay hopeful.


Opinion: People rely on technology too much:

People use technology every day, but have we become dangerously reliant on it? We have technology to drive us places, preserve and cook our food, entertain, and even inform us of current events. While making our lives much easier technology has also made us really not like going just a few hours without it.
One of our most common devices is our phone, whether it be an iPhone or Android. Everyone that I know has a phone and we use them to stay in contact with each other over long and short distances. Simply because they work much faster and efficiently than almost any other system, the only exception being a full computer that is much more powerful in what it can do by design. The modern phone has replaced the letter mailing service, but should it have? Of course we still have mail, but we no longer rely on it anywhere near what we used to. Perhaps the best reason being the near “instant” part of our new messaging systems.
Not quite as widely accepted but definitely upcoming, self-driving cars. A car that can drive you to work without any interaction. Without you needing to watch the road every second; that is a scary thought to me. I have zero trust in any close box system. If someone can’t look inside a tool and tell me for sure that everything is definitely working one hundred percent accurately, I do not want to trust my life to its successful operation. Not to mention the lives of others that could be affected if the hardware inside the car makes a simple mistake or shorts out and the driver is not paying attention.
We even trust our technology to store our food, mainly because it is the only option at the moment for storing food ahead of time. Examples include the refrigerator and freezer. We have no other natural option, apart from taking advantage of climate or weather, which is not commonplace enough luckily to replace either. So we won’t likely be replacing either any time soon.
We often find ourselves using technology even if we aren’t using it directly in front of us. We could be using it at home or at work even when we are not there. Most people will not even think twice about leaving an appliance running or whether it is going to accomplish anything while they are gone, not to mention the environmental affects that leaving all this technology on has on the planet.


December First Friday in Corry:

Christmas time is upon us and with that Corry has hosted December’s First Friday last week. First Friday is an event that is hosted every first Friday of the month with sales, discounts, prizes, food trucks, games, shows and even more.
This year’s December theme was “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” There was live music downtown, food trucks, and even more. All the downtown stores stayed open until 10 p.m. with sales, specials, drawings, and prizes. There was even a hefty amount of carolers roaming the streets. Characters like Rudolph, the Abominable Snowman, and the Grinch were all saying hello while wandering in downtown Corry. Conestoga wagons and horse and buggies gave shoppers lifts while shopping with all the Christmas time sales and discounts. There was even great help setting up for First Friday with Skills USA students lighting  luminarias for the park sidewalks.
With Christmas time already here, there was lots  of spirit around Corry on Friday, December 2 with the three Santas scattered around downtown so everyone, including adults, could see Santa. With that Decembers First Friday, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” came to a close bringing lots of fun and joy to all the people that came and enjoyed all the festivities.


USA Men’s Soccer Team moves on in the Fifa World Cup:

The USA Men’s soccer team is making a statement in the Fifa World cup. USA went 1-0-2 in the Group play of the tournament . Their last game was an intense 1-0 win against Iran to advance the USA into the knockout round.
This game had huge implications on the outcome of Group B. Iran needed to tie or beat the USA to move on to the knockout round, and all the USA could do to move on is win. The USA went up 1-0 after a Christian Pulisic goal in the 38th minute. Pulisic would exit the game at halftime after he collided with Iran’s goalie after his goal. This would be a huge loss for the US, as Pulisic is their best player and biggest offensive contributor.
After the Pulisic goal, it was a defensive standoff for the US. The ball control was rather even throughout the course of the game, with the US controlling the ball 51% of the time. Iran couldn’t get much going on offense with only four shots on goal, and one shot on target. The US would have to endure 10 minutes of extra time to secure the win, and move onto the knockout round.
The US will have Netherlands this Saturday at 10:00 A.M. Christian Pulisic was cleared and is ready to go for tomorrow’s game.


Nice Noah:

Noah West is a sophomore here at Corry Middle-High School. West grew up here in Corry, PA his whole life. West was born on November 5, 2006. He is one of two siblings; West has a sister who is 10 and her name is Ava.
He likes to go kayaking, camping, and hiking. West plays two sports, cross country in the fall and track in the spring.
When Noah grows up he wants to be a psychologist. When I asked him where he would want to visit he said, “Europe or Britain.”
He likes the movie “Star Wars: Rogue One.” He said his biggest pet peeve is, “When others talk behind your back.”
I appreciate Noah for taking the time to answer my questions.


The brilliant Mr. Bimber:

Corry High has a new welding teacher, Mr. Bimber. Mr. Bimber was born on November 21, 1979. He was born and raised in Franklin, PA, and attended Franklin High. When he was younger he wanted to be a welder, so this job seemed to be a great fit for him. He has a 10-year-old daughter, a cat, and a dog.
Before working here Mr. Bimber worked at Precision Manufacturing Institute, but when it closed down he still wanted to work in this type of industry, so when this job opened up he decided that this is what he wanted to do. When asked if he enjoyed working here this is what he commented, “Yes I do enjoy working here because I enjoy teaching welding, plus I love the environment.”
Now on to all of Mr. Bimber’s favorites. His favorite hobbies are four-wheeling, riding his motorcycle, going fishing, and going camping. His favorite quote is “They laugh at me cause I’m different, I laugh at them because they’re all the same.”- Kurt Cobain. His favorite subject in school was history.  
Back in high school he did martial arts and his dream vacation would be to go to the Caribbean because he’s never been there. A piece of advice he has for the readers is, “If you do what you love you will never work.”


What ‘Breaking Bad’ character you are based on your zodiac sign:

Walter White Jr. (Flynn) – Aries 
Aries are known for being bold, adventurous,and confident, and Walter Jr. is just that! He is never afraid to speak his mind, even if what he says is a little bit “out-of-pocket.” Despite his struggle with cerebral palsy, Walter Jr. stays true to himself and is not afraid to have fun! 
Todd – Taurus
Todd is seen as loyal, even if it’s not with the right people. Taurus are very resistant to change and viewers of the show could agree that Todd always had trouble making decisions that would change his original course of action, but I think viewers would also say he is trustworthy. 
Walter White – Gemini
Walter White is a Gemini because of double life and split personality. Around his family he is a quiet, calm, and a kindhearted man. When he is in the world of crime and cooking meth, Walter White is the danger. 
Marie Schrader – Cancer 
Marie is seen as a very emotional and caring individual consistently throughout the series, so it is no doubt that gives off “Cancer energy.” Cancers are known to be very emotional and nurturing. Marie cares very deeply about her family, and would do anything to make them happy. 
Saul Goodman – Leo 
Saul Goodman radiates a fun and energetic persona. He doesn’t mind being in the spotlight, is confident in his work, and is loyal to his clients. You can’t help but think with his funky suits he would be a Leo. 
Skinny Pete – Virgo 
Skinny Pete is a frequent drug user, but under the surface you can tell he has a kind soul. Virgos are sympathetic signs and Skinny Pete sympathized with stuff that a lot of the characters like Jesse did.  
Gus Fring – Scorpio 
Gus Fring is secretive and ambitious about what goes on in his private life. Scorpios are discrete, they tend to have mystery in their life. Fring relates to Scorpios because he has paranoiac and possessive traits.  
Hank Schrader  – Sagittarius 
Hank Schrader is optimistic, hilarious, and honest. His occupation as a DEA agent has had some gruesome moments, but he still manages to have humor in his persona. Sagittarius is spontaneous and a good conversationalist, so seeing his relationship with Walter kind of sets that in stone. 
Mike Ehermantrout – Capricorn 
Mike Ehermantrout, one of the best assassins in Breaking Bad, is a Capricorn. Capricorns are known to be hard workers and overachievers. Success can come easy to them and Mike could say the same for himself. 
Jane Margolis- Aquarius
Jane is a very creative person and mostly expressed herself through art. She is a very unique character that shows many traits of Aquarius like not being very social beings unless they intend to be. Jane is independent and was flawed as being unemotional at times. 
Skylar White- Pisces
Skylar White, wife of Walter White, portrays many characteristics of a Pisces individual. One of the biggest unique qualities of a Pisces individual is that they are very emotionally sensitive and aware. Throughout the series, Skylar is seen being very in touch and direct with her emotions, especially when it comes to her husband’s cancer diagnosis.


Top ten Christmas movies:

Since Christmas is around the corner, I thought it would be a great idea to write about what my favorite top ten Christmas movies are:
10.”The Polar Express”
9.”A Christmas Story”
8. “Scrooge”
7. “Christmas with Kranks”
6. “Home alone”
5. “Gremlins”
4. “The Nightmare before Christmas”
3. “The Grinch”
2. “A Miser Brothers Christmas”
1. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”


My top ten Spotify Wrapped songs:

It is officially that time of year! No, not Christmas. Who cares about Christmas? It’s time to look at our Spotify Wrapped! My life has been a roller coaster this year and that has taken a large effect on my Spotify. From sad songs to love songs to metal songs, they are all available to see now.
10. “Good Looking” by Suki Waterhouse
9. “Twin Size Mattress” by The Front Bottoms
8. “Pluto Projector” by Rex Orange County
7. “Apocalypse” by Cigarettes After Sex
6. “The Last Great American Dynasty” by Taylor Swift
5. “Memories” by Conan Gray
4. “Evergreen” by Omar Apollo
3. “Destroy Myself Just For You” by Montell Fish
2. “Cardigan” by Taylor Swift
1. “I Love You” So by The Walters


Have the Browns finally found their franchise quarterback?:

The Cleveland Browns have had a season filled with ups and downs. The season as a whole has been pretty disappointing as the Browns sit with a 4-7 record currently. After failing to reach high expectations last season the Browns went searching for answers in hope of finding that 2020 season magic once more. During the offseason, Cleveland traded six draft picks in exchange for controversial star quarterback Deshaun Watson. As great as Watson is on the field there are certainly some questions about his off-the-field behavior.
There has been a total of 24 civil suits filed against Watson for sexual misconduct with most of if not all of these women being massage therapists. Watson has settled or won all but two cases thus far, as there is no actual proof of any of the alleged incidents and Watson’s team did have some strong evidence against a few of the women. The NFL decided to suspend Watson for the first 11 games of this season due to these allegations and he had to participate in a treatment plan. The judge originally sentenced him to only six games, but it was appealed. They believed he should be punished because he was accused of these things, but the punishment wasn’t that bad because nothing was criminal and there was absolutely zero violence involved. With all that being said, Deshaun Watson returns this week against his former team the Houston Texans.
Jacoby Brissett has stepped in at QB for the Browns this season and he has done a great job. Brissett has over-performed his expectations and he has led the Browns to a top 10 offense so far this season. Browns fans are very happy with how Brissett has played and led this team into battle, that being said there is a lot of excitement and optimism surrounding the upcoming Browns’ debut of star QB Deshaun Watson. Watson looks to take this team to new heights and with the slow start this year due to a lot of losses in close games, but in upcoming seasons Cleveland should be making a push to win the AFC North.
The Browns future depends on how Watson plays after all the drama that has occurred off the field, and it all starts this week.


‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr.’ is coming to Corry with a special Rudolph raffle!:

The middle school’s production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr.” is just this weekend! The show will be held in the CAMHS auditorium, and it will take place on Friday, December 2, at 7.00 p.m., as well as on Saturday, December 3, at 2:00 p.m. Adult tickets will be sold for $5.00 and Student tickets will be sold for $4.00. Pre-sale tickets are available in the office now!
The production, however, is not the only thing Mrs. Smrcka and Ms. Britten has in store for this weekend. There will also be a chance to win a raffle of two extra large inflatables that are featured in the show. The money collected in this raffle will help fundraise for continued Drama Club performances. The raffle tickets will be $2.00 for one ticket or $5.00 for three tickets. The tickets will be available in the HS and CAIS offices. The winning tickets will be drawn after the final show of the production (Saturday). The first pull winner will receive their 12 ft. Abominable Snow Monster inflatable, and the second pull winner will receive their 10 ft. Christmas tree inflatable.
You will not want to miss the Middle School Drama Club’s performance of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr.” and the special Rudolph raffle on Friday and Saturday. Please come and support the middle school cast and their effort to put on a fabulous performance.


“Salt to the Sea” was the perfect book for me:

I read “Salt to the Sea” a few days ago and let me just say, I was blown away! In the novel by Ruta Sepetys, the reader grows to understand and become fond of four characters, who each have their own chapters in the story, although, I did not care for one of the characters at all. Avid readers experience sorrow, triumph, shock, and learn about the characters’ past experiences little by little. This book takes place in the winter of 1945 during WWII. The four characters who the story focuses  on are Joana, a Lithuanian nurse; Florian, the restoration artist who was from East Prussia; Emilia, a young orphaned Polish girl; and Alfred, a Nazi. Although they didn’t plan to come together, they all found each other and in desperation began to band together that they may each accomplish their own desires. Through sacrifices, joy, and heartache they all meet their own fate by the end of the story.
When reading this captivating piece of literature, there is never a dull moment. Sepetys keeps the readers on the edge of their seat waiting to see what will happen next, who will be strong enough to endure the hardships, and which person will be willing to sacrifice themselves to save another. The words speak truth and power throughout the novel, and causes the reader to realize just how awful the effects of WWII were on the world. Although it is historical fiction, hundreds of thousands of people endured similar events as seen the book, which causes the audience to have a stronger emotional tie to the story. One theme  readers can easily pick out of this book is to press on no matter what comes their way. This theme is developed because time after time the characters are faced with grief and challenges that push them beyond their limits, but instead of giving up they keep going.
Overall, this book is absolutely amazing, but a teenage audience is recommended, as some vivid graphic descriptions are portrayed. In the end, this book deserves a 5 out of 5 star rating. The technique, style, word choice, emotional connection, and so much more had me captivated and unable to put the book down.


Augie’s Pizza will close after 45 years:

Corry restaurant Augie’s Pizza announced on Facebook that they would be officially closing on Saturday, December 3. Several Corry Facebook users and civilians have expressed their dismay and sorrow over the ordeal.
 
Mr. Simmonsen, high school science teacher and the 2007 Augie’s Pizza eating champion, said, “I’m very dismayed by this.”
For over 45 years, this pizza place has been dedicated to serving delicious foods and quality customer service in a family friendly atmosphere.
“Augie’s has been a big part of my appetite since I was young, I’m really sad to see them go out of business,” senior Lakota Donaldson said. “They’re such a family friendly restaurant.”
“Best strombolis ever, it’s a shame,” Mr. Chludzinski said.
Mr. Goodwill, head football coach, said, “It’s sad to see such a fixture in our community say goodbye.”


September and October Boys of the Month:

Every month there is a boy nominated to be the “Boy of the Month” in Corry that is featured in the Corry Journal. Usually, every month the boy is chosen by a committee of  high school staff members, and is honored by the Corry Rotary Club.
Jacob Swartzfager was chosen to be the “Boy of the Month” for September. When I asked Jacob what his first thought  was when he found out he was chosen, he said, “My initial reaction was surprised that I was chosen and I was very thankful for the opportunity to learn more about what the club was about.”
I then followed up and asked him why he thought he was chosen. He then answered, “I think they chose me because I’m very respected by all of my peers and teachers, and I try my best in school, and to better my reputation.”
Cooper Yatsko was chosen to be the “Boy of the Month” for October. I also asked Cooper what his initial reaction was when he found out he was chosen, he said, “When I first heard that I was going to be chosen for the Rotary Club Boy of the Month, I honestly wasn’t sure what I was being recognized for. When I got to meet the club members I was told that I was chosen because of my academic achievements and my character. I am very proud to join the ranks of prior members who have received recognition and I encourage others to get involved with this community based organization. ”
You can find more information on the boys and their extra curricular activities on the Corry Journal website.


Kick-off on Corry Basketball:

Friday, December 2 was a big day for the boys basketball team as they got their first win of the season.
It was the first home game of the season and it was against the Cochranton Cardinals. The JV team won 41-29 , and then the Varsity was 62-53, taking a win. Senior Ashton Mineo gave his view on how he thinks the first game went. Mineo said, “I think the first game went well. We played pretty well, but we didn’t shoot well.”
The girls had a basketball tournament over the weekend at Northwestern High school and they took third out of four teams.  The  four teams in the tournament were Corry, Northwestern, Sagertown, and Reynolds.
On Friday Corry played against Sagertown and lost, and Saturday they played Reynolds, taking a win. Senior Tayler Elchynski also gave an input on how she thinks their first game went. Elchynski said, “I think it went well for it being our first time playing in a game…together and for having a young team. We were able to execute on offense and defense well. I can’t wait to see what happens for the rest of the season.”


Lucky to call you ‘Mom’:

If you don’t know Rikki Spencer, she is a mother to me and my little sister Diamond. Born on July 19, 1988, Rikki grew up in a little town called Union City, PA. She has one sister who is 45 years old. When not serving or bar tending at a restaurant she likes to spend time with her family, watch TV and hangout with her best friend Jared.
Some of her hobbies in school included Volleyball, hanging out with friends, playing softball. When asked if she ever thought about being a teacher she said “No, because I don’t have the patience.” Personally, some of her favorite subject in school were English, math and physical education.
What is Rikki’s favorite food? “Chicken sammy’s.” Her favorite colors are yellow and orange. Rikki really likes gems, that’s where mine and my sisters name came from. Her favorite song is “Betta For Ya” by Kevin Gates.
When asked what she planned on doing in her future she said, “Taking care of people.” When asked what her dream vacation is she said “To go to Jamaica.”
Overall her biggest pet peeve is lying. Finally, since she is out of school she would like to leave the readers with “Don’t be unhappy; life is too sort.”
As her daughter, these wise words from a strong mother will always ring in my ears and help me along the way as I continue on the path to my future.


Lively Lucas:

Lucas Scott Morningstar was born in Corry, PA, and grew up in Spring Creek Township. He was born on January 23 in 2008, and he is 14 years old. He has an older sibling, Issac, who is 17. Speaking of his family, they will be vacationing to Puerto Rico soon, but another vacation spot he hopes to travel to is Key West, Florida. 
He has interests in basketball and was there supporting the boys basketball team Friday, December 2, for their first basketball game. Along with this, his favorite class has always been gym, since he is into sports and athletics. 
Now some more of his favorites he listens most to the music artist Tay-K. He likes the colors baby blue and orange. Also, when asked about his favorite food, “Ramen noodles,” Lucas said.  “You can’t mess those up.” 
Here are some fun facts about Lucas. He admits he would match an elephant to his personality. When asked why, “Big,” is how he responds. Also, his dream date is a trip to Chuck E Cheese with his significant other. 
It was great to get to know and to talk to this interesting person. His personality really shined through in this interview.


“Wednesday” is weird and we love it:

The new TV show “Wednesday” was released to Netflix on November 23, 2022, directed by Tim Burton himself, and it has gained waves of attention and popularity. Its a spin off of the Addams Family, but specifically centered around the daughter, Wednesday, and how she’s sent to a school for unnatural people. There, she works on discovering more about her psychic ability and solving local mysteries.
First of all, the casting is brilliant. Jenna Ortega plays Wednesday, and she does a phenomenal job depicting her. In fact, Ortega revealed that while playing her, she wouldn’t blink, which just exudes the creepy energy of the character. Another factor (that could potentially be one of the greatest scenes of 2022) was that Ortega even choreographed Wednesday’s iconic dance herself, basing it off videos of goths dancing in clubs in the ’80s. Gomez and Morticia are also portrayed wonderfully; they look perfect for their roles and do the couple justice when representing them.
Although the show is mainly astounding, there are critiques viewers seem to have. Some dialogue the characters use can just be quite awkward and cringe-inducing to watch. The writers also attempt to create (one-sided) love interests for Wednesday, which simply is not fitting for her. Wednesday has always been written as apathetic, cold and unfeeling. Although she did have a love interest in another rendition (“The Addams Family” 1991), it just feels off and unfitting to a plethora of watchers. As far as complaints go, though, there’s not too many besides these.
Overall rating: 4/5 stars.


Walmart plans cut back on plastic:

One of the biggest trend on the rise has been the end of plastic bags within major companies. Finally, Walmart has decided to jump on that bandwagon. In the beginning of 2023, our local Walmart plans to convert from plastic bags to reusable because they are better for the environment and they are sturdy. This change will result in (hopefully) zero waste.
By 2025, Walmart plans to be 100% reusable and not give anymore plastic bags. The process is starting mainly on the East Coast in the beginning of 2023. This change is also a result of the ban in California that will eliminate the usage of plastic bags all together. The government is going to ban the creation and importation of plastic bags but the process is going to take a few years.
Before the prices rise, try to buy some reusable bags for under a dollar at your local stores.


NFL Week 14 status update:

With the Raiders winning Thursday Night Football, here are the NFL standings and schedules as of Week 14.
AFC Conference 
AFC North- Ravens (8-4) against the Steelers, Bengals (8-4) against the Browns, Browns (5-7) against the Bengals, and Steelers (5-7) against the Ravens.
AFC South- Titans (7-5)  against the Jaguars, Colts (4-8) against the Vikings,  Jaguars (4-8) against the Titans, and Texans (1-10-1) are against the Cowboys.
AFC East- Bills (9-3) are going against the Jets, the Dolphins against the Chargers on SNF, Jets (7-5) against the Bills, and the Patriots (6-6) are battling the Cardinals.
AFC West- Chiefs (9-3) are going against the Broncos, Chargers (6-6) are at home against the Miami Dolphins, and Broncos (3-9) are against the Chiefs.
NFC Conference
NFC West-  49ers (8-4) are at home against the Buccaneers, Seahawks (7-5) are are home against the Panthers and, Cardinals (4-8) are at home against the Patriots,
NFC East- Eagles (11-1) are against the Giants, The Cowboys (9-3) are home against the Texans,  The Giants (7-4-1) are against the Eagles.
NFC North- Vikings (10-2) are up against the Lions, the Lions (5-7) are against the Vikings,
NFC South- Buccaneers (6-6) are up against the 49ers, Panthers (4-8) are against the Seahawks.
TEAMS ON BYE WEEK
Falcons
Bears
Packers
Colts
Saints
Commanders


Superstars find new homes during the MLB Winter Meetings:

MLB winter meetings have started off with a bang! Superstars find new homes with monster deals as their teams look to make championship runs.
Trea Turner; Philadelphia Phillies
As one of the best shortstops in the league,  Turner looked to get paid. The Phillies have shown interest in a shortstop since 2020, and they’ve found their guy for the next decade. Turner signed an 11 year, $300 million dollar deal with a full no trade clause. This means if Turner desires, he will be a Phillie through his age 41 season. Turner’s production will likely fall off toward the end of his contract, but that is a risk the Phillies are willing to take to win now. Turner will join a star-studded lineup with Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins, and Kyle Schwarber to name a few.
Xander Bogaerts; San Diego Padres
Another shortstop FA looked to sign a monster contract, as Turner only set the stage for the others. Bogaerts decided to take the San Diego offer of 11 years, $280 million dollar deal over the Boston Red Sox’s offer. Bogaerts has been one of the premier shortstops in the league since his debut in 2013. He joins a Padres team with another star shortstop, Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis will likely move to right field, as Bogaerts is better defensively. The Padres hope this move will push them over the edge and get them back to the NLCS again.
Justin Verlander; New York Mets
Verlander is still terrorizing offenses around the league at age 40, and has shown no signs of slowing down. The Mets took a gamble paying the 40-year-old right-hander $86 million in a two year deal. The hope is that Verlander joins Max Scherzer to become one of the best one-two punches in the league. The Mets will look to get away from the bad taste left in their mouth after their heartbreaking wildcard loss in 2022. Verlander might be the missing piece they just needed.
Jacob Degrom; Texas Rangers
Degrom looked to chase the bag this off season after his many years of dominance in the Queens. The Rangers signed him to a five year $185 million dollar contract. Degrom’s longevity has always been questionable, with him being sidelined for chunks of times over the past couple of seasons. Degrom’s health will be critical to the Rangers success in 2022.
Aaron Judge; New York Yankees
Jude was the top FA of 2022. After he declined the Yankees offer last off season, he proved his worth by becoming the all- time single season A.L. home run leader, and winning the A.L. MVP award. Judge had offers from both the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants, but when the Yankees offered another year and 40 million he couldn’t resist. Even though Judge said that his “Legacy is more important than money,” he took a nine year, $360 million dollar deal with a full no trade clause. His return to New York surprised many after he was booed in the ALCS after his MVP season. Judge will look to represent the Bronx over the next nine years and hopefully win a ring.


The pressures of state-mandated testing:

State-mandated testing can be very stressful for many students and teachers. There are often barriers and conflicts that come along with having to do the mandatory testing by a certain time and within a narrow environment. Just having an off day can throw off a student’s scores. Students from each grade, teachers, counselors, and principals are each feeling the pressure of state-mandated testing in unique ways depending on their perspectives.
From the middle school perspective, students seemed a little less worried, but the things they were worried about was how state-mandated testing affects their timeline for getting into high school. Many of them also talked about how the tests make them very nervous because of scores and getting answers wrong.
Beau Pierce, eighth grade, said, “[I] don’t like them; I’m always rushing because I’m scared I’m going to fail. And I don’t want to get held back because then I will fail– and then I won’t graduate.”
High school students, especially juniors and seniors, tended to be more worried about how their grades might look to colleges and having to remember all of the information for the test, some of which they felt was never taught. 
Junior Taylor Fenstermaker said, “Going into it not knowing what’s going to be on it, how do you study for it then?”
When Alexa Turben, 12th grade, was asked what the pressures of state mandated testing were, she said, “They tell you to study for the state-mandated tests, but expect you not to fall behind in your other classes from missing class time.”
They dislike that there is a ton of scripted monologue for the teachers and that they don’t tell you what you should study. Most of them also said that missing class time to take them also puts them behind in class over something out of your control.
“[The] grades and also having to know stuff because it’s been so long since I’ve done it,” Freshman Tavon Kornikoski said, and then added, “It’s about passing, it really is.”
“The way the teachers have to say scripted stuff; I hate it,” said Ryah Lambert, tenth grader.
Many of the middle school teachers said that it was hard to cram the information in the curriculum that is needed for testing. They also spoke of the pressures that come with not being in school for 5-6 months. These two factors were brought up many times as concerns for students, most of all the students that struggle. Some also felt that the cramming and mass testing is not appropriate for students to have to do.
Mrs. Beebe, who teaches seventh grade ELA, said, “We’re asking kids to do things that are not always developmentally appropriate. It’s appropriate to be having the standards but the fact that they test you so much is ridiculous. “
The view that it is not fair to students in the way we measure their knowledge and understanding of the concepts was also shared by some of the high school teachers.
High school science teacher Mr. Potocki said, “Kids are different, so for one test to evaluate what each kid knows is next to impossible. We try to encourage kids to be unique, but we try to evaluate them on what they learn, but we do not evaluate them in ways that will respect the uniqueness.”
There was also the widely expressed idea by the teachers that it is hard to have to teach to a test because you don’t get to teach many of the things you would like to teach that students would enjoy. There isn’t as wide of a selection of material to use when forced to teach for a test.
“The material that you had to focus on and cram– there wasn’t as many freedoms to venture off and teach things and math that would be more fun to learn; you’re very confined by the math curriculum,” said Mr. Luther, Algebra 2.
There is also not always enough time to teach what needs to/ should be taught. There isn’t always enough material at teacher’s disposal to use to teach it as well.
Ms. DiLuzio, who teaches language for layman, said, “Having a limited scope with which to use as academic criteria.”
“Getting through the curriculum, so you have to move at a faster pace, so you can’t do as many lab activities,” Biology and high school science teacher Mrs. Jackman said.
There was also a lot of concern with regards to how the pandemic effected students testing this year.
High school English teacher Mrs. Reynolds felt that, “They missed out on their education for approximately five months and they didn’t get as many opportunities to learn. There’s a lot of catching up and so much ends up depending on state testing. We didn’t even have time to do prep work with the students and had not even a month because they started testing around spirit week, so there wasn’t even a month and they’re already being tested.”
From the administrative viewpoint, there is a ton of pressure for the school to get funding from our testing. It is hard when we are at a demographic disadvantage to help kids be prepared to test and graduate, but if they perform poorly it ends up reflecting negatively on the school even if there are outside factors at play.
Director of Secondary Education, Mr. West, when asked about the pressures of state-mandated testing, said, “The pressure of state mandated testing is accountability from both the state and federal governments for schools to perform at a certain level.”
Assistant Principal Mr. Passinger added, “When it comes to the administrative and district level, the schools get graded on it, so there’s pressures there as well.” Passinger continued, “It’s a requirement to have to test the kids no matter what, but there is a new change to take some challenges off of kids…the new six pathways, the Act 158, with alternate assessments. [This] will give kids some other ways to graduate and it’s better than just putting it all on one test.”
Though state-mandated testing may not always seem fair to students, they don’t have much choice in the matter of where to draw the line. There aren’t many ways to broadly test for each mind, but schools are trying to work towards other ways of going about it, so for now students and teachers are going to have to keep testing.


Christmas Spirit Week is coming to town:

As Christmas approaches, many people have been taking action to get in the holiday spirit! However, Corry students have not been the only people getting festive this year. The CAHS administration staff, along with Safeline, has organized a ‘4 Days of Christmas Spirit Week’ for students and teachers at CAHS. This series of events will take place on Monday, December 19 through Thursday, December 22. Without further ado, this year’s Christmas spirit week themes are:
Monday: Holiday Tradition Day – Pick your favorite winter holiday colors (Christmas- red and green, Hanukkah- blue and white, Kwanzaa- red, green and black)!
Tuesday: Ugly Sweater Day – Wear an ugly holiday sweater! 
Wednesday: Holiday Character Day – Dress as your favorite holiday movie character (i.e Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, an elf, Santa, etc.)!
Thursday: Holiday Pajama Pants Day – Wear your favorite pair of holiday pajama pants!
Thank you so much to the CAHS Counseling Department and Administration for organizing this event for the school to enjoy. Hopefully you all have a wonderful time participating in these fun, themed days. Merry Christmas!


The Super Bowl curse:

On February 13, 2022 the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals to become Super Bowl 56 champions, but the Los Angeles Rams have not been good this season.
Since the Rams won  Super Bowl 56 in LA, they’ve been having trouble winning games. The Rams have changed a few main factors over the off-season: they lost wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr since his contract expired, they lost veteran tackle Andrew Whitworth due to retirement, but they also added veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner from the Seattle Seahawks and also added wide receiver Allen Robinson from the Chicago Bears.
The Los Angeles Rams now have a record of 4-7 after beating the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football after Quarterback Baker Mayfield led a 98 yard touchdown drive in under two minutes to win the game by one point. The Rams have been having their struggles this year with Cooper Kupp dealing with an high ankle-sprain most likely to be out the rest of the season, Matthew Stafford has a spinal cord contusion in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks and will most likely be out the rest of the year.
Hopefully the Rams can come back next season but they have the least amount of cap room since Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald got paid massive contract extensions last off-season.


“Orange Is the New Black” is worth the watch:

In the last few years, you have probably heard of the TV show, “Orange Is the New Black,” since it remains one of Netflix’s most popular original shows, and has been referred to as a “fan favorite.” After binge watching all seven seasons, I can confirm that the show lives up to its hype.
The show is centered around main character Piper Chapman’s memoir, as she recalls her moments at Litchfield Women’s Prison. It recalls her memories and experiences at the prison, and all the people she meets along the way. However, that isn’t all the show is about. In every episode, it casts light upon not only problems the prisoners face, but what struggles many minorities have had to face in and out of prison. Viewers get to watch Piper’s character develop as she is forced through changes and adjustments due to the dynamic of the prison.
As a general warning, I feel it is appropriate to mention there are some very graphic and heavy scenes, and you should take precaution while watching. However, I find the darkest scenes to be oddly beautiful. In the saddest, harshest moments, it reflects just how terrible it can be for inmates, and how women’s voices are silenced every day. The problems the women in the prison face are real issues that have not gone away, and seeing the harsh reality of how the inmates are treated and forced to live is truly shocking. I started the show with the mindset that I wouldn’t make it past the first episode, but within minutes, I was already so intrigued I could not force myself to look away.
The characters in “Orange Is the New Black” don’t feel like TV show characters at times, because of their realistic portrayals and realistic interactions. Their goofiness and their dialogue make it feel as if you are there with them; just everyday people like you and I. As each season progressed, I watched each character develop and mature, and it felt like I was growing with them. My favorite character is definitely Suzanne Warren, better known as “Crazy Eyes,” because of her bubbly personality and chaotic antics. Actress Uzo Aduba plays Suzanne throughout all seven seasons of the show and has even won an Emmy Award for her amazing performance as the beloved character.
Overall, the show has an amazing set of cast members, directors, and writers. It gives a unique view on what it’s like for the ladies in Litchfield Prison, and women all over the world. If I had to rate it, I would gladly give it 4.5 stars. Just like many others, I have fallen in love with “Orange Is the New Black,” and I am sure you will too.


The return of the talent show:

An old Corry tradition has recently been announced for a return: the annual talent show. It’s been many years since the last show due to the restrictions of COVID, but Corry High School students should get ready to shine because now is the time for them to showcase their skills.
The talent show will take place on the December 22, which is the half day before Christmas break, and will run around the times of 8:30 to 10:30. The student body should be thankful for the staff who are putting this together, Miss DiLuzio and Mr. Potocki, but mostly the students that get up on stage. 
Some things you can most certainly expect to see in the talent show this year are performances by Mr. Potocki and global media. Both have participated in the show ever since it was introduced. 
When asking Miss DiLuzio if she was excited for the show’s return she replied, “I’m excited, it’s one step closer to being back to normal, and we’re gonna make it even better than it was before.” 
If you want to sign up for the show you will have to stop by room 53 and get a slip from Miss DiLuzio. Make sure if you do have an act it is school appropriate. See you soon on the stage!


Introducing the new school nurse, Mrs. Donoghue:

Mrs. Donoghue is a nurse at CAHS. She grew up in Corry, attended Edinboro University, and earned her bachelor’s degree. Her birthday is July 6.
During her free time she enjoys being outside and staying active with family and friends. She has one sister and a brother. Mrs. Donoghue  wants to continue her job as a nurse here. Stephanie got into being a nurse because she enjoys helping people.
If Mrs. Donoghue could visit one place she would travel to England because her niece, nephew, and sister-in-law all live there. Mrs. Donoghue’s favorite genre of music is country because it makes her happy, favorite color is blue, and favorite emotion is happy.
Mrs. Donoghue’s plans for this upcoming vacation is to go deer hunting. Her favorite quote is, “Our purpose in life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”
An animal that would match Donoghue’s personality would be bees because they’re busy and she’s always busy. Her idea of a dream vacation would be going to Outer Banks with her family and friends. Donoghue’s idea of a perfect date is doing outdoor activities with your partner.
Her favorite class was always nursing and special education because she has always loved to help people. Mrs. Donoghue’s favorite food is spaghetti. Mrs. Donohgue’s biggest pet peeve is being lied to.
A piece of advise that Mrs. Donoghue would share is, “I know this is challenging with COVID-19 and restrictions, but try to make each situation good”.


Deception:

“The only way we are breaking up is if you leave me.”
Yeah, right.
I was a fool to believe you.
A small part of me knew that it wasn’t true but I wanted it to be
So I ignored it.
Here I am watching you move on while I wonder where I went wrong.
-Was I a fool to believe you?


The elf who saved Christmas:

Three hundred sixty five days of the year and 24 hours a day Santa and his elves are working to make the Christmas experience great for children all over the world. The elves are preparing gifts of all sorts each day. Whether they have to make or buy the presents, they are surely working hard all the time. Some elves make cookies, some elves sing songs, and some elves prepare the sleigh and its route. Different elves are responsible for all sorts of different tasks, but no elf has ever been tasked with guiding Santa’s sleigh.
You may be wondering why I would bring this up. Well there was once a time when a brave elf had to lead Santa’s sleigh on the Christmas voyage.
The year was 2020 and it ’twas Christmas Eve day. All of the presents were being loaded and the sleigh was prepared for takeoff. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen, and of course Rudolph were all strapped in and ready to go when the unthinkable happened. Mrs. Claus broke the news that St. Nicolaus himself tested positive for Covid-19 and he was unable to complete his Christmas journey.
Panic was spreading all around the North Pole as the ultimate crisis was present on Christmas Eve night. With Santa being sent into quarantine, the chances of Christmas being on as usual plummeted. With all hope swiftly dwindling, a brave elf they called Brant stepped up to the plate and declared he would lead Santa’s sleigh and provide families with joy on Christmas day.
The ride started out rocky for obvious reasons as the harsh winter breeze nearly blew the new driver out of the sky. But by some Christmas miracle and a lot of good faith, Brant guided the sleigh to where the weather was safe. As the trip went along, Brant started to catch on and it seemed that Christmas was back on.
The return of the sled was met with thunderous applause from the entire North Pole. The elves were inspired and the Santa and Mrs. Claus were proud. Christmas was saved and Brant’s heroics will live on forever.


Entertaining ‘Elf The Musical’:

Based on the 2003 film “Elf,” the Erie Playhouse put on the production of “Elf The Musical.” After months of rehearsals, the performances began at the beginning of December. 
“Elf” has always been my favorite Christmas movie. I watch it multiple times every Christmas season, so going in to see this play, my expectations were high. Getting straight to the point, I would rate the overall musical a 9/10. 
The musical started out very different from the actual movie. It started off with Santa sitting in front of his television watching a show, talking to his wife and then explaining how this show will be explaining the story of Buddy The Elf. Then it is immediately a song scene with elves and Buddy himself singing and dancing. I was not expecting it to be different, I thought it was going to be just the same. I would have preferred if it was the same, but that’s all right. 
The cast stated some of the same exact lines from the movie, but not that many at all. There were many details that were very different. Some new things were added in, like the plot of love between Buddy and Jovie. When they were going on their date, he promised to make a reservation to her favorite restaurant but broke that promise. They also held a very long conversation on a bench before ice skating, which never appeared in the movie. 
Although the script had its differences, the cast selection was amazing. All of the actors did a great job portraying their assigned characters. They had the same personalities, attitudes, energy, etc. Most of them even resembled the actual actors in the movie. 
The sets of the musical were very creative. They moved props on and off of the stage very swiftly and speedily. There was a giant screen in the back of the stage that changed to different things with each different scene, which definitely made a great contribution to the look of the stage.  
To choose between the movie or the musical, I would pick the movie. This may be because I am far more familiar and used to the movie, but the musical really was a nice breath of fresh air and truly was enjoyable. I would highly recommend it to everyone, this comical, fun and joyful production.


Some answers are found, others remain in the case of “America’s Unknown Child”:

After 65 years, little Joseph Augustus Zarelli has been identified. Previously known as “The Boy in the Box” or “America’s Unknown Child,” he was finally identified on Thursday, December 8.
He was found at the age of four on February 25, 1957, by a college student. The college student waited a day before reporting the body presumably out of fear. Few clues remained as to who murdered or at least disposed of the body of the boy.
The boy was not clothed, his hair had been freshly cut by a less than professional “barber,” and the box he was found in (originally holding a bassinet) was bought with cash. The purchaser had been found, but had few links to the case and is not considered as a suspect in the case. The college student also did not match the profile for having had anything to do with the case.
At this point the case seems to be a dead end with little evidence. However, the Philadelphia police have their suspicions on some possible suspects. They did not feel it was appropriate at this time to say, however, due to the lack of evidence in this case. The police were quick to point out that having had the identity of the boy back then may have been key to solving the case much faster.
Since this discovery was purely based on the release of newer DNA technology along with some DNA databases, this would have been impossible at the time. The DNA that managed to be connected with his was from his siblings that are still alive today. His parents are long gone, though. Even some of the investigators had passed away in the time it took to make this discovery.
Hopefully the discovery of the boy’s name may lead to a possible conviction or at least a better understanding of what happened in the case that the perpetrator has already been caught for another crime or has died due to the long wait for this finding.


There is no war on Christmas:

Every year when the holiday season comes around, I prepare myself for the constant and pointless discussion of “the war on Christmas.” If you are unaware, the “war on Christmas” is a phrase commonly used to describe the use of “happy holidays,” as well as corporate celebrations that are not explicitly Christmas-centric. Some people believe that more general holiday terms and marketing are an insult to Christmas, and the Christian religion as a whole.
While the “happy holidays” debate has flared up in the last decade or so, notably due to Starbucks campaigns and political speeches, it is not a new discussion. One of the first notable mentions of anti-Christmas sentiment in America came from famous entrepreneur and noted anti-Semite Henry Ford, when he said in a popular anti-Semitic magazine, “Last Christmas most people had a hard time finding Christmas cards that indicated in any way that Christmas commemorated Someone’s Birth.”
In recent years, however, the “war on Christmas” has been cited as less religious and more political. With notable conservatives such as Bill O’Reilly speaking about “liberal antagonism” toward Christmas, the holiday season has become an ideologically divisive issue.
So, what exactly is the issue here? Some argue that using more inclusive language, like “holiday” or “winter” in place of Christmas is part of a broader issue: Christian censorship and persecution. I, personally, do not believe this to be true. After all, many religious holidays are celebrated in the month of December, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, the Winter Solstice, and more. With so many winter-themed holidays, many of them centered around gifts and family, why not acknowledge a multitude of them?
The issue some have is not the inclusion of other religions, but the “erasure” of Christianity. America was founded on the principles of Christianity, but it also encourages religious freedom. Other people’s beliefs should be acknowledged and respected, without assuming any superiority. This is exactly what “happy holidays” sets out to do.
In my opinion, the “war on Christmas” does not exist. It is just manufactured outrage playing into identity politics; a problem we see on both sides of the political spectrum today. “Happy holidays” is just a way to acknowledge and include others. But frankly, I do not think it matters.


Corry’s Christmas door decorating:

Corry Middle High School’s annual Christmas door decorating competition has returned for another year. 2022’s theme was Christmas movies, and many participants worked hard to make an impression. Several creative and aesthetically pleasing doors were seen, but only three were victorious.
In high school, Mrs. Jackman’s “Christmas Twister” inspired door won.
For middle school, Mrs. Balogh “Home Alone” door conquered.
In the CTC hallway, Mrs. McCray was the victor with her “Polar Express” themed door.








Gallery|48 Photos


Helpful Ms. Hood:

Ms. Marigrace Hood started her teaching career at Corry this year. Her birthday is on September 20. She was raised in Harbor Creek, and attended Harbor Creek High School. Following graduation, she decided to continue her education, and earned her bachelor’s degree in Special Education at Mercyhurst University. Then she went on and earned her master’s degree at Gannon University.
When asked why she got into the job she did, her reasoning was that she has always been interested in working in special education.  One day the chance came up, so she went for it. If her career was not in teaching she would most likely be a nurse because it still gives her the opportunity to help people. Additionally, if she could learn anything it would be sign language. This is because it could be used in every day life to communicate with others rather than a foreign language where it can only really be used in the country where it is their main language.
Outside of school Ms. Hood enjoys planing volleyball. In the winter time she is employed at the Peek’n Peak Resort, and is a ski instructor. When asked what place she would like to visit, she replied that she would like to travel to Ireland because she has family heritage from there, and she just thinks it is an all-around a cool place. Additionally, she would like to travel back to Barcelona, Spain one day.


Top ten Christmas songs:

Christmas is coming up, so I thought I’d do a list of my favorite top ten Christmas songs. A little Christmas spirit for you all. Stay safe and enjoy the holidays!
10. “Last Christmas”
9. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
8. “Run Rudolph Run”
7. “Jingle Bell Rock”
6. “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”
5. “Deck the Halls”
4. “Frosty the Snowman”
3. “Silent Night”
2. “The 12-day of Christmas”
1. “White Christmas”


Top ten instruments for beginners:

Have you ever wanted to play your own music or start a new hobby with it? Well this article goes over the easiest instruments to play according to Corry High School’s band teacher, Mr. McCray. If you are ever looking for an instrument to possibly start out with these might be instruments to consider playing as a start and to get down the basics.
10. Bassoon- Lots of notes but not very hard to learn the note patterns
9. Trombone- Only have to memorize where the Trombone slide has to be for certain notes and how to use your mouse
8. Guitar- Lots of notes to learn but easier rhythms to understand those notes
7. Trumpet- Only three keys to use but you would have to learn the com
6. Bass Guitar- generally only using one or two different octaves so its easier to understand
5. Bass Drum- Only have to memorize patterns with hitting the drum
4. Ukulele- Less notes to learn and understand
3. Saxophone- Lots of notes to learn, but it is extremely easy because of the pattern it follows while you learn it
2. Kazoo- very few notes but not taught very much in or outside of school.
1. Recorder- Due to its very few notes and often being taught in younger grades


The Bodacious Mrs. Butler:

Samantha Butler is an English and Read 180 teacher, and it is her first year at Corry. When asked why she wanted to become a teacher she said, “I studied history in college and I like kids, so it seemed the best way to make money if being an author didn’t pan out.” She also said that she had wanted to become a teacher when she was younger. Her favorite thing about teaching is, “the relationships I form with my students; getting to know them and hearing from them later!” 
One thing that people don’t know about Mrs. Butler? “There’s a lot since I’m new. I have a lot of random knowledge about a lot of random things.” Her favorite season is fall “just because it’s beautiful!” Her favorite color is cobalt blue. Her favorite food is pasta because “you can eat it a thousand different ways!” Her favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookies (but she’s still trying to find the right recipe). Her favorite kind of pie is Pumpkin.
Mrs. Butler grew up and attended high school in North East. She has two sons: Theo (6), and Lincoln (2). She was very active in her high schools activities, she played soccer, was in color guard, dance team, and acted. A busy schedule for sure!
When asked if she had ever received an apple as a teacher she said, “Yes! This year!” Her favorite subject in high school was history because “ it allowed me to study anything because it is about everything.” Her favorite historical event to learn about is, “Europe in the middle ages, but basically anything that has to do with people and who they really were.” She finds it interesting to learn about who they were as people and how things went down behind the textbooks. Her favorite class in college was America to 1800. She enjoys playing soccer and watching hockey. When asked whether she preferred round or swirly light bulbs, she said, “swirly: they’re Eco-friendly.” 
Her favorite author Douglas Adams and added, “today, I’ll go with Douglas Adams, but it changes day by day– or genre by genre.” For example, non-fiction: anything by A.J. Jacobs; science fiction: Douglas Adams; classic literature: Shakespeare; and romance: Jane Austen. For a favorite poem, she said that it depends on her mood. “Different poems for different reasons– I think we encounter the right poem exactly when we need it.” Her favorite poet is Shakespeare. Her favorite movie genre is comedy, especially anything by Mel Brooks.


You’ll know the name Earl by the end of this show:

I have recently finished the series “My Name is Earl” on Hulu, a four-season comedy about an ex-crook who makes a list of all the bad things he has done hoping that karma will make his life better. This series follows Earl and his brother Randy making up for all the bad things while dealing with his crazy ex-wife Joy.
The cast did a good job of portraying the stereotypical, over-the-top, rude, and under-educated characters. I really liked the writing and I enjoyed the inside jokes that fly under the radar until you’re familiar with the show. 
This show has a recurring theme of karma. “Do bad things – bad things will happen,” is said often throughout the series. Some may pick up on this moral and use it in their daily life. I think this series is primarily for teens and adults. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys a lighthearted comedy, keeping in mind is carries an MPAA rating of TV-14. I would rate this 4 out of 5 stars and was sad it ended on a cliffhanger. Fans of this show may also enjoy “Raising Hope,” made by the same people, which includes several references to “My Name is Earl”.


A girl named Kyla Walker (not Kayla, KYLA.):

Kyla Walker, 17, is a senior at Corry High School. She is involved in National Honors Society, Student Council, Upward Bound, Honors Choir, and performs in all the yearly high school musicals along with helping out the middle school productions. She was born and raised in Philadelphia, and her birthday is May 16, 2003.
When asked what her favorite hobbies or interests are, Walker said, “I usually like singing, listening to all kinds of music, and hanging out with my friends.” Also, when asked what her favorite color, movie, song and emotion was, Walker said, “Purple, definitely Austin Powers ha ha, music is too good I do not have a favorite, and Ew, I do not like emotions.” An animal that would match her personality perfectly would be a panda because, “They are cute, vicious, and they love sleep, but they are determined!”
Since Kyla is Co-President of National Honors Society, Co-President of Student Council, and Co-Treasurer of the senior class, I asked her what are the things she loves most about being multiple class officers at the same time?
“I like staying busy and interacting with people, since we don’t get to do that a lot now.”
Kyla’s future plans involve wanting to go to the University of Pittsburgh and become, “… a lawyer or a scientist…wait why not both?!” Her favorite classes are, “Chemistry, only because I love Mr. Kerr, and Choir…duh.”
With this, Kyla’s favorite food and biggest pet peeve would be, “Hot Cheetos for sure, but I really don’t like ignorant people or just ignorance in general.” As Kyla and I have the same interests we also talked about how academics, music, and other extracurricular activities can be just as time consuming as if we were in a sport.
Overall, as Kyla’s senior year eventually will come to an end, her advice to any and all underclassmen would be, “Do your homework…those…points…COUNT.”


Ms. DiLuzio, a picture of confidence:

For this spotlight, I interviewed the bubbly Ms. DiLuzio, who also did a wonderful job scribing for me. She grew up in Erie, PA, and attended university at Mercyhurst and Penn State. She enjoys spending time with her fun-loving puppy, Cappi. 
Something that Ms. DiLuzio believes sets her apart is her confidence and passion. I believe these are what make Ms. DiLuzio a great teacher. Her passion for teaching would even continue if she wasn’t a school teacher. She told me that her next go-to job would be a dog trainer!
Ms. DiLuzio has very deep Italian roots and is ecstatic to visit again. The most memorable thing was being immersed in the culture. And she was a big fan of all the Italian food. On that note, ciao!


“The Green Mile” is a trip worth taking:

You might have heard of “The Green Mile” if you are a Stephen King fan. This movie is a crime/drama that was made in 1999. It is one of  the best movies I have watched. It is sad, but it is worth it.
The movie takes place in a small town in Louisiana. The two main characters that star in this movie are Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan. “The Green Mile” is a movie about this big guy named John who is scared of the dark and convicted for killing these two little girls and a guard who doesn’t believe he could have done it. John was a massive black man who had the power of healing things, so he tried healing the little girls whose parents he worked for, but they saw him hovering over them in blood. While in the jail he talked to the guard named Paul. He tried telling everyone he was not the person who killed them, but no one believed him.
The actors did an amazing job playing the lead roles. There was never a time where I thought they were over dramatic or too fake, and there was never a part that failed to have my attention, but some parts are a little disturbing and should only be watched by mature audiences. The overall lesson I think everyone should take away from this is that you really should never judge a book by its cover because there could be circumstances that you don’t know or could understand. Also, some people could just be big and have the sweetest personality. I would recommend this film for anyone that is mature enough and would understand what’s going on. I would give this film a 5 out of 5 stars.


Teachers should be giving less homework:

Have you ever had so much homework sleep wasn’t an option? Staying up all night to finish something that might only be 2 points but that could help your grade? Spending all that time up and being exhausted the next day? I think any person who has been in school could say yes to these. Teachers give too much homework for kids these days. I think that teachers shouldn’t give as much homework as they do now because some kids have sports, work, or a hard home life that is just not ideal for lots of homework.
I’m not trying to make excuses for us not doing home work, but for example, I play volleyball and we travel to away games sometimes far away and we don’t get home until late. Teachers say do it on the way there or back, but personally I get car sick when even looking at my phone to change the music. Also, some kids have to have jobs to pay for things themselves because maybe their parents don’t have the money or their parents want them to be independent and are teaching them responsibilities now.  We also have seven classes a day, so if we have over ten problems or a lot to do for one class and all the rest give the same amount, we have to stay up and try and finish it all, which leads us to be tired and not fully there for the next day’s class.
This affects a lot more than just a grade on a piece of paper; it affects our future.  I’m not saying teachers shouldn’t give any homework, but I’m  saying they should give fewer assignments. Less homework and more class time teaching or worksheets would be so much more effective so that students are not running around stressing out about how they are going to get all of their homework done. A compromise would be that teachers give students less homework and focus more on the classroom but students also should put forth effort in class.


Changes abound while preparing for a new school year:

Before the 2020-2021 school year was off to a start, there were many precautions and changes that needed to be made over the summer if students were going to be able to attend their classes in person. The administrators, teachers, and janitors are just a few of the ones that had to change their yearly routines of preparing for the upcoming school year. The tasks that needed completed were easier for some and challenging for others. Below are perspectives from a teacher, janitor, and an assistant principals on how different getting read for this school year was different then others.
From a English teacher’s perspective, Mrs. Marsh stated that this year was different for her because everything was digital. Also learning and being trained how to use the new English series was different, but as a result it is easier because all of the work is in one place.
Moving on to a janitor’s perspective, Mr. Knapp’s job did not change too drastically when preparing for the upcoming year. He stated, “Cleaning has not changed a whole lot due to the reason that they were already cleaning everything that was needed before it was required.” Additionally he stated that before the classrooms could be set up, they had to wait until they were given class rosters to know how many students were coming back. From there, they were able to set the classrooms up at the recommended distance.
Coming to an end, the last perspective comes from assistant principal, Mr. Passinger. By far, his job along with the administrators had the most complex task when getting ready for students to come back for the school year. When asked about some of the changes this year he stated, “Rules changed all the time. We had to create a plan that was safe for both education and the state recommendations.”
After the plan was created, parent communication was important because surveys were needed to calculate how many students were even coming back. From the results, the class rosters were made, and classrooms set up to the recommended distance. Feeding the students was the next biggest problem that needed to be addressed. Changes needed to be made so students are spread apart while being able to take their mask off to eat. This was achieved by putting tables in the old gymnasium.
After months of planning for the upcoming year, it has been a challenge in some ways, but a few positive things have came out of it. With creative thinking and teamwork, it has been a smooth transition into the new school year.


Convivial Caden:

After sitting down with Caden Beckford, student at Corry High School, I was fortunate enough to learn a few new things about him. Born in Maryland, Caden has moved all over Pennsylvania ever since he could remember. He is currently 14 years old and is a freshman.
When asked what his favorite thing to do is, he answers, “I love gaming. It’s so awesome getting to pretend you’re in a different universe fighting monsters.” Of course, as a follow-up, I had to find out what game Caden currently has his eye on. “Call of Duty, duh,” Caden jokes, with a huge smile on his face.
Since Caden has just entered ninth grade, I was curious on his thoughts of becoming a freshman. “Honestly, high school isn’t as scary as it seems. It’s a little different from middle school, but I like it. I’m getting good grades and I’m happy.”
When he isn’t gaming or at school, he’s usually outside or spending time with his family. He describes it as, “the only way to let everything out and have fun.” Caden is very active and gym is his favorite class in school because he loves the rush he gets from running and playing dodge ball.
Caden also talks about his family, and how important they are to him. “I love all of my family, but my dad is my favorite because he’s one of the funniest people I know and he works really hard,” he says. “He is always making me laugh even when I am not in a good mood.”
After being asked about his plans for the future, Caden ends the interview with a piece of advice. “I’m not sure what I’ll be doing. But that’s fine, because as long as you’re happy and safe, it’s okay not to know.”


Mrs. Audet: A guidance counselor with a true calling:

Danielle Audet is a guidance counselor at Corry High School. She chose this job because she had a rough time switching schools when she was in high school and had some very helpful staff members, so she wanted to be that person for other students. When asked if she liked her job Mrs. Audet said of course she liked her job and that she loves helping others no matter how chaotic it is. She also stated, “I believe I am here for a reason.”
When asked if she wasn’t a guidance counselor at Corry High School what would she want her job to be and where, she stated that she would want to work with sports, fitness, or maybe nutrition at a college level.
Mrs. Audet grew up in Clymer, New York, but during  her freshmen year of high school she moved to Corry. She was part of the volleyball, basketball, track, and tennis teams. She got her BS in psychology at Penn State Behrend and her masters in school counseling at UNC Chapel Hill in North Carolina.
Mrs. Audet’s favorite subject was psychology in college, her favorite song is “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds because it was the song that played at her wedding, her favorite color is purple, and her favorite movie is “Tommy Boy.” When asked what her favorite quote was she stated  her favorite quote was: “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone,” by an unknown author. Mrs. Audet’s dream vacation would be “a beach resort anywhere.”
When asked what her biggest pet peeves where Mrs. Audet said, “Other drivers not using their turning signals or staying in the left lane for too long on the high way.” Mrs. Audet is married and has a two-year-old daughter and a golden retriever named Griffin. She is the youngest of three, and she has an older brother and sister.


Black lives deserve to matter:

As I am sure you have heard, 46-year-old black man George Floyd was killed during an arrest in May of this year. His death sparked an uproar of people fed up with the systemic racism in America. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have come together to fight the unjustified treatment of black men and women. They have marched the streets, used their voices, and preached “Black Lives Matter” to spread awareness about the blatant racism and discrimination of black people in this country.
This isn’t just an issue in America; this is a global issue. But as a young white woman, I can never say that I will even begin to feel the struggles of the black community. My white privilege has blinded me for my entire life. I have never feared being kicked out of school for the texture of my hair, or worried that a traffic stop might be the last moments of my life. I will never know what it is like to live through the eyes of a black person, and that is simply because of the color of my skin.
In just one of many cases, Ruby Williams, 14 at the time, was repeatedly sent home for the texture of her hair. At first, the school’s reasoning was that her hair was too distracting, but even after several attempts at different hairstyles, the school was still not satisfied. The dispute between Ruby’s family and the school happened after several students and teachers came forward about the school unfairly punishing black students for their hairstyles. However, hair is just the tip of the discrimination iceberg.
As a young white woman, I stand with the black community. I hear their frustration and their pain, and I want justice. It is unacceptable to turn a blind eye to these issues. We have to stop settling for less because our ignorance costs people their lives. Our silence is compliance. Use your social media platforms, educate yourself, and spread awareness. “Black Lives Matter” is more than just a phrase; it is a wake-up call that we have needed for way too long.


The very kind Ms. Kuritz:

“Happiness is not by chance, but by choice” – Jim Rohn (Ms. Kuritz’s favorite quote)
During this week I was given the privilege of interviewing one of the many new employees welcomed to Corry this year, Ms. Shannon Kuritz. Ms. Kuritz teaches high school girls Physical Education and Health. She grew up in Hermitage Pennsylvania with her two older sisters, Requel (37 years old) and Sadie (31 years old). Graduating from West Middlesex High School in 2013,  Ms. Kuritz then moved on to attending Edinboro University where she majored in Health and Physical Education. She graduated from Edinboro University in May of 2018. Her birthday is June 5, and she is 25 years old.
At one point, I asked why she got into the job that she did. Her response was simply that, “…it was something I always wanted to do since I was a little kid. As I got older I realized how much I enjoyed sports and physical activity. Health was always such an interesting topic to me, so what better job than teaching young adults the importance of these two topics?”  
When asked about her favorite hobbies she said, “I really enjoy being outside and going camping as much as possible with my friends and family.” To add to that, her favorite way to pass time is to go for walks by Edinboro Lake. 
Over quarantine, when asked what she did, she followed up with this response, “…I went for a five mile walk everyday, ran, and watched A LOT of TV with my dogs.” One thing, however, that drives Ms. Kuritz crazy is when people pull out in front of her while she’s driving and then decide to go extremely slow. 
As our interview came to an end, she wrote that a very important piece of advice she wants to impart with you is: 
“
The only thing stopping you from going after what you want is you.”
— Ms. Kuritz


iPhones versus Androids:

Although many disagree, I personally think that Android is the superior phone over Apple phones. Here is a list of pros and cons for both brands. 
I think the biggest pro of Apple is that you can Facetime other Apple users without downloading an app. You can also screen record things and Apple uses icloud to transfer things easily.   A few cons for having an iPhone would be the price. The lack of variety is also a con. Another thing I do not like is that they got rid of the headphone jack, so that people would have to buy adapters or AirPods. They are putting profit growth over consumer needs. 
I will start with the pros of an Android and discuss the variety and price. Android offers phones ranging from low quality with a cheaper price and higher end phones with better quality and are still less expensive than Apple. Another pro of Android is the battery life. I have never once had my phone die on me and it only needs an hour to fully charge. I am sure you have heard of common complaints about Androids, but there are some fixes for these complaints. Many complain of Android user camera quality but that is simply fixed by choosing a phone that offers a better camera. You can video chat by downloading secondary apps. 
Android users get a lot of hate because they do not have the status an iPhone brings. I think iPhones have become a symbol of wealth, so people don’t look at the product they are getting. Overall, I think the pros of an Android outweigh the fixable cons and make it a better product than Apple.


Spotlight: Quarterback Nate Lesher:

Nathan Lesher is the quarterback for the Corry Beavers. He had a really good play last game, throwing the ball to Ethyn Allen to get a touchdown. His birthday is November 11, 2003, and he grew up in Corry.
Lesher’s hobbies are sports and hunting. He has two brothers: one is 19, and the other is 13. He doesn’t know what he wants to do when he is older. He worked hard to become starting quarterback. Nathan wants to travel to Kentucky for hunting. His favorite movie is “Remember the Titans.”
His favorite quote is, “Don’t count the days, make the days count,” by Muhammad Ali. The animal that matches his personality is a turtle. Nathan’s idea for a dream vacation is hunting and his favorite class is math. His favorite food is steak. The sports that he participates in are baseball and football. His biggest pet peeve is grammar. His advice for freshman players is “work hard to get your spot.” His favorite team from the NFL is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his favorite college team is Penn State.


Top ten Thanksgiving foods:

Since November has arrived everyone is thinking about one important thing: Thanksgiving food! November can seem like a long stretch, especially when thinking about how you can’t eat a big, delicious Thanksgiving feast until the end of the month. I remember as a child, I used to completely forget about Thanksgiving until the day of, and then only have a Christmas mindset after. But, I could never forget about these delicious (yet some disgusting) Thanksgiving foods:
10. Beets
9.  Green Beans
8. Cranberry Sauce
7. Pumpkin Pie
6. Stuffing
5. Corn
4. Bread Rolls
3. Gravy
2. Turkey
1. Mashed Potatoes (mmmm…)


Top ten songs released in 2020:

The year 2020 hasn’t been great, but that hasn’t stopped artists and creators from inspiring the world around them. Musicians have still produced new music despite the circumstances, and some songs have been true bops. Here are my top ten songs that have been released in 2020.
10. “Time Flies” by: Tori Kelly
9. “Rain On Me’ by: Lady Gaga
8. “Bored” by: Tessa Violet
7. “oh GOD” by: Orla Gartland 
6. “Physical” by: Dua Lipa
6. “My Future” by: Billie Eilish
5. “An Offering” by: My Chemical Romance 
4. “Cool Girl” by: dodie
3. “Butterflies” by: Jacob Collier
2. “He Won’t Hold You” by: Jacob Collier
1. “Anything” by: dodie


Top ten ideas for a top ten list:

Thinking of making a top ten list? Here are some ideas!
10. Top ten amendments
9. Top ten words for good 
8. Top ten countries 
7. Top ten reasons to quit your job
6. Top ten Dwayne Johnson movies 
5. Top ten less common sports 
4. Top ten fall activities 
3. Top ten worst states in America
2. Top ten celebrities 
1. Top ten ideas for top ten lists


Underneath the old bookstore:

The room sat still, untouched by time except for the thick layers of dust and the faded covers of books in the window sill. Light flowed in through the gaps of the old curtains and covered portions of the room like lens flares in photographs. Nothing appeared to have been touched in the old bookstore on the corner for at least twenty years. No one in, and no one out. There weren’t even spiders in the shadowed corners because there weren’t any bugs coming through the screens of open windows or doors from habitats of the store. All that remained were the dusty old books, yet if someone were to listen closely there might not be complete silence there. There was noise outside and in surrounding shops for sure, but with the doors closed those sounds didn’t cut the stillness. Yet, there is a small almost beating, drumming, patting of something that must still lurk there.
Little feet pattering gently beneath the floorboards of hard-at-work mice. They worked around the clock to make sure all was in order around the whole city and to make sure that all children had a book to read. There’s always the occasional mouse in the restaurant or the subway station, but they’re just there to make sure the food is prepared right and everything goes as planned. These mice are to thank for your train never derailing. They take books from the shop above and deliver them (four mice to carry each book and one for lookout) in squadrons of five to make sure that all children can be given the joy of a book to let them escape into worlds outside their own.
The mice work around the clock and collect change that they find on the street to buy more and more books and parts for the things around the city and sometimes they come across them too. They never steal things they find. They know when the things they find are theirs to take or still a beloved object or needed part of someone else because they always keep a look out for what’s going on. They return lost items to people when they know the object isn’t theirs to take. No one comes near the store mainly because they think it’s either haunted or because there must be something wrong with it if it has sat empty for all these years? For the mice though, and the city, this peaceful daily bookstore is the habitat that runs the day to day world of the city.


Top ten clothing brands for colder weather:

With fall here and winter on the way, clothing options are changing quickly. I chose to pick the top ten clothing brands that I’d wear in colder weather. The colder months is the time that we all get to wear comfy sweatshirts, sweatpants, and fuzzy items. So enjoy!
10. GAP
9. Canadian Goose
8. The North Face
7. Carhartt
6. Duck Boots
5. Fuzzy Crocs
4. Columbia
3. BearPaws
2. Adidas
1. Nike


Top ten things to do in winter:

Everyone has their favorite time of the year. Mine is winter. During the winter you might find yourself thinking that there is nothing to do. This is why I’ve created a top ten list of my favorite winter activities. These are sure to keep you entertained and occupied through the winter months.
1.  Snowboard/Skiing
2. Sled riding
3. Snowmobiling
4. Ice skating
5. Snowball fights
6. Creating snow forts
7. Building a snowman
8. Making hot chocolate and watching Christmas movies
9. Board games with friends
10. Driving around and looking at Christmas lights


Top ten football teams of the season.:

What NFL teams are having the best season right now? I did this list because football has been my life ever since I was very little.
10. Miami Dolphins 4-3 AFC East
9.  Las Vegas Raiders 4-3 AFC West
8.  The Washington Football team 2-5 NFC East
7.  Arizona Cardinals 5-2 NFC West
6.  Baltimore Ravens 5-2 AFC North
5.  Indianapolis Colts 5-2 AFC South
4.  Chicago Bears 5-3 NFC North
3. New Orleans Saints 5-2 NFC South
2. Seattle Seahawks 6-1 NFC West
1. Pittsburgh Steelers 8-0 AFC north.


Top ten dog breeds:

Who doesn’t love to cuddle with a furry friend when it is cold outside? As winter is approaches, causing people to stay inside more, they need to keep busy so they do not get bored. One idea to stay busy is to get a dog to keep you company. Here is a list of my top ten favorite dog breeds.
10. Mini Doberman Pinscher
9. Labrador Retriever
8. Yorkie
7. Blue Heeler
6. Teddy Bear
5. Beagle
4. German Shepherd
3. Goldendoodle
2. Saint Bernard
1. Great Dane


Top ten autumn aromas:

One of my favorite things about fall are all of the smells. The smell of leaves as they die off, the fall baked goods, pumpkins, the candles lit everywhere, and the distinct smell of a fall breeze. For every fall smell, I can relish a specific memory to go with it. For example, the smell of the fallen leaves gets associated with when I was eight years old and I would pile up high mounds of leaves and jump into the pile for hours. Although it may sound weird or out of place, below I have listed the best fall aromas from the worst to the best.
10. The muddy/moldy ground smell – This smell always signifies the fall season for me because after the rain starts to fall and the ground stops absorbing the moisture quite so quickly, this moldly, bitter smell wafts up from the earth. I am not a fan of it because of the sharp, acidic smell it produces.
9. The smell of freshly carved pumpkins – Although this is a staple of fall activities, the way the inside of pumpkins smell makes me want to hurl my insides. I never had a problem with the smell when I was younger, but one year I was feeling sick as I carved the pumpkin, so I was left with a forever-negative view of the pumpkin insides.
8. Sweaty/muddy running shoes – This smell definitely isn’t one of my favorites but is very prominent in the fall because this is the time of year that cross country takes place in. So whenever we would get done running in the rain or on a muddy course, the potent smell of muddy feet would take over, which always caused me to wrinkle my nose and promise myself to clean my shoes.
7. Hay harvest – The smell of hay is always a signifier of fall because I associate it with the farmers who live down the road from me. Just before the winter months set in, they are out trying to get their last load of hay in before the winter. The smell of the freshly cut field grass adds to the comforting fall atmosphere.
6. Smell of crisp apples – This smell in particular reminds me so much of my grandparents because at their house they have many apple trees, which is where we as a family have spent many memorable times together.
5. Firewood being brought to the wood stove – Although you may not think firewood has a smell, I always welcome the rustic, woodsy smell of the earth into the house because fall is when we start our wood stove. The earthy smell always reminds me of the first weeks of autumn that will eventually give way to winter.
4. Autumn breeze – I love the way the warm yet crisp air tickles my face. The breeze carries with it a sweet welcome to the fall months that makes me smile as I realize that my favorite season of the year is approaching.
3. Pumpkin spice candles – This will forever have a mark on my heart because for many years during the fall months I would smell the pumpkin spice candles everywhere I went. Whether it be in stores, my house, my grandparents house, or even just walking by someone who had the pumpkin spice perfume on.
2. Baked apple cinnamon muffins – One of my favorite things to do in the fall is bake sweet treats to share with others. This is by far one of the best autumn smells because it fills the whole house with such a sweet smell, and it brings such comfort.
1. Leaves turning – This is by far the best autumn smell of them all because everywhere I go in the autumnal time, I am surrounded by the sweet aroma of the leaves. The breeze blows their scent every which way and envelopes me in season of fall.
Thank you for taking the time to read my top ten article about the best autumnal aromas! What different smells come to mind for you when you think of fall?


A turkey and a dream:

Once upon a time, a turkey named Gary had a dream. Gary lived in a small wooded area with his flock that was surrounded by a huge neighborhood filled with people who loved to hunt for their own meal for Thanksgiving. All of his turkey friends and family learned to live with it and did not mind being the main course meal. Gary thought otherwise. His goal was to escape the neighborhood (making it out alive of course,) and becoming the first, but not last, surviving Thanksgiving turkey. He also loved to sing and dance and planned on being the first ever turkey actor on Broadway. Everyday he watched the people drive in and out of the big, tall picket fence. They swiped a card, at what seemed to be a scanner, and the gate would open right away, but close quickly enough that Gary could not escape.
“If only I could get one of those cards, then we would be free!” exclaimed Gary.
“Just face it Gary, we are never gonna get out of here. You really think if you did you would have a chance on Broadway?! Pshhhh…” said one of Gary’s friends.
As Gary heard the words his friend spoke, he suddenly got aggravated and said, “I DO NOT want to be eaten, I want to live and explore the world of music. I was meant for the spotlight, and I will see it one day. Though how is it fair that we are the only ones wanted for Thanksgiving? Can’t these people eat ham or something?!”
While Gary wobbled and gobbled away angrily, he realized that if there was any way for him to get out of this neighborhood, he would be doing it alone.
Days went by, and Gary kept brainstorming and attempting ways he could escape. First, he tried going through the holes in the picket fence, but that caused a feather or two to go missing. Next, he tried “flying” over top of the fence and realized that wasn’t the smartest idea either. Then… it hit him! As he was walking along the end lines of the neighborhood near the houses, he saw a woman drop a card in the parking lot. While looking to make sure no one was coming, he ran over, picked up the card, and quickly ran back into the woods.
“What is that Gary, another one of your stupid ideas to escape? It is NOT gonna work!” said Gary’s friends.
“Oh really?!” Gary picked up the card, waved it in their faces, and announced the title on the card which said: Gate Exit Ticket 415.
“See ya guys later!” As Gary ran to the gate while humming a tune, making sure no cars were coming, he went up to the scanner, jumped and scanned the card against the reader, and noticed it said, “Accepted.”
Soon it was Thanksgiving day and everyone in the neighborhood was headed out to get their main course. As all the turkeys heard the footsteps and crunching of leaves, they instantly thought of Gary. Gary was the only one who was brave enough to escape and they didn’t realize how big of a mistake they had made until this very moment. No one had heard or seen Gary in almost a month. All of a sudden, a gust of wind went by and as they all looked up they saw a newspaper fall down right in front of them that read, “READ ALL ABOUT IT: The first ever singing and dancing turkey, Gary, on Broadway’s new and upcoming musical, ‘THE FEAST!'”


Jeff the Lineman:

Mr. Goodwill is in charge of Chromebook repairs, assisting teachers and students in technology in the classroom, managing the library, coaching the Football team, and he is in charge of the graduation projects. He likes technology and “…how it makes life easier when used properly, and when it’s working.” He attended high school at Corry and he enjoyed his time here as a student. He played football as a lineman and was in Track and Field and threw discus and shot put when he went to school here. His favorite season is fall because of football. Outside of football he also enjoys watching the Olympics and track and field. 
He became a teacher because he liked the idea of being able to work with young people and influence [their] lives for the better. He also likes getting summers off. When asked whether he thought if every student should be involved in a school sport he said, “An extracurricular of some kind is important, just to be a part of something because it helps students grow as a people and as students.” 
His favorite color is brown! He says that everyone always makes fun of him when he says it, but that “it goes with everything.” His favorite animal is the Rhinoceros! He enjoys reading, especially Stephen King novels. He said that if he had to choose a favorite Stephen King book, that it would be ‘Misery.’ He loves suspense and mystery books.   
He is a big Penn state fan and a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. When asked the favorite games that he’s ever watched he said, “I don’t know if I could name a favorite, I just enjoy watching them!” He likes the Offence and the Lineman. If he could go one place for a day trip, he said that he’d probably go to Pittsburgh.
One thing that people don’t know about him is that he’s a really good cook and he loves to cook pasta dishes! He is not much of a baker though. His favorite holiday is Christmas because there are “lots of good feelings at Christmas time, his family and friends, and Christmas cookies. His favorite cookie would just be a simple peanut butter with a Hershey’s kiss.


Time will tell the future:

On Jason’s twelfth birthday, he asked for a new alarm clock because his current one was old and did not work all the time. His parents granted his wish, and got him a new one just like he had asked for. Although, there was something different about this one. It was an odd shape and had all the same buttons that his other one did, but on the side of it there was something different. There was a dial that had numbers on it, similar to a thermostat dial. He didn’t seem to let it bother him though because he jumped for joy, thanked this parents, and ran right to his room to set up the new alarm clock.
He plugged it in, set the time, alarms, and got the radio station to come in so it was not a bunch of nonsense noise. Then his hand accidentally touched the dial on the side of the alarm clock. Jason sat there for a minute to see if anything would happen. He got tired of waiting so he just turned it back to where he thought the original position was. Soon after he ran downstairs to see what they were going to do next because he overheard that they were going out for dinner that night.
They went out for dinner and didn’t get home till late that night. Jason walked in his room, and heard noises in the dark. Then turned on his light and discovered that his new alarm clock was talking. Jason listened very closely, listened to the words, and discovered that it was telling him what he was going to do for a job when he grew up. Additionally, it told him that he was going to fail trying to get his permit the first time, receive a car for Christmas when he is 17, and rescue four dogs in his lifetime. After hearing this, Jason was terrified. He screamed, got a book, and smashed the alarm clock. He never told anyone about what had happened. He just kept it to himself and waited to see if his future panned out like the alarm clock told him.
Needless to say, the alarm clock predicted Jason’s fate well. He did fail trying to get his permit, and got the car at age 17 for Christmas. Although one prediction was wrong. Jason wound up rescuing many animals in his life time because he opened up his own animal shelter, greatly surpassing the prediction that the clock told him of rescuing only four dogs.


How do students feel about returning to campus?:

Remember when everyone thought those two weeks off from school was just an extended break? Well, those two weeks would soon turn into months, and the days of hanging out and going to large gatherings would soon be scarce. The world has become a much different places after COVID-19. Following just six short months, businesses and schools have started reopening, enforcing masks and social distancing.
There have been concerns about the safety of students returning to school during a pandemic and whether or not it is a good idea to send children back to school with over nine million cases of the virus in the country. High school students at Corry were asked about how they feel transitioning from quarantine back to the school environment, and this is what they had to say.
Haylee Hinkle, senior, gave her thoughts on what the return has been like so far. “It’s different not being able to do normal things like senior entrance, homecoming assembly, and visiting football games. We have to wear masks during cheer. Overall, I feel like this year is terrible.”
Another popular answer from students involves the stress that comes from the pandemic and school. Senior, Jasmine Measel said, “It’s hard because I’ve been here for six years, so I’m used to the way it normally is. I feel like deadlines are being pushed too hard and there’s too much work during the school year, and it’s very stressful.”
Zoey Gates, junior, didn’t feel as strongly on the topic. “It’s been okay. It’s not been as bad as I thought it would be. Masks are kind of annoying sometimes because it’s hard to understand people. You have to socially distance from everybody and sanitize everything. Lunch sucks because you can’t talk to a lot of your friends.”
There has been a lot of mixed reactions to students returning to school; some students don’t seem to mind, and others are not happy with the situation.


Top ten Stephen King quotes:

I have gone online to get some Stephen King quotes together for a tattoo idea. In the process I found some quotes that I really like. Here is my ranking of the best I found:

“Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.”
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”
“Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
“You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”
“We lie best when we lie to ourselves.”
“Just remember that Dumbo didn’t need the feather; the magic was in him.”
“People who try hard to do the right thing always seem mad.”
“Get busy living or get busy dying.”
“Don’t let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.”


Timothy the Turkey’s tremendous rescue:

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far far away, Thanksgiving Land was ruled by a cruel, cold-hearted, oppressive king. His name was Gander the Goose. His subjects, all geese, lived in fear of doing something wrong as well as the punishment that would follow. So, everyday they would walk everywhere with their heads hung low, they would go through the motions of work, walk back home with their heads dragging in the dirt, and sleep away their anxieties. To basically sum it up, Thanksgiving Land was more like Fearsgiving Land. No goose was ever found smiling. Not even the goslings, full of energy as they were, were ever caught cracking a grin.
However, all of that would soon change…
Not far from Thanksgiving Land there lived a turkey in the Land of Recluse… Timothy was his name. Timothy Turkey was unlike any other turkey of his land. Timothy proudly walked the streets, smiling and waving to the others as he whistled his favorite tune. The other turkey’s on the other hand, fled immediately from Tim, terror in their eyes as they looked upon a friendly turkey. Many shooed poor Timmy away, as his positive energy was too overwhelming for sour turkey’s such as themselves. Everyday on his way home from work, Timmy would gaze at the vibrant fall leaves that never ceased to amaze him. He breathed in the fall air and watched happily as the frogs croaked and the peepers peeped. He lived away from the others, of course, because he didn’t want their negative energy to hinder his joyous spirits. He enjoyed it though, not having to worry about the dirty looks he was given on the streets.
One day, Timothy caught wind of all of the terrible things taking place in the unfair land of Thanksgiving. With a new feeling of determination, he packed his bags, gave one last look around his home, and headed off to the horrible land ruled by none other than Gander the Goose himself. Timothy was going to do something no turkey had ever thought of…he was going to single-handedly save the geese of Thanksgiving Land from the clutches of their king.
On and on Timothy traveled. Over creeks, around scary meadows, and through haunted caverns he trudged. But Tim’s stride never broke as he confidently carried himself to the king’s palace, whistling a very merry tune. Although he wasn’t sure what tactic he would use to defeat the awful king, he just hoped that a split-second, amazing idea would pop into his head. Finally, after days of traveling, he arrived to Thanksgiving Land. All work ceased in the town market as Timothy Turkey emerged form the shadows.
“Is that a…turkey?!” Many gasps followed, people ran to their homes and locked themselves in. No goose had ever encountered a turkey before, and who wouldn’t be frightened of a stranger? Tim trudged through the silent market, and set forth to the palace. Once he arrived at the palace, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “WAKE UP YOU GOOSE!”
Gander the Goose awoke from his afternoon slumber and struggled to the window. “You evil being! What could you possibly want?!”
“A moment of your time, great one, is all I ask.” Flattered by the Turkey’s praise, the evil king exited his bed chamber and went outside to meet with Tim. Once the two were facing each other and looking at each other suspiciously, Timothy broke into the most beautiful whistling song ever created. The serenity of his whistling entranced Gander the Goose, who stood staring, dumbfound, at Timmy. Timmy soon broke into a methodical dance, clapping, twirling, and flinging to and fro. The whole goose population surrounded Tim, awestruck by his amazing yet foreign gifts. Soon, the entire crowd was dancing along with him, showing smiles for the first time ever in their lives. The crooked king Gander snapped out of his trance and realized just how happy the geese were, and his cold heart was softened by the joy that radiated from Timothy Turkey. From that day on, Thanksgiving Land was a flourishing land. There were parties all the time, music echoed across the hills, and best of all, everyone wore smiles at all times of the day.
No one really knows what happened to Timothy Turkey after he saved the geese of Thanksgiving Land, but legend has it that to this day he is whistling a joyous tune in the open meadows, spreading joy to all who hear his calming melody.


Top ten holidays:

With Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas just two months away, it’s a great time to start getting into the holiday spirit. The scent of fall and the chill greeting of winter always cheers me up. This is my favorite time of year, so of course I had to make a list talking about my favorite holidays.
10. St. Patrick’s Day
9. National Chocolate Day
8. National Black Dog Day
7. Valentine’s Day
6. Thanksgiving
5. New Year’s
4. Easter
3. National Mac and Cheese Day
2. Halloween
1.  Christmas


My cat does WHAT?!:

I sat in the passenger seat of my mom’s car as she drove me to get my new kitten. My legs were shaking in excitement, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. We pulled into the driveway, and there stood the couple holding my kitty. I quickly unfastened my seat belt and darted out of the car. Mom laughed at my excitement and followed behind. Mr. and Mrs. Scott gave the kitten one final kiss on the head before handing her to me. She meowed as I took her into my arms, and I smiled at her adorable little face. Mom paid the Scotts and we said our final goodbyes before returning to the car and heading home. I leaned back in my seat and watched as the fluffy little kitten fell asleep on my chest.
We arrived home and I took the kitten to my room. I gently placed her on the floor and watched her jump all over the place in excitement. I giggled and grabbed a toy, dangling it by her face. She swatted the toy and grabbed it, making me laugh even harder. A lot of time passed as I was settling Tilly into her new home, and nighttime was already approaching. I changed into some comfortable clothes and turned on my TV. Climbing under the sheets, I noticed Tilly watching me from the floor, almost as if she wanted me to help her onto the bed. Of course, I gave in, and snuggled back in bed with her.
Within a few minutes, I felt my eyes fall heavy as tiredness was slowly taking over. Tilly laid on my chest, watching as I grew more tired. “I love you Tilly,” I mumbled. My eyes shut, and I felt the darkness take over. I then heard a little squeak. “I love you too.” My eyes shot open and I looked down at Tilly. “Did you just speak?”


Election 2020: The waiting game:

The day everyone has been anticipating (or dreading): Election Day in 2020. As we are all on the edge of our seats while the ballots in four key states are being counted, states are filling in with blue or red. As American citizens loudly voice their opinions, the election results are still underway. Since there were more mail-in ballots this year due to the pandemic and attempting to maintain social distancing, several states are still counting, and this could go on until November 12.
As a majority of the states ballots are counted and confirmed, some states are still narrowing down the percentages: Alaska (Biden 33.5%, 63,992; Trump 62.1%, 118,602,) Georgia (Biden 49.2%, 2,421,422; Trump 49.5%, 2,435,672,) Nevada (Biden 49.5%, 597,353; Trump 48.5%, 585,311,) North Carolina (Biden 48.7%, 2,655,383; Trump 50.1%, 2,732,084,) and Pennsylvania ( Biden 48.5%, 3,113,657; Trump 50.3%, 3,228,821). The current presidential electoral vote count is Joe Biden winning with 264, and Donald Trump with 214. With this, Biden is also winning with 50.2% total, and a vote count of 69,935,569; while Trump has 48.2% total, and a vote count of 67,254,057.
Democratic party majority states:                                

New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
New York
Virginia
Illinois
Minnesota
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
California
Oregon
Washington
Hawaii
Maine
Vermont
Wisconsin
Michigan

Republican party majority states: 

Montana
North Dakota
Utah
Idaho
Wyoming
South Dakota
Nebraska
Iowa
Kansas
Missouri
Oklahoma
Texas
Arkansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Florida
South Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Indiana
Ohio
West Virginia

While the ballots get counted and the election comes to a close, we will update you with the final results.


The troubled loner and the sentient broccoli:

In a distant city in Minnesota lived a troubled loner that no one really pays much attention to. His only friend was a sentient broccoli. They were the best of friends until one day the broccoli got tired of the troubled loner so he left and ended up getting into a gang with a group of delinquents who were all sorts of bad news. They would always do bad things, so then the broccoli started to do bad things.
One day the group wanted to get the broccoli in trouble so they went to a store and they robbed it, but the broccoli said no he didn’t want to help rob it. When the cops showed up the group lied and said that the broccoli did it.
The broccoli was heartbroken and was crying as the cops took him to jail the troubled loner said, “WAITTTT!” and they all look around to find the troubled loner with a camera. They listened to what the group said and sent the group to jail, and the broccoli and the loner went back to the distant city and were never heard from again.


Hundreds of pies:

Rosie could not believe her eyes when she opened the letter sent from The Great British Bake Off.  After twenty years of being an electrician, she was tired of connecting wires.  For as long as she can remember, she’s wanted to own her own bakery.  If she won this competition, she would not only have fulfilled a lifelong dream, but she would be launched into fame.
Less than a week after opening the letter, Rosie was on the plane to Berkshire.  She was hopeful that one of the first competitions would be baking pies because pies were her specialty.  The competition began the first day of her arrival.  After making blueberry tarts, she was confident that she would take home the title, but she knew that Sir Charles Francis was not going down without a fight.  From the looks of him, he might even play dirty.  
Eight weeks later Rosie’s prediction was right: it was down to Rosie and Sir Charles Francis.  She was astounded when she heard that the final competition was baker’s choice.  She immediately knew that she was going to include her signature pies.  She started planning at once and drew up a plan to construct the Eiffel Tower completely out of pies.  After hours of baking, she was done with hundreds of pies. She had everything ranging from pumpkin, to grape, to key lime pies as she constructed the tower perfectly.  
Rosie was extremely proud of her work.  The judges tried some pies and said that it was the best dessert they ever had.  One of the judges made a shocking discovery: one of the pies had been stepped on.  As the judge pulled it from the stack, the tower immediately crumbled, leaving the fruit middle all across the floor.  
Inevitably, Rosie came in second place and while congratulating berry-covered Sir Charles, he told her something quite shocking.  “If I would have known my new shirt would get ruined, I never would have stepped in your pie.”


Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party:

Since it is early November and most kids are still eating all their Halloween candy, I figured I would talk about my favorite trick-or-treating experience that took place in Walt Disney World! Every once in a while my family and I plan a Disney vacation. As a child, I always loved Disney Channel, Disney movies, Mickey Mouse, and especially all the princesses and fairy tale stories that came with it. The first time I ever went, my cousin, (who has been there more times than I can count), planned the trip with my mom, brother, and I around March of 2015. It goes without saying we loved it so much, we decided to go back in October of 2016.
Every year around Halloween, Disney World holds a special trick-or-treating event called Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. When you walk into Magic Kingdom they give you a map of all the different spots where you can get the candy, and at every spot there was a villain waiting for you to arrive, villains like Jafar, the Evil Queen, Cruella Deville, and so much more. Since we were all so excited to meet all the villains and get loads of candy, my family and I decided to dress up in matching outfits. My cousin had ordered matching pumpkin shirts, and even made homemade orange and black tutus.
With all of the constant celebrations and people arriving, Disney World sets up their Halloween decorations as early as September 15. Also, November and December appear to be their busiest times of the year because of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If you love all three of those holidays as much as I do, and you are given the chance to go to Walt Disney World in Florida, I highly recommend trick-or-treating, eating, and/or Christmas caroling there. And, if all things Disney made up your childhood like it did mine, you will thank me later. Dreams do come true.


Walks through the park don’t always go as planned!:

Everyday I go for a walk through the park down the road. Usually my walks are uneventful which I like because I just go to clear my mind and listen to music. Sometimes I would see other people walking on the trails but not often. One day I saw this woman walking her dog, it was a very beautiful dog. It must have been a pit bull mixed with something else. I’m not really sure what other dog it was a mix of but it was gorgeous. But nothing really eventful ever happens on my walks so I usually just keep my headphones in and up really loud.
One evening I was walking on the trails just like a normal day for me. I had my music up and I kept looking over my shoulder because I had a feeling that there was someone behind me, but every time I looked there was nobody there. I was getting really nervous so I turned my music down but kept my headphones in so that I could hear but it looked like I wasn’t paying attention. I started hearing foot steps behind me but when I would look there was still nobody there. I didn’t want to go back to my house because I didn’t want the person that I thought was following me to know where I lived.
I was really scared, so I walked out of the park and I started walking toward a store that was down the street. I walked into the store and told the salesman what I was just experiencing in the park and he said that I wasn’t the first person that came in there and told him that they felt like they were being followed around the park. I didn’t see anybody behind me when I was walking to the store, so I called my friend that was staying at my house and I told her what had happened and told her that I would be home in five minutes and if I wasn’t to call me back. I told the man at the counter that I was going to walk home now and he seemed to be very concerned and told me to be very careful.
As I was walking home I walked on the opposite side of the road and kept looking over my shoulder and watching the park as I walked by. I was almost to the opposite side of the park when I saw a man sitting in the woods right beside a path, the same path that I had walked on when I entered the park. I ran the rest of the way home and told my friend what I had just seen and we called the cops. When the cops showed up to my house they asked me for a description of the guy, but I couldn’t give them a very good one because he was sitting in the woods and it was dark.  The officers went to the park to search for the guy but he was gone. Lets just say that I will never be walking those trails alone again.


After an impressive final victory, Corry Beavers reflect on the season:

Winning their final game against the Fairview Tigers, the Corry Beavers ended their season on a triumphant note. Coach Goodwill and the captains had a lot to say about the team’s performance.
When asked about the team’s performance Coach Goodwill said, “Although we were inconsistent at times, overall, I’m pleased with our season this year. There are a lot of positives things to build on for the future.”
Captain Levi Tasker said, “The team’s performance was good but there is a lot of work to do this off season. We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties, stop worrying about other players’ responsibilities and do your own, and not let one bad play dictate the rest of the game.”
Captain Nathan Lesher added, “Our team worked as hard as they could have and we left it all on the field.”
Both the coaches and players can reflect on the team’s strengths with the season being over.
Coach Goodwill said, “We never gave up.”
Captain Levi Tasker added, “The team’s strengths were having underclassmen step up and fill in for injured varsity players, playing together as a team, and we never stopped fighting. No matter what the score was we were still giving our full effort.”
Captain Nathan Lesher said, “The team’s strengths were the bonds of the teammates and having the passion for the game of football.”
The team reflected on the standout moments from the season as a whole. Coach Goodwill said, “Our two overtime wins against North East were hard-fought victories that revealed a lot about our kids character and resilience.”
Tasker said, “A standout moment this season would definitely have to be both of the North East games. You will never see this group of guys give up. It was a nonstop battle during both of the games. We had starters go down with injuries and nonstarters stepped up and got the job done.”
Lesher said, “The standout moment was beating Northeast in double overtime at home. Along with the last game when both sides of the ball were clicking and beating Fairview 55-7.”
They always remember what to improve on for the game of football for when next season comes. Coach Goodwill said, “We need to be committed to improving our strength and conditioning in the off-season.”
Tasker added, “We can improve in the off-season by getting players in the weight room, getting in the play book, and attending off-season skills and drills practices.”
Lesher said, “The team can always improve. The places could be the weight room, playbooks, and just knowing what we’re doing.”
The Beavers record was 4-5, with their victory over the Fairview Tigers ending the season on a good note.


Dismaying Delaware trip:

Have you ever gone on a beach vacation where you got temporarily locked out of the condo you were staying at, jellyfish were literally swimming beside you, the waves were so intense that you could get sucked out in an instant, the people weren’t any friendlier than a grizzly bear, there was a tornado just down the beach from you, you got completely covered in ticks from going on a nature walk, and the town you were staying at got flooded? Well, let me just say, you are one lucky duck. If I were to take the time and give a recount of the entire vacation, you’d practically be reading a novel. For your sake, however, I decided to take a small snippet of my vacation to tell you about. I decided that I will tell you about our lovely nature walk. If you aren’t a fan of ticks, this horrific recount of events that I went through might not be for you… However, if you’re in for an interesting story that will make you appreciate every single vacation you’ve ever gone on, no matter how bad they may seem at the time, stay tuned.
It all started after a long day at the beach. We had just gotten back from the beach, it wasn’t too late, the sun was setting, and we all wanted to check out the surrounding environment. Lucky for us, there was a nature trail that was just down the road from where we were staying. So my family and I, being the adventure-seeking people that we are, decided to hike on that trail. We hit the paths, enjoying the scenery and picking other paths to follow as we wound around a cute little pond. We kept going, but as we got deeper into the woods, we saw Brown Recluse spider webs covering the entire ground up to the trail. If that freaked you out (like it did to me) then hold on to your hats, because that’s just the start. After continuing down the path, we took a less spider-populated area. Halfway around one of the many turns we saw a skeleton on the ground. It was very old, and had been there a while, but it definitely freaked me out. My dad whipped out his phone after seeing it, snapped a picture of it, and sent it to my uncle (who was a police officer). As he sent it he said, “…looks kinda like a human skull and ribcage to me…” That sent us kids over the edge and we speed-walked right out of that path and onto the main trail out. We wanted nothing to do with whatever/whoever that skeleton belonged to or how it ended up there. We continued our walk at a brisk pace and came across a man alone, sitting on his motor bike. We waved hello, gave a smile, and kept going. But, when we turned around, we could see him staring at us. Even my dad, who doesn’t get weirded out by things, mentioned how creepy that man was. As well as mentioning that he thought it was “a good time to head back to the place.” (As in our condo.)
After a while of nothing crazy happening, my sister stopped in her tracks, let out a yelp, and started smacking things off of her leg. “What’s wrong?” my mom asked as she walked over to her.
“There’s tiny baby spiders all over me!!” My sister screamed, starting to cry.
“Honey, you need to calm down,” consoled my mother. “Show me where they are.”
“They’re gone now,” my sister sniffled and stopped smacking her legs like a crazy person.
“See? Everything is fine!” With that, we continued our journey out of the woods and onto the sidewalk. Just as we were about to come into view of our condo, my brother noticed something on him too. He brushed it off, but then noticed another, and another. He pulled up his pant leg and came across 30 baby ticks running across his leg. You would’ve thought it was something out of a horror movie. He screamed and sprinted down the sidewalk, trying to shake everything off. Following in pursuit, we all checked our legs, and to our utter shock, we all had them on us. My mom, dad, and I were the lucky ones of the family: we only had three or four. My other three siblings, however, were not so fortunate. As we all sprinted for the condo to pick/brush them off of us, we came to the realization that those “baby spiders” that my sister was talking about weren’t spiders at all… they were ticks. We soon learned, after getting off every last one, that we had indeed trekked across a tick nest. We threw the shoes we were wearing on the walk into a bag, and the bag got thrown out onto the back deck…we never wore those shoes again. Thankfully, no one got a tick embedded in them, and no one got bit by a Brown Recluse (phew). We went to sleep that night all on different levels of “shaken up,” remembering the bones, the ticks, and the creepy old dude who was on his motorbike.
If you enjoyed hearing that little piece of my entire vacation, you’d have a great time hearing about the rest of my experience. As it all basically went like that the whole week we were there. As bad as I may make it sound, it was actually a great time. We learned to laugh, smile, and make jokes about the unfortunate events that we can’t control. Not only that, but I am now able to cherish those memories for the rest of my life.
Stay tuned for future articles! I might start to reveal the other experiences that happened on our “Dismaying Delaware trip.”


Hide-and-seek gone wrong:

Almost everyone with siblings can relate to running around the house, playing different games to pass time. Well, this story started out just fine; it was an average game of hide-and-seek. My brother, 6, and I, 8, decided that while my mom was busy, we would play hide-and-seek upstairs. My brother, Caden, began counting to 100, and I panicked as I looked for a hiding spot. I checked each room, tiptoeing so he wouldn’t hear me. I checked the last room in the hall, which happened to be Caden’s room.
I quietly made my way in and shut the door behind me. I looked all over, searching for a good place to hide. His room was small, but cluttered just enough to hide me. I debated hiding in his piles of clothes, but I saw his closet and immediately changed my mind. I opened the closet door, and I was met with darkness. My hand wandered, searching for the light switch. My mother had warned us about the unsteady floor in his closet, but in that moment I was only worried about winning.
Just as my fingertips brushed against the switch, I was frightened by a loud creaking sound. Before I could get out, I felt the floor beneath my feet fall through. I let out a blood curdling scream as my body came into harsh contact with the stairs, which happened to be directly under the closet. I looked around and saw all of the pieces of the floor scattered everywhere. My mom flew into the room to see what had happened, carrying my baby sister. She asked what happened, and I remember responding with, “I feel like I was in a time machine.”
To this very day, my family and I still joke about it. It’s one of our favorite moments to relish at Thanksgiving, and I hope many more years of laughing at my foolishness are to come.


High School Musical 2:

We all know the first “High School Musical” was a hit from my first review, (if you have not watched it you should do that now,) so we might as well check out “High School Musical 2”! *Beware spoilers ahead.*
“High School Musical 2” is the second movie musical that is about the East High Wildcats, except this time we see them outside of the school hallways. As all of the students start their summer, they each get hired at Lava Springs Country Club, owned by Sharpay and Ryan’s parents. Each year they host a talent show where the winner receives the Star Dazzle Award. While Sharpay is usually the winner, the wildcats create some good competition. Sharpay then begins to help Troy with his future basketball opportunities in order to put a wedge between his friends and his relationship with Gabriella. Since they just ended their junior year, and college and graduation plans edge closer, Troy and Gabriella question if their romance will last. Will they be able to balance college, music, extracurricular activities, a job, AND their relationship all summer ? Watch to find out!
The cast consists of the same unique people as the first such as: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman. All of these actors did another job well-done as they portray their characters life and emotions. Just like the first film, I believe that Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel do not receive enough credit for portraying the “bad guys.” The second film, in my opinion, was better than the first because the cast became more developed and devoted to their roles.
A few of my favorite scenes are when Sharpay sings “Fabulous,” as this describes her want for finer things, and to soak up the summer sun. Another is the dramatic, yet emotional, song performed by Troy and Gabriella called, “I Gotta Go My Own Way.” This occurs right at the climax where they think their relationship is going downhill. Will they rise above and stay together, or let life’s difficulties get in the way?
The overall theme and lesson to learn is that life is complicated and messy, but with the presence of your friends and family, everything will be okay. Times can be stressful, especially when you’re balancing so many things at one time; however, don’t let those things take yourself away from the love you have for the things you do and the people you care so much for. Overall, this is a great PG movie musical that I recommend to anyone who loves music, summer, and/or just needs some hope through all the stress and difficulties life in high school throws our way daily. This film I rate a 4.8 out of 5 stars.


Pulling tractors is a heavy proposition:

A couple years ago, I started antique tractor pulling. This is where people pull their old tractors attached to a weight transfer sled. The farther the tractor goes down the track, the heavier the weight gets on the sled. At some point the tractor will lose power and not be able to pull it any farther. Then the pull is over, and the distance the sled was moved is recorded. Then the next puller is up for their turn. At the end of the class, whoever pulled the farthest distance gets first place and so on down the line.
The classes are determined by the combined total of weight between the individual operating the tractor, any weights added, and the tractor itself. The lightest class starts at 2,000 lbs., and increases by 500 lbs. increments. The heaviest classes is 12,000 lbs. When you get there, you go to the scales to determine the weight, then you register for the class you pull in, and then you wait. You have to wait for the class you’re pulling in to come up, and then you line up in the corresponding order that is written on a board that tells you what number you are in line.
I pull a Minneapolis Moline Z that was my cousins tractor. I have been to many pulls since I have started, but this year all of them were cancelled due to the fairs not happening. I have done well at the pulls, usually placing in the top half of the class. My first time pulling I received second place, and at other pulls I got third. Then last year at Wattsburg fair my brother and I both received first place in our pulling classes. This is my favorite memory by far in my time of pulling tractors.


Election 2020 coverage:

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris, now president-elect and vice president-elect of the United States, were elected by the American people through polls and then electoral votes on Saturday, November 7, which will end the presidency for Donald Trump after one term.
Kamala Harris, the vice president-elect, makes history as the first woman and the first woman of color acting as the vice president of the United States.
Biden’s plans on key issues are to do a national test and trace program for Covid-19, raise minimum wage, invest in green energy, address criminal justice reform, rejoin the global climate accord, expand public health insurance, to have universal preschool and expand free college, and higher taxes on Americans that make above $400,000 per year.
Biden received 290 electoral votes and Trump received 214. Biden had 77,026,353 votes and Trump had 71,955,623. America had the highest voter turnout in United States history, and Biden had the highest amount of votes in history– Trump had the most votes in history for the losing candidate.
President Trump has filed over a dozen lawsuits across five states since election day over the belief that ballots were not counted correctly or were fraudulent. There are a lot of calls for a recount over disputes, but it is not the first time that anyone has ever called for a recount after an election. It will most likely be around the end of November when they have recounted and finalized all of the ballots for most states. One of the differences between the 2000 vote recount demand and the one for 2020 is that there was some evidence in 2000 that pointed highly to fake ballots and fraud, whereas most of the claims right now have not yet been backed by any supportive data. However, this election may bring change to some states recount rules, such as Pennsylvania.
There will still be more challenges that lie ahead with this election, but the initial vote is over. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated into office on January 20, 2021.


Being a powerlifter:

A while ago I joined a powerlifting group where I started to learn technique and skills needed to be a great powerlifter.I felt a little out of place being the only girl and the only one under twenty-five. Since it was my grandpa’s gym they didn’t mind showing me the ropes. Before I knew it, I could squat the national record for my age group and weight class, and I could bench press and strict curl the state records. 
I have been lifting for a few months and there was finally a competition nearby. It was small and unofficial but still a competition. Like most events, I was one of the only two girls. I did well there. I made every lift I planned to do and even got a new PR on deadlift. I was stoked to do that same thing at a regular competition.  
A month later my family took a trip to visit family in Iowa. From Iowa we went straight to Bigler, PA for the competition. I knew in the gym that I was lifting record weights, but after missing a week, I wasn’t sure I would be able to lift them at the competition. At this event there were about 50 total people there and I was one of three women to complete. The first day we had strict curls and I did pretty well. I broke the record and set it even higher, which was my goal.


Praise for the tale of “The Nightingale”:

One of my all-time absolute favorite books is “The Nightingale,” by Kristin Hannah. Kristin Hannah is the author of many famous and award-winning books. My favorite of hers, however, is “The Nightingale.” When reading this book, you have to realize that you won’t be putting it down until the last page has been read. This book plays with your emotions so much, that you’ll find yourself laughing, crying, angry, and smiling right along with the characters.
The book takes place in France during World War II, where the Germans have invaded. Though sisters Vianne and Isabelle chose for many years to not acknowledge each other, they grow closer during the war when their father sends Isabelle to Vianne’s house to stay. Though the women part ways, they are able to see bits of each other throughout the final chapters of the book. Both Vianne and Isabelle perform numerous acts of bravery in the many situations they are faced with. However, they also make many choices that result in negative consequences.
Some things that I absolutely loved about the book was the overall message it portrayed: never give up. It showed how perseverance in difficult times will make you stronger than you ever realized. I also loved the characters themselves because I became very attached to them as I read. Their personality traits would often remind me of people I knew, so I would picture them the whole time I was reading, which also lead to it being very emotional for me. Some things that I did not like, however, were the vivid descriptions and other small things that I felt were a bit too mature for young readers.
Overall, I would rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars, as the way it is written is one of a kind. It is definitely a must-read. I suggest that an older audience reads this book because of the intensity that is portrayed throughout the novel. To conclude, this book will always be one that I treasure because of the amount of strength and immense willpower portrayed throughout the book.


Aquaphobia:

Angie had always been afraid of water. Ever since her early childhood she has hated large bodies of water. You would think this phobia would be of ice, but it was always the bigger picture. Of course she’d still take showers, but everybody knew not to ask her to come down to Pushaw Lake.
Angela Stewart was born here in Glenburn, Maine, and it doesn’t help that the whole east side of town is parallel to Pushaw Lake. That is where her phobia was born. As a little girl she had no friends up until she met Skylar in the second grade. Their parents were friends and they would always play together on the weekends. During the summer their families would go down to the lake. This terrible event happened a couple years later when she was in fifth grade. Her and Skylar took a sled to the lake, and they would take turns pulling each other across the frozen water. They lived in the part of town called Sandy Beach, which jutted out into the lake in three directions like a crown with three points. Skylar lived more inland, but Angie lived on the middle stretch of land (the second point in the crown if you will). Her house is the only house on this little island of hers, and that is why she loved that lake, which is ironic, because she never knew how afraid she would be of the water surrounding her home on three sides (almost four if you count the side that joins the mainland by a road).
The day was warm, but still a little chilly. Skylar and Angela were bundled up to their chins and were warm, except for the little nip of cool air at their noses and cheeks. It was Angie’s turn to pull the sled. She was running as fast as she could smiling, while Skylar was screaming and laughing in the sled. They were a little far out from the shore. About 15 feet. Angie took a break to catch her breath, and that is when they both heard it. A crack. Then a couple slightly louder cracks. And before Angie knew the ice had cracked, the lake consumed their sled. One of the last things Angie heard from Skylar was a yelp as the sled dropped. Of course at that age you would not know what to do. Maybe if it was a movie Angie would have tried to be a hero and hold on to Skylar’s hand to prevent her from drowning and scream for her parents. But this was real life. Even if Angie would have grabbed her hand Skylar’s winter wear was soaked, it was weighing her down. Angie couldn’t have saved her even if she was brave enough. She did the only thing a scared child could do… scream. Her cry echoed across the lake.
Of course by the time Angela’s father arrived, Skylar was gone. Her father told his wife to call the fire department before he took off towards the lake. It usually takes thirty-four minutes to get from the fire department out to Sandy Beach Shore Road, but they arrived in thirty. But by the time they got there, Skylar was dead, and they had to fish her out of the bottom. When they arrived they found Mr. Stewart holding his wide-eyed daughter close to his chest. She never said this aloud because she was scared silent, but in the consciousness of Angie’s mind, she wanted to get out of there immediately. She looked down and realized that if that kind of thing can happen to my friend, it can happen to anyone… and they are standing right on top of the ice in which her friend just plummeted to her frozen death. She immediately thought if that bad thing can happen on the ice of a lake, how many horrible things can happen beneath it.
Angela Stewart is now thirty-three years old and still scared of that lake. She moved away two years after graduation. She tried to get as far away from her home as possible, and as soon as possible. But unfortunately later last week on December 12, 2017, her mother died. She came back home for the funeral. She was an only child, which meant she was the one to take on the arrangements of the funeral. She was inside dealing with her family. Her cousins, aunts, uncles, and her father. She wanted the funeral to take place at the house, in the Stewart’s living room. She went outside after discussing the program with the preacher. She was pulling out a cigarette and looking out towards the lake. Oh, how she hated the water, but she always seemed to stare at it. It’s like she was expecting a monster to come up out of the lake and devour her. And just then as she was about to light her cigarette, a monster did just that, not literally, instead it devoured Angela’s attention. It was Skylar. She hadn’t aged in twenty-three years. She was still ten years old. She was standing out on the ice, through the clearing in the trees.
And it may have been Angie’s stress over her mother’s death plus the fear of the lake that caused her to get up and walk towards the lake. But it may be the fact that she has never had a friend as good as Skylar. In any case, she got up just the same. She dropped the cigarette into the snow. She was hypnotized by her friend, motioning to her to come closer. As she got closer Skylar started to back up. Every step Angie took, Skylar took. About fifteen feet away from the shore is when Skylar stopped and allowed Angie to decrease the distance between them.
“I’m so sorry Skylar…” Angie said with tears coursing down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry I didn’t save you… I was so scared…”
As she walked up to Skylar, the little girl held out her hand to bring Angie to a halt. Angie’s brow creased, then loosened when she realized where she was standing. Angie turned around and started to run back to shore. Skylar caught the sleeve of Angie’s coat. Angie was stuck. She tried to pull out of the grip, but her hand was like stone.
Angie looked at Skylar wide-eyed. That’s when Skylar said, “You should be scared.”
Skylar looked down and stomped. She looked back up at Angie and smiled. And those sounds the girls heard so many years ago came again. Angie let out a scream that sounded like an almost exact duplicate to the scream she did twenty-three years ago in this same spot. Skylar let go of her sleeve and Angela Stewart plummeted into the water.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Angie’s father sat up and his tears were choked off by the sound of his daughter’s scream. He was fifty-seven years old but he remembered that scream. He hesitated to get up, but when he did get up he didn’t hesitate. He got to the door as fast as his arthritis-filled knees would allow him. He whipped open the door and looked out onto the lake and saw the two figures on the ice holding hands. They looked up at him and smiled, while both of their free hands pointed to the hole in the ice.


“The Shining” is both a great book and movie:

(Caution: contains spoilers for movie and book; stop reading now if you don’t want the story ruined for you)
Since it is coming upon the winter months I figured I would pick a movie to review that involves snow as well as horror.
I think “The Shining” is perfect.
I read the book before I watched the movie completely. A couple years before I read the book, I saw bits and pieces of the movie before I found out it was a book. So when I finally read it, I wanted to see the full movie. The story is about a man named Jack Torrance. After being fired from being an English teacher, he got a job opportunity to be a caretaker of The Overlook Hotel for the off season (winter). Jack was married to Wendy, the mother of his son Danny. Danny has a gift. He has “The Shining.” which enables him to read minds and experience premonitions as well as clairvoyance. His powers unlock the hotel’s power. The hotel wants Danny’s power to make its own more powerful. So the hotel possesses Jack to try and kill Wendy and Danny.
In the movie Jack Nicholson played Jack Torrance, Shelley Duvall played Wendy Torrance, and Danny Lloyd played Danny Torrance. When Stephen King watched this movie, he disliked it because of the casting. He thought that Jack Nicholson’s portrayal was not what he wanted Jack Torrance to be defined by. In his opinion, he wanted to see a loving father go crazy to the point of attacking his family. In the movie King saw a crazy man get a little bit crazier. And with Shelley Duvall he said, “It’s so misogynistic, I mean, Wendy Torrance is just presented as this sort of screaming dishrag.”
He wanted Wendy’s character to be strong. She tried to protect Danny and fight Jack. Of course she was scared out of her wits, but she was still brave to stand up to Jack. In the movie she is more afraid than anything. She does face Jack, but she wasn’t brave. She was too afraid to be brave.
But for what it was worth as a horror movie alone, it did very well, and a lot of people liked it. And even to this day people love it. I liked the book better than the movie, and that is how many people feel. Like King, I didn’t like how Jack Nicholson’s character was crazy from the start. In the movie, Scatman Crothers’s character Dick Hallorann dies. In the book, however, if it wasn’t for Hallorann, Danny and Wendy would not have survived. In the movie Jack uses an ax rather than a mallet like the book. And I didn’t like the ending. Sure, I get where they were coming from by making a hedge maze. In the book, Jack chases Danny through the hotel’s hallways – which since it was a big hotel – could have seemed like a maze to Danny. But in the book, Jack tried to be a hero at the end. In the book Danny’s imaginary friend “Tony” told him “He will remember what his father forgot.” This refers to the hotel’s prehistoric boiler, which needed the pressure released. Jack ran to the basement to try and stop the hotel from blasting sky high and died a hero. Danny and Wendy survived with the help of Dick Hallorann, but in the movie Jack chases Danny through the maze, but Danny escapes.
If I had to rate this movie I would give it  4 out of 5 stars because it was a good film. The reason I didn’t like the changes from the book to the movie is because the movie didn’t line up with “The Shining” sequel, “Doctor Sleep.” That being said, in 2019’s movie for “Doctor Sleep,” they pulled it off. The filmmakers made little corrections to make the movies connect. And in the end, when “Doctor Sleep” came out last year, Stephen King said: “I read the script to this one very, very carefully, because obviously I wanted to do a good job with the sequel, because people knew the book ‘The Shining,’ and I thought, I don’t want to screw this up. Mike Flanagan, I’ve enjoyed all his movies, and I’ve worked with him before on ‘Gerald’s Game.’ So, I read the script very, very carefully and I said to myself, ‘Everything that I ever disliked about the Kubrick version of The Shining is redeemed for me here.”
And I believe he was right. So if I were you, I would read and watch* “The Shining” and “Doctor Sleep.” Prepare to be amazed.
*Disclaimer: “The Shining”  and “Doctor Sleep” are rated R and recommended for mature viewers.


“Among Us”: simplistic but fun:

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard of “Among Us.” It has recently blown up, and since the beginning of August, the game has been downloaded over 74 million times. Kids, teens, and even parents are playing it. Of course, I had to download it too, and what I discovered was pretty interesting.
The idea behind the game is quite simple, but it abounds in fun. In “Among Us,” you play as little humanoid creatures dressed in spacesuits, and there is typically a group of eight to ten players. In each group of players, the majority are “crew mates,” which are the players that are innocent, versus the “impostor,” who is the secret killer. Their job as impostor is to get rid of all crew mates by either sabotaging parts of the space shuttle or sneakily killing them. Once there is an equal amount of crew mates and impostors, the impostor(s) win. If a crew mate finds a body or is suspicious of someone, they may call an emergency meeting. In these meetings, players typically find someone to vote off. If they correctly guess who the impostors are, they win. If not, the game continues.
My first game was admittedly very confusing as there aren’t many clear directions within the game itself. However, I discovered there is an option for new players, titled, “Freeplayer,” where they can play with bots in order to learn the dynamic of the game and find their way around each map. Once I got the hang of things, I started to understand why this game can be so addicting. I have often found myself pulling out my phone and playing the game for hours on end. It’s a great way to practice flexibility, communication, and deception. “Among Us” is the perfect game to play with your friends, and I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.


Boots the Bizarre Cat:

Boots. No, not the shoes, but my cat named Boots. Boots is a grey, white, and black cat who has little white feet (which is where she got her name,) and she can be very mysterious. In 2008, my family and I moved into the house we currently live in and bought a cat named Belle, who is Boots’s mother. Belle later had three litters of kittens and out of the third litter we decided to keep Boots. Belle had her third litter around 2012, which would make Boots about eight years old.
A few of her favorite things to do are scowl and swipe at my dog Bailey, sleep in our living room chair, roll on the sidewalk when it’s sunny, and eat about five times a day. One thing that is also very unique about her is, similar to a dog, she lets you know when she needs to go outside instead of using a litter box, which is pretty convenient. Sometimes when we let her outside she won’t even return for as much as a day or two. She also loves trapping herself in the basement, and getting stuck in the attic.
If Boots was a person, I believe she would be an angry little old lady. She is constantly swatting at your feet and making it very difficult for you to put your own socks on. Also, she is constantly sleeping and gets very upset if you don’t pet her, or feed her, as much as she desires. However, since she is a cat her lifestyle makes sense. Through all the anger and constant need for attention, we love her all the same.


Being the youngest of four amazing siblings:

Growing up I always have my three older sibling by my side. They are funny, witty, kind, and amazing at almost everything that they do. They always push me to do my best and be the best person that I can possibly be. However, our house was often crazy and we were always busy and attention gets spread thin, so in some ways you always have to strive to do everything right. I wouldn’t give up the experience of growing up with my sibling for anything.
Trevor is the eldest. He attended Slippery Rock University and got a Bachelor of Science in Computing with a concentration on Computer Science. He had an internship at NIH where he worked on 3D printing and 3D computer graphics. Trevor is 27 years old. He did marching band in high school and played the trombone. He is also the brainiac of the family and could tell you the answer to almost any question. He’s always reading– almost constantly. He is the LG representative at Best Buy in Erie and has been Employee of the Month a few times. He has some of the best sales numbers in the country. He is also very good at video games and hacking. It is a good day when one of us other siblings can beat him at Mario Kart or Smash Bros. He has three younger brothers on his dad’s side and he loves being a brother to all six of his siblings. He can tackle almost any problem you throw at him and is very chill.
Frank is the oldest Smrčka child and the most outgoing of all of us. He attended Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management & Entrepreneurship. He is 22 years old. He has a beautiful voice and when he went to PMEA festivals in high school, as all of my siblings did, he made it all the way to All Eastern Choir! He participated in many, many shows at the Erie Playhouse. When in high school he was admired by many of his peers for always being a kind person who would stick up for the underdog. He always made sure to say hi to everyone in the hallways, even the people he did not know. He was even the Snow King! Frank is also good at dancing and was always fun to watch dance growing up. He has a side job as a painter and does beautiful paintings! He studied abroad in Vienna, Austria during his last semester of college because he was far ahead in his studies and wanted to travel. He is smart and kind and he would stick up for anyone that he cares about.
Grace is almost 21 years old and is the third child of the bunch. She attends Mercyhurst University for Music Therapy and is in her third year. A few summers ago she was one of the youngest to attend a trip to Jamaica to work with children who were deaf and blind. She has had many struggles with her health over the years, but she has always stayed strong through them and never let them get her down. In high school she was a track and field athlete and did sprinting. She was also a varsity cheerleader her freshman year of high school. She was a graceful dancer (pardon the pun) and was one of the best dancers that I have ever seen perform. Grace plays the french horn, the guitar, and the piano. When in high school she, like my brother, had a crown and was the prom queen, and she truly deserved it because she’s a queen. She was always a good person to those around her and loved working with the life skills students while in high school. When she did her senior project she, along with a few others, was in charge of cancer awareness week at the school and worked to raise money towards the cause (they raised $797.03!). She has always valued and stuck up for her friends and family and is kind beyond measure.
Overall, they are pretty amazing. They are also very loud, and when we are all home we end up needing our own space because we all have pretty big personalities. Yet, at the end of the day, there is nothing better than when we are all together because we make a great team, though don’t expect us to play any sports because we don’t… really… know… any (except Trevor, but he only watches sports). Our house was chaotic growing up because we were all busy people with dance, band, choir, track, musicals, PMEA festivals, etc. However, we all grew as people through being busy, and though we were all different with different interests, we all enjoyed watching each other accomplish many things in what we do. Being the youngest of the bunch can be stressful because they’re all pretty cool, but in the long run, they are some of the most wonderful people I know. I wouldn’t want to have any other siblings than the amazing, loud, funny siblings that I have.


“My Girl” is one of my favorite movies:

The movie “My Girl” was released in November of 1991. The movie is about an 11-year-old girl named Vada and her family. The setting takes place in Madison, Pennsylvania. Their house is a funeral home, and Vada becomes obsessed with death. This is because as she has gotten a little older, she understands life and death a little better. From being around dead people and her sick grandmother, Vada is constantly worried that there is something wrong with herself. She visits the doctor and after he evaluates her, he discovers that there is nothing wrong with her. Every time he tells her that she is in good health and there is nothing to worry about. Luckily there is a new makeup artist working at the funeral home that provides guidance to her.
Continuing on, Vada becomes close friends with a boy named Thomas Sennett who is the same age as Vada, and suffers from various allergies. Thomas is not popular and does not have any friends. They constantly spend time together and other kids their age makes fun of them for it. Thomas gave her a mood ring as a gift but then loses it due to them knocking down a bees next. It was a close call for Thomas because if he would have gotten stung, he would have become very ill or even die. Thomas went back a day later to find the ring for Vada and comes back upon the nest of bees.
As a whole, the movie was very enjoyable to watch. I highly recommend this to others. In my opinion, I would say that this is a movie that a whole family can watch. It is sad at some parts, but overall it is a happy, upbeat movie. I would rate this movie a 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is because it shows Vada grow as an individual and understand life and death a little better.


Character and courses during COVID-19:

As COVID-19 cases continue to sky rocket everywhere, people are now recommended to stay home again just like in March. Locally, several students are quarantined, and more broadly, businesses are starting to shut down again. Since our high school has gone virtual, everyone is supposed to be home until after Thanksgiving break. Students and faculty may feel sad, or even have some anxiety about the new changes. As we all still interact online and continue our daily assignments, are people’s mental health declining?
Personally, I am a student who loves having in-person social interaction. I love spending time with all my peers, doing group projects, and interacting with all my teachers throughout the day. At the very beginning I knew the school year was not promised, but I am pleased that for the first nine weeks we stayed in-person. Not all people feel the same though. A few seniors who have done virtual since their very first day of school give their input on why they like being at home, the pros and cons, and how different it is with everyone online now.
Isabel Knight, a senior at Corry High School, has been doing virtual since the beginning of the school year and says, “I like using my own bathroom, and I actually eat food that is not from the school.” However, a few downfalls that all of us can now better understand is, “Teachers ignore us when regular school is happening. Also, I am too scared to ask a question most of the time cause I’m not there. One day my Chromebook might explode because everyone on at once is just too much!”
Paige Boucher, a senior at Corry as well, is also in the same situation as Isabel and says, “I like taking a shower during lunch sometimes. But most of the time I can’t see the board.” She also says, “With everyone on the Google Meet now, my internet definitely cannot take that many people.”
As November is nearing its end and Thanksgiving is closing in, students wonder how much longer they have to stay inside, and what they can possibly do to stay motivated. Since everyone can now relate to each other and can feel lonely or bored when school is all done for the day, here is a list of things you can do to stay focused, have fun inside, and keep your sanity:

Listen to music or have your own little dance party.
Decorate for Christmas (no, it is not too early.)
Watch some of your favorite movies or TV shows.
Read a book or go for a walk.
Play video games or board games with your family.
Cook or bake.
Draw.
Meditate, stretch, or do any form of exercise.
Call or FaceTime a friend or family member.
Take a drive.
Do some online shopping or download a new game.

These are just some of the many things to do while staying home. Even though living during a pandemic is no fun and we all would love to go out and spend time with our friends and family, if we all stay in and stay sane we will eventually be able to return to school and have a better version of “normal.”


Avocado on a journey:

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, there was this family of avocados who lived on a tree in Mexico. They were so excited to get off this tree and start their new life. They had big plans to travel the world, so when it was time to fall off the tree, all fell but Aaron.
Aaron was the youngest avocado so he would be the last to fall. His mom, dad, and three siblings were waiting for him, until the worst thing happened that could. A wind storm was on its way. They tried everything to get Aaron down but nothing would work. The windstorm hit! Aaron, trying not to stay on the tree, somehow did while his whole family got taken by the wind. It was the worst experience he had ever went through. He heard them all screaming and crying leaving their baby and last sibling behind with no choice.
Three days went by and all Aaron the avocado did was cry. He wanted his family more than anything. The wind started picking up and Aaron got blown away. Where he was going he couldn’t see anything. He felt so dizzy that he thought he was going to puke.  After the wind had stopped he finally got to where he could see he was in Texas.
Aaron went looking for his family asking everyone. No one had any idea what this crazy avocado was talking about and why he was there. Aaron traveled from state to state trying to find his family, until one day he got to Pennsylvania and found this store called Walmart. Some random lady had picked him up and shoved him in her pocket. She just happened to walk by the other avocados and there was Aaron’s family  screaming for him, so he jumped out of the lady’s pocket to be back with his family they cried tears of joy and then a man came by and grabbed all of them.


Lovely Lily:

I have a lot of love for all of my animals, but Lily has a special place in my heart. Lily is a Maine Coon Tabby, and she is six, going on seven. Lily is very different from the rest of our cats because her personality is very unpredictable. One minute she might be super sweet and cuddly and the next she’ll ready to attack anything she can get her paws on.
My family got her when I was about 11, and she was the fluffiest little kitten ever. She was super playful and we even had to start hiding stuff because she would play with anything and everything in sight. Her favorite activities include: laying on anything she can, sitting in boxes, meowing at everyone, and eating all day. She might be a pain sometimes, but she always makes sure to put our dogs in check when they’re misbehaving. We used to call her “Queen Lily” because she’s super sassy and always bossing around the other animals.
Despite her sassiness, everyone who meets Lily absolutely adores her. And even though all she does is eat all day, I still love her because she’s a great cuddle buddy and a joy to play with.


“The Mandalorian” returns to more of what “Star Wars” fans love:

The new hit series ‘The Mandalorian” follows the missions of a Mandalorian in his most difficult task yet. It is new and innovative, and it brings back many of the elements found in the old original “Star Wars'” trilogy that viewers love. It has the suspense, things not always working out, and the raw creativeness when it comes to the creatures and plot. It is also responsible for all of the baby Yodas that you may see floating around the internet. The baby Yoda in the show is adorable and captures your heart almost immediately.
One thing that isn’t the greatest about it is that it sometimes feels a little too side tracked or off the main story line, but they seem to tie it all in well.
If you haven’t watched the Mandalorian series yet on Disney+, I highly recommend it. The new episodes are uploaded to Disney+ every Friday, so you have to wait for each episode like you would a regular TV series. However, if you’re new to “The Mandalorian,” There are already 11 episodes ready to watch!
May the force be with you!


Spotlight: Running Back Ethyn Allen:

Ethyn Allen is running back for the Corry Beavers. His birthday is August 8, and he has one sister who is 18 years old. He grew up in Corry, PA. Ethyn’s hobbies are playing sports
He would like to go college and maybe join the military. Ethyn would like to travel to Boston because he has always seemed to like the place and wanted to go one day. His favorite movie is “Bad Boys for Life.” Ethyn’s favorite song is “Drink to that All Night” by Jerrod Niemann.
His favorite quote is  “You only live once so shoot for the stars.” The animal that matches his personalty is a wolf. His  idea of a dream vacation is a getaway from the struggles of life, a home away from home, somewhere you can relax and have no worries. His idea of a perfect date is basically staying home and spending time together or watching a movie.
Ethyn’s favorite class is gym because it keeps him active during the day and his favorite food is chicken. In addition to  football, he also plays baseball and wrestles. His biggest pet peeve is people messing around at practice causing no one to get anything done. His piece of advice to underclassman players is “you only live once, don’t waste it, make the best of it.”
Lastly, Ethyn’s favorite NFL team is the New England Patriots and his favorite college team is the Ohio State Buckeyes.


Why talking about mental health is so important:

Mental health is one of the things that people mainly avoid talking about. Whether it’s because they don’t want to offend another, they’re too scared to speak their opinion about it, or they feel like it isn’t necessary, people choose not to talk about it. However, we need to incorporate talking about our mental health into our everyday lives because it helps others to begin to see that there is no shame in voicing what you are going through.
Talking about our mental health is extremely important in our everyday lives because when we learn to embrace the mental side of our health we will learn that we can become so much healthier. I remember learning in health class of the three healths: physical, social, emotional (mental). You can’t be physically and socially healthy but not mentally. In life we have to become more comfortable with ourselves and talking about how we’re feeling. Showing emotions is not a weakness. In fact, if anything, it proves just how strong you really are because you are allowing yourself to express those feelings that have been pent up to others.
Talking about mental health isn’t just important because we need to be able to talk about our emotions, it also is so important to talk about it because society needs to learn how to control our feelings and emotions. So many times the reason people get into huge fights are because they didn’t control those emotions, they just let them run wild. If people were to talk about these emotions and intense feelings of anger, jealousy, and even happiness, kids would be more prepared. I think that overall, less violence would break out if we as people were to get more educated on the mental side of our health. We would be able to grow closer and to get to know others on a more open and caring level.
I think that the way to fix this problem of how we don’t talk about our mental health is to provide a class that not only teaches students about mental health but engages them the whole time so that they understand just how important it is. I also think that another way to solve this dilemma is to have guest speakers come to our school and really show us how much mental health impacts not just ourselves but everybody else around us too.
So please, don’t be afraid to share your feelings and emotions with others, it strengthens relationships and makes you a healthier person.


Should elementary schools still teach handwriting?:

I hear it more and more that young adults, and school-aged children, have handwriting that is not legible. It looks like chicken scratch, the letters are not on the lines, and overall it just looks awful. The children are not to blame though. It is on the ones who create the standards for the school systems. The Common Core standards dropped the requirement of handwriting back in 2010.
This change in the curriculum did not make it for the better. It essentially made the situation worse. First of all, teachers jobs are more complicated now due to the reason that it takes them longer to read students writing since it is sloppy. Struggling to read a student’s writing is not what the focus needs to be. It should be on the content of the writing and what they have to say. Sadly, this is not the case, and teachers have trouble reading the writing, and are not able to focus on the content of the writing.
Someone with the opposing viewpoint might argue that handwriting is not an essential thing that needs to be taught due to the technology of computers. However, handwriting is still used in everyday life no matter what. People have to sign their name on important documents. Such documents include drivers licenses, social security cards, contracts, and purchases with credit cards. Without being able to sign your name, you will not have evidence of proper identification if a signature is just a few scribble marks. After all, handwriting is an important skill and should still be a requirement for schools to teach.


Snakes! The ideal pet:

If you want a pet might I suggest one that only eats and makes waste once a week, can be left alone while on vacation, is overall low maintenance and very friendly? You might be surprised to hear that I am talking about snakes.  There is a wide variety of pet snakes.  You can get one in any color and ranging from two feet to twelve feet.  
My personal favorite snake is a boa constrictor often referred to as a gentle giant.  Beginners often lean towards ball pythons or corn snakes because they are easy to take care of. To acquire a snake you can simply visit your local pet store, or for less common snakes, you can order them online.  They are generally an inexpensive pet.  Between the supplies and the actual snake, my first one only cost around $200. If you are worried about the temperament, as long as you handle your snakes regularly and learn their body language, behavior won’t be an issue.
I have been keeping snakes for about a year and a half and they are by far the best pets I have owned.  Between my two snakes, Oliver and Phone, there have been no problems of unprovoked aggression.  Because of their long life span, and illnesses being rare, I am excited to be able to have them around for another 40 years.


Happy Wookiee Life Day!:

This is a sacred Holiday that many Wookiees see as a day they have to return to their planet to celebrate. It can be celebrated over the course of many days. Life Day on Kashyyyk is to celebrate their diverse ecosystem and the many forms of life it encompasses. It is also a day to remember the deceased and the younger generations. It is now more widely celebrated across the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy, however, for a long time it had been celebrated once every three years. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, its importance to the Wookiees had become more pronounced. “Because Wookiees were spread across the galaxy, either for personal reasons or due to their enslavement to the Galactic Empire, the holiday was celebrated as a way to remain in touch with their history,” according to Wookieepedia. 
“This holiday is yours, but we all share with you the hope that this day brings us closer to freedom, and to harmony, and to peace. No matter how different we appear, we’re all the same in our struggle against the powers of evil and darkness. I hope that this day will always be a day of joy in which we can reconfirm our dedication and our courage. And more than anything else, our love for one another. This is the promise of the Tree of Life.” ~Princess Leia Organa~


The obsession with weight:

Beauty standards are always changing, but there’s one thing people just can’t seem to be satisfied with. People have preached about how much society has progressed and how much more accepting people are, but what they don’t talk about is how society refuses to let go of the obsession with body weight.
Growing up, I’ve always been overweight. For the longest time, I never really noticed anything “off,” so it’s taken me a long time to realize how differently I’ve been treated because of it. I didn’t look at myself in the mirror and think that I was any different from anyone else, so I had no need to question anything. That was until I grew older, and I started looking at myself differently because of the ridiculous beauty standards set for people, especially women. I started obsessing over every little detail of my body, and I lost so much of my childhood because of it. I never grew up seeing women like me on TV, so I felt alone and frustrated.
I’ve been treated differently simply because of my body. People have refused to be my friend or talk to me just because of the way I look. Unfortunately, this problem doesn’t stop at just my experiences. I’ve seen the change in attitude toward people simply because of their weight. This problem is especially apparent on social media. No matter a person’s body type or weight, there is always that one person who isn’t satisfied and feels the need to make mean and hateful comments.
I recently heard something that I cannot agree more with, so I’m here to spread the message. Some messed up lipstick or stray hair is not the same as someone’s weight. You shouldn’t talk about someone else’s appearance if they can’t fix it in 10 seconds. Someone else’s body isn’t a comment section, and remarks about it are unnecessary. We should be spreading love and acceptance, not ignorance and hate.


Hopeful Haylee:

Haylee Brewer is a tenth grade student at Corry Area High School. She moved to Corry back in 2016 after previously living in Greenville, PA. She has a dog and three cats. She is also an active member in the marching band as well as the softball team. Her favorite movie is “Pitch Perfect,” and her favorite quote is, “In the end we all become stories.”
When Haylee was asked about her favorite classes in school she replied that they were English and chemistry. When asked for a explanation, she replied, “I like English because I love to read and write and chemistry because its interesting and different.” Her favorite food is potatoes. Her reasoning is that, “you can make a bunch of different things with them.” Additionally, some of her hobbies include baking and reading.
Looking towards the future Haylee would like to be a music therapist or a high school English teacher. Her explanation for the therapist included, “It deals with music, working with people, and an understanding of the brain.” Then her reasoning for wanting to be an English teacher is, “I’d get to work with kids, and teaching is fun.” One day she would like to travel to Paris, “because I think it would be a cool place to see, and I really want to see the Eiffel tower.”


Holiday plans during a pandemic:

The holidays are coming close and around this time people are usually getting ready to go Black Friday shopping, preparing Thanksgiving dinner, hanging out with friends and family over break, and maybe even setting up their Christmas decorations. However, things are looking a little different due to COVID-19. As everyone is recommended to stay inside and just come into close contact with their family in their household, this can become difficult around this time of year especially. November and December are usually the busiest times of year everywhere, (as Thanksgiving and Christmas are the most engaging holidays.)
Personally, my plans for Thanksgiving are very minuscule this year. My mom, step dad, brother and I will be staying at home, making a nice little dinner, probably playing a few games, and then delivering some leftovers for other family members that we are unable to spend close, quality time with. Since my family is pretty large, this will be very difficult because this time of year is my favorite. Although I do like Christmas more, not spending Thanksgiving like normal is definitely a hard thing to do. A few high school students have some input about their plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and how they feel about the upcoming changes.
Junior Sam Goodwill said, “COVID hasn’t affected my travel plans too much. Since we’re all currently quarantined, we’re hoping to still go to my grandparents out of state for Thanksgiving, but if things change we will just stay home and have a small dinner with our local family.” She also added that, “During Christmas time we always stay in town and celebrate with our close family, so our Christmas plans won’t be affected by COVID.”
Kendall Keener, also a junior at Corry, said, “Honestly I am really scared about everyone’s mental health this holiday season. Seasonal depression really hits a lot of people, and now that traditions are ruined and everyone is quarantined, I’m afraid there will be an increase of depression while starting the new year.” Also, when discussing her plans for the holidays specifically she said, “As a student, I am upset we cannot spend the day before break watching Christmas movies with friends and eating an absurd amount of junk food. Although, I am spending the holidays with my immediate family since my grandparents cancelled Thanksgiving this year because they do not want to risk being infected. With this, I totally understand.”
Carter Slocum, freshman at Corry said, “Every Thanksgiving and Christmas my family gets together including my mom’s side and my dad’s side. This year I don’t think we will have a big dinner with my dad’s side because my grandfather is not that healthy, and we do not want to risk him being infected. I don’t really know my Christmas plans though because we haven’t really talked about it. However, for my mom’s side of the family we are going to try and have a limited number for Thanksgiving dinner next week!”
As students wrap up all their assignments for the next week, Thanksgiving break can still be an exciting thing. While spending time with close family and staying safe, it can be a nice time off of school, work, and/or other activities people participate in regularly. Thanksgiving and Christmas spirit is just what we all need to lighten up the mood during this pandemic. Stay safe this holiday season, and make sure to wear your mask.


Stephen King’s “The Institute” proves he hasn’t lost his touch:

When I first got into Stephen King, I knew I wanted to read more books. I wanted to read as many as I could get my hands on. And while I was searching for books, I found out that he was writing a new book, “The Institute.”  A couple months after the book was published and sold in hard back I really wanted to read it. I was waiting for it to come to The Corry Public Library so I could check it out. But one day I went to Walmart with a $20 gift card in my pocket. I was going to get movies, but I saw a cover that looked familiar, and when I turned around, sitting on the shelf, was a hardback book for “The Institute” for $20.89. Luckily, I brought extra change with me that day in case my card didn’t cover something I would buy. So I bought it, and a couple weeks later, I finished reading the story. I thought it was amazing.
I’m not going to lie, when I first read the little summary of what it was about on the internet I was confused when I started reading. The book jacket says:
“In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. the operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at the Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. and out side his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents – telekinesis and telepathy – who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and the youngest of them, ten-year-old Avery Dixon. they are all in the Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduate to the Back Half, “like the Roach Motel,” Kalisha says. “Kids check in, but they don’t check out.” In this most sinister of Institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extra-normal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along they get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to the Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.”
When I started reading the book, it didn’t sound like what you just read. It started with a different character than the one mentioned above, Luke Ellis. But as I got farther along, it started telling the story of Luke, and what I realized was that these two characters were connected somehow. When I started the book, I went in expecting a bad ending because also written on the book jacket is:
“As psychically terrifying as Firestarter, and with the spectacular kid power of IT, The Institute is Stephen King’s gut-wrenchingly dramatic story of good versus evil in a world where the good guys don’t always win.”
So you might see where I thought it might be a sad book. And it was somewhat. But what I believe is that Stephen King was writing like he always does. He writes stories that are mostly fiction, true. But he also writes as if the things that are false are playing out as they would in a real-life situation. For example: “Salem’s Lot” is about vampires. He wanted to write a book that showed what it would be like if the people in that town actually had to confront vampires. So if the Institute was real, he is showing us the story of what he believes would happen if it was. If there was an Institute and a kid brave enough to escape his captors tried to escape, what would happen? King shows us a magnificent story that shows at his age he still has his talent.
I loved this book. If I had to rate it on a scale of 5 I would give it a 4.8 because it was amazing. Of course it isn’t his best book in my ratings, but this story made it easily to my favorites list. This is one of those books that I could read again and again in the future and still enjoy it.  And I’ll tell you right now… the ending is somewhat sad. Caution: you might want to keep a tissue box next to you towards the end if you bind to characters in a book closely. Especially children. And since this is Stephen King, I have to put the warning on for the content. It is rated for a mature audience because of language, content, and violence.


Shedding light on a fellow freshman, Kaelyn Patterson:

This week I was able to sit down and “chat” (it was really texting because of school being closed and the remote learning status) with a fellow freshman, Kaelyn Patterson. Kaelyn is a 15-year-old basketball lovin’ teen. When asked what some of her hobbies are, she responded with “…playing basketball, showing horses, running, hunting, and showing lambs in 4-H.” Kaelyn has two sisters. Her favorite sport is, of course, basketball!
As we talked, I proceeded to ask her about how her life was impacted by COVID-19. She followed up with, “…I couldn’t see my friends, and I can’t participate in most of my hobbies (basketball, 4-H, and horse shows).”
After talking a little bit, she informed me about the schooling she is taking. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her and her family decided to do the online schooling (through the high school) which is called Virtual Academy. What are some of the drawbacks to the online learning? Positives? “The biggest drawback of online school is not getting to socialize with anyone, especially my friends. Some positives to online schooling would be getting to complete the work at my own pace, being able to schedule my day how I want it, and being able to finish school work early.”
When asked how her life has been normal through this pandemic, she stated that it was normal in the way in which she got to see her relatives. Out of my own curiosity, I asked if she had any homework when it came to her school day. She concluded that, “I don’t necessarily have homework since all of the work is uploaded to the website, so I just go in and complete it whenever.”
I then asked her how she was handling the remote part of her schooling and the inability to talk with her friends. She said she is “dealing with the remote part of school well” because she likes how she is able to, “organize my schoolwork and plan out my week’s assignments…”
Moving away from the school side, I asked Kaelyn: If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would change? After a few minutes, she responded with, “…I would change…when the mask enforcement took place because, perhaps, if we would’ve gone into lockdown or taken safety precautions sooner, I would still get to be in school, participate in my hobbies, and see my friends.”
I also asked her less serious questions to help keep the mood light and easy-going. Kaelyn’s favorite color is either blue or green, it just “depends on the day.” Her favorite food is pasta, or noodles in general, but she especially likes chicken Alfredo! When asked what her favorite song is, she responded with “Cold As You,” by Luke Combs. Lastly, Kaelyn’s favorite dessert at the moment (so we can end on a sweet note) is Oreo pie!


There are reasons for pursuing higher education beyond the obvious:

Many people do not plan to attend college because of the price or they think that education is stupid and not worth their time, but here are some reasons why I think you should go to college outside of just academics.
You will meet new people who are like-minded and not like-minded at all. The people and experiences you meet opens your horizons. You form important connections. It helps you create better social skills and many people even meet their future spouses at college.
Even if it is a degree that you don’t have to have for the job you plan to pursue, going and getting the degree from just a community college could be the reason you are chosen over other applicants because it can help you make advanced observations and decisions in your work. You can also, typically, make more money when you have a degree. You also have more options in your field because you have the degree.
You can go for a year undecided to see what you want to continue going for for your degree. No matter what, it is a learning experience.
It teaches you how to live away from home and how to have an education that your parents aren’t heavily involved in. With that, it teaches responsibility. It helps prepare you for having deadlines if you plan to go into a profession that has a lot of deadlines.
You don’t have to become a teacher or a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer when you go to college.
It’s important to never stop learning or growing, so don’t give up on the idea of investing yourself into a higher education for reasons that you might later regret in life.


Small owl found in Rockefeller Christmas tree:

A tiny northern saw-whet owl was found in the Rockefeller Christmas Tree after three days of no food or water and an 170 mile trip. The owl, appropriately named Rockefeller, is now recovering at a wildlife rehabilitation facility. The tree was cut down in upstate New York and hauled to NYC for the annual Rockefeller Tree that beautifully ascends to the skies of Midtown Manhattan.
The Ravensbeard Wildlife Center said the bird was rescued after the 75-foot Norway spruce was cut down in Oneonta, New York. A team of wildlife rehabilitators are now giving the owl fluids and “all the mice he will eat.” Rockefeller will be released back into the wild once given the OK by the veterinarian.


Top ten Christmas songs:

The Christmas season has always been my favorite time of year. Not only do the decorations, snow, lights, and all the delicious food make it so joyous, but the classic Christmas songs are definitely the star on the tree. With the pandemic, it has been a pretty rough year, so I believe everyone needs a little extra Christmas spirit in these troubling times. Here is a list of my personal favorite songs to listen to:
10. “A Holly Jolly Christmas”- Burl Ives
9. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”- Brenda Lee
8. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”- Andy Williams
7. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”- Judy Garland
6. “Frosty the Snowman”- Jimmy Durante
5. “Feliz Navidad”- José Feliciano
4. “White Christmas”- Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby
3. “Last Christmas”- Wham!
2. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”- Dean Martin
1. “All I Want for Christmas is You”- Mariah Carey


Beaver Tales Staff gives thanks:

Rachael Hajec: I am thankful for my friends and family this year. With the pandemic, it can be difficult to stay connected to the people you love; however, even just checking in with a quick FaceTime call or text is very pleasing especially around this time of year.
Hannah Smrcka: I am thankful for my friends and family and the things we have all still been able to accomplish this year amid the growing tensions among us all; my teachers who haven’t given up on our educations even when they could have; the widespread creation of all forms of art, especially music. I am thankful for the people we have all become and the sense of community we have tried to develop while separated. Also, my dogs Kramer and Leo!
Skylar Beckford: 2020 has been crazy, and it’s really changed my views on a lot of things. I’ve started appreciating the people around me more, especially my friends and family. Without them, I don’t think I would’ve been able to tackle 2020. I’m also thankful for my adorable dog, and all the sweet moments we’ve shared together this year.
Haeleigh Bayle: Although this year has been a rough one, I am thankful for so many things. Over the course of the whole pandemic I have become so much more thankful for my family, as we were given the chance to spend more time together. I am thankful that I was able to have a cross country season amidst all of the chaos, because I severely needed some normalcy. I am also grateful for the memories, the laughs, and the jokes that my family/friends and I created over this whole year about everything going on in general. Another thing that I am thankful for are all of the new friends I was able to make this year, as they have all made me so much happier. I am eternally grateful for the friends I called over the summer and quarantine, as they brought many smiles to my face. Lastly, I am grateful for the fact that none of my family members have been impacted by the virus, and that we are all safe, happy, and healthy.
Hannah Chelton: First and foremost I am thankful for my family and friends. They are always there for me when I need them for advice and help. I’m also thankful for my good health because there are some people that are battling cancer and life-threatening diseases. Lastly, I’m thankful for a home and a bed to sleep in because home is a place to call my own.
Gabrielle Troyer: I am thankful For everything I have: sports, family, coaches, friends, etc. I love everything I have done this year as a whole even though it wasn’t the greatest year ever. I was thankful for the stuff I got to do this year. I was thankful that we had sports and spending time with family, too. I was happy with going to school.
Samariana Pena: This year I’m thankful for my boyfriend, friends, and family. They have helped me get through this year and many other things, and I thank them for that, and I’m glad I have them in my life.
Sylvia Elmquist: This year I am thankful for my great friends. I have a great group that all gets along. I’m also thankful for my parents because they haven’t kicked me out yet. I’m also thankful for my grandma because she has been a great role model for me.


Covid-19 update:

With the country now averaging  178,945 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 14 days, businesses and schools are once again closing. More than 85,000 COVID patients are being hospitalized nationwide, and states are following protocol and putting restrictions in place as the country looks for ways to better manage the surge in cases.
Though some states are beginning to report less cases, many are concerned in the spike that will arise from people traveling for Thanksgiving and other upcoming holidays. Several travel restrictions have been put in place in hopes to decrease the amount of travelers this holiday season. In Pennsylvania, visitors traveling from states with high numbers of COVID-19 cases are asked to quarantine for 14 days. This currently includes most states in the US.
Scientists are currently working to produce and approve vaccines for the public. Typically, this process takes years, but scientists are looking to have a vaccine available by as soon as next year. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said a COVID-19 vaccine could come as soon as December 10, depending on initial authorization.


Strategies for students to make remote learning more effective:

As cases of COVID-19 are skyrocketing in the area, schools are deciding to transition from in-person learning to full online. At a moments notice things can change instantly due to the uncertainty of this time. When transitioning to the online method of learning there are many complications that can rise. Not only complications, but also distractions can be a barrier to letting someone learn. While everyone’s household operates a little differently, here are some strategies to make learning at home a little more effective.
For elementary students remote learning parents have to step in and help them out because they are too young to manage it on their own. The first thing to do is to keep them on a schedule. For example, have them get up around the same time every school day, get ready for the day, and eat a good breakfast. Then make sure they get signed into their class on time. Another thing to make learning more effective is to give them a space that is designated for their school work. This way they know that a certain area is meant for school and not a place to play. During their recess time make sure they get away from the computer to give their eyes a break from the screen. It is important for them to go outside and get exercise because sitting all day is not ideal.
For high school students remote learning it is a little different from elementary students because they are independent and able to do their schooling on their own. After all, the strategies are quite similar through. Staying on a schedule every school day morning because it will keep a routine as if you were going to school in person. Additionally, have a dedicated space to do schooling along with all of your materials that you need in one area. That way you do not have to leave class to go find the materials you need. This way you stay fully engaged in class.
After all, remote learning is a new challenge to us all. These are just a few strategies that people find useful, and I hope they help you to if you have not already did something similar to this.


Top ten Christmas decorations:

Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. The happiness that flows from household to household is so contagious and thick in the air that you feel as if you could just reach out and take hold of it. People choose to give to others instead of take, gather together, and celebrate the year and the birth of Christ. So, when the winter months are fast approaching, many families choose to decorate their houses to spread the joy as others drive past. Below are my top ten Christmas decorations from the worst to the best.
10. Snowmen- You may be thinking, how can snowmen be your least favorite Christmas decoration?! Well,  don’t worry, I love snowmen, and basically all Christmas decorations! This just happened to be where I started my list. Building snowmen/seeing all of the snowman figurines brings me back to all of the days that I would rush outside to try and create a new friend.
9. Reindeer- I love seeing the big reindeer figures up on the roofs of houses. It makes the Christmas spirit feel so much more alive.
8. Santa decorations- Of course you could never forget the Santa decorations. That is one thing I will never outgrow. Although Santa is a thing of my childhood, the love I have for this jolly man can never be extinguished. The little Santa figures bring so much of the joy and happiness around, it’s hard to imagine Christmas without this sentimental decoration.
7. Train underneath the Christmas tree- I absolutely love when we put our train up underneath the Christmas tree. Watching it go around and around with its fake steam puts me into the most joyful of spirits during the holidays.
6. Poinsettias- I love flowers, so when I am able to enjoy flowers in the winter, it’s the best! These vibrant flowers are always used as a decoration in my house, as it adds pops of color and life into Christmas time.
5. Garland/wreaths- Decorating the banister in the house with garland, lights, and bows provides a sense of tranquility for me. Sure, it might be messy to clean up, but it is totally worth it!
4. Stockings- The stockings were hung by the chimney with care… I love the nostalgic feeling that stockings give me. They remind me of all of the times I would race down the stairs on Christmas morning to find all of the goodies “Santa” had left for me.
3. The Christmas tree- Christmas isn’t Christmas without a Christmas tree. So many people have artificial trees, which is great, don’t get me wrong, but my absolute favorite is a real tree. It isn’t my favorite just because it’s fun decorating the real tree. So many memories are made going to get the tree, figuring out how we’re going to be able to fit it in the house, and laughing every time it gets stuck in a doorway.
2. The angel on the Christmas tree- I love having the angel on the Christmas tree because it shows the immense meaning that Christmas truly has. It also portrays the purity of it all, with the angel being at the top of the Christmas tree, which is the staple of decorating during Christmas.
1. The Nativity Scene- The Nativity Scene is my all-time favorite decoration of all because we wouldn’t be celebrating this beloved holiday, Christmas, if it hadn’t have been for the baby boy who was born in the manger. I cherish the Nativity Scene because it holds so much power and meaning!
Thank you for reading! What are your top ten Christmas decorations?


Top ten holiday cookies:

Holidays are filled with joy and decking the halls, but another thing around the holidays that many families do is deck out some cut out cookies with colorful frostings. However, many families bake more than just the regular cut outs when preparing for the winter festivities. So here are my top ten, definitely recommend, holiday cookies! (With links to recipes!)
1.) Russian Tea Cakes
2.) Gingerbread 
3.) Peanut Butter Cookies
4.) Peppermint meringues
5.) Pizzelles 
6.) Kolache (technically a pastry, but they’re going on the list because they’re the best)
7.) Snickerdoodles
8.) Cut-out sour cream cookies
9.) Thumbprint cookies
10.) Date balls


Stephen King’s “The Stand” is one of the greatest stories in horror history:

I bought most of my books from a friend of my stepmom. He is a collector and just so happens to like Stephen King, also. When he got new boxes filled with books given to him, he saw there were King books. He got a hold of my stepmom and we went to buy more books.
One of them was “The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition,” which basically has more of Stephen King’s original manuscript of “The Stand” before it was edited and published. I was super exited I got to read the Uncut version because I got the whole story. It was dark but a great story with a lot happening, a lot of characters, and a lot of unexpected events. The book jacket summary:
“This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death. And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides — or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abigail – and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.”
The book starts off telling about an event that wipes out a great majority of the world’s population. The event is a sickness that spreads within seconds. It has almost all of the same symptoms of the flu. There are multiple names for it. Captain Trips and the Super Flu are a couple examples. The story focuses around the characters Abigail Freemantle “Mother Abigail”, Stuart “Stu” Redman, Larry Underwood, Glen Bateman, Ralph Brentner, Frances “Frannie” Goldsmith, Nick Andros, Tom Cullen, and Harold Lauder. They survive the virus. But so do others, others like The Trashcan Man. And people like Trash join Randall Flagg, “The Dark Man.” (If you read “The Eyes of the Dragon,” and “The Dark Tower” stories, you may read about Flagg, too.) After that the survivors choose sides. To fight for good with Mother Abigail or join the side of evil with Flagg.
I would suggest this book to people who like to read big books. If I had to rate this book on a scale of 5 I would give it a 4.5. Since it is intended for mature audiences, I have to put the warning on for the content. It is rated this way because of language, content, and violence. If you read the book, I’d suggest watching the movie. It was one of the movie adaptations I actually liked.


Top ten Christmas activities:

There are many Christmas activities that some people may enjoy doing with their family that make Christmas fun and memorable. For example, here is a list of some activities that families do during the Christmas season with their family for fun.
10. Building snowmen
9. Sledding
8. Snowball fights
7. Making Christmas cookies
6. Putting up the Christmas tree
5. Drinking hot chocolate
4. Wearing matching pajamas
3. Hanging out with friends
2. Watching Christmas movies
1. Spending time with your family


Student spotlight: Jovial Jeremy:

Jeremy Saurwein is a sophomore at CAHS and his birthday is August 11. Jeremy was raised and grew up in Corry, PA. He has two siblings. Jeremy’s hobbies are football, track, and video games.
When Jeremy grows up he wants to be an architect or a football player. Jeremy’s dream vacation would be Tokyo, Japan. His favorite movie is “Step Brothers,” his favorite song is “Goofy Goober,” his favorite color is orange, and his favorite word is “Exuberance.”
Jeremy’s plans for upcoming vacation days are to hang out with his family. His favorite quote is “If u ain’t first ur last.” An animal that he thinks would fit his personality is a whale.  Jeremy’s idea of a perfect date is at the mall hanging. Jeremy’s favorite classes are lunch, drawing, English, and chemistry. Jeremy’s favorite food is Philly Cheesesteak. His biggest pet peeve is when someone is chewing with their mouth open or talking with food in their mouth.
A piece of advise that Jeremy would give his readers is: “Don’t procrastinate.”


Top ten Christmas gift ideas:

As trees go up and lights are strung across town, I think it’s the appropriate time to start getting excited for Christmas. It’s that time of year, which means ugly sweaters everywhere and people sharing laughs over cups of hot cocoa. It also means shoppers scurry to search for gifts for friends and family. And, if you are anything like me, deciding on what to get can be a challenge, so I’ve put together a list of some ideas that might make shopping a little easier this holiday season.
10. Hot cocoa kit: It’s simple, yummy, and they’ll have plenty of fun getting to customize their own drink.
9. Merchandise: You can’t go wrong with some merchandise from their favorite band or TV show. Not only are you bringing joy to someone else, but you’re supporting an artist.
8. Photo album: While it might seem a little cheesy, pictures say more than words ever could. Put together an album and they’ll always be able to cherish the memories you have made together.
7. Onesie/Pajamas: Regardless of age, anyone can appreciate some warm, comfy pajamas.
6. Stuffed animals: Give that special someone a fuzzy teddy bear to cuddle up to. For bonus points, spray some of your cologne or perfume on it so a part of you is always there with them.
5. Makeup: If you aren’t sure exactly what to get, some simple beauty items will surely do. A little bit will go a long way.
4. Body sprays and lotions: Everyone likes to smell nice, so this is a simple gift that they are sure to put to use.
3. Gift cards: If you’re truly unsure about what someone may want, a gift card is perfect. That way they’re able to spend the money on whatever they want, and that’s one less worry checked off your list this Christmas.
2. Gaming system: This time of year is perfect for buying a new gaming system. While they tend to be more expensive, the look in someone’s eyes when they unwrap a brand new PS5 or Xbox will be worth it.
1. Food: I mean, who doesn’t love food? Wrap up some goodies and you’re sure to put a smile on their face.


Top ten Christmas movies:

Sometimes it’s hard to pick what to watch for the holidays. I thought this list can help you decide what to watch this holiday season.
10. “Merry Christmas Drake and Josh” (2008)
9. “Polar Express” (2004)
8. “Home Alone” franchise
7.  “The Santa Clause” franchise
6. “Daddy’s Home 2” (2017)
5. “Elf” (2003)
4. “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” (1964)
3. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965)
2. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
1.   “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)


Top ten winter season activities:

As the winter season approaches people will be spending more time in than they do out. As a result, people tend to get bored and think that there is nothing to do during winter. Below I have listed ten things that someone can do inside and outside to stay busy during the winter months.
10. Have a snowball fight
9. Organize the house
8. Learn a new skill
7. Write a letter to a friend
6. Play a board game
5. Snow tubing
4. Build a snowman
3. Bake new deserts
2. Snowmobiling
1. Make hot chocolate and watch a movie


My pet reindeer:

Once upon a time in a snowy land called Northwestern Pennsylvania, there lived a young girl and her family who all loved Christmas. Before Thanksgiving day, they began to set up all of their Christmas decorations in preparation for the busy holiday. Even though they knew this was frowned upon because Thanksgiving hadn’t even happened yet, they believed the spirit of Christmas was definitely needed throughout both holidays this year. As all the lights brightened up the house and Christmas music was playing in the background, they realized they should do ALL of their Christmas traditions earlier than normal this year.
Thanksgiving had finally passed and it was a cold night in early December. The little girl, Madison, and her family began to bake cookies, put out some milk for Santa, build a snowman, and spread reindeer food all over their entryway. Even though they knew Santa and his reindeer didn’t come till Christmas Eve, they wondered if maybe he would want to do things early this year, too. After completing all of their Christmas traditions, the girl walked outside to see if any of the reindeer food was missing. As she looked up at the sky she saw what looked like a shooting star and began to think “Santa?” All of a sudden, she heard a big thud on the roof and a rustling noise in the bush right beside her front door. She bent down and leaned in closer to come to find a flashing bright red light.
“Rudolph, is that you?!” the little girl asked with excitement.
Suddenly, Rudolph jumped out of the bush and began prancing around the little girl!
“What are you doing here, Rudolph? Christmas isn’t till the end of the month!”
Rudolph began to shake and a note addressed to Madison fell off of his fur that read…
Dear Madison,
“I hope this letter finds you well and that Rudolph made a safe landing, (he can be a scary flyer at times, haha.) I know this year has been a tough one, and I know how much Christmas spirit you and your family have. Since you have been on the nice list for so long and always love to help others, I am allowing you to keep Rudolph as your pet for the whole month of December! He will be able to fly you to the North Pole whenever you would like, and I would love your help in keeping the elves on task. The only thing I ask is that you keep him in a safe pen and return him by Christmas Eve. His shiny nose has to lead me somewhere. Merry Christmas, Madison!’
Love, Santa”
While Madison started beaming with excitement, she started making a list of all she wanted to do with Rudolph and what they could do together in the North Pole.
Days went by and each night while her family was sleeping she would go on top of the roof, take off with Rudolph, and head to the North Pole. Everyday would be a new task. Whether it was helping in Santa’s workshop, looking over the naughty and nice list, or even feeding the reindeer, Madison was up for the task. The whole month went by in a flash and suddenly it was Christmas Eve.
“Well, Madison, it is Christmas Eve and I’m afraid Rudolph has to help me deliver some gifts tonight,” said Santa.
” I understand…thank you so much for letting me keep him, he is a great pet to have,” she said with a grin.
“Make sure to watch out for him next year so he won’t scare you as bad!”
“You’re letting me have him next year, too?!”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way! He loves spending time with you, and you were a big help to the elves and I this year, so thank you!” said Santa.
As Madison gave Rudolph a hug goodbye and watched Santa’s sleigh take off, she realized how this Christmas would be one she would never forget.


Away from home:

Once upon a time there was a six-year-old boy named Johnny. At a very young age he developed skills that were considered to be gifted for such a youngster. He was talking in complete sentences by age two, and was using intricate vocabulary not long after. He went to kindergarten at age four because the doctors said his brain was mature enough for him to be able to grasp the information and learn from it. He did amazing in school, had many friends, and was right on track with all the other students. Unfortunately one day Johnny was pulled out of class, and told that he was going to spend some time at a new house with lots of other kids, almost like a sleepover they told him. Like any other kid, Johnny jumped for joy, and was excited to spend the night away from home for a little bit. After school, the principal assisted Johnny getting onto his new bus.
Johnny was on the bus for an hour, and started getting tired so he decided to take a nap. After he woke up, it was getting dark outside, and the bus made it to the destination. While sleeping, he had a weird dream that was hard for him to understand the meaning of,  so he wrote it down for future reference. The bus doors opened up and an older man dressed in a suit walked onto the bus and welcomed all of the passengers, and told them he thinks they will enjoy their stay. Then he instructed the children to get off the bus and stand on the sidewalk. All of the children including Johnny were shoving each other trying to be one of the first ones off of the bus. Eventually they all got off and then were taken to their assigned rooms. There were four people per room, and it seemed as if they were at a summer camp because there was bunk beds, a shower house, playgrounds, and fields to run in.
Over the next few days, everyone was getting used to the routine of things. Roll call, breakfast, school, lunch, recess, more school, dinner, and then the evening was their free time, but lights out by eleven. Then after a week kids started leaving for a while, and then coming back, or they would never see them again. Then more kids started staying with them, and the same thing was a continuous cycle. At this point, Johnny had been there for three weeks now, and he was starting to grow suspicion on why he was there. He would ask adults questions about why he was there, but they just told him to hush, and he would be able to leave like all the other kids at one time or another. Eventually Johnny got sick of hearing the same answer over and over, so he decided to take matters into his own hands…
To be continued…


Christmas catastrophe:

Living at the North Pole with all of my fellow elves is like living the dream. We get freshly baked Christmas cookies after every meal, get to work with toys, and we get to watch joy fill the lives of many people when they recieve their gifts. Life couldn’t get any better than this!
My name is Eva Elf! Today is my first day working in the shop, which has me bouncing on the tips of my holly jolly, elf-pointed slippers. Over the years, I have worked exceedingly hard to become a “Master Toy-Maker.” I have studied the art of creating toys, making other elves full of the Christmas spirit, and have even accompanied Santa himself on one of his Christmas Eve delivery trips.
I walked down the candy cane painted hallway, sniffing in the smell of gingerbread that filled the halls.”Today is the day I’ll finally be able to prove myself to the other elves,” I thought.
I started whistling “Here Comes Santa Clause” as I happily strode down the hallway. The jingle bell on the end of my hat sang its own happy tune as I bopped my head along. I came to the entrance of the workshop and smoothed my green, frayed skirt, and fixed a button on my matching green top. I took a deep breath and pushed open the doors, letting the smell of the workshop fill my nose. I smiled and waved at everyone that I passed and made my way to the station I was registered at. I quickly began working, tapping my foot to the Christmas music that played on the intercom.
My job was to fill bubble containers with bubbles. This was one of the lowest jobs in the shop, but I didn’t care, I was just happy to be here. I picked up a purple bubble container and lifted it to the bubble dispenser. When I pulled the lever to fill the purple bubble container, nothing happened. “Well isn’t that as odd as a flying candy cane,” I thought to myself. I let go of the lever and decided to inspect it further, as I didn’t want the machine to be broken. I wiggled the lever that read, “In Case of a Jam, Wiggle this Lever.” Still, nothing happened. I scrunched up my nose, deep in thought. Suddenly, a deep, ferocious gurgling sound came from within the machine. It stopped, but three seconds later, the bubble solution sprayed out everywhere. Covering my fellow elves, myself, and all the machines. It made the floors so slippery, nobody could stop themselves from falling down. It was a complete disaster!
I tried to help the other elves off the ground, but I too fell after slipping on the bubble mixture. Everyone turned to me and stared in disappointment. Even the machines refused to work in spite of what I did. I was immediately called to the office of my boss, Edward Elf, all the while shaking in fear. “Well wrap my present and call me an elf, look at what you have done, Eva!” he exclaimed, waving his arms at the catastrophe.
“I’m truly sorry…from the deepest part of my candy-filled heart” was all I managed.
Edward sighed, rubbing his sleepy eyes with his short fingers. “I know you’re sorry. Just…just do me a favor and take a break from work.” He paused. “I have a lot of cleaning up to do after the stunt you pulled.”
“Please, at least let me help clean up,” I asked with tears in my eyes.
After a very long and excruciating pause, he said, “All right, I suppose helping with the cleanup would be acceptable.”
I trudged out of his office, feeling the weight of my mistake sink in. With all of the machines broken, how could we prepare enough toys by hand in time for Christmas?! Without those machines, Christmas would be ruined! I sprinted down the stairs and swiped a mop out of the janitors’ closet.
I got to work in a flash, mopping and scooping the bubbles into a bucket as fast as I could. After a few hours, the bubbles were completely cleaned up off the floor. I wiped the sweat from my brow and leaned against the mop. Everyone had left the shop an hour ago, as it was time for dinner. I, however, had unfinished business to complete, and wouldn’t leave until it was completely done. I went from machine to machine with explicit care, cleaning all the way until the bolts shined with cleanliness. It was back-breaking work, but after assessing the machines I had already completed, I was very pleased. It wasn’t until the first workers of the next morning came in that I had finished cleaning the last machine. I stepped back from the machines and looked around the workshop. It glittered like the snow when the sun shines down on it.
I heard someone let out a long whistle behind me. I spun around, and there stood Santa himself, with Edward off to the side, showing a toothy grin. “This is a jolly good job you’ve done Miss Eva,” Santa said smiling, his cherry-red cheeks glowing with happiness.
“Why thank you, sir!” I exclaimed. But then I realized that I was the cause of the need for the cleaning, and my head dipped back down in shame.
“I know that your little mishap was a complete accident, so don’t worry about a thing!” He added with a wink, reading my mind.
“So does this mean I can stay working, sir?” My feelings turned from shame to hope in an instant.
“You can bet your gumdrops that’s what it means!” Santa laughed.
I leapt into the air and gave Santa a big elf hug. Christmas wasn’t ruined after all, I thought merrily.


Man cannot live by bread alone:

‘Man cannot live by bread alone.’
Or can he?
For thy may never know,
The man who lives on bread alone.
Then did he?
For when they never know,
he could have lived on bread alone.
No an yes for he.
When will the world ever know,
did he live on bread alone?
Then if all is bread to he,
for thou shall forget to know,
he may have lived his life on bread and bread alone.


White Shadows (Part 1):

Tuesday 6:34 p.m.
“If you don’t want my honesty and you don’t want to live here under my roof, get out!” his father bellowed.
“Fine! I’ll go, since apparently you don’t care about my interests, and what I want to do with my life!” Dillon yelled back.
. . .
The fight started after Dillon got home from school. It didn’t start immediately, but the air in this home has been tense for a while now. Dillon’s father Louis Crawford had to work most of the time and had been having a hard time keeping up with his job. Loretta Crawford, Dillon’s mother, had to keep watch at the house, and did most of the cleaning. Dillon was eighteen years old, and was a senior at Ridgeview High. They live in an apartment complex out on Chestnut Road, in a little town in Pennsylvania named Ridgeview. It was a two bedroom, one bath, but there was still enough living space for the three of them.
Dillon had never really been the social kind of person. He had a few friends, but over the years and as they grew older, they had separated and only ever talked to each other once in a blue moon, whether it was seeing one of his old friends in the hall or just sitting a few feet from them at lunch. His grades were decent, mostly in the 80-90 range. And he had always wanted to grow up and have a good job and a nice house. He wanted the perfect family and maybe even to find some new friends while still staying in contact with the old ones. He wanted to become an author. He always loved to read since he was young, and that may be one of the reasons he had a 94 in literature.
But today on the other hand, him and his father had started arguing after supper about just that. It had started off with regular conversation around the living room table.
“So… honey, how was your day at work?” Loretta asked her silent husband, who was plowing through his food tonight so he wouldn’t miss his favorite TV show.
“Well… it’s same stuff, different day. Caught up on a few documents… that’s about it,” he finished and shoved in another forkful.
“Well, I see that as a good thing. You’re finally catching up. If you keep working at this rate, you should be able to get through your work one paper at a time.”
“I guess so.”
“So, Dillon… how was school?” she asked.
“We did some creative writing in Lit. I turned in my assignment and the teacher absolutely loved it.”
“That’s great. I think you’d be a great writer. The way your imagination flies around… I bet you get that from my father.”
That’s when the trouble started. His father, still with food in his mouth, mumbled, “Don’t get his hopes up.”
“Louis! Really? What do you mean don’t get his hopes up?” she said. Her face went blank,  yet looked mad at the same time. Dillon only looked at his father. His dad has really never been supportive of his goal. This is the first time he has ever said anything in front of his son.
“What? I’m being honest. Yes, he might be a mediocre writer, but does that mean he is absolutely going to make it to the best sellers list? When I was his age, I wanted to be an architect. But look at me now, an office assistant.”
“That is hardly fair to say. At least…”
“I try,” Dillon finished for his mother. He didn’t know if she was going to say exactly that. She is usually not that apt to speak her mind. But he thought it fit perfectly with what she was thinking. His mother looked at him. his father glanced up.
“What are you saying… that I don’t try?” His father’s voice went up.
“Let me repeat it, Dad. ‘At least I try’.”
“Can we just calm down and talk quietly?” Loretta asked softly.
“I do try. I provide for you and your mother! I bust my butt at work just to put food on the table for you! And now this?! I am just trying to tell you the truth. I see it all the time. People I used to know, people I went to school with, they never got close to what they were shooting for. First it is losing your friends, then you graduate, you are given the chance to go to college, earn a degree, and get a nice job. There is either that or you go to work. And more often than not, you end up in a hole. Of course, not all is bad, but your future is destroyed. If I had to have a percentage on how many people made it versus how many people made it to their goal it would be 20 percent.”
“I am going to be a part of that 20 percent,” Dillon shot back.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” his father said. He finished of his plate and got up to put it into the sink.
“Yeah, we’ll see. We’ll see me actually work for my dream! Actually try! Why would I ever want to end up like my father?”
6:43 p.m. (continued)
“If you don’t want my honesty and you don’t want to live here under my roof,” his father bellowed and turned around to face his son, “get out!”
“Fine! I’ll go, since apparently you don’t care about my interests, and what I want to do with my life! I’ll get somewhere! I won’t end up like my dead-beat Dad!” Dillon yelled back, going to his room to grab a few things. His father stopped dead in his tracks. By this point his mother was crying.
Dillon grabbed his book bag, and started stuffing it. He grabbed a book, a jacket, an extra set of clothes, and all of his money to get something to eat. He grabbed his watch under his dresser and put it on his wrist. Then he left his room and headed for the front door. He grabbed the door knob and paused. He turned around and saw his father was still standing in the same spot.
“I’ll make it someday… you just watch. I just wish you would have been beside me through it, supporting me. Instead you sit there and feel sorry for yourself.” And with that Dillon left.
His father didn’t know until the next morning, but the next time he saw Dillon, it would be at his son’s funeral.
. . .
Later that night… 7:46 p.m.
Dillon walked down the hill all the way to the cross section of the main streets. He had decided to clear his mind. He didn’t know how long he should stay away, but he had been gone for a while now. And he didn’t think he would be reported missing. He doubted that his parents had even said anything, but when he reached the crosswalk, he turned left. He was heading for the gas station on the east side of town. When he got there he ordered a pizza slice to go. He wasn’t feeling too well, so he just got a regular pepperoni. While his pizza was being made he went over to the refrigerators along the back wall and got a root beer. He walked back up to the front and paid for his food then left. There wasn’t anywhere to sit except for a wobbly table the size of a desk at school and a couple plastic chairs. He went around to the back of the building and sat on the guardrail overlooking a slope that dipped down about 10 feet. At the bottom were train tracks.These tracts go from the center street, heads behind the gas station, it goes between the manufacturing building and the town forge, and continues east till it goes to the next town over, and beyond. He didn’t know where the train went, but in the near future he hoped to travel the country, see the big cities at night, lit up bright. He wants to see the world. And with that, an idea popped into his mind.
He finished his pizza and ditched the cardboard container. He was careful, he slid off the guard rail and onto the steep slope of the hill. He inched his way down to the bottom. At one point he lost his footing, but regained his hold. He saw that the ground wasn’t to far now, and that he could probably just slide down to the bottom. And with that, he slid down the rest of the way, landed on his feet to fast and tripped over his own feet. He went sprawling onto the rocks and dirt. He looked up and saw he had come within a few feet of bashing his head into the steel rail. He stood up and brushed the dirt off of his shirt. It was starting to get cold outside. It had been dark outside for over an hour, and with it took away the warmth of the sun. He walked up to the tracks and set down his back pack, he unzipped it and took out his jacket. He was slipping it off when he heard the noise. The snap of a stick. He instantly froze.
“Hello?” he said. His voice came out in a whisper. “Hello?” he repeated, a little louder this time, but now he saw a figure standing in the trees. It was dark. He figured it was wearing complete black, because if he had colored clothes, he would have seen like he sees the color on his own shirt. The only way he was able to see his surroundings, what little he saw, was because of the faint moonlight.
“Who are you?” he asked the shape in the shadows. and when he said this the figure looked up at him. His face was pale. and when the figure spoke, Dillon heard an accent to his voice. But the voice was powerful just the same.
“My Name?… Edward….Edward Kraft. And you son… are Dillon Crawford.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I know a lot about you, compared to what little you know about me. For I am not from this town, let alone this country,as you may have guessed by now…”
Something Dillon saw in this stranger’s eyes made him begin to back up slowly. And speaking of eyes… this was glowing.
“And I am hungry… so hungry. I would ask you to get me a pizza, as you have done… but I don’t like pizza…” the stranger started to close the distance between them. “I prefer something more rich… thick… a drink rather, not so much a food… but think I’ll have a little snack too…Why do you want to leave, my dear friend?”
“You are not my friend… I don’t know you… I don’t want to know you.”
“Well… it’s a little too late for that Dillon. Stop walking… stay awhile…”
At that moment Dillon froze. He couldn’t move. He was frozen, looking into Kraft’s eyes.
“Let…Me… DRINK… Let me… Feast…” he said placing his hands on Dillon’s shoulders. Kraft’s mouth opened and he buried his fangs into Dillon’s neck.
. . .
Wednesday 6:01 a.m… The Next Morning
Abigail Dolan was only ten years old when she saw one of the worst things she had ever stumbled upon in her whole life. She walked to school from her house on East Main Street to the Ridgeview Elementary School farther down North Center Street, all the way across town. She lived with her grandparents because at the age of five her parents were hit dead on by a semi. Shortly after the funeral, she moved from Erie to come stay with her mom’s parents in Ridgeview. She was struck hard by this. She had to live the rest of her life without her parents, and she barely knew her grandparents. She knew them so little that she could have considered them strangers. She had to move to a completely different town. But it was smaller than Erie. She practically knew every street just by arriving in town the day she moved in. They stopped at McDonald’s to get something to eat, went across town in a diagonal, and considering there wasn’t much in this town, she basically saw all of the streets she needed to see to navigate easily through town.
Now, the reason she had to walk to school was because her grandparents were too old to drive. And she was old enough to walk by herself. She usually walked down the street to the dollar store opposite of the forge. She often walked to the dollar store to get the groceries for her grandparents. During the winter her neighbor drove out to Walmart to get the groceries. After she reached the dollar store, she turned right towards the forge and then took the tracks to the left to Center Street so she could beat morning traffic at the crosswalk. Plus, if she were to take the walk all the way down to Center Street it would take up more time, and she didn’t want to be late to school. She had no new friends, and she was looked at in the halls like a new ugly spices of fish at an aquarium. Although after this day was over, she wished she wouldn’t have taken the train route, even if it meant being late.
She was walking down the tracks when it hit her. She  stopped and looked at the object that hit her shoulder. It was a sneaker. Not a small one that would fit her foot. It looked like a size nine or ten. But when she saw this shoe, she wasn’t looking at the tag to find out, because this shoe had red on it… a dark red. Blood. There was blood on the rails, and on the rocks. That is when she looked up and a drop of it landed on her cheek. Her face changed instantly from confusion to realization. There was a boy up there. Abigail began to scream.
To be continued in Part 2…


The angel of Christmas Eve:

“Do not fear, for I bring you good tidings of great joy,” my small, 8 year-old self proclaimed to the “wise men” and crowd who had gathered in the small church for our annual Christmas play. I stood atop a small step stool, but felt so tall compared to the others. I gave them a smile, imagining what it was truly like all of those years ago when it really happened. The three small wise men followed suit, and quickly recited their parts. I stepped off of the stage, as my part of an angel sent from God to tell the wise men about the birth of Jesus was over. Sure, I only stated a few lines throughout the whole play, but I loved every minute of it. I sat in the pew off to the side from the stage and watched in wonder as all of our hard work paid off. The crowd was enchanted, many grandmas smiling and waving to the little tots up on the stage. I looked down at my all-white outfit and could feel the glittery halo on my head shining like a star.
I walked to the stage again, and together the whole crew sang many songs. “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” is what I remember most. Camera flashes continued to go off until the last of the lines were said and we all took a bow. The crowd graciously applauded while a few whistles even rang throughout the walls of the church. I found my brother, who was a wise man, and we made our way to our family. I was showered with hugs, kisses, and “great jobs” from all of them. All of my grandparents were watching, and my aunt even came; I felt like a movie star. After the last of the hugs were given, we headed outside into the snow and freezing temperatures. We quickly got into the car and made our way home.
Once we arrived home, we put our favorite homemade Christmas cookies in the cookie jar to give to Santa, along with milk. And of course we couldn’t forget to give his trusty reindeer a couple carrots and some “Reindeer mix” for all of their hard work. We washed up, changed into our Christmas Eve PJs and nightgowns, and headed to bed. I was grinning from ear to ear, as I couldn’t wait to look under the Christmas tree the next morning. I said my “good nights” and wrapped myself up in comfy blankets.
Visions of sugarplums really did dance in my head as I drifted off into a blissful sleep, anxiously awaiting the big day that was soon to come.


The Christmas miracle:

December is here, and yet again I am reminded of my favorite holiday story to tell. It was about three years ago, and it was Christmas Eve. Mom and Dad were busy stringing the lights around the house, and my little brother and I were watching our favorite Christmas movies by the fire. I was excited because the weather was predicting snow that night, and we almost never had snow on Christmas. Mom walked into the living room and pulled up the weather app on her phone, shaking her head. “No snow this year, I guess.”
Yet again, no snow. I was disappointed, but a part of me still had hope. Dad finished putting up the lights and Mom went to go make us some hot cocoa. I stood up and ran to the window, peeking out to see if any snow had fallen yet. “Patience, Darling,” Mom said as she walked in holding two mugs of hot cocoa. “It needs to snow,” I pouted. We finished the night off by drinking our cocoa and relaxing by the fire. It wasn’t long before we were all dozing off.
I woke up on the couch, and as soon as I remembered the snow, I ran to the window to check. I pulled the curtains open and gasped. Everything was covered in snow, and not a single strand of grass could be seen. I couldn’t contain my happiness, and ran to my parents’ room. “Mom, Dad, it snowed!” They looked out their window in disbelief. We hadn’t seen snow on Christmas since before my little brother was born, so it was definitely a shocker. I hugged my parents and we all watched as more snow fell to the ground. I was so concerned with the snow that I had totally forgotten about the presents.
Dad and I went downstairs while Mom went to grab my little brother. We all met downstairs by the tree. It was surrounded by presents, and I could feel my heart swelling with joy. However, I kept seeing something from the corner of my eye. I turned around just in time to see a pair of dark boots going up the chimney. “Santa!” yelled my little brother. I ran to the window and watched as a little figure disappeared into the early morning fog. I couldn’t believe it: Santa brought us snow!


Annual Christmas parties:

It all started in December of 2017. My friends and I all were aware of how much we loved Christmas. Whether it was decorating our houses, baking cookies, doing secret Santa, or even just going outside and playing in the snow, we loved to do it all. Since we would usually get a nice long break for the holidays, we decided that we should all do something together. Anyone can admit that spending time only with your family is a little exhausting, especially when it is the busiest holiday of the year. No one enjoys when their grandparents ask them ‘what are you gonna do with your life’ or ‘do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?’ From then on, the annual Christmas party was born.
Every year since then, I would throw a big Christmas party at my house and invite all of my close friends. We would play board games, have occasional “Mario Kart” matches, exchange gifts, listen to music, go outside in the snow, eat lots of food, and overall just enjoy each other’s company. Holidays are known to bring people together, and while having that nice long break off school, or work, it is very important to interact with one another.
Each time I would try to think of some homemade games to play whether they were challenging or just for laughs. My favorite game that I have ever arranged for the parties would have to be the mitten game. For the mitten game, my family and I would make a huge ball of cling wrap filled with gift cards, toys, and any small gifts you can think of. In order to get to them, you had to put some gloves or mittens on and try to unwrap the ball as fast as you can. We would all pass it around in a circle and only have about fifteen seconds per person. If you are ever looking for a game to play with your family or friends, this one is definitely a good choice in my opinion!
Even though a close-contact Christmas gathering isn’t possible this year, there are still many ways you can stay in contact with your friends and spread some holiday cheer. A few ideas that have come to mind are:

Setting gifts at your friends’ doorsteps
Sending Christmas cookies
A group FaceTime call
A connected movie watch party
(If you are able to drive) Parking next to each other and eating together in your own cars

Because Christmas is my favorite holiday, it definitely makes me sad to think I will not be spending it with all my friends this year, however, as things become better, the annual Christmas party will live on (even if we have to have Christmas in July.) Merry Christmas everyone!


Summer vs. Winter in the big city:

When I’ve gone to Philadelphia, New York City, Chattanooga, and the District of Columbia, the weather has always determined how I felt my trip went. Large cities are bustling, expeditious metropolises where all types and kinds of culture and energies collide into harmonies of work, creativity, and life. With that being said, they’re a lot to take in all at once. So here is how I felt my experiences changed along the marginal lines of my perception of the cities in their different seasonal climates.
New York in the winter when it wasn’t too cold or windy was pleasant and exciting. The walking didn’t feel too harsh or fatiguing and the city seemed bright and full of life and beauty. We went to more places since the weather was lovely and didn’t have to worry too much about freezing to the sidewalks.
New York in a colder and windier time of winter, however, was not very jovial to me. It felt like everything in the city was cold and damp. Just walking down the street made my teeth chatter and you walk a great distance in cities, so I wasn’t in the best mood when I had to shiver for the many grids of blocks upon blocks.
Philadelphia in the summer was hot and tiring. There are a lot of people strewn throughout the streets in the summertime as well, but besides the occasional sweat, the frenzy of city life in Philadelphia summers is wonderful. The city felt beautiful with the luscious green streets crowding the depths of parks and the atmosphere of the city is always bright in the summer. Walking on the hotter days would make my feet ache, but besides that I still couldn’t complain really because it was nice to get out of the house and watch the life moving and ever-changing around you. (Rocky “The Italian Stallion” Balboa jogging up the famous steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art)
Philadelphia in the late fall/ early winter felt dry and chilly. It was still beautiful, but the parks were full of wire trees and empty fountains. The pleasant summer crowd had flown off for the winters and returned to their lives, but the nice part about that is there are less tourists, but sadly the week I was there was the week after Christmas, so there were still some, but not as many in the parks. I liked the slightly more quiet city of the winter for the way it led to more thought, and I enjoyed that. But then it wouldn’t stop raining. Freezing cold rain, and cities when it rains icily, is not fun. Your shoes get wet from walking and the city smells don’t always like the acidity of the rain. Wet socks and walking can really place a damper on your general mood and feeling of a city.
Chattanooga in the summer is hot, hot, hot. Since it is toward the bottom of Tennessee, leaving the house in the summer is tiring and not much fun to be outside in. Chattanooga in the winter is warm (in comparison to up North in the winter) and enjoyable to go for a walk in. It is much more enjoyable, in my opinion, in the winter.
In Washington D.C. it never was as cold as up home in the winter and I enjoyed it. The summer heat of it though was not much fun. As long as I was inside, though, it was fun with the Smithsonian museums, but D.C. is a pretty friendly place weather-wise  year round.


Ruger the rock star:

Recently, I convinced my dad after ten years to let me get another dog. My last dog passed away right as we got Ruger. Ruger is a Miniature Dappled Dachshund he is currently eight months old. He is 13 pounds and will not get much bigger.
We got him for my birthday and he was only three pounds. Ruger’s birthday is four days after mine! He is very rambunctious and always has to be watched so he doesn’t get into anything. His favorite activities include playing with his toys, barking at people, sleeping, going on rides, seeing my sister’s dog, and he loves going on walks.
He is very different from any other animal we have ever had because we have never had an inside dog or a small dog. He is also very needy. You can’t go anywhere without him. He is definitely a spoiled little brat, but Ruger is a very protective dog even though he is very small. He does not like big dogs and most people that walk by our house, but once he gets to know them he warms right up.
Ruger has three siblings and one he still sees. Despite him being a pain and a brat sometimes I wouldn’t trade him for anything because he keeps me on my toes while giving me lots of entertainment and I can’t wait to see him grow more!


Top ten stocking stuffers:

Christmas is right around the corner and we have to start thinking about presents and/or what we want! So I’m here to give some ideas. I think stocking stuffers should be something kind of little, not really expensive, just something small to open before the big ones. Almost like a pregame. So these are the top ten things I would love to get. I hope you enjoy!
10. Air fresheners
9. Hand sanitizer
8. Chapstick
7. Jewelry
6.  Nail polish
5. Candy
4. Fuzzy socks
3. Pop sockets
2. Phone cases
1. Chocolate


Christmas cows:

Once upon a time there was a little girl who always loved animals. She kept asking her parents for all kinds of crazy animals that she was too irresponsible to take care of. Every birthday she was let down when she didn’t get what she asked for, so she gave up hope. Her parents noticed that she wasn’t very happy anymore and didn’t want to see any animals and didn’t talk about them. When they asked what was wrong all she said was, “I won’t ever get one anyway so what’s the point?”
After that her parents started to talk about it and her mom was totally against it, but it was killing her dad to see her the way she was. So the next day he asked her if she wanted to go help him get stuff to build a barn and the little girl said, “Why would we need one?” and he just asked again if she wanted to come or not so she went with him.
Then the next few weeks they worked on building a little barn. The winter came and nothing was in the barn. The wife threw a fit and said it was a waste of money until Christmas came. It was the morning of the big day, even though no one knew it except the dad. It was Christmas and the little girl opened all of her presents, and she was very thankful but still upset she hadn’t gotten an animal. Then her dad told her he had one more thing for her and took her to the barn. He opened the doors and there were two baby calves. The little girl was so happy she started to cry and hug her dad. He told her that it was to teach her responsibilities and that if she couldn’t he would get rid of them.
Fast forward a few years and they are her best friends and she spent so much time with them her dad got her more and she started her own little beef farm.


White Shadows (Part 2):

Make sure to read Part 1 before this
Wednesday 7:17 
Elizabeth Williams, known to her students as Mrs. Williams, had been getting her schedule ready for the school day when Abigail knocked on her classroom door. She was caught off guard at first because she wasn’t expecting anybody this early. Maybe it was another teacher wanting to talk to her. That could be, but she knew something was wrong when she saw a mop of frizzy hair at the bottom of the door’s window.
She opened the door and saw Abigail’s face was red (not to mention that smeared mark on her cheek), and she was breathing hard. And it looked as though she had just got done crying.
“Abby, what’s wrong?” The girl’s wide eyes just kept staring as though she hadn’t heard the teacher. “Abby… speak to me…”
“He’s dead,” she whispered.
“What?” Williams said.
“The boy is dead… the boy on the tracks…” she pointed to the smeared blood on her cheek.
. . .
Mrs. Williams took the girl by the hand and led her to the office, where they repeated the incident to the principal. From there the police were called. The police, firefighters, and forensics were on the scene. Among the people on the scene was detective John Thorn and his partner Carl Briggs.
Carl Briggs was on the scene first because John had gone into the gas station to get their breakfast. Although Briggs now thought that his appetite was ruined. When he got to the tracks, they had the body on a stretcher, and they hadn’t covered it yet.
“Hey, Carl,” Thorn called from the guard rail.
“Hey, you got my food, didn’t ya?” Carl replied by starting up the hill to grab his things so that his food would stay intact on its way down the hill.
“So what happened?” Thorn asked his partner, although it didn’t sound like a question. He handed Briggs his sandwich and coffee, then they started down the hill.
“They identified the kid by the school ID in his back pocket. Dillon Crawford. There was a slip of paper for contact information in case his wallet got lost. We called it and his parents answered the phone. We told his parents to come to the station. We figured that it would be better to tell them in person than over the phone.”
“Most things are worse over the phone.” At this point they were heading down the hill to the tracks.
When they reached the bottom Briggs continued, “According to the parents, he and his father had got into an argument and he left home last night. And came to the gas station right up there,” Briggs pointed to the top of the hill. “The cameras were checked and they saw the boy come in. He bought a pizza and a root beer then left. From there one of the cameras saw him walk around back. At the top of the embankment they found the pizza container. God knows why he decided to go down to the tracks.”
“Either he heard something, or got curious,” Thorn said, and as an afterthought he added, “He maybe even thought he would hike the tracks, he probably wanted to get as far away from home as possible… How bad was it?” Thorn asked.
“The boy’s left side of the neck all the way up to the ear was covered with blood. The blood soaked through his shirt and jacket and dripped down his pants when it dried. They found his backpack in the weeds beside the tracks. Forensics had said that he had been dead for hours.”
Thorn looked up into the tree.“Well, that is very odd.”
“What’s that?” Carl said looking up at the branch.
Thorn pointed to the bloody twisted fingers of the tree. “I don’t know how that is possible. Sure, the boy was attacked, maybe it happened on the ground, but how could the killer put him in a tree? At that height. It is physically impossible unless this killer had a really tall ladder.”
“Yeah… it’s one of the first things I noticed too. It’s odd,” he said looking back down to Thorn, who had returned his gaze to the tracks where there was a patch of blood and the kid’s sneaker.
“Very. You said he was sliced open, correct?”
“Yes. And now that you say it, there was something strange about that, too,” Carl said.
“Yeah? What’s that?” Thorn asked. How was it possible to get his body that high? Even a ladder wouldn’t cover it. 
“Some of the kids’ organs were missing.”
“So The killer, he or she sees and stuns the kid, and slices his stomach. But to take it a step further they stick him on a tree. Who reported it?” Thorn’s mouth had gone dry. So he decided to take a drink of his coffee which was now warm and no longer hot.
“Ten year old, Abigail Dolan. The little girl had been walking to school. She told her teacher that she always takes that way to get to school, that it helps her get to school quicker. She only saw the little details of the blood because the boy was up on the branch. But when the body was taken down, they saw more. The little girl came from that way.” Carl says as he points into the direction of the street that runs perpendicular to East Main Street, where the child lives.
“Oh jeez… that’s great.” Thorn winces.
“Yeah, she said she was walking to school, and that she has always walked the tracks because it is a quicker route. I don’t think she will ever go near tracks ever again. I don’t think she’ll ever ride a train either. She came into school and told the teacher, who told her superior, and so on and so forth until it reached us. She had a drop of blood on her cheek and a smear on her shirt from the Crawford kid’s sneaker.” he says as points to the shoe on the ground.
“This is horrible… where’s the body?”
“Right over there,” Briggs pointed to the street, where there was an ambulance. 
“I need to see this. I need a visual so I can see exactly what happened. Or at least try.” The detectives went over to the ambulance and knocked on the back door. The door swung open.
“Hello, came to observe the body. Detective John Thorn.” John took out his badge, “This is my partner Carl Briggs.” 
“Well… gotta warn you, Detective Thorn. It doesn’t look good. As far as good goes with a body,” The EMT said.
The detectives stepped into the ambulance. The EMT pulled back the sheet. As far as Briggs’s observation went, it was pretty accurate. The kid’s skin was pale of course. And there was blood up the kid’s left side of his face. The blood went down the side of his neck and doused his shirt. The shirt was ripped above the belly button, to show a laceration to the stomach. The detective set their coffees and sandwiches (which hadn’t even been touched) on the bench.
“May I have some gloves?” Thorn asked, still looking at the boy’s face. The kid’s face was frozen in a look. You’d think the face would represent pain, but his face showed that he was relaxed. Maybe he was unconscious and then killed. The EMT handed him a pair and offered a pair to Briggs, who politely pushed them away. He wasn’t the one to observe the bodies that way, that was Thorn’s thing.
Thorn pulled on the gloves. Then he reached out and turned the kid’s head to the side to reveal the blood-slicked neck. Then he turned to Briggs and asked,“You see that, detective?
“Yeah, of course.”
“What do you think did that? Because, I don’t think the blood from his stomach would go all the way up to his neck. He would have been turned upside down and sideways. Plus, the way the clothes are soaked proves that the blood flow starts at the neck, that is what soaked the upper half of his shirt.” He pointed to the neck. “Then, what intensified the flow was the slash across his midsection.” He moved his finger down the body to the cut, as if pointing out what route to take on a state map. “Which then would cause the blood to flow down his pants. But the problem is… where did the blood come from up here?” He pointed back to the neck.
. . .
In the newspaper the next day, Dillon made front page news. He was a side column, but the words “High School Teenager Murdered” caught everyone’s attention rather than “Town Public Works Dept. Work on Roads near the High School.”
The school was barely touched by the news sadly. Barely anybody knew him in order to grieve. Something Dillon knew was that he had lost touch with his friends, but that didn’t mean they didn’t care about him. When the news made it to the school, it didn’t go to the friends first. It started with the people who had befriended Dillon’s old friends, starting the ripple effect. It was hard for them. They hadn’t really hung out with him in the last few years, let alone talk to him. Sure there was an occasional “Hi” said in the halls, but it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t really their faults they had fallen out of touch. School got harder, they wanted to pass their senior year, and it was even harder not having any of the same classes. 
It had a little bigger impact on his old friends, but it also had an impact on the teachers. They thought that Dillon would have been successful. Although he wasn’t very social, he was a great student.
Dillon’s parents were impacted the most. Especially since the last time they had seen their son it hadn’t been under the best circumstances. His father felt guilt. He thought, “Maybe if I hadn’t started in… he had a chance… and I drove him out… if I hadn’t done that… he would be here at home safe, and not in a funeral parlor.” And his mother couldn’t help but feel guilt too. She believed that she could have prevented Dillon’s death, if only she could have stood up against them and calmed them down so they could apologize and talk things through.
But there was more than friendships, relationships, and acquaintances destroyed. 
Dillon’s future was obliterated. Any dream he had. Any life he could have lived. He doesn’t get that job. He doesn’t have a wife. And the family name Crawford will never live on because Dillon was an only child, in a little town in Pennsylvania. Just another blip on the radar wiped out. It’s not like it could affect the millions of people across the country.
But the town of Ridgeview would meet their new resident. Their new neighbor. They will only view him from afar. And he will only pass a few words with a few people. 
His name is Edward Kraft.


A day of disaster:

At some point in time people have certain days where they just feel like they can not win. It can vary from the thought that everything seems to be going wrong, events happen that make it seem impossible for a task to get complete, or nothing goes as planned. For some people it happens more often then it does for others. About five years ago the feeling of everything going wrong came about my household.
It all started out one night during barn chores when it seemed like everything was not working in our favor. Animals were loose, the milker hoses were frozen, a water hose broke causing the mangers to flood, and worst of all we had a tractor catch on fire. It was used earlier in the day to haul wood, and  then it was put into the garage. We were almost done with chores, and my brother came running into the barn, and stated that there was an orange glow through the window of the garage. My brother and dad went to go see what was burning while my mom called 911. Lo and behold it was the tractor used earlier, and a wire shorted out causing it to start and catch fire. They got it pulled out of the garage to prevent the fire from spreading to the garage and started throwing buckets of fire on it in efforts to put it out.
Minutes later firetrucks lined up the driveway and road. Many neighboring fire departments were called out because a family friend is an assistant chief on the SVFD, and he was worried that the barn was on fire, so he asked for them to be called out because he wanted to have enough manpower if the situation was at its worst. As the firemen in the driveway started getting their hoses off of the truck, the fire was a lot smaller, and then put out a minute later by a few more buckets of water that my brother and dad were throwing on it while waiting for the departments to come. After the fire was put out, the firemen went through the garage to make sure the rafters were not charred due to the flames almost touching them.
Thankfully, the barn, and garage were not touched by flames one bit, and the only thing that caught fire was the tractor. This situation could have been way worse then how it panned out. If my brother would have not seen the glow of the flames, the garage could have burned down, and the equipment stored in it would have been destroyed.


All aboard “The Polar Express”:

When the Christmas season finally comes around every year, I make sure I watch “The Polar Express.” I grew up watching it and have loved it ever since. The story line is absolutely amazing, with the main character being a boy (played by Tom Hanks) who stopped believing in the magic of Christmas, but was then mysteriously picked up by a Conductor (also played by Tom Hanks) of a magical train that takes him to the North Pole. There, he then learns the true magic of Christmas again and what can happen “if only you believe.” When at the North Pole, all of the children who were with him could hear the ringing of a bell that they passed around, however, Hero Boy (they refer to him as Hero Boy because his true name is never actually stated) couldn’t hear it since he didn’t believe. In the end, Hero Boy is able to meet Santa Clause where he rings the bell in his ear one last time… and this time he can hear it. He learned to truly believe. He gets sent home full of the Christmas spirit and a new appreciation for the holidays.
This movie is a classic, which I encourage all of you to watch. The animation quality may not be the best, but it gets the point across and captivates the audience while doing so. My favorite part of the whole movie is when the children are on the train on the way to the North Pole and the waiters sing their song, “Hot Chocolate.” The dance moves are amazing, the tricks are also interesting, and overall it is just spectacular. It reminds me of when I was very little (as it came out in 2004) and I would try to sing and dance along with them. One scene that I don’t like, however, is the scene with the puppet Scrooge. I feel as though it didn’t need to be that eerie because young children watch it. Even though it helps to show that no one appreciates a Scrooge, I feel like that point could have been portrayed in a different way. That scene always used to make me uneasy when I watched it.
Overall, watching this movie is a great way to relax one evening. I loved the dancing elves, the dancing and singing men on the train, and the story line. And of course, the beloved Tom Hanks plays many roles in the movie, which makes it great as well. All in all, I would rate this film a 5 out of 5 stars.


‘Georgia Peaches and other Forbidden Fruit ‘:

The book “Georgia Peaches and other Forbidden Fruit” by Jaye Robin Brown was a wonderful story with a happy ending.
When the main character, Joanna Gordon, moves to a new town her senior year, she is faced with fitting in in the small town of Rome, Georgia, instead of the Atlanta that she was used to in her childhood. For the beginning of the book she is mostly just trying to lay low but that soon becomes impossible when she makes a new group of friends. Her father has just remarried at the start of the book, and she has to learn how to live alongside the views of her new step-family.
Tasked with keeping a promise to her father that she made, she has trouble laying low and being in the most stereotypical friend group. She has to chose between love and keeping her promises. “When god closes a closet door, he opens a window.”
I would absolutely recommend this book and would give it 5/5 stars.


Fantoms love “Julie and the Phantoms”:

Picture it: a girl from Los Angeles named Julie who lives in the present year 2020. After her mom passed, music became something she felt she couldn’t associate herself with without her. But, when she plays an old CD she found while cleaning her mom’s studio, everything changes. Oh, did I mention three (cute) ghost guys who are a band from 1995 called Sunset Curve suddenly appear, and Julie is the only one who can see them?! Crazy right?! If you love the representation of diversity, music that makes you feel connected, meaningful friendships, a ghostly romance, and an amazing story line, this show on Netflix is right up your alley, and I’ll tell you my reasons why.
In this eye-catching new TV series, Julie finally plays music again after meeting and getting to know Luke, Alex, and Reggie, the three ghost boys. Later on they learn that the only time they can be seen by other people is when they perform with her! As they died about 25 years ago, they wonder how this could be and why? Later they find out their old band member, Bobby, who is still alive, stole all their songs, they seek revenge from the only ghost who knows how. Caleb Covington (Cheyenne Jackson) is the powerful host of the Hollywood Ghost Club who is supposedly the only one who can make living people see the dead…until Julie came along. His villainous mindset leads to taking over Luke, Alex, and Reggie’s souls instead! This makes them later choose to either leave Julie and stay in his club for eternity, crossover to the true after life, or disappear from all existence for good. Will they figure out their unfinished business and crossover, or will they have to say goodbye to Julie and give into Caleb’s offer?
In September of this year, Kenny Ortega (producer of all your favorite classics such as all the “High School Musicals” and “Descendants”) produced this musical comedy/drama that stars a bunch of talented upcoming actors. The cast includes sixteen year old Madison Reyes who is completely new to the spotlight, Charlie Gillespie, Owen Patrick Joyner, and Jeremy Shada. All four young actors each do an amazing job of portraying their character. Not only do they act, but they sing, dance, write, and play all their own instruments in real life that are designated for their characters. Some of my favorite aspects are that throughout the episodes, you will see the cast rock out on either the acoustic or electric guitar, drums, and even the piano. Also, each actor is already very similar to their character on the show, which helps reveal the passion and determination they have to connect with their audience. My overall favorite scene would have to be when in a later episode, Madison Reyes and Charlie Gillespie, who play love interests Julie and Luke, wrote a song together specifically for the show called ‘Perfect Harmony,’ and even practiced a special dance number.
Overall, there are so many important lessons to take from this modern series. Whether you look at the representation of the LGBTQ+ community, racial diversity, the importance of friendship, the outcome of music, and even the idea of being with someone you can’t physically be with. This shows young teens how you can love who you want to love and you should never be ashamed of who that is or who you are. With this, each song from the soundtrack tells a story that everyone could possibly relate to. From encouraging others to wake up in the morning, appreciating your friends, realizing your own mistakes and making bad decisions, falling in love, rising above, and especially staying unified. This PG-rated series I would personally recommend to anyone who is looking to brighten up their day and get some catchy songs stuck in their head. I give this phenomenal show a 5/5 stars! Now go watch to find out what happens next.


Molly the jolly dog:

Oftentimes people say that a dog is a girl’s best friend, and honestly…they couldn’t be more right in my opinion. Molly, my yellow lab, is about 13 years old and still as lively as ever. When my family and I moved into my current house in 2008, my parents surprised my brother and I with a cute little puppy as a welcome home gift. As she was my first pet ever, I was very excited to train her, and love her as my own. Ever since then she has been nothing but a protector and best friend to me.
Some of her favorite things include sleeping by the fire place, sleeping on my fuzzy rug, sleeping under the Christmas tree or table, and basically just sleeping anywhere. She loves to play, cuddle, and follow us all around the house wherever we go. A few things she does regularly is bark at a reflection of light, whether it is from the sun or your phone screen, and she chases after it nonstop. Her and my cat Boots love to pick on my dog Bailey as she is a little too hyper for her own good. Also, when the mailman comes she is the first one at the door, but she never has a nice greeting.
If Molly was a person I believe she would be a sweet and protective little old lady. I can picture her falling asleep in a chair while crocheting, or reading bed times stories to her grandchildren. As a very loving and protective dog, she can really relate to anyone of any age who cares about her family and friends, enjoys having fun, and someone who gets excited when having a treat every now and then. If I had one word to describe her overall it would be jolly. Personally, Christmas is a holiday that makes me feel happy and warm inside, so Molly definitely gives my family and I that feeling all year round. As Molly is my best (dog) friend, our house would not be nearly as full of love without her.


Finding my voice:

Ever since I was little, I would watch other kids excel in sports or art class, but I was the kid who felt left out because I wasn’t too great at either. My classmates discovered their passions and their strengths, but I was frustrated because I couldn’t find something that I loved. I tried baking, knitting, and even painting, but none of those sparked anything in me.
In first grade, I was introduced to my first band class. I tried playing an instrument, but that, too, did not work out. I was on the right track, but still not there yet. I joined my very first choir class when I was eight and immediately something changed in me. I realized that I loved singing, even if I wasn’t the best. I decided that from then on, I wanted to take lessons and pursue singing. I practiced hard every day, developing my voice and finding my strengths and weaknesses. It was definitely not easy, but eventually my motivation and determination pushed me enough to grow and expand my voice. My grandfather and I would always sit down together and enjoy some of our favorite musicals. Seeing people get to sing as a career gave me so much hope, and it inspired me to want to venture into the world of music. I’ve had some really amazing opportunities, and I’ve even been lucky enough to sit down with musicians and hear their words of wisdom.
Every day I have continued to push myself to grow, even if it’s in the smallest ways. I love singing, and I hope that one day I’ll be able to share my passion with a larger group of people. I’m still figuring out my voice, and it’s definitely been a journey. However, this is just the beginning for me, and I can’t wait to do greater things.


“Cowgirls n’ Angels”; a weird combination, but it works.:

The movie “Cowgirls n’ Angels”was released is 2012. The movie is about a 12-year-old girl named Ida Clayton who lives with her single mother. She works a lot, and is not home a bunch, which means that Ida is left home alone for most of the day. During the summer Ida keeps herself busy by going to watch rodeos but does not tell her mom about it due to the reason that she disapproves of them. This is mostly because Ida’s father is a cowboy and competes in the rodeos, but unfortunately, they parted ways before Ida was born, and her mom has had nothing to do with rodeos ever since.
After Ida had been to a few rodeos she was given the opportunity to travel all over America with The Sweethearts of the Rodeo, a group of young women that are trick riders who perform at rodeos. Ida takes the opportunity and runs with it thinking that she could potentially find her father. Then reality kicks in, and she realizes that her mother would never let her be part of a rodeo group. As the movie goes on Ida lies her way through some situations, but as an end result it might have paid off.
Overall the movie was enjoyable to watch. I do recommenced it to others that are looking for a movie to watch with the whole family. This is because it is a movie that is so relatable to daily life that it does not seem that the people are acting. I believe that it should be for children 10 and older because there is a scene where alcohol is present and insults to others are made. I would rate this movie a 4 out of 5 stars.


Digital or paperback books: which is superior?:

Digital or paperback books? They both have pros and cons. However, I believe that people should read paperback books in order to get the full experience of reading a book. Paperback books make the reading so much more alive because you are physically flipping the pages while being on the edge of your seat. It makes you want to read ten times faster so that you can flip the page to keep reading. It’s something about breathing in the smell of a new book that makes reading it so much more interesting. With a digital book, you don’t get that opportunity. Instead, you are looking at a screen, pushing a button to flip to the next page. When you read paperback, you are able to hold it in your hands and get the feeling of “this is my book.” Reading a book digitally, on the contrary, has you looking at a small screen (which is really bad for your eyes) and you aren’t getting the full effect of the book.
When purchasing a paperback copy of a book, it’s always the best to have the opportunity to physically go to the store and pick out what book you would like. I know that one of my favorite things about buying the paper copies are the fact that I can go to a bookstore and purchase one. This really adds to the joy of owning paperback books because of the sense of looking forward to it that it gives me. Also, having all sorts of books lined up on a bookshelf gives you the satisfaction of seeing just how many you have read. It also gives you a drive to continue reading books so that you can have even more. You also have the opportunity to bond with people over the paperback books because you are able to exchange them and let others borrow. By doing that, you are able to find things you are both interested in and forge new friendships. Having a digital book really hinders your opportunity to exchange books.
Digital books are kept in a digital library, which, if your tablet/kindle/phone crashes, so will those books. That is why having a paperback book is the way to go. Another reason why digital books are not the thing to purchase is because in order to get all of those books onto the device you choose, you have to first buy it. For example, you’d have to purchase a kindle in order to get all of the books you want. Whereas with paperback books, you just buy the books! Setting up a spot for paperback books is simple: you could simply purchase a $15 book holder on a website of your choice and that would save you a lot more money than if you were to purchase a kindle.
All in all, owning a paperback book is the way to go. It just has so many more positives to it than a digital book.


Little Mix: “Confetti”:

As Little Mix celebrated nine years together, they released their sixth studio album titled “Confetti” in November. As the group has grown, so has their music. Following in the footsteps of the previous album, the group’s sound has matured. However, the album stays true to its roots, and still has elements of fun bedroom pop.
Compared to their other albums, like “Get Weird” and “Glory Days,” I have to admit that this one definitely lacks something the others have. The pattern of each song felt a bit recycled, and for some people the predictability is fine, but I personally don’t enjoy it. Out of all pieces on the album, my heart definitely belongs to the ballad, “My Love Won’t Let You Down.” The harmonies in the piece are beautiful, and the lyrics are perfectly comforting in a time like this. It really shows the chemistry among the members, and their voices compliment each other’s perfectly. Another notable song is, “Sweet Melodies.” It was one of the first singles released from the album and one of my favorites.
Overall, the album is enjoyable, but if their goal was to play it safe with this album, then I think they did just that. I don’t think it was meant to be too experimental or wild. However, I am more likely to recommend another album of theirs, such as “Get Weird,” which happens to be one of my favorite albums of all time. Out of 5 stars, Little Mix’s “Confetti” earns a 3.5


The Shawshank Redemption: One of the most iconic movies of all time:

Warning: contains spoilers.
If I had one word to say about “The Shawshank Redemption,” I would say “Fantastic.”
Throughout my late childhood and early teen years, I remember this movie mentioned on a few occasions, although I had never cared to know what it was. What really led me to watch it was my love for reading. The movie “The Shawshank Redemption” is based off of a novella from Stephen King. In the collection “Different Seasons,” the story “Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption” is one of the four stories in the book. The other three stories are “Apt Pupil”(also a movie), “The Body”(movie: “Stand By Me”), and “The Breathing Method”(no movie, but a good story).
But if I had to pick my favorite out of the four stories it would be “Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption” because of the characters, how it was told from a secondary character point of view, and the great ending that was true redemption. And when I read the book I knew instantly that I wanted to watch the movie. And with one of the actors being Morgan Freeman, I knew it wasn’t going to be a cheesy film like some other King movie adaptations.
The story is about a man named Andy Dufresne. He is convicted for the double murder of his wife and her lover. Which makes sense why they thought it was him, right? They had the evidence at the pro-golfer’s house, cigarette butts with Andy’s DNA on them left in the yard. But the thing is, Andy didn’t do it, no matter what some of the evidence showed. He is sent to Shawshank State Prison. While there he stumbles into the life of Red (Morgan Freeman). Red is known around Shawshank for being able to get things from the outside world into the prison without getting caught. Learning this Andy approaches Red in the dooryard and asks for a rock hammer. This was the beginning of their friendship. Over the next few years Andy is assaulted by the other prisoners. And during those years, while working, he offers to do finances for one of the guards. In return he gets protection from them. And when the other guards were told about his skills with money, soon other staff came to Andy for help. Soon Andy starts doing finances for the prison, helping the warden. But, everyone including Red, didn’t know what he was actually using that rock hammer for. In the end Andy escapes Shawshank and exposes the warden to the police for an illegal execution and crooked ways with money. Red lives out his sentence and is released. A few days before Andy escapes, he tells Red that when he gets out of Shawshank, there is a fake ID and money waiting for him. And if Red wants to have a life after his sentence, Andy is willing to help him. Red finds a letter from Andy, telling where he has gone, and in the envelope there is money for Red to take the trip to mexico, where him and Andy will live on the coast and be free.
One of the problems I have with movies that are based on books are the differences. If it is a minor change it doesn’t bother me. But if it is a major change that throws off the movie, and in which it messes up the story, I hate it. In this movie, the changes are barely noticeable. The cast did an amazing job. Everybody did their jobs so well that “The Shawshank Redemption” has become one of the most iconic movies of all time. Many people around the world love this movie. It made $58.3 million.
“The Shawshank Redemption” is rated R for mature audiences, but if I had to give this movie a rating, I would give it 5 out of 5 stars.


Dear Trump supporters: Human rights are not political:

This election has been unnecessarily long and painful. It has been a crazy ride for not only Americans but nearly the whole world as they watched. As with almost anything involving politics, there was a lot of disagreement and fighting. But this election, I noticed a lot of people being shamed for ending relationships and friendships. A specific phrase I keep hearing is, “You shouldn’t stop talking to someone just because of their political views.” And while I agree to an extent, I have to make something very clear.
For the last four years, President Trump has made people of color (POC) and minorities in America fear for their rights. Trump has been caught on many occasions openly admitting to not supporting the LGBTQ+ community. He even called people protesting for justice for George Floyd “thugs” and has made several degrading comments and jokes about women and their bodies. In an interview conducted by CBS news, he was asked, “Why are African Americans still dying at the hands of law enforcement in this country?” He replied with, “And so are white people… What a terrible question to ask.” He nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, who served on a board for a school that enforced policies that openly discriminated against LGBTQ+ people. In late 2015, he mocked Serge Kovaleski, a reporter who has arthrogryposis, which is a condition that affects the joints and causes joint contractures.
So, when someone doesn’t want to associate themselves with a Trump supporter, it is much more than politics. They fear for their own rights, or the rights of others, and they don’t support the racism, ableism, and bigotry that President Trump has stood for.


Teacher spotlight: Mr. Kelly:

Mr. Kelly is a high school math teacher here at Corry. He was born in Meadville, PA, and grew up in Vero Beach, Florida. He graduated from Vero Beach High School and decided to further his education at Edinboro University. He decided to become a teacher because both of his parents were teachers, and he appreciated teachers that explained things well. Additionally he went on to say, “I really had great high school teachers and coaches, so I knew becoming a teacher and coach was a very good career for me.”
Moving along, Mr.Kelly’s hobbies/interests include fishing, hunting, running, and watching/playing sports. His favorite color is blue. In addition his favorite movie is “Dumb and Dumber.” When asked if he has any pets he replied with the short answer of no. Lastly, his favorite food is chicken parmesan.
One day Mr. Kelly would like to visit Alaska because, “It seems really beautiful, and I would love to hunt and fish there.” His biggest pet peeve is when people are lazy, not willing to completely commit to things, and don’t get the most out of their God-given talents. One quote that he has always liked comes from Philippians in the Bible: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” His explanation for the choosing of this quote is because, “It is just a constant reminder that we as humans aren’t alone and can accomplish amazing things if we have faith and confidence.”


Elf on the Shelf: friend or menace?:

We all know the little helper we keep around the house to help Santa out during his busiest season of the year. They might seem like sweet, adorable little friends, however, they are in ways glowering over us during the Christmas season.
Look at it like this: they hide themselves around the home every night in the hopes of you finding them. This can take so much time. And sometimes they don’t even move, just to throw you off. How rude?
They also have an at-home constant surveillance of all your mistakes and report them directly to the Big Man way up North.
They seem kind and all, but to tell you the truth, I’ve never had a real conversation with one to know what they’re really like. I’m not sure how much I trust them. Maybe we should ask what the North Pole background checks are on these rosy-cheeked Christmas elves quartered in our homes. They could at least take up doing the dishes once in awhile.
Yet for now, we’ll keep the assistants that do Claus’s dirty work around because they still give us a few laughs all the matter.


Wrapping your head around wrapping presents:

It is that time of year again…wrapping season. Christmas can be known as the happiest, or maybe even the most stressful holiday of the year. As everyone does some last minute online shopping and Christmas Day becomes closer and closer, people never realize the true responsibility of wrapping any and all gifts. While opening all of your packages received in the mail, and even some things you purchased while doing in-person shopping, some people never realize how many gifts they truly got for their loved ones. Grab your wrapping paper, bags, tape, scissors, ribbons, and bows, and turn on some Christmas music, or your favorite Christmas movie, and start wrapping!
Ever since I was a child, one of my favorite things about Christmas morning was seeing all the gifts wrapped up so nicely and neatly with festive wrapping paper. Whether it had Santa, his reindeer, snowmen, elves, or just a Christmas-themed pattern, I was amazed. I vividly remember waking up extra early just to look at the tree and find the gifts that were mine. With this, I wondered how did the gifts look so tightly wrapped, and why was that important? Well, in my opinion, the skill and idea of wrapping is one of the most precise and thoughtful things to obtain during the holiday season.
With that thought in mind, I later asked my mom, “How do you wrap some of our gifts so perfectly?! Show me how!” As she was glad to hear my concern, every year since then I have been willing to wrap gifts with style. First, you want to have a designated roll of wrapping paper for one person. Whether it is for a friend or family member, all big and small gifts need to be wrapped with that one and that one only! Second, make sure to think before cutting, measure before cutting, and have tape ready at hand. Finally, make sure to fold all the corners down, cut off any extra paper, and wrap it all up as tightly as you can (pro tip: if you put items in big boxes or leave them in the box they came in, it will be much quicker and easier to wrap. Plus, it will look better too!)
As we countdown the few days until Christmas, make sure to follow these important wrapping tips and guidelines when gathering all of your gifts. Wrapping may seem easy enough, (especially when you take your gifts to go get them wrapped for you, but don’t be a cheater), but always remember to have fun with your choice of gifts and wrapping paper, bring out your inner wrapping skills, stay organized, stay creative, and have a very Merry Christmas!


Holiday reflections:

Rachael Hajec: One of my favorite Christmas memories or traditions is our annual wrapping paper fight. Every year when we go to my grandpa’s house, after we unwrap all of our gifts, each of us rolls our wrapping paper up into balls and hides it to save for the very end. After everyone is done opening gifts, we take out the balls and throw them at each other for what seems like forever. This is something so simple and fun that I have always enjoyed about Christmas Day rather than just thinking about the gifts I received.
Haeleigh Bayle: My favorite Christmas tradition is, after all of the presents are unwrapped and we eat our monkey bread (it’s like a cinnamon roll) on Christmas morning, we get ready and go to my grandparent’s. There, I get to see all of my cousins whom I haven’t seen for a long time, I get to eat lots of food, and we sit around laughing and telling funny stories.
Skylar Beckford: Christmas is a big deal in my household, so as soon as December comes, we put up the lights and blast Christmas music. I am very grateful for every gift I receive, but my favorite has to be the brand new TV we got this year. I’ve also been taking some time to think about my New Year’s resolution, and I think my only goal is to start appreciating myself more. A little self-love is definitely needed.
Hannah Smrcka: My favorite holiday memories are all and any that I spent with my siblings. I like baking Russian tea cakes and pizzelles with my sister, Frank always storming off when he gets last in Smash Bros. and Mario Kart, and getting to enjoy Star Wars movies and talking about theories and ideas with Trevor. My favorite gift I have ever received was a toy tea set from my grandma when I was five.
Hunter Taylor: Since the year I was born up until 2018, I had gone to my great grandma’s house for Christmas every year to have dinner and presents. My great grandma had a huge family. She had four kids, and the line continued down to where she had great-great grandchildren. So her house was packed on these occasions, but I still had fun and usually overstuffed with a lot of food.


Major holiday trends of 2020:

The year is finally coming to an end, and as people everywhere participate in all of their favorite traditions and gift giving/decoration ideas for the holiday season, you may wonder…what is trending right now? Because of the pandemic, use of social media, apps, and websites is skyrocketing as people try to find fun things to do for Christmas. A few apps and websites in particular would be Pinterest, Etsy, Tik Tok, and more. As everyone has a different perspective when it comes to the idea of Christmas, a holiday planning article talks about the holiday trends this year, and our local students at Corry High chime in with their own.
While students and their families in Corry all have their own ideas for Christmas, local high school students wish to comment about this list of holiday trends this year, and how their ways are similar or different from them. Also, they mention their usual plans for the holidays.
Emma Swartzfager, senior at Corry, says, “Ours is pretty different from the list! We have a tree decorated with ornaments from every year since we were born. My siblings and I each get each other a couple presents, but my parents get us all some. We spend Christmas Day with my Dad’s family and we do a big gift exchange! Although, we do have a lot of snacks and appetizers at first, (which is similar to the appetizer tray on the list,) but then we eat a fancy dinner with my Mom’s family later on before opening presents.”
Alyssa Rowland, junior at Corry, says, “We usually decorate the day after Thanksgiving with our main focus being Jesus. We really enjoy spending time as a family and making it feel like Christmas in that way. Also, we have several things on the trend list that include the advent calendars, door hangers, appetizer trays, crochet ornaments, and especially a bright/gold color scheme. To top it all off we can’t forget about the sugar, peanut butter, and molasses cookies that we love to make for a delicious Christmas!”
Brandon Arnink, another senior at Corry, says, “Not a single thing on the list is something my family and I do, or have [done]. The main thing we do is go to church in the evening on Christmas Eve and then have dinner afterwards. We traditionally open a single present on Christmas Eve that’s usually pajamas, an ornament, and/or a movie. We decorate very plain unlike the list, but we have little things around the house and some lights outside this year.”
After some of our students input, research shows from a popular article that the trends this year are overall not very common around here; however, this list can give local families new ideas this holiday season, and even the opportunity to do some future planning.
The Major Holiday Trends for 2020 article talks about some fun and creative Christmas games, foods, gifts, traditions, greeting cards, and decor you can make right at home. Since most gatherings for the holidays this year are a little different than normal, it is easier to make smaller quantities of food and activities with a smaller group in mind so everyone’s safety benefits. Here is a list of some of the key trends that were very intriguing:

Advent calendars
Holiday door hangers
Homemade Christmas puzzles and board games
Holiday grazing board (tray of Christmas appetizers)
More eco-friendly gifts/wrapping paper
DIY holiday soaps and candy recipes
Crochet, knit, and embroidered ornaments
Holiday quilts
Bright and gold color schemes

As we all count down the few days till Christmas, make sure to stay creative and excited, eat tons of food, live and laugh with your loved ones, and have lots of Christmas spirit during these unimaginable times. Merry Christmas everyone!


Top numbers in the New Year’s Eve countdown:

When counting out of the old year to the new, the most exciting numbers are always the last ten seconds. These ten seconds are always fun, unless it’s Y2K or Y2K38 and you are a skeptical and nervous person. But here are the top ten numbers in the last ten second countdown!
10. Ten
9. Eight
8. Six
7. Nine
6. Four
5. One
4. Three
3. Five
2. Two
1.  Seven


Music is the key that can unlock learning:

When learning music you’ll notice after a while that in ways it corresponds with how you learn and what you learn in other subjects.
For example, the time periods that you’ll read in English, such as literature from the romantic period, line up with the same timelines in music as well as other forms of art. When experiencing art and the expression in paintings from the same time period as a piece of music, you’ll notice the same bold strokes may be in a painting correspond with bold and vibrant chords, while as from another period in history you may have delicate pastel paintings and light airy arias. Stylistically you can notice patterns that are displayed in themes, thoughts, ideas, emotions, etc. in music that are also in literature and artwork from the same period. It also corresponds with when you read one author and their works of literature a lot, it gets easier to read, easier to understand, and you get a general feeling for the author. Well, the same can be said for music. When you play a piece of repertoire by one composer and work on lots and lots of that composer’s arrangements and music, you’ll eventually get a feel for how the composer writes and the patterns they display in their music. You can go from one piece of music that is at the same level of difficulty to another, but if you’ve worked on lots of music before by the one composer and not by the other, you’ll most likely find it a bit more challenging to play through than the style and arranging that you are used to.
With patterns, music is a lot like math, especially when you get into music theory. It is structured and numbered. Each chord and their progressions could represent different shapes or equations and when you manipulate said equation or shape (chords and note progressions) it changes. Music can change in the same way as a math equation because in many ways they are a math equation. When playing an instrument and working through music, you are working through problems in the same way that a mathematician works through problems to solve them. The problems are formulated in many ways, like the structures you encounter in science classes of atoms of different chemicals. Not the exactly the same, but very similar. The process of creating music and experimenting with it also reminds me of how you experiment in science classes to find, discover, and ponder on its noticeable changes when you alter its structure and mix it with other structures and or change/alter its pattern.
When playing music, it’s a lot like linguistics because in ways, music speaks more to the soul. Someone who speaks French and someone who speaks English may not be able to communicate, but they can both understand the emotions, notations, and texture of a German requiem without ever communicating or understanding German. Also, when it comes to reading notes and playing them off the page, the translation between the two and implementation of previous knowledge to turn sheet music into sound with music and technique is a lot like learning to read and speak a new language. Music speaks in ways that are through expression and notation, whereas language is through dialect and pronunciation. When singing a piece in another language, you’ll also form new connections to the dialect and culture with a new respect to it as well. There is a lot of precision in language in the same ways found in music, math, art, and literature.
There is a lot of culture and religion behind pieces as well. Culture is expressed through different forms and styles of music as well as the language put to them. Religion is expressed in pieces that were written for these types of pieces. There are many pieces like “Gloria” that are to exult in the glory of the religion of the composer. They express their religion and culture through it. Different chords and progressions were also different in different societies/countries when composers like Mozart and Beethoven were writing their greatest works. The sociology of how music, history, culture, and society all blended, especially around the times of famous composers like Bach and Paganini and Mendelssohn and Chopin, shaped with, around, and in itself would sculpt how society interacted and intertwined and the modern thinking of the time period. Which wraps into how music correlates with history. For there was Baroque in common practice period (1600-1750), Classical (1750-1820), Romantic (1810-1910), with the Medieval and Renaissance periods as well all in the early music period (up to 1900), and these are each defined divisions in major classical music. There are college classes on music history because the history of music is very important, interesting, and awesome. However, I have always found the most interesting thing about music history to be how it lines up with historical events as well as time periods in art and literature alike.
Lastly, psychology and music is something that in the past twenty or so years we have gained the most understanding of. Music and psychology both aim for better comprehension around experience and musical behavior: how we perceive, respond, create, etc.  When you listen to music and scientists observe your brain, it looks like little fireworks going off all through the brain because you activate more parts of your brain when you listen to music, and even more when you play music. Also, when listening and playing music you’re working through its problems and dissolving each way it changes, moves, and flows; you’re bridging connections between the two halves of your brain. Have you ever noticed that you cannot concentrate on anything else while listening to music like reading or typing? You’re using that part of your brain already and it causes a bit of overload when your brain is deeply invested in a challenging problem. There is also musical therapy, which can help people with things such as speech impediments, as well as many other things, make progress they weren’t able to make before. When patients suffer from a stroke and lose all communication skills, music therapy and singing can help recover some of their words because (without going too in depth) they’re stored in different parts of the brain which isn’t effected. Like in the movie Coco (SPOILERS) at the end when the grandmother, who hasn’t been responding or really living much at all, hears music again for the first time in years, a song from her childhood, she is brought back to their reality and can sing every word. That’s not just Disney magic. That’s the real stuff.
In many ways all of these subjects overlap, but music forms more connections between them to discover. It makes you wonder: what are some other benefits and knowledge that might be possible and accessible through music?


Negative effects of technology on human health:

Today technology is a big part of our daily lives. It is used for work, school, getting information, and communicating with others. Additionally, it is used for general entertainment. Such as watching television, social media, and video gaming. Although technology has come so far, it can have negative effects on people’s health.
First off, using technology for long periods of time causes eyestrain. This is because it can hold a person’s attention for a long time and it can cause blurred vision and dry eyes. Some factors that cause eyestrain can be from the screen brightness, glare, and viewing too close or too far away. To help prevent this from happening, taking regular breaks will prevent the likelihood of eyestrain.
Another negative effect that technology has on people is reduced physical activity. Today more and more people are working or schooling from home, and in order to get tasks done they have to do it online, meaning that they have to use a computer. Right away that is a red flag because they have to be on a device for five or more hours a day. I know that its not always possible to get away from a screen, but whenever possible it is a good idea to get away from the screen for a little to give the eyes a break.
After all, technology is all around us and makes life easier, but it also can affect one’s health. To prevent this from happening, frequent breaks from the screen is recommended, and just going for a walk can help.


Kramer the yorkie:

Kramer is an eleven-year-old Yorkie and lives in Corry. He will be twelve at the end of February. When asked his birthday, he said, “Either the 21 or the 23 of February. Cut me some slack here, I’m seventy-seven in dog years.” He was a bit grumpy that day, per usual. Yet he is a sweet pea all around and loves to snuggle up in warm blankets around this time of year!
His favorite activities are napping, eating, barking, and getting out of trouble. In the winter he enjoys time barking at his family and refusing to go out into the snow. He eats Iams dog food and milk-bones, though his favorite treats are peanut butter and pig ears!
He likes to wear sweaters and sweatshirts in the cold months and thinks he is “rather dashing” when he dawns this apparel.
When asked his favorite winter activity he said, “sleeping for around eighteen hours every single day.” When asked his favorite holiday, he said, “Thanksgiving because everyone ends up dropping food and that’s as free range as the poultry can get in this house.” His favorite Christmas activity is seeing all of us kids come home for the holidays.
When asked if he was a good dog he replied no comment. He loves to bark at the mailman in his free time, to bark at every car that drives down the road, every child that walks past the house, and his all-time favorite thing to bark at is nothing for no reason. For that reason, he hates when he has to have his muzzle on so he doesn’t bark.
When asked what he wanted for Christmas he said that when snooping through mom’s Amazon account he found out he was getting a Narwhal toy and he is very excited! His favorite holiday beverage is drinking whatever cup is left in a spot he can get to. He loves when milk is left on the table because, “the chairs are easily climbable and the milk is good.” He enjoys classical piano music.
Kramer’s one piece of advice that he would give everyone this winter season is, “Don’t pee on the Christmas tree. I’ve never personally tried, but that is the one spot that a dog should never dare to test their luck on.”


Studious Sara Colwell:

Recently, I have had the privilege of conducting an interview with freshman Sara Colwell and have enjoyed hearing a few things about her. Sara is a studious freshman who enjoys swimming, reading, spending time with her family, and playing volleyball. Her birthday is August 3, and she is fourteen years old.
When talking with Sara, I asked a few questions about the whole remote-schooling. When I asked if she would prefer to go back to school she said, “Absolutely!” However, she is taking advantage of this remote-schooling situation to stay comfy and cozy in her daily attire of a sweatshirt/hoodie and a pair of fuzzy pajama pants. That sounds like the perfect at-home schooling outfit to me! Some ways that Sara’s life has been impacted by the pandemic are that: she can’t play sports, there’s no in-person school, she can’t travel for the holidays; she basically can’t do her normal routine. She then followed up with, “So if I compare my normal life last year to this year…they are completely different, but I do enjoy the down time.”
During this Christmas season, Sara said that she has been getting into the Christmas spirit but “not as much as the years before because of Pennsylvania being on lock-down.” Her favorite Christmas movies are “The Polar Express,” “The Grinch,” (animated version) and “A Christmas Story.” Sara’s favorite Christmas song is “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” because she thinks it’s “really funny.” I decided to ask her favorite Christmas tradition and she responded with, “making a ton of food with my family.” One thing that I just had to ask was “What is your favorite Christmas cookie?” Sara responded that she loves the cookies that have the jelly in the middle and powdered sugar on them, although she can’t remember what they are called.
When asked what is one thing Sara would do if she went back in time, she would change “the fact that COVID happened.” She chose to change this event because it has greatly effected her.


Terrific Torri:

Torrina Speer is a freshman, and her birthday is December 15. She grew up in Corry and is currently going to Corry High School. In Torrina’s free time she enjoys swimming, climbing, hiking, and art. She has an older brother and sister.
Torri’s job or thing she wants to do when she grows up is to be a zookeeper. She chose this because she has always loved animals. If Torrina could chose one place to visit she would go to Ireland because she has always been interested in her Irish heritage. Torri’s favorite movie is “Brave,” her favorite color is black, and her favorite is “BANG!”
In upcoming vacation days Torri plans on visiting her siblings. Torri’s favorite quotation is “People cry, not because they are weak. It’s because they’ve been too strong for too long,” from Johnny Depp. If Torri could match her personality to any animal she said it would be some combination of a sloth, bee, and bear.
Torrina’s idea of a dream vacation would be a week with her sister and best friends on a road trip to nowhere. Her idea of a perfect date is horseback riding, followed by a picnic in an open field, ending with a projector movie and sleeping under the stars. Torri’s favorite subjects in school are geometry and biology. Her favorite food is wings. She does not play any sports.
Torrina’s biggest pet peeve is when someone doesn’t knock before entering her room. A piece of advice Torri would give her readers is “Never believe anyone who says you can’t.”


Gracious Gabi:

I was fortunate enough to sit down with senior cheer captain Gabi Rose and ask her a few questions. I began the interview asking Gabi if she has any pets, and in fact, she has five dogs! Since Gabi is a cheerleader, of course I had to ask her what it’s been like cheering for Corry High School. She is a base and was a captain for football cheer. She commented on her experience, saying, “Cheer was tough for the first couple years, but as I got more experienced it became more fun.”
Gabi’s musical inspiration is Sam Smith. “They’ve always been so confident about themself and their career.” Gabi loves going to the beach, so if she could pick anywhere to live, it would have to be by the ocean. And, with winter break just days away, I asked Gabi what she is currently feeling. “I’m especially excited for this Christmas vacation,” she continues, “because while I hate doing online work, I really like relaxing with my family and friends.”
Since she is a senior and her journey in high school is nearly over, it can almost feel like time is slipping away too quickly. So, I was curious to see if there were any times in her life she would love to revisit. “If I could relive any part of my life, it would be freshman and sophomore year of high school because they were the most fun.” Gabi currently plans on going to college to become a mental health therapist, and I cannot wait to see what great things she will accomplish.


The Christmas tree that grew legs and walked away:

In a small, snowy suburban town, a quaint little place, there was a Christmas tree farm like the ones in Hallmark movies, but not quite as tacky or annoying. It was a family-owned tree farm and was full of glorious Pines, Spruces, Firs, Cypresses, Cedars, and any type of Christmas tree you could imagine. The Spruces were grown there, but the rest were brought in from other tree farms in other surrounding counties, and the farms divided the trees up equally to all profit from the diverse selection of wonderful luscious trees.
Most of the trees were excited to leave the farm for the coming holidays and live as the object of admiration by all their peers and respectable families, but Bruce, one of the many Spruce trees that lived on the tree farm, was not ready for this change in his life. He enjoyed the quiet life on the farm and looking out over the fast fields of snow. He enjoyed the friends he already had here on the farm where he had spent his whole life till now. His whole childhood and everything he knew was on this farm, and he didn’t want to leave it behind and move on to the world outside. It was unfamiliar and new. Not necessarily bad, but new and he wasn’t particularly ready for this change and new beginning.
The first family arrived and took his best friend Cypress, a Leyland Cypress tree, and Bruce was crushed. He decided then that he couldn’t live like this anymore. He uprooted himself and to his surprise he had grown two legs of roots and bark. The soft dusting of snow on the ground made his getaway quiet and easy. He replanted himself on the outside of the woods behind the farm house.
That evening while he was resting from his tiring journey that no tree had ever taken before, he heard a rustling, and to his surprise it was the tree farmer himself. He was admiring him. Bruce beamed knowing the admiration that he was getting from his closest thing to a father. He kept his branches still and tried to make sure that every branch was in the perfect array as to be on best behavior in consideration of his earlier behavior, which he still did not regret.
Then with a small pinch on the bark, he had been chopped down and brought inside the house. The whole of the farmer’s family decked him out and made him the crowning jewel of the family. They all said he was their prettiest tree yet. And with that he was home. He didn’t have to ask himself if this change was one he wasn’t ready for because in the truth of it, he had been preparing for it his whole life. He just hadn’t known it.


The danger of birth control:

Even though birth control is a big help in people’s lives, it can also change your life without you thinking it would. My sister has been on birth control for about five-six years and this year it took a turn for the worse. She started getting headaches and the doctors thought it was a sinus infection because its around the same time every year she gets one, but this year was different.
It went on through Halloween and it started to get a little better. The weekend after Halloween she passed out and threw up in church. She was rushed to the emergency room where she stayed for two days. They could not figure out what was wrong and sent her home with a “urinary tract infection,” but she still had really bad headaches.
She got released on a Monday night and that Thursday lost all vision. Friday, she went to her family doctor to get a checkup and she sent her back to the emergency room, telling her that they missed something. They ran more CAT scans and an MRI and then found out she had blood clots in her brain. They were worried because they were so big so they put her on blood thinners and when they realized actually how bad it was they sent her to Pittsburgh that Sunday.
She had brain surgery on Monday to get rid of them. After further investigation they  realized she had a double eye seizure and half of her brain was filled with blood. She is 23 and blind now with only a little vision, being able to see shapes and outlines of people. Doctors said that they don’t know if she will ever get her vision back, but it gets better some days. She is doing okay now other than not being able to see and this was all caused by her birth control. So if you take birth control please get regular check-ups and if you feel like something is wrong, go get it looked at because even the things you think are little can be so much bigger than they appear.


Online learning pros and cons:

For the past few months, Corry High School has been performing schooling online. Opinions on this topic have had plenty of time to formulate as students sit at home every day and teachers in empty classrooms. Some people believe that it is going to cause a major detriment to students’ learning ability, while others believe that it is a great way to stop the spread of the virus and that it really isn’t that bad. For this article, I decided to ask different high school teachers a simple question; “What is your take on remote learning? Pros and cons?” This gave them the chance to voice their opinions on this very important topic.
Mr. Carney, a World History and American Government teacher, gave his view on the remote side of learning. Carney said, “Remote learning is something that right now, as teachers, we do not have any control over. It is the learning situation that we are in and we have to do the best we can as educators and students.” Carney added, “I am glad that we have the capabilities to learn remotely and stay safe, however, I would much rather be teaching in a classroom full of students. I look forward to having a school and classroom full of students who are eager to return. One of the biggest pros is that everyone is staying safer. One of the biggest cons is the lack of motivation from all.”
Many people that I have talked to always mention the major lack of motivation to get things done during the school day. They also mention not being able to pay attention as much, which can cause harm to the amount of information being comprehended by students. This will eventually result in a major decline in grades.
Mrs. Jackman, a Cellular Molecular Biology, Biology, Advanced Biology, and Intro to Anatomy and Physiology teacher, also helped in voicing her opinion on remote schooling. She said, “I do not like teaching remotely. I miss the interactions I have with my students on a daily basis. I could gauge better if students understood the concepts and I could also remind them about work they owe when they were in the actual classroom.” Jackman continued, “It is also hard to try to convert some material to online work, such as lab activities and group projects.  I miss my students, and can’t wait until they are back in the classroom.”
This is also another problem with the online part of schooling that many people can agree on: missing the interactions with not just other students but the teachers as well. The social aspect of school is crucial in the development of students’ minds, as it prepares them for their futures and what it entails.
Mrs. Braswell, a Geometry and Algebra 2 teacher in the high school, was able to give her viewpoint on this as well. She noted, “Pro is having the technology to be able to do remote learning. Con is not being able to help students one-on-one whenever they need it.  Unfortunately, a lot of students’ grades are hurting because of it. As a teacher, I can not cover the material as fast and therefore probably won’t be able to cover as much content as I usually do.”
Thanks to the technology available to the school, the students (and teachers) are able to take part in the remote learning. If this pandemic would’ve happened 20 years ago, it would’ve been a whole different story, however.
Mrs. Happoldt, who teaches four sections of Geometry (three advanced and one regular) Pre-Calculus, and Calculus stated, “The pros to teaching remotely are that everyone can be home and away from sickness. The cons are that the students cannot get the help they need like when they’re here, teachers miss their students and the students miss their teachers, the students do not benefit from the social interaction that school allows for, and students are more prone to getting distracted when they’re supposed to be paying attention in class.  Overall, remote learning is not my cup of tea.”
Being distracted while doing online learning can have such a negative effect on students because the more distracted they are, the less information they are able to retain. As they retain less information, their grades start to slip, and eventually they have dug themselves a big hole because of their lack of paying attention during class.
Although the tunnel of remote learning doesn’t seem to have an end, stay strong during these unprecedented times. This pandemic will end at some point, but we have to keeping going until it does. Stay focused, get motivated, and don’t give up.


Covid-19 vaccine update:

On Friday, December 11, the FDA authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for those 16 years and older. Doses are now being distributed, with healthcare workers being the first to receive the vaccine. The next vaccine awaiting distribution is the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which was authorized on December 18 for emergency use.
Vice President Mike Pence was televised receiving the vaccine on Friday. Pence spoke to the public, saying, “Karen and I hope this step today will be a source of confidence and of comfort to the American people. These days of hardship and heartbreak will, in a day not too far in the future, be put in the past.” A White House official said President Donald Trump won’t be taking the vaccine until his medical team advises to do so. President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team reports that he and his wife, Jill Biden, will publicly receive the vaccination sometime today.
Side affects reported of the Pfizer vaccine include fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, and swelling. Side affects may last anywhere from one to 12 days, and most people are expected to experience mild to to moderate symptoms. So far, mild side affects have been reported to go away within 48 hours of receiving the vaccine. It is also noted that anyone with an allergic reaction to any ingredient in the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should not be vaccinated.


‘Twas the night before Christmas:

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
“Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes–how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”


“Peppermint” is definitely worth the watch:

“Peppermint” is an action/thriller movie. It’s rated R, but I think 15 and up could watch it if they are mature with parent permission.
“Peppermint” is about a mom who hunts down the killers that murdered her family on her daughter’s birthday when they went to the Christmas carnival because no one showed up for her birthday party. They were murdered because the husband’s friend asked him to help him rob a really big drug dealer, but all he had to do was drive. Before he went to the carnival he called his friend and said he had too much to lose so he was out, but by that time they had already started watching him. They killed his friend and didn’t kill him and his daughter until the end of the night in a drive by shooting while the wife was getting napkins so they didn’t spill their ice cream. She witnessed her daughter and husband getting shot, but she lived.
She had identified the killers, so they took it to court, but because she was on medication they walked free and said she was incapable of identifying them. She escaped when they were trying to take her to a hospital/mental health institute. She went off the grid until she robbed a gun store and took all the military guns and ammo. On the one year anniversary she seeks revenge.
Overall, I loved this movie. It shows how powerful women can be and to never underestimate them. I give it a 5/5 and would recommend watching it.


Top ten fruits:

If you ever find yourself looking for a good snack, might I suggest fruit? Here is a list of my top ten:

Cherries
 Banana
 Watermelon
 Dragon Fruit
 Blueberries
 Orange
 Pomegranate 
 Mango
 Grapes
 grapefruit


Top ten winter activities:

Snow, snow, and more snow. With the start of a new year, and the winter conditions arriving, people tend to struggle to choose what to do in the cold outdoors. Winter can be a difficult time to stay busy and active since most sports and activities take place inside. However, there are a few fun things that anyone can do during this time of year. As you bundle up and get ready to go outside, here is a list of my top ten favorite winter activities to consider:
10. Skiing
9. Snowboarding
8. Ice skating
7. Making snow angels
6. Making a snow fort
5.  Sledding
4. Building a snowman
3. Snowball fights
2.  Snow tubing
1. Snowmobiling


Top ten New Year’s resolutions:

As we all know, New Year’s has come and gone. Although, it was a bit different this year. There weren’t crowds of people in the streets of New York City to watch the ball drop, some people couldn’t celebrate the ways they had in year’s past, and countless other reasons. However, one thing that didn’t change were the millions of people who created their New Year resolutions. Below I have listed the top ten New Year’s resolutions from the worst to the best.
10. Giving up sweets– This New Year resolution is probably the most common…and the most failed. Countless people have attempted to wipe out all sweets in their life, but by January 4 are already back to their old ways. I think that this is a rather bad New Year’s resolution because you still have to reward yourself with treats. Now, I’m not saying you should continue to eat them like crazy, because everything can be eaten, just in moderation.
9. Vowing to be less messy– The average person who pledges to be less messy typically fails. It’s not because they don’t want to try, it’s because they realize just how much work it is and choose not to spend the extra time in doing so. Most of the time this goal is a complete flop from either lack of motivation or just straight up laziness.
8. Spending less money– This resolution is a very common, and unfortunately not always reached, goal. I for one am guilty of going out and spending lots of money on myself each year. I think that being committed to spending less money is a superb idea. This makes room for the ability to go on a nice vacation, get your nails done once in a while, and countless other points. However, most people don’t succeed at this either because of the temptations that follow.
7. Getting more physical activity– This is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions. People all over decide they want to start peddling that bicycle (that has been sitting for twenty years in a corner) around town to either lose weight or get the heart healthy. This is a wonderful target because it will not just make you feel better, but will strengthen your heart so you’ll have the opportunity to live longer.
6. Eating healthier– This resolution goes hand in hand with eating less sweets and getting more exercise because so many people work so hard to try to eat healthier options (which is a great goal). This is very hard-earned but rewarding in the end.
5. Going out and getting a job– Unfortunately, many Americans (or people in general) have troubles with getting motivated to find a job. This resolution is common and great to vow to do because getting a job provides a sense of stability for not just you but your family as well. Getting a job also provides a way to find pride and confidence in yourself.
4. Working to have a positive attitude– Being negative can have a serious taxing on your health, so creating the popular resolution to become more patient is a noble goal and can be achieved through persistent hard work. This is a great resolution to have because it not only makes other people happier to be around you, it makes you happier overall.
3. Becoming more patient– Many people have trouble with being snippy and snotty with each other, so it’s quite common to hear of people wanting to have more patience. This is definitely one thing that we as people would benefit by participating in.
2. Doing volunteer work– This is another positive New Year’s resolution that people have. Volunteering to help those who are less fortunate is always rewarding in itself because you get to see sheer happiness when they receive that help from normal people like us. This is a positively amazing goal to have!
1. Giving back to other people– This is a great resolution because spreading happiness is the most contagious thing of all; it brightens people’s spirits when they are having the gloomiest of gloomy days. When you continue to give to people, others will catch on and kindness will spread like wildfire. Kindness is contagious, people!
Thank you for taking the time to read, and I wish all of you the best of luck on your New Year resolutions. If you don’t have any resolutions, take time to think of some!


Top ten ways to pass time:

The Christmas season has officially passed, and 2020 has come to an end. Last year felt like one of the fastest but also longest years to pass, but thankfully 2021 has finally arrived. January is here, and everyone is adjusting to the new year. Some people are fulfilling their New Year’s resolutions, while others are hard at work striving for success. Starting off the new year can feel painfully long and boring, so here’s a few ideas on how to make the journey into 2021 a little less of a drag.
10. Challenge yourself to learn a new language
9. Search for some new artists you normally wouldn’t listen to
8. Reorganize your room/living space
7. Start getting into art
6. Consider getting a haircut or changing up your style
5. Give baking a try
4. Binge a new TV series
3. Have a Zoom meeting with some friends or family
2. Go for a walk, either by yourself or with a friend
1. Play some video games


Top ten junk food junkie favorites:

It’s late at night, you’re watching your favorite movie, and the munchies hit! You are drawn to the cupboard in hopes of finding your favorite midnight snack only to find out there’s a couple options that you’re having trouble choosing from. So, grab a bowl and make your own personal snack mix. Below I have created a list of my top recommendations to help you create your own signature mix.
10. Pringles
9. Cheese puffs
8. Veggie straws
7. White cheddar popcorn
6. Tortilla chips and salsa
5. Goldfish
4. Peanut butter pretzels
3. Plain chips and French onion dip
2. Frito’s
1. Nacho cheese Doritos


A never-ending 2020 (part 1):

It was December 31, 2020, New Year’s Eve. With a rise in coronavirus cases, no one was allowed to have big parties or see their family and friends in large groups. The usual of eating lots of food, playing party games, staying out late, and watching the ball drop with lots of people didn’t look the same this year. However, nonetheless, it was about to be a new year and everyone was so excited to escape 2020, and start fresh into 2021…but maybe that wasn’t as simple as it seemed.
Around three in the afternoon my mom started making lots of food. Even though New Year’s would be different this year, that didn’t mean we couldn’t enjoy the simple and delicious things. As she was finishing up all the cooking, she decided that we would only have a few family members that we regularly see come over and bring in the new year with us. They all arrived around seven and we safely gathered around while sharing the few happy memories of 2020, talking about new year’s resolutions, and discussing all of our future hopes and dreams in a COVID-free world.
Midnight suddenly began to get closer and closer, but the only thing that seemed to be on my mind was all the negative things that have happened this year. No school, no work, no quality time with family and friends, no eating out for dinner, no shopping or going to see a movie, no weddings or parties, no toilet paper, and lots of staying inside (other than to get groceries or take a drive to keep some sanity.) As all my anger and stress built up inside the countdown began.
10 more seconds of the worst year of my life.
9
8
7 more seconds of stress and overthinking.
6
5
4 more seconds till memories will be fully in the past.
3
2
1, Finally, Happy New Year! I looked down at my phone expecting the date to change, but it still said December 31, 2020. I  thought nothing of it and assumed it was a glitch, but then I looked up and everyone was gone…my mom, my dad, cousin, and aunt, they were all sitting right there and they just disappeared.
I walked around the house searching for them and expecting them all to jump out as a surprise or a way to scare me, but the house was completely empty. It was quiet…a little too quiet. I looked out the window and realized that no lights were on except ours. No street lights were working, and I didn’t see a single car in sight.
“Where did everyone go? How could this be happening? I must be dreaming!” I said while rubbing my eyes in fear.
“You’re not dreaming,” said a mysterious voice.
“Who are you, and what do you want?! And where is my family? Please bring them back!”
“I’m sorry, but I am afraid I can’t do that. Your family isn’t in this year anymore, only you are.”
“What does that mean? It’s 2021…” As I looked down at my phone it still read 11:59 of December 31, 2020. “Wait, but why is everyone else gone, and why am I the only one here?”
“Everyone else has let go of their past. They have forgotten all the bad things that occurred in 2020 and were excited and grateful for a new year. Until you come to peace with everything and everyone that has wronged you this year, you will be stuck here, alone, forever…”
To be continued…


Top ten New Year’s activities:

Ah, finally the start of a fresh new year, full of new things and opportunities for people to do and goals to achieve. Here is a list of activities most families either like doing or enjoy doing for New Year’s Eve or just do for fun to celebrate the coming of a new year.
10. Watching movies
9. Having a family get-together
8. Playing festive music
7. Hanging with close family and/or friends
6. Playing board games
5. Drinking sparkling cider
4. Eating snacks
3. Telling jokes
2. Kissing at midnight
1. Watching the ball drop and yelling Happy New Year


White Shadows (Part 3):

Make sure to read Part 1 and Part 2 before continuing!
Friday Night 
Ridge Park
*  *  *
To his graduating class he was known as Jim. But James Johnson hadn’t seen anyone he knew since then, in 1996. After graduation he lived with his parents for a few years to get off his feet. He wasn’t too smart. And if you asked him what a loan was, he would shrug his shoulders. His parents would help him with these things, and they were the ones who helped him get his first job when he was 20. He was 39 years old now, and he didn’t have his parents anymore. 
His parents weren’t too rich, so when Jim’s father died, the house was repossessed by the city. His mother had died a few years prior, so that meant he was sent to the street. He tried staying with a couple of people who were looking for roommates. But he soon left. He wasn’t comfortable around them…around anybody really. But as he stayed with them, he came to not enjoy their company the way he thought he would. He had a job until he was 30. Since then he has been bouncing around all over the city. He has slept in the park every night since then. 
He had a backpack and a suitcase with him. In the suitcase he carried a blanket and a pillow. He also had his personal items. In the back pack he had a few pairs of clothes. Of course they weren’t the same clothes he had packed in there when he was kicked to the street. Once the clothes got really dirty, he would crawl into The Salvation Army’s drop box and grab a couple new pairs and leave the old ones. And whenever he saw coins laying on the ground or and cash laying around, he would use it at the laundromat if his clothes weren’t too dirty.
And when it came to eating… he bagged for it on the street. But sometimes if he was really, REALLY hungry he would become desperate, and the trash cans would become his savior. Luckily, it barely came to that. But it would still happen two to three times a month. 
Anyone from his graduating class wouldn’t have recognized him these days. Even one of his friends would pass him on the street and think nothing of him. Sure he got half-decent clothes from that drop box, but clothes didn’t help his looks at all. He was thin and dirty most of the time (unless he took a bath in the streams at the park). He had cuts and scrapes all over. He was also growing a pretty mean beard. The last time he tried to shave was with a broken kitchen knife behind the pizza joint on Main Street. He used the knife to shave and also used it as a mirror to the best of his ability. He would take some hair off, then consult his reflection to see what he missed. A couple seconds into shaving he knew the reason they threw out the knife. The handle was loose. This contributed to the scar on his left cheek. And with age of course started bringing white hair. So he doesn’t have the straight black hair he had in school. 
And since he hasn’t seen the doctor since the age of 19, he wouldn’t know what the lump under the skin on his arm would be. I wouldn’t say that it was a good thing that Kraft took him when he did, but if he were to go on living like he was he would have died a long and painful death due to the cancer that was working its way through his body.
*  *  *
Jim had been walking through the park. He had just spent the day walking around town enjoying the day. Although Fall was coming it barely showed today. It was warm and sunny with no chance of clouds. But he knew the temperature would drop towards night. So he started to head back to the park sooner than he would have normally.
He had just passed beyond the tree line towards the main entrance to the park. The roads of the park were dirt and rocks, with a few pot holes thrown in for fun. Nothing like going to the park with your family and blowing a tire due to the city’s negligence. That brought a smile to his face. And unlike some parks across the county, this park had a few sets of playgrounds. One at the entrance, follow the path past that by the maintenance building there was a park for little kids. But keep going and you’ll find three more by the time you reach the little league baseball field at the end of this giant looped system of dirt paths, which leads back to the main road. He used to play on these when he was a kid. He remembered back when some of the playground equipment was a death trap rather than a fun way to pass the time. The merry-go-round broke at some point and a kid got hurt falling off the monkey bars. But I wouldn’t say it was the child’s fault. Whoever built the playground supposed that a giant steel contraption shaped like a wagon out of The Oregon Trail game ought to be fun for the kids. Turns out you had to be an acrobat to maneuver through it.
He whipped his head to the side at the snap of a twig. Must be a stray dog or raccoon. But he thought of the dog mostly because whatever was rustling in the shadows had to be big. Nevertheless he smiled and kept on walking. He has become used to the animals in this park over the years and the snap of a twig never really startled him. To him it was just an animal welcoming him back to the park. Although as he made his way to the center of the park, he gradually got the feeling that he was being followed. So he started to pick up the pace. He saw that he was nearing one of the restroom areas and thought he could hide in there. He didn’t know why he felt this way but he knew something bad was going to happen. But just as he was nearing the restroom door there was a crack and whoosh and a black missile plummeted from the trees above him. Jim tried to back away but tripped over his own feet and fell. He laid sprawled out in the dirt, staring at this thing on the ground where he had been standing seconds ago. At once the figure started to grow upwards. It reminded him of the “Wizard of Oz” movie where the witch was melting, but this was happening in reverse. The black blob on the ground was bubbling up into the shape of a man, but when the pale white skin of this man’s face was shined upon by the moonlight he knew it was no man. 
“Hello Jimmy…” Kraft whispered. He had looked towards Jim laying there in the dirt. What a pitiful human being, he thought.
“Get away from me… just let me alone…” Jim said, crawling backwards.
“Alone?… you have always been alone… if anything I thought you would have appreciated my company…” Kraft said with a puzzled look on his face. But in this face Jim saw enjoyment. 
“I have been alone because that’s what I have always wanted… I don’t need anybody. And I may have been on my own for a while now… but my mama always told me not to talk to strangers… and I am not going to start now…” Jim said. He was scared. He was trying to sound calm, but he was doing a poor job of it. And for every inch Jim backed up, Kraft seemed to stay the same distance away from Jim’s feet. It was as if he was hovering towards him. Not wanting Jim to stray any further away from him.
“I am Edward Kraft… I am new to your town… and I plan to stay for a little while…” 
“Okay Ed… I don’t know who you are… or how you know my name…” This was Jim’s final attempt to stay strong, but he was interrupted by Kraft, and now he knew he couldn’t stay strong. He knew he couldn’t get away. Even if he were to get up and try to run he wouldn’t be able to escape. Kraft (if that was even his real name) had just fallen over thirty feet from a tree and landed on his feet. If he wanted to catch Jim if he took off, he could.
“I know a whole lot more about you other than just your name… I know that you are dying a slow and painful death,” The creature interrupted with a grin
“No I’m not… you’re a liar.” Now Jim stopped moving. The creature’s eyes had changed colors. They were glowing. And even though he had just told Kraft he was lying, he knew it was the truth.
“No… why would I lie to you… you have given me no reason to lie… but I can help you… I can heal you…” Kraft said with a thin smile.
“How?”
“It’s very simple… you just have to agree to be my friend… and I could take you in… I could give you a home, and food… but even more important… I could heal you… you could live long… all you have to do is let me… but even then I guess I am lying… because I plan to help you whether you say yes or no…So which will you decide? Life or death?”
Jim just closed his mouth. And looked into those eyes. He saw that Kraft was telling the truth. He could give him a home and food. Kraft could even be his friend. And if this creature was right, he could heal him of his sickness.
“Life… a better one than this…” Jim agreed.
Kraft let out a little chuckle, “That’s good… now hold still servant… there will be a little pinch…and then when you wake up, the pain you feel will have just been a bad dream.” Kraft lunged on top of Jim and birds flew from the tree tops as Jim screamed into the darkness which consumed him.


Sunflowers in the snow:

A breathtaking patch of wild sunflower’s are growing in the snow. But it’s the dead of winter. How could these sunflower’s be growing when the sun doesn’t shine and the winds are strong enough to rip them out of the ground?
—
Ever since we moved to Alaska I can’t help but feel lost. The days grow shorter and shorter, and the temperatures are always dropping. I think about life back home whenever I can. I loved our big, sunny home in Washington; it had the warm, comforting feel that wrapped me up in a blanket whenever I stepped in the door. The house was open and always smelled like freshly-squeezed lemons. I was so happy there with all of my friends, the parties, and the laughs. But, of course, all good things have to come to an end and on one fateful day, my dad came home and told us he just got laid-off. My life turned upside down.
Now, after months of preparing, we officially have moved into our new log cabin home in Alaska. Why Alaska, you ask? Well, my parents wanted a change and my dad dreamed of living in a solitary place. So with him losing his job he decided to just pack us all up and send us backpacking to Alaska. Dad said it would be an adventure. Mom said it would help us become closer as a family. My sister cried. I said I wasn’t going. No matter how much I begged to let me move in with my grandparents, they refused. Now because of it, I get to share a room with Lexi, my fourteen-year-old sister and our house is a third of what we’re used to. I’m just happy we have the ability to have indoor plumbing, because if we had an outhouse I would walk back to Washington. My sophomore year of high school is torture…I should be out having fun with friends and laughing my cares away. Now, I just sit inside and dream about what life would be like if I were home.
Dinner was a quiet one that night. All you could hear were the scraping of forks on dishes and an occasional slurp as we ate our soup with a side of salad. My mom tried to start a conversation by looking at me and asking, “So, Ava, what do you think about the place?” I just gave a simple, “It’s nice.” That was the end of the small talk. We all went to bed early that night, since there wasn’t much to talk about and we didn’t have a TV to congregate around. (Another choice of dad’s.) That night, under my warm covers, I cried myself to sleep. The sound of sniffles floated across the room, and I looked in the bed across the room and saw Lexi silently crying as well.
Life in Alaska had only just begun.
When I awoke in the morning, I looked out my small, porthole of a window to see gentle snowflakes fluttering out of the sky. My eyes focused in the distance, and I could make out a yellow patch of what looked like flowers rising up in the middle of a thicket of woods and bushes. Curiosity got the better of me, so I quickly woke up Lexi and together we headed downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. A quick bowl of cereal was enough for me to start my day, so I got dressed and told my mom I was headed outside to check out the area. “Be safe! And wear gloves and a hat, please!” she called from inside her room. I rolled my eyes, but grabbed some gloves and a hat anyways.
I trudged through the snow, winding my arms around myself to keep my coat tight against me. I then reached the outside of the thicket and peered in, looking as far into it as I could. The bushes were so dense I could only see a few feet in front of me. I sighed, tempted to just forget this whole thing and head back inside where I could un-thaw. But, ultimately, I decided to just press on, especially since I had nothing better to do. So, I broke bramble and sticks aside and continued onward. After about a half an hour of forging ahead, I stopped and looked back at my progress. Even though there was a thick blanket of sticks where I had thrown them, there was still brush everywhere, and I could just barely tell where my path was. I had no idea if I was even heading in the right direction, but there was a fire burning inside of me that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. My determination to find these mysterious flowers kept me going, giving me energy when I thought my arms would be burned out with exhaustion.
Finally, after an hour or more of bush-whacking, I entered the clearing. Wind was whipping around and around, chasing it’s own tail in a frenzy. But there, in the middle of the whole mess, were the flowers I had spotted from my window. I stared, thinking, A breathtaking patch of wild sunflower’s are growing in the snow. But it’s the dead of winter. How could these sunflower’s be growing when the sun doesn’t shine and the winds are strong enough to rip them out of the ground? I approached one of them, completely awestruck with its beauty. I gave a nearby sunflower a shake to help clean off some of the piled up snow, but it gave way under my touch and I found myself holding the decapitated sunflower in my hand. I suddenly felt so guilty for what I had done. Flashbacks to when I was younger and went with my mom through the store came to mind. With her saying one simple command, “Just look, don’t touch.” I should’ve heeded what she was saying right now. I took the life of the most amazing flower I had ever seen. I decided to head home, not wanting to cause this patch of flowers anymore harm.
When I arrived home the front door flew open, with my mom standing there, anxiety and relief covering her face. “You’ve been gone for hours! I thought something had happened to you!”
“Nope, I was just exploring,” I said as I held up the flower, trying to will myself to smile.
“Oh…how lovely!” My mom exclaimed, taken aback. “But, I thought they only grew in, ya know, warm climates…?”
“That’s what I thought too.”
“Well, get inside! You’re going to freeze out here!”
—
The next day I headed back outside, this time with a bounce in my step and the sunflower back in my hand. I headed for the tiny shed we had, and snatched a shovel out of its resting spot. I headed back to the thicket, thinking about how I could make it up to the flowers for ruining a beautiful specimen. By the time I entered the sunflower patch, I was soaked with sweat and doubting my plan severely. But, I got to work digging a small hole in the rock hard ground. I chipped small pieces at a time, finally working a big enough hole to stick the sunflower in. I gently laid it in there, and covered it back up with the dirt. I knew it was foolish to think this sunflower would grow in such a harsh, unforgiving environment, but I just hoped it would over time.
I returned the next day, as the sunflower patch had suddenly become my sanctuary. My happy place. I let out a gasp as I looked at the small patch of dirt I had dug up and planted the dead sunflower in. There, three sunflower sprigs had shot up from the ground. Already, they stood a foot tall, small buds developing on the top. I sat, transfixed on the sunflower’s. This makes no sense, I thought. Sunflower’s grow slowly as it is, so seeing these grow a foot in one night is, well, unbelievable. Yet here I was, sitting inches from evidence that anything can happen with a determined patch of sunflowers.
Every day I returned to the sunflower patch, watching as more and more sunflowers took root and sprung up. The older ones never did die off, they just grew stronger and stronger as the days went by. I walked through the sunflowers, gently lifting the petals and feeling the smooth texture on my fingers. Every time I visited my sunflower patch, my mood was immediately lifted, and I found my skip in my step once again. My parents and Lexi noticed, too, and I watched as they too became happier with our new life. Finally, one morning I decided to take them all to my sunflower patch. As I led them along, I thought back to how miserable I was when we first moved here. Now, I’m a completely different person: laughing, smiling, and constantly making jokes. My mom was speechless when she saw the sunflowers, my dad let out a whistle, and Lexi stood with her mouth agape. I couldn’t help but giggle at their reactions, because I knew that’s exactly what I looked like. We stood in silence for a while, taking it all in. Finally, my dad turned to me and asked, “How is this even possible?”
“It’s not possible, that’s the thing. You just have to not ask questions…some things are better left undiscovered,” I added with a small smile.
In that instant, I came to a realization. The thicket that surrounded the sunflowers were like all of my problems, but all I had to do was work through them to get to my patch of sunflowers… true happiness. Life was going to be tough, but I knew I had to just keep pressing on. And once I fought through the rough times, I would find the most amazing aftermath.
Dad was right, this was an adventure. Mom didn’t lie, we were becoming closer as a family. Luckily, we only cry happy tears now.
And I wasn’t leaving this place.
I was home.


An unexpected friendship:

Once upon a time there was a little princess named Paisley. She was born into the royal family of lettuce farmers. Their blood, sweat, and tears went into their family business. Every single day Paisley and her mother would go out to the greenhouse to check up on sprouts to make sure they were growing, and all was well at the lettuce farm. All the plants were growing well, and there had not been one single frost all year long.
One day Paisley’s mother was not feeling too well, so Paisley decided to go check up on the the lettuce by herself. It was a cool day, the wind was blowing, and the wildflowers were starting to grow. She skipped out to the greenhouse and realized that something was a little odd when she opened the door. There were pots knocked over, pieces of lettuce everywhere, and even worse there was a shadow of a mysterious creature behind her. Seconds later Paisley screams, and the creature muffles her mouth with its ginormous hand. He whispers into her ear that he is taking her to work on his tomato farm that he owns. Meanwhile Paisley is kicking her feet trying to do everything she can to get away from the giant. Eventually she reaches for the garden hose, wraps it around the giant’s leg using her feet, and she ties him up leaving her free. Immediately, she runs back to the house to discover if her father or older brother made it in for lunch after working in the field all morning.
When Paisley arrived at the house she was all out of breath, and could barely speak. Eventually she is able to blurt out what had happened to her out in the greenhouse. After hearing this news, her family chuckled about it at first and played along with it until they decided to go out into the greenhouse after lunch to check up on things. As soon as Paisley’s brother and father walked in, their jaws dropped to the floor in shock at what they were seeing. They just couldn’t believe that Paisley was right. Finally they got back into reality and realized that the giant was trying to have a conversation with them. He confessed what he had done and explained that he will do anything to repay for the damages.
The family discussed for a few hours what the punishment for the giant should be. Eventually they all came to the conclusion that they would lock him into  cage for a day, and make him eat all the leftover lettuce that did not sell at the farmer’s market. This way he will be so sick of lettuce that he will never ever want to eat it again. Additionally, they requested that they wanted a few tomato plants in exchange for lettuce so they both can expand their farms.
After all, the giant followed through with the punishment that the family gave him, and now they are good friends. When the giant attempted to take Paisley, he either thought that he would be able to pull it off or get caught and punished. Little did he know that he was going to develop a friendship that will last a lifetime.


Top ten upcoming Marvel projects:

Although the movie “Avengers: Endgame” came out and seemed to put an end to the Avengers MCU (but as Marvel fans know, there is more to Marvel than just the Avengers) more Marvel movies/TV series are being made. Due to COVID-19 most of these are going to be played on Disney+, but either way I think fans will go crazy to see some of these heroes either come back or enter their own spotlight for the first time. Some of these projects look exciting, some…. not so much. Here is a list showing which ones I think are going to be the greatest (1) vs which will not make it to my top 5.

“Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage”
“Blade”
“Morbius”
Untitled Spider-Man: Far From Home Sequel
“Black Panther 2”
“Loki”
“Ms. Marvel”
“WandaVision”
“Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3”
“The Falcon and The Winter Soldier”


Movies are better than TV series:

Have you ever tried getting into a TV series but couldn’t finish it? Are you someone who likes movies better? If so, you will want to read this!
I think movies are better than TV series because personally I am an impatient person and can’t make it through more than two seasons of a TV series, if that. I think that some TV series are so drawn out and just way too long. For example, if you wanted to watch a series it could be four-five or more seasons with nine-fifteen episodes in it. If you don’t have all the time in the world, you might get busy and not finish an episode or season and forget about it and then not know what’s going on. Also, sometimes the episodes can be boring so you could get side-tracked and miss more than you intended.
Movies are just better because they are shorter and can be watched in one sitting and you don’t have to keep going back and wait for more, unless there is a second movie. Movies can be quick and simple and that’s what people need in their life. I just think that movies are more fit for more people’s lives with kids or people that work a lot.


Top ten things to reference in conversation without context:

Everyone knows a small bit of any fandom, book, movie, or media that has a random reference that is just completely quotable without any reason or rhyme. Here are my top ten random reference-type quotes:
10. “I’m just chillin’… in the– Cedar Rapids.”– a very quotable vine by Hillary Clinton
This one is perfectly awkward enough to lighten the mood of most situations.
9. “Except when it’s not.”– ‘How to Read Literature Like a Professor’ T. C. Foster
My friend Dustin and I quote this one almost daily.
8. “Can the Feng Shui Club please stop rearranging the tables on the lawn.”– The Princess Diaries
7. “I have the high ground.”– Obi Wan, “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”
This one is fun to use. Especially when you’re winning an argument.
6. “Do you think the store… do you think the store… do you think the store has any lemonade?” –  ‘The Duck Song”
This one is fun to use to annoy others. Fair Warning, though: parents don’t appreciate this quote if they know you don’t like lemonade. They’ll just get confused and irritated.
5. Ask everyone where “the ducks go in the winter.”– “The Catcher in the Rye”
There’s always a quote from a book that makes you want to facepalm because the author won’t stop bringing it up. Whether the quote has deeper meaning or not; when you assume they don’t have deeper meaning behind the text, there are some quotes that are simply hilarious to randomly throw out in a boring conversation.
4. “And they were roommates.”– a classic vine by:’@mattsukkar’
My friend Alexa and I quote this one a lot, and it is referenced a ton in meme culture on Tumblr, TikTok, Instagram, etc.
3. “Have you guys ever had shawarma?”– Iron Man, Marvel’s “The Avengers”
I throw this one into conversation whenever I am with my brother who enjoys the Marvel movies just as much as myself.
2. “And what excellent boiled potatoes. It’s been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable.” — Mr. Collins, “Pride and Prejudice,” Jane Austen.
I quote this every time we have any type of potatoes, even french fries, during a meal. It will typically get you at least two eye-rolls.
1.  “The world might be full of despair and broken promises, but it is also full of brightly colored, poisonous frogs.” @that’sbelievable on Tumblr


Top ten candy bars:

Have you ever had a person get you chocolate? Or ask what your favorite candy bar is? As Valentine’s Day is approaching and candy is always a good option, I thought I’d tell you my top ten favorite candy bars.  I hope you enjoy.
10. Three Musketeers
9. Milky way
8. Butterfinger
7. Snickers
6. 100 Grand
5. Reese’s
4. Twix
3. Hershey’s Cookies and cream
2. WhatchaMaCallIt
1.White Kit Kat


Invasion of the Capitol:

On January 6, 2021, in Washington DC, protesters who marched up to the Capitol climbed walls, looted, and rioted over the electoral results of the 2020 election.
This was following Georgia’s Senate runoff results, which caused outbursts from some members of the Republican party. The Georgia runoffs earlier in the day had concluded that both members of the Democratic party would fill both seats. This was a tipping point for those who rioted, having the Senate and the White House go blue. However, the electoral ballots being held in the U.S. Capitol building were secured and still counted. In addition, the final outcomes of the Georgia runoff elections were officially announced and confirmed around 5 pm on Friday, January 8. With the results of the electoral votes being finalized, Vice President Mike Pence declared that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the President-elect and Vice President-elect of the 2020 election.
With social media being many people’s main source of information, major news sites shared various perspectives with one general consensus. An article from The Wall Street Journal includes a statement from Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois: “Here’s the truth: the president caused this. The president is unfit and the president is unwell. And the president must relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntarily.”
President Trump has since denounced the violence exhibited at the Capitol and called for healing and reconciliation.
Not only does Trump receive the fallout and consequences of this riot, but people who were involved in the attack are starting to lose their jobs or even resign themselves.
According to CNN, people involved in the riot of the Capitol are losing their jobs, including “An Allentown, Pennsylvania, teacher has been ‘temporarily relieved’ of his teaching duties until his school district can complete a formal investigation in his alleged involvement at the protests.”
Destruction and chaos are just two of the factors that play into this event; however, with COVID cases reaching an all-time high, will this make things worse?
According to an article from The Washington Post, “Storming of Capitol was textbook potential coronavirus superspreader, experts say,” it states that, “Thousands of Trump supporters dismissive of the virus’s threat packed together with few face coverings — shouting, jostling and forcing their way indoors to halt certification of the election results…”
President-elect Joe Biden and the former President Barack Obama both posted from Twitter responding to the event, with Biden saying, “Let me be very clear: the scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not represent who we are. What we are seeing is a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent, it’s disorder. It borders on sedition, and it must end. Now.”
Obama responded by saying, “For two months now, a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth-that this was not a particularly close election and that President-Elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated on January 20. Their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now we’re seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo.”
While past and future presidents respond to this disastrous riot, a current Congresswoman, Cori Bush, adds,  “My first resolution in Congress will be to call for the expulsion of the Republican members of Congress who in sighted this domestic terror attack on the Capitol.”
As American leaders and citizens respond and reflect on this situation, some standby and question: “What could possibly happen next?”


Sally And The Xbox Boy:

Sally and her mother lived all alone in a big house just outside of a big city. For Christmas Sally asked her mother for an Xbox so she could play a game she had heard about online. When she first started playing she didn’t know much about the Xbox or the game that she was playing. She started playing with strangers so she could learn the basic control for the game. While playing the game one day she met this boy and he offered to help her get better at the game and teach her what she needs to know about the Xbox.
Sally and the boy talked a lot about their lives and one day sally had mentioned how she lives with only her mother, which caused the boy to start asking lots of strange questions. He would always ask her about her home town and where she lives which really concerned her. She then brought the situation up at the dinner table with her mother. Her mother told her that if she doesn’t feel comfortable with the situation that she should stop playing the game with the boy.
The next day Sally got on her Xbox and began playing the game and the boy wanted to play with her, but Sally told him that she couldn’t play right now, and he obviously knew she was lying. The boy kept asking her everyday to play and Sally kept telling him that she couldn’t play. The boy soon got angry with Sally and began to send her threatening messages. Sally stayed off of her Xbox for a couple of days to see if the boy would leave her alone, but he didn’t. When Sally got back on her Xbox she saw messages from the boy that explained the clothes that she had been wearing that day and the day before. Some of the messages even described her house and he had sent her address. Sally ran to her mother and told her all about it and her mother called the police but they did nothing.
A week later; Sally was out on her lawn laying in the sun and she heard something in the bushes, it was a boy that she did not recognize until he came out of the bushes and spoke. It was the boy from Xbox. She pretended not to be worried and started texting the police so that he wouldn’t know that she was contacting them. He came closer and saw her phone and realized that she was talking to the police. He snatched her phone before she could send the message and made her go with him to his car that was parked down the street. Sally was never seen again.


Barista’s Roast is the place to be:

If there’s one thing I love about Corry, it’s the cute small businesses that are set up downtown. Barista’s Roast is among my favorite because I love my chai lattes and hot chocolate. When you first walk into Barista’s you are greeted by the amazing aroma of coffee beans. There’s soft music playing in the background and a smiling face behind the counter. Everything about Barista’s is welcoming and warm.
Barista’s Roast was official on February 14, 2019! However, their doors opened on March 1, 2019. Barista’s motto when asked “Can you do…” is “The answer is always yes!”
My favorite thing to get at Barista’s is the chai latte because of it’s sweet (but not too sweet) taste. A chai latte is a combination of chai spices, such as cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, cloves, and others. This helps to create the great taste of the chai latte. I love chai lattes anyway they come! The hot chocolate there is also delicious, with the perfect proportions throughout it. It is sweet, creamy, and full of flavor! A candy cane and marshmallows are also offered for if you have a sweet tooth. One thing that I haven’t had, but am looking forward to trying is the ice cappuccino. Of course, Barista’s is known for their coffee. My parents, grandparents, and others whom I know (who are avid coffee drinkers) love going into Barista’s to get their coffee. There are so many different types of coffees to choose from, as well as a daily special. There’s dark roast, medium, and others.
Walking into the coffee shop is wonderful. I love seeing the other customers sipping on their coffee and enjoying the company of the people they’re with. The whole shop is just beautiful and homey-feeling. The service there is also wonderful; small talk always takes place, as well as some laughs.
Barista’s hours are: Monday through Friday 6:00 AM-4:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM-1:00 Pm, and they are closed on Sunday.
Overall, I would give Barista’s Roast a 5 out of 5 stars. The shop is cozy, inviting, and it is full of great fragrances. To top it off, the owners are very friendly. So what are you waiting for? Head over to Barista’s Roast, you won’t be disappointed!


The superhero with unhelpful powers:

It was about four in the morning, going on five, and as the the sun was slowly rising a group of scientists walk in to a diner and all ask for a cup of coffee. So as they’re going to sit down one of the scientists trips the other scientist and causes him to drop his coffee.
He slowly got up and turned around and he was furious, so he gets ready to punch the scientist who tripped him and suddenly the coffee machine starts to spark. One of the scientists throws this green liquid he had in his lab coat on it, then all of a sudden– BAM!– an inner-dimensional door opens.
A superhero climbs out and sees the fire, so he tries to use his freeze breath and put it out but all he did was make the fire bigger. Then the owner of the diner walks in and asks what’s going on, so they all say it was the superhero’s fault. The owner calls the cops and they all get booked and they all spent two years in jail.


Television terror:

My parents left that night for business purposes, so I had the entire house to myself. Of course, I used this as my chance to finally raid the snack drawer that Mom and Dad never let me open. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed anything and everything I could fit in my arms. I took the snacks to my room and hid under the blanket fort I had made earlier that day. I watched TV as I snuggled up in my blankets, occasionally munching on the snacks.
I can’t recall exactly how much time had passed, but when I got up to look out my window it was dark. I felt a small breeze against my arm and shivered. I looked to see my window cracked open, which was weird because it was the middle of winter, so why would I leave my window open? I brushed it off as just me being forgetful and closed the window. I went back to my fort, when I noticed my TV making a weird buzzing noise. “Hm, it’s never done that before,” I thought to myself. Again, I brushed it off and continued watching some of my favorite shows. Not even an hour went by before I noticed the noise getting louder. At that point, I was just getting annoyed, so I shut it off and went downstairs.
I took a nice, warm shower, then returned to my room to water a few of the plants sitting on my desk. I watered them as I normally would, and crawled back under my blanket fort. I watched as the screen on my TV flashed, the buzzing noise returning a third time. I was now getting freaked out, and out of impulse I quickly yanked the TV chord out of the wall. It kept flashing, but this time I could hear what sounded to be whispers. “No, no, no, no…” it kept repeating, the whispers soon turning into shouts. I felt my entire body nearly going into shock. I tried standing up, but it was like a greater force was preventing me from doing so.
A hand reached out from the screen, grabbing me by the ankle. I let out an ear-piercing scream, one only able to come from adrenaline. I tried fighting back, but I was losing. My body was being pulled toward the TV and before me was a light so bright it didn’t feel real. The light started taking over, and I felt a weird warmth take over. Then, it all stopped. I felt stiff and uncomfortable. My eyes shot open, and I looked around my room in a panic. I was covered in sweat from head to toe, and I was gasping for air. My mom stood at the foot of my bed with a concerned look.
“Honey, are you okay?” she asked.
I nodded as I finally came to understand that it was just a dream.


A good swim with a big win:

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming… Around sixth grade, I decided to join the Corry Otters Swim team at our local YMCA. I was very nervous because even though I knew how to swim pretty well, I had no experience with swimming competitively. Being super competitive, or even being a part of a sport, were never my favorite things, but I figured I should start off middle school right and try something new. A few weeks before practice started, my mom and I went shopping for all of the swim gear I would possibly need. Many swim caps, goggles, bathing suits, towels, and bags bought later, we headed home not realizing that these items were things I would grow to use for years to come.
Weeks flew by, and my first day of practice finally arrived. Walking in I saw all of the swimmers, (who have been swimming since they were very young) do all kinds of cool tricks and strokes that I didn’t even know existed. After talking to the couch, meeting my fellow teammates, and trying to swim correctly myself, I felt very insecure. As I went home I told my mom how much I didn’t want to join the swim team, and that I didn’t know what I was doing wrong, but that I just felt very out of place.
“Everyone feels a little scared and out of place when they try something new. Don’t give up just yet! Give it a few more days and just try your best. If you don’t like it at all in about a week, you don’t have to join the team,” said my mom.
Hearing the words of my mom ringing in my ear, I went into practice the next day giving it my all. After a few more days I realized the more I tried and understood the concepts better, I was actually pretty good. From then on, I knew being on the swim team was something I needed to stick with in order to help myself grow and stay determined with anything I participated in.
Years went by and I was only improving from there. My swim coach, Doug, continued to encourage and support me during practice, and during all of the events I would be involved in during swim meets. He later decided to put me in a relay with three other girls. Each person swims two laps (50 yards) either using backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, or freestyle. If the four people swim all eight laps (200 yards) under a certain time frame, that relay could go compete in the  District Championship at Penn State main campus! After months of hard work and dedication, we finally beat the time and were headed to Districts!
As we got there and settled in while waiting for our event, so many different emotions and questions were running through my brain. Will we get a better time or a worse one? Will I be able to swim fast enough? What if I forget what I need to do? Are we capable of making it to the STATE Championships?! Our event was called and we all went up to the starting block. The first person dove in, then the second, and the third, and finally it was my turn. I stepped onto the block, dove in, and moved my arms and legs as fast as physically possible. I hit the wall, looked at the timer, and realized I just swam my best…time…EVER!
Even though we didn’t make it to States that day, I knew that moment would be one I would remember for years to come. By joining the swim team and growing a close relationship with my coach and fellow teammates, I have discovered my true personality, the importance of trying new things, believing in myself, and never giving up!


There’s not a movie exactly like “The Identical”:

The movie “The Identical” was brought to theaters in 2014. The movie is based on identical twins, separated at birth during the Great Depression. This is due to the reason that their parents could not afford to care for two children. Growing up, the two boys had very different childhoods. Drexel Hemsley grew up with his biological parents while Dexter Hemsley renamed Ryan Wade was taken in by Reverend Reece Wade, and his wife Louise.
Drexel grew up and became a rock and roll star in the 1950s. His parents were behind him and supported him in all his decisions in life. On the other hand, Ryan grew up in the Church since his adopted father was a preacher. His parents were certain that he was gifted by God and was called to be a preacher as well. However, Ryan went against his parents, and discovered his passion for music. After all, it leaves Ryan with the struggle to find a balance between pleasing his parents and his love for music.
Overall I really enjoyed this movie. I do recommend this movie for children around the age ten and older. This is because the movie does have a few scenes take place in a bar and some foul language is used. I would rate this movie a 4 our of 5 stars.


Fair fun day:

Since we couldn’t go to any fairs this year, my mom decided to host a “fair day” at our house that would entertain my siblings and I and all of our friends. It was definitely a day to remember!
It started out with some of our friends arriving (I have three siblings who each had a friend…or three). All together there were about twelve or thirteen of us kids running around eating lots of food, playing volleyball, corn hole, kanjam, and countless other games! We enjoyed nachos and cheese, walking tacos, corn dogs, hamburgers, and other delicious dishes for dinner; we also had cotton candy, and many, many other sweets. The younger kids soon went into a sugar rush and decided it would be funny to chase around the poor cats. My mom quickly ended that game.
Once it got dark out my dad set up a huge light on the volleyball net for us kids to play volleyball under. It was running around barefoot, diving for the ball, laughing at others when they completely wiped out that made the night so enjoyable. We listened to music as we played and berated each other on the other teams to cause for a distraction. My sister and her friends would run in between the net to distract us and eventually steal the volleyball, which resulted in many exasperated attempts to get it back. Eventually my mom shooed the little kids inside, as it was almost 11:30, which allowed us older kids to continue our games of volleyball. We ended up playing so many games that I can’t remember who won half of them, but scores weren’t really being kept; we just had fun.
Later that night, we decided to call it and us girls headed inside the camper where we were staying. Of course we stayed up even later playing other fun games, laughing ourselves silly, and snacking on some more little snacks that we swiped from inside the house. Early into the next morning we finally fell asleep, thinking about how much of a fun time we had had.
The next morning we woke up and headed into the house to get ready for the day. My younger sister and brother were already running around with their friends again. My mom was at the oven taking out freshly baked cinnamon rolls, which smelled heavenly. We quickly got dressed and headed to enjoy some cinnamon rolls! They were delicious! In no time, two of my three friends had to leave, among other kids who had early morning pickups. My friend and I decided to make elephant ears, a classic fair treat, for the younger girls and whoever wanted some. We made plenty to spare, and the girls thoroughly enjoyed them. We then helped my mom cut up potatoes for homemade fries that would be used for garbage fries. These too were very tasty! We did some other small things throughout the day, like doing the little girls’ make-up, making some soft pretzels with cheese, and playing a little bit more volleyball, but all too quickly the day came to a closing, and we waved to the last of our friends as they left.
Right then the whole family decided that each year, we would host an annual “Fair Fun” weekend that would be full of scrumptious food, entertaining games, and lot and lots of laughs. Who knows, maybe more people will get added to it each year.


“High School Musical 3” ends the series on a high note:

“High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” chronicles the Wildcats’ last year at East High (although they never made a movie about their junior year just the summer after, but fast forward). All the Wildcats come together to live through their last good and bad moments, sing and dance their hearts out, create memories that last a lifetime, and finally graduate together. As each student decides what they want to do after high school, you are able to see all kinds of twists and turns with some memorable and heartwarming discoveries to enjoy with them. After reviewing the first two movies as well, I will clearly explain and emphasize why this High School Musical was my favorite out of all three, and why I encourage you to watch it and come up with your own opinion.
It all starts off with Troy and Chad on the East High Wildcat Basketball Team competing in their last championship game ever against their ultimate rivals. After winning their game, they all start to reflect on the memories that they can never relive, and wonder what could they possibly do after graduation. The next day at school, Sharpay requests that this year’s musical be a one woman show (with her as the lead, of course); however, musician Kelsi decides to mention a musical that they all can do together and make their own. As the production of  “Senior Year: The Musical” was born, the Wildcats all have to prepare for prom, graduation, and more importantly college, while putting on a musical about their lives and best memories at East High. While Troy and Gabriella are still together (and are the leads in this year’s musical), they are both torn between their future decisions, and how it will affect their relationship. As Troy ponders between choosing basketball or theater, Gabriella decides to attend Stanford University with early admissions…a thousand miles away…before the musical, before prom, and before graduation. Will Troy and Gabriella last? What will they possibly do about the musical? Are all the Wildcats going to know what to do after graduation? Will Troy choose basketball, theater, or maybe even…Gabriella?! Watch to find out!
As Kenny Ortega succeeds yet again with the third, and final, High School Musical, all the original actors from the previous movies return, which includes: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, and so many more. For most of these actors, this was their first big production if referencing the first ever High School Musical from 2006. While spending several years getting to know each other, and their own characters on and off screen, I believe each one of them has developed and perfected their performance in one way or another. More specifically, as Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens were together in real life and on screen, their chemistry and musical talents really shined at the end of this outstanding trilogy. Also, while Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel are not brother and sister in real life, they created the perfect sibling duo.
With so many twist and turns, new music and dance numbers, and important topics being discussed, I believe the overall lesson is to do what makes you happy and never give up. As a senior myself, deciding where you want to go to college, or even just what you want to do with your life in general, can be very scary and overwhelming; however, no one can understand or decide what will make you happy but you. Live life in the moment, appreciate the good and bad times, cherish the memories and friends you made, let music motivate you, and don’t rush it.
I recommend this PG-13 movie/musical to any fellow seniors (or any students who are in high school) who are looking for inspiration for some of their future decisions or just want to listen to some good music and go on an emotional roller coaster ride. If that’s you, then go stream this 5 out of 5 star movie on Disney Plus if you have it, or buy the DVD (it’s worth it)!


Two pines, two paths, two mountains, and the one choice that changes the perspective:

The two pine trees climbed so high into the sky that was blueberry blue and full of constellations. There was no day or night in the forest. Only blueberry skies and endless stars in all directions. 
The two trees seemed to surpass even the clouds while also descending deep into the depths of the green hearty earth below their feet. The trees’ roots might even go for miles underfoot, intertwining and interlocking with all aspects of each other and growing slowly together with age as their roots further combined into a system of trust between all of the surrounding trees in the forest, but the closeness of these two specific trees meant that the connection between them was stronger than their connections to the surrounding forest where all trees were, for the most part, spread apart. 
When walking between the trees, they noticed the connection. It was sturdy to all passing of time. A testament to the forces of nature. Then as they walked further along the trail there was a clearing where some trees seemed to split in half from what may have been lightning, others looked burned and damaged from past fire, but small parts of the dead tree were still green and learning to grow strong again. Most of the pine trees in the clearing were lush and vibrant, thick with needles and pine cones. Yet, the white birch trees’ foliage was thin in this area, unlike the trees of the same that were on the rest of the trail. These trees were missing some of their usual greenery. Though from the clearing, a view of two mountain peaks was visible. The trail split. Each path: congruent to their respected destinations. 
The mountain on the left seemed simple. A tad bit easier to climb. The rocks were soft and the rivers and streams that divided sections were shallow and steady. It was known for its small peaceful atmosphere and having fewer animals. The left mountain was a bit smaller and from the clearing quite beautiful, but this mountain was not the trail the hiker wanted to journey on. The hiker would rather take the mountain to the right, with the jagged rocks, the deep, cold, running streams that cut like glaciers through the larger of the two mountains. For this mountain had the stronger fish and deer that learned to tackle the more difficult terrain of the right mountain that stood strong. The right mountain was known for its adventures and wonders from traveling through the unknowns. 
The right mountain’s distance was also a great deal farther for travel than that of the left. Even though the left was a beautiful mountain, once on the mountain one would find weaker wildflowers and the trees were not bare, but they were thinner and the colors of this mountain were not as vibrant. The hiker knew from stories of each mountain, and stories of mountains like the two in front of them, that even though the right mountain from this point seemed more strenuous and unknown, they knew that the tougher trails were more fulfilling to travel, and in the long term mountains like the right mountain were the ones that made hiking worth hiking. 
Though they still considered the easy paths of the left mountain, to be good at anything one has to be in it for the long haul: has always been found true. 
So they ascended into the great unknowns of the right mountain in the hopes of everything they hoped to find, and things that may pleasantly surprise, in the great lengths of the trails. To work through the obstacles, overcome the challenges, and defeat the distances against all odds would be tough, but this was what the hiker felt would fulfill their goals. 
After traveling the right peak’s trail for a long time, the hikers did find all of the greater beauties that came with the more difficult paths. And they ultimately found a happiness beyond what they ever thought was ever possible to find on any trail. 
Then upon reflection, the hikers also thought of how the two mountains, like the two tall, skyward pines, were instead not connected by closeness in the vicinity, but by their differences in how they both could seem so wonderful while both meaning very different things for the hikers’ travels. The mountains, unlike the trees, had no roots to connect them, but they both were tall in their own rights, and both progressed towards the blue skies.


My cat Peanut:

I have this cat.  His name is Peanut.  He comes up missing for several hours every day.  I think this is normal, but I’m not really sure.  Sometimes when he returns, he smells weird. It’s kind of like a mixture of peanut butter and grapes.  It took me months to pinpoint the smell, but I realized that he must be going to the airport.
Our airport is notorious for the food truck out in front.  It’s called SANDWICH.  That’s it, just SANDWICH.  Their motto is, “The easiest snack, and you still can’t make it right.”  They specialize in peanut butter and jelly creations.  I used to have a job there, but they fired me because of my crappy de-crusting abilities and the fact that you can’t make a sandwich related alliteration out of my name.  I visited my former employer, who just so happens to be named Brian Bread, to ask if he had seen my cat.  He pointed up at the sign on the side of his truck, and lo and behold, it was my beloved Peanut. I asked Jelly Jan, the prep cook and head de-cruster, how long he had been visiting the truck.  She told me that it had been since he was a kitten.  
I never had any reason to mistrust a cat.  Somehow, I feel like I have been being cheated on with another family.  I can’t believe I was betrayed by my own cat.


Fake news and disinformation on social media:

If there’s one things everyone knows about social media, it’s the fake news it sends out. So many times I have found myself getting caught up in news that I have found on social media, only for it to be false. This lack of credibility and disinformation is eventually going to be the downfall of different social media platforms.
When someone goes onto a social media platform, they should be able to have confidence that the information they are seeing is valid. However, all people see when they enter a social media platform are the ridiculous accusations, random headlines, and beyond-false information. Whether it’s the love of causing a frenzy or business people just don’t know what they are talking about, they have now made it so the American people can’t believe what they are seeing. Instead, everyone is then urged to go to a true news website to find the truth or sit hoping that the information really was false. It puts so much stress and anxiety onto the people of this beloved country it makes me go crazy.
The constant pandemonium with different fake news on social media has taken a toll on society. People are now terrified to believe what they see on social media, but also too terrified to doubt it. They now get thrown into a panic attack, scrambling to ask others if it’s true, surf through more social media spots, and look at the news. Eventually, they find out it isn’t true, only to be tricked again in a short while and thrown back into the anxiety. This constant loop of anxiety and relief has torn through the country, running rampant and leaving behind large amounts of stress. This is one reason why so many people give up social media platforms one at a time, because they are realizing just how much fake news has been sent out on social media.
Instead of wreaking havoc, social media headquarters should strive to provide the most recent and valid information possible for their users. This in turn would help to not only increase the credibility of the company but also to form a safe spot that viewers can go to to find the newest (true) updates, lower anxiety problems, and help to expand their platform. If they were to have a completely fact-based website, so many more people would join and their profits would sky-rocket. I know without a doubt that I would join a real, believable, fact-based website.
A few websites that are known for their credibility and are top fact-checking websites that will verify or dismiss social media claims are: Snopes, Reality Team, Fact Check, and lastly, Lead Stories
So, just a helpful message to the readers: if you see information on social media, always verify it with a credible source (take a look at the ones I have listed above). Don’t fall into panic and stress just because of what a social media platform says. And please, don’t spread the crazy, unrealistic fake news. Get to the bottom of the situation by finding the truth.


My journey through high school:

This story will definitely be a bit more personal, but I feel it’s important to share. High school is a very important time in every young teenager’s life. It’s a time where we experiment and try to find out who we are. Our minds are developing, and every day we are hungry for something new. A lot of us lose a lot of friends, but gain some truly amazing ones as well. High school is not easy, but it’s a huge step in blossoming into an adult.
Freshman year was intimidating, to say the least. I had just moved to a brand new city, and the school was full of complete strangers. On the first day of high school, I barely made it to my classes, and I even lost my brand new glasses. You can imagine how stressful it must have been. Thankfully, I managed to make a few great friends, and they helped me survive freshman year. Summer flew by, and then I was a sophomore. No longer being a freshman definitely got to my head, and I figured that nothing could get worse. Oh boy was I definitely wrong.
Not even a month into the new school year, and my step dad got very ill and had to stay in the hospital. This meant that my mom would travel all the way to Pittsburgh to be with him, while I was left with all the responsibilities at home. Not only did I have to take care of our animals and my siblings, but I also had to keep up with my schoolwork. At that point, I was failing or nearly failing almost all of my classes, and I thought I wasn’t going to pass. However, I made some of the most amazing friends I could ever ask for, and they helped me every step of the way.
Unfortunately, my step father did end up passing away, and this left me to feel like I had hit an all-time low. I lost all motivation, and there were a lot of moments where I contemplated dropping out. I am so glad that my friends kept pushing me, and I got my act back together and finished the year. Then came my junior year, and I was just happy that I was an extra year closer to finally graduating. That school year came with its hardships, but it was definitely an improvement from the prior school year. Then, the pandemic hit. Life changed in a lot of ways, but I’m thankful in a way. My grades were at the highest they had ever been, and I finished out the year strong.
It’s now my senior year, and I can proudly say that my hard work is paying off, and my grades are amazing. I have made the tough decision to cut off a few people in my life, but I am glad I did. This is far from the senior year I imagined, but I am glad that I am healthy and safe. There are only a few more months left, and I will continue to push myself and work hard for what I want. It’s been a crazy journey, but I am so thankful for everyone that has stuck around to experience it with me.


How Covid-19 has affected me:

How has COVID affected you? Whether it has affected travel plans, ruined holidays, or caused someone you have loved to pass, somehow COVID has affected you in your everyday life. 
Back in March of 2020 COVID started to become a reality when Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf chose to close schools for two weeks to slow the spread of the virus. It took many of us by surprise, but we enjoyed our two weeks off of school. Then, the time got extended, eventually closing our schools for the rest of the year, causing us to all become virtual students for the rest of our school year. Many people struggled with virtual learning, causing grades to suffer. As a high school student, grades suffering made a large impact on many people’s mental health. Soon, summer came, and nobody had a care in the world, but we were all excited to go back to school and see our friends in our senior year.
Lately, COVID has taken over our area, turning everyone’s lives upside down, once again. Our school has been shut down again, many people’s Thanksgiving and Christmas plans were completely different when they could not spend it with extended family, and worst of all, we are losing our loved ones. The numbers have been growing, causing more and more shutdowns, leading to people who need money the most being unemployed. In the last eleven months everyone’s worlds have been affected and nobody has any idea when our lives will return to the normal they once were.


Working with children:

Having a workplace setting that involves children can be very difficult and challenging as well as rewarding. Being employed and working with children is a different experience each day. Not only are you working with the kids, but their parents too. Everyday is a new adventure when it comes to working with today’s youth.
Children of every age have their own set of challenges. Infants need constant care and attention, and everything revolves around their sleeping and eating schedule. Toddlers need to have a constant eye on them so you can show them love and attention but also make sure they stay out of things and aren’t getting into harm’s way.  Preschool and school-aged children don’t have to have the constant eye on them, but at this age they form opinions and start disliking things and bullying others.
It is extremely important to have open communication with the child’s parents. The parents and adults that are working with their children need to be sure to communicate on how the child has been acting, feeling, and the major things in their lives. All of these things will make the parents feel more comfortable with their child being there, which in return will help a child feel more comfortable and relaxed in your care.


Meeting a new person:

Most people have experienced the terrifying feeling at least once when you try to introduce yourself to a new person and you’re just not sure how it’s all going to go. For me personally, I love meeting new people. They’re so interesting and there are so many things to know about them. So many little things and big things because they are just as complex as yourself! Though I also still get the twisting mid-gut feeling when I meet new people.
As a child, I was very loud and bright around family and the people I knew, but outside of my family, my social skills were next to none. I never felt the urge to get out there and meet new people and to be right honest– I hated new people. They weren’t familiar and it was so overwhelming. You could take all the time to try to meet them and get to know them and then you, or them, or both of you might not enjoy the other’s company. Little kids can also be really mean, so it was always easier to meet adults. Most of them were smarter, always understood what you meant about things, and were generally more kind or better at biting their tongue until they knew you, and they were more complex and interesting.
Upon this realization as a child, there was also the realization that my peers would someday be adults as well and would grow out of many of the things they did. I was always the kid at the birthday party that would sit and talk with the parents for the first ten minutes. With my mother teaching, I was also around teenagers with similar interests in music and theater. I would have to stay at the high school pretty much every day during her rehearsals, which I did enjoy, and over that time I’d have conversations with the kids she had in her musicals as well. With meeting many kind and interesting people as a child, I began to love meeting new people, even if it made me very anxious to do so. The prospect of learning so many new things about them and possibly creating a new acquaintance excites me to the core sometimes. Especially at places like PMEA choir festivals where we all share a common interest in music.
More recently this year I met a new person that I have had tons in common with. She’s really cool. It got me thinking about how everyone is a stranger when you first meet them. Even your parents, you just don’t remember your first days in the hospital. So maybe don’t talk to creepy, odd, weird strangers or ones that are just bad news. But just remember that at this point in our lives as high schoolers, we’re going to be meeting a lot of new people after high school and that everyone will start out as a stranger. You never know when or where you’ll meet a new person, and you might not realize for a while that someone who was once a stranger now means a great deal to you. So it sometimes takes getting a bit out of your comfort zone, but you’ve done it before and can do it again. It just takes time and practice. There is always a chance to meet someone new and exciting, and I highly recommend it.
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” Oscar Wilde


BTS “BE” is everything 2020 needed:

After an amazing year of breaking world records and dominating the charts, BTS ended 2020 with their album BE. Leader of the group, RM, revealed the album was a way to connect with fans during the pandemic. The album opens with “Life Goes On,” which happens to be one of my favorite songs currently. RM said the song has “a simple message but a profound truth.” The lyrics are meant to comfort listeners during hard times, and reassure that things will get better. The album also features their English single, “Dynamite” which is a mix of a disco-pop sound.
BE has a total of eight tracks, including “Skit,” which is a clip of members speaking about their first number one song on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its purpose is to split the sections of the album and lead into the song “Telepathy.” If I had to pick a favorite, it would definitely be this song. The second the song starts, I immediately feel more energized. I would describe it as retro funk-pop, which is perfect for jamming out in the car with the speakers blasting. Another personal favorite from the album of mine is definitely “Dis-ease.” Fans, including myself, fell in love with the bridge. Member Jimin revealed that he wrote the bridge in under three or four minutes, which came as a shock because of how amazing it sounds.
Even with fewer songs than their other albums, I think it is officially one of my favorites. RM described the album perfectly, as it really does a wonderful job at offering support and comfort during these unfortunate times. Even though the album is in Korean, translations are easily accessible. I would give BTS’s BE a solid 5 out of 5 stars.


The thrills and chills of truck pulling:

Over this last summer I experienced a new and exciting adventure. A friend of our family introduced me to modified truck pulling. He heard that I enjoyed antique tractor pulling and gave me the opportunity to pull one of his trucks. The first pull we attended was near Pittsburgh, so we loaded up the truck and my antique tractor because the pull included both divisions. Then we hit the road.
At first I didn’t know what to expect. I was used to traveling down the pulling track with my tractor at less than three miles per hour, taking minutes to get down the track, while in the driver’s seat of the pulling truck was a totally different experience. Once the flag turned green, I was told to drive it like I stole it. So I stepped on the gas, and 30 seconds later I was at the other end of the track. It is uncommon for a female to compete in this type of competition, and that day I was the only female to pull.
The nervousness and adrenaline rush I got from pulling the truck was above and beyond what I experienced while pulling tractors. The adrenaline rush didn’t kick in until I hopped out of the truck. Next came a wave of relief knowing that I had done so well. At the end of the class division, I received first place! From that moment on I was hooked, and I can’t wait for this season to start.


Bailey the bubbly dog:

Awoooo! What is that howling noise you might ask? Well, it’s not a wolf…it’s just my dog Bailey. Whether it is morning or night, her only loud and unusual response is to howl at anything and everything. Bailey is a four-year-old Bernese Mountain dog who has black and white fur with some brown eyebrows. Fortunately, she is very cute because she may not be the smartest dog ever. When we got her around 2016, all of her brothers and sisters were not nearly as energetic as she was. While she was running around their play area in circles and rolling over, she was the only one not laying down. We knew in that moment that she was the one.
Bailey’s favorite things to do include the usual: sleeping and laying down; however, everything in between is activities like no other. Running around the house or yard until we beg her to stop or come inside; playing with the cat (even though she knows the cat does not like her); locking herself in the bathroom by “accidentally” shutting the door with her tail; taking Molly’s bone, charging through the snow, skipping all the steps on the front porch and blazing through the door like a rocket; sitting on your feet when you’re putting your shoes on, and so much more.
If Bailey was a person I believe she would be an excited little girl who loves going on vacation and having adventures. As Bailey has actually run away from home for a few days, you can tell when she comes back she had the journey of a lifetime. Since she is still pretty young, all of her love and energy definitely outshines some of her moments of breaking the rules. When she is disciplined or even just talked to, her immediate response is to repeatedly howl as if she is asking a million questions or saying something completely out of the ordinary. But, like a little kid, she is still discovering a world full of her favorite things while loving the people and other animals around her. Without her in our lives our house was definitely a lot calmer and quieter, but our house is more filled with love and life as she makes it a lot less boring.


Josie the goat:

Josie is a one-and-a-half-year-old Pygmy/Nigerian Dwarf (mix) goat who absolutely loves running up and down her log pyramid everyday and chasing her best friend Wales! (Wales is a Nigerian Dwarf.) Josie loves to show off her chestnut/black coat to everyone whom she meets, begging for a little pet. Josie was born in the middle of August and has livened up wherever she goes since.
Her favorite past time is to go on walks with Wales and chase him around. She finds it hilarious to drag Haeleigh, her caretaker, around on the halter/leash line whenever they go for walks. She loves watching as Haeleigh tries to keep up but stumbles over fallen brush and uneven ground. Josie is agile and likes to kick her back legs around to “bust a move” when her and Wales play. Sometimes, though, Josie likes to get a little too mischievous and decides to take off through the woods, as she loves playing “tag.”
When asked what her favorite snack is, she chose pricker bushes because she loves the “crunchy texture and sweet after-taste.” She also said hay and corn would soon follow, as they are both very delicious. Sometimes an occasional apple satisfies her sweet tooth, but other times they’re a bit too sweet for her liking.
Josie also mentioned how much she loves laying out in the sun and “soaking up some rays,” which lightens up her coat and makes it shinier. She also loves a good brushing, as she doesn’t like the feeling of loose fur on her. Her favorite spot to be scratched is between her horns, since she can’t quite reach there herself. Cuddling up next to someone is another thing she absolutely adores. (And yes- a goat can cuddle!) She loves the closeness and the “security” of having someone right beside her. Another thing that Josie loves is the snow. She loves the gentle snowflakes as they drift from the sky and running around in big piles of snow that get shoveled into one spot.
Once thing Josie hates, however, is the dreadful hoof-clipping. If she had it her way, she would never clip her hooves, but she mentioned how she realizes they only make her endure the clipping because they care about her well-being. She constantly shares her disliking of hoof-clipping with Wales, who somewhat agrees with her. Josie also hates getting her picture taken, but sometimes complies when people really beg her to just stand still and not try to eat their phone.
Josie mentioned how happy she is on her little ranch and wouldn’t have it any other way. She loves the early morning wake-ups to the rooster crowing, the delightful walks, many hugs and pets, and the strong bond that she has with Wales. She’s looking forward to enjoying every day cuddled up next to the ones she loves most. (And occasionally giving them a few love-headbutts).


The Hunger Games novels vs. movies:

In the beloved “Hunger Games” series, there is some disagreement on the adaptation of the novels to movies, but for the most part, there was a widespread appreciation of the transformation from book to movie.
There will never be a perfect book-to-movie adaptation, but I personally felt that they did a wonderful job connecting the essence of the spirit in the books to the movies. They kept the energy high and I really liked how similar the movies truly were to the books because as for series, this is one of the closest to the novel sets that I have personally seen.
I would give the books an 4.37/5 rating and the movies a solid 2.75/5 rating. As for adaptation, I would give them a 4.5/5. For character development in comparison to the books, I would give the movies a 3.25/5.  For imagery, I would give it an 4.37/5. I would highly suggest the books and movies in this series.


The runaway weenie:

Once upon a time there was a weenie that was always getting in trouble and the owners were getting tired of it. They were always chasing the dog around and yelling at him. One day the weenie decided he was done living with this family because they weren’t treating him right.
The weenie’s owner left the door open one day when they were bringing in groceries and he made a run for it. He kept running and never looked back. He heard his owners screaming, but he knew he would be depressed if he listen to them. They chased him with their car trying to get him, but he was too fast for them. He hid in the bushes until he knew it was clear.
The weenie started to get hungry and wander around looking for food and water. He went days without food, trying to eat anything he could find. Then this little girl saw him and started calling him. He was very scared at first and then warmed up to her. She took him home and the parents fell in love with him so they took him to the pet store, spoiled him, and he lived a happy life after that.


Inclusion and equality in America:

It is 2021 and most people would believe that inclusion and equality in America would be easily shown and spread throughout the country; however, that couldn’t be farther from the truth in my opinion. As a young white, straight, female American citizen, I would never personally try to understand what any minority groups go through such as African Americans, Hispanics, any other racial/ethnic groups, the LGBTQ+ community, and so many more. Even though I am not a member of any of these groups, that doesn’t mean I cannot listen, love, appreciate, and respect each community as these people are human and live on this earth in the same country that I do. Representation and inclusion in America for these minorities are at an all-time low, and riots, protests, and even murders are at an all-time high.
How does the color of a person’s skin affect someone else who may or may not be of the same race or ethnicity of that person? It doesn’t, and it shouldn’t. As a person who is active on social media, who communicates with people in their community, does research, and even looks at different people’s perspectives, I still come to the same conclusion. There is a very little amount of inclusion and equality shown in our country as a whole when it comes to people who are not white. Living in a small town like Corry, PA, with a low population, we are not as aware of the acts of racism and issues around us unless we do our own research, reach out to people in other cities/states, or travel and educate ourselves. Recently there has been over a thousand African Americans who have been murdered just because they were in their own homes or doing everyday things. Jogging, sleeping in their own bed, going to the store, riding in the car with their loved ones, and so many other regular humane things that only they would be found suspicious for doing because of the color of their skin. How is this okay and what are we doing about it? As the United States of America, shouldn’t we all be included and accounted for while receiving the same equal rights no matter what race we are?
With this, not only do racial/ethnic minority groups get discriminated against, but the inclusion and equality involving the LBGTQ+ community is also severely lacking. Today, most people define a “normal relationship” as only it being made up of a man and woman, but who says what is “normal” and what isn’t? Who has the right to say who you can and cannot love? Even though I myself am not apart of the LGBTQ+ community, I am aware, respectful, considerate, proud, and also sympathetic towards the community and all its members within. In my opinion, as long as the person of any gender is happy and in a healthy relationship, (whether it is with themselves or others,) I am happy and supportive towards them.
All of these minority groups have received and seen hate and destruction but are still brave, proud, and stand up for who they are and what they believe in. As American citizens they too respect our country even if they have been given the worst treatment. Society today seems to define being a different race/ethnicity other than white and/or being a member of the LGBTQ+ community as “different” or “weird.” But personally I believe they are the ones who are afraid of change and afraid of an increase in any amount of positivity toward these groups. Times have passed and people have grown. We are one United States of America, one human race, and one Earth together.


The benefits of whole milk:

Going through the grocery store, I see different types of milk all the time: whole, reduced-fat, low fat, and skim milk, just to name a few. These are generally the primary types of milk that are available from milk companies. Now more recently it is becoming known that people are lactose  intolerant, meaning that they can not have dairy-based products. Non-dairy based milk products can include soy, almond, and coconut.
It is a choice to people whether they choose to drink milk or the alternatives that are offered. Some may decide to not drink milk because they believe that milk, especially whole milk, is not healthy for consumption. This is mostly because of the high percentage of milk fat that is present in the product. However, the milk fat contains many vital nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. For example, Vitamin D in milk is only present in the fat, so choosing to drink low fat milk does not offer the nutrients that are important to one’s health.
Some may consider whole milk to be unhealthy due to the high amount of saturated fat that is present. This is due to the reason that saturated fat can have connections to heart diseases and even high cholesterol levels. However, in studies performed there is no evidence to prove that this is true. After all, drinking whole milk is the best type for an individual to consume. Without it, they will lack nutrients that are important for the body to stay healthy.


The 46th Presidential Inauguration:

The 46th Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2021, outside the National Mall was the swearing in of President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and Vice President Kamala Harris. The beginning of this presidency will be mostly groundwork and implementation of processes in hopes to control the coronavirus. The theme of Biden’s speech was about hope and coming together despite our differences throughout the country. 

“
We answer the call of history.”
— President Joe Biden, Inauguration Speech, January 20, 2021



This presidency also is the mark of the first female in a presidential position. Kamala Harris, the 46th vice president of the United States, will be taking office in this term as the first female vice president of the United States and is also the first black American and person of South Asian descent to be elected vice president. Other firsts in this presidency are that: Joe Biden is the oldest president to ever take office, an all female communications team, Jill Biden will be the first first lady to get to keep her job, Doug Emhoff will be the first man in the position of ‘second gentleman.’ 
“You can’t tell me change hasn’t happened.” Joe Biden, Inauguration Speech, January 20, 2021


Why you should wait to buy a phone for your kid:

Did you see those kids playing outside the other day? Oh yeah, me neither.  I have lately noticed more children on electronics these days.  I feel that parents should refrain from buying children phones and tablets until they are at least  in the double digits.  
I have seen children as young as the age of two on YouTube and browsing other websites. They are destined to stumble upon content that is inappropriate for their age. I know many people my age that have been desensitized to violence. I feel that exposure to violence will create a more violent youth.  
I know when I was younger I would meet up with friends around my neighborhood and have hours of fun outside without electronics.  I have noticed that the children in my area now meet up to sit on their couch and play on their phones and tablets. This is a problem for not only teenagers but also the even younger population of GenZ.  These young people are missing out on exercise, sunlight, and developing social skills.


Lovable Leo (the black dog):

Leo the blue-eyed puppy dog loves to play all day and gets grumpy in the evenings. His favorite toy is his “baby” which is a large blue stuffed toy that anatomically makes no sense. Its arms and legs are all extra-long, it might be a blue sloth, but who knows. Though, nevertheless, he loves this toy with all his heart. When he sleeps his feet twitch and when he’s awake he thinks he is a lap dog. He may be five years old, but he has so much energy. He has trouble going on walks because he gets distracted by everything and wants to run in every direction. He loves his older brother Kramer and likes to mess with him. His favorite season is winter for the snow. His favorite time of day is when mom gets home. He hates the mailman. If Leo had one goal in life, it would be to sneak all of the treats and cuddles that he could.


Honorable Haylee:

Allow me to introduce Haylee Hinkle. In this interview, we discussed a variety of topics while still keeping it short and simple. Haylee is a senior at Corry High School, and she’s 17 years old.
With all of the chaos of the world, Covid-19 is definitely high up on the list of life changers. Seniors are taking a big hit this year, including Haylee. This was a good time to get insight on how Haylee is feeling. And like many others, she is feeling a bit disappointed. Haylee said, “I miss being able to go out and actually have fun.”
To lighten the mood, I asked Haylee if she has any pets, and she does! “I have a guinea pig named Axel.”
I also asked about any inspirations she may have, and she responded with, “Melanie Martinez definitely. Her music helped me through a really dark time in my life. She’s helped me feel better and her music said what I physically couldn’t.”
And because she’s a senior, of course followed the big question: “What are your plans for after high school?” There was absolutely no hesitation before her answer. “I want to be a nail tech and own my own nail salon.”
Haylee seems very determined and confident in what she wants for her future, and that’s truly admirable. With Haylee’s determination, I’m sure she will be very successful.


Zoey the Great Dane:

Zoey Burger is a four-year-old Great Dane. Her birthday is on December 4, and her favorite present she recieved was some peanut butter dog ice cream! Zoey spent her childhood in New Hampshire with a couple of other dogs that she grew up with. Unfortunately, Zoey did not like traveling in RVs, and her previous owners were selling their house and traveling, so they made the difficult decision to find her a new home. Although they were torn about having to re-home her, they also wanted what was best for her.
Zoey likes spending her days eating, going out for short walks, napping, barking at cats, and begging for attention. She loves it when people show her affection and cuddle with her. Acting like a lap dog is her specialty, but it’s usually just her head that makes it on your lap because she is so big. She also is satisfied with sitting next to you and holding your hand if she can not lay beside you.
Most recently Zoey has become a foster mother to my brother’s chocolate lab puppy named Chase. Both dogs are so excited to see each other when Chase comes to visit. They enjoy playing together for a few hours inside but become tired and need a nap. Although they get along well, sometimes they get on each other’s nerves. Zoey explained how she does not appreciate when she is chewing on her favorite bone and Chase decides to come near and steals it away from her. She sated, “It’s not hard to get it back because he is a puppy, but it’s the effort of getting up.”
The weekend is Zoey’s favorite time of the week because all of the family is home. Additionally, going to get Aubree off the bus is her favorite time during the school week because she had missed her all day, and she can’t wait to catch her up on all the latest happenings around the house. After all, Zoey can not wait for many new adventures that lie ahead for her in the future.


Overachievers: What drives them to work so hard?:

“You’re such a try-hard.”
So many students get called this every year, but it makes no sense. Why would you say something hurtful to someone who’s just trying to succeed? Instead of praising or congratulating others for their great work ethic, individuals can be belittled because of it. Throughout your high school (and school in general) career, there are always those select few who are labeled as “overachievers.” Perhaps you are the overachiever, maybe it’s your best friend, brother, sister, or just a fellow classmate. Whoever it is, I’m sure you’ve had the slight inclination to find out what drives them to do the absolute best on everything. Some reasons may shock you and leave you baffled, while others won’t surprise you at all.
Some students work so hard because they have this constant fear of failing. The fear of failing may drive a student to spend three hours studying and doing unnecessary work because they don’t want to fall behind. This in turn, can lead to them being labeled as an “overachiever.” For honor student Carter Slocum, failing just isn’t an option. He said, “…I do work harder in fear of failing…for a test. I have very bad anxiety for school and I will end up over-studying because I always feel like I’ll be unprepared.” In dread of a bad grade, some students will start to go over the top in preparation, trying to make sure they remember every…last…detail. Having a failing grade would not only hurt their GPA (grade point average) but it could even hurt their chances at getting into the school’s they have wanted–which would result in a lot of unhappiness.
Another reason why overachievers have their drive is because they have an intense desire to not only do their best but be the best. Trying to be the best isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s only bad if someone lets it control them. Trying to do the best/be the best is a prominent reason for overachievers to have the drive that they have. The sense of accomplishment and success is what drives overachievers to do the best they possibly can. When they achieve their goal, they then feel like they need to just keep going over the top in hard work to keep gaining the sense of accomplishment and praise from others.
Of course, some overachievers get to where they are because of their drive to get recognized for their good works. Everybody enjoys getting a pat on the back and a “good job” every now and then. However, some people let this need of attention drive them and be their only source of happiness. This can then turn into something negative very quickly because the overachiever is letting other people’s praise control them. What will they do when someone doesn’t congratulate them for once? Not getting the praise they have tried so hard for could push the student over the edge and cause them to instead become the opposite of an overachiever: an underachiever.
Lastly, some of the overachievers work as hard and tirelessly as they do because they only want to have the sense of being “good enough.” Too many kids/students are told they aren’t good enough by either other students, some teachers, parents, and even close friends. This longing to be “good enough” can then drive students to go above and beyond in everything they do, trying to prove to others around them that they can be good enough. Not only does this hurt the student physically, but mentally and socially as well. When repeatedly told that they aren’t going to measure up, this can cause them to be thrown into a fit of working without rest to not only finish something but have it perfectly done. This in turn can deplete their physical health by the lack of sleep, their mental health with being told they aren’t good enough, and social health– not wanting to see anybody in fear of being made fun of again. Being an overachiever to “measure up” is a very common problem. About 45.5% of students have said that they suffer with low self-esteem. This in turn is what drives them to try to “measure up” to others in the classroom. Taylor Moats, a freshman, also had something to say about her experiences with overachieving in an attempt to “measure up” to others. She stated, “When I know that I am one of the smarter kids in the class, I feel like I need to get my work done faster because I have to overachieve and be ‘the smart’ kid in the class.” This goes to show that even those who are the smarter of a class feel the constant pressure to overwork themselves in an attempt to really show how smart they are and to quickly/efficiently get things done. The pressure of overachieving isn’t just for those who are in the middle rang of GPAs. Overachieving can happen with anyone.
Instead of looking down at those who try so hard in school and are labeled as “try-hards,” congratulate them for putting so much effort into their schoolwork. Maybe even ask if they could share helpful study tips. Overall, just start a conversation with them, and let them know how great you think they are at a certain subject.
Now that you know why students try so hard during their studies, let’s all be more understanding of each other throughout our high school career. Being more understanding will help those who feel like they “aren’t enough” to suddenly feel good enough. There are so many more reasons why people who are overachievers work as hard as they do, so go to www.verywellmind.com to find out more reasons why they work so hard–maybe it will help you to be more understanding of them.  And for all you overachievers out there, you have studied enough, you aren’t going to fail that test, and most important of all, you are good enough.


Pleasant Potocki:

Andrew Potocki is a high school teacher here at CAHS. His birthday is April 17. He grew up in Spartansburg, PA. He graduated high school in Corry and attended Clarion University.
Some hobbies that Mr. Potocki enjoys are playing the guitar, playing hockey, and DJing weddings. He has one older sister. When he gets older he wants to be a retired teacher. Mr. Potocki got into the job because his parents were teachers at one time and because he enjoys working with young people.
If he could travel to any place he chose Scotland because he wants to see the old castles and visit where golf first generated. Mr. Potocki doesn’t have a favorite song because he likes too many, but his favorite colors are orange and purple, his favorite emotion is love, and his favorite movie is “Star Wars.”
Mr. Potocki’s plans for upcoming vacation days are to DJ weddings. His favorite quotation is “Be kind always.” He said one animal that represents his personality is a bald eagle. Mr. Potocki’s idea of a dream vacation is to go to Scotland and play golf.  His idea of a perfect date is tomorrow, so he knows that he can better himself for the next day ahead. His favorite class is IPS (intro to physical science) because it’s what he does. Mr. Potocki’s favorite food is tacos and he plays hockey. His biggest pet peeve is mean, selfish people.
A piece of advice that Mr. Potocki would give his readers is: “The most important thing in life is how you treat other people because it can turn back on you.”


The horrible depiction of teens in television:

Have you ever watched a movie or a TV show, and you can’t help but cringe at the way the teenagers act? If so, you are not alone. I, too, have been there, simply enjoying my favorite show, when all of a sudden a scene of teenagers comes on and I have to look away because of how awful it is.
Due to the fact that most writers of TV shows and movies are much older than the characters they write about, the teenage characters are portrayed in such dramatic and unrealistic ways. I honestly can’t name a single show that portrays teenagers accurately. The worst part is the way most high school bullies are written. It’s so obvious that most scriptwriters haven’t been in school for several years, because if people actually acted that way, they would be a laughing stock. It always starts with the antagonist laughing with a group of friends at the main character, or coming up with poorly executed “insults” and walking away with no repercussions. And don’t even get me started on the way the teachers interact with the students. I can’t believe we allow Hollywood to get away with this in 2021.
Can we please stop letting adults well into their thirties write the dialogue for teenage characters? It’s almost unbearable at this point.


Mr. Chud’s collections:

When interviewing Mr. Chud, he quickly described his love for collecting.  He started this hobby when a family friend gifted him with a cast iron pan.  Twenty years later he has eight different pans all with unique purposes.  He keeps them all on a rack in the garage.  Once a year he cleans them all with sea salt and a potato as cast iron requires.  
He seasons his pans with homemade lard, made from Coach Jaquith’s pigs.  He described the lengthy process of making lard at home, but it was gross.  I am not going into detail on how that is made.
He also mentioned that he has started collecting Radio Flyer wagons (old little red wagons).  He does not let his children play with the wagons even though they are kids’ toys.  He gets great deals at yard sales getting wagons worth up to two hundred dollars for ten dollars.


The Picture at the end of the hall:

There lies a picture at the end of the hall,
menacing and threatening over all.
Its eyes follow you in day to day walk,
they make you afraid to whisper; afraid to talk.
The sunken eyes of the photo reek death,
the little lies that speak and sit on the lips.
The painting haunts the daytime and night alike,
through all hope there it lays a spike.
So this is why I hate the middle school hall,
For the picture hung on end that is menacing and threatening over all.


More changes for middle-high school students:

High school students at Corry have been on a seemingly ever-changing schedule for how their education is delivered to them if they decide to attend in person. At the beginning of the academic year, school was able to stay open for in-person learning for the first nine weeks. Then at the beginning of November, the decision was made for high school students to start remote learning due to the rising number of positive cases within the district. It was considered at the beginning of December to start allowing students to attend in person. Unfortunately, after much consideration, the administration decided to hold off even longer.
Most recently, at the beginning of January, news was delivered that starting January 19, the district was planning to have high school students return to school on a hybrid schedule. This approach allows half of the students at a time to attend in-person learning while the others are at home on the days they are not scheduled to be on campus. As the week of January 19 came and went, students began attending school in person and things seemed to be going well, with the positive case numbers staying relatively low.
However, within the last seventy-two hours, plans have changed drastically. There was a steady increase of cases, and the school decided it was best that in-person learning for the high school was put off until Thursday January 28. On the evening of Tuesday, January 26, the school delivered the news that there was a substantial amount of positive cases, and there is an extended closure that will last until February 8. As of right now it is tentative that the school will re-open on February 9.
In the letter released to the community last evening, Superintendent Sheri Yetzer and Pandemic Coordinator Andrew Passenger stressed knowing the importance of students attending school for face-to-face instruction. However, “we cannot ignore the enormity of the situation pertaining to the increase of cases within our school community.”


Top ten favorite Valentine’s Day treats:

As 2021 seems to be going at full speed ahead, February is already about to begin and all of your local stores are having endless amounts of chocolates, flowers, and stuffed animals for sale in their holiday aisles. Whether you have a valentine or not, this Valentine’s Day, here is a list of my ten favorite treats that you can share with your friends and family (or eat all on your own, no shame here) to enjoy this season.
10. Heart Lollipops
9. Sweet Tarts
8. Gummy Bears
7. Brownies
6. Candy Message Hearts
5. Dove Chocolate Hearts
4. Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts
3. Hershey Kisses
2. Pulakos Assorted Chocolate Box
1.  Chocolate-Covered Strawberries


White Shadows (Part 4):

**Before you read this, make sure you have read Parts 1 2 and 3
I guess in a way Edward Kraft’s victims knew that Kraft  wasn’t from around here. It wasn’t just the accent in his voice that gave it away, but the suit he wore. No one in the small hick town would ever wear a suit as nice as what he wore.
Of course when you picture a vampire you picture of black tuxedo, white-collared shirt, and nice black freshly polished shoes. You would also expect them to wear a cape. That part was right. He did indeed have a cape. But it didn’t have a collar. Not those high pointed collars that little kids wear on Halloween night. 
Yes indeed, Kraft wore a suit. It was black, but it wasn’t a tuxedo, more of a mix between formal and casual. It was formal because it was neat. But it is also something you would see a regular man walking down the street wearing even though he wasn’t working. There was no tie in the collar on his white shirt. Apparently he didn’t want something stopping his victim’s blood flow through his throat. But also would allow his throat to expand fully when sucking the blood of the victims. 
His face was a caricature of a monster. That’s why Dillon and Jim both knew he was a creature instead of human. His cheekbones are highly defined and the sockets around his eyes are deep. His ears were pointed like a regular Dracula action figure, but only slightly. 
His cape wasn’t a nice silk soft. It was more ragged. It had tears in it. but they were sewn helter skelter. Another way you could tell he was a creature was that his nails were filed to points.  It would seem if you thought he was human that he shaved and filed his nails to points. But his nails grew naturally like that. The normal roundness of the pink nail body before it hits the white edge was just pointed, giving the entire nail tip an arrowhead look. 
He could decide to look like a normal man if he wanted to. Walking straight upright like everybody else. He mostly does that all the time. But the way he acts when nobody is watching is different from what his victims see. Underneath that suit he is thin and bony. Deep in the woods behind the high school is where he stayed, which is ironic because the woods leading up the hill behind the school led to the apartment complex in which Dillon Crawford lived. Somewhere between Dillon’s house and the high school was a cave embedded in the side of the hill.  In that hillside, deep in the cave, Kraft would take off his suit and the Beast Within would show. He would walk on all fours. He looked like a gorilla who went on a diet. And that diet was called starvation. His eyes glowed bright yellow. The color of yellow a kid would color in a bolt of lightning. And in that cave he kept some of his victims’ bodies, to keep them until later feeding in case he didn’t leave the cave. 
When looking in his mouth you’ll see that his two front teeth are normal but the next two out from that are slightly pointed. The next two out from that are his longer fangs. The sharp protrusions in which he punctures the skin and sucks every ounce of blood from his victims bodies.  But there are also special cases.
 As in the case of Jim, he was set to live on the streets for the rest of his life until the cancer took him. But Kraft saw an opportunity. Throughout his millions of years of living he had followers. In every town he took over, he had followers, or servants, as you’ve read. He targeted the people less noticed by society because if they were to go missing, nobody would bat an eye. He has done this for centuries. And he had slowly taken over little towns such as Ridgeview. And that is exactly what he planned to do. He would take a servant and that servant would create another, and so on, and so forth. 
Soon the towns would drop off the map and would be labeled as ghost towns and the surrounding areas. To the travelers, the town would be empty. The town would look almost apocalyptic. It didn’t look apocalyptic because of the fact it was empty. but it looked apocalyptic because in the last minutes of people’s lives they fought the creatures that attacked them.  There were crashed cars, shattered windows, buildings reduced to rubble, and some of the buildings completely burned to the ground.  But what most people don’t notice is the town wasn’t abandoned.
It was more lively than ever. It’s just its inhabitants were nocturnal.  The places look more lively at night than they do during the day. These travelers would just have to search around to see that. Look in the trunks of cars to find these creatures sleeping. Look in the basements or the crawl spaces underneath the houses to see them nestled up together. And where the vampires could find that would work as their shelter, they would sleep in. But there were some houses in this town that didn’t have these vicious beasts within their walls. These houses would be occupied by people who’d be able to protect themselves. In one place that would keep the survivors safe was the church.  The church was boarded shut. it seemed that the people who stayed there didn’t have faith in the church, so they had to board up the windows and doors.
But in the case of Jim Johnson, Kraft was wrong on that account of nobody noticing his disappearance. There was one person who would notice the disappearance of James “Jim” Johnson. That one person was John Thorn, investigator for the Ridgeview City Police Department.


The pros and cons of TikTok:

I’m sure we’ve all heard of TikTok, one of the many trending worldwide social media platforms. Some upsides of TikTok are fame and  making new friends.  When interacting on TikTok, the interaction with people your age is exciting and the possibilities of making new friends can be endless.  Some people have even become famous through TikTok,  such as Charlie Damelio, who has the most followers on the app.
While the upside of TikTok may be positive, there are some downsides to TikTok, such as opening the door to pedophiles, stalkers, and kidnappers.  Such individuals utilize such apps to locate and prey on young kids.  By creating false profiles and using them to lure in unsuspecting youth, a lot of children fall victim to such offenders.
Some ways that children and teens can be safe while using this app are to try wearing appropriate clothing, nothing too showy. Also, don’t put your address or phone number out there because that’s how people find out who you are and where you live and most of your personal information. So, with that being said, there are upsides and downsides to any app you use.


Top ten Valentine’s Day gifts:

Ah, the season of love, the season of romance, the season of spoiling your significant other. As most people know, the special holiday it… Valentines Day! Here are a few ideas of things you can get your significant other for this special day.
10. Clothes
9. Perfume
8. Jewelry
7. Cards
6. Flowers
5. Chocolate
4. Spa days
3. Money
2. Vacation
1. Proposal


New president making moves:

Today marks the ninth day of Joe Biden’s presidency. Within the first day of being in office, Biden signed fifteen executive actions, including a mask mandate on all federal properties and the removal of Trump’s controversial travel ban. Yesterday Biden signed Executive action involving the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. The Biden administration discusses plans to reopen schools safely, and Biden is reported to reopen enrollment on the federal Affordable Care Act exchanges today.
On the official White House website, the president’s policies are listed. In Biden’s plan to tackle the climate crisis, Section 102 (a) states that the president will host an early Leaders’ Climate Summit, taking aim at raising climate ambition. In other news, on Monday the House delivered articles of impeachment to the Senate for a second time. Donald Trump was impeached by the House, making him the first president to be impeached twice. The next impeachment trial is set for February 9, and if convicted, Trump will not be able to run for president again.
The Biden administration orders 200 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, 100 being the Moderna vaccine and the other 100 being the Pfizer vaccine. The U.S. is reporting 166,384 new cases, and at least 3,349 deaths are virus-related. There are more than 100.7 million global cases, and at least 2.16 million global deaths. According to a survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, 51% of Americans who have not been vaccinated yet plan to be vaccinated once it is available. During a press conference, President Biden said that he believes that anyone who wants the vaccine should have access to it by spring.


Top ten breakfast foods:

Mostly everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and health experts say individuals should never skip eating breakfast. Though this information is true, the reality of it is that people state that they do not have enough time to eat in the mornings. However, there are some breakfast foods that you can take on the go with you while on your commute to work, school, or any place you  travel to in the morning. Below, I have created a list of breakfast foods that you can eat on the go or at home.
10. Egg sandwich
9. Muffins
8. Yogurt
7. Banana/Zucchini bread
6. Breakfast burrito
5.  Biscuits and Gravy
4. Cinnamon Roll
3. Baked Oatmeal
2. Waffles
1. French Toast


Top ten Valentine’s Day cookie cutters:

Valentine’s Day is the day that all of the couple’s get each other cute heart candies, teddy bears, sappy notes, and tons of other cheesy gifts to express their admiration. Some people even choose to make homemade cookies for Valentine’s Day with many different cookie cutters. Below I have listed the worst cookie cutters to the best cookie cutters!
10. Kissy face – This is the worst Valentine’s Day cookie cutter because I personally don’t think I would want to eat a cookie with that cutout. Also, trying to get the right frosting shades and making it look good with that cutout would just be an annoyance and a waste of time.
9. Cupid – As cute as cupid may be, this isn’t the ideal cookie cutter to be making dozens of cookies with. A little too much cookie batter and Cupid suddenly becomes a big blob with a splash of color on it.
8. Circle cookie cutter- Sometimes people try to bypass the system by just using circle cookie cutters for this day. Just using a circle cookie cutter is basically cheating…where’s the creativity?
7. Arrow – I don’t think these cookie cutter would be a great way to shape your desired cookies because I personally wouldn’t want to recieve a box of cookies that are just a bunch of arrows pointing towards me. Some people might get the wrong impression.
6. Heart with “be mine” stamped into it – This cookie cutter is a quick way to portray this traditional phrase to your Valentine. The cookie cutter is easy to use, holds a cute saying, and isn’t overly complex.
5. The rose – This cutout is definitely a cute one that is not just a cute Valentine’s Day cookie cutter but can be used any time of the year.
4. Envelope with hearts coming out of it – This cookie cutter is a quick way to imprint a cookie and show how much love you’re sending that special someone.
3. Teddy Bear with a heart – Teddy Bear cookie cutters with hearts is an absolutely adorable way to make your cookies because the Teddy Bears are an enchanting little cookie to receive.
2. XOXO – This is also a cute way to express your appreciation/admiration for someone. These cookie cutters are simple yet speak a thousand words.
1. Simple heart- This is the best cookie cutter because not only is it simple, but it is also cute. This cookie cutter gets the point across that you love that someone without being overly extravagant. Besides, what girl wouldn’t want to be handed a box of heart cookies on Valentine’s Day?
Hopefully you enjoyed my list of top ten Valentine’s Day cookie cutters! What’s your favorite cookie cutter for this lovely day?


Are movie remakes necessary? That depends on the original:

Should there ever be movie remakes?
Depends on who you ask. Personally, I think it depends on what’s being made versus the original. I say yes if the original movie was horrible. Like is someone goes and buys the ticket to a new remake of one of their favorite movies. You may be against it at first because you feel the original can’t be out-done. And in some cases you go and see the new one and feels like you have wasted your time. In the other case, you go watch the new movie and it was amazing. It did not so much ruin or try to outdo the original, but brought the same story to a new view. But I would say no if they try to outdo a classic. There have been several of my favorite movies that have been remade. Some have failed. And some have been done well.
For example, “Child’s Play” (2019). It was horrible. There was no need to remake Chucky. The new movie is more of a reboot. A reboot is taking a story and remaking it for a new generation of audiences. In this case, the movie was set in 2019 instead of the 1980s. In this version, Chucky is the new Alexa, in my opinion. All you have to do is give Alexa a body. Yes, the new Chucky is a robot, and this movie basically shows a different version of a robot apocalyptic story. Basically, Chucky’s safety protocols get deactivated and he goes haywire.
Another one is “Pet Sematary” (2019). This is a movie that I was actually excited to see. I have seen the old one and it was almost exactly like the book. I guess that is because Stephen King helped with the screenplay. But the new one was bad. About halfway through the movie is when things started to go wrong because they switched characters’ roles. They changed events, and they even ruined the ending by making these changes. And to be honest, if they wouldn’t have changed the events and the ending, I wouldn’t have minded the character change. So for horror fans, if you have seen the old “Pet Sematary”(1989) or read the book… prepare to be disappointed.
Another remake I was disappointed in was “A Nightmare On Elm Street.” Yes, in case you didn’t know, they did a remake on the horror classic, which people love to this day. But from what I heard from other horror fans who have watched all of the old movies is that “A Nightmare On Elm Street” movies got ridiculous after the first film. They believe it should have been left at only the first film. And then they made the new movie in 2010. Of course the special effects were better, but you shouldn’t remake classic villain characters such as Freddy Kruger.
And what is up with all of the Disney live action remakes? Some are brand new but there have been Disney live action remakes going all the way back to 1996, maybe even sooner. “One-hundred and One Dalmatians”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Dumbo”, “Lady and the Tramp”, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”, “Tarzan”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Peter Pan”, “Aladdin”, “The Lion King”, “The Jungle Book”, “Cinderella”, “Mulan”, and “Hercules.” And there are probably more. Some of these have been successful. They show us Disney in a whole different view. They have done well on some of these movies. Some of them I have seen, some I have yet to see, and some I don’t want to see. I liked “Aladdin.” When I saw Will Smith as the Genie, I thought the movie was going to be a failure because no one can out play Robin Williams. But I don’t think Will Smith was trying to one-up Williams. I think he was looking at his predecessor for inspiration, kind of like a role model. But one movie I do not want to see is “Mulan.”  Sure it was a great movie, but I don’t know if a live-action take was absolutely necessary.
So yeah, if you ask me what do I think about a movie remake, it depends on the original movie. There are movies that need remakes, and there are some movies that I think should be left alone. But overall I like seeing the movies made from a different angle as long as they do not mess with the story.


The tree that tells a thousand tales:

On my trunk I hold a thousand hearts
Each tells a story that many take part
No- I wouldn’t choose to depart
Of these beautifully crafted stories of many sweethearts
 
I tell the tale
 
They come to me because of my size
I reach up, up to the skies
I am their way to memorialize
The love they so greatly share
 
I tell the tale
 
I am the bridge
And I am the ridge
To untold heights of love
And sweet memories from above
 
I tell the tale
 
They carve on my elm wood
But I don’t mind–who could?
 
I tell the tale
 
Some come back year after year
Others come alone and leave with a tear
They come back to me to relive their greatest cheer
 
I tell the tale
 
I will tell you again why I am here-
I tell the account of the many past, present, and to come
To show that true love does exist
If you don’t resist
 
I tell the tale
—
Happy Valentine’s Day!


A never-ending 2020 (part 2):

**This is a continuation of my previous story “A never-ending 2020,” click the link to read part one now before continuing on to part two!
About a month and a half had gone by and nothing had changed. Sometimes I couldn’t even remember what day it was (as if I was in 2021). All the clocks, calendars, billboards, and even my phone still read “December 31, 2020.” The creepy voice hadn’t returned, but every day I had the same weird feeling that it was going to come back at any moment. Every day I woke up in my house, tired and lonely, walked to the convenience store down the street to grab something to eat, and took a walk around the neighborhood to see if anyone else was here with me. Nobody. How could there not be at least one other person in this town who was as angry at 2020 as I was?
One morning as I was in the grocery store, I noticed the Valentine’s Day chocolates, flowers, and stuffed animals everywhere. Why did stores always put holiday stuff out so early? For a split second I began thinking of what I could get my family for Valentine’s Day, but then I realized…that wasn’t possible. One of the main reasons getting out of 2020 was so important to me was because 2021 happened to be my last year of high school. No more holidays already at home; no more quality time with friends; no more weekend family gatherings; everything would be different. As I grabbed one of everything for myself and painted the sad pictures of the future in my head, I walked back home with tears in my eyes.
“I’m never going to get out of here! I am all alone and this is the worst Valentine’s Day ever!” I said screaming at the top of my lungs.
All of a sudden as I was stopped on the sidewalk, a tall, dark-haired teenage boy about my age was running around and knocking on front doors. As he swung his head around he looked right at me.
“Hello? Who are you? Are you real or are you the mysterious voice?!” he said with fear in his eyes.
“My name is Olivia. I promise I am not the voice. I have been hearing it too. But wait…who are YOU?!”
“I am not the voice either, I swear! My name is Charlie, are you all alone, too?”
As he started nearing closer I could tell he was speaking the truth, and that he was truly all alone just like me.
“Yes…yes I am,” I said shyly.
“You hated 2020 as much as I did, huh?” he said with a chuckle.
“Yeah it was the worst,” I said with a laugh.
“Well at least we have each other now. Come on, let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“To have some fun!”
He took my hand and we started running down the middle of the street. Even though I didn’t know him, I felt like I could trust him, and I knew that we were going to be great friends (that might just be because we are literally the only two people in the world right now, but that’s okay.)
Days went by and we spent every second together. We “bought” each other Valentine’s Day gifts, watched an endless amount of romantic movies, ate lots of popcorn and chocolate, went to all the amusement parks and restaurants, and even played board games. Charlie and I became true friends and honestly, now I didn’t know if I wanted to go to 2021.
“Olivia, spending time with you and playing games has been the best time ever, but I need to tell you something,” he said nervously.
“Sure, of course Charlie, you can tell me anything. What is it?”
“I’m not going to be here for much…”
A bright light interrupted his phrase and as it hovered over top of his head, all of a sudden…he was gone.
To be continued…


White Shadows (Part 5):

**Before you read this, make sure you have read Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4
Monday 7:38 pm
There were many places all over Ridgeview where you could get something to eat. Not all of the places had food that tastes good. There was a plaza where there were restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, a KFC, and even a breakfast place for people passing through who needed a nice warm fluffy stack of pancakes. There were three main pizza joints: Pizza Hut, Little Caesar’s and Domino’s. And other restaurants scattered across town. Some are family-owned businesses. 
Jessica Johnson, known as Jess to her co-workers and to what little amount of friends she had, worked as a waitress at Mel’s, the breakfast place in the town plaza. She has worked there for over a year now and was at least happy to have a job. She was born in 1995 and was 22 years old. She lived in an apartment complex on Center Street. It wasn’t anything magnificent but it was enough to get her by. It had a decent size bedroom and living area with a kitchen attachment but had a tiny bathroom. If anything it was better than living in her mother’s trashed trailer. 
Jess grew up with her mother and had never met her father. I bet if you put Jess Johnson and Jim Johnson in the same room together there would be a remarkable resemblance, but Jess’s mom barely said much about her dad. All Jess knew was he was some guy from the power company that left her mother when he found out she was pregnant. 
But Jessica had always found a way to keep moving on. She found herself wanting to get out and find herself a job and a temporary home. She didn’t like Ridgeveiw. It was a small town and you barely had anything to do. There were about five churches in town and it also had about the same amount of bars. Ever since she moved out of her mom’s trailer two years ago, she had a daily routine that never changed. She would get up in the morning and eat breakfast and read or watch TV until lunch. After lunch she would go on a walk around town. It wasn’t so much an exercise as it was to keep her busy. Plus, it’s nice to get out and get some fresh air every day. The town didn’t have much to look at, but it wasn’t a horrible town either. The park was nice and she’d often go through it on these walks.  She would leave her apartment building and go  down Center Street. She’d pass through Central Park and keep on going until she got to the Rite-Aid farther down to pass up the hill on the opposite side of the Rite-Aid and go up to the baseball field that connected to the park. She would always take the back trails because it always seemed that the front of the park was busy.
And that’s what she was doing when she noticed something a little strange but not completely out of the ordinary. She just missed it like she does with other little things. There was a man who often stayed in the park and he was homeless. He usually stayed in one of the pavilions on these back trails. And as she was passing she saw his stuff put in a neat little pile next to the pavilion. This man was nowhere to be seen.  She never said hi to him or anything, but she’d at least see him at the corner of her eye. The reason she dismissed  him not being there is because this hasn’t been the first time he wasn’t there during her walk. 
After her walks she would go back home and get ready for work. She had the night shift and she liked it. It was always slow and it was easier than working the lunch hour. Tonight she was taking an order when she noticed a man sitting in a booth that just came in a few minutes before. She walked over to the corner and asked if he was ready to order.  The man had black hair and it was combed back neatly. He was dressed in a blue t-shirt and jeans. And he was wearing a hoodie, so she guessed it was awfully cold that night. He had a nice pair of sneakers on. And I guess it was him being clean is why she didn’t notice him. Although like I said earlier, if she really thought about it she would see resemblances between them.  
Jim Johnson was sitting there smiling at her. I guess he saw the resemblance. 
***
8:03 pm
Jessica took off her work cap, grabbed her coat and purse and was heading for the front door when she heard a noise coming from outside. There were a couple shouts in the scream. She hesitated to open the door and walked out into the night. 
She walked on the sidewalk to the parking lot. When she was turning the corner of the building if she saw him. It was Jim Johnson. Of course she didn’t know his name because he didn’t feel the need to introduce himself. But she remembered his clothes with what little light from the moon she had. He was squatting down next to a man laying on the ground and he was bent over his face to where she couldn’t see it. Nor could she see Jim’s face because his back was to her. 
She started to walk slowly toward them.
“Hey, is he okay?” she asked.
 Jim froze and he looked up. He rotated around on his feet and was glaring up at her. She could see the upper half of his face from the nose up; the rest was covered by shadow cast by the lights in the parking lot.
“Oh, he’ll be okay…   how you doin, lil’ sis?” he said slightly looking up. His mouth was still hidden. But from the rise of his cheeks she realized he was smiling.
“What did you just call me?” She looked down at him confused. She had no idea why but she had a feeling  you should get out of there as fast as possible. 
“Come on…  you ain’t goin’ to tell me you didn’t see the resemblance…” 
“Wha… what are you talking about?” She was slowly backing up. 
“I’ve seen you before running around the park. You may not realize now because when you saw me all those times I wasn’t exactly dressed properly, let alone clean. I met a man recently and he helped me.  I have clothes, a bed,  and all I want to eat.” he laughed a little. “My name is Jim. Jim Johnson. Your name is Jessica. I guess we can quit being strangers now. Cuz we’re about to start the long-term brother and sister relationship. Because it’s just us now. Our dad died a long time ago. and as far as you’re concerned, you wouldn’t care if your mom was dead. She acts as if she is anyway.” 
He looked up, this time revealing his entire face, his mouth blood-streaked. He stood up revealing the man on the ground. The man’s eyes were glazed, his head slightly tilted to the side, his neck covered with blood.
 Jim pounced on his little sister. Her mouth and throat was to dry to scream. 
***
When Jess’s boss showed up to the building the next day she found the man (later identified as Robert “Bobby” Troyer) dead on the ground.  She screamed.


Top ten cheesy pick-up lines:

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, which means love is in the air. It’s a day to celebrate love, whether that be hanging out with a loved one/close friend, or if you’re like me, treating yourself to a delicious bowl of ice cream and another Netflix binge. And you can’t forget the best part, aside from the deals on candy: pick up lines! Here’s a cheesy-but-cute list of pick-up lines to make those around you smile.
10. I want someone to look at me the way I look at chocolate cake.
9. If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.
8. If you were a taser, you’d be set to “stun.”
7. Did the sun come out, or did you just smile at me?
6. There’s side view, rear view, and you know what else? I love-view.
5. Have you been to the doctor’s lately? ‘Cause I think you’re lacking some vitamin me.
4. Do you like “Star Wars”? Because Yoda only one for me!
3. I’m sorry, were you talking to me? No? Would you like to?
2. You spend so much time in my mind, I should charge you rent.
1. If you were a new burger at McDonald’s, you’d be a McGorgeous.


Jerold on a trip:

Jerold the fish swam to school on Monday morning like all other days of the school week. However, today he was very excited because his entire school was going on a field trip to explore the sea outside of their community. It has been the first time that he has been on a field trip in two years, so today is extra special for him. In Kindergarten Jerold’s school went to the bottom of the sea floor to visit the coral reefs, and he absolutely loved it because it was so fascinating to see all the different colors and shapes of each reef. Unfortunately, Jerold had to miss his first grade field trip because his family was on vacation, and in second grade he missed going to the zoo because he had the flu.
Jerold was only a block from school or so, and he realized that he made a terrible mistake: He forgot his lunch at home! At first he did not know what to do, he started spinning in circles, and yelling at the top of his lungs. He did this for almost ten minutes, then out of nowhere Jerold saw a weird-shaped object that he had never seen before. So that made him even more freaked out, and he started spinning in circles even faster. Then he came to a screeching halt– he felt something around him. He looked up and saw a puffer fish was holding him, and he screamed. After a few minutes the puffer fish was able to calm him down and was able to get him to tell her what was going on. Jerold was out of breath trying to tell her that he forgot his lunch and his field trip was today, he was going to be late, and the list went on.
Eventually the puffer fish came up with an idea. She would give Jerold a ride to school and then fish for some food for him so he would have a lunch to take. Jerold agreed with the idea, but he said they had to act quickly because the school was leaving in thirty minutes with or without him. Jerold got onto the puffer fish’s fin and they were off to school, and they made it just in time. Then he had to beg the teachers to hold off for a few minutes while his friend retrieved his lunch. Luckily they agreed, and he received a lunch just like the puffer fish had promised.
This time, Jerold was able to attend the field trip and absolutely loved being able to explore the sea outside of their community. If it wasn’t for the kind fish out there in the sea to lend a helping hand to Jerold, he would have missed his field trip three years in a row.


Choosing college through COVID-19:

A few years ago, if someone were to tell me that for part of my junior year, and most of my senior year, that I would not be in school or doing things normally due to a global pandemic… I would have said that they were crazy. However, that’s exactly what is happening today.
With cases locally sky rocketing, and all of us doing virtual learning for the time being at Corry High, this makes the whole class of 2021 worry and question, “What will our future endeavors consist of in a world like this, and how do we move forward?” Well, from my recent personal experience, I can say that COVID-19 has not and will not stop me from graduating, stepping out of my comfort zone, making new friends, getting good grades, staying involved, and especially going to college.
Since it is already February and graduation is nearing closer and closer, final college applications have been due and it is time to plan for my future. A couple months ago I applied for a college near New York City. At the time, I didn’t even think about what it was like and how I was going to feel on campus, let alone how my family and I were going to afford it. But, with my strong passion for writing and music, I knew just by the descriptions of their curriculum, internships, clubs and organizations, and currently enrolled students that I had to apply. In December, I finally received an acceptance letter and I was so excited! From then on, my family and I knew we had to narrow down some colleges and go visit this one specifically (while taking the right precautions).
About a week ago, my mom, cousin, and one of my friends and I took a road trip to go see Hofstra University in New York! With COVID-19 we knew we still had to take all of the right safety precautions, such as: quarantining before and after, filling out a health screening, and wearing our masks everywhere we went. The day we arrived we stayed in a nice hotel, got some dinner, and the next morning we made our way to Hofstra. The moment I stepped into the admissions office, met a few tour guides, and began to walk around all of campus, I knew this was the right college for me. One of my favorite parts of the whole tour was getting to see their school of communication. Not only do they have their own radio station, but they have a huge broadcasting studio, and up to seven theaters total. After about an hour the tour was complete and I knew that attending Hofstra would give me any and all opportunities to strive in my interests of broadcast journalism and musical theater. With this, I can honestly say that I am beyond ecstatic and proud to be an officially enrolled student at Hofstra University!


An unfortunate journey through time:

The year was 2045, and it had been nearly six months since one of the greatest inventions known to man was unveiled.  And on that bright Monday morning, history was to be made. This was the first time humans would have full access to time travel, and I was one of 300 volunteers to experience it.
I arrived at the unmarked location at 3 pm sharp, exactly as I was told. The sun beating down on me as I approached the building. I walked in and was greeted by a group of nearly 30 men in suits. They quickly led me to a machine that looked like nothing I had seen before.  I was greeted by a bright light and an overwhelming feeling of warmth. The men instructed me to close my eyes and take three deep breaths. On the third breath, I felt a force push down on me. About three seconds passed, and I felt the force lift from my body. I opened my eyes and looked around me. Everything felt so oddly familiar.
I looked up at the harsh white lights hanging from the ceiling, and I could hear chatter in the background. That’s when I looked around and realized I was in the middle of a grocery store. My eyes wandered the shelves, looking for anything unusual. I was quickly caught off guard by the bare shelves, specifically the lack of toilet paper. I looked around as people in masks walked up and down the aisles.
I gasped.
“No, this can’t be….” I thought to myself.
I quickly pulled out the phone conveniently placed in my pocket to check what year it was. It was exactly what I feared… It was the year 2020.


Dismaying Delaware trip (part 2):

Before reading about part two of my dismaying Delaware trip, if you haven’t already, go check out part one! For those of you who read part one and wondered if a part two would be coming out–here it is!
—
Another beautiful sunrise at Bethany Beach, Delaware arose as my family and I woke up to prepare for yet another adventurous day. The sky was a breathtaking array of yellows, oranges, pinks, and blues, all blended together to create a work of art. We all quickly ate a bowl of cereal and got ready to head to the beach. Once we were finally loaded into the car, we set out in search of a less populated beach. (Every beach we went to seemed to have hundreds of people all crowded together.) We eventually found a beach that was desolate of people, except for a few fishermen on the shore. We got out, and headed for the waves.
We walked up and down the beach, looking up at the sky and watched it go from pretty blue skies to clouded up grey skies. “Look’s like it’s gonna rain,” my dad commented. I nodded in agreement. Soon, the light breeze that rolled off the oceans in wisps turned to more violent gusts that batted our hair in many different directions.
Suddenly, to the right of where we were walking, the fishermen started hustling and bustling around with a fishing line pulled tight. “I wonder what they caught,” my little brother commented, speaking for what each of us thought. Out of the water came a three foot baby shark!
“Woah!” we all exclaimed.
The fishermen quickly waved us over, eager to show off their catch. We looked at our parents, hoping they’d let us run over and see the shark. “Go ahead,” my mom said with a laugh. We jogged over to look at the shark, and the fishermen then instructed us how to pet the shark. My sister eagerly pet it first, then my brothers, and lastly, I did. Its rough skin was foreign on my fingers, and I didn’t exactly enjoy the feeling. Nonetheless, it was still extremely cool. Sooner than we expected, the fishermen gently let the shark back into the ocean, where it hurriedly escaped into the deep. We waved goodbye to the fishermen and continued on our way.
We kept watching the sky, hoping the rain would hold off, and kept close to the truck just in case. To our dismay, the rain had other plans and quickly started to fall. We watched as the fishermen packed up their supplies in a flash and sprinted off the beach. We all looked at each other, and we too sprinted for the truck. As we ran, the wind started whipping, sending sand flying off of our faces. (It was not a pleasant feeling.) I felt almost like I was in a dream where my running was in slow motion. I stumbled over sand, twigs, and shells that had washed ashore.
As I ran, I looked ahead and could see a wall of rain racing towards us as we sprinted for the truck. It was like a head-on collision–at one point, we were running with the wind in our faces, and the next we were fighting against rain, wind, and sand. The rain fell harder and harder until it was just pouring down. When we finally reached the truck we all hopped inside, soaking wet, red faces from being pelted with sand, and ready to go back to the condo. We got on the highway and drove into town. However, as we drove closer and closer to town we saw that it looked like most of the population in the town was leaving. My dad quickly made a few jokes about a hurricane evacuation, in which my littlest brother did not appreciate. He instead replied with, “It’s not a hurricane, it’s a tornado. I’m telling you it is.” Thinking no further than it being a mere joke, we continued into town.
Once we got back, the rain had ebbed a bit and we decided it would be a good time to check out the little shops. We went through shop after shop, buying a few things, and smiling at the other customers who thought shopping on a dreary day would be a good idea as well. The designs of the different shops were entrancing– each had its own theme and personal touch to make it unique. Eventually we came across a sweatshirt store and we all got sweatshirts since our clothes were sopping wet from the rain. The last shop we went into was a candy shop where we all got some goodies because the ice cream shops had closed. We ran for the truck as the rain continued to fall and found ourselves running through knee-high water. All of the people who were driving cars were practically sitting in water. The whole town was flooded! We lost flip flops as we sloshed through the water, almost lost some bags, all the while continuing to get poured on. We got into the truck and decided we had had enough.
After a long and extremely emotionally-draining day, we made it back to the condo. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as we got inside because we knew that the rain, sand, and flood couldn’t get to us. Changed into the warmest clothes we had brought, we all settled down onto couches in the living room and watched as my dad pulled out his phone. He saw that my grandma had called and quickly went to call her back. With the phone just loud enough so we could hear, we heard my grandma exclaim, “Are you guys okay?!”
My dad waited a second before responding, “Umm, yes. Why?”
“I just happened to be clicking through the news and I saw that there was a violent tornado in a Delaware town. So I looked at it, and it was just outside the town you’re staying at.” Us kids looked at each other, dumbfounded. (My grandma was also still in PA so it was really weird how she had known what was happening in Delaware.)
“I told you it was a tornado,” my six-year old brother said with an annoyed look.
After assuring my grandma twenty times that nothing had gone wrong, my dad hung up. He came back into the living room–we all sat in silence, absorbing what had just happened. Suddenly, we all started laughing, not believing the incredulous events that had just happened. Nothing like a good old tornado a few miles from the beach we were at to liven up a vacation.
The day ended  as quickly as it had started, and we all crawled into our beds, utterly exhausted from yet another day in Delaware.
—
Again during that vacation I learned the importance of being able to enjoy rather unfortunate experiences. To this day, we bring up our vacation to Delaware and laugh about it. Although none of us had wanted our vacation to be full of random and uncalled for events, I think it helped to make the vacation all the more extraordinary.


Top ten most dramatic love songs:

It’s that time of year again: when you wait for all the chocolate boxes to go on sale. All humor aside, there are so many love songs going around all the time but especially now around Valentine’s Day. Many are sentimental and can be sweet with just a bit of love written into them, though sometimes you hear a love song so over the top, so dramatic, and just… well too much in many ways. They can be good songs and often very popular, but even if they’re good, they’re still very extra. So here are ten of the most dramatic love songs, whether it’s for the instrumentals, the words, how they say it– no matter– they are all very dramatic in some way or another. They often are overdone and make you groan when they come on when you’re just in the supermarket to grab milk, bread, and nothing else. Without further ado:
10.) “You’ll Be In My Heart,” Phil Collins
9.) “I Won’t Say (I’m In Love),” From Hercules
8.) “You’re The One That I Want,” From Grease
7.) “Time After Time,” Cyndi Lauper
6.) “You’re the Inspiration,” Chicago
5.) “Alone,” Heart
4.) “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life,” Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
3.) “I Want It That Way,” the Backstreet Boys
2.) “Hallelujah,” Jeff Buckley
1.) “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston


Top ten most dramatic breakup songs:

Previously, I had written a top ten on the most dramatic love songs, but for all those lovey-dovey songs that are sweeping around this time of year, there are also just as many, if not more, dramatic breakup songs and songs just about being alone. So, here are the most dramatic breakup songs/songs about being all alone to fill up the other 364 days of the year.
10.) “With Or Without You,” U2
9.) “Someone Like You,” Adele
8.) “Gives You Hell,” The All-American Rejects
7.) “Since You Been Gone,” Kelly Clarkson
6.) “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Bonnie Tyler
5.) “Love Is A Battlefield,” Pat Benatar
4.) “My Heart Will Go On,” Celine Dion
3.) “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” Whitney Houston
2.) “I Wanna Know What Love is,” Foreigner
1.) “All By Myself,” Eric Carmen


Three songs, three people, three different stories:

At the beginning of January, Olivia Rodrigo (best known for her current role Nini in the Disney plus original “High School Musical the Musical: The Series”) released her first ever hit single “Drivers License” that has reached number one on all music streaming platforms including Billboard, Apple Music, Spotify, etc. By just reading the lyrics of the song you can understand the pain, sadness, dedication, love, and power she expresses as she talks about her memories with her boyfriend, and how he even taught her how to drive. When she wrote the song during the summer of 2020, she had finally got her license, but they were broken up and she did not decide until early this year to completely record and release it. Personally, I believe this pop ballad speaks to not just people who have experienced breakups, but for anyone who has lost their way, has become distant with close friends, needs to escape reality, or even just needs to sit down, relax, put on their headphones, and recollect. This song is a five out of five star rating for me!
Less than a week later, rumored boyfriend in Olivia’s song, Joshua Bassett (who is best known for playing her love interest Ricky in “High School Musical the Musical: the Series”) released a single as well called, “Lie, Lie, Lie.” After many theories and speculations later, people only assumed the responding lyrics in this pop/rock song, “I know what you say about me/I hope that it makes you happy/You can’t seem to get me off your mind” is a message to Olivia as she said, “And I just can’t imagine how you could be so okay now that I’m gone/Guess you didn’t mean what you wrote in that song about me.” Both singer/songwriters have gotten a lot of recognition and attention from fans, but Olivia said in an interview that it is not important who the song is about, but rather the message it portrays, and how it makes people feel. Joshua later responded by posting on his Instagram that the song was specifically about an old friend that betrayed him, and that he wrote it a long time ago. However, whether the song is about Olivia or not, in my opinion this four out of five star-rated single is one of the best stress relievers, and has a great rock and roll vibe where you can jam out in the car with your friends on full volume.
As another week went by, Sabrina Carpenter (actress, singer, and songwriter) released a single “Skin” that is rumored to be a comeback song against Rodrigo’s (also about Joshua Bassett). Since her and Bassett have been seen together in public a lot recently, people only assume that they are dating, and that she is the said “blonde girl” that Olivia mentions in her song. Rumors aside, Sabrina’s new single is definitely another inspiring, powerful pop ballad with lyrics that describe her true feelings and perspective. She specifically says in the song, “I just hope that one day/We both can laugh about it/When it’s not in our face/Won’t have to dance around it.” Personally, I believe this five out of five star-rated hit song is not only about overcoming and responding to a tough situation, but it is to help anyone that can relate to difficult times in their life due to miscommunications.
Overall, these three talented artists express their emotions and perspectives very creatively and clearly no matter what each song is truly about. With this, there is something for everyone to relate to whether it is through the lyrics, the melody, or even the situation. “Drivers License,” “Lie, Lie, Lie,” and “Skin” are available on all music streaming platforms, but are rated explicit for some profanity.


“Ultimate Cowboy Showdown” shows the true grit of a cowboy:

“Ultimate Cowboy Showdown” was released on October 14, 2019 on INSP TV. Country singer Trace Adkins hosts the show, and it brings in the top cowboys (and cowgirls) from all over the United States. They compete in various challenges to test not only their capabilities on horseback, but also their passion, knowledge, endurance, and skills in different areas of being a cowboy. Some of the challenges that are thrown at them can include: separating a herd of cattle, team challenges can be changing a tire, throwing hay into a loft, roping a calf on horseback, and carrying the roped calf to a trailer. For team challenges, each member out of the group picks a task, and they race to see who had the fastest time.
At the end of each day there is an elimination of two people, and whoever did not perform the best that day is sent home. While the cowboys are not competing, the cowboys are in charge of tending to and taking care of the prize for the winner, or the top cowboy. The top cowboy receives a herd of cattle that they have been taking care of, and the herd is worth roughly $50,000. Once the winner is declared, it is totally up to them what they choose to do with the cattle. Additionally, to top off the sweet winning, the top cowboys also receive a coveted belt buckle.
Overall, this show is enjoyable to watch, and the whole family can enjoy watching it together. Unfortunately, the show is rather new and there is only one season. However, on February 24, 2021, season two will be released. I would rate this show 4.5 out of 5 stars. After all, the show puts it into perspective how much of a labor-demanding job it is to be a cowboy.


Top ten items in a kitchen:

People love spending time in the kitchen.  With so many appliances, gadgets and utensils you might be curious as to what the top ten items in a kitchen are.  
10. Counter Tops
9. Forks
8. Bowls
7. Mixers
6. Refrigerator
5. Oven
4. Plates
3. Cast Iron Skillet
2. Pasta Maker
1. Spoons


My life during the pandemic:

I’m sure everyone can agree that this has been a crazy year, with so many changes taking place in our everyday lives. A lot of things we took for granted are now gone. A lot of things in my life have changed, but a lot has changed for the better.
I remember the exact day everything began to change. Everyone got a phone call saying that the school would be closed for two weeks. Little did everyone know, those two weeks would turn into months. I didn’t think much of it, and enjoyed my life inside as I normally would. It almost felt like an extended vacation, so life was pretty smooth sailing for a few weeks. However, this stopped when I started realizing just how much the world around me was beginning to change. People were frantic to buy whatever they could, shelves were bare, and everyone was panicking as COVID cases began soaring in numbers.
The transition into online school was rough. I no longer had the in-person assistance from my teachers, and trying to balance the distractions of home life with my schoolwork was unbearable. However, I ended up pushing through strong, and I finished my junior year with some of the best grades I’ve ever had. Of course, school hasn’t been the only thing that has changed. I’ve had a lot of time to explore my interests and dig deeper into who I am. I’ve gotten much closer to my family, and every day I’m learning new things about them. It is unfortunate that I don’t really see my friends, but I’m very grateful for my happiness and health.


“Invisible” will leave you speechless:

“Invisible,” a thriller novel by James Patterson and David Ellis, took “mystery” to a whole new level. Main character Emmy Dockery is an FBI researcher who just about ran her career into the dirt after the death of her older sister, Marta. Marta’s death was ruled “accidental” by the fire department after she was caught in a house fire one night. Emmy never did believe it was an accident, which led to her ravenous hunt for this so-called “killer.” She connected house fire after house fire that had the same evidence as her sister’s. She goes many days without sleep, eyes glued to a computer, trying to “crack the case.”
The constant twists and turns in this story made it so I couldn’t put the book down. Chapter after chapter was read, and I was constantly kept on the edge of my seat. The ability to come up with such a mysterious yet engaging book was truly remarkable. During the whole book I was given false lead after false lead to one conclusion about the killer, but when the end came, I was completely blind-sided. The outcome was definitely one of the most shocking that I have ever read. The fast-paced events were also a selling point for me, as there was really never a dull moment. This book also portrayed how just because people don’t believe you, that doesn’t mean you’re wrong.
Some things, however, that I didn’t exactly enjoy about the book were how the characters themselves were bland. There  wasn’t much personality in Emmy, just her intense drive to prove herself right. The reader never got to have an insight on what she truly loved. It was just the same routine every day: go to work, work on the case, get leads, etc. Another character, Harrison “Books” Bookman, who is a major part of this book, also doesn’t get a chance to show any real personality. This had me slightly disappointed. Especially because he owned a bookshop (which is super cool) but the reader didn’t get anything in detail about him or the bookshop.
Overall, “Invisible” was a superb book with its many twists and turns and intense, action-packed moments, but had a slight downfall with its lack of personality in the characters. In the end, I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. Nonetheless, James Patterson was able to release yet another one of his captivating novels that has the reader interested until the very last page…and still leaves them wondering after closing the book.


How to play chess:

The game of chess is well-respected around the world. It uses tactics and skill to manipulate the board into a win for yourself. However, most people do not know how to play chess. As a beginner, here are some tips I’ve learned over my twenty or so games that I have played.
So first, an introduction to your pieces:
-Pawn: the smallest piece

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-Rook: looks like a castle

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-Knight: looks like a horse head

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-Bishop: like a pillar with a hat like the pope on top

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-Queen: the hardest to describe, it looks like a crown on top but without the cross that the king has. It is typically the second to largest piece

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-King: The one with the cross on the top

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Left to right: King, queen, bishop, knight, rook, pawn)
White and black pieces:
Each player has a different colored set of pieces, like checkers. White always moves first.
How the pieces move:
The knight is the only piece in chess that you can play before a pawn. It moves in an L shaped pattern (up or down or to the side one and then up or down or to the side (to make the L shape) three OR three up or down or to the side and then up or down one or to the side. It sounds more complicated to explain the piece than it actually is.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The rook can move any distance up or down the board and and any distance side to side.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The bishop moves kind of like the rook except it can only move any distance diagonally in any direction.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The queen by far is the most important defense piece because it can move any distance in any one direction: left, right, up, down, diagonally, etc. It is the piece that can determine a game if you are still fairly new to the game.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The king is the piece that everyone wants to capture, kind of like capture the flag. It determines the game. The object of the game is check mate, which is when you trap your opponent’s king. The king cannot move into check, and can only get out of it by blocking, taking out, or moving pieces. It can move any direction like the queen, but, like the pawn, can only move one space at a time.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Setting up the chess board:
The back row of pieces, on the white side of the board, goes (left to right): rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, bishop, knight, rook, and then the row in front of it are all pawns. The black pieces, across the board, are mirrored to the white, so all that changes are that the queen and king are switched in positions.
Okay, but how do I REALLY move them:
To put it simply, it takes practice and each player is a bit different. But besides that, some tips would be:

always watch out for knights because their pattern is unexpected
protect your king from the beginning
don’t cluster too many pieces together unless it is a skilled move
remember that pawns are still important
watch for when they try to snatch your queen
think like the other player and try to think three or four moves in advance for the game and each and every one of their pieces
lastly, don’t get discouraged when you lose a game because it’s not an easy game and everyone loses sometimes; that’s how you improve.

Check Mate! 
The big thing that ends the game, unless the other player forfeits, Check Mate is when you or your competitor has cornered the opponent’s king and they cannot move in any direction without being apprehended by the other player. (You have to say check mate AND if they’re just in Check you have to say so as well, it’s like saying UNO or BINGO.) When a king is in check however, they can still move out of the other players grasp, but maybe not for long.
How should I move them:
As a beginner it’s a lot of strategy and learning how the pieces move, how competitors move their pieces (varies player to player) and being able to see where the game is heading and basic advancements on your pieces. You should try to be aggressive with attacks while still staying out of your own line of defeat, but it takes time and practice, which is really the biggest thing to it all.
Checkers to Chess:
If you are good at checkers, chess is just the much more involved, complicated, hands all in version of it. Checkers is like the shallow end in comparison to diving off the diving board into the deep end of the pool. Though, checkers came first.
Chess Openings:
They’re just initial moves of the pieces. There’s hundreds of variants to each. For opening games, it’s basically just developing your pieces, not moving your queen to early in the game, not overplaying a bunch of pawns, as well as other things that would be considered more elementary style moves. There are also ways to group openings where two pieces move a certain way, but that’s more advanced typically than when you’re just starting out. So I wouldn’t sweat that too much. They’re just standard openings, the importance is mainly in recognizing and manipulating the patterns of the other player’s movements. Chess openings are different every game.
Special moves to remember: 
-Castling

when you switch a king and rook when they are both on starting squares and there aren’t any pieces between them.
you cannot castle out of check or check mate.

-Promoting the Pawn

when the pawn gets to the other end of the board they can be promoted to any choice piece of the player, other than the king.

Myself as a player:
I am a beginner player. I have played about twenty games of chess and played my first game in fifth grade with my grandfather. Most of my games have been against my mom and my brother, Trevor. At this point I typically beat or tie with my mom, and Trevor and I’s games can swing either way. I enjoy the thought process that goes into a good game, though.


White Shadows (Part 6):

Before you read make sure you have read 1-5
John Thorn has been stuck. Stuck in his everyday life as well as his work life. Being a detective had its pros but it also had a couple cons laying back in the shadows waiting to eat away at his home life. 
His home life never used to be like this. He has a wife and an eighteen-year-old son. Back when his son Jack was three years old is when things used to be good. But back then he wasn’t a detective. The troubles of home life being affected by his work didn’t happen suddenly. It started to change very slowly. Barely even noticeable at first. But it was still happening to him whether he realized it or not. As he got better at his job he was needed more. And that led to him being needed most of the time. His skill plus his job equaled less time at home, which also led to family problems.
And with the new Dillon Crawford and Bobby Troyer case, it was like he was at home for two seconds every day. Here he was sitting in his office, tilting in his office chair with his feet up on his desk. He was here tonight trying to gather his thoughts. He has the small case file on his desk. The only light in the room was his lamp. The reason for only having one light on was so that he could read the file, of course. But he also felt right in the dark. He sits in the dark like this because it makes it easier to think. The case of these two dead people wasn’t easy. But on top of this, there are two people reported missing. One he noticed and one that might tie into the Bobby Troyer case. 
Jessica Johnson never turned up for work tonight. She was seen leaving the restaurant last night when she finished work. And John believed that she was abducted by Bobby’s killer. But why didn’t he just kill her right there along with Bobby? As of right now she is a missing persons case because her body was never found. There is someone else though. Someone who had gone missing not that long ago. The homeless guy that lived in the park. He usually walks around town. On one occasion John asked the man what his name was. He said his name was Jim. 
John thinks that Jim is somehow connected to these three. Of course he has no proof yet because stuff happens to him with people all the time.  Jim could have been wandering around up in the woods, broke his leg and died in the cold of the oncoming winter of the next month or so. But John had this feeling that he had never really had before. Maybe he had felt it once or twice as a child but he had never really had this strong of a feeling before that he could remember. And that feeling is that something bad has happened to his town. And somehow Jessica Johnson, Jim, Bobby, and Dillon are all connected. Later John found out he was right.


A delicious slice of “Mystic Pizza”:

A quite charming movie from the late eighties that I recently watched for the first time was “Mystic Pizza.” It is about three young waitresses at their local pizzeria and their lives over the course of the movie. I like how the movie ended and that it wasn’t just a basic fairy tale ending, it felt that as much as it was imaginary, that it had many realistic elements too. I really enjoyed how the plot played out.
The acting in the movie was pretty strong across the board, and it didn’t get dry or wooden. The actions of  the characters felt authentic through the acting and I think that made the plot a great deal more believable. The characters themselves had some weird motives at points, but the way they were presented by the actors also made the motives feel like they might be real people.
I liked the cinematography throughout it as well. There weren’t many shots that felt like they stuck out, the transitions felt smooth, and they seemed to fit the context of the film. There were only a few things that felt unnecessary the first watch-through, but by the end of the movie they all made sense on why they made the final cut. The movie may not be one that I’d watch a ton, but it’s definitely a fine wine, and in some ways I think it would be more of an acquired taste in enjoying the subject matter. I, however, loved it.
I’d give this movie a 5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a movie for a chill night in.


A winter memory:

As we are in the middle of winter, people become irritated with the snow and just want it to go away for the year. At the beginning of the season, it is something that most people adore because on cold mornings on the drive to work/school/etc. the trees are so beautiful covered in a fresh coat of snow. However, the feeling soon changes after a few snowstorms hit, and some develop cabin fever from being cooped up all winter. Although winter may seem like the worst season, there are some perks that can come from it, and it can only happen at this time of year. For example, sled riding and snowmobiling can only be done in the winter, and going out doing these activities make some memories that will last a lifetime. Personally, this year’s winter has created some memories for myself.
About a month ago when the snow was good enough to ride snowmobiles on, we hit the trails. It was going well, we all were staying together as a group, and staying safe. We were cruising down the road and my sled started acting weird. It would slow down, nearly shut off, and then take back off just like nothing had happened. This happened a few times but then it just completely stopped, and shut off. My brother and dad were behind me so they stopped to see what happened. Then all the others came back to see what the hold up was. They popped the hood to inspect the motor and stuff and could not see anything wrong. Trying to start it was not possible because the string was locked up. As a result, we left it there, I hopped on and rode home with someone, and then they took a truck to go get it after we made it home.
The next day it was discovered that a hose from the oil reservoir was not connected to where it needed to be. So essentially the motor and all the parts did not receive oil. Since there was no oil, friction was generated, and it blew up the motor. Luckily, this situation did not turn out to be worse than it could have been. Nobody was hurt, and the sled is fixable. Although this is not a “happy” memory, it is one that I will always remember because it was my first time driving on the trails and I blew up a snowmobile.


A Valentine’s Day surprise for Mom:

One time when I was about six or seven I wanted to surprise my mom for Valentine’s Day, so I asked my step-dad if he’d help me and he said he would.
Later on that day we went to the store and bought a really big bear and flowers and chocolate. My mom was at work at the time, which was really good, so we had time to set everything up. When he and I got back home from the store we decorated their room and lit candles and spread rose petals going up stairs until it reached their bedroom.
My mom got home a few minutes after we finished so we took her to the stairs and guided her up because we blindfolded her. When we got to the room I told her to count to three then take her blindfold off, so when she got to three I slowly opened the door and she walked in and started crying and said she loved it. Then she hugged me and my dad, and we went out to eat. After our meal, we went home and watched movies.


“Grease”: An oldie but a goodie:

Summer of 1978 marks the birth of the classic musical film “Grease.” Not only did it beat the odds, but it became one of the highest-grossing movies of its time, now worth over $188 million worldwide. There are many reasons for its popularity, such as the nostalgia it brings people and its wonderful soundtrack.
The movie takes place around a group of high school students, and their journey as they find love in the 50s. Greaser Danny Zuko, (played by John Travolta), falls in love with Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John). They meet at the beach, and when they return to school, neither are aware that they are attending the same high school. It’s a classic “good girl meets bad boy” romance, but still has strong comedic points.
Tracks like “You’re The One That I Want” and “Greased Lightning” remain some of the most popular songs from the movie. However, my favorites are “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Summer Nights.” The music will forever remain iconic. I might be a bit biased, but this an absolute joy to watch. Sure, the plot is a bit cheesy, but that’s what makes it so great. “Grease” definitely earns a solid 5 out of 5 stars.


A nice day with Katherine:

I woke up on a Saturday morning to the sound of heavy traffic outside my house.  I peered out my window to notice that my street was blocked off due to a non-fatal car crash.  With the traffic jam on my street I thought it would be a good time to visit my neighbor Katherine. Katherine is in her seventies and has always been very sweet. She was my babysitter growing up and I delivered tomatoes to her to repay her generosity.  
After a short walk on a very warm day I arrived at Katherine’s.  She was the only one in her very large house.  I was the closest thing Katherine had to a child and after her husband died, I also became her best friend.  Katherine even had my name added to her will.  Her house will someday be mine even though it breaks my heart with her not being here.  
When I showed up at her out there was a pot of water boiling on the stove for tea.  While we had tea, she told me some lovely stories about her late husband and I told her about my upcoming prom.  She helped me pick out a dress for the dance.  We played cards and she won the majority of the games.  She then surprised me with a scarf before I left.  I wore it the whole walk home even though it was eighty degrees outside.  I was just so happy to have Katherine.


“Mr. Mercedes” season one packs thrills and mystery:

When I think of movies or TV series that were based on books that turned out well, “Mr. Mercedes” is definitely in my top five. Stephen King is mostly known for horror, but “Mr. Mercedes” is just a flat-out mystery and suspense novel. I loved the Bill Hodges trilogy too, which was “Mr. Mercedes”, “Finders Keepers”, and “End of Watch.” Right up to the end it has you on the edge of your seat. The TV series turned out so well it makes me want to say that it was even better than the book. They have also made “Mr Mercedes” seasons two and three for both of the other books in the Bill Hodges trilogy.
“The story follows Bill Hodges, a retired detective, as he becomes haunted by a cold case from earlier in his career — the infamous Mr. Mercedes. During a local job fair, an unidentified man took a Mercedes and drove it through a line of people looking for a job, killing 16 people. With only a car to go on as identification, Hodges is quickly met with a dead end. This doesn’t sit well with Brady Hartsfield, the man behind the wheel, as he feels deprived of the glamour that he once sought. Now, Hodges and Hartsfield begin to engage in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with lives constantly on the line.”
When I read a story I can get a pretty good picture of the actors and what they look and act like. Let’s just say that the casting directors did a great job of choosing the actors. Each of the cast members brought these fictional characters to life. They brought the story to life. The only thing I wasn’t expecting was the actor they chose for Bill Hodges. Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor. I think the whole idea of having an Irish cop is kind of a funny idea, but it also fits the Bill Hodges role. And the actor for Brady Hartsfield was amazing, too. He played the role of the Mercedes killer.
I think the directors were smart with their season theme choices. Season two focuses around the events in “End of Watch,” the third Bill Hodges book. Out of the three books in the series there are only two books that have Brady Hartsfield in it, and “End of Watch” is the second. Thus, it makes sense to make “End of Watch” the second season of the “Mr. Mercedes” series. Then the third season tells the story of the novel Finders Keepers, which is a Bill Hodges story but does not include Brady Hartsfeild.
It doesn’t bother me that they made that change. I can’t wait to see the other two seasons to see if they are as good as their inspiration. I would recommend the Bill Hodges trilogy novels by Stephen King, and I would recommend the first seasons of Mr Mercedes.
Warning: The TV series is rated TV-MA for mature audiences. Material may be disturbing to some viewers.


The computer accident:

Once upon a time there was this little ice cream shop in PA. This ice cream shop was in the middle of town. That day happened to be very busy and hot. There was a little girl that just left the ice cream shop. Her cone was melting a little, but she was handling it.
There was an older gentleman sitting on his computer doing work and enjoying the sun. No one thought anything about it. It’s what people do, but then a boy riding a bike ran into the little girl causing her ice cream cone to go on the man’s computer. The boy kept going, the little girl crying and apologizing, and the man yelling because his computer was ruined.
Once the girl and man calmed down the man was not mad. He knew it wasn’t her fault. She gave him all the money she had to get a new computer, but he wouldn’t take it. Later that day the boy on the bike got in trouble and was later made to get the man a new computer.


The troubled girl:

In a life alone time ago, there was this girl named Brambly. Brambly was the girl who no one was allowed to hang out with because she was always in trouble. She failed all of her classes and never had a friend to ever talk to. She rebelled when teachers gave work and refused to do it. Or so everyone thought.
One day there was a new girl in school and Brambly was trying to make friends with her because she didn’t know anything about her and no one could tell her lies. Everyone bullied her, but she was always quiet. Then one day a student found out that she doesn’t have time to do work. Brambly supports her two sisters because her mom is no longer in the picture. After school she works until three in the morning trying to provide for her family, comes home, showers and then goes to sleep and then does it all again the next day.
One day after school she decided to go get some food at the gas station before she went to work. She bought a lottery ticket and won a million dollars. The future looked up for her and her family. She started doing great in school and made a great life for her sisters and lived happily ever after.


Books vs movies: Which is greater?:

“Shhhh, the movie is starting.” Fresh popcorn, dim lights, loud speakers, and great company all set the stage for a movie night. Beside the couch sits the book that kick-started the idea of a movie, and people sit around anxiously awaiting to see how similar the movie is to the book. After reading a good book, I know that I enjoy watching the movie based off of it and analyzing the scenes as to how they are different or the same. Typically, though, I am utterly disappointed with the movie because the directors feel the need to tremendously change the movie. Sure, the movie is still very enjoyable, but I can’t help but feel a slight annoyance as to how different it really is.
When reading a book, I am able to picture the scenes in my head–pulling from my imagination to create the scene that is portrayed through descriptions. When a movie is made based off of the book, it is typically a letdown because everyone’s imagination is different and will entitle them to seeing certain scenes or people differently. So instead of seeing the lush green forest that I envision/that is described, the directors might change it to a desolate plain because it is more dramatic for the viewer. This, in turn, can cause bookworms like myself–who want the movie to be an exact replica of the book– to be a bit frustrated.
Another reason why the book is better than the movie is because sometimes the plot gets lost in the movie because the director gets too caught up in the action part of the book as opposed to making a clear exposition and resolution. This can cause me to get slightly annoyed here as well because key details could be left out. For example, instead of having a car accident (portrayed in the book) play an important role in the plot, they would instead add a different situation like maybe a plane crash or bike accident. Even though the changes are small and, as some may say, “insignificant,” it still distorts the plot and possibly changes emotional reactions. The directors goal when replicating a book in a movie is to entice viewers with what they think is a good idea to add–not what the book has written in it.
A third reason why the book is better than the movie is because of the cast. Sometimes, the movie production company only has enough of a budget for middle-class actors, which can cause viewers to turn their heads because of the not-so- skilled actors that are playing the role. Ultimately, when reading the book, everything is fluent. But, when watching the movie, it all depends on the actors’ abilities, which can sometimes really hinder the effect of the movie and captivation it has on the audience. In the end, this leads to the books being better created than the movies.
Now, I’m not saying that the book will always be better than the movie, but most of the time it is. The book allows readers to imagine different things and broaden their horizon of imaginative skills whereas when you watch the movie, no imagination is necessary at all. So overall, the book is better than the movie because of its engaging style, original ideas, and its honest sense of enjoyment. However, if the movie were to start to follow along with more of the book and stick to the plot that was created, it would be much more enjoyable to watch. If the directors were to stick with what was put in the book, a lot more of the book readers would enjoy it because they are getting to watch on a screen everything that they read about. That would ultimately entice many more people to view the movies and possibly even read the book (if they hadn’t already). Maybe even if they stuck with what the book said, they would alter the opinion on books being better than the movies. Until then, though, the books are definitely better than the movies.


Coffee vs Tea:

It’s early in the morning and I am getting ready for school. My morning routine consists of changing my clothes, doing a skin care routine, making breakfast, and having, in my opinion, the most perfect drink to pair it with…coffee. Ever since I was young, I have always enjoyed the taste of coffee and the energy boost it immediately gives me. One of the most common things I do is go to Tim Horton’s, or drive all the way to Erie to get Starbucks, and purchase a delicious (overpriced) cup of coffee just to start my day. Whether it is hot or iced, it is always a much better option than any flavor of tea.
Tea has never been one of my favorite drinks even though there are endless amounts of flavors. Mint, vanilla, ginger, hibiscus, blueberry, raspberry, earl grey, chai, and so much more. While coffee and water are my two main beverages, the only kinds of tea I have tasted are chai, herbal, ginger, mint, and any throat-soothing teas. Any time that I lost my voice or got a sore throat I would try to do anything else but drink tea, even while knowing that it would help immensely. Finally, I would give in, drink the tea, yet plug my nose so I wouldn’t taste it and so I wouldn’t feel nauseous.
While I continue my addiction to coffee, and disgust for tea, each drink has some pros and cons that can make it difficult for others to choose between the two. As a person who only drinks iced coffee (even during the winter) I  realize that a nice, hot cup of tea can benefit a person’s throat, body, and mind. However, coffee easily improves my overall mood, energy level, and has even gotten rid of my headaches or eye strain. With this, even though I love coffee, sometimes it can give me a stomachache especially if I have not eaten anything. As I ignore this small con and stay away from any tea, I will continue to drink my iced coffee and defend its honor forever.


The kind Mr. Kerr:

Mr. Kerr is a chemistry teacher here at Corry Middle High School. His birthday is September 6, 1966, and he grew up in Titusville, PA. While growing up in Titusville, he went to Titusville High School, but after graduating he continued his education by going to several colleges. He first attended Grove City College for two years but later transferred to Delaware Valley College where he got his Bachelor’s Degree. Then he went to Clemson University, received his Master’s Degree, and officially got certified to be a chemistry teacher at Edinboro University. His original major was agronomy (the study of crops and soils) but then switched to double major in biology and chemistry. When asked if he always wanted to be a chemistry teacher Mr. Kerr said, “No, not really actually.”
Some of Mr. Kerr’s hobbies include gardening, running, and even learning German! “I have an online tutor that teaches me German, but he’s from Guatemala.” With this, his dream vacation would be to go to Germany and/or Costa Rica.
When he retires he would like to move to South Carolina. “I would like to move to South Carolina, but I probably won’t,” Kerr said with a laugh. His favorite things are chicken cordon bleu casserole, the color red (he doesn’t have a favorite song because there are too many to choose from), and his favorite emotion would have to be, “an emotion that makes you feel alive and happy at the same time, so definitely excitement!”
Since Mr. Kerr is a very wise teacher, his best piece of advice to give to students would be, “Study hard, but still don’t take it so seriously that you don’t enjoy life.” So true, Mr. Kerr.
Also, the animal that represents him the most would be a cat. “They are just so independent and they’re all so different, plus I used to tame farm cats as a kid!”
Finally, when asked his biggest pet peeve he said, “When kids memorize things word for word but they don’t really know what they mean.” Overall, Mr. Kerr is a great teacher who gives helpful advice, encourages his students in order to inspire them and help them succeed, and his lively personality makes doing chemistry a lot more fun.
*Picture edited by Isabel Knight, senior at Corry High*


Which is better: video games or board games?:

As technology is changing immensely, and it is available at peoples fingertips, it has changed the way people interact. Today, it is less common for families to be spending time together without any type of electronic present. Additionally, technology has influenced people to be introverted because they can play games online with people. They do not even have to physically be in the same room. They just see their character and can talk to each other through a headset without having to make a real conversation with one another.
Video games transform into a new world where in real life it is not possible to do some of the things a computer character can perform. It is almost as if the player transformed themselves into a new person. In real life, most people would not do anything that they do in the game, so playing these types of games does not benefit anyone in the long haul. After all, video games give people an escape from society and provides entertainment to individuals.
Board games seem like they have become outdated due to the busy lifestyles and video games that are coming out on what seems to be a daily basis. Although board games are “old-fashioned” as younger people would say, there are multiple benefits to playing these types of games. For instance, the social interaction is a big impact on individuals. The bonding, conversation, eye contact, and face-to-face interaction in games can only be achieved by playing board games. Additionally, board games do not operate from electricity, so the electric bill could be lowered from unplugging the video games often. Finally, family time is important and it is going to waste if you do not spend time together at all. It’s important to build relationships with family and close friends because they will be the ones that stick by your side for the rest of your life. If you do not spend time together, at one point in time you will regret it and wish that time could  be reversed.
Overall, there are many opinions why individuals would rather play one type of game over the other. However, it is important to look at the long run of things and consider what is important: the benefits of socialization or being in a fantasy world.


The scintillating Ms. Stevens:

Ms. Stevens is one of the student teachers at Corry High School this spring. She hopes to teach English. When asked what grades she would prefer to teach most, she said, “I prefer high school. I will teach middle-schoolers and I don’t mind them, but high-schoolers you can go a little more in depth sometimes than you can at the middle school level.”
Stevens’ favorite course she ever took was either physics 2 or creative writing in high school and she said that they were lovely. In college her favorite course was (as far as interesting content and being somewhat easy) geology. It was a core class. “He taught us a lot about space and that if we ever found a meteorite he said that he would buy it from us.” she thought that was pretty cool. She doesn’t fully speak any other languages, but she has “tiny bits of working knowledge about French and Spanish.”
Her favorite color is indigo and her favorite food changes based on what she wants at that moment, but at the particular moment when interviewed, she could go for some Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream. Always a good choice. As of now, her favorite season is summer, but autumn is probably her true favorite. She enjoys hiking more in the fall and likes the sweater weather. “You have some warm ones [fall days] but you can wear sweaters and I love sweaters, and also leaves. Leaves are cool.”
One place she hopes to go is maybe the continental divide trail. “I love to hike and camp, and in my youth I was a summer camp councilor. Just anywhere with a long hiking trail, like I might not have all the stamina to go all the way [on the really long trails], but I’d like to say I’ve tried it.” Hiking is also one of her favorite fall activities because it isn’t too warm.
Her favorite book from within the past 10-20 years is probably “The Book Thief,” but if we’re talking older stuff, she likes  Jane Austen a lot. A book/story series she really enjoys is Sherlock Holmes. “Actually, the Sherlock Holmes stories are nice quick reads and Sherlock is interesting, but on film they make him seem so conceited.” And for her favorite  TV series, it’s “The X-files.” Her favorite holiday is the 4th of July, not because of being extremely patriotic, but because the weather is nice with bonfires and grilling lots of good food. Also, she has a lot of family that would typically come home around that time.


The stigma around going to college:

As I near the final few months of high school, I watch as my friends get excited about going off to college. I, however, have to live with the shame of not going right away. In fact, I am unsure if I will ever go. Often, society deems those who do not go to college as inferior or incapable. The constant pressure geared toward young adults to feel like they have to attend college is not only unreasonable, but classist, and I’ll explain why.
Growing up in a lower income home, I had to watch my mom struggle to attend college. The financial hardships and mental stresses of school play a huge role in the downfall of people trying to pursue a higher education. College is thousands of dollars, and that usually doesn’t include costs like travel, food, living, supplies, etc. The cost of textbooks alone can add up to over $1,000. A lot of people end up burying themselves in student debt for the rest of their lives. Even if they achieve the career they want, some are not able to afford paying it all off. Plus, not everyone who goes into college is the same person four years later. Someone may want to change their path in life, but simply cannot afford to do so. Not to mention, it is such a high stress environment for those who struggle with mental health.
With those reasons aside, college just isn’t worth it for some people. A lot of people are fine with going straight to work after high school, or starting their own family. Personally, I don’t want to go right now because I know that I have not been prepared enough. I feel as if high school did not teach me the things I needed to know about attending college, and a lot of the things I have learned came from the internet or family. I understand that adults want children to succeed, but there’s a fine line between encouraging students and borderline shaming them.


Adorable Amira:

Meet three-year-old-pup-at-heart, Amira. Amira’s dad is a golden retriever, and her mom is a blue tick heeler. I met Amira as a little fluffy puppy 3 years ago and instantly fell in love. In February of 2018, I got to officially call her mine. Ever since that day, she’s been my biggest supporter and best cuddler. Though she may be grown, she is still the same puppy I brought home.
When she’s not busy chasing the cats or barking at inanimate objects, she loves to snuggle up next to me for a nice, long nap. And like most dogs, treats are her absolute favorite, so every time she hears the treat bag she is the first one running in. Winter is Amira’s favorite time of the year. Her nice thick fur can be put to use, and she loves to put on a show, rolling around and barking in the snow. And of course, she always expects some cuddles to warm up afterwards. Long walks are nice, too, because then she can run around and greet all the new people she sees.
Amira has an older brother, Gronk, and though they are very cute, they also enjoy stirring up some chaos together. Admittedly, I can never stay mad at Amira for very long. She’s a bit dramatic, to say the least, so if she thinks for a second that someone is mad at her, she immediately uses her big brown eyes as her defense. It’s nearly impossible to stay upset with her. She’s the glue to our family, and everyone absolutely adores her. I’m so excited to spend many more years learning, loving, and maturing with her.


Finger Lakes road trip:

Over the summer, my family and I decided to take a trip to New York to visit the Finger Lakes. We hiked all over, visited many different natural wonders, and swam a lot. Overall, the trip was very enjoyable because we were able to enjoy being together in the outdoors all the while feeling like our lives were normal. (Even though we were in the midst of a pandemic.)
The first campground we were staying at was very enjoyable, with lots of paths to walk on and explore, and great running trails (for an avid runner like myself). The day consisted of: my mom and I waking up early and heading out for a quick run, coming back to the camper to get ready for the day, heading out to visit waterfalls, hiking trails (and other outdoor adventures), and finally, getting back to the camper worn out and hungry at dark. The waterfalls we visited were absolutely breathtaking! Some soared a hundred feet in the air, while others were just small trickling streams but still mesmerizing. Being out on the trails gave me a sense of relief from everything that was going on this summer because everyone who was out on the trails was out to accomplish the same thing: escape reality. The trees would stretch way high above us and act as a blanket of shade as we walked below. My mom took enough pictures to last a lifetime, and we all enjoyed ourselves greatly. At some points, we were so high above the waterfalls themselves that we could see the immense height it sat at. We all took in the sight and at one point watched as a hawk soared even higher above us, letting the freedom of the air fill its lungs.
The next campground we stayed at (as we had to continually move around to see the finger lakes) was also very nice. There, we were welcomed with many other hiking trails and adventures. We even decided to hike alongside the Niagara River. That was one of the most amazing hikes I have ever been on. (And trust me, my family does a lot of hiking.) The water was a clear turquoise that beckoned for us to go swimming, but deep below we could see the churning of the water that would suck someone down in an instant. There were small whirlpools everywhere, and the flat rocks allowed us to walk right beside the river. The further you looked out the more and more different the shades of blue would get. At points it was a deep, dark blue, then it would be as light as a cloudless sky, and then it would be a light shade of green, and at one point it looked just like the Caribbean Sea. We ate our lunch on the rocks and savored each breathtaking view.
The third campground we stayed at was a small campground tucked deep in the woods. There, it had a swimming pool, huge blow-up water slides (even though I’m no longer a 5 year-old I still enjoyed it very much…and so did all of the parents who went down it). That campground, I have to say, was my favorite. At that campground we were able to just relax and swim in the pool when we wanted to, play the different games, go hiking close by, and countless other activities. One memorable place that we hiked to, however, was to a waterfall that had a diving board/swimming area right beside the waterfall. We had to park in one area and made our way through a winding path that led to a big open area with a waterfall, roped off areas for swimming, a diving board, and of course a life-guard. I am not exactly a big fan of cold water, so when I stuck my feet into the zero-degree water (for real) I was not exactly apt to jumping into it. However, after thinking to myself how disappointed I would be if I opted out of such a cool experience, I hopped in line to jump off the diving board and into the water. When I reached the end of the diving board, I took a deep breath and launched myself into the water. Immediately upon hitting the water, my body froze up and all of me went numb. My teeth were chattering, but it really was an extraordinary experience. My mom waved for my sister (10), my brother (13), and I to all swim and sit right under the water fall. It was funny trying to sit up straight when the water was pummeling my back, but my mom ended up with a few good pictures. We then left that swimming hole and headed back to the campground.
The following days were just that of relaxing and soaking up some sunshine before we headed back to PA, but it was a highly enjoyable time that I would love to go back and tour again! This trip showed us that even though we were in a pandemic, we were still able to find fun and safe ways to enjoy the outdoors and tour a different state.


Get to know Corry’s new English teacher: Mr. Adamski:

English teacher Mr. Samuel Adamski was born on February 5. He grew up in Edinboro for most of his life, and he also lived in the Tampa Bay Area from seventh grade until ninth grade. He went to General McLane High School and graduated from Edinboro University.
Some of Mr. Adamski’s hobbies or interests are boating, camping, history, movies, and current events. He has one older sister. Adamski said he’s already doing the career he’s always wanted to do, but when he retires he wants to travel the world. Adamski said he got into teaching to help make a positive impact on our society. He said he would like to travel across Europe because there’s so much history there. 
Mr. Adamski’s favorite movie is “Saving Private Ryan,” his favorite color is blue, his favorite emotion is motivation, and his favorite song is “Wonderwall” by Oasis. Mr. Adamski’s plans for upcoming vacation days are spending time outdoors and camping.
A favorite quote of this English teacher is: “Only those who dare to fail  greatly can ever achieve greatly”- Robert F. Kennedy. An animal that would match Adamski’s personality is a beaver. His idea of a perfect vacation would be going to a tropical island. His idea of a perfect date is going to the beach. 
Mr. Adamski’s favorite class(es) are all five of his ECL 9 classes equally because they’re all great in their own way. His favorite food is black and bleu steak. Adamski does not play sports anymore, and his biggest pet peeve is when students submit incomplete assignments. A piece of advise he would give his readers is:  “Try your best at everything you do.”


NASA launches fifth rover– Perseverance– to Mars:

NASA landed its fifth rover, called Perseverance, on a mission to Mars on February 18. The rover touched down on Mars in a region called Jezero Crater, where it will set out to shed new light and understanding on this Red Planet. Its departure date from Earth, however, was July 30, 2020. Perseverance was created by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, located in Southern California. Many sat anxiously as the rover departed and descended, waiting to see what new information would be discovered, while many still sit in excitement over the possibilities of what could be uncovered on Mars by this very important rover.
Mars is the fourth planet from the sun that contains a cold, dusty, and desert world along with a very thin atmosphere. Mars also has four seasons, just like Earth. It can have ice caps, canyons, big wind gusts, and many other natural forces affecting it. Mars has large amounts of iron minerals in its soil, which causes the soil and atmosphere to appear red–hence the nickname “Red Planet.” Mars’ atmosphere is mainly made up of a gas called carbon dioxide. Mars has two moons: one named Phobos and the other Deimos.  Mars is relatively a very small planet. Mars’ orbit around the sun, however, takes about 687 earth days to complete due to its orbital rotation.
This rover’s job is to look for signs of past microbial life on Mars (better known as astrobiology), as well as experimenting with a natural resource in hopes to aide in sending humans to Mars some time in the near future. Perseverance is the size of a small SUV, much like another previous rover: Curiosity. This rover will be testing a method for getting oxygen from the air in the Martian atmosphere. If proven successful, this would lead to many more explorations of the Red Planet. The tests will also make it so NASA employees can precisely create astronomical suits comparable with the harsh environment. Perseverance will be the first mission to collect and analyze some of Mars’ hidden rocks and regolith to help scientists gain a deeper understanding of the planet.
When the rover touched base on Mars, its cameras caught many valuable sights on camera, and its video recording allowed the scientists who were tracking this rover to hear about ten seconds into a 60 second clip, a Martian breeze and the rover’s mechanical parts operating on the surface of the Red Planet. Perseverance had five cameras located in different positions to capture its descent. Two of the five cameras gave access to a top view of the space above Perseverance, and another captured the downward view. Some were also placed on the back of the rover’s shell, which caught the parachute’s deployment on camera as well. A video of the rover’s landing can be found on a recently uploaded Youtube video.
As time progresses, Perseverance will complete a 360 degree analysis of Jezero, while scientists monitoring the rover will be collecting and depicting the data. Weather observations have also started to be completed, and those will be scrutinized as they continue to get relayed in by the rover.
Perseverance is still collecting data and specimens to be evaluated (and will continue to for a long time), and scientists wait hopefully to see if any new breakthroughs can take place. When Perseverance is done, scientists might just hold the key to sending man missions to Mars.


Changes for cafeteria workers:

The past year has presented many challenges to everyone and some individuals have taken on more responsibilities since things are still not back pre-pandemic normal. Without a doubt it has made some individual’s work even more stressful than it was before.
For instance, the cafeteria staff has had to make changes to their routines from previous years. Since not all students are on campus every day, something needed to be done to ensure that students were getting meals on a daily basis.  The resolution to this problem is that all students PreK-6th receive meals on Friday for the weekend. Middle and High School students receive their meals the first day they attend in-person learning for the week. Since these students only attend school half of the time, there are five days worth of meals prepared for them.
To find out how much work actually goes into preparing these meals I decided to reach out to a cafeteria worker to find out what it is like having to prepare all of the meals for students to take home. After conversing with cafeteria worker Kim Schweitzer, I found out some information to help better understand what it is like to work in the cafeteria for the 2020-2021 school year.
To start off the conversation, I first asked Schweitzer if all the meals were prepared at the high school and she replied, ¨Yes.” I then asked her if she knew how long it takes to prepare all the meals for students to take home. She was unable to give an exact number of how many hours it takes them because she works at one of the elementary school cafeterias. However, she did say that she has been in contact with the head cook and knows that they spend several hours preparing the meals. I then followed up with asking if they have to cook all of the food. I was informed that some food comes ready to use but others they have to prepare, such as the mac & cheese, corn dogs, and chicken nuggets, just to name a few.
Now knowing that many hours go into preparing the meals for students to take home, I inquired if more employees had to be hired in order to get the job done. In fact, no new employees were hired this year, and to accomplish this task, there has been some changes in how the cafeteria serves students in school. There has been a reduction on selections along with fewer options in the cafeteria, so it makes more time for the staff to focus on packaging meals to send home. Finally, after hearing all the work that goes into preparing these meals, it made me wonder what they do with meals that are left over. It turns out leftover meals are able to be used in different ways and do not go to waste.
After getting insight on cafeteria workers’ job tasks for the school year, it makes me realize that their job is underestimated. So the next time you are in any lunch line, say thank you to the workers.


Black History Month:

Black History Month, also known as African American History Month, is an annual celebration of all African Americans to recognize their roles and achievements along with their bravery, integrity, and leadership skills as they continue to struggle through racism and adversity. It was officially recognized in the United States and Canada, but more recently noticed by other countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
In the late nineteenth century, Americans decided to celebrate Black History Month in February because of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, which is February 12, 1809, and Frederick Douglass, who was an abolitionist and a former slave himself, who was born on February 14. As the years have gone by, there are many ways to celebrate and recognize the African American community in a positive way.
Since the African American community is still excluded in some ways today. According to an article from the NAACP there is a list of twenty eight ways that anyone can assist and be a part of the celebration for Black History Month. Some of them are as follows:

Support an African American Business
Donate to a Black organization
Read a book by a Black author
Call out racism and prejudice in your community
Attend or host a Black culture event in your community
Engage in healthy conversations about Black history on social media
Decorate your home with African American art
Write a Black children’s book
Research Black history
Register to vote

As people assist their community and rejoice together as a whole human race, some people may not be aware that no matter what race or ethnicity a person is, anyone can, and should, celebrate Black History Month. As times have changed there has been been many past and present African American leaders who have spoken about the recognition (positive and negative) received about their community. Based on an article from America House, there are many examples of popular past role models from the Black community, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Jackie Robinson, and many more to discuss what they have done for the Black community. Also, in today’s world as the laws and citizens of America have changed, we have leaders such as Kamala Harris, Rosalind Brewer, Dr. Corbett , Victor Glover Jr, Amanda Gorman, and so many more, all of African American descent. (This recent article from CNBC explains who they are, what they do, and gives even more examples of phenomenal leaders in today’s world.)
Overall, Black History Month is a month full of celebration, love, and light to give to all African Americans everywhere; however, even though this time of recognition is only specifically stated for the one month of February, it is appreciated and recommended that everyone stands up for the community all year round. While learning from past African American leaders, and making even bigger and better changes with the new ones, people are able to appreciate, help, and try to understand what they go through. By following the list above, doing some research, and supporting all things that are related to African American culture, everyone can make a change and make every month a celebration of Black History.


The unseen pressures of preparing for college:

As a senior, preparing for college and university can be stressful. There’s more to it than just applying and getting accepted; there is a whole host of things that comes along with it.
There are applications themselves, which take a great deal of time and focus; there is writing the college essay, and finding a good topic for it can be tricky; there is the financial pressures with taking loans, applying for scholarships, and getting good grades to qualify for more scholarships; testing with SATs and ACTs; Xello; guidance councilors; figuring out everything for sports (if you continue on with them); choosing what major you want to focus on the rest of your adult life; picking the right school that fits; figuring out your boarding (on campus or off campus); making sure you can take care of yourself once you’re there; having a grad party (if you choose).
Dealing with everyone asking you what you are going into, where you’re going, and if you’ve gotten accepted can also be very stressful. Finding good days to visit schools (especially in a pandemic), as well as so many other things.
On top of this there is also maintaining regular life, school, sports, friends, holding a job, and still leaving time in there for fun and happy memories while navigating the possibilities and hopes of your future. It’s an exciting time but stressful, with many pressures, so next time you see a tired senior that you think is just slacking off, they might be, but they might just be stressed. And that’s okay. Yet these things should all be acknowledged when thinking about the pressures upon kids when preparing for college. A lot of it isn’t even thought about, but they are all very real stressors in a junior and mainly senior’s day.


My pretty average life:

From the time I was born my life has always been pretty average.  I’ve haven’t had any traumas nor lots of excitement.  Although that sounds boring, I am very thankful for my life.  I went to a Catholic school until I was in fourth grade.  I made some good friends and earned good grades despite my dyslexia.  Having dyslexia at a school that did not understand me was a challenge.  In fifth grade public school turned out to be much better for me. 
Adapting to public school was a big shift, but after a couple months, I was able to adjust despite being a little different from everyone else. Middle school was pretty good, as far as middle school goes. I did dance and spent all my time at the studio. With whatever extra time I had, I was doing homework or getting sleep. With a tight schedule, I didn’t spend a lot of time with friends but managed to make time for them on the weekends. 
Since entering high school, some things have changed. I quit dance and started roller derby, power lifting, and even took up diving this year. My grades haven’t been perfect like they were in past years, but I feel like with all the stuff changing recently, I think it’s hard to keep them as stable as they once were.


“Disenchantment” good for a laugh:

Recently, I have watched the Netflix comedy “Disenchantment,” with three seasons out now. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. This show takes place a couple centuries ago, and it follows a young girl who gets in trouble and fixes problems. It takes place in a kingdom and her dad is the king.  
The voice actors all did very well despite the characters being different and hard to portray. John DiMaggio did especially well voicing King Zog. Some other actors on the show included Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre, and Nat Faxon. I think the talent of these people make the show better overall. 
With a rating of TV-14, this show is not the best for young children despite it being animated. I would recommend checking it out before watching with the whole family. I personally would give this show an 4/5. I highly suggest watching it for yourself because it is a good laugh and an even better way to spend some extra free time.


Cold crisis in Texas:

A fierce snow storm and frigid temperatures have led to power outages all over Texas. The storm swept across the country on Wednesday, February 15. Texas’s power grid took a hard hit, unable to handle the hundreds of thousands of residents trying to warm their homes. Texas is the only state that operates it own power grid, meaning it is not federally prepared for such extreme conditions.
Millions of Texans have had their power restored, while nearly 350,000 remain with no power. Senior of ERCOT, (the organization that operates Texas’s power grid), released a statement saying, “We’re to the point in the load restoration where we are allowing transmission owners to bring back any load they can related to this load shed event.” He continues by reassuring Texans and fellow Americans, “We will keep working around the clock until every single customer has their power back on.”
There has been a total of ten reported deaths linked to the disaster, and the toll is expected to go up in the coming days. The natural disaster and power outages have left thousands of Texans hungry, cold, and in despair. Talk show host and entertainer, Ellen DeGeneres, has donated $1 million to Texas food banks through the crisis. The $1 million donation was announced on Wednesday, and will support 18 food banks in Texas.


Three topics, three opinions:

When reading a list of questions, three stuck out to me, so here is my opinion on the questions: “Should you Keep a Journal?”,“Should Home-Schoolers Be Allowed to Play Public School Sports?” and “Are Anti-smoking Ads Effective?”
Some may feel journaling is a waste of time or too much work, but I think the payout is worth it. Putting down your thoughts is a good way to relieve stress, and make sense of things when a lot is happening. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, and writing your thoughts helps you clear your mind. Another thing I like is that in the future you can look back at old entries and see how your life has changed.
I was surprised to see that home-schoolers doing public sports was even a question. I thought everyone would be okay with that, because it is not far to keep a child off of a team or away from a sport just because they get their education at home. Some may prefer homeschooling and they should not get sports taken away because of that. It’s also a good chance for kids without a ton of social interaction to gain social skills. 
Finally, I do not think anti-smoking ads are effective. I feel that it just reminds people that nicotine and tobacco are out there, and even though it’s in a negative way, it’s still giving smoking attention.We all already know the dangers of smoking and hearing about them every ten minutes isn’t going to get someone to quit, it’s just going to be annoying.


Top ten St. Patrick’s Day treats:

By the time St. Patrick’s Day rolls around, almost everyone is anxiously waiting for spring to come. However, most people do slightly enjoy this day for the different sweet treats that are created in the spirit of the leprechaun and the rainbow with gold at the end. Below I have listed the worst St. Patrick’s Day treats to the best.
10. Rainbow Popcorn-Green Popcorn- I love popcorn, but I am not particularly fond of coloring my popcorn different colors. I like it just the way it is.
9. Lucky Charm’s Treats (just like Rice Krispie Treats…but with Lucky Charms)- Don’t get me wrong, I love Rice Krispie treats, but Lucky Charms Treats aren’t really a favorite of mine because of the extremely hard cereal. I don’t want my Rice Krispie treat to be hard on my mouth like the Lucky Charms Treats are, I want a soft marshmallow-y treat.
8. Gold Coin Chocolate- This chocolate is nowhere near being good…I use this as a last resort for my chocolate cravings. It’s not a very pleasant chocolate to eat, as it is unforgivably hard and rather bland.
7. Green Fudge- Fudge is typically way too sweet for me and doesn’t look appetizing as it is, so when green food coloring gets added into the mix, I tend to stay away from it.
6. Rainbow Cupcakes- Rainbow cupcakes have too much going on to really enjoy them. The whole cupcake is overtaken by sour candies set as the rainbow, gold sprinkles, and a mountain of icing. These cupcakes are much too sweet and chaotic for my liking.
5. St Patrick’s Day Cake Pops- This treat is a great one because they are super easy to make and taste great. A little bite of cake makes it so eating sweets doesn’t feel like such a bad thing.
4. St Patrick’s Day Chocolate-Covered Pretzels- Sweet and salty is where it’s at– this combination makes for a really nice sweet treat that doesn’t make me feel too guilty after eating it. With just a little bit of chocolate (green for this holiday) it levels out the saltiness of the pretzel…making for a quick and easy snack everyone will enjoy.
3. M&M Cookies with Green M&M’s- I love M&M cookies, so using St Patrick’s Day as an excuse to make them is always great. The green M&M’s help to contribute to the St Patrick’s Day feel, and the cookies taste delicious fresh out of the oven.
2. Shamrock Shake- This is the one time of the year that I splurge so much and get a Shamrock Shake. However, the best Shamrock Shake’s are the homemade ones. Making them in the kitchen with my family is always a great time and of course sipping on them afterwards makes for a memory.
1. Brookies with Green M&M’s- Brookies (brownie, oreo, and chocolate chip cookie combination) are the only sweet treat that I like that involves many different kinds of desserts all smooshed into one. Although this treat is definitely a really sweet one, it always tastes amazing. So when my favorite candies (M&M’s) get added into it, it makes for a delicious treat I savor.
Overall, these are the different types of sweet treats that come to mind from the worst to the best during St Patrick’s Day. What are your favorite treats on this green-and-gold filled day?


Top ten signs of spring:

Since winter has pretty much come to an end and spring is quickly arriving, there are many changes that are in store. Spring time is the beginning of a new chapter of life because the earth is “waking up,”  allowing many plants, flowers, and trees to grow. To kick off the start of spring, I decided to make a list of the top ten signs that spring is upon us.
10. Snow melting
9. Trees budding
8. Large bodies of water thaw
7. Bees flying around
6. Grass growing
5. Animals coming out of hibernation
4. Warmer weather
3. Birds singing
2. Flowers blooming
1. Longer days


Top ten St. Patrick’s Day accessories:

As March of 2021 has just begun, people already have their decorations up for St.Patrick’s Day and they are pulling out their favorite green shirt to wear for the occasion. In my opinion, this holiday is a little underrated and deserves some more celebration and decoration. Since there are so many things to make, eat, and play during this time of year, here is a list of my top ten favorite clothing accessories (green, gold, and everything rainbow and sparkly) to wear during this holiday:
10.”Pinch Me, I’m Irish” shirt
9.  Clover fanny pack
8. “I’m Irish” pins
7. Irish top hat headband
6. Clover suspenders
5. Temporary St. Patrick’s Day tattoos
4. Clover glasses
3. Green and gold beaded necklaces
2. Pot o’ gold rainbow earrings
1. Light up clover rings


Top ten St. Patrick’s Day songs:

As the new month approaches, a new holiday is also approaching: ST PATRICK’S DAY! This is a very festive and green holiday, and many people around the globe celebrate this fun, music-filled day. Here are a few songs to get you in the St Patrick day vibes.
10. “Dubliners”
9. “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”
8. “Teenage Kicks”
7. “Beautiful Day”
6. “Colors of the Rainbow”
5. “Book of Days”
4. “Rose Tattoo”
3. “Ordinary Day”
2. “The Galway Girl”
1. “Five Green Shamrocks”


The Land of Fortune:

It all started in the Land of Fortune…there lived a small society of leprechaun people who spent their days mining the grounds for precious treasures and racing to the bottoms of rainbows in search of their sacred gold. They were never satisfied until they found the gold, but kept mining the land over and over in search of just a sliver more. Their happy jigs they danced at night soon depleted, and all they were left with was mining… all day, every day. Their merry laughs and boisterous voices became rare and gruff–only sneering at others to get away from their priceless gold. Their contentment of life vanished, and was replaced by irrational greed and unhappiness.
However, with the help of the Elders, they were able to revert back to their old ways and find true contentment again.
—
Ten years of the same prickly behavior brought forth the urgency to find happiness again by the Elders. Together, the group of five elders came together to devise a plan in order to bring peace and contentment back upon the Land of Fortune. After many days of conspiring, they decided there was but one thing to do.
“We must end this reign of sorrowful attitude and bring joy back into the lives of our dear leprechaun people,” stated one of the elders, Louise.
“There is but one thing we as old leprechaun’s can do,” started the oldest leprechaun of them all, Larry. “We have to get rid of the source of greed once and for all…we must rid ourselves of the gold and riches, keeping only what we need to survive.”
“Are you crazy?!” Many of the elders shouted. “The gold is what we live off of– it is our source of trade. Without gold we are nothing!”
“Nonsense, we have other fine riches to sell. Take the harvest we used to bring in every fall many moons ago when we were just young lads–that would be a fine thing to start trading. It is much higher up in demand, too. Besides, only a few leprechauns can trade for things as fine as our gold.”
“I guess you do have a point, Larry. However, I think we can make a compromise. How about we allow people to mine for gold but have others jobs as well? We can keep the gold system going, just mine it at a much more conservative rate. We will have some work in the farming industry, others will make warm clothes, some will make food, and the last group will run the trade.” They all agreed that this was indeed their best option and decided to split the leprechauns into the different classes. So, the following week, the different leprechauns of each household received a letter notifying them of where they would start working. At first the people were confused and unsure of what would happen. But after being assigned their new locations, they quickly got to work.
In the beginning, many had no idea what they were supposed to be doing, so they struggled to meet quotas. Eventually though, the leprechauns began to enjoy their different jobs, and rotated throughout the weeks. Before the red-bearded men knew it, they were whistling as they worked in the mining shafts and laughed with one another during their breaks. The finely clothed women hummed as they knit together new green and gold dresses and trousers. They really were extravagant! At night, many of the small people gathered at each other’s cottages to exchange stories from the work day and laugh with others deep into the night. Their dancing jigs got more uplifting and were starting to be performed every night. The laughter of the leprechaun children rang up from the streets as they chased each other around.
The elders smiled from their cottages at the happiness that was restored to the people after such a long and desolate time. “We did it,” they said to one another in contentment. Everything was as it should have been. The people were happy, and by now they learned that true riches weren’t from gold, but something else entirely. From then on, the leprechaun people of the Land of Fortune joyously went about every day– performing the tasks with utmost care and merriment.


Top ten Dr. Seuss characters:

For those of you who didn’t know, March 2 was Dr. Seuss’s birthday. These are my favorite Dr. Seuss characters:

The Cat in The Hat
Horton the Elephant
The Grinch
The Lorax
Yertle the Turtle
Fox in Socks
Thing 1
Thing 2
Mr. Brown
Thidwick


Ultimate decision:

Growing up, I had a rough childhood. Being in a family of eight was not easy, to say the least. Having five siblings was a challenge, especially when you are the oldest, and your two sets of twin brothers and sisters were constantly bugging you. Luckily though I had my brother Jake there, he was two years younger then me, but we got along well. At first it seemed like we had a normal childhood from what I could remember. Dad went to work everyday, and came home in the evening while Mom stayed home to watch over Jake and I. On Sunday we would all go to church, and then eat lunch with all our cousins, and spend some time with them before we made the journey back home. When I turned seven, I was old enough to attend school, and I went to the school house just a mile from our house where twenty other children my age went to school. I did not enjoy it at first, until I realized that it was the only things that kept me away from the house. As I grew older I started to realize how strict the church was, and I did not enjoy taking part in the activities, and I could not wait to get out. This is just the beginning though.
After I turned thirteen I was of age to decide if I wanted to join the church. I formally rejected, but my family was not happy. They questioned why I did not want to, and pretty much forced me to join. Little did they know that I absolutely hated it because I covered it up so well. After a month of arguing with my parents I just decided to give in because I knew that if I didn’t, life would be worse then it already is. As a result, that following Sunday I was declared a member of the church. Then exactly one week later my parents informed my brother and I that we were going to have twin sisters. We were all excited until reality kicked in. Once they arrived, it was evident that my father’s job working at the supermarket stocking shelves was not going to support the family. My parents sat me down and explained that since I was the oldest, I needed to start taking on some more responsibilities. Since my little sisters were still so young, I had to start working with my father at the supermarket, but when they got older I was promised that Mom and I would switch places and I would be able to babysit them. However, this deal did not last because as soon as the girls got old enough to where I could watch them, we were told that we were going to have twin brothers. I grew furious and did not want to be in this position any longer. When I found out about the new babies coming I new that I had to get out of the house as soon as possible. I was sixteen and a half at the time and was counting down the months and days until I turned eighteen. Then I could make decisions on my own without having my parents telling me what to do with my life….
The day had finally come and I was eighteen. We just had a small party with a few family members and friends. We all had a great time, and shared some old memories, but I knew at some point I would have to break it to my parents that I wanted to move on with my life. I was ready to explore the world outside of the church, and I had the feeling that I needed freedom. So after going back and forth I decided the best time to tell my parents would be when the twins went to bed. I honestly didn’t care if Jake heard about it because I talked to him all the time about wanting to leave. I wasn’t scared to tell my parents, I was just scared what their reaction was going to be. After the twins went to bed I knew it was time to break the news. I walked into the living room, sat down and blurted it all out. At first they were shocked and speechless, but a minute later they were questioning me why I felt the way I did. It was a long conversation to say the least but they said it was my ultimate decision. If I left the church I would be shunned and not ever allowed to go back. Communication with my parents would be cut off, and they were not allowed to help me in any way while I was getting on my feet in the world. If I decided to stay, I would have to continue following the churches orders and still work alongside my father at the supermarket, but the positive out of it is that I can still see my family. After all, the final decision was ultimately left for me, and I hope deciding to leave the church was the best option.


A never-ending 2020 (part 3):

*This story is a continuation of “A never-ending 2020 (part 2)” if you haven’t read the previous part click the link to catch up before reading below!
He was….gone. How was he gone, where did he go, and who took him?! Just when things were starting to get better and I felt less alone, he just vanished in the blink of an eye. I ran around the house looking for him in any and every spot possible. Maybe he’s hiding and it’s just a joke, or maybe he had to run out and get something and will come back later. I was in complete denial. I couldn’t think about the awful reason, even though I knew it was true. He was gone and now I was all alone…again.
All I could think about was his last words he said to me on Valentine’s Day as he got interrupted and disappeared: “I’m not going to be here for much…” What could that even mean? As I sat on my couch staring at the imprint in the seat where he just was less than an hour ago, it came to me: much…longer. Charlie knew he wasn’t going to be here for a long time. But how could he know that, and how did he get out? All the emotions, worries, questions, and thoughts were continuously spinning in my head, and suddenly everything went black.
I began to slowly open my eyes and recognized my instant headache. It felt like I had been out for days, maybe even weeks, but I didn’t know where I was. I was taped to a metal chair and in front of me was a big movie screen that read   “The Test.”
“Hello, is anybody in here, who are you, and let me go?!” I screamed while rocking my chair back and forth to see if I could escape.
“Be quiet and stop trying to escape, you won’t be able to,” said a mysterious voice.
“You again! How are you doing this? Let me go!”
“If you would like to know where your dear friend Charlie is, then I suggest you listen.”
“Where is he, is he hurt?! Tell me where he is!”
“Take a look at the screen and see for yourself.”
I looked up at the screen and I saw Charlie. He was smiling and hugging people that I didn’t recognize. It looked like…his family. He was home and safe, and they were all making food for St. Patrick’s Day. They all seemed as if he has always been there, and that they didn’t even know he left. But, how could that be?
“Charlie is home now, Olivia, and his family doesn’t even know that he was gone in the first place…and neither does he,” said the voice.
“What, wait what do you mean?” I stuttered.
“Charlie is home with his family and they all don’t remember anything. He doesn’t remember what happened here, and he doesn’t remember you.”
All those thoughts came back into my head but ten times faster and more worrisome. A small part of me hoped that Charlie would be home, but that he would remember me and let my family know where I am and try to find a way out for me. Now, I was truly alone and Charlie, and my family, don’t even know who I am.
“How do I go home? I want to go home!”
“The only way you can go home is if you pass the test, but if you do not pass the test by a certain time, you will vanish from existence…forever.”
To be continued…


Top ten pop rock songs between 1990-2015:

Sometimes you just need to jam out to some great music. Pop rock is a style that you can almost always jam out to no matter what mood you’re in. It’s fun and exciting! So here are my top ten pop rock songs from 1990-2015:
10. “Bright Future In Sales,” by Fountains Of Wayne
9. “Sk8er Boi,” by Avril Lavigne
8. “My Own Worst Enemy,” by Lit
7. “Semi-Charmed Life,” by Third Eye Blind
6. “American Idiot,” by Green Day
5. “Sidewalks,” by Story Of The Year
4. “The Impression That I Get,” by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
3. “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous,” by Good Charlotte
2. “The Middle,” by Jimmy Eat World
1. “The War,” by Angels and Airwaves


Top ten anime:

The year 2021 is here, and unfortunately so is COVID-19. This means that if you’re anything like me, leaving your house is still very limited. And just like many others, this time inside has led me to exploring more TV shows and anime. Maybe staying at home isn’t completely terrible, right? So, I’ve compiled a list of some of the anime I’ve enjoyed most over quarantine.
10. “Revisions”
9. “The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: Reawakened”
8. “Demon Slayer”
7. “Code: Breaker”
6. “Tokyo Ghoul”
5. “Parasyte: The Maxim”
4. “Hunter x Hunter”
3. “Sing “Yesterday” For Me”
2. “The Promised Neverland”
1. “Attack On Titan”


A day to remember:

Just like any other day, I started my morning by eating a nice, filling breakfast. I brushed my teeth and gave my hair a quick comb. I leaned down to give my cat one last head rub before leaving for work. My job wasn’t far, so I typically walked. On this particular morning, the birds were out, singing so beautifully I stopped in my tracks to listen. That’s when a robin swooped down from a tree, flying only inches away from my face. It was a beautiful sight, and for the rest of my walk the image of the bird kept replaying in my head.
I finally made it to work, and as I took my final steps into the building, I felt my vision blur. I stumbled backwards, falling into what felt like an invisible spider web. My eyes fluttered shut, and from that point I lost control of my body. I felt my body falling, the cold air hitting my skin. I gasped, engulfed by the unknown force. Everything stopped, and I suddenly felt as light as a feather. My eyes opened, and I was greeted by the scenery of my bedroom. Confused, I sat up and took a quick glance at my surroundings.
My feet carried me out of bed and to the closet, where I dressed in the same clothes. I took the same path to the kitchen, where I enjoyed the same breakfast. I then found myself in the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth and combed my hair, every single strand laying the same exact way as the day before. I walked to my cat, gently rubbing his head before leaving, taking the same steps on the same path. The birds chirped, singing their beautiful song. I felt my feet stop, and just as I expected, the same bird flew by right in front of me. This was Déjà vu, but much worse…I had no words, no actions. I simply thought to myself, “Am I reliving the same day?”


Poem #2:

Was potential squandered away in the shadows of shirked responsibility?
In repeated patterns of scrapped ideas,
Thoughts of brilliance and beauty atrophied and dwindled to none?
In the wake of a technological renaissance what matters in the mind’s ability?
Under all things that once laid so wonderful in heads is left in whirring hums.
Fears canceled out in the focus of expanse, but by what cost?
Nothing left on shoulders except empty apathetic enhanced conformity.
All is lost.
Nothing of what was once mountains and fields.
Fears run in rampage to an open door of possible endeavoring horrors.
Under the signs of heaven to a god that now yields?
In the slumber of new creation and nothing left for endeavoring explorers,
Was it in the thoughts or under rule of our fears that we let nothing become all,
Nothing become fear in our absence and gleeful abandon.
For when was it that we stopped believing in tomorrow?


Lightning fast:

If you’ve ever read any of my past vacationing stories (or other adventure stories I’ve written) then you know that when my family and I go on hikes in the woods, we always endure some sort of trauma. But hey, it makes for a great story! If you haven’t checked out my other stories, you might want to head over and see for yourself what I’m talking about. If you’re interested in hearing another adventurous/traumatic experience, keep reading!
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It all started when my parents thought it would be a great day to hike at our newly purchased property. (This was about seven years ago–we happily call the property home now.) The weather was great for hiking- a bit on the muggy side, though. Nonetheless, we loaded into the truck and headed over to the land. Clothed in big boots, long sleeves, pants, and ball caps, we hit the trails. Although, the trails were more like us forging ahead and trampling grass down to create a trail. I remember picking up sticks and playing with them and talking with my family as we walked. Seeing the different views of the ridges and creeks at my young age didn’t particularly interest me, but I still found them somewhat amusing.
After about one or two hours of hiking we decided to head back to the truck and go back to our house (at the time). However, after trudging back along the trails, we found that the sky was turning a darker and darker shade of grey. We picked up the pace, hoping to make it out of the woods before the rain decided to show up. Unfortunately, the rain didn’t do us a favor and hold off– instead it poured. We could see that the storm was going to pass over, and after a split-second decision, we jumped underneath a thicket of pine trees. The rain had then started pouring so hard we could hardly see a few feet in front of us, so trying to navigate on the trials would have been next to impossible. (And my youngest brother was about one or two at the time, so it probably wouldn’t have been great for him to be pelted with rain if we had tried to make a break for the truck.)
We had only been standing under the trees for a few minutes when out of nowhere a big crack of thunder shook the ground and a peel of lightning streaked down from the sky and hit the tree just beside us. I don’t remember seeing it hit or even hearing anyone say anything. All I remember is my whole body shaking, hearing an ear-splitting crack, and then looking at my parents with wide eyes. After a few seconds of the shock had worn off, my dad said, “Let’s see who can get to the truck the fastest.” With that, we all took off, bee-lining for the truck in an attempt to make it into the truck before lightning struck again.
I have no idea how, but I somehow managed to run so far ahead of everyone else, and when I reached the truck, I soon came to realize it was locked. Fear overtook my small body and I tugged harder on the door handle a few times–I’m not quite sure what I had hoped to accomplish by doing that, but nonetheless, I freaked out. After realizing that the door wouldn’t be unlocked by my pulling on it, I took to running laps around the truck out of complete fear. Another boom of thunder roared as I was thrown into hysteria and that ultimately fueled my crazy panic attack. I was zig-zagging around, sprinting back towards my parents, then back to the truck, pulling on the handle again, and then sprinting back towards my parents shouting “It’s LOCKED!” Even in the climax of the moment my parents laughed hysterically at my fear-driven craziness. Luckily, my dad unlocked the truck quickly (for my sake) and I hopped inside. They soon followed and we all just sat there in silence for a minute, then they started joking around with me about how crazy I looked. Which I have to admit, they probably weren’t wrong.
Still to this day my parents (especially my dad) make fun of me and my hysteria on that dreadful hike. Thankfully, I have learned to laugh it off, knowing that I was just a little kid at the time who was afraid of her own shadow. I also learned an important lesson that day: always try your best to stay calm in stressful times, because running around like a complete wacko isn’t the answer.


Nerve-racking situations can help individuals grow:

Doing any type of audition and getting judged is very nerve-racking to say the least. Getting scored on ability, musicality, or any other type of skill can be very stressful. Especially because the score you received is then compared to others and placed from the highest to eventually the lowest. Finally, your ranking determines whether or not you made the cut off for certain things.
Auditioning for anything seems pretty simple. You prepare ahead of time, go to the audition, and then your part is done. However, this statement is easier said than done. When in the audition room the judges have their score papers in front of them, and the room is silent to the point that you could hear a needle hit the floor. Once in the reality of the audition the nerves start setting in, the judges are patiently waiting to hear you begin, and the pressure is on you to fill the silent room with sound. Before beginning it is important to look over what you are going to do, and take a deep breath to reassure yourself that you are capable of doing this audition. Once stepping out of the room, there is a sigh of relief that the hard part is over, but then the waiting game has begun until the final results have been released.
Personally, I have many experiences when it comes to auditions in the music field. This is my third year in a row that I have auditioned for a PMEA festival. Before the festival begins, or once it starts, it is required for students to audition to determine who is going to advance on to the region and state level. When preparing for these type of auditions, it takes many weeks to a couple of months to prepare the repertoire. Then the night before the festival it’s hard to sleep, and it can be challenging to pay attention in school the day of if you leave during or after the school day. After auditions and chair placements are announced, the festival is in full swing, and a couple long days of practice are ahead before the concert.
Although auditions of any type seem scary, and they can absolutely be miserable, there are some positives that can come out of the situation. By being judged and critiqued, the comments given can help better someone. They could grow as a musician or carry themselves different in society due to the comments given. Growth in an individual is very important, and in order to be able to do that they must go outside their comfort zone and do things that make them anxious, uncomfortable, and nervous at times. In the moment it might seem to be the worst time of your life, but in the long run of things, it serves to better you as an individual.


Park Cats:

A couple of years ago I met a strange woman and she had long hair down to her knees. She was in the park feeding stray cats and knew all of their names despite there being plenty. I watched her pour some milk in a bowl for a group of kittens and they all ran around her as she poured the milk. I approached her and asked if I could pick up a cat and she said yes. She then handed me Tommy and told me he was the sweetest cat. She was right! 
Three years later, Tommy is now my pet cat! Sometimes I take him on walks to the park and I let him hang out with the other stray cats. A couple of months ago, the old woman quit showing up. I hope she is all right. I keep her in my wishes. I have taken on the role of the cat feeder and have developed some nice relationships with other park goers. 
It breaks my heart, but me and Tommy will be moving to another state this summer. I wish I could bring all of the park cats with me, but there is not enough room, so the orange tabby I have now will have to do. I hope I can find someone else to become the cat feeder, or better yet, find good homes for all of the cats.


A summer vacation to remember:

Ever since I was very young, my family and I would plan to take some sort of vacation every summer. Whether it was to a city, the beach, or just an amusement park we would always be so excited. Summer has always been my favorite time of year, plus we wanted to go somewhere extra warm so we could be outside as much as possible. In July of 2019, before the coronavirus hit, my family and I decided to go to North Carolina and rent a beach house! My aunt and uncle, cousins, parents, brother and his friend, and a few of my friends all went as one big group and stayed in Emerald Isle.
It was the beginning of the summer after sophomore year and my friends and I were counting down the days until we left. Right after school got out, we went shopping for beach clothes, towels and swimsuits, our favorite snacks, cool sunglasses, and so much more. My family has always been prepared for a vacation no matter where we go, so we got big totes of all of our necessities, that way we would only have to buy a few groceries when we went down there. By the end of June, we finally bought everything we needed, packed up our suitcases and loaded our cars, and took off!
As we arrived it was almost 100 degrees outside! We immediately went to check into our house, but since we had to wait for their staff to clean it from the last visitors, we decided to go to a restaurant, get something to eat, and cool off. After that, we finally checked into the house and unpacked all of our stuff before heading to the beach. Our house was three stories high with a hot tub, pool, and a great view of the ocean from above. Over the course of the whole week we played family games, went out to eat a few times, took nice pictures on the boardwalk, got very tan (but got bad sunburn), caught crabs at night, stayed up all night laughing, and even went to an aquarium nearby. Overall, spending time with my family and friends, and doing all the fun activities in the nice, warm weather, this was definitely one of my favorite vacations, and one that I would never forget.


The pros and cons of preseason running:

Before the season starts, there is always the preseason pressures to get back in the groove early so that you don’t fall out of shape. It can be stressful because you don’t always get back into shape as quickly as you’d like. For track and cross country runners, preseason lies against the two extremes of weather: the winter arctic and summer’s scorching broil of the sun.
Yet once the season comes, there are many benefits to the preseason training. You are more in shape and ready to start a strenuous season and are less likely to get hurt. As long as you aren’t overdoing it before the season, you will feel better when you start with long runs and tiring practices and the intensity of the season won’t hit your body so hard all at once. You’ve also been running in extremes of weather and your body has adapted more to running under not perfect conditions. It strengthens your muscles to have to go against the snow and wind. And you build endurance to the summer heats.
Some not-so-fun things about running in between seasons is that you can feel worn down at points and tired, physically or mentally, because sometimes your body just needs a break from the constant fitness and such. Another thing is that you have to motivate yourself to do it every day around other things when there aren’t other people around to force you to go do it or to go practice with you.
Yet with the ups and downs of it all, it is always better to get your backside in gear and just go run. It’s not going to pull you back in season if you’re doing light runs and long runs to strengthen endurance. It’s not fun, but it’s worth it.


Adopting another furry friend:

From last November until recently, I’ve been wondering things like, “Should I get another pet?” and “Can I handle another responsibility?” Well, after a few months, the day finally came to make the big decision. About two days ago, my mom called me, saying she spotted a teddy bear hamster at a pet store. I quickly became intrigued and asked for a picture. Within minutes, she video chatted me. All I could see was this giant ball of fur, and immediately I fell. I couldn’t say no to such a cute face.
My previous hamster passed in November, so I wasn’t sure if I would ever get another hamster again. But, I tried to ignore the doubts, and I agreed to taking him in. I scrambled to get everything ready for him. I was really nervous, but a part of me was still very excited. I was sad in a way because it meant that I had to move on, but I was also happy because it meant I would have another pet to keep me motivated. (His adorable looks were a plus.)
The second my mom brought him through the front door, I felt my entire heart swell. He sat in his little carrier, squeaking and sniffing away. I could tell he was nervous, so I tried not to handle him too much right away. The first time I ever held him, I was astonished at how big he is. That night, I left him in his new home, and thankfully the next morning he was already warming up to me. I’ve since spent the last couple of days deciding on a name, and I have finally decided on Levi. I spend every day with him, playing with him and getting him more comfortable. He’s definitely full of energy and a little bit of a trouble maker, but that’s what makes him so fun to be around.


“A Cold Day in the Sun” is a fresh take on the coming-of-age story:

The book “A Cold Day in the Sun” by Sara Biren is a wonderful story about a female hockey player on the boys’ team. Through the book she must overcome many struggles relating to this and overcome personal fears with hockey, friendships, societal prejudices against her, and giving all her might into the things she does.
The main character, Holland Delviss, was a well-written, intriguing, and believable character. As far as characters go in the novel overall, I’d give the characterization 4.75/5.
The writing style of the book was fair. It was not my favorite, but it wouldn’t be too hard a read for younger readers. It seemed to be targeted as a read for someone around my age, but the reading level felt too easy for most people around my age group. The word choice was a bit elementary at times. The writing wasn’t particularly bad, though, just simple. For those reasons I’d have to give the writing 4/5.
As far as the story itself, I really enjoyed it and would give it a 5/5.
As far as sequels go, I would read a sequel to this book. It was a rather quick read and I’d suggest it to anyone looking for a chill-weekend-in kind of book.
Overall, I’d give the whole book a 4.5/5. Holland Delviss doesn’t fit into the normal annoying main character in a coming of age book. She’s not a Holden Caulfield. She doesn’t have the overwhelming problems that only affect a small percent of people. She’s not just a bratty teen. She still has her flaws like a normal person, but she has normal people problems. And normal life problems. There were very few things that needed a lot of fixing, and I would recommend picking up a copy of this book.


“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” shines because of stellar cast:

Since it came out, I have been a big fan of the Nexfix original “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” This story follows a woman who recently was rescued from an underground bunker she was trapped in for fifteen years. Despite how it may seem, it is a comedy TV show. This show follows her getting a job, making some friends, and everything in between. 
This show had a very good cast. The most recognizable name is Ellie Kemper who was also on “The Office” for several seasons. Some other names this show features are Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, and Tina Fey. I personally think Tituss Burgess had the best acting throughout the show and portrayed his character very well. 
This TV show has a maturity rating of TV 14+. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 83% while I would give it a 4/5. I would definitely recommend watching an episode or two to see what you think. It is not for everyone, but I am a huge fan!


Top ten spring activities:

Spring can be a miserable, murky, mucky mess. It’s probably my least favorite season, but that doesn’t mean that there are not fun activities to do while waiting for those May flowers. Here are the top ten spring activities.
10. Spring sports
There’s sports you can go watch or participate in like softball or baseball, track and field, volleyball, lacrosse, and tennis. It helps get muscles moving again after the chilly winter months and gives you a nice pastime during the dull rainy (and snowy) spring.
9. Reading books and making bread
Making bread takes a long time to make and a long time to bake. It’s a great way to pass time and relieve stress. While waiting for your bread to bake, you can pick up a nice Charles Dickens or Jane Austen novel, or whatever suits your fancy, and pass the long grey days away with two of the best things in life: fantasy and bread.
8. Annoying your siblings
We get bored easily. Beat them in “Mario Kart;” get all the “Animal Crossing” fish in the museum before they do; spam them with memes; sing really loudly; watch the movie that they think is boring or a Christmas movie, etc.
7. Watching movies
Spring is a great time to binge movie series (or television series) because there aren’t as many interesting things going on, it’s still a bit brisk, dank, and dark outside, so what better an activity than to park a seat on the davenport and cozy back with some “Star Wars” or “Lord of the Rings.”
6. Pulling out summer attire and un-donning ye festive apparel
It’s a nice feeling when you get to pull out the summer shorts and t-shirts and not have to carry a sweatshirt and coat with you at all times.
5. Stargazing
We can start to see the sky again! Yay! It has been a few months, but some nights we can actually see the moon and stars! Which allows for stargazing again!
4. Going for a stroll
Now that the winter starts to wane in its chilly existence, some days might just be clear enough to walk around and smell the roses before that busy summer schedule. Spring walks also allow you to smell the new life of the world under the dewy drops of morning rain. All becomes new and full of life at the end of spring to welcome the dawning summer at the end of the tunnel! You also might hear birds while you’re out as they slowly make their way back north and out of hibernation (along with other bright charming animals).
3. Painting rocks
After all the winter plows have been going through for months upon months, they’ve made a wrecked-up mess, but they’ve also turned over some rocks in their wake that would be lovely to paint and stick in the garden.
2. Planting a garden
It may be a small bite off the clock before we see the fruits and veggies spring from green earth, but we can start to plan and plant!
1. Puddle jumping
My favorite spring activity would have to be puddle stomping on raining, pouring days. It doesn’t matter how old one is, jumping in puddles and getting soaked head to toe is the only way I prefer to catch a cold in the dreary existence of spring months. So grab your raincoat, galoshes, and umbrella and wreck those puddles up.


“The Running Dream”–powerful and encouraging:

“The Running Dream,” by Wendelin Van Draanen is a powerful fictional novel about a young rising track star, sixteen-year-old  Jessica Carlisle. After losing the bottom half of one of her legs in an accident, Jessica falls into the belief that she will never run again. And to her, there is no point in living unless you are able to run. Through countless challenges and trial and error, Jessica must make the ultimate choice: Work harder than ever to get back into running, or admit defeat?
This story was so powerful in many different aspects. For instance, as a runner, I know what it is like to feel the freedom of running and the joy it brings. However, I also know that pain and discomfort it can bring as well. So reading this story about how Jessica endured a traumatic event, I was able to gain a whole new love for running because I am able to truly appreciate the opportunity I have to be able to have two fully-functioning legs.
Her story (although it is a fictional piece) was beyond moving. Through her tragedy and depression she was able to become friends with a girl in her grade named Rosa who has cerebral palsy, gain an unbreakable friendship, and strive to run again. On top of it all, she kept having hope that things would be better. Her story proved just how important it is to have resilience in a life-changing event.
Overall, there weren’t any parts in this book I would have suggested changing because it was precisely thought out and the plot was developed perfectly. I especially loved the relatable attitude Jessica had throughout the story that made her character a true and believable sixteen-year-old girl. The story kept me reading attentively the whole time, so much so that I had a really hard time putting it down. The story also was a unique read; it wasn’t the typical teenage-girl-drama story– it was real, down to earth problems that helped to shed light on the struggles people go through. The ending of the story was perfect, it gave room to let the reader’s mind create the ending they wanted, but it also had a directed ending point it could have concluded with. Although this book is an exceptionally easy read, it is still wonderfully written and can inspire people of all ages.
All in all, this was an amazing and powerful (fictional) phenomenon that was flawlessly written. “The Running Dream” deserves a most definite 5/5 stars. This book teaches the importance of resilience and patience. Not only did it win the race to becoming the best running book I have ever read, it won the race to becoming a literary piece I will never forget.


“The Greatest Showman” soars on the power of its soundtrack, performances:

A musical movie loosely-based on the ambitions and struggles of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” was released in 2018. For years, fans have eaten it up and continue to support the legacy. But, what exactly makes it so lovable?
When you break down the movie and look into the actual plot, it’s definitely lacking. However, being a musical, an immaculate plot isn’t necessarily a requirement. Let’s be honest: fans love this movie because of the cheesy relationships between the characters and the soundtrack. When you take away the movie aspect and strip it down to its purest form, it is simply a musical. And, to be quite frank, it might have one of the best collection of songs I have heard in a long time. Songs like “A Million Dreams” and “Never Enough” from the movie are astonishingly powerful and brought me to tears in the first viewing. However, there is a perfect balance, with more fun songs like “Come Alive” and “The Other Side” to bring a brighter side to the movie.
Hugh Jackman, playing as P.T. Barnum, does a wonderful job at his role. He does so well, I have to remind myself through the movie that he is only an actor. Another notable performance is from Keala Settle, who plays “bearded lady” Lettie Lutz. Not only is she an amazing actress, she is one of the best vocalists in the entire movie. Her powerhouse voice is the perfect balance with the other cast members, and I can’t imagine anyone else playing the part as well as she did.
At the end of the day, it really is enjoyable for anyone. If you’re a music lover or someone who’s just looking for a fun movie to watch, “The Greatest Showman” would be a great fit for you. Out of 5 stars, I’d give it a 3.5.


A huge hit with “Little Women”:

“Little Women” is a Broadway musical originally performed in 2005 that includes whimsical music, an interesting story line with characters anyone can relate to, and has strong unique women of all ages to portray this late 1800s lifestyle. Originally, “Little Women” was a two volume novel written by Louisa May Alcott in 1868; however, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Allan Knee, Mindi Dickstein, and Jason Howland made this glorious story into a musical production. Recently, I watched the musical in order to prepare for our musical auditions here at Corry High School to learn from the four sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy. In my opinion, the music, plot, and theme of the whole musical is easy to understand while easily being able to stay entertained (which is why it is also a great show for us to do this spring!)
It was 1866 in Concord, Massachusetts and the March family was listening to one of Jo’s written stories. Since Jo is the biggest dreamer, and is the most outgoing of the sisters, throughout each act she continues to pitch her stories to Professor Bhaer in New York City. As Christmas and the Valentine’s Day Ball goes by, Meg, Amy, and Beth all suddenly have a life of their own while Jo remains hoping to become a published author. As her Marmee (mom), Aunt, and sisters all believe she should find a suitor and become a stereotypical housewife, she makes clear that she will travel the world and make all of her dreams come true on her own. Not long after, her best friend, Laurence, had recently popped the question, which only made her want to move away from home and be independent even more. As the plot comes full circle in the midst of Jo’s career goals, her sister Beth becomes terribly ill and everyone’s lives have changed. Will Jo succeed in everything she has ever dreamed of? Will her sister Beth make a full recovery? What does Marmee, her Aunt, and all of her sisters think, and how do they live their lives so differently? Watch to find out!
Throughout the entire show, each scene and song performed is very unique, classical, and has a specific style in order to portray the correct feelings and situations during that era. Sutton Foster, Maureen McGovern, Janet Carroll, Danny Gurwin, John Hickok, Amy McAlexander, Megan McGinnis, and Jenny Powers all do a magnificent job while singing and portraying their characters lifestyles very accurately. One of my favorite things about the whole production is that the show was written to be performed by a cast of 10 when there is actually 18 individual roles to play. This means that not only did most of these actors take on a lead role, but they also performed as numerous supporting and ensemble characters.
With this, there are many lessons to take from this 4 out of 5 starred classic which includes: with time comes changes; be who you want to be and reach for all of your own personal goals; do what makes you happy and you do not have to be like someone else; family is everything’; and finally, always be grateful for the things and people you have in your life already. Personally, while taking lots of information from this musical recently, it has helped me stop and look around for a while instead of missing some of the most important small moments in life. Overall, I highly recommend watching the musical yourself at home and/or seeing it performed at Corry High in May of 2021!
*This Broadway musical is rated PG-13 for some adult humor/references and actions.


“Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” is a sweet treat:

“Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” is an American musical fantasy that was released on June 30, 1971. The movie is mainly focused around a young boy named Charlie Bucket. His family was poor, and his bed-bound grandparents lived with him, and his mother. He worked as a paperboy to help support the family. He often passed the candy store, watching many of his peers enter and enjoy sweet treats. He never stopped at the candy store too often, but when he did, he would get a sweet treat to satisfy his palate. Located in town there is a business named Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, and they sell Wonka Bars and a few other types of savory treats.
One day Wonka announces that there are five “Golden Tickets” hidden in Wonka Bars. The five lucky people that find them will receive a a tour of the factory and a lifetime supply of chocolate. People from all over the world start buying Wonka bars like crazy, and the Wonka factory could not make them fast enough. Eventually all the golden tickets were found, and Charlie had lost hope. Although, on the way home from delivering newspapers he overheard people talking that the last person that found a ticket actually forged the last one. So here was still one last golden ticket out there after all. As soon as Charlie heard the news, he found money in a gutter and decided to spend the money on a Wonka Scrumdiddlyumptious Bar, and with the change he he got a Wonka Bar. He takes his chocolate home to his family in hopes to just maybe find the last golden ticket.
Overall, I personally really enjoy watching “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” It is a movie that just better as they go. Additionally, it is a movie that the family can watch together. There may be a few parts that seem a little scary to little kids, but they are not a bad influence to children whatsoever. I would rate this movie a 4 out of 5 stars.


Susan the super mom:

Susan Upton is not only a mother but a wife, aunt, cousin, sister, crocheter, top notch baker, and an overall inspiration,. Susan was born on August 12, 1969, and grew up right here in Corry with three siblings. She graduated from Corry High School in 1987 and then went to Edinboro University to get her Bachelor’s Degree for Elementary Education. Some of her hobbies include golfing, taking walks, baking cookies, making blankets, planting flowers, playing card games, and spending time with her family. When asked if she always wanted to be a teacher she says, “No, well I guess I did actually! I really enjoyed helping kids and helping adults get their GED.”
Personally, some of her favorite subjects in school include all things math. “Math for sure, trigonometry, geometry, algebra, I loved it all!” Some of her favorite things outside of school are steak or spaghetti, the color blue, any Michael Jackson song, being surprised, and the Lord of the Rings movies, “All three of them, ‘Return of the King’ is probably my favorite though.”
When asked what she wants to do in the future she said, “I would really like to travel a lot and go to different countries because my mom always wanted to do that!” With this, her dream vacation would have to be to the Galapagos Islands. “I love sharks and I would love to swim with them and see all the rescue shelters there.”
If Susan had to pick an animal that represents her the most she said, “A sloth, haha, I don’t know…probably a lioness because they fight for their family, protect their children from all danger [just like she does with my brother Riley and I], and I am a Leo.”
Overall, her biggest pet peeve would be, “when people don’t help others and post negative things on social media.” (That’s very relatable, Mom.) Finally, since Susan has experienced high school and college, her best piece of advice would be, “Do your best and be proud of yourself for it. Make sure to always do what you want to do and pursue your dreams.”As her daughter these wise words from a strong mother will always ring in my ears and help me along the way as I continue on the path to my future.


Red grapes or green grapes?:

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
Red grapes or green grapes? That is the real question–and a very important one. As an avid fruit-eater, I love enjoying the sweetness of different fruits. But if there is one thing I would rather not eat…it’s red grapes. My dislike of red grapes cannot just be linked to the color that they are, as I love the deep red/purple, but rather the consistency and taste of them is what makes green grapes far more captivating to me.
It seems as though every time I try a red grape it is mushy, way too sweet, and leaves a tangy aftertaste in my mouth. From a young age, I have tried red grapes over and over, and each time I catch myself disliking them even more. Trying them either at school or home was pointless, as I never grew fond of them. The small size and the way they quickly get old really diminishes any desire to eat them that I could possibly have. The petite size of the red grapes are a deterrent for me because typically small grapes are more susceptible to being mushy or soft. When I pick up a grape, I do not want it to be squishy at all–and whenever I pick up a red grape it is always mushy and nasty. When getting a green grape, however, most of the time it still has its shape and is a nice, plump piece of fruit. I like how green grapes have a slight crunch because that assures me that the grapes are not too soft, unlike the red grapes.
Being squishy and overly ripe makes it so the red grapes spoil much faster than the large green ones. That also means that they need eaten fairly quickly, which isn’t always practical. I like to be able to take a few grapes in my lunch every so often, and I don’t want to feel rushed to finish them like I do when eating the red grapes. Whether it be the vitamins/minerals within the green grapes, or something else, their more substantial feel is what I am looking for in a grape. I would prefer to be able to have a longer-lasting grape, like green, that I can eat at my leisure.
One last thing about red grapes that I don’t like is the fact that they are too sweet. Now, I am definitely not a sour food-lover, but I do not like my grapes to be so sweet that it makes me crinkle my nose up. I do not like it when I eat a grape and feel like I can still taste the sweetness of it hours later. I like the green grape taste because although it may be a little bit more sour, it still has a sweet taste that can satisfy your grape cravings.
Overall, green grapes are a much more superior fruit than red grapes because of the much better consistency, much better taste, and much better shelf-life. The pros of green grapes outweigh the pros of red grapes much more in my opinion. So what are you…team red or team green?


Heads up in the clouds? Flying is cool but terrifying:

Anyone who’s ever been up in the sky in an airplane knows that the sight can be breathtaking. The marvel of just being able to have such a contraption that can do so is a mystical thing in itself and quite a feat. I’ve always found airplanes really cool and love watching them take off the ground, yet while in one? Complete. Anxiety.
While airplanes are cool and I really like them, they’re kind of scary, even terrifying with all the things we know about them, especially in my generation. Many of people my age grew up knowing all the incidents surrounding the winged-mobiles and grew a sense of mistrust when thinking about going on a flight.
It is still worth it and travel goes by much much quicker, but they still can make me feel rather uneasy when starting out on a vacation.
Though they also have an impact on the carbon footprint that should be considered. While they have less of an emissions rate than cars, there are also a lot less people going in planes every day than cars. And the idea that planes could hurt our planet greatly is also a bit scary.
But, who knows? Maybe someday we won’t have to worry about air travel at all. For now, I think it’s safe to say that airplanes are terrifying and really cool simultaneously.


Rascal Reese:

This small playful dog is Reese! He loves wearing sweaters and hates the cold weather. He is an adorable little peanut who loves to sleep with his head under the blanket and lay on laps all day. If Reese had to choose a favorite activity, he would say that it would either be sleeping all day or begging for table scraps.
Reese may seem small and tiny, but he is a fierce, tough spirit! He was born blind, but he makes his way around very well and still loves doing all the same activities as other dogs. He loves to eat treats, bark at the mailman, and play tug-of-war. He is a firecracker of energy and a sweet pea. He may have an occasional bump in or two with table and chair legs, but after a few seconds of recuperation, he’s back at ’em.
If anyone needs a friend, Reese is your man.


Which is better: living in the country or city?:

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
When going on long car rides it amazes me the difference between the city and country. Both are different, but they still ultimately serve the same purpose of providing shelter and a place to stay. Some individuals would prefer one particular lifestyle over the other, and some individuals do not have a preference on where they live. Unfortunately sometimes one is not in control of what region they live in, which could be due to financial situations, family complications, or the location is not in the most ideal place.
Personally, I have never lived in the city, but from what I can observe all the houses are fairly close to each other. Most people have to share driveways with their neighbors and residents do not have much of a yard if any. To some people, this could be a problem because they have no privacy whatsoever. For example, if someone wanted to get a pool, but the only place they had space would be in the front yard, most people would not make the purchase due to it being out in plain sight for anyone passing by to see. Although living in the city may seem like the best option for people, there is also benefits that come out of it, one being that a school would be near by and they would not have to travel terribly far to get there. Another one being the convenience to stores and work in the area. Having convenience to stores can be in one’s favor. When preparing meals, there are times when you run out of an ingredient or you forgot to purchase it from the store the last time you went. Living nearby is a good thing because you can make a quick trip to the store, get what you need, and still have the meal prepared on time.
I have lived in the country my whole life, and I have found advantages and disadvantages to it. Some good things about living out in the middle of nowhere is that you have space. Neighbors houses are around, but they are not side by side as in the city, which is nice because there is still people around, but you have your privacy. Additionally, since there is more space, it allows for room to put things outside for kids. Such as a swing set, trampoline, swimming pool, etc. It can also be safer for children because there is more space for them to be outside and not have to worry about them being too close to the road. Additionally, living out in the country allows for one to be more connected with nature. Going for walks in the woods is always a great experience, and I wish that I did it more often. There is just something about it that makes it so peaceful, and enjoyable. Although there are some advantages to living out in the country, there are some disadvantages that come along with it. For example, it is a distance away from schools and stores. It just takes more time to get from point A to point B. Instead of taking five minutes like most people in the city do to get to Walmart, it takes people from around my area fifteen-twenty minutes to get there.
In the end, there are many differences between living in the country versus the city. It is interesting to see how different the two are, and imagine how dissimilar it would be to live a polar opposite lifestyle than you currently do.


The disaster that is the Grammys:

The 63rd annual Grammy Awards were held on Sunday night, and there’s a lot to unpack.
Let’s start off by discussing the highlights of the event. Artist Megan Thee Stallion brought home a total of three awards, one being Best New Artist. Harry Styles also shook the music world when he won his very first Grammy for his smash hit “Watermelon Sugar.” There were also some show-stopping performances from artists Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B., and Doja Cat. With the highlights now aside, it’s time to discuss why the Grammy’s was an absolute disappointment.
Many people were upset and flustered when a Grammy announcer was caught live making inappropriate and offensive jokes and saw it as unprofessional and unflattering. Another downside to the night was the butchering of many artists’ names who happened to be people of color. As if that wasn’t bad enough, viewers were quick to point out that every person of color performing was set to perform ahead of the actual award ceremony. One of the most notable snubs of the night was directed toward artist The Weeknd. With The Weeknd absolutely dominating the charts with his album in 2020, everyone was confused and disappointed to see that he was not nominated for anything.
Another huge upset came from the BTS fandom, as the group’s song “Dynamite” was nominated for best pop duo/group performance and were also set to perform. However, they lost the award to “Rain On Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. Saying that fans were upset is an understatement. Within minutes, fans were trending hashtags about the award show, referring to it as the “Scammys,” and media outlets were eating it up. People were not only outraged at the loss, but they felt that BTS was being taken advantage of. Not only did the Grammy’s tweet about BTS multiple times, but they plastered pictures and videos of the group as the center of their ads. People took this as the Grammy’s using BTS for attention and views, and honestly, I have to agree. In fact, people were so upset, the show had its lowest ratings ever, with only 8.8 million viewers and a rating of 2.1.
So what exactly do we do about situations like this? Because surely, the Grammys are huge, and don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Well, my biggest piece of advice is to not waste your energy on the Grammys, and instead support your favorite artist(s). At the end of the day, an award does not make an artist any more/less great. Stream and share your favorite music so you are directly supporting the artist.


White Shadows (Part 7):

**First time reader? Start here: Part 1
When Detective Thorn went home that evening at 6 o’clock. He went into the kitchen to get a TV dinner. He heated it up and went into the living room. He turned on the TV to the local news. He loosened his tie and began to eat. The news was something he had been watching recently. Over the last week the town had grown strange. Businesses on main street closing. For some odd reason restaurants were the first to go. Less people seen on the street. Less traffic. And it really came home to Thorn early on that something was wrong.
As he sat there eating, his wife came downstairs in her nightgown. She came up from behind and reached over the top to hug her husband around the neck. She looked at the TV and back at John’s distraught face.
“Are you okay?” she asked
“No…” he replied. After a pause he continued with this, “Carl didn’t show up to work today.”
“Oh my god…” she said. “I’m so sorry…” 
“I just can’t figure out what’s going on. Stacy back at HQ is answering calls like mad and can barely keep track of how many missing person reports we have filed since last week. I need to get to the bottom of this.”
“I hope this all ends soon. I barely get to see you anymore. You are tired and this has all come down on Jack, too. He really wants to go see his friends and I don’t blame him. But I guess it’s a good call to stay here. Because I think all of the people that have gone missing are actually dead.”
“I think that too. There’s no other explanation.”
*  *  *
11:00 that night
There was a slight sigh as Jack Thorn’s bedroom door opened inch by inch. His parents had gone to bed at 10:00 and Jack had stayed awake until he was sure they were asleep. He wanted to get out of this house. Being cooped up in this house with nothing to do and no one to talk to is what led him to do what he was about to do.
He made arrangements with a friend of his that he could sneak out tonight and meet up. Little did Jack know he would never see his parents again… well… at least while he is alive…
**This story is continued in White Shadows (Part 8)


My pandemic survival guide:

Exactly a year ago COVID-19 was effective and rising in our local area. Cases were coming towards us, schools were shutting down, everyone was at home, people were unemployed, and there was no toilet paper left. Today, in March of 2021, COVID is still here yet things are a little different and maybe even improving. People have gone back to work, and some students go to school for a few days or participate online. Personally, I know how to handle being in my house better because I am here more than I normally would be if we were not in a global pandemic. With this, I am going to give a list of my essential things that help me survive and even explain my overall mindset while being a senior through this difficult time period.
Here is a list of my personal necessities that I think I would not survive without (which include all games, snacks, and normal things for me):

My refrigerated Starbucks coffee
Chocolate of some sort
Hot Cheetos
Easy microwavable meals to make for lunch
Mask!
Piano
School-issued Chromebook from 6th grade
My TI-84 Graphing Calculator
Pets in my house
The Homescapes game on my phone (it is similar to Candy Crush, haha)
My blue light glasses
My whiteboard calendar
Skin care products
Car
Friends and family

These are just some of the many things that I would not survive without while being stuck in my house doing online school. With this, the biggest factor of my survival guide is to have a positive mindset, stay sane, and get motivated. At the very beginning when I started doing online school I did not have a schedule. I was lying in my bed, I played on my phone instead of doing my work when I had extra time in class, and I wasn’t very happy. However, now that I am aware of all of my important necessities, I can get all my work done, spend time with my family and friends safely, organize my school work, eat my favorite snacks while playing games when I have time, and overall start to work on stuff for our spring musical while finishing senior year off right.
Since the state of the world is always changing, and things look different here in our small town, my survival guide will always be flexible and updated as time goes on. Senior year definitely has not been what I dreamed of, but while trying to stay positive and with the weather becoming nicer, things are starting to look up. Also, because I am going back to school in person soon, I hope that this guide will help me stay safe and feel a little more normal while heading back into the building. Finally, my overall goal is that I survive the last nine weeks of school, no matter if I am in my house or in the building, and that I continue to stay motivated and busy, while being happy and having fun!


Nifty Nevaeh:

Nevaeh Harris is a fifth grader at Corry Intermediate School and is the youngest among five children. She was born on February 10, 2010, and is currently eleven years old.
Nevaeh’s favorite way to spend time is by watching her favorite anime or drawing. She talks about her hobby of drawing by saying, “I love to draw because I can create worlds that aren’t real. It makes me happy.” Some of her favorite animes include “Attack On Titan,” “Black Butler,” and “Haikyuu.”
Nevaeh also loves her pets, and her favorite is her cat, Phoenix. I asked Nevaeh how she feels about entering middle school next year, and her response was heartwarming, to say the least. “I’m excited. I get to meet more people, and I can’t wait to be one of the bigger kids.”
I’ve heard a lot of responses from middle and high schoolers, so I was curious to see how someone younger, like Nevaeh, has felt about the changes that have taken place in school over the last year. “It’s kind of sad, but it could be a lot worse.” She refers to the changes by saying, “A lot of people are upset about not going out, but I like it. I can stay home and eat all the food I want.” I asked Nevaeh what she would like to do in the future, and she responded with, “I don’t know yet, but maybe one day I can be an animator.”
I concluded the interview by asking for Nevaeh’s favorite piece of advice that she’s ever received. “Just be who you are.” She continues by saying, “People might judge you, but that doesn’t matter. Don’t let them stop you.” How inspirational!


Corry High is back to full in-person learning:

Starting Monday, March 22, any high school student who wanted to return to campus for the start of a five-day cycle of in-person learning were able to do so.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the school, a mandated shutdown occurred in mid-November of 2020. The shutdown impacted many students/teachers and their families in many different ways. Because the school has opened back up, it means that the classrooms are full (somewhat) again and students are able to converse with others from the different cohorts. Classrooms have started to liven up after many months of remote or split-attendance school days, and the stress of online learning for teachers will lessen up somewhat. Many teachers are happy to be having the students back in session. Some students are excited to come back as well, while others will miss the 8:29 morning wake-ups to log onto a Google Meet for the taking of attendance.
With half of the school’s student body returning for in-person, hallways may start to get a little hectic. However, with adjusting and getting used to being back, many will grow accustomed to the hustle and bustle again. Classroom sizing and flow will also take a little bit more time to get used to, but with being back in person for a few weeks, any misunderstandings or knots in the system will undoubtedly be smoothed out.
Some students are very excited to be back in the classroom. Take Markus Lambert, a freshman, for example. After asking him if he is excited about coming back to school, he stated, “Yes I am excited because I get to see all of my friends more often and sometimes it is easier to learn in-person. However, I must say, I will miss being able to sleep in an extra hour and having the freedom to do school from anywhere…even my bed.” Markus shares the same opinion as many students returning to school, as they are optimistic about being able to focus but will slightly miss the flexibility of online schooling.
With coming back to in-person learning, some teachers have expressed their views on the situation. High school teacher Mr. Woods, when asked if he was looking forward to having both cohorts (A and B) back in the building starting Monday, answered, “I am very excited about the return of all the students. I believe in the value of on-site school, not just to increase academic performance but also the social, community and mental health aspect of being part of something greater than oneself.  School is a little practice ground for the real world.  I’ve discovered the most important skill in navigating the world is interpersonal skills and high school is a great place to learn that.”
Mr. Woods’ words sheds light on the fact that coming back to in-person learning is a very crucial part of a child’s education and the development of certain qualities needed for adulthood. By mentioning the importance of on-campus learning, it goes to show that when students are given the chance to interact with other students they develop the ability to perform well under societal pressure. Instead of getting extremely nervous or closed-off, students (with the right amount of socialization) will be able to successfully withstand a conversation in public and not make themselves or others uncomfortable in the process. Being able to talk well with others is a very important step when going out into the “real world” after graduating high school.
Some concerns regarding coming back to school have risen. Some students may ask: If we get another wave of COVID cases are we going to have to stay remote the rest of the school year? Will the enforcement of masks be stronger? Will all of our desks have to have shields? All of these concerns regarding coming back to school are real and valid. To those questions though, there aren’t many answers. The administration at the school will handle all of that when the time comes and will inform the student body and faculty (and families). Until then, students will need to wear a mask and be prepared for  school as well as whatever gets thrown their way.
On that note, returning to school on the 22 will be interesting and different for everyone after being away for so long. However, this situation is a reminder to enjoy high school while you can and go through each day optimistically.


Marvelous Mrs. Egli:

Mrs. Tiffany Egli (previously Ms. Jaggi before she got married) started her teaching career at Corry as a Spanish teacher on October 17, 2016, which is also her birthday! She was raised and educated in Corry, and after high school she decided to further her education. She attended Edinboro University, and pursued a degree in Early Childhood and Special Education.
After graduating from college, she lived in Honduras for a year and taught sixth grade. While living there she picked up on Spanish and has excelled in the language ever since. She informed me that she took Spanish 1 and 2 in high school but did not know a lot of Spanish when she first moved to Honduras.
After coming back from Honduras people informed her that Corry was looking for a Spanish teacher. Her first reaction was, ” I can’t do that,” but they persuaded her to try it, and she ended up getting the job. A couple years into the job she went to Costa Rica and stayed with a family. While she was there she took two weeks of classes at a school and soon after took the test to be Spanish certified.
When asked why she got into teaching she replied, “I like the idea of being able to make a difference in someone’s life, so I think students are at a point in their lives where there is a lot of choices to be made and the decisions they make now will affect them the rest of their life, so if I can help encourage them through that season I think it is a pretty big honor to be able to do that.”
Before working at Corry she worked at a school in Honduras called CEAD and then Erie First Christian Academy for about two and a half years before coming to Corry. When asked what type of profession she would be in if she was not a teacher, she hesitated, and then slowly replied, “Something like an office job.”
When in high school she participated in volleyball, the boys tennis team, and was involved in the school plays. When questioned about a big accomplishment that happened during her life she declared, “Being married now to my best friend has been the best decision that I have ever made.”
If she could travel anywhere she would like to tour Europe due to the reason that she would like to see everything because, “there are so many amazing places in this world that we haven’t seen before, so for me I’m all about traveling, seeing new things, experiencing new cultures, food, and languages.”
She has a whole list of favorite movies, but one of her top favorite ones would be “Remember the Titans” because she really likes the message behind it. She does not have a favorite song because there are so many, and it depends on what mood she is in. When not in school she enjoys spending time with her husband, crafting, spending time with family, drinking all types of coffee, going to coffee shops, playing sports, just being outside, and baking.
To conclude the interview I questioned her on what her biggest pet peeve is. She responded, “When people stop listening in the middle of me talking, I think that is rude. I also don’t like when people chew super loudly.”
Overall, Mrs. Egli is a wonderful teacher who really cares about her students. I have had her for two years and enjoyed learning Spanish from her. I wasn’t too sure about the language at first, but I soon realized that she made the class fun by incorporating projects and games to make learning the language seem easy. For anyone pondering if they should take a foreign language class, I highly recommend at least trying it because I did and realized that it was fun and interesting to learn how different it is from English.


Strict parents make sneaky kids:

Do you think having really strict parents make sneaky kids? Personally this is a topic a lot of people talk and debate about frequently. I think having strict parents do make sneaky kids. I think this because when parents don’t give their children any room to grow and experience some parts of life that need to be experienced, kids go and do it because they know they are not supposed to.
For example, if your parents are vert strict and you want to go out with friends and they won’t let you, it leads to them sneaking out. Or if the parent doesn’t want them going somewhere they really want to go, it leads to them lying about where they are going. Some of this is from experience.  If your kid doesn’t do anything wrong why not trust them to make the right decision. Some people don’t make the best decisions, but if they have never done anything bad they most likely won’t do something horrifically bad the first couple times.
I think kids need to go out and experience life but with ground rules. By no means am I saying let your kids run free all the time with no rules, but I am saying if they are never allowed to do anything they will get sneaky or start to resent you and rebel. So just to wrap it up I will not be the super super strict parent because I don’t want a sneaky kid, and if you are an adult reading this thinking about whether or not its you, just ask your kids. These are just some reasons why I think strict parents make sneaky kids.


Thinking of leaving PA? There are pros and cons:

In my opinion the best state to move to would be Tennessee.  The summer only gets a few degrees warmer than Corry, PA, but the winter is a lot warmer.  Another reason is people in Tennessee are really nice.  I have been there a number of times and always have met really nice people.  
Gas prices are forty cents a gallon cheaper than in PA, so that is also a big pro.  Most importantly, this is the state where Dolly Parton was born and raised.  There are cities like Gatlinburg and Nashville, which can be very touristy but could be fun to visit even if you lived there.  Two small towns that I think would be ideal to live in would be Johnson City and Brentwood.  So that is why you should move to Tennessee.  
In my opinion the worst state to move to especially right now would be Texas.  As you probably know, a winter storm wiped their power out for weeks.  I would not like to live in an area where a storm could keep me powerless for weeks at time.  I feel that Texans are not very expecting and have a very strong Republican view that can lead to judgement.  This country is very divided and in Texas you could feel that division if you are not up to the Texas code.  It is hard to find a good place to live unless you are looking for a middle-of-nowhere country or no-place-to-breathe city living.
In my opinion, moving from Pennsylvania is not worth the hassle. Leaving all of your friends, family, and the life you have built is going to be hard, so is it worth it? Although some states are very nice, Pennsylvania is not bad. I feel like there is plenty of variation from state to state, but they are all in America, so they are not that much different. Moving is expensive, especially if you are going a long distance. So overall, just stay here, unless it is for a job.


Dutch Blitz a fast-paced, competitive card game:

For Christmas I got a new card game called Dutch Blitz.  This card game was started by the Amish and has Amish images on the backs of the cards along with numbers on the front of the cards.  You can buy this game at Amazon or just look up Dutch Blitz on the internet.  This game can be very competitive.  I have never played a round without people yelling.    
This is a very fast-paced game and unlike any game I have ever played before.   You start with three cards in front of you face up.  You also have a pile of ten cards (Blitz pile) that are also face up.  All players begin placing any playable cards in the middle, which would consist of ones. You then begin laying cards down in ascending numerical order according to the color. For example, if a blue one is played in the center, then a blue two could be played on top of it. If one of the three cards in front of you is played, you move the top card of your Blitz pile into the empty spot so that there are always three cards face up. When your Blitz pile is gone, you are the winner of that round. 
This game has a price tag of $12 and I definitely think it’s worth it. I’ve played this game for hours straight and I think anyone could enjoy it. It’s a good way to waste time and most people seem to be a fan. I think the best part is how much time you can spend on it and it doesn’t get boring. It’s only downfall is it can be high stress, which some people find overwhelming. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would give this game a 4.5, and I think everyone should try it. It takes a couple rounds to understand the rules, so if it’s slow at first, I’d keep going.


Updated information about the COVID-19 vaccines:

As coronavirus cases continued to spike worldwide through the beginning of 2021, the CDC and other informative sources have been regularly sharing updated information involving the vaccine and some new restrictions/guidelines.
Since the vaccine has started being distributed to people who have certain careers and risks, some people wonder when it will be available to them, and where/how can they get it. People worldwide and locally could even be deciding whether or not they want the vaccine based on the ingredients and effects it has on certain people. There are currently three types of vaccines open to the public called: Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Each type specifies an age group with different health-related issues while attempting to fight the virus in the best way possible; however, it is not guaranteed that a person will not get COVID-19 even if they are vaccinated.
According to the CDC, they provided each government with recommendations as to who should get the vaccine first while having specific goals in mind “to decrease death and serious disease as much as possible, preserve functioning of society, and reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities.” With this, as they recommend the three different types to certain people, here is the information, ingredients, safety, and effectiveness for each:

Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine: 2 shots, 21 days apart, given in the muscle of the upper arm, does not contain eggs, preservatives, or latex, is recommended for people ages 16 and older, but is not recommended to people who are allergic to anaphylaxis. (95% effective)
Moderna vaccine: 2 shots, one month (28 days) apart, given in the muscle of the upper arm, does not contain eggs, preservatives, or latex, is recommended for people ages 18 and older, but is not recommended to people who are allergic to anaphylaxis. (94.1% effective)
Johnson & Johnson vaccine: 1 shot, given in the muscle of the upper arm, does not contain eggs, preservatives, or latex, is recommended for people ages 18 and older, but is not recommended to people who are allergic to anaphylaxis or polysorbate. (66.3% effective)

Overall, no matter what type of vaccine a person would get, it is proven to be less likely for someone to spread or receive the coronavirus when getting one of the types of vaccines. However, even though vaccines our being distributed more quickly and to a larger variety of people, cases continue to sky rocket worldwide, in the United States as a whole, and in our state of Pennsylvania. According to Google News, there are 123,799, 328 cases total and 104,124,037 people fully vaccinated worldwide, but there are 29,898,613 cases total and 44,910,946 people fully vaccinated just in the U.S. (while Pennsylvania makes up 993,622 cases and 1,639,030 vaccinations.) As everyone continues to become vaccinated, wear masks, and return to work/school, numbers are expected to fluctuate and hopefully begin decreasing.


U.S. battling with largest migrant surge in 20 years:

Over the past week the U.S. has seen the biggest migrant surge at the southwestern border in 20 years.
The majority of the people are single adults and children traveling alone. With so many people under the age of 18 attempting to cross the border unaccompanied by an adult, it has created major congestion at the Border Protection holding facilities. There are more than 3,000 unaccompanied children being housed at the facilities, and more than half of them are being held beyond the three-day legal limit. The holding cells are not meant for children; the rooms are small with metal or cement benches, and there are no beds.
The number of unaccompanied minors keeps growing day by day. From the numbers growing every day the congestion in the holding facilities is not safe because they are not meant to house people for an extended period of time. The facilities are overcrowd and cramped. The children are given foil blankets to cover up with and the cells are so crowded that they are shoulder to shoulder when sleeping. Additionally, it has been stated that the children are not given suitable access to food or hygiene products such as soap, showers, and toothpaste. There are so many children being held that temporary tent facilities are being used to provide holding space.
Experts state that the reasons for migrants coming to the U.S can be for various. The biggest reason most attempt to cross over is due to poverty. Other reasons can include violence, natural disasters, job losses due to the pandemic, and even the back-to-back hurricanes that happened last year could play a factor in the surge. Other reasons that someone would attempt to cross over could be that they want a better education, living conditions, and more opportunities to find work.
President Biden is making efforts to help slow down the problem by dispatching top officials at the Mexico border. Additionally, they state that they are seeking ways to develop a humane and effective plan to manage migration. However, some people think differently on the subject, and two senators who represent the border states sent a letter to Biden encouraging him to step up  his efforts.


Survey: What are you doing for spring break?:

Spring is in the air and along with it comes plans for spring break! This year, spring break will be six days without school, which is perfect for getting in some early planning. Here are the responses from twenty-five randomly polled students and teachers on what they are doing for spring break:
Lexy Hasbrouck: “Going down to my grandparents in Harrisburg.”
Sara Colwell, 9th: “Going to Florida for a few days.”
Ryan Webb, 9th: “Going to Arizona and the Mojave Desert.”
Isabella Kellogg, 9th: “Dance.”
Ms. Sisson, Spanish: “Going to visit family.”
Gavin Maleski, 9th: “Probably working and hanging out with my brother.”
Lexie Fox, 9th: “Probably hanging out with family.”
Allison Cressley, 9th: “Probably coaching soccer.”
Makayla Landers, 9th: “Getting on a plane and going to Florida.”
Kaycee Porter, 9th: “Spending time with family and friends.”
Mr. Zarger, Physics: “Gonna stay home and work on the garden.”
Hunter Savitz, 11th: “Probably to work.”
Mattisen Kern, 10th: “Not at the moment.”
Mitchell Rauscher, 10th: “Probably try to find a job or something.”
Bailey Salusky, 11th: “Spending time with my friends and hanging out outdoors.”
Nikole Davis, 11th: “Work.”
Ms. Kuritz, Health and Phys Ed: “I’m going to spend time with my family and do some deep cleaning spring cleaning.”
Sophia Glass, 7th: “Going to visit my dad and go camping.”
Leonna Lillie, 7th: “Probably nothing.”
Ms. Maas, 6th grade math: “To eat food and spend time with family.”
Enola Monn, 12th: “I will be growing plants.”
Alexa Turben, 12th: “Hanging potted plants.”
Porshia Ayers, 12th: “Leaving.”
Emily Bruner, 12th: “I think I’m going to my grandparents.”
Lauryn Cressley, 12th: “Rollerskating a Marathon Sylvia.”
Happy Spring!


My experience at MEPS:

For those who don’t know what Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS ) is, it is the screening process you have to go through before you are eligible to join any branch of the military. This is a long and grueling process that takes two whole days. One of the things my recruiter told me to do is mentally prepare myself to be waiting in some places for hours at a time. He also told me to prepare myself to be put through uncomfortable situations and use the highest level of respect for the people there.
When I initially arrived there, they escorted me and about thirty other people to a hotel so we could check in and drop off our belongings. After that, we then took a bus to the MEPS facility where we each were scanned through and given our own tests that we needed to take. After we were done with the test we took the bus back to the hotel where we were fed and told to rest.
The second day started off early with a wake up time of 5 am. I then proceeded to get ready and left the hotel at 6 am to head back to the facility. From 6 am to 7 pm I, along with the thirty other people, were tested both physically and mentally. We were checked from head to toe and were given an extremely in-depth physical. By the time I left, I was so exhausted and very glad the process was over with.


Corry’s junior high wrestlers off to states:

On Saturday, March 20, Corry’s junior high wrestlers competed at the Bayfront Convention Center (located in Erie) in a wrestling tournament set to show who would be heading to Monroeville, PA, for the state tournament. After time, effort, and loads of hard work, many Corry boys showed up to the tournament ready to win and claim a spot on the podium.
After close flip-flopping matches, 12 middle school boys came within reach of the placing that led them to states. States in Monroeville is set to start Thursday, March 31, in which it will be a three-day wrestling event. The state tournament will be the end of the boys’ seasons, giving them their chance to show all that they have learned and how much they have improved.
In order to make it to the state tournament, individuals had to be in the placing of 1st-6th place. Corry boys who made it to states include eighth graders Isaiah Bayle (5th place), Nolan Carey (4th), Will Allen (2nd), Mason Savitz (1st), Cody Proper (3rd); and seventh graders Cooper Hodak (6th), Steven Willis (4th), Wyatt Swan (3rd), Owen Nickerson (2nd), Ayden Beckerink (4th). Also in attendance will be sixth graders Carson Braswell (2nd), Landon Nickerson (2nd), Kaiden Krasa (4th), Lamech Albers (4th); and freshman Carter Linden (6th), who also made it to states after wrestling at the tournament. The total of 12 wrestlers that made it to the upcoming tournament each have the potential to place well, according to their performances on Saturday, March 20.
When asked about the possibility of placing at states, eighth-grader Will Allen said, “I think if I wrestle well I will have a chance.”
Being on top of one’s game when wrestling in such a large tournament could be the deciding factor on who steps onto the podium and who does not. All of the wrestlers will undoubtedly need to show up to win if they are to make it into the finals of the state tournament, and that is exactly what Allen is planning to do.
Nolan Carey, who placed 4th, was asked if he was looking forward to the opportunity to wrestle at states. He replied, “I am, it’s a first year opportunity and it’s gonna be pretty fun.”
Part of experiencing the state tournament is also being able to enjoy the opportunity and participate in fun things. Hard work with the reward of doing exciting things is what many of the boys are hoping to experience. Making the most of this chance at states is something that Carey plans on doing.
Cody Proper was asked about his level of enthusiasm when he found out he made it to the state tournament. “I was pretty excited,” Proper responded.
Going along with Proper’s question, Mason Savitz was asked if he was proud of what he had accomplished recently. Savitz was quick to respond with, “Yeah, I took first,” to which he then added, “I pinned everyone.”
For the wrestlers to be able to feel the joy and satisfaction of making it to states is an important confidence-booster when headed down to Monroeville. They can use the excitement and pride to drive them to work hard and end victoriously. Being proud of one’s accomplishments is important when heading down to states because it allows the athletes to embrace and be confident in their abilities to beat other competitors on the mat.
Isaiah Bayle, an eighth grader, was also questioned about what his goals were when wrestling on Thursday. “I want to win at least two matches because I don’t want to go down and not win any,” Bayle replied.
Having the right mindset it also a deciding factor on performance level. It may only be the goal of winning a single match, but a fulfilled goal can leave someone with more satisfaction than a podium placing.
Overall, these boys are very excited about their accomplishment and are happy for their fellow teammates who qualified to go to states as well. To all of the boys who made it to Monroeville for the 2021 state tournament, Corry congratulates you and wishes you the best of luck.


What should the Prom theme be?:

Taylor Fenstermaker, 11th: Carnival
Lexy Hasbrouck, 11th: Nature forest theme
Olivia Jaworski, 11th: Masquerade
Maleri Mather, 11th: Masquerade
Alexa Turben, 12th: Old school video games
Enola Monn, 12th: Horror movies
Emily Bruner, 12th: Ballroom
Porshia Ayers, 12th: Ballroom theme
Abby Harrington, 12th: Masquerade
Lauryn Cressley, 12th: Ballroom
Elizabeth Geer, 12th: Outside because I like being outside
Brandon Arnink, 12th: Nature theme
Rachel Brady, 11th: 20s
Skylar Riedel, 11th: 50s
Jamie Brozell, 11th: Ballroom
Kendall keener, 11th: Ballroom
Dustin Seth, 12th: Yung Bray
Ms. Carey, Biology: Prom upside down
Mrs. Braswell, High school math:Under the sea
Mr. Adamski, English 9: 90s
Mr. Goodwill, Librarian: Football
Mr. Brewer, 9th grade seminar and History: Frozen winter night or starry night; the seasons
Mr. Fallon, History: Around the world
Mr. Zarger, Physics: Something fun, anything


Top ten spring colors:

Spring is a time for fresh starts and seeing the new life after months of cold, desolate land. Spring brings new buds on flowers and trees, and birds start to twitter around in the sky again. If your family is like mine, then you know all about decorating the house with many different spring colors to bring new excitement into your home. Below I have listed the top ten spring colors (regarding decorating, aesthetic, and anything else) from the worst to the best.
10. Black- First of all–who in the world would even picture this as a spring color anyway?! And second of all–no.
9. Brown- Although this is an accurate depiction of how the ground looks…it’s not very bright and cheery.
8. Orange- This is definitely a bright color, however, it might be a little bit too bright.
7. Green- This is more of a space-filler, not really a great spring color, but it is at the same time just because it shows that the plant life is once again alive and ready to thrive.
6. Light red- More of a robust version of light pink that gets the springtime feel across all the while emboldening the atmosphere.
5. Fuchsia- This bright color is sometimes a much-needed pop of color in a dingy environment. This color can bring life to any garden to help resurrect its beauty.
4. Light blue- Light blue is a sentimental, happy color that can be expressed as the cloudless sky or even the raindrops that fall in April to bring May flowers.
3. Pastel yellow- It’s bright but yet not too bold. It expresses itself in a clear “spring-like” way, all the while showing off its fragile state.
2. Pastel purple- One of the prettiest colors by far, this color signifies the simplicity of spring and sheds light on the softness and tenderness of the season.
1. Pastel pink- This is like the picture-perfect color for describing spring because it allows people to envision this soft color that is light and happy but also very bright and jubilant.
Thanks for reading my top ten spring colors! These array of shades create a wonderful (or possibly not-so-wonderful) palette of colors to spruce up anyone’s long winter. What are your favorite spring colors?


Top ten shapes:

We all think about shapes and what ones are the most appealing all the time, so here are the top ten shapes appropriately ranked by the positive and negative energies that they give off.
10. Circles and Ovals
So boring. Circles can be fun to draw, but they’re just too smooth. If circles were people, they’d be that one annoying coworker that doesn’t do their work but thinks they practically run the world when they most likely couldn’t change a light bulb. Ovals are the best friend to circles and just think they’re amazing at doing nothing. The math for circles can be fun, until it’s not.
9. Semi circles and diamonds
They aren’t the most boring, but they’re close.
8. Squares and rectangles
I love squares and rectangles just as much as the next person, but they can get boring. They need more life to them. More edges or funky motives. They’re like the red shirts in “Star Trek”: don’t rely on seeing them for more than one episode. They are the background characters of the shape lore.
7. Cylinders and the other -agon shapes
These shapes start to spice up the menu when it comes to evaluating shapes, though, nevertheless, they are about as jazzed up in flavor as food from the 15th century. They really tried, but there is zero flavor. They just aren’t quite to the level of pizzazz to make the top ones of the list.
6.  Stars and Triangles
These two shapes would be the type of shape that gets their plate of food first when out to eat and doesn’t wait for everyone to get their food before they dive in. They think they’re the main character, but really they’re only there to advance the plot, but at least they aren’t… you know who (hearts (didn’t even make the list (we won’t go into why) obviously) sorry) not sorry).
5. Heptagon
These are such a chaotic shape. They’re difficult to draw with their seven cool sides, but they still vibe well. A heptagon is the type of shape that you’d want to go to brunch with, watch your houseplants while you’re on vacation, cat sit, drink iced coffee with, etc.
4. Rhombuses and kites
They aren’t the coolest shapes but they are very boxy and have lots of interesting characteristics. They work great in intricate patterns. Who could ever forget learning about the ‘sat on square’ in 4th grade? I certainly could not.
3. Dodecahedron
By far one of the most fun to look at shapes. It reminds me of a boulder. It looks like a fun shape to roll up a hill for the rest of all eternity. The name in itself says it all.
2. Parallelogram
They’re just so parallel and appeasing but on a slant. It’s not a boring diamond or a regular plain old square or rectangle. They are more pleasing to the eye than the rigid edges of the rhombus.
1. Trapezoid
Trapezoids are by far the coolest shape. They look like rocks and rocks are amazing, so how can someone not like the raw crisp edges of a trapezoid? If I were to marry someone, the ideal person would remind me of a trapezoid. With that being said, trapezoids are the best and most wonderful shape.


A never-ending 2020 (part 4):

*This story is a continuation of “A never-ending 2020 (part 3)” so if you haven’t read the previous part click the link to catch up before going on!
I heard the word that the voice said ring in my ears over and over again…forever.
“How do I pass the test, I need to pass the test?!” I asked with tears falling down my face.
“The only thing I can tell you is that you need to forgive and forget by Easter morning, then you will be sent here, and we will send you home.”
“Easter?! That’s a week away and I don’t even know what I need to forgive and forget! That’s not fair!”
All of a sudden the ropes on my hands and feet were untied and I could finally stand up. As I paced around the dark room, I realized that the voice was gone and the screen shut off making the room pitch black. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and when I opened them I was back at my house in my living room as if nothing had happened…yet still alone. All I could think about was Charlie and how he was doing. I imagined him reuniting with his family, eating nice dinners, and probably smiling from ear to ear. I wish I was too.
A few days went by and I still couldn’t think of what I needed to forgive and forget from last year. The whole year in general was completely awful and there wasn’t a single thing that went right. I rarely went to school, I didn’t see my friends, and on New Year’s Eve I remember wanting to forget about everything that had happened. What could possibly be wrong with me hating the whole year-
“That’s it!” I said with excitement.
“I have to forgive the year by remembering all the good memories and forgetting the bad in order for me to not be angry and appreciate my friends and family so I can start again!”
Right after the thought came to my head I sprinted upstairs to my room to grab tons of pictures of all my favorite memories. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door to all of the places I wanted to go. I went to the amusement park, the movie theater, several restaurants, all my friends houses, school, work, the beach, and finally back to my house. At each stop I took a picture by myself in the exact same pose as the pictures I held in my hands with my friends in order to be completely happy. I took a deep breath, let everything bad from the year 2020 leave my mind, and finally I felt free. Suddenly, the sky seemed a little brighter and the sun shone down on me, then the voice appeared again.
“Well, well, well, look who finally figured it out, and even with a few days left to spare,” the voice said calmly.
“Can I go home now?”
“Yes, I will send you home, but I want to warn you that you might not like what 2021 has in store for you. It’s not particularly…convenient,” the voice said.
“Wait, what does that mean-”
All of a sudden I was back at my house and I saw my family all huddled around a bed. I began waving my arms and screaming their names, but as I ran up to them my hands fell right through as if I was a shadow.
“Why can’t I feel them? Can they even see me? Mom!? Dad?!” I screamed.
As I approached the bed wondering what they were staring at, I noticed my mom was holding someone’s hand that looked very similar to my own.
“Is she gonna wake up anytime soon doctor?” my mother said with worry in her eyes.
“She is getting better but it could take days, weeks, months, even years for her to wake up from this coma. I am so sorry, let me know if you need anything else, and I will check in again tomorrow,” the doctor said.
I looked closer while leaning into the bed in complete disbelief. I am in a…coma?
To be continued…


Top ten celebrities over 50:

In modern days looking and being young is very popular. With things like Botox that are used to hide age being so prominent, I think it is important to pay attention to the celebrities over 50. Celebrities who not only a few years ago, but even now, shape pop culture and set trends. Here are the top ten celebrities over 50.
10. Sandra Bullock (56)
9. Jennifer Lopez (51)
8. Brad Pitt (57)
7. Jennifer Aniston (52)
6. Oprah Winfrey (67)
5. Queen Elizabeth II (94)
4. Paul Rudd (51)
3. Ted Danson (73)
2. Betty White (99)
1. Dolly Parton (75)


Garden theft:

It’s the beginning of July and young Susan is working in her garden. The bountiful flowers bloomed in so many different colors it was like her front yard was a rainbow. Young (as she was only twelve) Susan walked from flower to flower, examining it’s luscious petals and tenderly giving them some water. Her whole world revolved around that flower garden. Her only friends were the flowers, but she preferred it that way. Without her garden she felt that life was meaningless. So what would her life look like if everything she worked so hard for was suddenly snatched away?
It happened on a mid-summer night in the early days of July. Susan had gotten up early, like she did on every day, in order to give her flowers their morning sprinkle. As she put on her favorite rain boots, which were decorated with watermelons, she noticed a single flower lying in the middle of the yard. She sprinted outside, her heart pounding wildly at the thought of losing one of the few purple carnations. When she stepped out on the front porch, her whole being went numb. There, strewn across the yard, were just a few flowers from her entire garden. The others were simply gone.
“Who could do such a thing?!” she cried as she somberly walked around, picking up loose petals and limp flowers. “My friends…gone.” Poor young Susan– her little heart was broken at the sight of the destruction. Her mother held her as she wept for her beloved flowers, knowing that soon she would have to move on and plant other flowers in their places.
She wiped her tears and headed back outside to clean up the wreckage. As she was cleaning, Susan noticed that there was a note folded up on her garden. She opened the note and read it. The note said “Hello Susan! My name is Lolli! I couldn’t help but notice your lovely flowers. I own a flower shop just down the road. It was very wrong of my employees, but they decided to take your beautiful flowers to use in my arrangements. To show my deepest apologies, I am going to be letting you pick out whatever flowers you would like to plant from my shop! There is no limit on the amount! Please accept this as an apology for the actions of my greedy employees.”
Susan’s hopes were lifted at the thought of being able to replenish all of the flowers she had stolen from her. Her bitterness vanished at the thought of others being able to enjoy her magical flowers.
Eventually, Susan planted all new flowers into her gardens and they were once again flourishing under her tender care. She even managed to find time to volunteer at Lolli’s flower shop to help those flowers bloom wonderfully. Each year, Susan donated her flowers to the shop and handed out bountiful vases overflowing with an array of colors. She made people smile who didn’t often smile with simply handing them a vase full of flowers.
Susan and her flowers then lived happily ever after.


Birds:

I flew through the air and hit the pane,
unaware that the air was not as fare to go
as it threw me in vain.
So I smacked and fell and fell and fell but didn’t hit the pavement a little bit.
For something caught my wing in fling and flew me
so I’d flow through the crisp brisk air.
And as the wind smacked me bare to the chest
I had no care to its chilly will.
For the cold fold of the windy endeavor’s path
was not strong enough to weather the heat
of such a fast heartbeat.
The bird’s heart beats fast like the song birds sing so sweetly in timed rhythm.
The cold windy fold
to the heat of the heartbeat
may seem formidable to the once passerby eye,
but in reality it’s only lovely after you fall
into flight.
I rose, I rose, I rose rose rose– travelling
up, up up– above each treetop.
oh! the wonder in the marvel as I climbed!


Top ten “Gotham” characters:

As most of my friends know, I am a super hero/super villain geek. And when I found out about Gotham I decided to watch it. If you like Batman and DC Comics, then I’d recommend it. It basically takes place before the appearance of Batman, and all five seasons lead up to Bruce Wayne becoming Batman. As a result,  here are my top ten favorite characters.
1. Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska ( The Joker)
2. Bruce Wayne
3. James “Jim” Gordon
4. Alfred Pennyworth
5. Oswald Cobblepot (The Penguin)
6. Edward Nygma (The Riddler)
7. Harvey Bullock
8. Selina Kyle (Catwoman)
9. Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze)
10. Johnathan Crane (Scarecrow)
Finally, here are a few characters who are good but didn’t make it to the list:
Ivy”Pamela”Pepper (Poison Ivy), Jervis Tetch (Mad Hatter), Lucius Fox, Victor Zsasz, Carmine Falcone, Hugo Strange


Top ten spring activities:

Alas, spring has sprung upon us! The dark, cold days of winter are now behind us, and the fresh air of spring has returned. With the weather changing, it’s a bit of a shock to not have to walk outside in heavy coats and gloves. Now that the snow is melted, what exactly are we left to do? Here’s a few ideas on how to spend your spring days:
10. Do some spring cleaning.
9. Pick up a new hobby.
8. Ride a bike.
7. Release your inner child at heart and draw with sidewalk chalk.
6. DIY a cute spring photo shoot.
5. Plan time for walks outside.
4. Shop for clothes that better suit the season.
3. Plan your spring crops.
2. Have a picnic.
1. Go to a park and enjoy the weather.


New members added to the herd:

With times constantly changing in the dairy producing businesses, many local farms are going out of business, or downsizing. This can be due to large franchises deciding to shut down smaller farms and build their own farm that houses thousands of cows to supply milk for their business. For instance, Walmart is a prime example of this situation because a few years ago they decided to build their own processing plant in Indiana and reject milk from other plants such as Dean’s. This caused small farms, even local farms, to be shut down due to the reason that Dean’s had too much milk and not enough stores to supply. Another reason a farm could downsize or sell out could be due to shared ownership if one owner does not want to be in the farm business anymore.
A couple weeks ago a local farm had an auction to sell cows, heifers, and calves because one of the owners wanting out of the business. Close to 150 cattle were sold that day and a majority of the herd sold included Holsteins and Brown Swiss. One by one they were brought into the ring to be sold and then sent out after the highest bidder was announced. The whooping and hollering from the workers calling out peoples bids became background noise to some because they had heard it so long they were able to ignore the sound.
At the end of the auction, my family ended up getting four animals from the sale. My dad got a Holstein milk cow, my brother got two Brown Swiss heifers, and I got one Brown Swiss heifer. We paid for our purchases, went home, did barn chores, and then hopped in the truck to go pick up the Holstein. She missed home at first, but she has adjusted well, and gets along good with the other cows. The next day we went and picked up the three Brown Swiss. They are housed in my brother’s barn, and they are doing great. They are constantly munching on hay and are excited when they see you with the grain pale.


Growing up as the middle child:

If you know anything about being the middle child, you know how interesting it can be. Growing up with four other siblings was definitely not easy, but I honestly don’t know what I would do without them. I have two older siblings and two younger siblings. The oldest is my brother, Corey, and the second oldest is my sister, Karissa. Corey is now living on his own with his family, and my older sister is close by and still visits frequently. After me came my little brother, Caden, who is now 15 years old. He’s currently a freshman in high school, and probably the closest sibling to me. We’re the closest in age, so we have pretty similar interests. And the last born is my little sister, Nevaeh, who is 11 years old. Her and I are also pretty close even though we’re six years apart.
Most of my childhood was spent playing outside with my siblings or in the backyard playing with our dogs. If we weren’t outside playing, we were inside running around and eating all the snacks in the house. Mom might not have been impressed, but to us it was a blast! Those were some of the most exciting moments of our lives, and every time we’re all together we laugh at memories. Being the middle child, I got away with a lot, so digging up a little trouble here and there was fun. However, it was always out of love, and we could always come together as family at the end of the day to giggle at our mistakes.
But the downside to always being busy playing or running around is that we hardly have any pictures together where we are actually sitting still. In all of the pictures we do have together, you can see the chaos in our expressions. And even though we’ve had our not-so-great moments, I wouldn’t give it up for the world. My siblings helped shape me into the person I am, and I will forever cherish the memories we have made together.


Time flies with “Anything Goes”:

In May of 2019 our high school put on the musical “Anything Goes.” Since it was a couple years ago (pre-covid times) rehearsing, singing, dancing, auditioning, and preparing for a show looked a lot different. It was my sophomore year of high school and I was getting ready for my audition. The previous year we performed “The Little Mermaid,” and I was cast as one of the sisters of Ariel, so this year I was hoping to get another good part! After my audition was over I was a little sad, but yet still very excited, to be a main dancer in most of the musical numbers!
“Anything Goes” is based upon the thrilling lives of people on a ship going from New York to London. Hope Harcourt is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, but she realizes she is truly in love with Billy Crocker as Reno Sweeney and “Moonface” Martin help him to win her over. While everyone prepared their lines and songs, the most exciting part for me was learning all of the dance routines. Since it was my first year with a built-in set (that looked exactly like a boat deck) and having lots of props and new events, it was very easy to have positive energy and be ready to rehearse with people who were committed to their parts. Also, when working with that same group of people continuously for a few months who all share similar musical interests, it is nice and easy to create strong bonds that will last a long time.
Overall, the highlight of the whole experience was getting to tap dance during the actual song “Anything Goes.” Since it was my first time ever tap dancing, I now can say I have the experience, and tap shoes, to use in any/all of my future productions. As I wore fancy dresses and sailor costumes while even putting on robes to act as if we were a backup choir, this show will definitely remain in the top five favorite shows I have ever been in. With all of the catchy and relatable songs, plus funny jokes and scenes (on and off stage), this show is one I highly recommend to watch since it will always be unforgettable to me.


Top ten vegetables:

Looking for a healthy and tasty snack?  Vegetables are the way to go! Here’s my list of top ten vegetables.
10. Beets
9. Bell Peppers
8. Brussels Sprouts
7. Onions
6. Artichokes
5. Carrots
4. Mushrooms
3. Tomatoes
2. Cucumbers
1. Green Beans


My reflection on the new live-action “Mulan”:

When going into the new “Mulan” I wasn’t very excited. I really liked the old animated version and wasn’t interested in all the changes that were going to be made that would differentiate it from the original. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a wonderful adaptation from animation to live action.
The tale told was much more like the legends that you hear of the actual stories about the events that the story was based on. It still had a heartwarming feeling with nods to the movie we had all grown so fond of through our childhoods. The story did have differences for sure from the original, but I liked the artistic liberties they took because it made the live action of it flow much smoother and didn’t feel like they were just trying to copy the original word for word. When movies are just remade and copied completely they can get dry and wooden and the jokes fall through the cracks. It’s not enjoyable because you aren’t looking out for anything new and exciting.
As far as the acting, I felt that the actors did a good job showing the characters as real people and not just as if they were plain fictional characters. It felt believable that they were who they said they were. There weren’t any characters that were strictly funny, but there were still jokes in it. In a way, not having a slapstick character helped make the story line more believable because those types of characters can make story lines fall flat. With the overly-dramatic humorous characters interacting with the main characters that are maybe more serious, the serious actors cannot laugh. The actors may also hear the line a thousand times in a humorous scene and quickly get bored with the script.
The CGI and other effects were pretty good. There were some scenes where someone would do a kick or something computer-generated, and the action would move just a little too fast to look accurate– almost like a fast-forward button on a tape. So viewers could tell in those spots that they used CG, but it was not noticeable in those same scenes in the actual image quality.
The different liberties they did take I felt were well-considered. There were only a few things that I wish would have been just a little different. They weren’t bad at all, and I don’t know what my suggestion would be without thinking on it more, but I really did like what they did with the story.
I would give the new “Mulan” a 4.5/5 rating and suggest it to anyone looking for a fun, light action movie.


“A Week Away”–cheesy but the perfect message:

Over the Easter break, I sat down with my family to watch the recently filmed musical “A Week Away.” The film was released to Netflix on March 26 of this year. This musical features Bailee Madison, Kevin Quinn, Kat Conner Sterling, Jahbril Cook, and others. The film is about a troubled teen, Will Hawkins (Kevin Quinn), and how he gets sent to a Christian camp for a week. There at the camp is where he finds true friends, the meaning of acceptance/repentance, and (as is shown in basically every movie these days) he falls in love with the competitive, kind girl Avery (Bailee Madison), from camp. This is of course a cheesy movie, but it delivers the perfect Christian message: You are never too far gone.
This film was very lively with many songs being performed throughout the movie, which were simple and got the message across all the while being upbeat and fun to listen to. The actors’ short, sarcastic remarks made for a lighter mood that the audience was able to appreciate. The cheesiness of the movie was pretty consistent, but the cute meaning behind it made it easier to listen to without cringing as much. The actors and actresses definitely sold their parts and made it easy to want to finish the film. A few of the songs that were performed throughout the movie were: “Let’s Go Make a Memory,” “Baby, Baby,” “Good Enough,” and my personal favorite “Awesome God/ God Only Knows.” There were other songs throughout the film, but these were the ones that really stuck out to me. The lyrics behind these gave a positive and uplifting message all the while keeping my attention.
There wasn’t really any moments in the film that I was tempted to shut it off at. Sure, the cheesiness was sometimes hard to watch, but it all worked to show the bigger message as mentioned before: No one is ever too far gone. It went to show that no matter what you have done in life, there is always God to turn to. It gave this very powerful message to people in this day and age that might feel as though there is no hope for them. (Especially with things regarding COVID). The songs and the film were encouraging people to keep going and that any past, present, and future sins can be forgiven.
Another reason why I liked this film was because there wasn’t any real tragedy that took place to make the audience cry. In this film, if the audience cried it would have been because of the powerful message. I find this refreshing because too often filmmakers feel as though in order for them to connect with the audience there needs to be a major catastrophe. In “A Week Away,” however, there wasn’t the drive for a dramatic and tragic scene. I enjoyed watching this wholesome movie.
Overall, the film “A Week Away” was very powerful and shared a great message to today’s broken society. The performance was engaging and the songs helped to keep the audience’s feet tapping. All in all, I would rate the musical “A Week Away” with a 5 out of 5 stars. So what are you waiting for? Grab a bowl of popcorn, put your feet up, and get ready to watch this uplifting film.


Why you should give “Waitress” a listen:

The musical “Waitress” follows the comical and tragic story of waitress Jenna, accompanied by her two coworkers, Dawn and Becky. The soundtrack also follows each part of the story, and each song plays a key part in conveying the emotions in every situation that simple dialogue cannot.
The musical has some adult humor sprinkled throughout, so it is definitely geared toward an older audience, unlike many other musicals. This is one of the biggest downsides, as this limits its audience. However, this does not take away from its greatness. Kimiko Glenn, who plays Dawn, is one of the most relatable characters, and her song “When He Sees Me” is definitely my favorite, as it’s about the insecurities and fears that one may face when meeting someone new. It’s not only a fun take on the character Dawn, but it’s relatable to listeners everywhere. Another wonderful piece from the musical is “She Used to Be Mine,” which is sung by main character Jenna. It’s a beautiful song that goes into depth of the struggles Jenna faces, as she feels lost and attempts to remember who she once was. However, it’s a song that touches the hearts of many, because every single person has felt sadness or confusion at some point in their life. Jessie Mueller, who plays Jenna, has one of the most consistent and unique voices I have ever heard in Broadway, and this song compliments her voice beautifully.
As for the musical itself, it’s definitely a joy to watch. One second it’ll have you laughing in your seat, and the next it’ll have you tearing up. I always find myself coming back to listen to the songs or watching clips I have saved, because it truly is entertaining. If you aren’t interested in listening to all 22 tracks, I would definitely recommend you listen to one song. It’s an experience everyone should have at least once. Out of 5 stars, this easily earns a 4.5.


Joshua Bassett releases his first EP:

*If you haven’t already make sure to read a previous arts and entertainment review of mine (“Three songs, three people, three different stories”) that is based upon one of the songs out of this EP that was released early. Also, it will provide some background information of Joshua Bassett’s current situation and song writing inspiration!
In late 2020, Joshua Bassett was best known to the public as the new Troy Bolton in the “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” that was made as a Disney + original; however, earlier that year he did release a few singles (“Common Sense” and “Anyone Else”) to put his music out into the open to see how fans would respond. As a fan myself, I can personally say his music is a hit! At just 20 years old he has been able to write songs about relatable situations while easily portraying any message by using his real feelings and emotions. With this in mind, his self-titled EP, with a total of six songs, has been more than I could have asked for.
About a month ago, he decided to release the EP fully while slowly recording live piano, guitar, and acoustic versions of some of the most popular songs from the list. The songs are as follows: “Sorry,” “Do It All Again,” “Lie Lie Lie,” “Only a Matter of Time,” “Telling Myself,” and “Heaven is You.” All of these songs together have the perfect mix of a fast tempo and clear message, while others are slower and more sentimental. Based on my previous article involving Olivia Rodrigo, some may assume that “Sorry,” “Telling Myself,” and “Lie Lie Lie” are more of post-breakup revenge songs with lyrics such as, “you’ll be sorry that you left me/did we just want to believe that this was love?” However, “Only a Matter of Time” and “Heaven is You” change the mood as he says, “Well darling I’ll be fine, it’s only a matter of time/I always heard there was a heaven/I never knew if it was true/but darling ever since I met you I know that heaven is you.”
Overall, Joshua Bassett is a perfect example of a young, talented, and unique artist who is on his way to fame. Some of my favorite things about his performances are his incredible piano skills and expression of his voice when singing in his lower register. However, when he expands on notes or does long “runs” it can create a weird break in the song that personally sounds weird to me sometimes, (but it is a stylistic choice that works for him that I fully support). With this, Bassett’s self-titled EP has a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my music library.
*This album has several explicit songs that would be rated PG-13 due to minor amounts of foul language and references.


“American Idol” gets better every year:

“American Idol” has been on the air since the year 2002. Four of the latest seasons have had Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie as the judges. Along with returning host Ryan Seacrest that has been on the air for seventeen straight seasons. Bobby Bones is also present on the show acting as an in-house mentor to all that audition.
People ages 15-28, and that are legal United States resident are eligible to audition. Traditionally, there are audition cities in states that individuals can go to and audition to see if they make the cut to get onto the TV show. Although like many things this year, changes had to be made to accommodate for the pandemic situation. So video auditions were the next best option, and anyone had the opportunity because they could do it right from their own home. This opened the door for many individuals to showcase their talent and possibly even make it to the TV show auditions. Once the individual makes it onto the show they go through rounds of auditioning and competition to see if they move on or not. If they move on and eventually make it to the finale, a winner is chosen, and are titled as the “Idol” of that season.
The 2021 season of “American Idol”started airing on February 14. The judges were blown away at the talent individuals presented at the beginning of the season. Every year the judges claim that it gets harder and harder to judge due to the amazing talent that is showcased. By far this season has proved the statement true. Although the people just sing, each individual has their own style that makes then unique and stand out from other contestants.
Overall, “American Idol” is an enjoyable TV show to watch. I highly recommend it to others especially if they like listening to various types of music. This is technically considered a family show, but sometimes there can be inappropriate language and actions. I would rate this show a 4 out of 5 stars.


Meet Bandit, the bouncing baby goat:

On Wednesday, April 7, a new addition was brought into our small goat family. In the very early hours of the morning my goat Josie had her first baby. This adorable baby goat is a little boy. He keeps close to his mom, as he still isn’t too sure about the outside world, but sometimes enjoys standing next to his dad. He has a charming coat, and is the perfect combination of his mom and dad. His tender ears are the softest fur ever, with his body quick to follow in softness. His adorable self, if put into a cringey chart, would be under the “cuteness overload” category.
After getting to see him for a few days and thinking through different names, I have finally decided on one: Bandit. The name fits him perfectly, as he (even though he can’t eat solid food) has tried to take Josie’s grain a few times. Yesterday, he somehow managed to jump inside it. He is also a little trouble-maker, who will definitely stir up some turbulence as he gets a little bit older. So all in all, I think Bandit fits him perfectly.
He is a mischievous little boy who, at just five days old, loves to run and jump around. Sometimes, though, he gets running a bit too fast for his wobbly legs and ends up falling over. This weekend, we watched as he climbed the log pyramid. He had many failed and nearly successful tries, but in the end was able to jump onto the logs and climb around. Although I have only gotten to be with him for a few hours each day, I can already tell he is going to be a rambunctious and highly-energized tiny goat. He is already out and exploring in the pasture, all the while investigating everything he comes across.
His favorite things to do, within just these past few days of life, are to run around, nap, and annoy his dad. He loves to just plop down wherever he pleases (even out in the middle of their pasture) to “take a load off.” His mom, Josie, of course tries to coax him back indoors where it is safer, but most of the time he just ignores her. He likes to run over to me, act like he wants petted, and then sprint away while kicking around his back legs. It’s his little game he invented. He does let me pet him and pick him up quite easily…but only when he wants those cuddles.
After meeting him on Wednesday when I got home from school, I instantly fell in love with Bandit. His lovable little face and relaxed attitude made it easy to fall head over heels. Even my grandma couldn’t help but stop down three times in one day to see him! His high-energy brings lots of new life into the goat family (and family in general). Overall, I am very excited to be able to hold him and give him many sweet treats in the future. Welcome to the family, sweet Bandit!


A day at the creek:

It was warm and sunny when I woke up this morning, and that meant I was going to spend the day outside. When I heard the birds singing in the trees outside my bedroom window I knew it was going to be a wonderful day. I got out of bed and ran downstairs. I quickly showered and changed my clothes, then had breakfast with my family. When they asked me what I was going to do today I told them I was going to spend it down by the creek and then later explore. I headed out the door in a rush, more than excited to see where my day would take me.
I ran to the end of my driveway and stopped to pet my neighbor’s dog. My neighbor came out and said hi to me, and we talked about somethings that have been happening in the neighborhood lately. I turned off my road and onto a dirt one. I walked that for half a mile then took a shortcut in the woods. There was the creek and two of my best friends were already there splashing in the water.
I spent a few hours at the creek till going to my friend’s family blueberry farm. We picked berries and laughed till we couldn’t breath. The sun was starting to set, so I left the farm and met with another friend on top of a big hill. We watched the sun set and they even brought sandwiches that were amazing. After that I walked back home and  fell asleep as soon as I laid down. I was right: today was a wonderful day.


Top ten country songs:

As a person who loves country music, I thought this top ten would fit my life perfectly. I have a different taste in music, but country has to be my favorite. There are a lot of really good examples of country music that I like, so it makes it really hard, but here are my top ten country songs. I hope you enjoy!
10. “Houston We Got a Problem”
9. “This Bar”
8. “Neon Eyes”
7. “865”
6. “Wasted On You”
5. “Warning”
4. “Hope You’re Happy Now”
3. “The Good Ones”
2. “Sand in my Boots”
1. “Cover Me Up”


The brave Mr. Brewer:

Mr. Brewer is a middle school history teacher here at Corry, and he was born on September 24, 1985. While living in Waterford, PA, he attended Fort LeBoeuf High School and after graduation decided to enroll at Edinboro University to major in education.
When asked if he always wanted to be a history teacher he said, “Heck to the no, just kidding, haha. Well, originally I wanted to be a cop but then I decided I should become a teacher instead!” Some of his outside of school hobbies include hunting, fishing, and “blowing stuff up.”
While talking with Mr. Brewer about what he wants to do in retirement, he said, “Like all of my hobbies now, I want to have more time to do just that: hunt, fish, and do absolutely nothing!” Some of his favorites things overall include the color blue, any food that has cheese in it, the song “Hail to the King” by Avenged Sevenfold, laughing and comedy in general, and war movies.
When asked about his dream vacation and favorite place he has ever been, Brewer said,” I want to go on a week long hunt out West, but my favorite place I have already been is Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana. It has a big burial site for all the soldiers that died there and it was just really cool to see.” Because of Mr. Brewer’s love for war movies and history, this was an expected response.
With Mr. Brewer’s braveness to accept any and all responses from his colleagues and students, I asked him what animal represents him the most. “Gorilla! Well, that’s what everyone else would say, so that’s what I’ll say to.”
Also, his experience with middle school students and upcoming freshman has inspired him to give the advice of, “Listen to those who have lived through history because they have already lived through most of the things you are questioning.” As a senior myself who was a former student of Mr. Brewer, I can proudly say I love to give advice to younger people who are going through the same thing I did at one point in my life.
Finally, after sharing his education and favorite things, his biggest pet peeve would have to be, “Disrespect in general. It costs absolutely nothing to be respectful, so everyone can do it…simple as that!”


Do you prefer home-cooked meals or going to restaurants?:

In today’s society many people are busy with work, school, extracurricular activities, day-to-day tasks, and whatever challenges the day brings. Some people are home long enough to sleep, get ready for the next day, and go again. With being so busy, there are hardly ever times to slow down, relax, and spend time at home with family. Many people do not think about it, but individuals also need to eat sometime throughout the day. No matter if they go through a drive through, sit down restaurant, snack all day, or make meals at home. Whether it is pre-made and they heat it up, or they make it from scratch.
There are many reasons that individuals choose to go out to restaurants over staying home to eat. One reason could be that they don’t cook, and yes this is a true statement. There are people out there that can’t even cook pasta or make grilled cheese sandwiches without burning it. Some individuals do not have skills in cooking, so it is easier, and saves times of cleaning up a mess if they just go somewhere and pay for food to be made for them. Additionally, some may decide to eat out on occasions. Which could be birthdays, anniversaries, a certain day of the week that one decides not to cook, meeting up with friends for lunch, etc. Lastly, some people may not have the time to make meals during a busy week, so to make life easier they stop and attain some lunch from a restaurant. Instead of going to a restaurant it’s also a common option for individuals to get frozen/premade items such as Hamburger Helper, DiGiorno pizza, and Campbell’s soup that just needs to be heated up. It is still a quicker option then making food from scratch, but it also can be more cost effective than going to a restaurant.
On the other hand, there are some people that choose not to eat out at restaurants and would rather have home-cooked meals. There are various reasons why people are turned away form eating out. One reason could be that it is a healthier to make your own food. At restaurants especially fast food sell items that are full of sodium, and preservatives. However, getting ingredients and fresh, good quality food items have little if any preservatives. Another reason is that making meals is cheaper than going to a restaurant in the long run. The average cost of a meal per person at a restaurant is around $7-10 per person without drinks. Drinks can cost anything from $1.50 to almost $3. Let’s say there is a family of five who went out once a week for a dinner. If the food costed $8 per person, and drinks $1.75 per person, that would be a bill of $48.75 to feed the family.
After reviewing the benefits and downfalls of eating home-cooked meals versus going to restaurants, many people can have strong opinions on what they prefer. Everyone lives a different lifestyle, and it is ultimately their own decision on how they live their life.


Survey: What are your plans for this summer?:

With school already into the fourth quarter and the time until summer break getting shorter and shorter each day, people are starting to think about what they want to do all summer. The question I asked was: What are your plans for this summer? Whether it be swimming, kayaking, enjoying the weather, or just happily staying away from school, many people gave insightful information on what they would like to do during the summer. Below are the responses of individuals who were surveyed:
“Outside activities with my puppy.”- Ms. DiLuzio (English)
“I’m going to Myrtle Beach.”- Gwen Adams (Sophomore)
“I just want to enjoy the outdoors…”- Mr. Luther (Math)
“Swimming, definitely. I want to travel somewhere.” -Maleri Mather (Junior)
“Softball, maybe get a job, and look at colleges.”- Lexi Hasbrouck (Junior)
“Sleeping in and not going to school.” -Alexa Turben (Senior)
“Probably getting a job.”- Emily Bruner (Senior)
“Making dandelion jelly.”- Enola Monn (Senior)
“Cross-country road trip.”- Porshia Ayers (Senior)
“I plan to redo my room and go on vacation with my family.”- Keira Knight (Freshman)
“Vacation and hanging out with my friends.”- Emily Blake (Sophomore)
“Go on vacation and hang out with friends.”- Halle Peterson (Sophomore)
“I have a wedding to go to, and tentatively going to the Outer Banks.”- Mrs. Cragg (Gym/Health)
“Being a counselor at Miracle Mountain.”- Kalista Linden (Junior)
“I’m babysitting.”- Taylor Fenstermaker (Junior)
“I’m going to go to camps and I’m going to go to the beach.”- Ryah Lambert (Sophomore)
“Hopefully get to go somewhere.”-Mrs. Smrka (Chorus)
“To go to the Pennbriar and to go for nice walks.”- Mr. Coates (History/World Civilizations)
“Hang out with friends.”- Addyson Lilley (Seventh)
“If COVID is over with, we are taking the family to Boston…”- Mr. Buona (History/World Civilizations)
“Go to Myrtle Beach with my family.”- Bella Schutte (Seventh)
“We are driving to Utah.”- Taylor Holby (Seventh)
“Go swimming at my grandma and grandpa’s.”- Sophia Glass (Seventh)
“Softball all summer.”- Rachel Moats (Seventh)
“I’m going on vacation to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and then I am going to sit around my house and be fat and lazy…mic drop.”- Mr. Brewer (World Civilizations, American History, Ninth grade seminar)
Hopefully everyone is able to fulfill all of their summer plans! What are your hopes to do this break?


Significant Mr. Swartzfager:

Mr. Lee Swartzfager is the middle school principal here are Corry. He grew up in Fairview, PA, and attended Fairview High School, where he graduated in 1997. After high school he decided to further his education at Penn State Behrend to earn a degree in math. Then, he attended Mercyhurst University to finish his education. Lastly, he took graduate classes through Gannon University.
When asked why he pursued a career in education, Swartzfager replied, “I felt teaching was a calling,” and he wanted the opportunity to help make a positive difference in people’s lives. He started working at Corry in the fall of 2002, and while at Mercyhurst he taught full-time at Girard Alliance Christian Academy for one year.
Before becoming the middle school principal, Mr. Swartzfager was a high school math teacher for thirteen years and is now currently in his sixth year in administration. If he was not in the profession he is in today he would most likely be a counselor because it is “just another way to help people.” He additionally stated, “I’ve never been driven to just make money. Being helpful is more important than just making money.”
During high school Mr. Swartzfager participated in football, wrestling, played soccer in the summer, and was active in the church youth group. When asked about any big accomplishments he has earned, Swartzfager replied, “Successfully raising kids, and it’s hard to measure but hopefully leaving a positive impact in many students’ lives.” At first glance many students think that he goes home and reads a book by the fireplace at night. However, he stated that “I usually have a pair of Carhartts on and boots… I work hard outside of the building a lot.”
If he had the opportunity to travel anywhere he would love to go to Alaska some day. “I heard that it’s beautiful, and I also love the Caribbean. It’s gorgeous there.” Some of his hobbies include spending time with family, hunting, fishing, and anything outdoors.
To conclude the interview, I asked him what his biggest pet peeve is, and it is the lack of integrity that many people have. To build off of this, Swartzfager ended with this final quote: “Trust takes years to build, and seconds to destroy.”


Stop joking about periods:

Menstruation is a normal thing all women have to go through. The problem is they get bullied for it. Not only that, but it can be extremely painful. Sometimes it is so bad that girls have to miss school or can’t even get out of bed. Medicine doesn’t always work. To combat this, it is important to spread awareness about a topic that should already be taught to the boys. It’s not always just boys, but girls can be cruel about it, too. Boys need to learn that their “jokes” are hurtful and annoying. 
Women of all ages have had experience with questions or comments about their period that have made them uncomfortable. Most wished to remain anonymous, but they wanted to share their stories. Comments from boys are mentioned on a daily basis and it’s something women shouldn’t have to put up with. 
Several girls of various ages were asked whether or not they have had a boy make comments to them about a girl’s period and here are the responses:
For example, one anonymous student said, “Yes, and ‘Like when you’re bleeding, can’t you stop it whenever you want?’ or ‘How do you use one of those cup things?’ They make me uncomfortable.”
“I’ve had a lot of boys ask if I was on my period implying that I was moody/rude and a lot of boys have made weird remarks about it in general,” another student commented. She continued, “Or be scared to touch an unused wrapped tampon.”
Another girl said, “Unfortunately, I’ve gotten this a lot, but when I’m in a bad mood, ‘must be your time of the month.’ Also one time I was talking about [periods] with another girl and a guy that was there was like ‘that’s disgusting’ and being dramatic even though it’s normal.”
“Yes, I have. Many men, many times. Their favorite comment to make when you are in a bad mood is ‘Are you on your period or something?’ And it is very rude. We’re allowed to have emotions and feel without it needing it to be our time of the month,” said another girl, who has a lot in common with the others mentioned. Continuing, she said, “Also when I’ve needed to leave to go to the bathroom while having a male teacher, they don’t let you go. No matter how many times you’ve said you needed to go for personal reasons they still don’t let you and insist you ‘hold it’ as if it’s something we can control.”
This last girl was teased relentlessly and she said, “I’ve definitely had a boy make some weird comments about my period. I think the last time this happened was when I came to school upset, and I could hear a group of boys saying things like, ‘Sounds like someone’s on their period,’ and, ‘Does someone need some chocolate?’ They teased me and blamed everything on my period the entire day.”
Six girls and all bad experiences with something that they can’t control. There are many more girls that go through this and don’t like to speak up to authority because then they will get harassed about it and be told, “It’s just a joke,” or “You’re being too sensitive.” They are not being sensitive when those “jokes” go on for years and years. Don’t you think they would hold it in if they could? But sadly, it’s not how it works.
There are solutions to some of these problems. The “jokes” may never stop completely, but it doesn’t hurt to try. The school district could start teaching the boys about menstruation during health class. Doing this could eliminate some of the snarky comments they make and prove them false. When someone asks to use the restroom, teachers should stop asking questions and just let them go. It’s embarrassing when the teacher doesn’t let you go and you have to shout out in front of everyone why you actually need to go. Women shouldn’t feel embarrassed, but society has made menstruation seem disgusting and something personal. Even having an assembly for the boys could work. Not having to make girls pay for pads and tampons in the girls bathroom. Any of these three would help a tremendous amount.


Malcolm in the Middle is a nostalgic classic:

“Malcolm in the Middle” is a seven season TV show that originally aired in January of 2000 and ended in May of 2006. It follows a gifted teenager and his family who deals with financial issues and a poor family dynamic. It starts when Malcolm is in middle school and ends when he enters college. 
This show features several talented actors, the best known is Bryan Cranston and Frankie Muniz. Bryan Cranston is best known for “Breaking Bad.”  Watching him portray Walter White and then seeing him play a stereotypical middle class father in “Malcolm in the Middle” shows his strength as an actor. Even though Frankie Muniz was the main character, I think he was not the best actor on set. I think Justin Berfield (Reese) and Erik Per Sullivan (Dewey) made up for Frankie Muniz’s underwhelming performance. 
I am biased on rating this show since I grew up watching it and it brings back a lot of nostalgia, but I would give it a five out of five. When watching this show, you quickly feel like you know all of the characters very well and you are a part of the family. The situations the family gets themselves into are very entertaining and have you constantly wondering how they are going to play out. According to IMDB, this is rated PG, so I definitely recommend you check this show out.


The cheerfully charming Ms. Carey:

Ms. Carey is one of the high school biology teachers here at Corry High School. She has been teaching here for four years. When in college she had originally “started [majoring] as an English teacher and swapped to a lawyer.” However, when she went to get her masters, Ms. Carey decided to switch her major to education.
What may cause someone to make such a jump in career paths?
“I had originally been going to Allegheny College to be a lawyer, and for my senior project I worked with one of my forestry professors, testing modules in high schools. That experience introduced me to the world of education, and I was hooked.”
When asked what she loves about biology as a subject she said, “I love everything!” and went on to talk about her passion for science in her day-to-day life. It intrigues her and she really enjoys science. “I watch science shows and read science things. And I guess my goal when becoming a biology teacher was to share that with my students. I think it’s amazing that we’re made of hundreds of thousands of cells. And hopefully [my students] get the same love for it. If not I wouldn’t be doing my job as their teacher.”
When asked “What’s one thing people may not know about you?” Carey said, “I’m pretty real with my students, and I think I build pretty good relationships with many of them. I genuinely enjoy teaching, and I hope they get that warm, friendly feeling from me, too.”
Outside of school she has three children. Her oldest child Owen will be 20 in June and is in the United States Marine Corps; Liv, who is in fourth grade at the intermediate school and is a gymnast; and Celia, who will be five in May and is a dancer currently in Pre-K.
Ms. Carey’s favorite color is all shades of orange because “[orange] makes me feel cheerful and happy.” Her favorite season is summer but not because she’s out of school. She likes summer because, as she said, “I vibe with warm weather and slow days,” though around July she begins to miss school. She doesn’t own any pets, but she really likes cows. She grew up on a dairy farm and knows a whole lot about them.
When asked what her most interesting or weird job that she has ever had was, she said, “I was the guest services manager at Splash Lagoon and I had never had any experience with management at all and was suddenly in charge of 200 people! And I couldn’t even swim!” She may have been a bit of a fish out of water, but if she worked the same way there as she does for her biology classes, she must have done wonderful in her position.
Ms. Carey is also in charge of high school student council and the junior class. “All things homecoming and all things prom are going to come from my room.” She remarked humorously that, “It often doesn’t look like a biology classroom with all the streamers and decorations from all things going on.”
If anyone is interested in helping out around the school with activities like planning for prom or homecoming, Ms. Carey said that she is “always looking for creative minds for student council and junior class to help with things like homecoming and ideas come fall of next year.”
Carey’s final message: “Everyone is always welcome.”


Junior and senior prom revival:

Around this time last year juniors and seniors were at home, doing school online, missing their friends, and hoping for some sort of prom even through the circumstances. Since the amount of coronavirus cases increased rapidly into the summer, that unfortunately did not occur and juniors missed their first ever prom, while the class of 2020 missed their last prom. As one of the juniors here at Corry who missed the first prom, and was planning on helping set up, share ideas, and fund raise for the rest of the year, I believe that seniors should be able to help as much as possible for this years prom.
While the prom has been at the Peak n’ Peek Resort for several years now, there is a lot of planning that goes into putting a whole prom together. Last year, our junior class made tie dye shirts and sold candy apples and Corry Beaver shirts, while advertising and coming up with a central theme. We originally planned on having a masquerade-themed prom (ironic right?) with the usual dinner, ceremony, photo booth, candy table, and lots and lots of dancing; however, this year’s prom is costing twice as much, which means we will need twice the amount of help. Also, for safety reasons, prom this year will be having indoor and outdoor activities for everyone to enjoy as long as each junior and senior is either vaccinated or has proof of a negative COVID test.
Overall, since prom is now the day after graduation (June 4), we do have a little more time to create a theme, fund raise, and create a plan of action, but with the help of two student bodies instead of one, we could be ahead of the game. Personally, organizing and planning school events is very fun and exciting for me, and I know that it was upsetting to not be able to even start planning a prom last year. With our current circumstances and past events, I believe the Class of 2021 should end the year on a high note with a unique, stress-free, organized prom as we could all work together with the juniors and have the best first (and last) prom ever!


Survey: What was your childhood hobby or collection?:

Jake Blake, 12th: Pokemon cards
Ms. Di Luzio, English: Stickers and making my own stickers
Gwen Adams, 10th: Random rocks from my driveway
Mr. Luther, mathematics: Football cards
Lexy Hasbrouck,11th: Sports, hunting, fishing
Maleri Mather, 11th: Rainbow loom rubber band bracelets and jump ropes
Alexa Turben, 12th: (Most likely possessed) random knickknacks
Enola Monn, 12th: Cat whiskers and nails
Emily Bruner, 12th: Littlest pet shops
Porshia Ayers, 12th: Tiny spoons, skulls, rocks
Lauryn Cressley, 12th: Sparkly Rocks
Liv Burger, 10th: Squinkys
Abby Harrington, 12th: Sticks
Abby Northrop, 11th: Wood chips from the playground
Emily Blake, 10th: Watching Spongebob, Polly pockets
Halle Peterson, 10th: Monster High Dolls
Mrs. Cragg, Physical Education: Precious moments figurines
Kalista Linden, 11th: I made dresses in the style of ‘Little House on the Prairie’ and ‘Little Women’ and acted out scenes.
Taylor Fenstermaker, 11th: Baby Dolls
Ryah Lambert, 10th: Singing, Calico Critters, painted pet rocks
Mrs. Smrcka, chorus: Atari games, old pennies, stickers
Mr. Coates, Global Civilizations: DC Mega Figurines
Ethan Pena, 7th: Art, collecting rocks
Dolly Peters, 7th: Paint, rocks
Addyson Lilley: Random rocks


Surprise of a lifetime:

Kira never spoke up in class. She always sat in the back row, watching and observing her classmates in their daily shenanigans and class discussions. She never liked talking much; it almost felt like too much of a bother to make conversation with strangers. She would much rather spend her time sipping on some green tea and enjoying a nice comic book. Attention was definitely not her “thing.”
On this specific morning, Kira noticed something was off. When she walked into class, the other students’ eyes went to her like a hawk to a baby bird. She felt an uncomfortable presence as she took her seat. She looked down at her school uniform, trying to determine the cause of the staring. Nothing seemed off about her outfit, as it was just a plain blue sweater and a matching skirt with the school logo on it. She tried to brush it off as her social paranoia, and opened her notebook to prepare for notes. She noticed when she looked up that the staring had not ceased. This made Kira very nervous, so she lowered her head into her hands and tried to hide her embarrassment. Students began whispering, and Kira started hearing things like, “I can’t believe she came today” and “I think the shock got to her.”
By now, Kira’s entire face was bright red, and she attempted to ignore it, but the burning sensation on her face got worse as she turned into a human cherry. This caused her classmates to stare more, this time accompanied by giggles and laughs. This went on for almost five more minutes, until one of Kira’s best friends rushed into the classroom to greet her. “Did you hear?” Her friend, Harper, excitedly chirped.
Kira looked up, visually confused.
“Are you seriously telling me you don’t know?”
Kira shook her head at her friend’s question.
“Look!” Harper exclaimed as she pulled out her phone, showing a picture of Kira’s parents.
Kira noticed nothing off about this picture, and this simply confused her even more. For the last two weeks, her parents had been on vacation for work, but that didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary for them.
“Huh?” Kira said as she tilted her head.
“Look closer,” said Harper.
Kira squinted her eyes, focusing on the phone screen. It was an article, the headline reading, “Couple Wins Big: Next Lottery Winners.” Kira felt her jaw drop. Kira would’ve never guessed that such an awkward morning would turn into the best thing that could’ve ever happened to her. Her parents were officially millionaires!


Señorita Sisson: Spanish Phenom:

This past week I was given the privilege of interviewing one of the school’s Spanish teachers, (Ms.) Señorita Sisson. Señorita Sisson has been teaching here at Corry High for eight years (12 total though). She has only ever taught Spanish and mentioned how “…Spanish is such a fun and beautiful language that I love to share with my students.  It’s a fun and interesting subject to learn. It’s also one that I think is pretty beneficial to learn.” As a student in her Spanish class I can say one thing for sure: Spanish is most certainly a fun language to learn!
Because Ms. Sisson is a Spanish teacher, I of course had to ask some questions regarding her stays in Mexico and other Spanish-y things. Señorita Sisson has been to Mexico a total of 10 times. She added, “In college I had the chance to study abroad and live with a Mexican family for two months.  I have gone back numerous times with family and friends. I even had the chance to go there for Day of the Dead, which was pretty amazing.” I then proceeded to ask that, if she ever had the chance, would she live in Mexico as opposed to here? To that, her answer was “Absolutely.” She talked about how if she could take her family and friends there with her, she would happily live there. She said it “felt like home when I was there.” I then asked a very important question…Is Mexican food better than our food? To that, she talked about how she “definitely” loves Mexican food (as some of the dishes are her favorite), however, she also loves American food.
I then moved away from the Spanish subject and started asking about her favorite hobbies and what she loved to do. Her favorite activities are: physical activities such as working out and playing different sports, spending time outdoors (kayaking, boating, hunting, and hiking), any type of competition, and spending time with her puppy (Luna). Her summer plans are to “spend a lot of time with my family,” as well as “spending a lot of time on the water  boating/kayaking/swimming.” Señorita Sisson is also hoping to travel a bit, but only if places start to open back up and lessen the restrictions.
I then asked some easier questions such as: What is your favorite color? I learned that Ms. Sisson loves blue. Her favorite foods are tacos and cheesecake. Her favorite artist varies on her mood, but her typical go-to music is 90s rap or some Spanish music. As of right now, Nicky Jam is her favorite artist.
I decided to ask Ms. Sisson to relive her childhood by asking some questions about it. I first asked what her fondest childhood memory is. She responded with, “When I was young, every Friday night, all of the kids in my neighborhood would get together and play Capture the Flag.  We must have had twenty kids that played. As soon as it got dark, the game began, and we would play for hours.  Since cell phones weren’t a thing at that time, my mom would stand on our front porch and yell for me to come home.  I’m pretty sure I ignored the first couple calls– claiming I couldn’t hear her– then when I could sense the anger in her voice, I quickly ran home.  It was so much fun.” Playing games with others was always enjoyable in my younger years as well!
I asked what the best school year was for her, but she said she couldn’t pick a specific one. However, she enjoyed high school in general for the fun dances and being able to play sports. She added, “Those are two of the things that I miss most from high school.” The last question I asked was if she had any memorable pets from her younger years. To that, Señorita Sisson said, “I had a dog that I adored. She was a Lhasa Apso and her name was Daisy. She was  the sweetest puppy.” Daisy sounds adorable!
All in all, being able to spotlight Ms. Sisson was very nice! Especially because she deserves a bit of time in the spotlight after teaching here for so many years and teaching such an interesting subject. If any reader is thinking about taking Spanish, I highly recommend it. It is an entertaining class that welcomes the opportunity for growth and success.
Well, Adiós!


Why cheese is not for me:

Cheese is a classic all over the world and is cherished by many. You can eat it in almost any form, as it comes in blocks, shreds, slices, and can be melted, boiled, baked, etc. If there’s a way people can add cheese to food, they’ll do it. It’s no debate that people love the dairy product. In fact people seem to love cheese so much that they have dedicated an entire holiday to it, naming the day “National Cheese Lovers Day.” However, I have a bone to pick with cheese.
Before I dig into my distaste for cheese, let’s look at why people love cheese so much. According to chef Elise Wiggins, “Fat releases endorphins, so the fattiness of the cheese immediately gives you that umami effect.” Wiggins also justifies peoples’ love for cheese by mentioning its comforting aspects. Wiggins says, “It’s the mommy factor – it’s just so satisfying,” So, if a food closely reminds you of someone/something comforting in your life, it’s no wonder you love it, right?
Well, cheese may be put on a pedestal for being a comfort food and delicious, but I absolutely despise it. Not only does it smell putrid, but its taste is comparable to rubber. It is flavorless, and the texture is awful.
Not only is cheese bland, but it brings no real flavor to food. And, believe me, I have tried eating cheese in almost every form possible, and nothing has left me quite as disappointed.


Lucy the loving dog!:

Lucy is a ten-year-old Australian Shepard. When she was younger she was very active and always loved playing Frisbee.  She is a very cuddly, loving, attention-seeking dog and could never hurt a soul.
Her favorite activities to do as she has gotten older are car rides, sleeping, and still some Frisbee. Lucy was born on April 20, 2011. We got her for my grandma after my grandpa passed in 2012. Lucy is always happy to see people and brightens everyone’s day.
Lucy is a very pretty but somewhat large dog. She is friendly with other dogs her size but doesn’t really like small ones. She is on a very strict diet due to her allergies, but every Australian Shepard I’ve met has been a great companion and are great dogs to have. She loves to chase the cows, birds, and go swimming at our old house. This was just a little bit about Lucy!


Unpopular opinion: snacking on fruits > snacking on artificial sweets:

When I’m in the mood for something sweet to munch on, typically I head to the fridge to see what fruits are waiting to be snacked on. It’s not just the health side that makes fruits more enjoyable to eat than sweets, it’s more of the true and non-artificial sweet taste that gets me. Fruits are just so much more enjoyable than the factory-made sweets you can buy. Not to mention, they look a whole lot prettier and much more enticing than other sweets sometimes look.
Choosing fruits over other sweets usually isn’t a very hard choice. However, I will admit, I do like having sweets. I would just happily pick the fruit choice over the sugary option. Fruits are the kind of snack that leave you actually feeling good about yourself after you eat. And who wouldn’t want to feel good after they finished snacking on a bunch of food? I especially love eating fruits as a snack because it helps me to feel physically better than when I eat sweets. Sweets always make my face breakout, whereas fruits help to add nourishment and leave me feeling great. Fruits are the snack that you can eat a somewhat large quantity of, and yet still be ready for your next meal because of the lightness of the fruits. Whenever I eat sweets, I can feel the weight of the snack in my stomach for a long time. This is not a pleasant feeling because of the way it just sits in my stomach and makes me feel overly full.
Fruits are also a better snack than the artificial sweets because fruits are sometimes easy to walk away from. However, when I start with the snacking on sweets I find it is hard to stop eating them. Fruits are great because after a while of eating them, putting them back in the refrigerator is easy: after one apple I am content, and after a handful of grapes  (only green, though) I’m ready to keep going, and a bowl of strawberries are sweet enough to diminish my hankering for artificial sweets. With store-bought and manufactured sweets, however, I don’t notice if it starts to be too much until the sick feeling arises. And it doesn’t take much to make me feel the effects of too much sweets.
Now, of course part of my liking for fruits over other sweets is because of the health benefits. However, I don’t think I need to go into detail showing how beneficial fruits are because most of the population knows how much better fruits are for you than artificial sweets by now. So I will simply leave it as this: fruits are so much better than factory-made sweets, not just taste-wise but as a whole.


Trip to Jamaica:

Back in October of 2018 my family took a trip to Jamaica. We went to a resort located in Negril. My family is pretty shy but luckily we took my talkative outgoing grandma who can quickly make friends. Once we made it out of the airport we got on a bus and that was one of the scariest two hours of my life. Although the scenery was gorgeous Jamaica is lacking in their traffic laws. 
We spent most of our time at a swim up bar talking to the friendly bartenders. The bartender’s language caught my inquisitive grandma’s attention. He told her the language he speaks cannot be written, only spoken. On the second day we had Hibachi and we were seated with a family from the United Kingdom. We quickly hit it off and ended up spending a lot of our time with them. 
One of my favorite parts of the trip was a free froyo place and I ate an unhealthy amount of frozen yogurt throughout the trip. By the end of the trip, all of the froyo workers knew me by name. The day before I left we went cliff jumping and that was a cool experience. I was very sad when I had to leave and I can’t wait to go on vacation again. The flight home felt a lot longer than the flight there because I no longer had my overseas vacation to look forward to.


Survey: What are your graduation celebration plans?:

Brandon Arnink: I’m having a graduation party.
Dustin Seth: I’m retiring, that’s it.
Enola Monn: Graduation party.
Abby Harrington: I’m having a graduation party.
Porshia Ayers: I’m going to California.
Alexa Turben: Graduation party.
Emily Bruner: I am having a party with my family and friends.
Payge Boucher: Roadtrip!
Kyla Walker: No party for me; probably just going to get some gifts.
Meredith Bonner: I don’t know.
Isabel Knight: *look at Meredith Bonner’s response*
Chance Chase: I’m having my own party, just for me.
Drake Bowen: I’m not really sure yet to be honest.
Nick Albers: Having a party with my family.
Jake Blake: Me and the boys are going to Outer Banks.
Ciara Davis: Have a grad party.
Maya Wetherbee: I think just a grad party.
Allison Zackiewicz: I’m also having just a graduation party.
Emma Swartzfager: I’m having a grad party, but I am going to spend most of my time on our boat in the summer!
Robyn Biondi: Just a grad party for me.
Jayda Martin: I’m just having a party, nothing too big, haha.
Ayriana Jaraczewski: I am going to have a graduation party with a bunch of my family and friends!
Hazel Greene: My plan is to have a joint graduation party with some of our fellow seniors instead of just having my own later on in the summer!


The Corry High musical returns with “Little Women”:

Last year, just as auditions for Corry High’s production of “The Addams Family” and general production had started to get underway, the pandemic hit. The students were unable to perform, let alone truly start rehearsing for the show. However, this year, as things have begun to slightly improve, theater students are planning to perform “Little Women” (with some significant changes due to COVID guidelines and musical performance restrictions).
Some differences about this year’s musical from previous years would be that all the cast members are wearing shields, staying socially distant when off of the stage, taking temperatures, answering COVID symptom questions, not sharing costumes, and even recording the production for viewers to buy and watch at home rather than having a live audience.
As we interviewed some of the cast members from “Little Women,” we asked them how the rehearsal experience has been for them, what they look forward to, and their personal pros and cons about this type of practice:
Taylor Fenstermaker, a junior, said, “A pro would be that you get more one-on-one time when rehearsing. A con would be that you have to be apart more often and rehearse in smaller groups. Overall, rehearsing is fun no matter what and you make more friends and grow closer to people you don’t know to become a team.”
Senior Christina Newman added, “A pro is that people with social anxiety can stay more comfortable and distant with COVID. A con is that we can’t have more people together at once which makes it more difficult to be ready to record. Overall I enjoy that we can get everyone to rehearse in a safe way.”
“A con is that we have to wear a mask all the time which is a good thing but I’m really freaking sweaty,” Kyla Walker, a senior, said. “Though it is still just as fun as every other year and I’m glad I still get to hang out with my friends.
Payge Boucher said, “The fact that there’s a character in the show that dies from a respiratory disease in this year of COVID-19 is a con– but a huge pro would be that the show this year has a strong female lead!”
Senior Chase Suchar added, “A pro is that there is a smaller cast and you can get closer to the people in the cast. A con is that you don’t get to perform it live.”
Corry’s musical production of  “Little Women “will be recorded over the next few weeks and a link will be available to purchase between the middle and end of May to watch in the comfort of your own home.


The vacation that changed my life:

Growing up I always knew that I was adopted. My parents were very open about it, and filled me in on all the details that I was too little to remember. I was only six months old when it all happened, so obviously I had no idea what was happening. I was told that I was always a happy baby and only cried when I was hungry or when nobody was holding me.
My parents’ names are Bill and Sarah, and they were open to adoption after they had had two kids of their own. I along with three other kids were placed with them, and after five years they were able to adopt us all. Then the family was complete, and we lived a pretty adventurous childhood.
In the summer we would go on vacation for a couple of weeks, and we moved all the time it seemed due to my father constantly getting promoted for the company he worked for. Finally he earned the position of Assistant CEO, and he said that was enough. He did not want to take on any more responsibility, and wanted to focus on family.
Three years ago I was entered in a contest to have the chance to win a week-long vacation to Walt Disney World In Florida. There were three winners, and each one was allowed to take up to three guests with them. Somehow I was one of the lucky three contestants that won. So I invited my three closest friends to go along with me on the trip. They all were able to get off work to go on the trip, and it was a success!
We all packed up and car pooled for the airport. We boarded the plane and were off on our adventure. We landed at the airport, got off the plane, and were greeted by the other two winners with their guests, and the travel guides that were going to aid us on our trip. We all spoke to one another getting to know each other’s names before we spent a week together. Everyone was very nice and enjoyable to speak with. However one of the other winners looked like me, and people started mistaking us for one another. After conversing back and forth after a while the other person that looks like me is named Addison. She was also placed into foster care when she was six months old and adopted when she was three. I know absolutely nothing about my biological family. I was so young that I do not even remember anything that happened, so all my memories are from the family that adopted me with all the stories that they told.
On the last day of the trip, Addison and I decided to exchange contact information to keep in touch with one another. We got to know each other very well on the trip, and some part of me just felt complete with her around. After months of communicating with each other and realizing how much we were alike, Addison and I decided to do a DNA test to see if we were related at all. After a couple weeks that felt like months, we both received the results. We decided to FaceTime each other when viewing the results for the first time. Let’s just say it was some amazing news with some laughter, tears, and cheers. Not only were we related, but also twin sisters!
It was the happiest day of my life when Addison and I found out we were twins. It opened up a new world for all of us to explore as family. Nobody ever knew that we were separated twins because it was never told to anyone. I am sad that I missed my childhood with my twin, but I am happy to know that I have found her so we can catch up on the lost time.


Flagship Niagara docked for the second summer in a row:

Every summer the Flagship Niagara sets sail in Erie. The historic attraction draws many tourists to the Erie area. Many people from all over the area come to experience a ride on the historic ship. The ship also sails all over the Great Lakes to give high school and college students the experience of sail-training voyages. These events are significant to the public due to the reason that it provides a piece of history for people to experience.
However, the last couple of years the sailing of the Niagara has not been normal whatsoever. Due to the pandemic, the Niagara has not been open to the public for two consecutive seasons. Last Tuesday it was docked for the summer, and the committee hopes that it can be operating in the near future for the public since more vaccines are being administered. Since the ship takes so many people to operate it is nearly impossible to operate the ship as a training vessel.
Since the Niagara is such an attraction for tourists there are some major drawbacks from not sailing the ship. Docking the ship has immensely slowed down tourism and lost revenue but also for the surrounding area as well. The Erie Maritime Museum has also experienced a loss of visitors and money. Since the Museum is located on the Presque Isle Bay on the waterfront of where the Niagara would be stationed for the public to tour visitors also went over to the museum. Then they could learn about the history and heritage of the Greater Erie region.
During this time of shutdown for the Niagara, the workers will attempt to get all the certificates up to date. If they are successful in their works, then the ship could be back on the water as early as fall. Additionally the ship takes about eight weeks to prepare for the sailing season, so workers will still be busy during this time getting it ready for the next time it is able to set sail once again.


Could a rise in covid vaccines mean fewer restrictions?:

As of two days ago, it has been reported that America’s number of vaccinated citizens is on the rise, with more than 96.7 million Americans being fully vaccinated. So far a total of 232 million doses of the vaccines have been distributed, meaning 29.5% of the country has received two doses. Globally, 1.06 billion doses have been distributed, and 248 million people are fully vaccinated. It’s important to note that because the vaccines currently require two doses, reports separate those who have had only one dose from those who have had two doses.
So, what exactly does this mean? Well, with more people being vaccinated, experts are predicting that by this summer there could be a decrease in restrictions. However, this can only happen if people continue to wear masks properly and follow CDC guidelines, along with the continuous distribution of vaccines. Currently, adults have access to three vaccinations, and now in all 50 states, teens ages 16 and up have the opportunity to be vaccinated as well. However, none of the vaccines have been authorized for use on children yet.
It has also been estimated that by the end of 2021, roughly 60-70% of Americans will receive at least one dose of the vaccine. Children, however, will be the last group to be vaccinated, but distribution could begin as soon as this summer. This is just one stepping stone on the path toward herd immunity in America.


Studious Siarra:

Siarra Culver is a senior who attends Corry Area High School. She is one creative person, and she spends a lot of her time doing what she loves most: art, of course! Her favorite hobby currently is crocheting, and it is no exaggeration to say that she is very good at it.
With graduation right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about after school plans. Siarra wants to get a job, so she can save up some money. Of course, with this came the big question: “Do you plan on getting a higher education?” Yes! In fact, she will be attending Great Lakes in Erie to become an ultrasound technician.
Not only is it nice to look to the future, but sometimes it’s good to look back on the past and reflect on your past experiences. So, I asked Siarra about what it’s been like going to Corry High. She says, “High school was okay. I have always had good grades, so I’ve never worried much.”
I also asked her if she had noticed any changes in herself over the last few years, and her response is interesting: “Yes, I have noticed changes. I feel more mature now.”
Siarra also seems to be very ecstatic for graduation, exclaiming, “I am excited because it’s the next step into the right direction for me!”
I wanted to end the interview with something that people can read and relate to, so I asked for her most important piece of advice. Siarra said, “Focus on school more than being popular. Those people won’t care once you graduate. But your grades matter, trust me!” What a motivating message for students everywhere.


Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins dies, leaving behind legacy:

Michael Collins, an astronaut who was part of the first manned mission to land on the Moon, died peacefully surrounded by family early on the morning of April 28. Collins was 90 years old when he passed.
Collins was born in 1930 in Rome, Italy, and spent his childhood there. Michael left behind his legacy of hard work and determination as he worked in the science field for many years. His total time spent working as an active astronaut was seven years. He fought a hard battle against cancer but was unable to survive his bout with the disease. Now, people remember his great legacy as being one of the three men to orbit the Moon.
Although Michael Collins never stepped foot on the Moon himself, he chose to work from the inside of Apollo 11 and let the other two men (Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin) go out instead. Collins had never been one for the spotlight, so staying off of television broadcasts was something he preferred. After looking back, many scientists deemed his role as the “most important” role during that first mission to the Moon that changed history.
Michael Collins, before being brought back into the light of society, was known as the “forgotten astronaut.” Collins lived a private life after leaving NASA, and he enjoyed writing and painting in his home in Florida. He also joined the Air Force in his early career, and took a liking to flying different jets as a test pilot and fighter pilot. This set him on the course for becoming an astronaut for NASA in his later years.
Not only did he accomplish being such a vital part of the Apollo 11 mission, he also wrote many books and was decorated with many awards. His awards included: Presidential Medal for Freedom, the Robert J. Collier Trophy, the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy, and the Harmon International Trophy. His awards reflected the type of person he was and how much he tried to succeed in everything he did. However, he did it with humility and took every accomplishment humbly.
He fought his battle against cancer until the very last breath, and his family fought alongside him the whole time. They knew how strong he was and that his life was one to be celebrated/remembered. His family recalled in a statement that, “We will honor his wish for us to celebrate, not mourn, that life.”
Buzz Aldrin, the last living member of the Apollo 11 mission, also paid tribute to the life of Michael Collins and recalled how great of a man Collins really was. He tweeted, “Dear Mike, Wherever you have been or will be, you will always have the Fire to Carry us deftly to new heights and to the future. We will miss you. May you Rest in Peace.”
America thanks Michael Collins for his extraordinary assistance in the first-ever manned mission to the Moon, and the U.S. will celebrate his legacy and all that he accomplished for the world of science.


Top ten snakes to make your friend:

Snakes make an excellent pet and there are a lot of species to choose from. Here is my list of the top ten snakes to make your pet. 
10. Green Tree Python
9. Bull Snake
8. Rat Snake
7. King Snake
6. Corn Snake
5. Garter Snake
4. Hognose Snake
3. Boa Constrictors
2. Kenyan Sand Boas
1. Ball Python


Top ten things learned in school that are useless:

With school coming to an end for the 2020-2021 school year I decided to take time and reflect on my school experience. When thinking back I could not help, but think of how many things I have learned that are completely useless and will never help me out in life. Below I have created a top ten list of things learned in school that are useless.
10. Shoe box dioramas
9. Prime numbers
8.Writing poetry
7. Citing sources in MLA
6. Reciting the state capitals
5. Quadratic formula
4. Geometry proofs
3. Making punnet squares
2. Long division
1. Learning how to play the recorder


Top ten summer vacation ideas:

Whenever the weather turns nice and the days get longer, my mind begins to turn to different summer vacation ideas. Sometimes broad ideas come to mind, whereas others are more specific. However, no matter what I’m doing in the summer, I typically enjoy it because the weather is perfect (most of the time). Below I have listed the top ten summer vacation ideas from the worst to the best.
10. Staying inside- When summer comes around, staying inside is never a good idea. Even though going to indoor amusment parks may be fun, soaking up the sunshine and feeling a nice breeze is the way to go.
9. Going to a water park- Water parks can be fun and a relaxing vacation at times, but at some points people can begin to get a little too pushy and turn your peacefulness into a stressful mess.
8. New York state- New York state is absolutely beautiful and the sights are breathtaking at times. Another nice thing about a vacation to New York is the fact that it isn’t too far from home, but you could make it longer/farther the further you traveled.
7. Taking day trips (i.e. mini golfing, rope-course climbing, and ending on ice cream)- Summer vacationing doesn’t have to be full of big, expensive vacations that last a whole week. Sometimes the best summer “vacation” ideas are to simply get away for just a day.
6. Visiting Wisconsin- I was able to go to Wisconsin about two years ago, and I loved every minute of it. The hiking was absolutely amazing, and the weather was beautiful. I loved the views Wisconsin’s high mountains offered as we hiked.
5. Travelling around to try different ice cream shops (mom & pops)- Ice cream is an absolute must-have during the summer months. So what better way to get that ice cream then making a trip out of it? Of course, you wouldn’t eat ice cream the whole time– it would be a nice evening treat. You could also get pictures of each ice cream you eat in each state to put into a frame for a fun and memorable vacation time.
4, Taking a trip to an island- Although I have never been to an island for a vacation, I can say one thing for sure: everyone I know who goes on a vacation to an island absolutely loves every minute and wants to go back again and again.
3. Going to beaches- Beach vacations are definitely relaxing and can take away the stresses of everyday life as quickly as the sand gets washed out to sea. Even the sound of the waves creates a lullaby for people and helps to make a memorable and enjoyable vacation.
2. Touring the U.S.- This is something my family has been wanting to do for a long time. Touring the U.S. coast to coast is sure to keep any vacationer on their toes. Nothing ever seems to be boring, and life is an adventure. In the near future, my family and I hope to start that experience. This would be the perfect way to have an interesting summer!
1. Going on hikes (preferably by waterfalls) in different states- Hiking is most definitely one of my favorite things to do for a vacation during summer because of the many different wonders you can see. It gives people the chance to get outside and see the beautiful scenery as well as soaking up very important vitamin D. One thing that I love most about hiking is the fact that I forget I have a phone and get to step away from everyday life to enjoy a peaceful walk. Hiking is a must for vacationing!
Summer is when everyone gets to unwind from the hectic side of life and solely enjoy time relaxing. Thanks for reading my top ten! What are you planning to do this summer?


Top ten ideas to combat summer boredom:

Summer can be very fun and exciting, but sometimes it seems like there’s absolutely nothing to do! Here are my top ten ideas to combat summer boredom.
10. Go outside and draw with chalk
9.  Clean up around the house
8. Have a movie day, or start a new show
7. Read a book
6. Draw or paint
5. Go for a walk
4. Try cooking a new recipe
3. Call a friend
2. Try to learn something new
1.  Invite someone over to hang out


Top ten end of school year catchphrases from teachers:

As the end of the year is quickly approaching, students and teachers are ready to part ways and start summer! Typically when someone gets a yearbook, or even if it is just the last day of school, students will ask to get a farewell note or goodbye from some of their favorite teachers. Whether it is the same one every year or not, some people have heard different catchphrases depending on the relationship to the teacher (and what that person’s grade is in their class, haha). Here is a list of some of the most popular and well known catchphrases from teachers on the last day of school:
10. Have a great summer! (This one is used too much; what if summer is not fully great?)
9.  See you next school year! (Teachers can’t use this one on me this year, but still, summer just started let’s not rush it.)
8. Don’t forget to keep up the good work! (We all know no one is doing homework over summer break.)
7. Soak up the sun and make sure to get outside! (Some people are introverts, or allergic to grass, also…sunburn.)
6. Be safe and make smart choices! (It’s just summer, not summer camp.)
5.  Thanks for an awesome year! (School isn’t bad, just this year seemed so long, so it’s going in the middle.)
4. You will be missed, see ya soon! (True or false?)
3. Only a few more to go! (If you are any underclassmen, this one kinda hurts.)
2. I expect you to still know some curriculum when you get back! (Personally, everything leaves my brain when I walk out the door.)
1. See you tomorrow… oh wait! (Such a fun little surprise when there is no school for three months.)


Should children be given a pet to learn responsibility?:

From a young age it is important for a child to learn about responsibility and take on some of the daily house chores as they get older. At first it will be small tasks such as picking up their toys. Then as they get older they could start to help washing dishes, sweeping, and cleaning up the house. Parents can get creative with ways to get their kids to help around the house if their child is not motivated or helping out with their tasks. Some strategies to get children engaged in helping with chores could include a reward system, giving the child a pet to take care of or making a game out of the task.
Some parents decide to give their child a pet to learn responsibility. This can be due to the reason that since the pet is considered to be their own, they have to be the one to take care of it all the time. As a result, the child will learn that they can’t put off the task because if they did, the animal would ultimately die. Additionally, if the child has something of their own it makes the child feel like they are important due to the reason that it’s almost like a job.
On the other hand, parents may not decide to get their child a pet to take care of to learn responsibility. Some may think that since they are part of the family, it is their duty to help out and clean the house when it needs done. Additionally, life isn’t fair so some parents may argue that if the child does not do their chores they do not deserve an animal because it requires work to take care of. It will just leave more work for others to take care of, and ultimately they are not farther along then they were before. Instead of taking one step forward in the right direction, they took two steps backwards.


A never-ending 2020 (conclusion):

*This story is the final installment of “A never-ending 2020,” so if you haven’t read any of the previous parts click the link to catch up!
There I was staring at myself looking helpless on the hospital bed that my family had moved into my room for me to stay. The doctor’s words kept ringing in my ear…weeks, months, even years to wake up. How could I possibly be in a coma? Everything I have experienced felt so real! The only thing that was on my mind was waking up and making sure my family knew that I am okay. As I tried to open my eyes, they felt like they were glued shut, or as if someone was holding my body down and I had no physical power to move on my own.
“I told you that you might not like what 2021 has in store for you,” said the reappearing voice.
“Why am I in a coma, and how do I get out of it?!” I yelled.
“You passed out on New Year’s because you were so upset and stressed about the past year that now your stubbornness and anger will haunt you into this year. Unfortunately…”
“No! I have to wake up, I need to graduate, enjoy summer, see my family and friends! I forgave everyone and everything bad that happened in 2020 so I should be awake!”
“You forgave everything to get out of your nightmare, but now the real one begins. I am sorry but there is nothing else I can do for you.”
Suddenly the voice disappeared for what seemed like the last time.
What does he mean by the real one begins?
While I kept staring at myself my family all gathered around me noticing my fingers moving.
How could that be possible?! I’m not the one doing that…
My family began to cheer as the person that looked like me rose out of the bed with eyes wide open.
“You’re finally awake! Are you okay? How do you feel?” said everyone around “me.”
As I looked at myself rejoicing with my family, an evil grin appeared across my other face and stared directly at me.
“Can you see me?!”
My other self nodded her head as a yes while hugging all my family members and mouthed, “Game over.”
With a snap of her fingers my shadow self disappeared and everything was black.
The End.


Top ten things seniors do in the last twenty days of senior year:

We all have that one favorite senior that always gifts you with their special views and their existence; they just do so many amazing things. Within their last twenty days of senior year, you’ll find them working day and night, with eyes peeled open, to the greatest of their capabilities. Here are the top ten things you’ll find your darling seniors wonderfully accomplishing within the last twenty days of their twelfth-grade year.
10. There’s not enough coffee or caffeine in the world to fuel their endless ambitions, so naturally they have a lot of it.
9. Jamming out to the best solemn tunes.
8. At least ten scholarship applications withing two days before they’re due.
7. Rolling out of the comforts of their bedding five minutes before the school day begins and rushing toward their beloved educational hot spot.
6. Wandering the luscious halls of Corry high throughout the day.
5. Blessing beloved educators of past years with graces of their appearances, daily discussions, and just their general presence.
4. Starting complicated, time consuming assignments thirty minutes before they’re due and completing them with devout vigor and dedication.
3. Complaining about everything, even things that don’t bug them.
2. Instilling their wisdom onto the Freshmen.
1. Testing how far they can stretch their shenanigans.


Survey: What is your favorite summer drink?:

Summer is fast approaching and many people have that one go-to drink they enjoy having during the hot days. Below are the different responses of people who noted their favorite summer drink.
“Lemonade” – Mrs. Ruth (Secretary)
“Lemonade” – Mrs. Donahue (School Nurse)
“Iced Tea…unsweetened” – Mrs. Burek (Social Studies & Second Step)
“Probably lemonade” – Kenzie Knight (7th)
“Strawberry lemonade” – Mrs. DePaul (7th and 8th ELA)
“Cream Soda or Root Beer” – Mr. Buona (World Civilizations and American History)
“Lemonade” – Charly Amburgy (7th)
“Lemonade” – Marcus Meredith (7th)
“Water” – Ethan Pena (7th)
“Iced Water” – Kyla Frisina  (Freshman)
“Blue slushies” – Izzy Kellogg  (Freshman)
“Arnold Palmer’s” – Sara Colwell  (Freshman)
“Pink Lemonade” – Mrs. Braswell (Geometry & Algebra 2)
“Lemonade” – Lily Bates (Sophmore)
“Strawberry Lemonade” – Elaina Brown (Sophmore)
“Lemonade” – Deanna Hosler (Sophmore)
“Iced Tea” – Abe Hoffecker (Junior)
“Water” – Ella Simmonsen (Sophmore)
“Lemonade” – Adreona Lindenberger (Freshman)
“Strawberry lemonade” – Mr. Knapp (Custodian)
“Lemonade” – Devin Graham (Sophmore)
“Lemonade” – Jon Albers (Sophmore)
“Water” –  Markus Lambert (Freshman)
“Water” – Tavon Kornikoski (Freshman)
“Virgin Piña colada” – Lauren Thomas (Freshman)
Overall, people really seem to love their lemonade in the summer! What is your favorite refreshing drink during the hot summer months?


Top ten backyard sports:

Summer is right around the corner and many of us will be planning BBQs and pool parties very soon. Some of the best party activities are backyard sports. Here are the top ten backyard sports for the summer.
10. KanJam
9. Catch
8. Putt-putt
7. Lawn darts
6. Horseshoes
5. Croquet
4. Volleyball
3. Ping pong
2. Cornhole
1. Badminton


Survey: What’s your favorite summertime snack?:

“Chips and salsa” – Mrs. Ruth (school secretary)
“Watermelon” -Mrs. Donoghue (school nurse)
“Mint chocolate chip ice cream” – Mrs. Burek (social studies and second step)
“Watermelon” – Kate Slocum (6th grade)
“Popsicles” – Maci Turner (7th grade)
“Watermelon” – Mrs. DePaul (7&8 grade ELA)
“S’mores” – Mr. Buona (world civilizations and American history)
“Popsicles” – Landon Hasbrouck (7th grade)
“Carrots and ranch” – Charlie Anburgy (7th grade)
“Ice Cream” – Kayedence Cherry (7th grade)
“Watermelon” – Gage Lindenburgher (7th grade)
“Popsicles” – Ethan Pena (7th grade)
“Strawberries” – Mrs. Braswell (geometry & algebra two)
“Watermelon” – Elaina Brown (sophomore)
“Pizza” – Cayden Tenney (sophomore)
“Goldfish” – Brady Pike (sophomore)
“Watermelon” – Lily Bates (sophomore)
“Watermelon” – Deanna Hosler (sophomore)
“Honey roasted peanuts” – Abe Hoffecker (junior)
“Watermelon” – Aleix Fenno (freshman)
“Cantaloupe” – Karissa Anderson (sophomore)
“Pineapple” – Halle Peterson (sophomore)
“Cosmic brownies” – Nathan Shirey (sophomore)
“Strawberries” – Jon Albers (sophomore)
“Watermelon” – Devin Graham (sophomore)
“Goldfish” – Brant Xander (sophomore)
“Watermelon” – Ryah Lambert (sophomore)
“Grapes” – Markus Lambert (freshman)
“Watermelon” – Tavon Kornikoski (freshman)
“Ice cream” – Mr. Daniels (life skills)


Top ten summer hair trends for women:

All right, ladies, summer is quickly approaching, and you know what that means: hot days, sweat, and frizzy hair. Well, those days are over, and with the power of technology, we are able to share ideas of how to enjoy summer in style. Here’s a list of some of my favorite and most flattering hairstyles and haircuts to wear during the summer heat.
10. Messy bun- You can never go wrong with a messy bun. It’s simple but can be really cute.
9. Side braids- they’re perfect for long hair, and they help keep hair out of your face!
8. Half up, half down- this hairstyle is perfect, because you can keep hair up while still showing off your beautiful locks
7. Cornrow box braids- For my ladies with afro-textured hair, this one is perfect for you!
6. Curtain bangs- Curtain bangs are back, and they’re better than ever. These bangs will not only look cute, but they’ll shape your face beautifully.
5. Wolf cut- Feeling experimental? Well, this may be the chop for you!
4. Shaggy bob- This is a perfect way to take off some length and still look gorgeous
3. Fringe- You can never go wrong with a classic fringe! This hairstyle is especially flattering for those with oval-shaped faces
2. Layers- if you don’t want to commit to a big chop, then this is a great option for adding some volume to your hair!
1. Mullet- definitely a classic and a great way to express yourself while handling the heat!


What was one of your most embarrassing moments in school?:

Chris Almeda: Probably when I was the teacher for a class.
Jaxon Gray: Ripping out my pants on the first day of ninth grade.
Chase Suchar: Singing in the talent show.
Dustin Seth: Attending.
Evan Simmonsen: Attending.
Ethan Vollant: Air-balling a three at a basketball game.
Hunter Toner: Ripping my jeans out.
Gabrielle Rose: As a cheerleader I’ve done plenty of things to embarrass myself. Once I even dropped a stunt in front of the whole school.
Dustin Middleton: Going to the principal’s office for being a bully even though I never bullied anyone.
Enola Monn: When I said I hated a teacher and they were right there.
Allison Zaczkiewicz: Giving a speech in front of everyone.
Hunter Smith: Slipping and falling in the hallway.
Steel Fuller: When I got pantsed.
Brandon Arnink: The entire thing.
Bryce Maleski: All of it.
Ethan Sproveri: When I was filmed jumping over a hurdle and failing miserably.
Adrian Vollentine: I try not to think about them.
Hannah Smrcka: I fell out of a chair in the middle of silent study hall in middle school.
Riley Walker: Walking into the wrong room and sitting down in class and still not realizing I’m in the wrong room.
Luke Stanbro: When Jared tripped me in the hallway.
Lauryn Cressley: All of it.
Logan Sawyer: There wasn’t one, I’m perfect.
Morgan Brooks: Slipping in the parking lot in front of everyone.
Skylar Beckford: I was singing and dancing during a class party, and one of my favorite teachers walked by as I was acting silly.
Christina Newman: I dropped the end of my flute in the middle of a concert.
Elizabeth Geer: When I ran into a wall.
Rachael Hajec: When I almost fell tap dancing in our school’s production of Anything Goes.
Brittany Dewey: Getting the volleyball cart at D10 and running into the net.
Lucas Munsee: Probably something dumb I did as a freshman.
Brooke Richards: Ripping my dress and having to sit in the bathroom while my dress was getting sewn.
Kyla Walker: None, I’ve repressed them all.
Sarah Marsh: Being one of the only girls in school to get a “nose job” (for medical purposes, though).
Hallie Pearson: I honestly have too many because I cheered for three years.
Tucker Clark: Throwing up in class.
Michael Winans: When I got a really bad haircut.
Jayda Martin: Tennessee softball trip when we played “Never Have I Ever.”
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


Punxsutawney Phil was wrong:

On February 2, 2021, Punxsutawney Phil predicted that there was going to be six more weeks of winter. My calendar says there are forty-two days in six weeks. What kind of calendar is he using? My aunt was singing Christmas carols on Mother’s Day, which is May 9. The hanging basket that my brother got our mom was covered in snow when we got home.
Local fruit farmers have been effected by the warm weather in April, which caused the trees to bud due to the temperatures ranging from 75 to 80 degrees. Then the frost and snow came and killed the buds, and now 50 to 75 percent of the apple trees will not yield fruit this year. The apple trees are not the only crop to perish; it also pertains to all other types of fruit-bearing trees that were in blossom. Due to the lack of harvest, there is going to be a shortage of fruit, and consumers will have to pay more for their produce. Farmers who depend on this for their sole source of income will have a rough year financially trying to make ends meet.
Phil also has caused dairy farmers grief. Frosts that came after the warm weather burned and stunned the growth of hay in some fields. In order for regrowth to take place, the hay must be mowed, and then chopped or baled. Additionally, any type of corn that may have been planted earlier this Spring will have to be replanted unless they had the rows of corn covered with plastic. Around this time of year most of the corn would be planted without having to worry about it. Due to unusual circumstances, the fall harvest will occur later in the year.


Top ten “tunnel songs”:

A tunnel song is supposed to be your pick, something that makes you feel infinite. Go out on a drive in a tunnel with your amazing friends and blast your favorite song! (But be safe>:])

“Heroes” by David Bowie
“Wonder” by Shawn Mendes
“Fine Line” by Harry Styles
“Ribs” by Lorde
“You” by The 1975
“Moonchild” by M83
“Home Alone” by Ansel Elgort
“Sparks” by Coldplay
“Fun” by Sun Room
“Take A Slice” by Glass Animals

These are just recommendations!


What is your greatest memory/best high school experience of Corry High?:

Enola Monn: All the times I went driving with my friends at night, windows down and music blasting.
Gabrielle Rose: My best memories were performing cheer routines during assemblies and half times.
Allison Zaczkiewicz: Doing all of the homecoming and last week of school activities.
Hunter Smith: Walking out the front because I haven’t been here long enough to know.
Steel Fuller: Soccer.
Braden McKnight: Playing football.
Dustin Middleton: Gym, algebra foundation, and history.
Sarah Marsh: All of spirit week.
Morgan Brooks: Meeting Brayden.
Caleb Munn: I think it was my Graphics 3 class. There’s a lot of inside jokes there that can’t really be explained to anyone who wasn’t there.
Kyla Walker: Winning the senior banner during the homecoming assembly.
Tyler Hasbrouck: “Free Bryce” eighth grade year.
Logan Sawyer: Free Bryce.
Sam Reed: Will be graduating.
Michelle Snyder: Miss Pound’s 1st block class last year. We could talk and mess around so much.
Levi Stanbro: Leaving.
Lauryn Cressley: Performing with the marching band.
Riley Walker: Going to watch the marching band perform during fall.
Christina Newman: My favorite memory is marching band trips. Any of them.
Elizabeth Geer: When we got a flat tire on the band bus.
Hallie Pearson: I literally have too many.
Rachael Hajec: Bringing the homecoming dance back my junior year of high school.
Chase Suchar: The Anything Goes musical in spring 2019.
Dustin Seth: Graduating.
Timothy Ross: Sitting in the cafeteria, just chilling.
Hannah Smrcka: Lunch.
Adrian Vollentine: Activity day tenth grade year.
Ethan Sproveri: Activity day when we could mess around.
Ethan Vollant: Beating Titusville at their homecoming game for football.
Evan Simmonsen: Graduating.
Brandon Arnink: May 4, 2017 – “Free Bryce” incident.
Bryce Maleski: None of it.
Jaxon Gray: The lunch table with all my buddies.
Chris Almeda: Playing sports with my friends.
Brooke Richards: Becoming a varsity cheerleader.
Skylar Beckford: My favorite memory has to be the first time I ever sang at the talent show. The cheers and the lights felt overwhelming, but I loved it. I wish I could relive that moment forever.
Jayda Martin: Tennessee trips with the softball team.
Michael Winans: All of our pep rallies.
Lucas Munsee: Going to States as a team for wrestling.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


What song sums up your high school experience, and why?:

Hallie Pearson: Probably “Don’t Forget to Remember Me” by Carrie Underwood because it did go by so fast and I’ll be going to college.
Skylar Beckford: “Gloves Up” by Little Mix because it’s about pushing through obstacles and fighting for what you want, and that’s exactly what I’ve done to make it to where I am today.
Jaxon Gray: “Life is a Highway.”
Morgan Brooks: “Getcha Head in the Game” from High School Musical because I always needed to focus.
Sarah Marsh: “Poker Face,” by Lady Gaga because sometimes you gotta put on a face even when you don’t want to.
Chris Almeda: “Master of Puppets,” because it feels like this year’s problems have had control over every choice I’ve made.
Brooke Richards: “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” Journey.
Riley Walker: “Rivers in the Desert,” “Last Surprise,” and “Wake up, Get up, Get out Here.” All of these songs are about troubled teens trying to fix a corrupted society.
Hunter Taylor: “Snuff” – Slipknot.
Brittany Dewey: “Hall of Fame” by The Script because if I can be the greatest, all of you can.
Ethan Vollant: “Billionaire.”
Evan Simmonsen: “Tunak Tunak Tun” Daler Mehndi.
Kyla Walker: “Gotta Go My Own Way” from High School Musical 2, no explanation needed.
Brandon Arnink: “It’s Hard.”
Bryce Maleski: “Sicko Mode.”
Logan Sawyer: The Russian National Anthem because I relate to it.
Sam Reed: “Enemies” – by Post Malone.
Levi Stanbro: “Holler Boys”- by Ryan Upchurch
Lauryn Cressley: “They/them” by atlas and jhfly because it shows just how much things can change.
Rachael Hajec: “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus because high school can be rough while going up the “mountain” but the dream view at the end seems to be the best part.
Braden Mcknight: All Yung Bray songs.
Gabi Rose: “High School Never Ends” by Bowling for Soup or “Good Old Days” by Macklemore ft. Kesha (depending on my mood).
Dustin Middleton: “Paranoid,” “Breaking Down,” and “Let Me Be Sad” by I Prevail.
Enola Monn: “Literal Legend” by Ayesha. It’s chaotic and doesn’t make sense but it is still a bop.
Hunter Smith: “All Girls Are The Same” by Juice World
Allison Zaczkiewicz: The “Friends” theme song because it talks about friends and school.
Lucas Munsee: “Sour Patch Kids.”
Christina Newman: “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman because I have so many dreams for my future.
Chase Suchar: “Friday” by Rebecca Black because it could have been worse.
Steel Fuller: “Young, Dumb, and Broke.”
Tucker Clark: “Young, Wild, and Free.”
Chance Chase: “Freak on a Leash” by Korn.
Haylee Rose: “You’re Gonna Miss This.”
Ethan Sproveri: “7 Years Old” by Lukas Graham.
Hannah Smrcka: “Istanbul” by They Might be Giants.
Adrian Vollentine: “Young, Dumb, and Broke” by Khalid.
Jayda Martin: “Fifteen” by Taylor Swift.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


If you could relive one year of high school, which year would it be? Why?:

Skylar Beckford: Definitely sophomore year. I made the best memories that year, and it was one of the happiest years of my life.
Haylee Rose: I missed out of a lot.
Hunter Toner: Ninth so I cannot hurt my leg.
Tucker Clark: Sophomore year because I started dating my girlfriend and it was the last really fun year before COVID.
Chancellor Chase: Freshman year because it was fun.
Sarah Marsh: Senior year, just not in 2020.
Morgan Brooks: Junior year because it was the most eventful and we did a lot more.
Emma Swartzfager: Probably sophomore year because you’re just in that halfway point and it’s a long year.
Hallie Pearson: My sophomore year because it was the last normal year we had before COVID happened.
Chris Almeda: My senior year because I want to do it without COVID.
Colton Lindsay: Tenth grade because I really struggled.
Brooke Richards: My senior year; I don’t want it to end.
Jaxon Gray: Tenth grade because it was a nice, fun time with my buddies
Steel Fuller: Senior.
Hunter Smith: My junior year because I slacked off the most and wish I did better.
Allison Zaczkiewicz: Senior year, but without COVID to experience everything.
Enola Monn: None of them.
Dustin Middleton: None.
Gabrielle Rose: I would relive my sophomore year because it was the last full year before COVID-19.
Braden McKnight: My freshman year. I got in trouble.
Brittany Dewey: 2020 to finish the preschool year with my preschoolers
Hunter Taylor: Tenth because it was one of the calmer years of high school.
Bryce Maleski: Junior year without COVID because it was the best.
Brandon Arnink: Senior so I could be in school the whole time
Evan Simmonson: Junior, extended summer break.
Ethan Vollant: Sophomore because I peaked.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


What fictional character parallels your high school experience and why?:

Brandon Arnink: No clue, but I feel like I’d be that one comic relief.
Bryce Maleski: Ferris Bueller, idk.
Ethan Sproveri: SpongeBob because it was fun and serious.
Adrian Vollentine: Mort from “All Hail King Julian.” Sweet, cute, sort-of-innocent, and knows how to have fun.
Hannah Smrcka: Casey from “Atypical.”
Brittany Dewey: I would have to say Cinderella because I would spend everyday cleaning.
Hunter Taylor: Spider-Man because while I tried to be the hero, many things fell apart, but they are slowly starting to mend.
Christina Newman: SpongeBob. He was unpopular, but he lived his life how he wanted.
Rachael Hajec: Hannah Montana, because maybe I have a double pop star life and nobody knows it.
Ian Hickey: He’s from a small story hosted for me and a few friends, but Allen Richoff from The Nameless. He’s a stubborn man who tries his best to protect those close to him, even if it causes chaos. As time goes on, he learns to trust his friends.
Tucker Clark: SpongBob
Chancellor Chase: Bubbles from “Trailer Park Boys.”
Hunter Toner: The Grinch.
Sarah Marsh: Tom and Jerry. Sometimes you take a hit and just have to get up again.
Brooke Richards: Goofy because he is silly and it’s been a silly high school year.
Enola Monn: Bakugou. He’s amazing and describes life how it is.
Dustin Seth: Andy Dufresne.
Chase Suchar: Clay Jensen from “13 Reasons Why” because his high school experience gets more chaotic and unexpected.
Skylar Beckford: Definitely Squidward Tentacles. He spends most of his time being introverted and staying inside, which is exactly how I have spent most of my time. However Squidward has moments where he likes to have fun, just like I did throughout high school.
Kyla Walker: Hermione Granger. We get good grades, I guess, maybe some overachieving.
Jaxon Gray: Tommy Boy because I felt as smart as him in many situations.
Riley Walker:  Kuro from Servamps. He’s quiet and not talkative and wants nothing [more] than to be left alone.
Dustin Middleton: Beast Boy.
Gabrielle Rose: Miles Halter from the book “Looking for Alaska” by John Green. We are both “quirky” underdogs who would do anything for our amazing friends.
Jayda Martin: Patrick Star. I only needed one best friend to get through high school.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


Do you think life after school will be more fun than high school and why?:

Enola Monn: Yes. School is just a place you waste your time, I’ll learn what I like in college.
Gabrielle Rose: I always think that I’ll look back on high school as the best years of my life. They shaped my future.
Allison Zaczkiewicz: Yes, because you get to live on your own and make your own choices.
Hunter Smith: Yes, because you have more freedom and can make money.
Steel Fuller: Yes, freedom.
Braden McKnight: Yes.
Haylee Rose: I don’t think it will be more fun, but I will be making money.
Dusin Middleton: No, I have to pay taxes. What’s fun in that?
Hunter Toner: Heck yeah because I don’t have three hours to myself.
Tucker Clark: Good question.
Chancellor Chase: More fun because I will be an adult.
Sarah Marsh: I think that as long as you have a positive attitude, no matter where you are, you can have fun and be happy.
Morgan Brooks: Yes, because I will get to experience the world and do anything I want to do.
Kyla Walker: Yes for more freedoms, no because of bills and being an adult.
Tyler Hasbrouck: Yes because in high school I had to take blow off classes for nothing.
Logan Sawyer: Yes because I can live alone, and I won’t take classes for nothing.
Sam Reed: Yes because I can do what I want.
Michelle Snyder: Yes because I won’t be in school.
Levi Stanbro: No because of work.
Lauryn Cressley: Oh absolutely, I won’t have to deal with anybody’s crap.
Luke Stanbro: Yes, not school.
Jared Bailey: Yes, no school rules.
Riley Walker: Yes, because I’ll be able to leave and see the world.
Christina Newman: Maybe. I’ll have more opportunities.
Elizabeth Geer: Yes, because I will be moving to college and the real world.
Rachael Hajec: Yes, because it will be a new adventure.
Neil Pognant: I hope so.
Chase Suchar: Yes, because we can finally experience the world.
Dustin Seth: Probably.
Timothy Ross: Honestly no, time to settle down.
Hannah Smrcka: Yes, because life is just beginning.
Adrian Vollentine: Yes, because I was bullied and no one wants to be my friend and college is a start over and it’s not in Corry PA.
Ethan Sproveri: No, because you are entering adulthood.
Ethan Vollant: Yes, because I’ll be pursuing something I enjoy.
Evan Simmonsen: No, because I’m going to even more school.
Brandon Arnink: No, not at all. NO NO NO NO NO work and NO taxes 🙁
Bryce Maleski: Yes, college is way better.
Colton Lindsay: Yes, because I don’t like school.
Jaxon Gray: Yes, because I’ll be making money then.
Emma Swartzfager: I think life will be very different but fun after high school.
Chris Almeda: Yes, I will travel and meet many different people.
Brooke Richards: I don’t think it will be fun because we have to be so into the real world.
Skylar Beckford: I think life will be a lot more fun as I will have a lot more control over my life, so I’ll get to branch out as an adult and experience things I couldn’t before.
Jayda Martin: Yes, you can start waking up for a job and money instead of a drama-filled school day at Corry High.
Michael Winans: I think it might because I’ll have more freedom and be an adult.
Hallie Pearson: Neither– I just think it will be different but both will leave me with fun experiences.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


What class influenced your career choice the most?:

Skylar Beckford: Math of Finance. It helped kick start the process of finding what I really want to do in life.
Haylee Rose: Cosmo.
Hunter Toner: Machining.
Tucker Clark: Construction.
Chancellor Chase: Physics.
Sarah Marsh: Criminal Justice with Mr. Woods.
Morgan Brooks: Criminal Justice because it showed me I wanted to be in the court room fighting for other people.
Emma Swartzfager: Healthcare.
Chris Almeda: Basic Programming.
Colton Lindsay: Automotive.
Brooke Richards: None of them.
Jaxon Gray: Auto because I learned many things like how to machine equipment.
Hunter Smith: Automotive.
Allison Zaczkiewicz: Mr.Kerr’s biology and chemistry classes.
Enola Monn: None, I just like rocks, man.
Dustin Middleton: Being in the welding class.
Gabrielle Rose: I think English really pushed me to think about things in different ways, which lead me to wonder why people think the way they do
Braden McKnight: Gym, I guess.
Brittany Dewey: Early Childhood.
Hunter Taylor: English.
Bryce Maleski: Gym class because I want to be associated with sports.
Brandon Arnink: Graphic Design 1-4.
Evan Simmonson: Study Hall.
Ethan Vollant: AP Government.
Lauryn Cressley: I don’t know where professional clown would be.
Levi Stanbro: Science.
Sam Reed: My home life.
Logan Sawyer: CAD 1.
Ian Hickey: Childcare for sure. It’s a CTC class that prepares you for a job in a field of your choice once you leave school.
Kyla Walker: Research during school and government class.
Riley Walker: Art.
Ethan Sproveri: Any science class.
Rachael Hajec: Newspaper actually! It has reassured me that choosing broadcast journalism is the right path for me.
Michelle Snyder: Miss Pound’s class.
Elizabeth Geer: Early Childhood Education.
Mason Thomas: Automotive.
Neil Pognant: Intro to Machine Tool Technology.
Christina Newman: My influence was outside the school.
Michael Winans: Biology.
Dustin Seth: Study Hall.
Chase Suchar: AP Chemistry.
Hallie Pearson: Cosmetology.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


If you could change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be?:

Skylar Beckford: I wish I could go back and put more effort into my grades and appreciate the people around me more.
Hunter Toner: Some of my teachers.
Jaxon Gray: Don’t worry much about grades, just have fun with school.
Colton Lindsay: Wearing masks.
Morgan Brooks: I would’ve taken health before senior year.
Sarah Marsh: I would have my senior year not be with all of the difficulties of 2020 and 2021.
Emma Swartzfager: Not having all the crazy COVID mess.
Chris Almeda: Not having COVID.
Brooke Richards: To fix my mistakes that I have made.
Riley Walker: Not joining band class.
Tyler Hasbrouck: Put more time into school work because it is worth it in the end.
Hunter Taylor: I wouldn’t change anything because if I did I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Brittany Dewey: To have a full or half a year back from COVID even with masks on.
Ethan Vollant: Not work so much.
Evan Simmonsen: All of the above.
Kyla Walker: COVID… awkward… anyways, definitely to not procrastinate so much college stuff.
Brandon Arnink: Put in more effort.
Hallie Pearson: Being able to have a normal senior year.
Bryce Maleski: Getting a full junior year without COVID.
Logan Sawyer: Not being bad all the time.
Michelle Snyder: Not having to wear masks.
Levi Stanbro: To make more friends.
Lauryn Cressley: To get rid of the ‘rona!
Jared Bailey: Coming to school every day.
Rachael Hajec: To go to more games and be more involved, especially before COVID.
Braden Mcknight: Nothing.
Gabi Rose: Obviously we all wish COVID never happened.
Dustin Middleton: My attendance.
Enola Monn: That I even went.
Hunter Smith: Deciding to slack off.
Caleb Munn: I think a lot of people are going to say COVID, but honestly I think it was a pretty unique experience. Personally, I would change my perspective in my early high school years. I really missed out on a lot just by not having the right attitude about things.
Allison Zaczkiewicz: To not experience it with COVID.
Lucas Munsee: My senior wrestling season.
Elizabeth Geer: Go back to ninth grade to see the seniors that already graduated.
Christina Newman: I would get rid of COVID.
Mason Thomas: The masks.
Neil Pognant: I’d get rid of the virus.
Chase Suchar: I would have made sure to have more fun.
Dustin Seth: Attendance.
Steel Fuller: COVID.
Tucker Clark: Get rid of COVID.
Chance Chase: I wish it was easier.
Ethan Sproveri: Have better grades back then.
Hannah Smrcka: No pandemic.
Timothy Ross: That I didn’t do stupid things.
Adrian Vollentine: Doing ninth grade in-person and not online.
Jayda Martin: It being COVID-free so the seniors could experience their true senior year.
Michael Winans: Wish COVID didn’t happen.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


Which movie would you select to depict your future life (after graduation) and why?:

Chance Chancellor: “The Longest Yard.”
Brittany Dewey: “The Fast and Furious”; it’s a long road ahead of you.
Hunter Taylor: “Stand By Me.”
Evan Simmonsen: “The Shawshank Redemption.”
Ethan Vollant: “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Morgan Brooks: “Legally Blonde” because I want to become a lawyer and no one believes I can do it.
Chris Almeda: “Top Gun.”
Hannah Smrka: “Mamma Mia.”
Sarah Marsh: “Zootopia,” to protect and serve all while looking cute at the same time.
Brooke Richards: “Frozen” because Elsa is off on her own and she’s happy.
Gabrielle Rose: “Legally Blonde” because I would like to prove that women can do anything that they want if they set their mind to it.
Dustin Middleton: “Hacksaw Ridge.”
Riley Walker: “Spirited Away” because it’s all I want.
Tyler Hasbrouck: “Water Boy.”
Jaxon Gray: “Tommy Boy” because I will eventually be successful in my life.
Kyla Walker: “Monsters University.”
Ethan Sproveri: “The Avengers” because everyone there hacks.
Rachael Hajec: “13 going on 30” Because I know I’ll miss being young when I’m old and I can’t believe how fast graduation arrived.
Elizabeth Geer: “The Greatest Showman.”
Christina Newman: “Saved by the Bell” because it’s a show but it’s a show that I can make mistakes but learn about it.
Jayde Martin: “Inside Out.”
Lucas Munsee: “Joe Dirt.”
Chase Suchar: “The Theory of Everything” because I would like to make great scientific discovery and find the love.
Dustin Seth: “The Shawshank Redemption.”
Adrian Vollentine: “Home Alone,” because I’ll be living by myself living my best life until I have to face life by myself, and I will be missing my family.
Lauryn Cressley: “Howl’s Moving Castle” because I think we all need a little howl for ourselves.
Logan Sawyer: “The Sandlot” because its sandy.
Hallie Pearson: “Pitch Perfect” or “Radio Rebel” because I want to be in the music industry and I wouldn’t mind have a radio station.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


What quote would you have the underclassmen live by?:

Bryce Maleski: “It’s all down hill from here.”
Ethan Sproveri: “Always try no matter what obstacle hits you.”
Adrian Vollentine: “It’s just high school; don’t care about anything other than grades, and so be it if no one wants to be your friend. I promise someone will in the future.”
Hannah Smrcka: “Every Trip is a Quest (Except when it’s not).” T.H.Foster
Timothy Ross: “We all die someday, live it up.”
Brittany Dewey: “I live my life a quarter mile at a time. Nothing else matters.” – Vin Diesel
Hunter Taylor: “There’s no harm in hoping for the best as long as you’re prepared for the worst.”
Christina Newman: “Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game.”
Elizabeth Geer: “Stay strong and you’ll get through it.”
Rachael Hajec: “Don’t take things for granted because high school will be over in the blink of an eye and you will miss it.”
Tucker Clark: “Do what you want, the world isn’t as serious as people make it seem.”
Chancellor Chase: “There’s no I in team but there’s an I in win.”
Hunter Toner: “Live your life a quarter mile at a time.”
Haylee Rose: “Do it or don’t.”
Brooke Richards: “Do your school work, it’s worth it.”
Skylar Beckford: “Life is the same as a festival. Happiness lasts for fleeting moments, leaving behind some snapshot images of the moments. Enjoy life and seize the fleeting moments.” -Kim Namjoon
Gabrielle Rose: “Now is not the time for making new enemies.” – Last words of Voltaire. Don’t hold grudges or create unnecessary drama for yourself.
Dustin Middleton: “Be nice, even on your worst days.”
Riley Walker: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – Final Fantasy XV
Jaxon Gray: “Don’t stress about grades, just live your life to the fullest.”
Kyla Walker: “Prepare for college way in advanced.”
Steel Fuller: “Live your life like you could never die.”
Hunter Smith: “To just keep trying and to never give up.”
Allison Zaczkiewicz: “It’s fun getting the best grade on a test, so try your best.”
Lucas Munsee: “For every mile of road there’s two miles of ditches.”
Tyler Hasbrouck: “Don’t procrastinate and try.”
Chase Suchar: “Don’t burn yourself out.”
Dustin Seth: “Don’t be a freshman.”
Sarah Marsh: “Don’t let fear stop you from playing the game.”
Michael Winans: “Always strive to be yourself. Unless you stink, then pretend to be someone else.”
Hallie Pearson: “Don’t take any days of school for granted, and the first couple years of high school really do matter.”
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


Poll: A day in the life of a high school student:

Question 1: What’s your daily caffeine dose?

Coffee- 52%
Red Bull- 4%
Tea- 14%
Monster- 4%
None- 26%

Question 2: How many alarms do you have?

1- 41%
2- 30%
3- 7%
4+- 22%
None- 0%

Question 3: What social media app are you on the most during school?

Snapchat- 59%
Tik Tok- 7%
Instagram-20%
Twitter- 7%
None- 7%

Question 4: What music app do you use?

Spotify- 63%
Apple Music- 12%
Youtube Premium- 7%
Amazon Music- 7%
Other- 11%

Question 5: Average battery percentage on your phone during the school day?

100%- 0%
75%- 81%
35%- 12%
12%- 0%
I have my charger with me at all times its dead- 7%


Good celebrities do exist:

There is a lot in the media about celebrities behaving badly despite their big name. With  all the negativity in the world, now is a good time to discuss my three favorite celebrities who I believe bring lots of good. 
I believe that not only one of the best celebrities, but one of the best people is Dolly Parton. She has been an ally to minorities her whole life supporting those that face discrimination. As many may know, she has a theme park called Dollywood and when COVID hit she continued to pay all of her employees and personal assistants even though they were not working. It was agreed that a Confederate statue in the South was to be replaced with a statue of Dolly Parton. She turned it down and said there were people that deserved it more than her. This shows that despite her fame and fortune she is still humble. 
Another celebrity that I admire and think is a good role model is Tyra Banks. She is well-known for her TV show, “America’s Next Top Model,” and this show was always inclusive. The show had contestants from every race, different sexualities, plus-sized models, and even a few that were transgender. Tyra used to have a summer camp with the purpose of inspiring young girls to have more confidence. A few years after that she earned her business degree from Harvard, showing that just because you are a model does not mean you are stupid. 
My favorite celebrity is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, not because of the good deeds he has done, but because of his good personality. He is partnered with the Make a Wish foundation and always has kids on set watching the making of his movies. He hasn’t had any big controversies and has not done anything super problematic. He grew up very poor and his family’s only car ended up getting repossessed due to lack of income when Dwayne was a teenager. He managed to build himself up from nothing and is now the highest paid actor providing a good life for his family.


A birthday to remember:

One upon time there was a little girl named Eleanor who had two older brothers. Eleanor’s birthday was on April 30, and she turned twelve years old. For her birthday her parents decided to go all out for it. At the beginning of the day, the family celebrated by having pancakes and cupcakes. Then the children were instructed to pack a bag for a three-day trip. The kids scrambled around the house as they vigorously were trying to pack as fast as they possibly could.
A couple hours later the family set out on the road for the adventure that awaited them. Eleanor, and her brothers were so excited that they couldn’t sit still for longer than a minute. However, that didn’t last long because the kids fell asleep within the first hour of the car ride. When the family arrived at their destination Eleanor’s parents woke them all up and told them where they had ended up after the long car ride. They ended up at a family camp that is five minutes away from an amusement park. The whole family was excited and could not wait to ride on all the roller coasters and swim in the pools.
Before they knew it, the trip was coming to an end even though it felt like they just got there. Everyone had such a good time and enjoyed everything they did together as a family. They all wanted to stay to have fun but knew they couldn’t because the kids had to go back to school the next day, and their parents had to work. When they arrived back at home Eleanor crawled into bed, covered up, and thanked her parents for such an amazing birthday present that the whole family got to share together. Once they left the room she got a ginormous grin on her face and realized how fortunate she was to have such a loving family.


What do you have planned after high school?:

Chase Chancellor: To be an engineer.
Hunter Toner: Work.
Haylee Rose: To work in a salon.
Tucker Clark: Work.
Steel Fuller: Military.
Skylar Beckford: I plan to move out of Pennsylvania and start working so I can save up for an apartment.
Brittany Dewey: Going to college to be an elementary librarian.
Hunter Taylor: To live a good life and be happy.
Bryce Maleski: Go to college.
Ethan Vollant: Attend college and play football.
Morgan Brooks: Go to Edinboro and then law school to become a child advocate lawyer.
Chris Almeda: Join the Navy.
Timothy Ross: Some welding job.
Hannah Smrka: College.
Adrian Vallentine: Going to  Point Park University to major in criminal justice.
Sarah Marsh: I plan on going to the Air Force and advancing into the police force.
Brooke Richards: Getting my life together.
Braden Mcknight: Coaching Corry, then college
Gabrielle Rose: Attend La Roche University for psychology in the fall of 2021.
Dustin Middleton: Work.
Riley Walker: Seeing my sister.
Tyler Hasbrouck: Attending Pittsburgh Technical College for 1.5 years.
Jaxon Gray: Be successful in my job then get married and raise a family.
Colton Lindsey: Working at a body shop and yard work.
Kyla Walker: College and partying.
Emma Swartzfager: Work full-time at Corry.
Ethan Sproveri: Attend Edinboro University with a major as a pre-vet/biology.
Neil Pognant: Work.
Mason Thomas: Work.
Christina Newman: College.
Elizabeth Geer: Jamestown College for early childhood.
Caleb Munn: Rochester Institute of Technology.
Luke Stanbro: School to be diesel mechanic.
Jared Bailey: Work and marines.
Michelle Snyder: Working.
Rachael Hajec: College for four years and a news anchor.
Michael Winans: Attend Slippery Rock.
Jayda Martin: Getting real estate license.
Chase Suchar: Edinboro University.
Lucas Munsee: Construction.
Allison Zaczkiewicz: Pittsburgh Pharmacy.
Hunter Smith: Work.
Dustin Seth: Refer to graduation.
Logan Sawyer: Training for the battle against the terminator army.
Sam Reed: Continue working; move somewhere tropical.
Levi Stanbro: To be a game warden.
Lauryn Cressley: Get out ASAP; car, job, leave.
Hallie Pearson: I plan to attend Edinboro University for music production and photography.
Return to Senior Surveys 2021


Free Falling:

It was a warm, breezy morning on the shores of the Hawaiian islands. I felt the sun on my rosy cheeks and took in a breath of fresh air. This summer’s vacation had been amazing so far, and I wished I could just live here in Honolulu. Stress was a forgotten word by the people here on this magical island, and I knew the ocean life was for me. Every day I woke up feeling better than I had the last, with my mood at an all time high. And school…school was a past terror which I planned on leaving in the dust. I heard the sliding glass door of our beach vacation house open, and turned to see my mom walking towards me holding a fresh smoothie with a colorful straw sticking out of it.
“Good morning sunshine,” she said, handing me the smoothie. I returned a “good morning” and together we stood and watched the waves crash into the shore.
After I moment of taking in the serene landscape I asked: “What’s on the agenda for today?”
“Ziplining,” she said with a smile. “You better start getting ready, the boys will be up soon.” I knew that once my brother and dad were up, it’d be time to head to the zipline course whether I was ready or not. They have no patience and are avid explorers/thrill seekers. My mom and I, on the other hand, prefer to take things the laid-back way. Our idea of adventure consists of finding the best beach to lay out on, drinking lots of smoothies, and snorkling. The boys, however, liked their hiking, repelling off of cliffs, cliff diving, and ziplining.
I headed for the house, leaving my mom time to enjoy the view by herself. As soon as I walked into the door I saw my brother emerge from his room already completely dressed and ready for the day, yet still looking sleepy.
“Max, did you sleep in those clothes?” I asked him with an eyebrow raise, even though I already knew the answer.
“Yup…time is of the essence, Kendra.” He sauntered into the kitchen and grabbed a granola bar for breakfast. He hopped up into a chair and started munching away loudly. For such a young boy (only ten years old) he had such a great deal of knowledge stored in his head.
I walked by my dad who was already dressed and ready as well. “Please tell me you didn’t sleep in those clothes, too!” I threw my hands up in the air in annoyance.
“What…of course not…” My dad said in a sarcastic tone and headed for the kitchen as well. I could hear Max and dad in the kitchen coming up with their explorer’s “Game Plan” as I headed for my room. I rolled my eyes. Those two, I thought.
After getting completely ready, I went back into the living room and waited until we were completely packed. Then, together we loaded into the car and set out for the ziplining course. I watched as the different birds flew past the car and into the trees. One was the ‘I’iwi, the most beautiful bird I had ever seen. We twisted up and up around a mountain where the zipline started.
Finally, we emerged from the trees into a grassy field on the top of the hill. Standing on the ground alone was breathtaking, and I couldn’t wait to get onto the zipline. Max ran past me to look out over the whole island, pulling out his cheap camera he begged my mom to buy him. He then started snapping pictures of everything, including my mom, dad, and I who were all gaping at the beautiful scenery.
“C’mon Max, we need to get our gear on so we can zipline!” My mom shouted to him as he raced around taking pictures.
We went and stood at the small building where a young girl handed out harnesses, helmets, gloves, and clips. She smiled pleasantly and wished us all a fun time. My heart began to race as we walked closer to the ladder where we would climb up to a platform. I had never been great with heights, but I figured I might as well try something new, my life was pretty boring anyway. My legs were unnecessarily wobbly when I stood up on the platform, and I had to reach out and take hold of the railing. Max, on the other hand, sprinted back and forth on the platform, not caring that we were fifty feet above the ground.
An older man introduced himself as Akamu when he greeted us, and gave instructions on what to do when we wanted to stop, and how to unclip ourselves. He gave a brief history lesson of the mountain and then walked us to the edge where we would clip on and take off. Max volunteered first, so he got situated and zoomed down the line, screaming at the exhilaration. My dad went next, and my mom followed. I was the last one to leave the platform, but I didn’t mind. I got clipped on, and held my shaking hands together. I wasn’t sure if I could handle the height. But before I could think twice Akamu pushed me off of the ledge and I was sent sailing down the line at an uncanny speed. I let out a scream, half out of fear and half out of disbelief.
I whipped past trees and brush faster than I could process them and could just barely see my mom ahead of me. I was starting to get comfortable when I heard a strange “click” sound. I looked up at my harness that was clipped onto the line and noticed the metal piece was merely hanging on by a thread. My heart dropped in my chest. This can’t be happening to me, I thought. The wind picked up and my harness swayed, the clamp teetered back and forth, about to fall off of the line. The trees still blurred past me. I tried to put my gloved hand up to slow myself, but it was no use; the more I tried to stop the closer the clip came to dropping off and releasing me into the open air. I was too far above the ground to perform anywhere near a safe landing. I had no idea what to do. Tears started streaming down my face. Not like this, the thought repeated over and over in my head.
Just when I came into view of the platform and saw my family, a huge gust of wind sent me rocking back and forth. I was still a ways off, but I could start to make out their faces. I stuck my gloved hand up to stop but just as I did the clip finally let loose and I reached out at the wire line as my body plummeted.
My fingers caught the end but my strength failed me and I was sent careening downward. It was as if I was in slow motion: I looked at my family one at a time. My mom’s face was a look of horror, my brother’s was shock and fear, and my dad’s was heartbroken. A scream echoed around me, filling the space between me and my beloved family. Reaching through the air, I sailed farther and farther down. The earth was approaching me much faster. It felt unreal…something that shouldn’t be happening to a young girl like me. A girl who still had a whole life ahead of her. And yet here I was, free falling to my death on a family vacation. I looked up to the sky, searching for an answer.
In that moment before I hit the trees, I accepted my fate. I knew my time had come. I closed my eyes and said a prayer…


“Pooch Perfect”: different but interesting:

Pooch Perfect is a newer TV show that aired on February 27, 2020 on the ABC network. The show is hosted by Rebel Wilson, additionally Lisa Vanderpump, Jorge Bendersky, and Dr. Callie Harris are the judges. The show consists of contestants that are the best pet groomers in the U.S. that battle one another in efforts to earn a cash prize, and the one and only coveted “Pooch Perfect” trophy. There is a series of rounds that the contestants compete in. At the end of the round, the animals are judged, and the lowest ranking team is eliminated.
Pet groomers are required to think outside the box when given tasks to complete. There is a certain theme that is given to the group each round, and it is up to the contestants on how they bring that creation to life on the dog assigned to them. In order to bring their creation to fruition, they can paint, cut, dye, and style the dog to their preference. The only requirement is that they execute the task that was assigned to them. For example, one challenge given to contestants was Halloween-themed. From there the competitors are given a certain amount of time to create a masterpiece on their dog.
Overall, “Pooch Perfect” is enjoyable to watch. It is a different type of show, but the diversity in it makes the show interesting. The talent that the groomers have shine through their finished product to demonstrate their creativity. Everyone has different interpretations on topics, so it is neat to see the how each individual carries out the task. I would rate this show a 3.5 stars out of 5.


Top ten “Avengers” characters that should be added to the MCU:

Gauntlet (Joseph Green)
She-Hulk
Trauma
Rage
Stature
Wiccan
Komodo
Baron Von Blitzschlag
Tigra
Cloud 9


White Shadows (Part 8):

**This is the eighth part of a continuing story. If you haven’t read the previous parts, start here!
11:31
As soon as he walked out his front door, Jack knew how different town was. Just walking down Main Street didn’t feel right. Usually there was slow-but-steady-paced traffic. Sometimes during winter, Jack and his parents would go to the highest point of town by the city’s airport. When you are up on the hill you get a good look at the city’s main streets. And from that view you can see all of the lights. Some of the lights in that spectacular view were the headlights of traveling vehicles. But Jack had a feeling that if he went up to the airport he would see no headlights at all. Just being down on the street, you could tell nobody felt like driving tonight. Or maybe there wasn’t anyone to drive those cars.
And there was something else he noticed walking down the street and into the city. All of the cars he did see were all scattered in the street. Only a few here and there along the curb, but from the way it looked it was as if they drove up to the curb and did one of those door dives you see in movies where people jump from moving cars just before if goes over a cliff.
Some of the buildings that were little businesses along the street were boarded up. It was mostly just little stores: a thrift shop, an antique store, and a few places to eat. One of these looked odd to Jack. It was a painting shop, but because of the boards, you couldn’t even see through the bay window or the doors to see the art. And on the boards covering the door there was a crucifix nailed to the wood.
It was around this time when Jack realized his father had been right. And be was regretting his decision to leave home tonight. But here Jack was with a decision to make: One, go back home, or two, try to make it to his friend’s house. At this point he chose the second option. He thought he had walked too far to go back.
***
12:13
There he saw his friend Ralph standing on the street corner. His glasses had slid down his nose. He was holding his “snack pack” in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other. That would probably explain why he had a smear of chocolate on his lower lip and chin.
Ralph was a short kid for his age and a little overweight, too. He gave off a nerdy vibe, and that was why he was mostly avoided by every student in school. But Jack had known him for close to three years and knew that he wasn’t really like that at all.
Jack and Ralph got the same stereotype. Not only because of their similar interests, but because Jack was treated as an outcast, too. His dad was a cop.
And that is the reason why he is pushed aside. His dad had apprehended and even arrested some of the troublemakers in his grade. He tells people that his dad is a detective, not a cop. Of course, if John Thorn needed to arrest someone, he had the authority to do so. But just because his dad has arrested some people doesn’t mean that the other students should take it out on Jack. But they did it anyway.
“Hey, Ralph!” Jack shouted.
Ralph, as a result of Jack calling out his name, dropped his chocolate.
“Aw, dang it…” Ralph said to himself, not knowing of course those were going to be the last words he would ever speak. He hitched up his ripped jeans and bent over to pick up the chocolate.
That was when Edward Kraft lunged out of the darkness. He leaped at Ralph and grabbed him by his neck. And when Kraft had a good hold of the kid, he took to the sky. This all seemed to happen in less than two seconds: the predatory lunge, the snatched kid, and the woosh of air as Kraft to bolted skyward.
It was at this moment when Jack bolted in the direction home.


Survey: What is your favorite dog breed?:

I chose to do this survey because I was curious to know which type of dog people preferred. Plus, a lot of different people have different favorite types of dog and dog breeds. Although some people may prefer cats, too. Here are some responses that I got from our fellow students and staff.
Mr. Goodwill: Anything quiet
Brittany Dewey: Australian Cattle Dog, Blue Heeler
Mr. Potocki: Hot Dog
Mr. Hogue: Chihuahua
Mr. Coats: Chihuahua
Patience Sherrer:  Pit Bulls
Mr. Lesher: Siberian Husky
Eddie Frey: Bull dogs
Timothy Jordan: Pit Bull Lab
Damon Gordon: Pomeranian Chihuahua
Malaki Williams: Pit bull
Xander Wilcox: Pit Bull
Jeremy Saurwein: Great Dane
Ethan Pena: German Shepard, Australian Shepard, and Pit Bulls
Mr. Buona: Cats


Senior reflections:

With senior year being soon to end, there is a lot of frenzy around graduation and getting to go off into the real world; that hangs just around the corner. Though right now, I’ve found that the way to enjoy this senior year the most was by just being content with where we’re at. Not rushing through till the end of the year or trying to stretch it out for longer than necessary, but just enjoying what you can and observing the small things throughout the last days of high school.
My advice to upcoming seniors would be to not push yourselves too hard. To complete the necessary things on time so that you don’t have too much on your plate at a later time, but to also be kind to yourself and let yourself take a break. My advice to the underclassmen would be a bit different. For underclassmen, my advice would be to hold yourself accountable and make the most out of what you’ve got. Overall for anyone, my advice would just be to be kind. It is always important to be kind to those around you.
I feel that the things I’ll remember most will be the good times that I had with friends, and the little moments that meant a lot at the time.
While I had many achievements athletically, most of the moments that meant the most as an athlete weren’t the times I was at a big race, or scored tons of points, or medaled, but rather the times when it was just me and my team, mostly cross country, and we were: just having chicken parm night; cutting pumpkins; sprinting across fields to pet puppies; when one of the younger runners would have a breakthrough race; comparing the crunches of leaves; and getting to know all my teammates for the wonderful people they are. There is nothing quite like becoming friends with another person. The achievement of getting to know those around me has always meant a great deal more to me than athletic success, even though I am truly thankful for the opportunities that I have had.
“My final thought is a simple but mighty thought. It is the obligation we have been given; it is to not turn out the same. It is to grow, to accomplish, to change the world.” from the Broadway musical “Merrily We Roll Along,” By Stephen Sondheim.


Class of 2021 Superlatives:

Click on the gallery below to see the results of the 2021 senior superlatives!
Also, be sure to explore the class of 2021 senior surveys.








Gallery|11 Photos




Photo taken by Hannah Smrcka  
							Most likely to become rich and famous:

1st place: Braden Mcknight (pictured);
2nd place: Rachael Hajec; 
3rd place(s):  Payge Boucher, Evan Simmonsen, and Drake Bowen.


End of school year looking normal with some modifications:

In the Corry area the end-of-school festivities are in full swing with a few modifications. With the school year coming to a close, there has been a sense of normality taking place, unlike last year. All seniors in the graduating class of 2020 did not have a traditional end to their final days in high school. With the world basically shut down, there did not seem like there was going to be a light at the end of the tunnel. However, with vaccines, and COVID-19 cases decreasing, things are starting to seem like they used to be.
The school is hosting an academic ceremony for students who achieved academic honors just like in previous years. The few changes are that there is no dinner, and the ceremony is broken up into three different time slots to keep the crowd numbers low. Each session will also be recorded and  edited together so it is a complete ceremony for people to watch.
Another event taking place is the prom. There is going to be the traditional promenade, coronation, formal dinner, and dancing. However, one major difference is that there is going to be activities such as putt-putt golf, ski lift rides, and soaring eagle zip line rides. Adding these activities allows for social distancing in efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Some people are not in favor of this approach to prom, but others find it to be different and seem even more fun than a traditional prom. Maybe Corry’s prom will be changed to have activities along with the traditional prom aspect from here on out.
Although the last year has presented many challenges, it is nice to see things starting to go back the way they used to be before the coronavirus.


Across the pond:

Across the pond there lived an old man.
He whistled as he whittled and was a cheerful, old, wise elder. He didn’t do much besides whittle away and listen to the wind and the bees buzz; the hum of swaying corn and early dawn cracking birds; the crackling of campfire wood and the smells of fresh cut grass.
The old man knew much about the town and was at one time the head of the Fire Department. He was a diligent worker as a young man and only grew kinder and more fondly looked upon as he aged with much grace.
Only he never seemed to leave his yard unless he went in his house. He didn’t even have a car. The lights were never on in his home.
The only way he got in and out were his secret tunnels. He left in the night every night where no one would know where he was. The pond looked deep but was very shallow. Underneath his own rooms for whatever he chose to do with them. But what did he choose to do with them?
Commit.
Arson.
The mysterious fires over the years? Where’d they start? Who knows, but the fire department? Always seemed to get there promptly to the start… Intriguing. The townspeople trusted the fire department so. They adored the men and women that were always to the rescue almost immediately every time. They had the full trust of all the people. Many donations were given to the department. And so from there, a cult was born. Where they did underground business and trading and could funnel more and more money into their schemes with their donations from their arsonistic tendencies.


Corry Blue Zone ribbon cutting ceremony:




Poem #27:

Tied up Cupid’s wings and snapped heartstrings,
the wildflowers only speak of that same tongue and tone,
but, nonetheless, never subjected to the easy suffering
of being content.
 
Spurred fantasies from newly budded roses spring,
telephone wires with too many a crow,
year after year: the things that have only grown,
yet so many things that life still holds.
 
Even in 100 years the trees might still bud,
but they grow.
Even in 100 years the dust is settling,
And then settles on confidence.
 
All other lovely things are pyrite,
but that?
soft and golds.


Poem #28:

In a corner lives a picture,
with ribbed edges and different destinations,
depending on how many are squared into their small niche-like nook.
Inside the parceled organ of a beating page,
Lies verse on verse of what is believed to be truth to whoever dwells in those words of belonging,
Oh to share a folded thought and wrap it in its same coils,
how to sit with the pictures in the corners and travel across the world.
How the ways it crosses land and things it must endure,
The little things inside of epiphanies and realizations.
Things it longs and goes for, the time and courage it took,
though nothing of any wage
can compare to the singsonging,
of life’s turns and foils,
that travel the world in our pages.
In our words,
Our thoughts,
And our shared information.
Of what we wish the other end of the cans and strings
to listen intently to,
and read into the mind
and live in our corner,
with our picture of the world.


Survey: What are your plans for summer vacation?:

In this survey I asked Corry students and staff what their plans are for upcoming summer vacation. Here are their responses:
Mr. Soprano: Golfing and walking my dog.
Ted Mickel: Spending time with family and friends.
Tim Jordan: Working and spending time with family and friends.
Tyler Bird: Camping and hanging out with friends and racing.
Damon Gordon: Playing video games.
Malaki Williams: Binge-watch anime.
Ayla Richardson: Cheer season begins; camping and hanging out with friends.
Riley Fiesler: Going to Utah.
Izzzy Corbet: Maine, Washington DC, swimming, and cheering.
Nurse Donoghue: Spending time gardening, planting and spending time with family; I also work at the local ER.
Mr. Lesher: Exercising, golfing, and going to Tahiti.
Mr. Buona: Finish “Honey Do” list.
Ethan Pena: Fishing or Waldameer
Mr.Brewer: To simply exist in the world until its time to go back to work.
Isaac Morningstar: Vacation.
Dr. Simpson: Sitting by the river and reading many books.
Mrs Kuzma: To soak up as much sun as I can.
Mr. Hogue: Sea wolves, grilling, concerts, walking fur babies, and gardening.
Kara Hall: Pool parties.
Xavier Cressley: Football practice.
Mr. Daniels: Playing softball/coaching soccer.
Gannon Smith: Swimming playing basketball.
Mr. Adamski: Camping and boating.
Trenton Lille: Myrtle Beach.
Ms. Diluzio: Fun with family and friends.
Tyra Proper: Work.


The fountain of youth:

The fountain of youth is neither a fountain nor something that brings great youth. One may find only wisdom, pain, and age upon a sip from its bowls. It writhes like a snake within the drinker, repeatedly taking and taking, sucking the youth and optimism with every half a drop. It is neither like water nor gold but rather a black coarse sludge as thick as poisoned twine. It slithers into your brain, your heart, your soul, until the youthful glow is sucked from their marrows and all that is left is the hollowed emptied shell of age. Nothing will ever be bright and kind after the truths of the world flow through their veins. The pain of wisdom, and the loss of the light glowing youth in the eyes is taken and traded in for sunken eye sockets and pain beyond physicality, but rather mentality. It doesn’t leave you with the life and youthfulness that was there before.
What is the point to life if you will never live again; not really live at least?
It may be irony that the fountain of youth ages the one at the end of the straw, but this was their choice. They thought they could be greedy and love the world if they could live youthfully forever, but it only brings the truths that age cannot take back, the truths that are lost when losing youth.
It is not a fountain of wisdom or despair or truth. But a fountain of youth. Because you take the baggage of the world, and the fountain? Takes your youth.


The end of an era:

As graduation is only a week away, I begin to feel excited and relieved, yet sad and awestruck, that the year is actually ending. With only a few days left of high school, I realize all of the experiences I’ve had, memories I have shared, people I have met, and especially all the things I have learned over the years. Since we were the first ever sixth graders to come up to the middle-high school they gave us all our Chromebooks and a little pin that said “Class of 2021.” One of my instant thoughts was how far away the year 2021 seemed, but now as I look back, it came a little too fast.
To share one of my favorite memories in high school I would have to say it would be bringing the homecoming dance back, and winning the best banner my junior year during the homecoming assembly. It was before COVID and everyone had so much school spirit, happiness, and laughter, and overall just good energy to be around. As COVID took away the end of my junior year, and a majority of my senior year (in person at least), I still enjoy looking back on this year as a great learning experience. Even though my friends and I were online and looking at each other over a computer screen, it made me realize how important it is to live in the moment and never take people or things for granted.
Since I will officially be a Corry High School graduate in a little over a week, my advice to any underclassmen would be not to just do your homework and work hard, but believe in yourself and trust and listen to your teachers and/or peers. Even if you don’t enjoy school that much just know there are people out there that want you to succeed and are willing to help, so be open to that opportunity, always.


“Where the Crawdads Sing”: Compelling and emotional:

“Where the Crawdads Sing” was one of the most interesting and hard-to-put-down books I have ever read. Written by Delia Owens, the book was flawlessly produced and never failed to keep my attention. The book is a work of fiction (set in the 50s and 60s), but it comes to life with the detail and intriguing manner in which it is written.
The story is about the life of Kya (Catherine Danielle Clark), and the death of one of her alleged lovers, Chase Andrews. The book goes from when she was only six years old and abandoned by each member of her family to the day she died. Kya was known by the townspeople as the Marsh Girl because she lived alone deep within the marsh. However, that was where she found peace…it was her happy place. Kya faced scrutiny because of Chase’s death, for being skittish, and for her lack of education (though she published books about organisms from the marsh). The story is constantly engaging, making it so each chapter you say “just one more chapter.”
Delia Owens used the perfect words for the reader to imagine what was happening. Her capability of threading together a beautifully written tale is inspiring. The book showed that in the midst of pain, abandonment, and scrutiny, one can always find peace in the calmness of nature. The relationship Kya had with the wildlife was also incredible because she wasn’t afraid to take care of other creatures, though no one was there to take care of her all those years. The suspense throughout the novel was also very nice, with each chapter being a switch in time periods. This gave way for the constant need to know what would happen next and how each event would unfold.
Another thing that really made this book an all-time favorite was the ending. Sure, I did slightly see it coming, but the shock was still real and it even caused my mouth to fall open. The ending leaves the reader a chance to imagine how things continually went and raises questions. But ultimately, it brings to light the “What?” “Why?” and “Who?” around which one major plot point was centered.
All in all, this book was amazing. However, there are some parts throughout the story that are rough, with some profane language and other things. As a whole, I would give this book a 4.5/5 stars! Although some unnecessary points are in the story, it was definitely excellently written and something that I will re-read for sure.


How common is it for Corry teachers to marry other teachers?:

I have noticed that several of my male teachers are married to other teachers. I thought this was odd because teaching is just one job out of thousands, and it didn’t seem to be this way for female teachers. I sent out a survey to all the teachers to see if there really was a higher percentage of male teachers married to female teachers here at Corry. I was very surprised to find out I was correct. I had 32 teachers complete this survey and I am very grateful for all those who participated. 
Every teacher at Corry Middle High School received a copy of the survey in their mailbox. Teachers were then given a week to submit their responses. The survey consisted of four questions that were designed for anonymity. The questions asked for gender, significant other’s occupation, how they met, and plans for the summer. Forty-two percent of the responses were from male teachers and the rest, 58%, were from female teachers. Of the participants in the survey, 64% of male teachers had significant others who were also teachers and only 10% of female teachers had significant others who were teachers. The majority of responses consisted of  female teachers with significant others who were not teachers and the second highest consisted of male teachers with significant others who were teachers. 
After I saw that the majority of male teachers were married to female teachers, I started to wonder why this was. My guess was that they met at work or doing something teacher-related. Fifty-six percent of men with teachers said they did not meet their significant other at work. My original hypothesis only applies to 50% of teachers. 
I was curious whether having a significant other that was a teacher changed summer plans. This did not seem to be the case since all teachers surveyed had similar summer plans. All teachers seem to spend time outside along with a lot of house and yard work.


Corry track and field athletes shine in Shippensburg:

Recently, three Corry High athletes on the track and field team qualified to compete at the states meet in Shippensburg, PA. The meet was held on Friday, May 28. The three accomplished athletes were: Hannah Smrcka (senior), Skylar Riedel (junior), and Xavier Reyda (junior). These three put in many long hours and loads of hard work to be able to represent Corry High in such an important and gratifying meet.
Hannah Smrcka qualified at districts to run in the 1600 meter race (1 mile) at states. She qualified at districts with a 5:16 — an automatic ride to the state meet. Hannah said she felt “healthy” and “pretty okay” while competing at Shippensburg. She wishes she could have gotten out a bit faster in the first two laps, though. Thankfully, Hannah noted that the storms held off until right after she ran. She mentioned how the weather was a little windy, however it wasn’t too cold, but it also wasn’t warm. Her hard work and countless hours of running and training paid off, and she was able to run a 5:17 mile, finishing in twelfth. It will be sad to see Hannah graduate from the team, as she is such a great team member and person, but we know she will do amazing things at Seton Hill where she is continuing her running pathway.
Skylar Riedel also competed down at the state meet. Her event was the triple jump. With a jump of 33-11.75 (33 feet and 11.75 inches) she was able to place seventeenth. Skylar qualified at districts to make it to states with a jump of 35-6, her personal best. Placing seventeenth at a state meet is definitely a major accomplishment and it is great to see Corry able to represent at such an important meet. Good job to Skylar and her accomplishments! And Corry can’t wait to see how she does during her senior season next year.
Xavier Reyda was the third athlete who competed down in Shippensburg. The week before, he threw a 151 even in the discus. At the state meet he threw a 130-8.9. He was able to place fourteenth in his event of the discus. Corry also congratulates Xavier and his many accomplishments throughout this season! And the town is excited to see how he will finish out his high school career next year.
Girls head coach, Coach Kelly, expressed his admiration and pride with how the athletes competed by saying: “Hannah capped off a phenomenal high school career with a twelfth place finish at the state meet in the 1600 meter run.  She has been a joy to coach and will instantly impact the cross country and track programs at Seton Hill University in the fall.  We will miss her work ethic, positive attitude, and leadership skills.”
Coach Kelly continued on when mentioning Skylar Riedel, saying, “Skylar had an awesome season.  She set personal best marks in both the long jump and the triple jump.  Her 33-11.75 ft. jump at the PIAA state meet was a really solid outcome.  More importantly, I think the experience of being at the state meet will prove vital in her future successes.  She will work hard in the off-season and be even better during her senior year!”
Regarding Xavier Reyda he said, “Xavier had an amazing throw at the district meet to qualify for states.  Although he didn’t throw as far at states, his mark of 138-4 was still good enough for a fourteenth place finish.  He is extremely talented and should easily be able to get back to the state meet as a senior if he commits over the off-season.”
Overall, being able to see three Corry students compete at the states meet and place very well is something that will be remembered. Through their dedication and immense amount of discipline, patience, and hard work, they were able to show their skills down in Shippensburg.


Survey: Who has impacted your life the most?:

For this survey, I asked our fellow students and staff who has impacted their life the most. What I mean by that is who has helped you through the rough and dark times that you may have gone (or are going) through. Here are some responses:
Mr. King: Fifth and sixth grade teacher
Mr. Brewer: My dad
Mr. Coates: Mr. Buona
Mr. Lesher: My parents and Mean Gene
Lexy Watrous: My mom
Isiah Clipson: Samariana
Mr. (K) Cragg: My parents
Mrs. Turben: Jesus
Tyler Bird: Coach Bailey
Tim Jordan: Coach Bailey
Damon Gordon: Samariana
Malaki Williams: Samariana
Brittany Dewey: Mr. Chud
Izzy Corbett: Myself
Riley Fiesler: My stepdad
Ayla Richardson: My mom and Riley
Mr. Soprano: Mr. Lesher and his stories about Mean Gene
Mr. Adamski: My co-op at THS
Mr. Daniels: My parents
Ethan Pena: My sisters
Jalleen Klaiber: Room 42
Mrs. Kuzma: My dad
Dr. Simpson: My mom


Views on school mask mandate are split:

School was back in full-swing on Thursday, August 26, after a hard year last school year with switching from in-person to remote learning multiple times. Heading back to school after summer break always arouses different emotions from people: excitement, dread, optimism, and anything in between. This year, however, there is another factor playing with students’ and teachers’ emotions. The mask mandate, issued for all of Pennsylvania, is back again. It has caused many people to come forth with their opinions, beliefs, and evidence for what they believe. Who knew a piece of cloth could strike up so much turmoil?
Students and teachers were all asked the same question: What is your view on the recent mask mandate? Of course, with things such as the mask, each person has their own opinion/take on whether or not they should wear them.
For students like junior Kayla Kurelowech her response to the question was, “I feel like they don’t really do much because no one really wears them how they are supposed to.”
Masks pulled below the nose or even chin are not uncommon to see when walking down the halls, sitting in classrooms, or just looking at the general student body.
Mr. Brewer, a teacher here at the school, gave his opinion on the mandate as well. He said, “I can still smell things through my mask so I don’t know how efficient they are.” One thing is for sure, you can certainly still smell through a mask. Walking by the locker rooms even with a mask up you can still smell it.
Other students provided their opinion bluntly when asked what they thought of the mandate.
Keira Knight, a sophomore, plainly stated, “I don’t like it.”
Junior Peyton Wilkinson, who was with Knight, nodded in agreement. She added, “I’m not a fan of it either.”
So far many negative feelings toward the mandate have come forth. These strong opinions can both be sided with and severely disagreed upon.
On the other side of things, sophomore Hannah Roach said, “I think the masks are a good idea considering there are a lot of people in such a secluded area, but it does get a little difficult to breathe at times.”
Junior Bella Burrows said, “I think the mask mandate can be a little frustrating and it’s getting old, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
These girls probably have many other students who agree with them. They aren’t a huge fan of the masks but would rather do what they can to prevent a worse scenario.


School spirit on full display for homecoming week:

Homecoming is a time each year that students, teachers, and local families can get into the school spirit and make memories. Starting Sept. 13, the school began the yearly “Spirit Week” challenge between every grade. It started with mismatch day and ended with color wars. Thursday was the Homecoming Parade, Friday was the home football game, and Saturday was the much-anticipated dance. Beaver spirit and enthusiasm lingered in the hallways each day.
Each theme Monday through Friday allowed students and teachers to participate in the fun-filled week and show off their school spirit. Not only did it create friendly competition, but it also sparked conversation. Some went all out each day for dressing up, while others mildly chose to partake in the theme each day. The days were: Monday: mismatch day, Tuesday: character day, Wednesday: decades day, Thursday: orange and black day, and Friday: color wars.
The parade took place Thursday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. Floats were decorated and candy buckets were full at the start, and by the end (or in some cases the middle) all candy was thrown, and floats were being taken down. The excitement of the parade was over faster than any would have thought, and soon students were back to reality.
Friday during school there was the annual pep assembly for Homecoming, in which the students got to participate in well-planned activities and laughed while watching from the stands. That night the stands were once again packed to the brim with eager fans enthusiastic about the home football game against Fairview. After a close game, Corry was unable to come out victorious and lost 34-20. Even though they lost, they still fought hard and attempted to win even at the very end. That night during halftime the Homecoming King and Queen was announced. Rachel Brady was crowned Queen by Jayden Almeda (last year’s Queen), and Aiden Kafferlin was crowned King by Caden Bidwell (last year’s King).
On Saturday the dance was held from 7-10 p.m. on the practice field behind the softball field. Students danced the night away under a tent. Many girls ended up barefoot by the end, and almost everyone went home sweaty. Even though it was not held in the gym like years prior (save for last year), students still had an enjoyable time talking with friends and being able to be goofy while dancing. Overall the dance was a success and most students enjoyed themselves thoroughly.
All in all, this year’s homecoming was full of events that kept the students cheering and smiling.


Top ten fiction books:

There are so many different books, whether it be romance, mystery, comedy, poetry, graphic novels, horror, and many more. These fictional worlds are important to the imagination but can also have deeper meanings that play into your real life. This list of books are definitely ones that I recommend!
10. “Before I Fall”
9. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
8. “Everything, Everything”
7. “The Little Prince”
6. “Twilight”
5. “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”
4. “Simon v.s The Homosapien Agenda”
3. “All The Bright Places”
2. “Milk and Honey”
1. “The Sun and Her Flowers”


Top ten favorite places to eat:

Everyone always wonders what they are having for dinner or lunch, whether it’s a home-cooked meal or takeout. Some families want to eat takeout but don’t know where they want to go, so I made my top ten favorite restaurants.
10. McDonald’s
9. Arby’s
8. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
7. Cheesecake Factory
6. Library Bar & Grill
5. O’Charley’s Restaurant & Bar
4. Osaki
2. Popeyes
1. Red Lobster


Top ten MLB teams heading into the postseason:

The playoff race is heating up in Major League Baseball. Some teams have clinched a spot, while other teams are still searching for that wildcard berth. The wildcard race has changed dramatically from where it was earlier in the season. Teams have emerged to be real contenders after the deadline. So here are the top ten MLB teams heading into the postseason.
10: New York Yankees
The Yankees have had their ups and downs this season. They bounced back after a tough start and had a 13 game win streak after the deadline. But tough times have yet again fallen over them, going 9 and 11 over their last 20 games. It will be interesting to see if the Yanks’ get hot and clinch a spot going into the postseason.
9: Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves have had a hot streak since the trade deadline. Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Richard Rodríeguez, Jorge Soler, and Adam Duvall were all players acquired at the deadline, and have played crucial roles in putting the Braves into position for a playoff push. Since star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. tore his ACL in early July, the Braves were immediately counted out of any sort of playoff contention. They have proved everyone wrong.
8: Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox came into the 2021 season firing on all cylinders. They were the hottest team in baseball for quite a while. Until they cooled off. The Red Sox had a horrific stretch that knocked them out of first place in the AL East. Now, they have started to show signs of life again. They’ve caught fire and are currently sitting in second in their division, and they hold the first wildcard spot. If they can keep this fire burning, they will be a dangerous opponent in October.
7: Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays may not be in a playoff spot right now, but they certainly are playoff ready. The Blue Jays are one of the hottest teams in baseball at the moment. They recently completed a four game sweep of the New York Yankees. This put the Jays one game back from the second wildcard spot. Robbie Ray, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Marcus Semien have propelled this team to the position they are in. American League teams should be trying their hardest to keep the Jays from the playoffs, because they could take it all.
6: Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox have proven that last year’s shortened season playoff run was not a fluke. They have a star- studded offense, led by Tim Anderson, José Abreu, and Eloy Jimenez. An amazing starting rotation that includes two Cy young contenders, Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodón. And an elite bullpen that stars Craig Kimbrel, and Liam Hendricks. The South Side has a real chance to prove their worth in October.
5: Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are the most hated team in baseball, and that might be what fuels them. They have been lights out this season, with guys like Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa bouncing back from tough 2020 seasons. The Astros have been dominant this season even without their ace, Justin Verlander. The Astros will be looking to channel some of that “2017 magic”, and win it all once again.
4: Milwaukee Brewers
No one expected the Milwaukee Brewers to be very good this season. They weren’t even projected to make the playoffs this season. But when their front office traded for Willy Adames, everything changed. The whole team caught fire, including Adames. Adames is the perfect example of a player who just needed a change of scenery. Adames has been the spark that the Brewers desperately needed. They have made other crucial trades, including trading for Eduardo Escobar from the D-Backs, and Rowdy Tellez from the Blue Jays. The Brew-Crew’s lights out pitching, combined with their solid offense, could propel them to a serious championship run.
3: Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays surprised the league yet again by being contenders with such a low budget. Year by year they rely on their amazing farm system to pump out superstars. For example, see Wander Franco, who has recently taken the league by storm. They also recently called up Shane Baz, who was part of the dreaded Chris Archer deal with the Pirates in 2018. The Rays are still dominant, even without Tyler Glasnow, who was having a career year before getting injured. The Rays look to repeat their run to the world series this year, which is very possible with their amazing team.
2: Los Angeles Dodgers
To no one’s surprise, the LA Dodgers have once again found themselves in a position to win it all. The Dodgers were already an amazing team, but their blockbuster deadline trade with the Nationals may have helped their chances. The Dodgers traded for Trea Turner, a star shortstop who hits for power, average, and is one of the fastest players in the league. He has been amazing all season, and continued this with his new team. They also traded for Max Scherzer, a starting pitcher, who has been the Cy Young favorite since joining the Dodgers. Scherzer has taken a page out of “Tuck Everlasting,” and has been lights out at the ripe age of 37 years old. The Dodgers have won all of Mad Max’s starts so far, and look to repeat on the main stage.
1: San Francisco Giants
To everyone’s surprise, the San Francisco Giants have been the most dominant team in baseball this season. New manager Gabe Kapler will most likely be the favorite to win manager of the year. The Giants amazing pitching staff, and explosive offense is the reason they have been so good. To add insult to injury for any team in the NL playoffs, they also traded for third baseman, Kris Bryant. The Giants look to win a championship, to continue their historic dominance in the postseason.


Top ten favorite books:

People believe books are no longer relevant, and I disagree. Books hold educational value, such as themes that teach you life lessons. Personally, my favorite part of a book is the ability to keep, grow, and use creativity to envision the characters and events, allowing a person to keep that childish joy over specific things.
10. “Goosebumps” (My reason for Goosebumps at ten is that it just was a classic, and had been a big part of my introduction to horror.)
9. “Harry Potter” (Harry Potter was an amazing series, but my problem was more on how some of the characters influenced the series, yet that was only a limited number of characters that were just created for what was absolute ignorance.)
8. “Lord Of The Rings” (The Lord Of The Rings was good. The problem was that starting up, for me, it was difficult to enjoy at first.)
7. “Tokyo Ghoul:Re” (Tokyo Ghoul: Re is a light novel that wasn’t bad and continued off where the original left off, but the ending was too good to not enjoy.)
6. “Tokyo Ghoul” (Tokyo Ghoul is just an overwhelming read, or watch, it shows us just how quickly things can go wrong and change a person’s life, as well as how cruel people can be to those they cannot, or refuse to, understand.)
5. “Three Dark Crowns” (Three Dark Crowns was outstanding, it had major emotional impact, a romantic relationship that some would enjoy far more than others, and the characters were so complex when they had their time in the light. My only regret was being unprepared for how addicting, yet rarely stupidly dark, this series can be.)
4. “Percy Jackson” (Percy Jackson was a large series, and it included a lot of themes with some relatable experiences. The plot is a paved road you can rarely predict, and it shows how quickly a person can go from hero to the most hated with what can be incorrect reasoning.)
3. “The Kane Chronicles” (The Kane Chronicles was a series that shows just how skillful Rick Riordan is when it comes to using mythology in his books. The characters have such different perspectives on the world around them, and it truly makes that much of a difference in the overall plot, and each character has some sort of unique experience that helps mold them through the series.)
2. “Shadow House” (Shadow House was a masterpiece, being terrifying and unique, while being an appropriate book for children. Shadow House shows a different side to humanity, as well as ‘curses’ that truly makes you think about just what loss is and how despite loss, and people not always choosing to be saved, at least somebody will make it through their trauma and emotions.)
1. “Maze Runner” (The Maze Runner was indescribable in its own way. The series has a unique take on the outcomes of future technologies and just what an apocalypse is, while showing that people can forget just who they are, as well as the pain and trauma they may go through for someone who doesn’t exactly show how they really feel. The ending was a heartbreaking experience, showing that trauma can be partially healed all at the same time.)


Top ten takeaways from this school year so far:

School…
When that word pops up there is typically a drawn expression that comes afterward. But why is that? Is it because kids are so stressed they associate the word school with negative feelings? I know I can get major anxiety when it comes to school work. However, school doesn’t need to be a word with negative connotations. With some helpful ways of looking at each school day, the word “school” can become a neutral or maybe even positively-associated word. Below I have listed my top ten takeaways from this school year so far in order from least to most memorable. 
10. It’s not the end of the world — To me, it is the end of the world if I don’t do exceedingly well on something. But, I have quickly learned that giving things the best effort possible is all I can do. Some things are hard because they are simply trying to better you.
9. It’s OK to not understand — It’s OK to be completely confused on certain things, but you need to work through it in order to see that progress and eventually gain that understanding.
8. Get sleep — You can’t successfully do schoolwork without a reasonable amount of sleep. Forgo doing your hair in the morning to get that extra half an hour of sleep (I have done that many, many times already this year). If you want to be an adequate student, get the proper amount of sleep. (Which, I know, is very hard to accomplish at times.)
7. Just breathe — Remain calm, everything will be okay. With a clear brain anything can be accomplished. 
6. Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be — What more can I say? Don’t stress yourself out any more than you need to.
5. Work hard to reap the benefits — You can’t become a genius, star athlete, or A+ student overnight. It takes really hard work. But like everyone says, hard work does pay off in the end. 
4. Time management is key — So far, I have seen that having a proper time management system is very important. Why not work out a schedule that allows you to not only stay on task with school work, but also gives leeway for personal enjoyment activities? Use your precious time wisely…it makes a huge difference.
3. Spread your effort evenly throughout everything you do — You may be in sports, taking very high-level classes, trying to work, and have bunches of homework. All of this added together equals a lot of late nights and exhausted students. Work to “spread the load evenly” and do the best you can in everything. Create a balance…life is all about balance.
2. Perfectionism is both a gift and a curse — From the words of Mr. Woods, being a perfectionist is both a “gift and a curse.” While I strive to meet every requirement to its fullest potential, it’s hard to meet those expectations in seven class periods every single day with an average of three hours of homework every night and six hours of sleep. 
1. Stress is a part of life, but it shouldn’t control your life — Even though I am only a month into school, my anxiety is sky-rocketing. I stay up late and get up early, which creates a vicious cycle. These past few days I have learned that stress is just a fact of life. There will always be something that stresses you out, but you can’t let it control your life.
School can be very stressful, but hopefully these lessons I’ve been learning will be able to help you too. Thanks for reading my top ten! What have you learned this year that is different from me?


Top ten ways to keep clean and tidy!:

Cleaning can be a big responsibility. If you don’t know how, here are some tips so you can be clean and organized. There are many ways to stay clean and tidy!
10. Keep a garbage can in your room! If you have one of these in there it can keep your room from becoming a mess so you can throw it away. 
9. Have a basket for clothes in every room! This helps for when you change you can throw the other clothes in the basket so clothes don’t start piling up on the floor.
8. Wipe all flat surfaces down! If you keep it wiped down it won’t create a lot of dust and make you feel sick!
7. Stay stacked up on cleaning supplies! This can help prevent a lot of cleaning. If you do laundry a lot make sure you have enough soap, and when you’re running low, buy some more. 
6. Keep a nice cleaning schedule. This helps you know what to stick to and not get off task!
5. Make sure you don’t use too many cleaning supplies! If you use too much cleaning supplies, they may not work properly
4. When you’re using any type of spray, make sure it’s not strong! If it’s strong, don’t use a lot– just use enough to make sure the surface is clean.
3. If you have dogs that are shedding, use gloves and a brush! Have a container nearby– don’t let the hair just stay on the ground. That can create a mess!
2. Hide all cleaning supplies! If a child is near a drawer that has cleaning supplies make sure they can’t open it.
1.  Label everything so you know where to find it when you need it!


Top ten best novels for young adults:

Books play a big part in everyone’s lives. They help your speech, and increase you knowledge. Books can also be a safe place for some people, and gives them something to connect to. When reading, having an interesting books makes it a lot more fun. The books stated are some of the best young adult novels that you will fall in love with, no doubt about it. These books have good meanings behind them and can teach you new things as you’re reading them.
10. “Refugee” by Alan Gratz- This novel is a historical fiction novel that includes three different historical event stories into one book. The first story “Josef” is based on a Jewish boy and his family escaping Nazi Germany, in the 1930s.
9. “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank- This novel is an autobiography about a Jewish teenage girl and her family having to suddenly go into hiding as a result of Hitler and the Nazi’s party treatment of Jews. This young girl writes about her experience during the awful situation and thoughts on what went on.   
8. “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury- This novel is about a “fireman,” Guy Montag, and his job was to start fires. He enjoyed his job until one day he met a young girl who changed his life, and opened his eyes. Montag finally realized that his lifestyle wasn’t right, and that he needed to do something different…
7. “A Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackman- This novel is about a teenage girl named Pippa , and her investigation on an old “unsolved” murder case for her class project. Pippa ends up getting too deep into the case, and starts to fear for her life. Does Pippa end up revealing the killer?
6. “Tuck Everlasting” by Natalie Babbitt- This novel is about a young girl named Winnie Foster, and she faces a difficult decision to live forever, or continue her life as planned. After meeting the Tuck family Winnie Foster learns of a powerful spring that can make you immortal.
5. “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak- This novel is about a young girl who gets taken away to a new home because her mother can’t afford to care for her. The story is told by Death, who becomes a character you will care for and understand in the end.
4. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne- This novel is about a young boy growing up in World War II. He and his family got a visit from Adolf Hitler and ended up having to move to one of the biggest concentration camps in history. The book talks about the events that take place on their way to the concentration camp and what happened there. 
3. “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding- This novel is about a group of young boys who find themselves alone on a deserted island. They develop rules, and organization. The children eventually start to become harsh, and brutal since they have no parent figure to help them. 
2. “Holes” by Louis Sachar- This novel is about a boy named Stanley, who has a bad luck curse due to his great-great- grandfather. The boy is sent to a juvenile detention camp for a crime he did not commit. Stanley and other boys are forced to dig holes all day every day. Stanley finds out interesting information and decides to take a little adventure to break the curse.
1. “They Both Die in the End” by Adam Silvera- This novel is a devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change in the course of a day. Workers call people to tell them when death is going to take them.


My top ten horror movies:

For centuries, humans have loved to be scared. Fear is a very compelling force for people. What is often perceived as a negative emotion can take the form of entertainment through haunted houses, amusement rides, and most notably, media. The first horror film was “Le Manoire du Diable” (1896). Over a century later, horror movies have become a staple of the film industry. Throughout the years, the horror movie standard has evolved with new technology and multi-million dollar profits. Many horror fans, myself included, are intrigued by the evolution of horror throughout the years. Here are some of my favorite horror movies, both new and old.
10. “Carrie” (1976)
9. “The Ritual” (2017)
8. “It” (2017)
7. “Midsommar” (2019)
6. “The Conjuring” (2013)
5. “Veronica” (2018)
4. “Sinister” (2012)
3. “Get Out” (2017)
2. “The Exorcist” (1973)
1. “Hereditary” (2018)


Top ten sports:

I am presenting my top ten favorite sports to play/watch. I chose this because I love sports. I have tried just about every sport but the three I stuck with are volleyball, basketball, and track. I have been around volleyball all of my life and it is probably my favorite. I started basketball in eighth grade and hated it at first, but I have grown to love it. I throw disc, shot put, and javelin in track and field. I originally started that in ninth grade, but due to Covid-19 it got shut down. The next year in tenth grade I did it and loved it!
10. Soccer
9. Swimming
8. Wrestling
7. Dance
6. Football
5. Softball
4. Baseball
3. Track and field
2. Basketball
1. Volleyball


Top ten horror movies:

The top ten list that I will be ranking from ten to one is the best scary movies to watch. The reason that I chose the topic of scary movies is because there are so many good ones to choose from that it might be challenging to rank them. Also, I find a lot of the scary movies on this list to be my favorites and some of the best created. 
10. “Army of Darkness” – The reason that this movie is in tenth place is because it doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves and should be a more popular movie considering how good Evil dead 2 is.
9. “Split” – This is in ninth place because this movie is like the definition of a thriller. You don’t know what’s gonna happen next and the plot twist at the end was a really clever way to start the franchise.
8. “IT”  – This movie was great and the acting performances were phenomenal. The producers did an amazing job keeping the story alive.
7. “Halloween” – Halloween was a really big turning point for the horror movie industry because it was one of the first slasher films. Not to mention it’s a great classic to watch at Halloween. The reason it is so low is because the slowness of the movie really shows with time and the revolution of scary movies.
6. “Ready or not” – I genuinely think that ready or not is one of the most underrated horror movies in the film industry. The story line is incredible and the characters are so likable. The plot is so thought out and it’s really interesting to watch the characters grow throughout the story.
5. “Trick r treat” – Coming in with the top five we have trick or treat. Thankfully this movie has gotten the credit it deserves because the way this movie was thought out especially with the budget they were provided is incredible and it’s an amazing movie to watch during the Halloween season if you’re old enough.
4. “Insidious” – One of the scariest movies created in my opinion, the acting, the costumes, and the plot are so scary. This is definitely a movie you wouldn’t want to watch alone or in the dark because there are some good scares that could surprise you.
3. “Evil dead 2” – Evil dead 2 is a cinematic masterpiece. This movie is so high in ranking because it’s so refreshing to see someone stand up for themselves in a scary situation. Another thing that makes this movie so special is the way you can still have a good laugh while watching even though you’re scared.
2. “Get Out” – Even though the movie US did not make this list its brother Get Out did. This is not a movie you only watch once, especially because every time you watch it you hear or see something new that hints you to the story line all along. The way that the producers carried this was amazing and they deserve every award in the world.
1. “The Shining” – This movie should not need an explanation for its placing for the number one spot on this list. Not only is it a classic but an overall masterpiece. The characters are iconic and so is everything about it. What makes this movie scary is the little hints, theories, and character development you witness. This is another movie that you most definitely watch more than once.


Top ten most fascinating true crime cases:

Crime happens all over and around us, sometimes even in our own lives. However, some cases gain more popularity and coverage than others. This tends to be likely due to bizarre and jarring factors within the case. With this being said, I’ve created a list from ten to one detailing the cases I find to be the most intriguing. (Content warning: if you’re interested and want to research these cases, please keep in mind they’re quite graphic and could be triggering/disturbing to some!)
10. Ken and Barbie killers (Two beautiful people committing some very ugly crimes.)
9. Toy Box Killer (The toy box is anything but fun.)
8. Mitchelle Blair (“Freezer mom”)
7. Andrea Yates (A mother’s love is unlike any other…right?)
6. Elisa Lam (The most perplexing case I’ve heard.)
5. Mary Bell (Who knew a little girl could be so dangerous?)
4. Jonestown Cult (Hundreds gone after following the words of a deranged man.)
3. Issei Sagawa (His interview is one of the most fascinating I’ve ever seen.)
2. Ed Gein (The case that inspired  “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and Buffalo Bill from “Silence of the Lambs”.)
1. Boy in the box (One of the biggest unsolved mysteries to this day.)


Fall festivities around the area:

Autumn brings the falling of leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, and many families getting together and being involved in local festivals. These fall festivals may be brisk outdoors, but they’ll warm your heart when you attend them. Wrapping your hands around a hot cup of hot cocoa or hot apple cider while standing outside and listening to the laughter around you is sure to bring peace to any heart. Locally, there are many different festive fall events you and your family can participate in this season.
One local festival is of course the Peak and Peak Fall Festival. This festival became open to the public October 9-10 and will be open again on October 16-17, from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. This event will of course be held at the Peak and Peak located in Clymer, New York. This year will also be the 32nd annual Fall Fest that the Peak has put on. The entrancing fall foliage will entice anyone into wanting to partake in this two-weekend festival. Not only will this create a beautiful sight but also a magnificient background for the judging of the craft show. There will be more than 100 vendors at the event, and each will have different items pertaining to the autumnal season. A snippet into the schedule includes: Pumpkin Cannons, Wildlife Adventures Shows, and Carriage Rides. There will of course be access to the vendors during the event. Some vendors will have fresh fruits and vegetables, while others will be full of sugary goodies. This is certainly one event you won’t want to miss.
Port Farms, located on Stone Quarry road in Waterford is always a great way to enjoy the fall season. The autumn events started on September 18 and go through October 31. They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays but are open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. However, they did make an exception and will be open this upcoming Monday (Columbus Day) from the usual time of 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The admission costs will differ depending on age, group sizes, and days, but can be found here. There are so many different events to do at Port Farms during this time of the year. Some of the many fun-filled activities are hay rides, a corn maze, the trike track, pedal carts, and an adventure course. At Port Farms there are the animal exhibits, where kids (and adults) can enjoy seeing different farm animals and giving them a pet. There are gift shops, food stands, and many other attractions you can enjoy there, too. Even if you don’t go for the hay rides, the apple cider, or sweets, the fresh air there is enough to relax anyone who has been stressed and give them the opportunity to enjoy the distinct smell of fall.
Sparrow Pond Campground has their Spooky Hayrides back again. This frightening event will last until October 3o. These hayrides are tractor drawn, as having horses pull it would most likely prove unsuccessful. The cost is $10.95 per person, and children four and under aren’t suggested to go on the ride. A two year old certainly wouldn’t appreciate a gory clown jumping out at them on a hayride late at night. The rides last from 7:30 until 10:00 p.m. each Friday and Saturday night. (These are the only days they host them, except for one Sunday night special on October 10.) If you’re into the thrill of being scared, this is just the spot for you to enjoy some fall festivities.
Trunk or Treat at the Corry Alliance Church: The Corry Alliance Church hosts a “Trunk or Treat” each year for both church attendant families and the general public. The date, this year though, is still working on being determined. It will not be held on Halloween day, since it is a Sunday. Some people prefer going to the small carnival because it is easier than dragging kids around town, while others go for the closeness and ability to socialize with other families. There are different games set up everywhere, with the volunteers dressed up. Nothing costs money, just the costume you choose to go all-out in. Kids (and adults) have the opportunity to win lots of candy at each vendor. Along with all of the store-bought candy there is a table with refreshments and of course donuts and popcorn. (However, with covid this may be subject to change.) Smiles never cease at such an event. So, what are you waiting for? Get costumed up and head over to CMA for their annual Trunk or Treat festival.
Although there are only four events mentioned, fall festivals are all around that you can partake in. Get out there, meet new people, and enjoy the outdoors. Soon we will all be stuck inside wearing our comfiest sweatpants and sweatshirts watching snowflakes cover the ground.


MLB Postseason opens with two thrilling Wildcard games:

Major League Baseball opened its postseason with great, historic match ups that had fans on the edge of their seat. The first of the two was the New York Yankees at the Boston Red Sox. The division rivals were in for a good game as soon as the first pitch was thrown. The second match up was the St. Louis Cardinals at the Los Angeles Dodgers. These teams have wildcard history in the early 2000s, but there was no deja vu.
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
These division rivals are no stranger to big games, and this was no exception. The Yankees had to claw and scratch wins early on in the season. They battled injury and adversity, and they succeeded at making the Postseason. The Red Sox had quite the opposite path to October. They started the season red hot, and looked like World Series contenders right out of the gate. Then they struggled, and had a hard time fending off other American League foes for their payoff spot. But in the end, the fans got to see this rivalry in the playoffs once again.
The Red Sox struck first, with a Xander Bogaerts two run home run to dead center in the top of the first off of starting pitcher Garret Cole. The home run ball plagued Cole once again, with Kyle Schwarber hitting a no doubter in the bottom of the third.  The Yankees would get one back off of an Anthony Rizzo solo shot in the top of the 6th. Alex Verdugo would pick up an RBI in back to back innings, making the game six to one. The Yankees would score one more time off of a solo homer by Giancarlo Stanton. The final score was 6-2 Red Sox.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals
These two historic franchises have faced off in the wildcard game before, and it was just as thrilling. The Dodgers started Max Scherzer, who has been lights out for the Dodgers after the trade deadline. The Cardinals started Adam Wainwright, who is having a career year at the ripe age of 40. The big money Dodgers were going to have their hands full against the Black magic, voodoo Cardinals. This game was one for the ages.
Scherzer struggles to put Cardinal batters down easily, and his struggles started very early. In the top of the first, Tommy Edmund scored on a wild pitch by Scherzer. Things did not look good for Scherzer early, but the first inning run would be the only one he would allow over the next 4 1/3 innings pitched. Wainwright was dominant for about 5 of his 5 1/3 innings. Only giving up a run on a Justin Turner solo shot in the bottom of the fourth. The game would remain 1-1 until the bottom of the 9th, when Chris Taylor hit a 2-run walk off home run the left field.
Big implications on playoff format future
The MLB playoff format has been criticized during recent years. Fans believe that a one-game elimination format for the wildcard is not enough. There have been many teams who dominate in the regular season, but their season ends in one night.
Enter the 2015 Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates won 98 games in 2015, and hosted the Chicago Cubs for the wildcard game. the Pirates fell to the Cubs and their season was over just like that. This year’s example would be the Yankees. They finished the regular season with a record with 92 wins and 70 losses. The Yankees have competed with the best of the best all season long, but their season was decided by one game. Fans believe that this wildcard format is bad for baseball, and viewership as a whole. The Yankees have one of the biggest fan bases in the sports world, and their season was decided by one playoff game, while all other games in MLB playoffs are played in a series.
As outrage continues, the thought of a change in the playoff format becomes more of a reality. Will Major League Baseball listen to their fan base? Or will they fail to change the sport for the better?


A new boutique opens in Corry:

Small town women Erin Brown and Melissa Swartzfager have recently opened a cute little boutique called Peace Bee in Corry, PA. This modern/boho/rustic shop has women in the area very excited.
Peace Bee is open Monday through Friday from 10:30-5:30 and Saturday 10-2. You will find their store at 116 North Center Street under the black and white stripped awning in the middle.
Previously to owning Peace Bee, the partners sold LulaRoe for four and a half years. The business partners did very well with that, but LulaRoe requires the business to be in your home, and they did not want to do that anymore.
It has always been a dream of theirs to own a store. It took a lot a patience, time, and money to make this dream come true and finally it has paid off. Brown and Swartzfager love to walk around town and see everyone wearing items from the store.








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In the blink of an eye:

The wind whistled through the bare trees as I rode my bike down the winding paths. My legs pedaled in a rythmic motion and my breath left little fog bursts with each exhale. My morning routine always consisted of riding my bike on this peaceful route. However, this brisk morning in particular has me on edge. The crows caw in a menacing manner, whereas typically songbirds twiddle a tune. The usually smooth road turned rocky and uneven. Grey clouds were enveloping the once blue sky, threatening to cry out tears of anguish.
I was mid-thought when I hit a pothole with my front tire and went sailing over the handlebars.
THUMP
I landed on the ground in an awkward position and rolled a couple times. After a moment of closing my eyes, I looked up at the sky waiting for the thunder to sound and lightning to go streaking across the sky. To my utter confusion, the sky was bright blue. I sat up quickly, grabbing my head. It throbbed slightly, but no gaping wound or drop of blood was found. I assessed my surroundings once again. The trees were in full color and the road was no longer rough looking. “Maybe I’m hallucinating now.” I stood up and brushed myself off, finding that my brand new vibrant green leggings had two rips in the knees. I then went over to pick up my bike that was laying about five feet away. The wheel was twisted at an uncharacteristically large angle, I knew I couldn’t and wouldn’t even attempt to ride it home. My head was racked again with a sudden amount of pain and I closed my eyes for just a few seconds.
I slowly opened them up and found myself surrounded by bare trees, crows screeching, and a rocky trail. I gasped and felt my heart start to pound. My palms began to sweat and fear sank in. My head couldn’t be so messed up that it kept switching scenery after just one topple on a bike, could it? Paranoid, and desperate to get back to the welcoming view of full trees and chirping birds, I closed my eyes again. I counted to three then reopened them.
Hot, summery wind tickled my cheeks, flowers bloomed, and the pavement was fresh and beckoned me to ride on it. I wanted to stay in this version of reality for forever. Maybe I could. But what reality is my reality? Is it the dreary one? Or actually this one? I may have started my bike ride seeing the dark and menacing path, but how do I know my reality didn’t flip in my sleep…
I started walking “home” but soon realized every time I blinked I saw different scenery. Fall, winter, spring, summer…the rotation lapsed over and over. I could feel my anxiety rising and my stomach churning. I felt as though I could scream. But would anyone hear me? Tears rolled down my face and I sat down on the curb of a street, dizzy from the constant switching of landscapes. I put my head on my knees. I just wanted to go home.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
I lunged out of bed to the sound of my alarm. My pulse was through the roof and I was soaked in sweat. Things started to fall into place, though. I quickly realized my nightmare bike ride was just a figment of my unruly imagination after all. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed downstairs to eat a quick bowl of cereal. I stood at the sink and looked out the window. The cloudless sky was bright and welcoming, with neighbors happily strolling or jogging past my house. I grabbed a bowl, spoon, and box of cereal and headed to my kitchen table. I looked down to pour my cereal, realized I forgot the milk, and trotted to the fridge. I happened to glance out the window as I walked by with the milk–snow covered the trees and blew in swirls around the glass. I gasped and dropped the milk. I blinked…autumnal colors burst forth and delicate leaves twirled down from the unforgiving sky.
“Oh no,” I whispered.


The forest is facing some issues:

There was an alien disguised as a human who spawned in the middle of the woods. He found out something just wasn’t right, there was a clearing in the forest: no one to be seen and not a thing to be heard. A homeless man was walking through the forest and saw the disguised alien and explained everything.
After everything was explained a mysterious portal came out and a random person came out from the portal and explained why the forest was so empty and quiet. Turns out that forest was not like any other forest. That forest was a haunted forest that had traps set a lot of places. The traps took you to that portal where that random guy came out.
Everything in the portal seemed normal but something little was off about it: everyone had three commands if they got done and if everything about their commands was perfect, they got to be set out of the portal and set free. The commands get harder to do. If you either fail the command or refuse a command, you get thrown in this room where you have to do something and if you refuse that command, you get killed. If you do all your commands you get set free and live a life that you can choose and love.
The homeless man and alien got caught in a trap and went to the portal. The homeless man completed all his commands and chose his new life. He wanted a life where he can have money, a home, food, and be respected. He wants to start charities and make every homeless person have a nice home and good food. The alien completed all his tasks and he wished to live a life where he didn’t have to be an alien and he can be nice to everyone and everyone will be nice to him.


The angel’s revenge:

Giant Broccoli looked at the magic hat in his hands and felt stressed. He walked over to the window and the reflection on his sunny surroundings. He had always hated hilly fair with its tall, weird hills. It was a place that encouraged his tendency to feel stressed.
Then he saw something in the distance, or rather someone. It was the figure of a Starlet Wishmonger named Stanley, he was a hungry angel with slimy ankles and fluffy fingers.
Broccoli gulped, he glanced at his own reflection. He was a rude, daring, tea drinker with slimy ankles and fluffy fingers. His friends saw him as a giant monster. Once, he even jumped into a river and saved a tiny baby.
But not even a rude person who had once jumped into a river and saved a tiny baby was prepared for what Stanley had in store today. The rain hammered like chatting cats, making Giant sad.
As Broccoli stepped outside and Stanley came closer, Broccoli could see the strange smile on Stanley’s face. Stanley glared with all the wrath of 8572 greedy obedient owls. She said, in hushed tones, “I have you and now I want revenge.”
Giant looked back, even more sad and still fingering the magic hat. “Stanley, I shrunk your kids,” he replied.
They looked at each other with heavy feelings, like two hissing cats, and harsh horses skipping, which had flute music playing in the background and two helpful uncles loving to the beat. Broccoli studied Stanley’s slimy ankles and fluffy fingers. Eventually, he took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” began Giant in apologetic tones, “but I don’t feel the same way, and I never will. I just don’t love you Stanley.”
Stanley looked active, her emotions raw like a resonant, raspy rock. Giant could actually feel Stanley’s emotions shatter into 7587 pieces. Then the hungry angel hurried away into the distance. Not even a cup of tea would calm Giant’s nerves tonight.


Thirteen levels of fearing Ghost Lake:

Recently I went to Ghost Lake 13 Levels of Fear held in Conneaut Lake Park where you walk through a series of haunted houses consisting of 13 levels. I will be writing a review based on how scary the costumes were, contribution of staff, and the levels themselves. This is definitely a popular attraction around the Halloween season and many people in the area attend or have attended, so I’m interested to see if people agree with my statements. 
One thing that I was not impressed with was the amount of clown apparel that was worn. The reason why I have an issue with this is because clowns are cliche and looked like something you could buy from a local convenience store. The most creative costumes there came from the Blood Moon Meat Factory level where the staff dressed up as sort of  southern cannibalistic characters. Sadly I can’t remember much about other costumes that really blew me away or I thought were impressive or scary. I would give the costume a 2 out of 5 because of the lack of creativity of effort put into the characters. 
At the beginning of my time at the park there was an incident where a teen next to us collapsed and the staff didn’t really acknowledge it and instead of helping wanted us to hurry up and buy our ticket. If that wasn’t a big enough red flag, then this one might make you feel even more uncomfortable. Many of the staff there carry real weapons including crow bars, chainsaws, hatchets, etc. If it’s not clear enough to why this is a problem, then let’s just look at the fact that you take an inexperienced person wearing a mask and give a weapon near a crowd of people. Boundaries is another thing that the staff there struggle with due to the fact that they get in your personal space and sometimes even touch you. To be fair, you did pay to be scared, and it’s nice enough for them to even have this considering the situation with COVID. I would rate the staff 3 out of 5. 
Lastly, the most exciting topic of the review was how good the haunted houses/levels were. Honestly, I was surprised with some of the elements that they incorporated this year, including an entirely white room, a moving elevator simulation, and the structure of the houses themselves. I think the levels were good but one critique I would give would be to make each of the levels have more individuality because they are more similar than different. Another thing that they do that I think is cool to appreciate is you get to walk through the zoo, which is where the animals used to be, and that’s not really something you get to do every day. I would give the haunted houses overall a 4 out of 5. 
In the end I would give my experience as a whole a 3.5 out of 5. Some of my expectations for my 2021 experience weren’t met. But I understand that the way it turned out could be affected by COVID and lack of resources, and I usually end up going every year, so I appreciate it. Hopefully they continue to improve and get more creative every year.


The case for (and against) standardized testing:

Standardized testing has been an integral part of the education system for years. Tests such as the SATs, ACTs, and ASVABs are dreaded by students and teachers alike. But why did these tests come to be? Does standardized testing hold any merit? The conversation surrounding these tests is an interesting one.
Standardized tests were first introduced in 1845 by educator Horace Mann. His initial idea was to improve the education system by analyzing the way children learned through comprehensive exams. These tests did not catch on until the early twentieth century, with schools adopting military style tests to measure academic ability. Eventually these tests would evolve into the notorious SATs in 1920. Through the years, standardized testing became more commonplace, but did not become mandatory until 1994. Evidently, the concept of standardized tests has persisted through the years. But one question lingers: why?
Standardized tests are administered for a variety of reasons, from data collection to college preparation. State tests such as Pennsylvania’s PSSAs are the center of criticism due to their affects on teachers. In fact, state testing often has more bearing on teachers than on their pupils. Because test performance can influence school funding, many teachers feel pressure to acquaint their students with these tests. “Teachers often feel obligated to set aside other subjects for days, weeks, or even months at a time in order to devote themselves to boosting students’ test scores,” says author Alfie Kohn. These tests seem to cause strain on educators, but what about students?
The topic of standardized testing is a contentious one when it comes to students. While some researchers say these tests are beneficial, others disagree. Matthew Pietrafetta, PhD and Founder of Academic Approach, says, “…the tests create gravitational pull toward higher achievement.” The SATs in particular may indicate how a student will perform in their first years of college. However, some worry if standardized tests really judge a student’s aptitude. In fact, seventy percent of educators do not approve of standardized testing.
Tests such as the SAT, ACT, and state level exams are clearly a contentious topic among pupils and educators alike. But do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? As the attitude towards standardized testing changes, rules and regulations will as well, and the future of American education seems uncertain.


Screams from beyond the grave:

This event occurred years ago when I was much younger, possibly when I was just an 11 year old. I live in a very quiet neighborhood where there aren’t many cars going by, just horse buggies and a few cars a day. The morning started like any other: our mother woke us up, we took a shower, got dressed, and ate breakfast. Our parents wished us to have a good day and sent us off to walk to the stop. The minute we took a step outside we felt a shivering breeze rush past us as we walked down our driveway. That morning was incredibly foggy and cold, and we were already getting tired from the weight of our bags. We were barely past the first hill and we were stopping to catch our breath from the mix of the weight on our backs and the cold breeze.
It’s a good half-mile walk to our bus stop, so we would all leave ten minutes before the bus would get to the church at the end of the road. On the walk, we would pass houses, abandoned buildings, shops, and a cemetery. There’s wooded areas scattered all around the road as we walk, including around the cemetery. The cemetery leads all the way back into more parts of the woods, with fog scattered around the gravestones and small trees. There’s a small hill that hides the cemetery, so we could never get a clear view to see the animals or the autumn trees. When we were walking, almost halfway past the cemetery, all three of us heard a scream. It was so high-pitched and loud that it sent shivers down our spines, making us stop in our tracks. 
We turned towards the cemetery to see if we could see what was making such a horrific noise. In the distance, my older brother and I could almost see a white figure walking in the same direction. We heard another scream. All three of us exchanged looks and all agreed to sprint as fast as we could to the bus stop where there were other kids waiting to get picked up. When we got to the end of the parking lot, we all took a deep breath and relaxed as the bus rolled up to the stop. I told all my friends what we witnessed, but they all claimed it was a prank or we were just using our imagination or that we were all lying. After that day, we haven’t heard or seen such a thing from that cemetery since, almost believing that maybe it wasn’t real after all. But when I walk past that place every day, I feel like I can almost hear a faint screech from way back in the woods.


What’s your favorite Halloween movie?:

It’s spooky season and everyone is breaking out the decorations and Halloween movies. So many genres to choose from, whether it is horror, children’s, comedy, and many more! I asked some CASD students and staff what their favorite Halloween movies were and here are the results.
Ruthie light: “Coraline”
Greyson Linkerhof: “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
Alex Schmidt: “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
Liz Colwell: “Spookley the Square Pumpkin”
Evelyn Beckman: “Coraline”
Ava Wetherbee: Micheal Myers “Halloween” series
Preston Adams: “Hocus Pocus”
Connor Plunket: “Saw”
Austin Nickerson: “Scary Movie”
Jacob White: “Coraline”
Adreonna Lindenburger: “Hocus Pocus”
Mr. Soprano: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
Joseph Gradler: “Halloween Town”
Taylor Mitchel: “Hocus Pocus”
Tyler Biondi: “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
Mr. Brewer: “Hocus Pocus”
Lily Light: “Corpse Bride”
Mrs. Frisina: “When a Stranger Calls”
Luka Santry: “Conjuring”
Iaslyn Moss: “The Orphan”
Kyle Belfiore: “Boogie Man”
Mr. Potocki: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”


Do sixth graders feel like they should be up at the high school?:

When it comes to the subject on sixth graders being up at the high school, it can get very controversial. Many believe that they are too young, and it’s not the right setting for them. Others disagree and believe that they should be a part of the high school. Everyone has their opinions on how they feel about the subject, but have we ever asked the sixth grade students how they feel about it? Did we ask them if they feel comfortable, and ready to move up into “another world”? They are the ones going through it, so why don’t they have a say? I went around to ask 27 sixth-grade students at  the following: Do you feel that sixth graders should be up at the high school? Some of their answers were expected, but others were shocking. Stated below are some responses of students from the interview.
“Yes, I believe we should because we are just like the older kids, so we should be treated like them and be included into activities like them.” -Kota K.
“Yeah, I feel like we should be in the high school because it teaches us maturity and treats us like big kids and that’s what we want.” – Lauren B.
“No, sixth graders should not be up at the high school. It’s scary and the younger kids school was a lot more fun.” – Grady M.
“No, the high school is scary and the other school we were the big kids, now we aren’t.” – Izabella M.
“No, there are too many people in the hallways, and they are big and mean.” – Helen Ann D.
“Yes, up at the high school we get a lot more freedom, and we get treated as big kids not babies.” – Amber W.
“Yes, we are more comfortable with the building and get more experience.” – Alexis O.
“Yes, not as many rules as we had down at the other school.” – Lilly L.
“Yeah, you get better activities, and more options when it comes to classes.” – Naomi B.
“Yes, being up here makes me feel more like a big kid.” – Dione C.
“Yes, our maturity is at a high school level. We deserve as much as the other kids.” – Hayden W.
“Yeah, this school is better and more exciting.” – Aiden P.
“Yes, we have more space, and a bigger area to do things.” – Zach R.
“No, some of the older kids are bad influences, and they will teach us bad things.” – Ryliee D.
“Yes, we are big now, and we should be treated like it.” – Adrianna S.
“Yes, maturity fits our surrounding up at the high school.” – Laikynn B.
“No, we aren’t smart enough to be up here with the big kids.” – Isabella W.
“No, the high school students are mean. Not all of them, but some of them are.” – Brianna F.
“Yes, there are bigger activities to participate in.” – Makenna W.
“Yeah, we get more opportunities, and get a more mature learning experience.” – Margo B.
“Yes, [it’s a] bigger area, and we aren’t around little kids because we are the little kids.” – Lexi L.
“Yes, we get more freedom than at the younger school. We get more responsibility.” – Callie B.
“No, the halls are too crowded.” – Abby B.
“No, too many people in the school.” – Kaitlyn F.
“No, we almost get trampled every time we walk through the halls.” –  Jaelynn L.
“No, we could get confused and not know where to go. We could get lost.” – Sydney W.


Real life horror: Unit 731 and inevitable despair.:

Unit 731 was a Japanese human experimentation unit in World War II that captured soldiers, then used them for biological and chemical warfare. (This is an example of things Humanity is capable of, the burden of manipulation, torture, and blood, and is far from limited to simply Japan.)
Unit 731 performed a multitude of experiments, contributing to a learning experience, yet using the most twisted and cruel methods.  Unit 731 actually started as an innocent health agency, focused on research and public health, before slowly becoming a unit based on weaponizing diseases. Unit 731 took a large number of human prisoners, as all countries did, but they built knowledge on limitless suffering. The unit was disbanded at the end of the war, but Japan had not fully confessed to the existence of Unit 731 until around the 1990s but refuses to disclose information on the matter, nor the experiments. (Members of Unit 731 have confessed to some of the things they did, and the regret they hold on their actions.)
Unit 731  had several groups of people for research, but one of those happened to be based on limb injuries, and a particular scientist in the group had actually taken a special interest in frostbite, so he would often submerge the arms of prisoners in water filled with ice until the limb was frozen completely solid. He would try ways to rapidly warm the limb to rid it of the frostbite. Sometimes he doused the limb in hot water before holding it close to a campfire, or he would simply leave the limb untreated overnight to see just how long blood would naturally thaw out the limb. In another instance of research, they would give disease to the prisoners and simply observe to understand the effects of disease and injury on an armed soldier. They tested bayonets, swords, knives, and even flamethrowers on the victims.


The disrespect of teens:

The trouble with teens is the level of disrespect they show to both adults and their peers. Being disrespectful can cause anyone to suddenly lose friends, credibility, and reliability. School magnifies the disrespect of students because they feel as though they don’t have to follow rules or what teachers have to say. This problem plagues the hallways and seeps into all rooms, wreaking havoc on the functionality of a classroom. So why are kids so disrespectful to their teachers, fellow students, and families?
I believe the trouble with disrespect is the fact that teens think they are more superior than the people they are around. Sure, some might say it is a “phase,” but individuals who learn to get their way through disrespect will carry this with them forever. Breaking long-known habits can be horribly difficult, and you’re asking kids who only know disrespect to suddenly become polite, well-mannered teens. I also think teens exhibit this level of disrespect simply because they want to get a laugh or impress certain individuals. Let me say this very plainly: being disrespectful is not cool, nor does it get you anywhere in life. Well, except maybe detention.
Picking on someone to get a laugh out of your buddy next to you is not only labeled bullying (and could result in detention) but unnecessary and cruel. Disrespect to others in the student body, teachers, and administrators can come in all forms. Not listening, talking back, refusal to cooperate, profanity, and countless other attitudes or actions can show this disrespectful demeanor.
Just the other day, I was walking down the hallway and heard a teacher ask a student where their mask was, and she responded with, “I don’t have to wear one.” Now, this is not an article about masks, it is simply showing the disrespectful actions from one of the hundreds of students who don’t cooperate each day. Go sit in the auditorium and watch as kids get sent in for bad behavior. They certainly have a lot to say about the teacher or school when they get down there, especially when they storm out the opposite door. The disrespect is through the roof in today’s school setting.
Because of this outrageous number of undisciplined students, there needs to be a course of action to stop this. Teachers and administrators need to create more severe punishments for such distasteful acting. Suspension shouldn’t be avoided for disrespectful students. If they get away with it once, they’ll just keep doing it. I also think parents need to step in and let their child know that being inconsiderate and rude to teachers is not acceptable. Students can let their peer who is acting crudely know that the audacious talking is not okay simply by not laughing. If you laugh at a certain individual after they are rude to a teacher, another student, or parent, you are causing them to act out even more. If you don’t laugh, or even tell them to knock it off, the chances they stop the insolent behavior is more likely.
Speaking harshly to peers, staff, and guardians is at an all-time high in this generation. But it doesn’t have to be. So, the next time you think about being disrespectful, what will you do? Stop and try to respond with respect? Or continue acting unpleasantly? What will you do if your friend acts in such an uncivil way?


denouement:

I feel my soul dance and smile,
It used to be locked far away in a heavy glass jar filled with fear,
But the jar had broken open,
And upon the breaking and shattering of the thick glass
My soul had slipped away into a field of wonder and warmth
Finally being free,
It dances among the rain,
Smiling,
Being amongst the clouds.


Imagine yourself picking flowers in a field, coming home and making tea out of the bright yellow dandelions you picked, singing melodies, and stirring your tea with intention
Your cottage window is overrun with wild plants and flowers with the sun peeping just enough to make it cozy autumn like weather.
You adjust your hat, sweep the floor, purify the house, lighting the cake batter candles, then preparing dinner for your love and I. 
You twist the music box up before beginning to clean the fresh vegetables from the garden, running around, being just careful enough to trip over your own feet,
You spin and dance in circles to the melody, letting the moment slowly soak in.


The evolution of Halloween:

For centuries, Halloween has been celebrated and enjoyed by many people. However, have you ever wondered why that is? Or how Halloween even became a holiday? A lot of folks have only viewed it as a festive day to dress up, collect candy, and experience a joyful time. Of course, there’s much more to the history than that. With that being said, here’s the origin of the beloved spooky holiday. 
The beginning of Halloween dates way back to a festival known as Samhain. The people behind this (the Celtics) would light fires and dress up in costumes to fend off spirits. In modern days, it has been  turned into a celebration to mark the end of harvest season and the start of winter. This festival is on November 1, but the festivities begin on October 31, as the Celtic day began. Samhain is based on a pagan religion and people believe this day breaks the barrier between humans and spirits, allowing them to interact together. Essentially, it has lots to do with spirituality. 
After Romans took over most Celtic territory, they combined their traditions with Samhain. The day was named Ferali, and participants would place offerings and gifts on the graves of their deceased loved ones to honor the dead. The following day was Pomona, a Roman goddess who the Romans would honor on this date. Pomona’s symbol was an apple, and they related this by creating the Halloween tradition of bobbing for apples. However, on May 13, 609 A.D, Pope Boniface IV changed the Roman day for all Christian martyrs. It was later expanded into a day of commemorating all saints of the church, known or not, most commonly called All Saints Day, though it goes by many names, such as Hallow’s Day, Hallowmas, or Feast of All Saints. It truly did take many turns after being claimed by the Romans. 
Once immigrants began to arrive in America in the 1840s, so did their traditions. The first celebration was known as “play parties,” which included public events to celebrate harvest. Civilians would share stories of the deceased, as well as dance and sing with one another. By the nineteenth century, the United States was filled with immigrants. These immigrants, especially Irish ones fleeing the potato famine, helped give attention to celebrating Halloween. Taking traditions from European countries, Americans began dressing up and going from door to door requesting food or some money, which would later evolve into the infamous “trick or treat” tradition. People wished to take the more spiritual/scary aspects out of the day, and it is less religious than it once was. Nowadays, it’s one of the most superstitious and beloved holidays.


The witch of the wood:

Peter did not like his new house. His parents said it was a catch, a bargain, “the real deal.” And maybe that was true. The house was shockingly inexpensive, despite its wonderful condition. But Peter knew that value meant more than money. He was only six, but he was not stupid. As soon as the beat-up van pulled into the driveway, he knew the house was bad news.
His parents were ecstatic, raving about the beautiful scenery, sturdy frame, and antique interior. Peter had to admit, the house was beautiful with its Antebellum-style pillars, large bay windows, and luxurious garden area. But something felt off. The rooms felt vacant, despite the abundance of furniture. The bedrooms were eerie and impersonal, and within them the velvet curtains drooped woefully.
“It just takes getting used to, Pete,” his father reassured him. “Of course the house seems sad now, but soon we’ll fill it up with all our things from back home. And then you’ll like it well enough, I’m sure.”
His father was right – the house did begin to feel more like a home – but the boy still was not convinced. Something was still wrong.
Peter spent the brisk autumn days outside, exploring his family’s new property. The yard was devoid of the house’s eerie feeling. The garden was peaceful, and the woods were perfect for exploring. “Maybe this place isn’t so bad,” Peter thought to himself. One October morning, Peter put on his coat, hat, and rubber boots. He was ready to explore! He kissed his mother and trekked into the woods, promising to be back for lunch.
The woods were magical. The trees were alight with sun, and a chilly breeze floated the scent of pine into Peter’s nose. Birds chattered above, and dead leaves eddied at the boy’s feet. But despite the lovely scenery, Peter suddenly felt sick. Something was wrong here. Just then, as if on cue, a branch snapped behind him. He whipped around, and saw… nothing. There were no ghouls in these woods, just a scared little boy with a red woolen hat. But still, a chill crept up his spine. “I’m getting chilly anyway,” he murmured, and started toward the house.
Peter spent the rest of his day in a trance. Those woods were not what they seemed. And he needed to go back.  That night, he lie awake in bed, waiting for his parents to go to bed. When he was sure they were asleep, he crawled out of bed, already dressed in jeans and a sweater. He quietly slipped his coat on, stepped into his boots, and pulled his red hat far over his ears. As he crept out of the house, he snatched the flashlight he had stowed away under the kitchen sink. He was ready.
The woods were almost unrecognizable at night. The only thing reminiscent were the spindly trees illuminated by the old flashlight. Peter suddenly felt very small and very trapped. “This was a bad idea,” he whispered, nearly jumping at the sound of his own voice. Just as he turned to flee, he heard it again: the snap of a branch. Peter looked behind him, slowly this time, and when he turned he gasped. His flashlight showed him a horrible sight: a woman who Peter had never seen before.
The woman was unnaturally tall, taller than his father by at least two heads. Her hair was long and matted, her face smeared with grime, her dress caked with mud and leaves. But beneath it all, there was something beautiful about her. Something enticing. She held out a thin, mud-stained hand, and like a boy under a spell, Peter took it.
As the sun rose the next morning, Peter’s mother knew something was wrong. As soon as her feet touched the floor, she was compelled to go to Peter’s bedroom. When she found it empty, she dashed to the kitchen. The bathroom, the living room, the garage. In a panic, she phoned her husband.
“Hello?” he answered as she dashed outside.
“Peter! It’s Peter! He’s gone! He isn’t here!” she cried hysterically.
“What do you mean gone? Slow down, I-” The phone dropped from her hand as she entered the mouth of the woods, landing in the leaves with a sickening crunch.
“Oh my God,” Before Peter’s mother lay a sight that made her feel sick; a red woolen hat lying among bloodstained leaves like a gutted fish. She swallowed sharply, holding back tears. She turned in shocked disbelief, ready to sink to floor before she heard something. Deep in the woods behind her, a branch snapped.


Digging deeper in the brain:

Have you ever seen people have a hard time reading in class or ask a lot of questions about the story? Have people ever made fun of one of them for it? Well, some people can’t help it. Many people have a disorder called dyslexia. It is a disorder that involves difficulty in learning to read or interpreting words, letters, and other symbols, but does not affect general intelligence.
Some people think that spelling and grammar is everything and may say dyslexics are just stupid.  Others say they’re just lazy. People say that they are smart in different ways. On the other hand, we have people who say they’re just human like the rest of us.
People with dyslexia also have strengths. I think people with dyslexia are fine the way they are because no one is perfect. As someone with dyslexia,  I feel like people like me get more bullied about it because of how I read when teachers want me to. Not everyone has the same type of dyslexia though: some have reading, or math, and even sometimes both.
A student who wished to remain anonymous said, “In school I have never once had another student bully me, but most of the teachers did. I had maybe two teachers my entire life who didn’t be mean to me about my dyslexia. Most of my family on my mom’s side have learning disabilities. My grandma made me feel horrible because I misspelled Revolutionary War when I was 12.”
Dyslexia is not something you get to grow out of. Some ways to not be mean to someone with dyslexia is just ignore it, don’t say anything mean about it (even if you’re friends), or say harsh things about it. Even though you don’t know, it hurts them, because it makes them feel bad about themselves.


Writing is hard, titles are harder:

They tapped the pencil to the paper 
And quietly pulled it away again
Mouthing words under their breath
Unable to find the right ones
They put a word down and erased it
It didn’t capture the feeling
They sat there, blinking, breathing
Muttering words that didn’t quite fit
They wanted to get the thoughts out 
But no phrasing seemed to do them justice
 
A blank page with eraser buds all over it
But the faded lines are never more than a few words
Tap Tap Tap Write Erase Sigh Repeat 
Frustrated
Empty
Angry 
Angry at the page for still being blank
Angry at the pencil for not writing anything
Angry at their hand for not commanding the pencil
Angry at themself for having feelings at all
 
Missing the days when they could just write 
Ten minutes to get all the feelings onto a page
Sad, happy, silly, hopeless, calm, alive
Now there is nothing
Whether it be insecurity or indecision
No words fell to the paper
Nothing comes from sitting alone with their thoughts
Just blank pages and a full mind


Exposing stereotypes about feminism:

Being a feminist is deemed as a bad or “cringy” thing. While people may support the values of a feminist, they refuse to consider themselves one. It is important that we all work toward everyone getting interested in feminism and completely get rid of these stereotypes.

Feel-Good Feminism: Everyone likes to think that being a feminist means you are anti-men, anti-sex, anti-sexism, anti-everything; but that is not the case. The whole idea is to be progressive and fix society to include everyone: men, women, non-gender conforming people, gay, straight, transgender, black, Asian, white, and many, many more.
But Feminists Are Ugly!: Why is it such a common thing to identify feminists with “ugly” women? Absolutely anyone can be a feminist. It is encouraged that they are. The term “ugly” is used to keep women and their interests at bay and from pursuing their agenda. Being called ugly is the worst thing you can do to a person. It sticks with you for life. That is why it is commonly used.
But Things Are Fine The Way They Are!: They may be for you, but what about us? It is a struggle to have to fight for what we want or even our necessities. Some women cannot even afford menstruation products– that is most certainly not fine.

These are only a small portion of the many stereotypes used to “kill” feminism. The students of our school, not just the girls, should understand feminism and diminish these harsh viewpoints. Do your research and start getting involved. Our future relies on your help. A good starting point is the book “Full Frontal Feminism” by Jessica Valenti, where many of these concepts are discussed in greater detail.


Recycle, recycle, recycle?:

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Most people have seen and even used a recycling bin, but they don’t know all that much about the actual process of recycling. There are some basics; for example, place glass, paper, metal, and plastic in a specific box and it can be turned into something new. However, the recycling process is a bit more complicated than you may think. In reality, recycling can be very wasteful and only marginally profitable. This is due to a combination of misinformation, misuse, and lack of research in general. Here are some commonly misunderstood aspects of recycling and the truth behind them:
Glass: Glass can, in theory, be recycled endlessly without losing any quality. The problem lies in the U.S. recycling systems. Single stream recycling is quite common in the United States. It’s when all products intended for recycling are thrown into one bin and sorted at the facility. It’s easier for the average consumer, but it leads to fewer things being properly recycled due to contamination and the difficulty of sorting recyclables on an industrial scale. Depending on the facility, glass recycling is either simple and a great choice, or unlikely to work properly. Reducing waste and reusing glass items when possible is always a great idea, and when you do need to get rid of it recycling is still a good option. Avoid recycling loose broken glass, as some facilities have people assist in sorting recyclables and this could injure them.
Paper: Paper is pretty straightforward, but it too has some issues. Just like everything else, paper products should be clean if they are to be recycled. Greasy pizza boxes, for example, aren’t a great candidate to be recycled – but if the lid is clean, you can rip it off of the bottom to recycle it. There are different grades of paper that different centers accept. It’s a bit simpler than plastic, but doing research is always a good idea when you’re unsure. Sadly, some types of paper require harmful chemicals to be processed, and recycling is generally an energy intensive process. If a recycling center isn’t using clean power, it could be polluting the air more than creating new paper. Again, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t recycle paper. The process is actually quite simple, and you can do it yourself at home without much cost!
Metal: Metal is generally pretty simple as well. In some cases it’s actually possible to sell scrap metal, which allows the metal to be reused and you to make a quick buck. There are, however, still some issues. Contaminated metals like motor oil cans and anything considered hazardous waste are not good options for recycling. Some metals are not able to be recycled due to toxicity like mercury and lead; they, like hazardous waste, need to be disposed of properly to avoid putting people in danger.
Plastic: Widespread plastic recycling, for the most part, is a myth perpetuated by plastic companies as a strategy to sell more plastic. In fact, plastic recycling isn’t even possible a frightening amount of the time. This sounds like a crazy conspiracy theory, but it’s actually more of an oversimplification.
In the spring of 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson held the first Earth day. Twenty million Americans demonstrated, so it was clear that people were starting to care more about what happened to their trash. They saw the damage that single use plastics could do and started making changes to avoid them. Plastic companies saw that this negatively affected business and devised a master plan: Convince people that plastic isn’t that bad so they’ll keep buying it. They spent millions of dollars advertising for people to recycle their plastic and give it a new life. They made it seem like the environmentally conscious choice. It worked. People believed it and still do. To some extent, it’s true; you can indeed recycle some plastic a limited number of times.
On the other hand, many problems arise when one scrutinizes this pro-plastic-recycling ideology. 
One of these issues is that only some plastic can truly be recycled. Those little recycling symbols on most plastic items are actually just indicators of what kind of plastic the item is made of. They were made to look like the symbol to trick people, but have some differences for legal reasons. One thing the symbols do is allow you to check if it can be recycled. Your local recycling facility should have some sort of list of which plastics are accepted for recycling. Types 1 and 2 are accepted in most facilities; types 3, 4, and 5 aren’t typically accepted, but some facilities can handle them; and 6 and 7 are almost never recycled. Some grocery stores, such as a local Walmart, will have special bins out for plastic bags which are usually made of type 4 plastic, but other than that, most plastic outside of types 1 and 2 never come anywhere near an opportunity to be recycled.
Furthermore, plastic can only be recycled so many times. This doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t ever recycle plastic, it just means that it takes a bit more effort than just tossing something in the bin. Due to our current recycling methods, each time that plastic is recycled, it loses quality by a significant amount. When plastic is melted down for recycling, it degrades the chemical bonds that the plastic relies on for strength and structure. According to a 2018 National Geographic article titled “7 Things You Didn’t Know About Plastic (And Recycling)” the majority of type 1 and 2 plastics can only be recycled up to about three times before it must be downcycled or discarded. This means that even the plastics with the most potential for recycling are discarded relatively quickly – if they manage to make it that far.
A final conflict with plastic recycling is that this practice is simply not profitable for industrial production. It’s cheaper to make new plastic than it is to recycle old plastic, so the majority of companies just do that. Some plastic gets recycled, but most of it continues to fill our landfills and oceans. When in doubt, just try to reduce your plastic use in general whenever possible. That way, the difficult process of discernment and disposal can be avoided.
As has been stated, none of this means that you shouldn’t try to recycle. It may take a bit more effort than initially anticipated, but it’s still a good step to help the planet. With that said, recycling should never be the first thing you do. The saying goes; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, not; Recycle, Recycle, Recycle. The first thing to do is reduce unnecessary waste. Avoid excessive packaging and look for options that can definitely be composted, reused, or recycled easily. The next thing to do is reuse what you can. Use old glass bottles as vases. Use plastic ice cream containers for plants or containers for sorting. Glass jars can be used as drinking vessels or storage. Many things can be repurposed as decorations with a little creativity. If you can’t think of a way to reuse something in a way that works for you, the internet is full of ideas for things to keep or turn into gifts. After you’ve exhausted your options and you just can’t think of a way to reuse something, then you should recycle it, or dispose of it properly if your local facilities can’t process it.


Who is Ellie Curtis?:

Ellie Curtis is not your typical 15-year-old girl. Her full name is actually Aimee Curtis, but she has not gone by that since she was young. Because she has an aunt named Aimee, everyone started to call her Ellie, which came from her middle name, Elizabeth. Her birthday is October 2, 2006, and she grew up in Columbus, Pennsylvania. Ellie attended Columbus Elementary until second grade when she went to Corry Alliance Academy (CAA)  for one year before returning to Columbus (which since then has gotten switched to Corry Elementary). She attended Corry Elementary until she switched over to the Corry Middle-High School and has been here since sixth grade. Curtis loves working on the farm, showing her cows, and soccer.
Ellie has unlimited dreams for the future, one being in the work field with cows, seeing how she absolutely loves the animal, and loves being around them. If she could travel anywhere, she would go to the Bahamas and the beach. For now, her only “vacation” plans are to spend time with her friends and family, especially her older brother John. He is 21 and they have grown quite the bond over the past couple years. Just like most siblings, they did not get along at all when they were younger. In fact, Ellie even had a countdown for when he graduated, but now they have an amazing relationship and she can always count on him to be there when she needs him. Her favorite quote is, “You only live once” because “If you hold yourself back from doing the things you’re afraid of, you’re never going to make memories.”
Everyone has the small things in their lives that bring them joy. Some of Ellie’s are the colors blue and green,  Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous” album, and Mr. Potocki’s fourth period class because, “It’s fun to hangout out with Jenna, Porter, and Nick.” 
Another thing that brings her joy would be chicken fajitas. Her biggest pet peeve is crap-talkers because she “doesn’t see why people would even want to be like that.”  If she had to relate to an animal, it would have to be a wolf because she is wild, crazy, and full of energy. She also loves giving and receiving advice; she finds it very helpful when she is in tough situations. 
Curtis is lucky enough to have an amazing group of friends that she would not trade for the world. What she loves the most about them is that they are all so different, which allows her to have someone to go to for any problem she has. Not to mention, there is never a dull moment when hanging out with them individually, but when you get them together…it is very interesting. 
One piece of advice Ellie would like to give you would be to not be like her, “in the best way possible, that is.”


Rachel Brady scores 1,000 points!:

Corry Area High School’s own senior, Rachel Brady (#30) hit 1,000 kills in one of the last regular season matches. Following this, Rachel was also recognized in the first ever AVCA Best and Brightest Award, she is one of the six Pennsylvania student athletes recognized. Rachel has been playing volleyball for eight years.
Brady says her most memorable moment is telling stories before practice. There has been a lot of people who have helped her get to where she is, but Brady mostly credits her parents, the student section, and of course coach Kelly.
Brady is planning to play college volleyball, but it is undecided where she will attend. Her favorite position on the court is outside because “hitting is fun.”
Brady says her favorite coach Kelly quote is “Didn’t even warm up.”


Getting to know Jordan and Camryn Fox:

Recently I have had the privilege of getting to know Jordan (freshman) and Camryn (sophomore) Fox.  The two sisters and their family recently came back to Corry from Niamey, Africa. Camryn and Jordan have lived in Niamey, Africa for ten years. Their parents are missionaries, and they attend Sahel Academy where they live. The average temperature there is about 95 degrees, according to Camryn. Corry must be quite the change in temperature!
I started out with some quick, easy questions. And from those questions I gathered that Jordyn’s favorite color is green and Camryn’s favorite color is red. Their favorite foods are pizza (Jordyn) and hot dogs (Camryn). For dessert they loved cherry cheesecake (Camryn) and banana pudding (Jordyn). Camryn’s most-loved drink is orange juice because, “I like it a lot.” And Jordyn’s favorite drink is hot chocolate. I inquired if there was anything in particular they had ever dreamed of doing in their life. Jordan has always wanted to visit Australia, and Camryn has always wanted to go hang-gliding. Those both sound like a blast!
The Fox sisters both participate in sports here at Corry High. Camryn chose her primary sport as soccer, and a secondary sport of cross country. Jordyn chose to focus on cross country as her fall season sport. I asked both girls how their sports were going and Jordyn responded with, “I’ve been enjoying them because…we don’t really compete with other schools [where they are from].”  Camryn added, “I am really liking them because I feel like it gives us the opportunity to make friends.” Both girls are excelling in the sports they chose to participate in, proving just how athletic and gifted they are!
Of course I had to ask how school here differs from their private school in Niamey. So far the girls are enjoying their schooling here. Jordan said, “Public school is not bad, but it’s not as good as private school. It’s a lot smaller.” Camryn quickly added, “It’s big, there’s more people in one [grade level] than in our whole school.” I didn’t realize quite how small their school was in Africa! I followed up with asking, were you nervous when you got here? Excited?
Camryn said, “I was very nervous. I feel like there was a lot of people, so it was overwhelming.” Coming to a whole new school, let alone a whole new continent, must have been very nerve-wracking. Jordan then gave her opinion, saying “[I was] excited– just seeing my family again.” Seeing family after not being with them for a while is always time well spent.
Now, one thing I am sure many people are wondering about is what the food is like in Africa compared to here. Jordan and Camryn informed me that the average diet consists of rice and sauce, and “basic stuff like that.” They also said the candy and cookies are not tasteful from the market. While they may be good to the locals, after coming back to Corry and tasting cookies from here, the sweets from Niamey just aren’t the same. Jordan mentioned how she doesn’t cherish any specific food, just “everything”! Camryn said she specifically cherishes pizza when visiting the U.S.
Thank you for taking time to answer questions, Camryn and Jordan! It was really nice to get the opportunity to know more about you. On behalf of the newspaper crew and all the students, we hope you enjoy Corry High!


Perfectly Piper:

Piper Colene Johnson is a freshman in her first year attending the Corry Area School District. Johnson was born in Fontana, CA on February 3, 2007. That is where she lived most of her life until she moved to Fairview, PA in 2018, and moved to Corry in 2021.
Johnson loves to draw, take care of animals, and read. Johnson is the youngest of three. She has a sister named Kenzie and her age is 19, and a brother named Alex who is 24.
When she grows up she wants to be a graphic designer. Graphic designers are visual communicators who create concepts by hand or by using specialized graphic design software.  She wants to be a graphic designer because she enjoys art.
A place she would travel to is Arkansas. She said she would love to go there because “I could be out with my brother and get a job and help with the kids.”
She enjoys watching “The Lion King” because it reminds her of her childhood when she watched and it comforted her. Her favorite song is “Dark Red” by Steve Lacey because it helps her calm down.
For an upcoming vacation she said, “I want to visit Tennessee with my cousins because it is pretty.” She chose to go with her cousins because she said, “My cousins and I are close.”
An animal she would most match her personality with is a rabbit because, “I have a rabbit and me and him act the same.”


Joyful Jonas:

Jonas Anthony is a freshman at Corry Area High School. Jonas belongs to the Corry Beavers boys’ soccer team and plays as a left midfield. He enjoys playing on the team. His thoughts on the sport are, “It feels like a rush of excitement runs through my body every time I step on the field. When I’m on the field, it just feels natural. Like that’s what I’m suppose to do.”
Jonas was born on May 3, 2007, in Spartansburg, PA. He is fully committed to the Sparty community and participates in many activities. Jonas is the middle child of three. He has an older sister named Chloe and a younger brother named Brock. Jonas says it’s nice being the middle child. He mentioned, “You don’t have to do much. There isn’t a lot expected from you because you’re not the older one with all the responsibility, and I’m not the youngest, so I don’t have to have my parents always doting on me, because I’m not the baby of the family.”
Jonas has lots of favorite things in life, and he expresses through everything. Jonas enjoys many films, and his favorites are “Into the Heights,” and  “The Grinch,” (real life version with Jim Carrey). Jonas enjoys all of Jim Carrey’s films, in fact, Jim Carrey is his favorite actor. Jonas also enjoys watching musicals, which goes back to one of his favorite movies being “Into the Heights.”
One of Jonas’s favorite quotes is, “Money buys happiness.” He 100% agrees with this quote, because his outlook on life is that money gets you places and when you have money you can do the things that make you happy.
When asked what his favorite season is, Jonas answered with summer because he enjoys the beating heat, the vitamin C from the sun, and you have more options on when it comes to wanting to do things. His favorite summer activities are swimming, vacations, and just being outside all the time. He also enjoys the fact that we don’t have school for two and a half months.
Jonas has almost all of his future mapped out from his dream job to the perfect college. Jonas wants to attend the University of North Carolina (UNC), and he wants to study things in the medical field. His dream job is to be a neurosurgeon because he enjoys helping others and making a difference in the world. Another reason is because that job pays good money.
When asked what his biggest pet peeve is, Jonas replied with people chewing with their mouth open. He can’t stand it, and its always been his number one pet peeve.
Jonas enjoys many things such as movies, soccer, running, and hiking. When it comes to physical activity Jonas is all over it. He loves to be active and participate in things that give him fresh air and have a calming vibe to it. Jonas is really into travel, and when it comes to one place he would love to visit he said it would have to be practically anywhere in Europe. But if it had to be somewhere specific he would choose Venice, Italy. “I think that Italy is a beautiful place that’s full of good food, and a magical scenery. I also love to learn about different cultures, and I like to enjoy the different foods that they are famous for.” The reason why he would choose Venice out of all the places in Italy is because he likes the name. He believes it has a catchy rhythm to it and because it seems to be a big tourist attraction.
I asked Jonas what he cherished most in life, and his response was short yet very deep and descriptive. He stated these four simple words, “Living in the moment.”
My last question for Jonas was what is some advice you would like to give the readers and this is what he advised: “I will advise you not to give others advice you are not confident on.” Jonas said he stated that because yes ,it’s important and kind to help others by giving your input, but sometimes they don’t need it, or they don’t ask for it. It’s just better to be there than say anything because most times you aren’t going through the same thing, and the advice you’re giving might not be the right thing.


Don’t stop playing:

It was a freezing and rainy October evening when my old close friend stopped by unannounced. I was certainly surprised, as we hadn’t spoken in a few years since we left off on bad terms after graduation. Nonetheless, I still welcomed him inside, glad to see a familiar face and worried he might catch a cold in the dreary weather. He sat on the couch, fidgeting and eyes shifting everywhere except for my gaze. Frankly, he didn’t look so good: prominent, dark bags sat beneath his eyes, and some of his unkempt and tousled hair had grown out quite a bit and concealed them a lot. His attire was wrinkled and stained, appearing as if it hadn’t been washed in awhile. I figured perhaps he was homeless or something of the like and wanted some help, but I was dearly wrong.
“Are you thirsty? I can get you some water or something,” I offered out of politeness. 
“Oh, no thanks. Actually, I just wanted to give you this, to show my appreciation for our old friendship.” He then pulled a hastily wrapped rectangle from behind his back, and laid it on the coffee table with shaky hands. 
“That’s nice of you-” I began, but he stood and headed to the door before I could finish. “Yeah, just um…read the note. It was nice seeing you, I’m sorry,” he said as he slipped outside.
I stared at his receding figure from the window in utter bewilderment. Never in our years of being friends had I ever seen him behaving so oddly. I took it as his way of making amends and shook off my confusion, instead going and picking up the gift he left. Curiously, I peeled the wrapping paper off, revealing a video game case. The cover read “Tiny Townsville” and featured many small characters standing in the middle of a village filled with cottages and trees. My brows creased as I was once again left perplexed, though it did seem like a kind gesture. Throughout high school I had been a video game fanatic, always glued to my computer or console. I still had many of the games I used to enjoy, however, I didn’t play as often. Uninterested, I tossed the game beside my computer desk and decided to head to sleep. 
The following day was spent working at my job before I returned home, exhausted. I decided to play some video games to wind down, but nothing sounded fun and the boredom was consuming me. I suddenly remembered the game I was given the other day and curiously went to put the disc in my computer. It began to load up, bright colors flashing across the screen as I leaned back in my chair in anticipation. It took a strangely long time to completely load, which left me slightly frustrated, but it did eventually. “Tiny Townsville: Evolve your world!” The home screen featured the usual in PC games: start, settings, and help options displayed. I clicked the start button. Immediately, it changed to a forest-like area, where a pixelated female character stood. 
“Talk?” 
I chose yes and the girl’s face popped up with a speech bubble below, her name revealed to be Maisey. She gave me basic instructions, such as the controls and the gist of how to play. It was a seemingly innocent game. The characters were designed cutely and it appeared to be similar to a farm simulator game. Overall, it looked peaceful. 
“Don’t you want to become a cult leader? Since the passing of our savior, there’s been a void that you could fill.”
Confusion filled me as I reread the text on the screen. That didn’t seem right.
“Yes” “No”
I pressed no, a little disturbed by the wording. However, instead the yes button flashed as if I had chosen it. Maisey got a creepily wide and cartoonish smile on her grainy face as her character turned to face me behind the screen. It was as if she was staring directly at me, and made me uncomfortable. 
“Welcome Jason, we’re so glad you’ll save us,” the text typed as my heart sank; I never gave it my name. 
Not wanting anymore to do with it, I turned the computer off, watching as the once colorful screen turned black. I glanced back at the coffee table, where the note my friend had attached to the present sat untouched. I hurriedly opened it, the messy penmanship only leaving me with more questions than answers: I’m sorry, I don’t know what it wants or why it does what it does. I had to give it to somebody. I’m afraid. Forgive me.
I told myself that I had had enough discomfort for one day and decided to just sleep on the situation. The same night, I awoke at 2:00 a.m, the feeling of an empty stomach making me too uncomfortable to fall back asleep. I groggily slipped out of my bed and headed downstairs with the intention of stealing a snack from the kitchen. As I did so, I noticed a light coming from my living room. Confused, I walked towards it only to find my computer on and running that stupid game from earlier. It was on the same screen I had left on at. I slowly approached it and moved the mouse to click out of the game, but it wouldn’t budge. No matter how hard I tried, the mouse would not go to the exit out option. 
“Move the character before exiting, please,” Maisey’s character suggested. 
Despite my irritation, I just decided to comply so I could leave and go back to bed. I moved my avatar to his cottage and opened the front door. I was interrupted as a loud slamming startled me. I whipped around, only to find my front door wide open. My eyes flickered between the screen and front door, my heart pounding at the freaky correlation. I entered the avatar into the cottage, disturbed to find the interior looked frighteningly similar to my own. Then, I opened the fridge in the game. To my horror, my own fridge swung right open as the game had. I had no chance to make another move as Maisey’s character entered the cottage, and her speech bubble popped back up. 
“Let me out?”
“Yes” “No”


PDA: How much is too much?:

One of our biggest problems in school is public displays of affection, making walking through the hallways more unpleasant than it needs to be. Public affection is something you can see anywhere you go like at a restaurant, a mall, a park, and just about anywhere else. However, in a school environment, it is neither appropriate nor necessary. School is a place of education where you shouldn’t have to turn a corner and deal with this problem. It is making teachers and students very uncomfortable, and it needs to be stopped.
One example of these tendencies is kissing in the hallway where everyone can see. It’s a very normal part of a relationship, but privacy is a thing too. Another example is standing in the hallway with your partner, leaving everyone else behind you in a traffic jam. Some people have complained about seeing people slam their significant other into the lockers and standing uncomfortably close to one another. Some have seen students put their hands where it’s not appropriate in a school setting. Some peers have also seen people dragging each other around with leashes and by their chokers, which isn’t enjoyable for anyone to see.
Some solutions to this problem are to do this in your free time in order to respect you, your significant other, and the relationship itself. Also, think about the students who are also walking in the hallways and respect their presence. School is a place for learning, so let’s keep it that way. Teachers should also try their best to prevent these incidents from happening and shouldn’t be embarrassed about telling these people to stop.  Many teachers also agree with my opinions that hand holding is the only thing that is truly appropriate in a school setting. One teacher commented that hand holding is respectable, but other than that, you don’t need any other form of public touching in a healthy relationship.


Advice Advocates:

Hello, it’s the advice advocates here, and this is our first advice session that we will do for Corry’s Beaver Tales newspaper. To introduce ourselves, we are Ruthie and Willow. We love giving advice ranging from school to relationships, and we consider ourselves pretty good at it! Sometimes it might be hard to talk about struggles, so this is a column to help you get things off of your chest with a little bit of help. We have an Instagram account where you can DM us with your difficulties, no matter how minor they may seem.
To start, an anonymous individual came to us about a problem with her close relationships. The person states, “My best friend got in a fight with my boyfriend’s best friend, so now she doesn’t like my boyfriend. This is because my boyfriend’s friend sent my friend a nasty DM over a misunderstanding. What should I do?” Obviously, this situation can be worked out in a civil manner. Our advice to you would be to talk to your boyfriend’s friend about the misunderstanding that he and your friend had and see if he will apologize for the rude DM. Also, make sure your friend understands that your boyfriend had nothing to do with the situation, so there is no reason to be upset with him. While doing this, it is important to stay calm and not let the situation get aggressive. Whatever you do, do not let yourself get put in the middle of a sticky situation.
In addition, in situations like these you have to understand both sides of the story and reflect on the problem itself. What’s the real reason why the situation is the way it is? It is definitely okay to be upset at others if they wronged you. However, you should never take your feelings out on other people that did not contribute to your issue. This is because it will spread over time and create resentment or “bad blood” that you will not want to deal with in the future. Not everyone has to like each other, but it is important to still be supportive of the ones we care about.  
In the end, relationships are a very important factor of life, so take the time to value them. You should never have to feel like there is no solution to your problems, so do not feel ashamed to ask for help! Again, if you need help resolving complications, feel free to DM our Instagram @adviceadvocates for anonymous advice. Also, we will be creating a Google form to keep things extra confidential.


We need to change the way we talk about religion:

Religion is, and has been for most of history, a very contentious topic. Religions have sparked oppression, bigotry, wars, and countless deaths. But behind the bloodshed, religion can be a very beautiful thing. That is, if we approach it the right way. Religion needs to be approached in a way that is sensitive but not doting, in a way that understands instead of excuses.
Conversations about religion are often flawed because the topic is so subjective. As humans, we want the world to be black and white. But the reality is, our world is grey. Truth is an incredibly nuanced concept that frankly cannot be applied to religion. To say that one religion is true and another is false is ignorant.
This type of ignorance can be seen within every type of religion, and even in nonreligious people as well. But in the small scope of America, Christianity is presented as the “true” religion. Now, of course, America is secular! We have separation of church and state, after all. But like any other law, exceptions can occur. Because our government officials are human, they have bias. People view things differently based on their culture and experiences. So, it is not outrageous to believe that a person with authority could judge a situation through the lens of their own experience. We see this frequently in American politics. Eighty-eight percent of American Congress members self-identify as Christian, and the effects show. Unsurprisingly, this majority can be observed in the way policies are implemented and enforced.
Religion has notoriously been the focus on debates of abortion, LGBTQ rights,  and other prevalent social issues. On September 24, 2021, congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed abortion, citing Christianity as a reasoning for its immorality. Regardless of our opinions on abortions, American citizens should see the flaws in using a religion to justify political action. This being said, Greene is entitled to her opinions and her religion. But how far is too far? Some argue that the separation between church and state is thinning, with politicians like Greene using religion as justification.
Former president Donald Trump infamously took an anti-LGBTQ stance in 2018 with the launching of the Division of Conscience and Religious Freedom (CRFD) bill. This bill allowed medical practitioners to deny patients service based on their religious views. Doctors could deny patients treatment for AIDS or HIV, refuse to perform abortions, or ultimately refuse treatment for any LGBTQ patients. With the former president taking such a staunchly Christian approach, how secular is our government?
I believe that government officials should not be able to cite religion as evidence when it comes to the law. The reasoning is simple: religion is incredibly subjective and personal. One religion should not be used to define the law for all. In America, we have freedom of religion. This means each individual can practice their religion as they please. But at the end of the day, no one religion should influence the lives of others, especially not the religions of government officials.


The monster’s cavern:

It was the night of the spoopy and we were getting ready to go out. We live in a small town, where everyone was nice. Except this one house, no one liked it because it was old and burned. Everyone called it a haunted house, but not just any haunted house. There were stories about this house on how a Giant Monster lives in it. No one wants to go up to it, but my friend and I thought we should be the first to go up to this house.
We went up to this house and knocked on the door and it opened up. I went inside to see what was happening, but the floorboards were very unstable. I thought I was going to fall through the floor. My friend then came in and the door shut behind us. We screamed as loud as we could but couldn’t open the door. I took out my flash light and saw the big monster. I ran into a closet and left my friend out there in shock. We waited for about an hour.
I heard nothing  but then we heard footsteps and it was loud. Then it stopped and we saw a shadow outside the closet. We closed our eyes. The door came flying open and this voice said, “Hello, you’re okay, no one is going to hurt you.” We opened our eyes and there was an old man standing there. He said, “No one has been to this house for ten years.”
We came out of the closet and said bye to the old man, then ran home.


“Wonder” what it is like to live like August Pullman:

Everyone is different in some way, may it be disease, health problems, etc. In the movie “Wonder,” August “Auggie” Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) is a child who was born with many problems and had many surgeries to help him see, look, and talk. Auggie doesn’t like what he looks like, but he finds a happy spot for how he is. His happy spot is he pretends he’s an astronaut in space. Auggie has an astronaut helmet that he wears when people stare. He has been home schooled since he started schooling, so he starts at normal school at Beecher Prep.
He meets three students and his principal before school starts. The students are Jack Will (Noah Jupe), Julian Albans (Bryce Gheisar), Charlotte Cody (Elle Mckinnon), and the principal is Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin). The kids show Auggie around the school.

“
“What’s the deal with your face?” Julian asked.
“JULIAN!” Charlotte yelled.”


It’s the first day at Beecher Prep and the first time August goes to a school. He gets stared down and talked about. He has a sister named Via (Izabela Vidovic) who is there for him and to talk. When she’s not there for him, he calls Via’s best friend Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell). Miranda is practically family to them. Via met a boy and they started dating. His name is Justin (Nadji Jeter), and he meets Via’s mom, Isabel (Julia Roberts) and Auggie while they are leaving for the store. Miranda gets a lead role in a play that Via wanted and when it came to the show, Miranda got sick and had Via cover for her.
Jack, Will, and August stopped being friends because he was talking about him in Mr. Brown’s (Daveed Diggs) class. When they wore there costumes to school, nobody touched August because they thought they would have gotten “The Plague.” When they wore their Halloween costumes, August said, “I’m going as Boba Fett,” then his dog Daisy puked on it so he went as Scream and Jack did not know and started saying mean things about August, then Jack and August talked about it and they became friends again.
My favorite quote from this movie is: “When giving the choice to be right or kind, choose kind.”
I would rate this movie a 5/5 and recommend it to everyone.


Corry senior places high at the golf state championship:

Maxx Rimdzius, a senior at Corry Area High School, recently made the whole town of Corry proud with his sixth-place finish at the PIAA State Golf Championship. Rimdzius is very studious when it comes to school and is on the golf team, plays varsity baseball, and is a part of National Honors Society.
When asked about how he got into golfing, Rimdzius replied, “I started golfing when I was a 12-year-old. It was my last season of little league baseball, and I decided it was a good time to pick up another sport…” He continued, “My parents got me a used set of golf clubs, and I just started playing every once in a while… I really got into it going into my freshman year of high school.”
Rimdzius had a lot to say about the people who have contributed to his success.
“Of course Coach Laird has been huge. He has really guided me through my freshman to senior year,” Rimdzius said.  “He has really helped me improve mentally as a golfer, and now I can compete with the best in the state.” He continued by talking about his parents: “My parents are super helpful. They’ve let me play at some amazing courses, they let me do as much as any golfer can.”
Emotions are always very hard to control when you are competitive, and Rimdzius is no exception.
“Emotions are always really nervy when you go to states,” Rimdzius said. “At region matches, you know all the kids, and it’s not as challenging as going to a course in York that you have only been to once before. You’re playing with kids who could win the tournament, and it’s really nerve-wracking. You have to control your emotions.”
Rimdzius is no stranger to competing with the best in the state, and he reflected on and compared his two trips.
“The first time I went, it was all very new because I had never made it past the first day of the district tournament, so this was all new to me, even going to the second day,” Rimdzius said. “It was very cool for me as a junior to go, and have that background knowledge for this year.”
Rimdzius wasn’t the only Corry golfer to take the trip to states this year. His good friend Nathan James accompanied him to York. Rimdzius reflected on the experience with his friend.
“Nate and I have been buddies since my sophomore year,” Rimdzius said. “We’ve played golf together for the past three summers and have become very good friends. I think it was a good experience for him to go last year, walk the course with me, and play with me in the practice round. That certainly helped him this year. He qualified in the same way I did last year, in a playoff. It was a good experience for both of us to play together at States, and we are also the first pair of Corry golfers to qualify for states.”
Preparing for the future is a very important process for high school students, and Rimdzius is certainly exploring his options.
“I plan on going to college, and hopefully play golf,” Rimdzius said. “I haven’t talked to too many coaches yet , but Coach Laird and I have spoken about talking to coaches…so I think I’m going to get in contact with some colleges around Pittsburgh. One college I’m mainly looking at is Carnegie Mellon. They have a great engineering program, so that’s a big one I want to go to.”
When you play a sport for years, you develop a love for the game, and a bond with your teammates. This is certainly the case for Rimdzius.
“Starting out as a freshman, it was really nerve-wracking,” Rimdzius said. “I was playing with a bunch of people I don’t know, and the coach doesn’t know me that well yet. But over the years, you start to grow, and you start to know your teammates more, and it was a really good experience.”
Since Rimdzius enjoyed his experience so much, he suggests the golf team to any student who may want to play the sport.
“So if you have any extra time, go out and golf,” Rimdzius said. “Try it first, and if you enjoy it, I would not hesitate playing for the golf team. It’s not a big time commitment, and if you aren’t part of the top four or five guys, then you can just go and experience playing with other kids. If you do make the top five, then you can really enjoy playing against other players. Over four years of golf, it’s a really cool bond you create with your teammates and coaches… It’s really awesome. “


The frightful fears of Corry High:

I went around and asked some students and faculty what they were most afraid of. There was a mix of responses, some being more basic fears, while others were quite shocking.
Ashlynn A. (sophomore)- Spiders
Cherokee S. (7th)- Water
Lily L. (7th)- Spiders
Jack B. (7th)- Drowning
Rylee N. (7th)- The dark
Kristen S. (7th)- Heights
Parker L. (freshman)- Heights
Dawn D. (freshman)- Spiders
Sheriff Miller- The possibility of bad people overcoming the good.
Mrs. Depaul – Something bad happening to my children.
Mr. Lesher – Rats
Landon H. (8th) – Clowns
Ayden B. (8th) – Being buried alive
Cameron R. (8th)- Dying
Mr. Coates- Biting my tongue off and eating it.
Ellie C. (freshman)- Rats
Sadye D. (freshman)- Death
Sarah G. (freshman)- Snakes
Karli S. (freshman)- Snakes
William D.(sophomore)- Dying alone
Jonas A. (freshman)- Heights
Alexis O. (6th)- Roller coasters
Aiden J. (6th)- Heights
Grady M. (6th)- Heights
Micheal S. (6th)- Getting ran over
Gunner A. (6th)- Clowns
Alexis H. (freshman)- Spiders
Ian S. (7th)- Being buried alive
Aubrey T.( 7th)- Spiders
To start, I would like to thank everyone who took the time out of their day to take the survey. Also, as you can see the results of the survey had some common answers such as spiders and heights. Yet, there were some different answers that you did not see as much, like the fear of biting off your tongue and eating it. That’s the cool part about hearing people’s fears: there are some you would never even think of that some people fear on a daily basis. Once again, thank you to everyone who was willing to share their fears with me.


The tiny door:

Once upon a cold winter’s day, a little girl was singing and dancing all around the house. Her mama and papa were off at work, and she was left alone at home for the day. “Adeline,” a cold whisper called out. The little girl jumped up and started to quiver at the icy, black sound. “Adeline,” the voice whispered on and on, like a terrible song stuck on replay. The sound wouldn’t stop. The girl was terrified, and was frozen in fright. Then it stopped. The noise stopped. The room became warm again, and the lights shined bright.
All the sudden, a beautiful Atlantic voice drifted throughout the whole house. The voice lured the little girl in, and led her into the basement as if she were a zombie. The basement door creaked open, and a bright light awaited the little girl down the stairs. Suddenly the sound stopped. The trance was lifted. Adeline lost balance and fell to the floor. The sound had put her into a trance, and led her to the basement door.
After seconds of laying there, Adeline woke up and shook her head. She was lost and confused, her fear wrapped around her like a blanket. Adeline saw the door and her curiosity started to spark, and she tip-toed to the small wooden door. She stood there in awe, because she had never seen this door in her life. Granted she had only visited the basement a couple of times in her lifetime, but she was sure she had never seen it. She reached for the doorknob and quickly twisted it, and within seconds the dark oak door was ajar. Adeline couldn’t muster up the courage to open it the rest of the way. She sat there in fright as the pitch black swarmed around her. A small squeaky voice swarmed around the door. A quiet little mouse in distress. Adeline couldn’t bare the noise any longer. She jumped up and swung the door open. Adeline broke out into hysteria, and a frightful scream left her throat…
Into the door Adeline was swept away into a mist of fog. She had sight of nothing around her. Everything was white. It was like she walked into a cloud. All of the sudden her chest started to close, her throat was swollen shut. Nothing was working. It was like her soul jumped out of her body as she was swept into the tiny door. Her ears were filled with loud screeches, but nothing was around. She threw herself to the ground and began to cry. She could taste the salt on her lips from the excess tears that were running down every square inch of her face. All she wanted was to go home. The noise grew loud, and the fog got thicker. Poof. Everything stopped. No more noise. No more fog. No more spinning. It was like time froze. Everything was calm, peaceful. Adeline made her way off the ground, and started to look around. Nothing. Blank. She was in a bright white walled room. Nothing was happening. She felt at peace, like nothing could hurt her. She felt like she was in a safe place. All her worries were gone. No more chaos, no more ruckus, and no more evil. Adeline looked around, and tried to find out where she was.
Then, a clear, white mirror with golden rims popped up in front of her eyes. She was wearing a dress. A white gown with tiny silhouettes of flowers covering the skirt. Her hair was a golden color, and it felt like silk. Flowers were wrapped around her head making it form a crown. Roses, sunflowers, daisies, and more. Pink, yellow, purple, and white. Adeline saw a reflection of an elegant princess. She was delighted, and twirled in that dress for what seemed like hours. As she looked down to see the skirt spin she saw rags. She was covered in rags, dirt, and her hair was in knots. She broke into shock to see the two different looks. Adeline started to break out into hysteria. Her lungs felt as if they were closing in on her, her stomach in knots, and drips of water leaving her eye every second. She ran, and ran and ran, but nothing. She found no way out. She felt like she was trapped in one of her mystical nightmares. Then a brown spot was spotted in the distance. Adeline’s curiosity struck, and she ran straight for the door.
After running and running she finally reached the brown spot, but it was that? It was a door– a chestnut brown door with a gold knob. Adeline took every risk and put her hand on the doorknob. As she went to open it a song started to play. Subtle, yet the echo made it louder. It was an upbeat jazz song that intrigued Adeline. She decided to open the door, and it was normal. No mist, no loud noises. Just her basement. Adeline felt relieved that everything was back to normal, or was it…
“Oh, Adeline!” Mama called out. Chills ran down Adeline’s back. Her mother wasn’t suppose to be home for another four hours. Was I gone for that long? Adeline ran to her mother, and gave her the biggest hug she had ever given. She could feel her mother’s warm cheek press against her head as she laid in her arms. Adeline’s mother was confused at what had gotten into her daughter. Adeline told her mother everything that had happened from start to finish, yet her mother didn’t believe her and told her it was a figment of her imagination. Adeline cried out to her mother and told her it was true, but she shook it off and told her to get ready for dinner. Adeline was furious. She marched down to the basement, and she was standing in front of the door. Adeline reached for the knob, and her heart started to beat faster and faster to the point where it was going to hop out of her chest. Her hand was shaking, sweat dripping down her face. Then she did it. Adeline opened the door. A whirling wind surrounded Adeline, a black mist covered her face. Suddenly she was sucked back into the door. Adeline screamed as loud as her voice let her, and then nothing. Absolute silence. Adeline was gone, and the door was sealed for good.


What’s your favorite holiday?:

Many people may like a certain holiday, while others may not. Some may not celebrate certain holidays due to religion. I went around the school and asked 30 people “What is your favorite holiday?” Here are some of their responses:
Mrs. Brady (High School ELA teacher)- Christmas
Mr. Potocki (High School Science Teacher)-  4th of July
Mr. Coates (7th and 8th grade history teacher)- Thanksgiving
Mr. Swartzfager (Middle School Principal)- Easter
Alexis O. (6th grade student)- Christmas
Aiden J. (6th grade student)- Christmas
Grady M. (6th grade student)- Christmas
Gunner A. (6th grade student)- Christmas
Michael S.  (6th grade student)- Christmas
Thomas E. (7th grade student)-  Christmas
Westin S. (7th grade student)- Thanksgiving
Logan W. (7th grade student)- Thanksgiving
Dawn D. (9th grade student)- Halloween
Parker L. (9th grade student)- Christmas
Alexis H. (9th grade student)- Christmas
Piper J. (9th grade student)- Christmas
Brandy S. (9th grade student)- Halloween
Venessa R. (7th grade student)- Valentine’s day
Caitlyn K. (7th grade)- Christmas
Joseph G. (7th grade student)- Christmas
Gavin A. (7th grade student)- Christmas
Ian S. (7th grade student)- Christmas
Aubrey T. (7th grade student)- Halloween
Timothy F. (7th grade student)- Halloween
Neal B. (7th grade student)- Christmas
Emma F. (9th grade student)- 4th of July
Dustin B. (9th grade student)- Christmas
Mrs. Beebe (7th grade ELA teacher)- Christmas
Landon N. (7th grade student)- Christmas
Mrs. Ruth (high school secretary)- Christmas
Thank you everybody who took some quick time out of your day to answer


Mr. Soprano hits a high note:

Michael Soprano grew up in Athens, PA, and attended Athens Area High School. His birthday is on June 4, 1991. During his high school years he played basketball, baseball, and soccer.
Mr. Soprano became an amazing math teacher, and he chose this job because he wanted to coach. He loves the teaching lifestyle. His biggest pet peeve is when people don’t think before they speak.
Some of Mr. Soprano’s hobbies are golfing and walking his dog. He is a dog person because he thinks dogs match his personality the best. His favorite quote is “There’s no crying in baseball” from the classic baseball film “A League of Their Own”.  Following the baseball theme, his favorite movie is “Angels In The Outfield.”
He would love to travel to some western states eventually, maybe to do some hiking with his dogs. Sounds like fun to me! There are amazing beaches to visit as well, which is his dream vacation. Within the vacation days we have coming up, he plans to spend some quality time with his dad watching a football game.
Mr. Soprano also gave some advice to students: “Always be a good friend.” Mr. Soprano is not only a wonderful coach and teacher, but a baseball fan and dog lover as well.


Senior graduation feelings from the class of 2022:

Graduation is a big part of life, and tends to be an important event in a person’s life. I asked 27 students from the Class of 2022 about their feelings of graduating this year. The idea started with my curiosity, and ended with some surprising answers that I had not expected.
Abel Moreno: Abel is excited to graduate because he gets to start an adult life completely.
Shaquila Wynn: Shaquila is excited because she gets to start her own life.
Mckenzie Parker: Mckenzie is nervous but excited to become an adult.
Tyler Bird: Tyler is excited to work more hours, especially since he loves his job.
Caelin Silvis: Caelin is excited.
Brady Steele: Brady is excited, ecstatic even to simply get out of high school.
Xavier Reyda: Xavier is ready for the future, and he is ready to make advancements.
Jake Ester: Jake is excited, yet nervous. Jake is looking forward to his future experiences, and he feels ready for college.
Abe Hoffecker: Abe is happy.
Anthony (Tony) Meade: Tony does not care for graduation, he simply finds it as a gateway into the real world.
Taylor McGowen: Taylor is nervous for the full transition into adult responsibility.
Olivia Downey: Olivia is nervous and excited. Olivia is ready for new experiences, but she’s nervous about being on her own.
Daniel Sweet: Daniel is very anxious due to adapting to a large amount of responsibility at once.
Logan Deane: Logan is eager and completely prepared for the real world.
Nathaniel Davies: Nathan is indifferent. He is not excited or scared. Nathan finds graduation basically inevitable and believes there’s no reason to get worked up over it.
Diana Piscitelli: Diana is nervous and excited for a transition to a more difficult yet impact-based reality.
Braden Higley: Braden is sad, yet glad. He has conflicted feelings about leaving the school.
Samuel Fisher: Samuel is sad, anxious, and excited. He will be leaving school friends, but he is starting life.
Brock Thompson: Brock is happy, while sad. Brock is ready to start life, but he’s sad to leave school friends.
Derrick Albers: Derrick feels indifferent, because how time feels like it flies once you are a senior, and at the age of 18.
Kyron Helmer: Kyron is indifferent, he will miss his friends, but Kyron will be going into the real world.
Taylor Fenstermaker: Taylor is excited for the future but sad to move on.
Anonymous: They are sad to leave familiarity but also excited for future possibilities.
Maleri Mather: It is what it is, basically.
Nathan Wright: Nathan is excited for new experiences.
Rosemary Molthan: Rose is excited for new life but will miss not paying for school.
Matthew Sandberg: Matthew wishes that the graduation was earlier, so he is just generally ready for graduation.


What’s the best decade for horror?:

In honor of Halloween being just a few days away, I asked some students and faculty members what decade they believe had the best scary movies. The range went from the 1980s all the way to 2020.

Movies such as “Scream,” “Sleepy Hollow,” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” all a part of 1990s, had 36% of the students vote.
34% of students believe that the 1980s, with such classics as “Friday the 13th,” “Gremlins,” and “Hellraiser,” had the best horror movie decade.
14% of the school voted on movies from the 2000s like “Jenifer’s Body,” “Coraline,” and “Halloween” as the best decade.
Finally, 14% voted on movies from the 2020’s, which would be anything you see on TV today.
Surprisingly, nobody voted for movies from the 2010s. Those movies include “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” “Veronica,” and “Us.”

While asking Mrs. Brady what her favorite scary movie decade, she said ” Go ask Mr. Brady, he doesn’t like scary movies so his response should be funny.”
Mr. Brady responded with ” I can’t even watch the commercials for scary movies. So, none of the above.”


The bubbly Baylee:

Baylee Smith, a sophomore at Corry High School, was born December 13, 2005. Although she’s been going to Corry schools as long as she can remember, Baylee grew up in Shelby, North Carolina prior to moving to Corry. Speaking about growing up, Baylee grew up with four brothers and four step siblings, though she said she would like them more if they got her Christmas presents. 
Next, Baylee’s favorite hobbies include soccer, art, and watching movies. Something interesting about Baylee’s soccer experience is that she can play any position on the field, but she’s found that being a goalie was the right spot for her. Being involved in art, she’s found interest for a career in the digital design field. For movies, some of her favorites are “Scream,” or anything with Adam Sandler. If she had to pick her favorite song it would be “Erase Me” by Kid Cudi, and her favorite color is purple. 
Also, Baylee still visits her old home Shelby, North Carolina every summer and other various times in the year. Actually, she plans on going to California in November. Even though she does all this traveling throughout the year, she still wouldn’t know where she would go on her dream vacation. However, she says that  she would go somewhere very tropical and warm, considering her favorite food is mangoes and she visits warm weather locations often. 
Lastly, Baylee’s favorite classes to do in school are the ones that involve art, but she says she also quite likes math as well. She is definitely a high achiever considering that she’s involved in the gifted program and has the privilege to go to Kennywood with the school every year. Also, pet peeves that Baylee has are when people walk slowly in front of her, but have the mindset that they are walking fast. If she had any advice it would be hard work may seem useless at times, but in the end, it will be what gets you to where you want to be in life.


The dangers of banning abortions:

In the state of Texas, the Supreme Court has passed a bill restricting abortions. This is an outrageous situation, and certainly should not be allowed to happen or continue. Our country is supposed to be a place with free will and choice, and this bill severely contradicts that. Pro choice or life, this argument is one that should be said and heard. 
The first point I wish to make is that people should have a say in their own body. People have the right to decide if they want the COVID vaccine, surgeries, piercings, etc., but not if they want a child or not? How is that at all freedom in a country where it is highly emphasized? Giving birth can be traumatizing both mentally and physically within a body, and forcing someone to do so is wrong on many, many levels. Can you imagine what that would be like? If a person doesn’t want to have an abortion, that’s completely fine, don’t have one. However, it’s wrong to take that same choice from another person. If the roles were reversed, and abortions were being made mandatory, a lot of people would not like that and definitely protest. 
Additionally, pro-lifers insist that people should give birth anyways and just put the baby up for adoption. That, though, is far from a good idea. Hospital bills are astronomical, and it costs a fortune simply to give birth. Not everyone has that kind of wealth. Besides, foster care is not good for a child, and would more than likely put them in a lot of suffering and trauma. Youthtoday.org states that “… in surveys going back for decades, from 25 percent to as high as 40 percent of former foster children report having been abused…” This is an alarming amount of foster children being harmed. Why would you want to subject kids to something like that, when it could have all been avoided? And it’s as I’ve mentioned before, childbirth is traumatic mentally and physically for some individuals. Neither the parent nor the child deserves those situations, hence why it should not be a go-to option. 
Furthermore, no matter what, people are going to get abortions. The reality is some people just cannot handle having children, and that should always be their choice. If abortion grows limited or illegal, people will still find ways to get them, just unsafely. Similar to how people still get their hands on illegal substances and weapons, despite it not being allowed. Why let so many humans be harmed or even die because you disagree with what they’re doing for themselves? You don’t know them or their life, or what circumstances they could be dealing with. Whatever the reason, people have the right to safe and professional abortions, because abortion is healthcare. Banning it is much more trouble than it is worth.


What’s your favorite candy?:

Halloween is one of the biggest holidays that happens every year and everyone is very excited about the costumes, events, and the chilling stories. Another major part of the Halloween is the candy. There are many debates on what everyone’s favorite candy is and what candy is truly the best out of them all. I went around the school asking teachers and students what their favorite candy is and the responses I’ve received were somewhat surprising.
“Trolli Sour Gummy worms” -Emma M.
“Watermelon Sour Patch” -Reagan W.
“Reese’s Holiday Treats” -Mrs. Carey
“Twix” -Genevieve H.
“Snickers” -Lily H.
“Almond Joy” -Ms. Davies
“Sour Airhead strips” -Jenna M.
“Rolo’s” -Angie C.
”Hersey’s cookies n cream” -Miley G.
“White Reese’s cups” -Mr. Lesher
“Snickers” -Mr. Buona
“Heath Bar” -Mr. Coates
“Kit Kat” -Kaygen R.
“Reese’s” -Levi M.
“Smarties” -Emmalee C.
“Twix” -Sydney W.
“Frozen Reese’s cups” -Mr. Brumagin
“Reese’s cups” -Mr. Potocki
“Peanut M&M’s” -Mr. Carney
“Kit Kat” -Caitlyn K.
“Kit Kat” -Kyra M.
“Reese’s” -Brooke B.
“Twix” -Malia W.
“Twix” -Aubree T.
“Reese’s” -Kevin H.
“Milk Duds” -Lamech A.
“Reese’s” -Payton O.
“Sugar Daddy” -Kaiden K.
“Mounds” -Parker M.
“Three musketeers” -Venessa R.


What hides in the dark:

“Who is that?” I asked my friend as we passed a boy neither of us had ever seen before. The school halls were crowded with the people I see every day, but this boy made the chaotic school halls seem sad and vacant. He had luminous smokey grey eyes, and he walked with no stride. He looked as though he was raging in discomfort, even though his clothes were unusually baggy. 
“I have no clue,” my friend, Natalia, responded. “He must be new.”
All day I could not get the boy I had seen hours earlier out of my mind. His presence felt creepy, and he was not in any of my classes. Actually, he was not in anyone’s classes, though his sorrowful energy lurked throughout the school. “Am I the only one who is bothered by him?” I thought. “I can’t be!” Even the thought of the strange, melancholy soul I had seen earlier sent shivers down my spine. 
RING! RING! RING!
“Finally,” I whispered to myself. The day was over and I was eager to get to my safe, peaceful home… or so I thought. I finished my tedious homework before the night began so that I could soothe my uneasiness and watch the new movie, “Halloween Kills,” in the dark silence of my home.  I was so distracted by the film that I almost completely forgot about my concerns at school…. until I heard the knocks. Three frightening knocks on my front door that made my dog shriek. 
I tip-toed slowly to the door, but when I slightly opened it, I discovered that the porch was empty. At this moment, I was shaking in my boots. I immediately shut and locked the door and ran upstairs. Then again, three knocks. Three painful knocks. The clashing sound against the door distressed me. The agony I felt caused me to become dizzy and overwhelmed. I thought I passed out, because all I could see was a dark, black abyss and two luminous, grey eyes.


The brilliant Bennett:

Mrs. Bennett is one of the teachers here at CAHS. Her birthday is August 30. She grew up in West Middlesex, PA, and attended West Middlesex Jr-Sr High and Indiana University of PA.
Some hobbies that Mrs. Bennett has are, “all things Family Consumer Science!” This includes crafts, sewing, baking, etc. She chose her job because it made her feel like all of her favorite things were brought together and allowed her to teach them to others. 
She reveals she is not much of a traveler but always wanted to go to Alaska because of the summer time temperature and the beautiful views. She has way too many favorite movies to just pick one. Since she has a baby on the way, it’s all she is worried about instead of any vacation time. Her favorite quote is: “Believe there is good in the world.”
She is unsure about what animal would match her personality and a dream vacation spot. Her idea of a perfect date is anything with good food and relaxation. Her favorite class is obviously FCS, as well as math because she sees herself as very logical and likes making sense of things. Her favorite food is anything with cheese.
In high school, she used to do cross country and track. She has too many pet peeves to choose just one. One piece of advice she would give to the readers is “Time is too short, don’t let the little things get you down. Take happiness in the small things and keep pushing towards your goal.”


I’m addicted, and I’m “Shameless”:

I just finished the entire series of “Shameless,” written, directed, and produced by John Wells, and I want to share my opinion about it. The show “Shameless” is about a family- the Gallaghers- that lives in the Southside of Chicago and what they go through every day. Frank and Monica Gallagher are the parents of six children: Fiona, Lip, Ian, Debbie, Carl, and Liam. Since Frank is an alcoholic and Monica is an addict, the oldest child, Fiona, has to take care of her brothers and sister and raise them as her own. Through all their struggles in the Southside, the Gallaghers always stick together.
Personally, I feel that everyone in this show did a spectacular job with portraying their roles. In my opinion, William H. Macy (Frank Gallgher) and Emmy Rossum (Fiona Gallagher) were the best in the show because although all of the cast members made the show seem like it was real, Fiona and Frank definitely put a lot of effort and emotion into this series. Every part of “Shameless” makes it seem realistic, like it’s actually happening as you watch the show. Fiona struggles with relationship issues, money issues, stress, and although I don’t know for sure, it seems like she also has depression. Frank definitely portrays his role as a drunken bum, to be frank. (Get it? Haha)
If you’re into shows that keep you on your toes, this is definitely one for you to watch. You never know what’s going to happen next unless you re-watch it, which I highly recommend. It’s super dramatic, emotional, and it’s addicting. It’s a fun and funny show to watch, but it’s rated TV-14 and it may not even be fit for 14-year-olds as it is extremely adult-oriented. If I had to rate this show on a scale of 1-5, 1 being the worst and 5 being the best, I’d have to rate it an 11. I just love it that much.


A disastrous year:

Throughout history many things happen, for better or worse. Through all of them, no spot in the world has escaped its fate, but Japan had a catastrophe in 2011, involving: an earthquake, a tsunami, and a nuclear disaster. In general, this had a lot of impact on the overall development of quite a few areas, and the aftermath was unsettling.
In Japan during March 2011 a magnitude nine earthquake struck northeastern Japan, creating a horrifying tsunami. The effects were felt from Norway’s fjord (deep, narrow, and elongated sea or lake drain. If the geographical formation is wider than it is long, it would be a bay or cove instead) to even Antarctica’s ice sheets. The debris left behind has washed up on American beaches for years.
In Japan there were 150,000 evacuees who lost their homes, and 50,000 were still in temporary housing. Over 120,000 buildings were destroyed and 278,000 were half destroyed. The 2011 Tohoku earthquake occurred offshore of Japan, on a subduction zone where two of the planet’s tectonic plates collided. East of Japan, the Pacific plate dived beneath the overriding Eurasian plate, releasing centuries of built stress between the two plates.
The March 11 earthquake occurred during Friday at 2:46 p.m. local time, the earthquake was centered about 45 miles east of Tohoku on the sea floor, the depth being 15 miles below the surface. The effects lasted about six minutes. Scientists drilled after the earthquake, discovering a thin and slippery layer of clay lining the fault. It is believed the clay allowed the plates to travel about 164 feet. (Confirmed deaths is 15,894 and over 2500 were still missing by June of 2016.)
The first tsunami hit Japan less than an hour after, the tsunami reached  run-up heights up to 128 feet at Miyako city, and it traveled inland up to 6 miles in Sendai. The flooded area was estimated to be about 217 square miles. Waves over-topped and destroyed tsunami walls in several locations, the surge even destroyed buildings with 3 stories where people gathered for safety. Near Oarai, the tsunami generated an off-shore whirlpool that was captured on video.
In turn, the tsunami had caused a meltdown by cooling system failure at the Fukushuma Daiichi nuclear power plant, and created a level seven nuclear meltdown and a release of radioactive materials. The electrical power and back-up generators were all overwhelmed by the tsunami and caused the cooling problem. The earthquake was irrelevant, but the plant was unprepared for such a powerful tsunami. The government underestimated the power of this tragedy during prediction, and only 58% of people actually moved after warning of the earthquake and assumed the tsunami would have been the size of the normal tsunamis they experienced. After this occurred, scientists from all around the world went to Japan. They studied off-shore and dropped sensors along the fault to measure what may have also contributed to the earthquake. They also studied tsunami deposits for ancient sediment records of the deadly waves. Japan scientists said the tsunami itself had died out long ago, however, effects will last for decades.
And now for some mind-blowing facts:

The earthquake shifted Earth on its axis of rotation by redistributing mass, like putting a dent in a spinning top. The temblor also shortened the length of a day by about a microsecond.
Over 5,000 aftershocks occurred in Japan during the year of the earthquake, the largest being a magnitude of 7.9.
The earthquake produced a low-frequency rumble called infrasound, which traveled into space and was detected by the Goce satellite.
Around 250 miles of Japan’s northern Honshu coastline dropped dropped by two feet according to the U.S. Geological survey.
Japan’s main island of Honshu east by just about eight feet due to a jolt.


Top ten Thanksgiving foods:

Many people may like a lot of Thanksgiving foods and have many different traditions! It could be different things. My tradition is going to my grandma’s with my mom and stepdad and having a family function. Other times I go with my dad and have a family function there. My top ten favorite Thanksgiving foods are:
10. Corn
9. Ham
8. Turkey
7. Mashed Potatoes
6. Rolls (King’s Hawaiian)
5.  Tuna Casserole
4.  Peas
3. Green Beans
2. Potato Chips
1. Apple fritter


Corry girls cross country team heads to states:

It’s been 30 years since the Corry cross country girls team made it to states as a group. Last Saturday at the district invitational in Titusville, they finally broke that streak. Tears were shed, hugs given, and memories made as they underwent this unforgettable experience. Their hard work wasn’t the only thing that led them to this opportunity, it was also their dedication to one another.
And to think I have the honor of calling myself a member of this incredible team.
The memories will always remain a part of me, especially the tears of joy we all had when we heard the news. The boys team also worked extraordinarily hard during the horribly muddy race and were able to congratulate junior Stephen Brady as he is also going to states after finishing in 19th place. States is in Hershey, PA, and athletes will compete Saturday, November 6.
The morning started out with an unexpected turn after the bus suddenly broke down. The teams (boys and girls) were fortunately able to load onto a different bus, though much smaller. With the delay, they were still able to make it to the districts meet with plenty of time to spare. The course was a muddy mess, practically suction-cupping around your foot with each step. Huge puddles littered the course along with the hundreds of spectators. The weather, however, cooperated and athletes were able to compete without a rain storm hindering their performance. Camryn Fox (sophomore) led the way for the girls team, finishing in 6th place. Her sister, Jordan (freshman), was able to finish in 13th place, Lexy Hasbrouck (senior) 15th, I got 18th place, Kalista Linden (senior) 48th place, Teya Bailey (junior) 58th, and Teryn Bailey was 70th. A total of 105 girls raced at the districts meet. These places allowed for the girls to tally up a final score of 87 points, not far behind the girls Villa Maria team (49 points).
Head Coach Ryan Kelly had much to say about performances Saturday. “The girls ran an awesome race,” Kelly said. “We had four girls in the top 18 finishers, which is really impressive for the district race. I am really proud of this group of girls.  They are great athletes and, more importantly, they are phenomenal people. I am lucky to have the opportunity to coach them.”
Senior Lexy Hasbrouck reflected on the race by saying, “I feel like [the possibility of it being my last race] made me stronger. I feel that with the possibility that it could have been my last high school cross country race it pushed me to go for it. I was very emotional when I found out, because knowing that I have one more race. Also I wouldn’t want to be going to states with any other team!” She then added that she will miss running with all of us girls. If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that teammates can quickly become family.
Senior Kalista Linden also reflected on the district meet by saying, “Facing the possibility of it being my last race, I wanted to be happy with the fact that I gave it my all and my best contribution to my team going to states. I also wanted to enjoy the last time that my team might be able to race all together as much as possible, and cherish those girls, and live in the moment.”
Linden continued when asked how she felt about making it to states. “I am elated that we made it to states, I can’t think of a better group of girls to share this opportunity,” Linden said. “The dedication truly did pay off in each and every runner, and I believe our team unity and bonding was a huge part in helping us perform well. It is a huge shared honor to be able to break the dry spell of Corry XC state qualified teams, and I know that this group will go very far.”
Kalista Linden and Lexy Hasbrouck are going to be missed like crazy next year, along with Senior Jaymin Willis, who was unfortunately injured this season but battled through. All three of these stupendous athletes and people will be missed yet their memories will be cherished as we go into our new seasons.
This opportunity is a rare one, so all of us are going to work and make the most of it. And as Lexy said, I couldn’t imagine going to states any other way than with this group of girls. Our laughs never cease together and any frown is quickly turned upside down with them. Not only have we grown into better runners, but we’ve grown into better people and teammates together.


What makes Thanksgiving the holiday it is today?:

Thanksgiving is a holiday that some people love, yet some dislike. We all know why we celebrate Thanksgiving, but does anyone truly shine light on why Thanksgiving is celebrated the way it is? The holiday itself has a very interesting back story, so here are the top ten most interesting facts about Thanksgiving.
10. The wishbone is much older than Thanksgiving.
9. Watching football is an integral part of most Thanksgiving celebrations.
8. Americans usually eat around 280 million turkeys every Thanksgiving.
7. Cranberries are native to North America.
6. There is an official Thanksgiving postage stamp.
5. Thanksgiving is the biggest travel day of the year.
4. The traditional foods eaten on Thanksgiving have not changed since 1621.
3. Every Thanksgiving, the U.S. president at that time will pardon a turkey.
2. Macy’s has put on a parade every Thanksgiving since 1924.
1. The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621.


Lady Beavers secure spot in D-10 championships:

Corry’s Lady Beavers volleyball team headed off to Meadville Wednesday night to go against the Sharpsville Lady Blue Devils. Both teams were ready to battle it out to see who would play in the D-10 girls volleyball championship game this Saturday, November 6, and take home the coveted title. The Lady Beavers came in with a count of 8-2 , and the Sharpsville Devils had a count of 10-0. What an impressive season for both teams, but only one team came out on top.
What an exciting turn out for the Lady Beavers: It was a nail bitter with an amazing outcome. The Sharpsville Devils came out swinging and had Corry on the ropes early in the first set. Sharpsville senior setter Lauren Kos, number 17, had major dumps, and throws to the deep corners, and Corry had a hard time receiving. Senior middle hitter Cady Benedict, number 3,  had several deep corner kills. Both teams fought it out, but the Devils defense got the better of Corry in the first set.
In the second set the Corry Beavers rallied with great plays by both outside hitters Pierson and Brady, who had tricky plays down the line and hard swings cross court, rattling Sharpsville. Helping to lead the Beavers to victory, Maggie Dow (senior, middle hitter), and Aubrey Vanderhoof (freshman, middle hitter), had some tips and strong swings between the big blocks. Kiran Bugbee, who ran the show as setter, went strong the whole game moving around the court and got her hand on many of the challenging passes.
The Beavers ended up eliminating the Devils  22-25, 28-26, 25-17, 25-20. The Lady Beavers took home the victory, and are now going to be competing against the undefeated Harborcreek Huskies this Saturday for the D-10  title.


Kota is a knockout!:

Lakota “Kota” Donaldson is a junior at Corry Area High School. She was born on May 13, 2005, making her a Taurus. Kota grew up in Corry. Kota has one sister and three step siblings. At her home in Corry she lives with her father, her beloved beagle Honey, and seven of Honey’s puppies.
Kota is an honor’s student and a talented athlete. She plays volleyball and softball and enjoys basketball. She has played volleyball since sixth grade, usually playing as a defensive specialist. Volleyball is her favorite sport of the three because “it moves faster and is more competitive.” Kota’s other hobbies include hanging out with her friends and listening to music.  When asked her favorite music genre, she responded, “I listen to all kinds of music, so I don’t really have a favorite genre.” Her favorite color is purple, she enjoys watching horror movies, and she spends a lot of time with her dog.
Kota often visits her mother in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh aside, her dream vacation spot is Hawaii. In the future, she plans on going to college to focus on her education. Although she is unsure of her future career, she wants to find something that will make her life happy and fulfilled. As for high school, she wants to continue working hard at her classes and playing sports. When asked what people would not guess about her, she said, “I have the same birthday as Robert Pattinson!”
As an upperclassman, Donaldson has quite a bit of high school experience under her belt. When asked what advice she would give to her fellow high school students, she said, “One piece of advice I would give to my fellow students would be to not skip school… because you are actually giving yourself more stress with all of the assignments you have to make up.”


Atlanta Braves bring the World Series Championship home:

It’s July 10, 2021. The Atlanta Braves record is 44 and 44, and their star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. tears his ACL against the Miami Marlins. They look like their season is over. But they sure didn’t feel that way. The Braves continued to fight to keep their season alive. They made notable trades at the deadline and clinched their division. And on November 3, 2021, the Atlanta Braves wake up World Series champions.
On November 2, 2021, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros with a final score of 7-0,  taking the series four games to two. Max Fried started on the mound for the Braves, and he pitched an excellent game. His final stat line was 6.0 innings pitched, four hits, zero runs, zero walks, and six strikeouts. The Braves had some offensive firepower in the form of home runs from Jorge Soler, Dansby Swanson, and Freddie Freeman.
One of the Houston Astros four hits came in the bottom of the ninth inning. Michael Brantley hit a lead-off single, trying to rally down by seven. But Braves closer Will Smith didn’t budge, and he got the next three outs. The final out was a ground ball to Shortstop, where Dansby Swanson fielded the ball, and threw to fist-baseman Freddie Freeman to finish the series.
Freeman was drafted by the Braves in round two of the 2007 MLB draft. Freeman has been a part of the Braves organization since he was drafted. Freeman is a five-time all star, two-time silver slugger, one gold glove, the 2020 MVP, and now a 2021 World Series champion. That is a very impressive resume. When his career is done, Freeman will most likely be a hall-of-famer, and he finally won it all for the city of Atlanta.
Some notable trades the Braves made at the deadline included Jorge Soler, Joc Pederson, and Eddie Rosario.
Soler won the World Series MVP. He was electric in the series, and he showed off his unreal power. Soler was traded from the KC Royals. In 360 plate appearances with the Royals in 2021, he batted .192 with 59 hits, 13 of those hits being home runs. He significantly improved once he was dealt to Atlanta. In 242 plate appearances, he hit .269 with 56 hits, with 14 of those hits being home runs. Soler was a big part of the Braves success down the stretch, and even into the World Series.
Pederson and Rosario were no slouches either. They were both big contributors during the regular season, but even more so in the playoffs.
Atlanta surprised many by even making the playoffs. Their World Series win ends a 26-year championship drought, and it also brings the end to the 2021 MLB season.


Corry hosts Veterans Day drive-through event:

On November 11, the Corry Area Middle High School will be hosting a Veterans Day drive-through at 10:30-11 a.m. in the front drive at the High School to acknowledge and thank the veterans in the Corry community for their service.
In preparation for this event, social studies department chairman Mr. Woods teaches his students about American traditions and veteran roles.
While the history department normally hosts a breakfast or has a speaker come to the school, due to the pandemic, this is the safest way to carry out this annual tradition.
All the veterans in Corry are welcome and encouraged to join. Students and staff will be lining the front of the school to cheer, wave, and share thanks with veterans for their service in a socially-distanced manner. The veterans who attend will drive through the horseshoe in front of the school and they will be rewarded with a thank you letter and a donut.
It is important to remember this will only be outside and no one will be allowed in the building.
A message to veterans: please enter from the western-most entrance on E. Pleasant St, near Summer St. It is not required to RSVP, but it is a great way to help staff and students prepare for this event. Call CASD and let them know so the students can prepare the gifts.


One holiday at a time, please:

For some people holidays are the highlight of the year, with families coming together and celebrating the joyful seasons. Candy, food, costumes, family, and fun for everyone. However, there is one thing during the last three months of the year that I can’t stop arguing about. Decorating for Christmas in the middle of October or November and listening to Christmas music before December is completely overshadowing the other two holidays. 
When driving around town, I tend to get a sense of my surroundings, seeing the decor of the houses I’m driving past. Seeing Christmas decorations in yards or even festive lights around house doors before Halloween has even passed is a huge pet peeve of mine. Some people can relate to this because Halloween and Thanksgiving are just as important to them as Christmas. Halloween is the time for spooky stories, candy, and costumes, and Thanksgiving is for a huge feast, surrounded by the people and things you’re thankful for. And finally, Christmas is the season for giving, as well as being around the people you love. All of these seasons are very important and cherished by many people, so decorating for Christmas too early can be a way of saying it’s more desired than the others.
Obviously, this pet peeve of mine isn’t as severe as some problems that we’ve been facing, but it’s something I’ve heard a lot about and would like to discuss. I’ve always shed light on all the holidays, spending the time to celebrate every one at their own time. For example, October is known for Halloween and the fall season, November is Thanksgiving and the time with family, and December is Christmas and looking towards the new year. More importantly, these holidays have special stories and days that define different moments in time. For instance, Halloween is said to have a day where spirits came to life, so people would dress up in costumes to ward them off. Thanksgiving was the day pilgrims and the Wampanoag people came together in a huge feast. And Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. These holidays are all special and hold a significance in history, so I believe it is important we celebrate and cherish these special days equally.


Middle school musical “Schoolhouse” rocks the stage in February:

The Corry Area Middle School has chosen to perform “Schoolhouse Rock!” for their 2021-2022 musical. “Schoolhouse Rock!” has been around for decades, airing on January 6, 1973, until March 31, 2009. This popular musical has managed to stay relevant to this day. Some people may ask: what is “Schoolhouse Rock!”? Well, it’s a series of cartoons with songs that help you remember educational things like government, grammar, and even science. The most popular song that is still frequently played among English teachers today is “Conjunction Junction,” which is a song that shows students how to use conjunctions.
The reason why Mrs. Smrcka and Ms. Britten chose to do this musical is because they wanted to do a play that didn’t have specific genders and roles. Also, they were concerned about how many people would participate because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs. Smrcka said, “We wanted something neutral and that the strongest singers got the shine because it was a great role for them and not their gender.” 
This year is definitely opening up more opportunities not based on gender but more on personality and talent. Some of the leads that we will see performing on stage are Ava Wetherbee, Clara Harrington, Chloe Jaworski, and Haylee Mumau. Since the ninth graders missed out on the musical last year, they will even get the opportunity to be involved. 
The preparations for the musical aren’t exactly short. First, Mrs. Smrcka and Ms. Britten have to go through auditions to find out which singer is best for each character. One interesting thing that Mrs. Smrcka mentioned is having a lot of personality, and that is definitely something entertaining you want to bring on stage. Rehearsals of all the scenes in the play take about eight weeks for the play to be ready. 
With Thanksgiving and Christmas break, it gives lots of time for the cast members to memorize their lines or songs they will be performing. The play will be ready to watch during the first week of February. One thing you should know if you’re thinking about going is it is a fun show to sing along with if you already know the songs. If you are unfamiliar, it’s a good way to introduce you to songs that can help with educational facts you may want to know.


Bird is the word:

Tyler Bird was born on May 7, 2003. He grew up in Corry, PA, and attends Corry Area Middle-High School. Bird’s hobbies are hunting, fishing, ATV riding, hanging out with friends, and playing sports. He has one sibling, Chaz Bird, 11. Bird works for maintenance today and it is something he wants to stick with. One place Tyler would like to visit is Mexico because he can get avocados.
Bird’s favorite movie is “Step Brothers.” His favorite song is “Crazy Story” by King Von. He likes the color camouflage. His favorite emotion is happy. Bird’s favorite quote is, “I knew I was as good as anybody. That’s not really bragging; It’s just that I’d put the time in,” by Larry Bird.
An animal that Tyler would match his personality to is a parakeet. Tyler’s dream vacation is Mexico. Bird’s idea of a perfect date is going out to a nice restaurant. His favorite class is health class because his teacher is his basketball coach. Tyler’s favorite food is BBQ wings. His favorite sports are basketball, track, and golf. One thing Bird hates is dumb people. One thing Tyler would like to say to his readers is, “Be yourself.”


Kind Kalinda:

Kalinda Gilger, born August 21, 2007, recently answered fifteen questions about herself to help people get to know her.
When asked what her favorite emotion is, she said she enjoys being excited because she likes the feeling of butterflies in her stomach. Her favorite quote is “live life to the fullest”, and her number one piece of advice is “don’t let someone’s words ruin your day.” 
Kalinda’s favorite food is mac n’ cheese and her favorite song is “2055” by Sleepy Hallow. When asked what her favorite class is, Kalinda answered, “Algebra because it’s fun and easy.” Kalinda’s favorite movie is “Step Brothers.” 
Her biggest pet peeve is when people make annoying noises. When Kalinda grows up, she wants to be an orthodontist and she wants to visit Iceland because it’s “pretty and green.” I asked Kalinda Gilger what her idea of a perfect date is and she answered with “going to the movies.” The last question I asked was, “Which animal matches your personality?” Kalinda answered with, “a squirrel because they do what they want.”


I’m about to SOLO your WEB experience.:

Webtoon is an application that allows a person to read comics from all around the world, with a large amount of genres to consider.
One of my personal favorites is “Solo Leveling,” a Webtoon taking place in a fantasy version of our world, starting in Korea. Another favorite of mine is named “Flow” and it couldn’t be more vague yet descriptive. It follows a fantasy world where each person is born with a god and takes that plot into a heavy life lesson: that every action we perform will always have a consequence. Webtoon has collections that meet a smaller group as well, with even just regular dramas and romance. Some series are extremely short, while others are longer, more in demand, or have multiple seasons.
Each comic has an art style, whether it be cartoon or more Japanese animation level. “Solo Leveling” is well liked among me and a friend who introduced me to it. I have difficulty stopping reading based on how it plays with you, just as several other comics do. The ways that some of these tugged at my heart left me with unique impacts on my perspective.
People into more indifferent romances would definitely enjoy, considering how many there are, as well as normal romances. The impact some of these series have left on me will more than likely never go away (based on personal preference) because of the lessons and personalities of the characters.
My personal rating is about a 3.9 due to balancing between opinions on the comics, and I would recommend it to anybody more open-minded who enjoys reading. The benefits are entertaining comics with a variety of plots and genres. Negatively, there is a lot of reading, which most people don’t like, and it should be considered for a more casual enjoyment approach than serious. Readers should always have an extremely open mind because of some of the things you may just end up reading and rejecting immediately. Personally, I enjoy the app, and would never say to not try something, which includes Webtoon.


Experiencing states for the first time:

The cross country state championships last Saturday was memorable in so many ways. Not only did us girls get to make fun memories and laugh super hard at times, but we also saw our determination pay off.
The long trip started out with the send-off by walking the halls, which was both memorable and one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever done in my entire life. After that we loaded into the school van, cranked our music (mainly Taylor Swift), and sang for a few hours until we stopped for our run and lunch. We got to run trails and enjoy the beautiful scenery, watching as the leaves fell in delicate swirls. We enjoyed lunch in the sun but had to put up with a chilly breeze. Of course we laughed the whole time and made plans for what fun snacks we’d eat after the meet Saturday, and then how late we’d stay up. We finished out our ride into Hershey with song-singing, laughs, and stories.
Once we got to the hotel, we decided to get dressed up and head out for dinner. Of course, picking Olive Garden as our dinner destination probably wasn’t the best idea, especially because every single runner was trying to carb-load the night before the most important race of the year. Needless to say, we got put on an hour wait, and once that hour was up, we got told to wait another hour. We entertained ourselves by walking through nearby stores, singing to music (again). Finally, at eight o’clock, we got a table–all hangry at this point–and stuffed ourselves with breadsticks and salad. By the time our main meals came, we were practically full, but managed to eat quite a bit. We finished up, loaded (yet again) into the vans, and made our way back to the hotel.
Because it was late, we decided to wash up, then try to get ready for bed, even though our nerves were high. It was hard to not stay up super late watching movies/eating junk Friday night, but with the right amount of self-discipline we agreed to head to bed at a semi-reasonable time. After a few distractions and running back and forth between rooms laughing hysterically (the cross country girls know what I’m talking about), we settled down and went to sleep.
At 6:30 a.m. the next morning my alarm blared, waking me up from a rather restless night’s sleep. Us girls got dressed, ate breakfast, packed our racing bags, and loaded into the van by 8:15. I could tell we were all very nervous, but we knew that being nervous was normal, and there is nothing you can do about it. Arriving at the meet was one of the most nerve-wracking things I have ever done. I felt as though I would hurl my breakfast and tried to silently calm myself down. I took some deep breaths, and slowly the urge to throw-up lessened slightly.
Before I knew it, we were standing on the line, silently waiting for the starter to drop the flag and shoot the gun off, indicating the start of the race. It almost happened in slow motion: the gun went off, the flag dropped, and I lunged forward. There was a still silence for the first second as all 250+ of us girls took off, but then the crowd roared, parents screamed, coaches hollered to “get to the outside,” grandmas jingled cowbells (it’s a real thing), and siblings clapped.
There was a huge mob of us (about 100) tightly packed, with me in the middle of this stampede. I tried working my way to the outside, dodging spikes, other runners, and flinging ponytails. Thankfully, as we rounded our first corner, I was able to start to break away from the mob–it had thinned down to about 50 girls at this point. We went up our first knoll, hit a sharp turn, and faced the first exceedingly large hill of three.
Pumping my arms, I dug my toes in and pushed up the hill. Once reaching the top I got to turn and fly down the other side. Another time we went up a ginormous hill and turned to glide down the other half–halfway down reaching the mile marker. I saw a girl completely wipe out and slide down the hill because it was so slippery, then jump up and fall back into rhythm almost seamlessly. The last two miles went by in a blur, and I found myself crossing the finish line, out of breath, sick to my stomach, and so proud of how we did.
I was caught up in a flurry of people and walked for what seemed like forever to try and find some of my team members. I found Kalista, who was also looking for everyone, and together we found a few of the others. Over the next few minutes we were all able to regroup. Hugging was inevitable as we celebrated our tenth-place finish. Sweatshirt buying and cheering on Steven as he ran were next on the bucket list, so we made sure to be at the appropriate spots when needed and smiled our whole way through everything.
After the meet, we got ready and headed to the Hershey Amusement Park, where we rode rides from 3-9 at night. We did some crazy ones, but some incredibly fun ones, too! By the time we got back to the hotel, we were just plain worn out but not ready to give in to sleep quite yet. We gathered into one room, each wrapped up in a blanket after hot showers and ate snacks, shared testimonies, and watched a movie. And of course, because it was daylight savings, we just had to stay up until 2:00 a.m. to watch the clock turn back to one. We settled into our beds after that, all completely content with the weekend we had together. I couldn’t have thought of one negative thing to say about the whole day even if I tried!
Needless to say, going to states this year was one thing I will never forget. It wasn’t necessarily the fact that I ran at states that made the long weekend so memorable, but more than that, I got the opportunity to spend time with my team who are now more like my sisters. Although we will all be graduating (some sooner than others), we will never forget the memories and laughs (and tears) we shared together. Once a team, always a team.


Love in Whistledown:

Everyone wants a prince, right? A boy who treats them like an absolute princess, but what if you had to choose between a boy who treats you like a princess or an actual prince.  Sophia, 19-year-old duchess of Genovia. Sophia was always quiet and sheltered. Until a tan, brown-haired, brown-eyed boy came and changed everything.
Jack Stonewall, an outgoing 20-year-old boy who spends all his free time repairing anything anyone needs in his shop, the “Shifty Shack.”  Stonewall moved to Whistledown in September of 2019, just days before his eighteenth birthday. Now, let’s take this back to the day they met. It was a radiant, cloudless day in Whistledown, a perfect day for the towns 37th annual picnic on the river hosted by the royal family. The day was going great until there was a slight bump in the road. The sweet, petite woman who owns the local bakery, Fran, car had a flat tire when she went to make a quick trip to grab more of her famous banana bread muffins.
“Can someone help me change this tire?” Fran asks in a soft, slightly embarrassed tone.
“I can” two voices say at once. Sophia looks to her left to see a tall figure appear from behind Fran’s granddaughter Elle.
“I’ve got it,” Soph begins to say before quickly realizing she doesn’t quite know who she’s talking to.
“Jack,” the man says. “Jack Stonewall.”
“Sophia. Now, I’ve got Fran. You can go.”
“No, no, I’ll help her. Wouldn’t want those pretty nails getting messed up, now would we?”
Weeks have past, the weather in Whistledown is beginning now to be frosty. Jack and Sophia have consistently ran into each other since the picnic, they have formed quite an unbalanced friendship. Sophia was not the biggest fan of Jack since his brash comment made at the picnic, but he refuses to give up.
“Good morning, Soph!” Jack says joyously as he approached the table with two coffees in his hand. After hours of endless laughs, Sophia had to leave to go to make an important trip to the Castle, for dinner with the Prince. As the duchess, she often had to make visits to the castle, but this is her first time ever making an encounter with the prince. He chooses to stay very private, but the two have to put on an event together. So she says her goodbyes to Jack and the rest of the locals in the Cafe and makes her way to the carriage. After a lengthy, very bumpy carriage ride she arrives to the vast brick castle lined with bushes the driver lets Sophia off in front of the towering white doors. Overall, the lunch went well. At first Prince Charles was very sheepish, but he was quick to get over that. She instantly knew that the two of them would have a lot of fun together…
Months have gone by, and the event Charles and Sophia put on was an absolute hit. Since then, Sofia has been splitting her free time between Charles and Jack. She has found out that Charles has a love for adventures and loves helping people out, and Jack is not who she thought he was at all. Turns out Jack is in line for Prince of Moldavia, but he does not want to be prince. He loves his current life, and is doing everything in his power to be able to continue living as Jack Stonewall. Sophia gets herself into a little pickle when she finds out that both the boys have taken a liking to her.  Who shall she pick? Jack, the social, selfless, handsome mechanic. Or Charles,  the sheltered, adventurous, yet insensitive Prince.
Sophia did the only thing she felt was right, and allowed them both to take her on a date. Charles was first. He took her to a dinner at a high-class restaurant in the mountains, which showed the whole town of Whistledown, followed with a carriage ride around the town. The next night, Jack took her on a picnic boat ride at sunset. Sophia was completely lost and confused. Not wanting to ruin her relationship with either of them, she knew she had a huge decision to make.


Eight dead, hundreds injured at Astrofest 2021:

On Friday, November 5, rap artist Travis Scott hosted the third Astrofest in Houston, Texas. The event was unexpectedly tragic, with a massive crowd surge killing eight and injuring several more.
Astrofest is a rap and hip-hop festival, and this year’s event was set to feature artists like Tame Impala, Bad Bunny, Don Toliver, and SZA. The massive event drew around 50,000 attendees. The event was going well at first, until around 9 p.m., when Scott was set to perform and audience members rushed the stage.
The mass stampede crushed attendees, leading to broken bones, bruises, and head trauma. Instagram user @seannafaith said this about the experience, “There were so many people… The rush of people became tighter and tighter. Breathing became something only a few were capable of…”
What started the mass panic is unknown, although police are investigating potential drug use. Several individuals reported drugging, including a security officer who was injected with something amid the chaos and needed to be revived with Narcan. Some individuals, such as 27-year-old Danish Baig, even suffered cardiac arrest during the event. However, the most common cause of death was compressive asphyxia, caused by the tight crowd.
Scott and his team have come under fire for their response to the tragedy. Scott continued to perform after being informed of medical emergencies within the crowd. Around 9:42, the rapper called medics into the crowd to help an unconscious man. The performance continued for roughly an hour, while audience members screamed to “stop the show.” Event organizers Live Nation and ScoreMore have faced negligence lawsuits, and Scott himself has been sued for millions of dollars in damages.


My experience (TW: harassment/assault):

WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT
I know this isn’t the typical content you would see in the school newspaper, but I find it important to talk about. Many women in the Corry area have been sexually harassed or assaulted, and it isn’t talked about enough. The assailants are often protected no matter how much victims push for punishment. These events leave victims with traumatizing memories that stick with them for life. Even if you “overcome” what’s holding you back, there is always a constant memory.
I am sharing my story so those of you who are scared or feel like it was your fault know that it wasn’t, and you will eventually feel comfortable again.
On Halloween of 2020, I went to a roller rink with some friends and it was packed. There was no reason for me to feel unsafe, because I was with people I trusted. I was wearing a long, bodycon dress and didn’t think that was going to be a problem. The group of people I was with all shared a booth together and it was a bit packed. Some people sat on each other’s laps and no one thought it was weird and no one, as far as I know, was uncomfortable. It was so much fun catching up with people that I haven’t seen in a while because of Covid-19. It was a mix of boys and girls and I didn’t think anything of it. A friend and I were sitting on our male friends’ laps, just like everyone else was.
This male friend of mine knows my boundaries because I have been clear about them for years. When I say years, I literally mean two years, telling him on a daily basis that I would not allow him to touch me like the other girls do (which I don’t think they were okay with either).
But as I was sitting there, I noticed he was being a bit creepy and touchy with my friend who was sitting on his other leg. She was visibly uncomfortable with the way he was looking and talking to her. I tried to get up and he wrapped his arm around me. My friend got up and he touched her in an inappropriate way and when I got up he did the same thing. He grabbed my behind, and all I could do was look at him. I never thought something like this would happen to me because I had set those boundaries.
I asked him why he thought that was okay and he said, “Well, I mean you were just sitting on my lap, so.”
I was disgusted with not only him but myself. I thought he was right, and that what happened was my fault. But I now know that it wasn’t.
Some of you may think that it’s not that serious or I’m overreacting, but it crossed my boundaries and I now think about the incident daily. It’s difficult knowing that someone I trusted would do that to me. I have grown to be uncomfortable around men and boys and I have a difficult time wearing certain things now. Recovery is a process, a process to get back in tune with my body and feel good about myself.


Beaver Blue Crew is getting active in Corry:

The County of Erie in collaboration with the Erie County Department of Health, Highmark Health, Corry Memorial Hospital an affiliate of LECOM Health, and UPMC have brought the Blue Zones Project to Corry. Blue Zones Project works with the Corry community to create an even better place to live, learn, work, play and worship. 
The Blue Zone Project promotes living healthy lifestyles to communities all over the world. It uses permanent, evidence-based environmental and policy changes to motivate residents to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles. Blue Zones was founded by the multi-talented Dan Buettner. Dan Buettner is an explorer, educator, author, producer, storyteller and public speaker. Also, he is a New York Times-bestselling author. He co-produced an Emmy Award-winning documentary and holds three Guinness records for endurance cycling. This project was also featured in the National Geographic magazine.
The project also promotes living healthy lifestyles by advertising the Power 9 for a Healthy Life and The Blue Zone Personal Checklist. The Power 9 for a Healthy Life encourages you to follow their nine steps to get yourself healthier, both mentally and physically. The nine steps are: 

Move Naturally – Walk, bike and be active outside as often as you can.
Purpose – Think about what you love to do and how you help others.
Downshift – Stop stress by taking time to relax and have quiet time.
 Plant Slant – Eat mostly fruits and veggies. (Beans, too!)
80% Rule – Stop eating before you feel 100% full (About 80% full feels good.)
Time With Friends – Spend time with friends every day. Share a healthy snack, have a chat or get outside together.
 Right Tribe – Help the people you know make healthy choices. They’ll help you, too!
 Belong – Get involved in a group that does good in your community.
Family First – Share healthy meals, games, and activities with family.

Similarly to these rules, the Blue Zone Personal Checklist states several things that can make your life less stressful. Things on this checklist include keeping a comfortable pair of walking shoes or a bike in plain sight, adopting a dog and designating a space in your home for quiet time, meditation, or prayer.
If you are interested in participating in The Blue Zone Project, email or visit Mrs. Andrzejczak in room 29 to join the Corry Beavers Blue Crew.


Consider joining “The Secret Circle”:

“The Secret Circle” is a spectacular book series for young teens because of the wondrous theme it holds, and the suspense impacts you as a reader tremendously. These books were written by the inspiring author L.J. Smith. She has written multiple hit books, and all of them contain some of the same aspects. The main one is a love triangle between the characters. These books are the reason why I got into reading all the time. They intrigued me and pulled me into the story. These books were published in the early 1990s and many copies were bought in the first year. There are three books in this series, and they all connect and flow with each other like a symphony.
The story is supernatural based. A girl named Cassie moved to a new town and quickly learned she must confront a shattering challenge that she was lured into. Cassie was taken under the influence of a group of different social status teens who range from trouble to the sweetest people you could meet. The story contains two love triangles between four of the main characters in the series. Cassie is involved in each one, and tries to break loose.
These books portray the life of a teen, but supernatural-style. The books cover the hardships Cassie and the group go through. Each book explains the order in which the events take place. The first book explains how Cassie just moved into a new town, and why she moved there. Each one of the characters are mentioned in the first book along with how they connect to the base of the story. The second book leads into the big secret that is hidden, and it explains the characters a little more, and hardships are mentioned. The third book is the finale, and the problem is out in the open, the solution is being found, and all the secrets are getting thrown around, along with all the final ties getting done.
These books are a perfect series for young teens because they hold such an interesting subject for that age group. They have suspense to keep you reading, and just an amazing story line that is beyond words. These books make you have such a strong connection with them, and they lure you into the pages. They are big on vocabulary, so when you’re reading you will pick up words that you never even knew existed.
I would 100 percent recommend these books to someone. If scored out of five I would give these book a perfect score of 5/5. Not a disappointment at all. There is really nothing bad about these books. They are perfect to read just for fun. This book series is a fun yet educational.


Top ten Netflix movies:

Have you ever been sitting at home bored and just want a movie to watch? Well, I’ve been there, so I came up with my top ten favorite Netflix movies. You may even need a movie that you or your family hasn’t watched, maybe one from this list.
10. “Always Be My Maybe”
9. “The Social Network”
8. “Pan’s Labyrinth”
7. “Black Panther”
6. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”
5. “Dolemite Is My name”
4. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”
3. “Okja”
2. “Roma”
1. “Marriage Story”


Beaver Tales staff gives thanks (2021 edition):

Haeleigh Bayle: I am thankful for my family, friends, and how fortunate we are to be happy and healthy! I am also thankful for the opportunity I have to come to school and learn because I know there are countries in the world where students do not get the chance to learn more and grow in their understanding of things.
Willow Bowen: I am most thankful for my health and ability to dance because it’s my passion and I don’t know what I would do without it.



Jordan Britton: I’m most thankful for all my friends I have and the family and things I have.




Cameron Brown: The roof over my head, the food in the fridge, the water out of the faucet, and the lights on the ceiling because those are necessities in life.



Jennica Chase: My mother because she has been there through every single thing. She has always made sure I had everything I needed and always made sure I was okay in every situation.
Cinnamon Earls: I’m thankful for a lot of things, but most importantly, my friends (IRL and online ones) and my boyfriend. I would not have made it this far without them. I’m really happy to have them in my life. They’re all very important to me, and I love them all to death. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without some of them. If you guys are seeing this, thank you for bringing color into my life. I love you all.



Ruthie Light: I am thankful for my family, friends, and red (Taylor’s version).





Emma Minnick: I am thankful for animals, especially dogs and cats, because I think they are so sweet and we do not deserve them.







MaKenna Moore: What I am most thankful for is my family. I’m really close to my family, and they mean everything to me. I am so thankful for them, and the things they do for me. I couldn’t imagine life without them.






Emma Reyda: I’m thankful for my closest friends. If it weren’t for them, I would be lost and miserable. They help me remember that I am loved and cared for.




Reagan White: Emma Minnick (My bff)
Elaina Brown: Family
Sea Geer: I’m thankful for friends, family and for change and growth.
Mr. McBriar: I’m thankful for my wonderful Beaver Tales staff!


Top ten best looks at the Met Gala:

Every year there is an event called the Met Gala, where celebrities are invited to wear designer clothing for the purpose of fundraising money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. This Metropolitan Museum is located in New York City, and the Gala takes place on 5th Avenue. The Met is an invitation-only event. There is a different theme chosen each year, and the theme determines how your outfit is designed. Most of the rankings on this are from the 2019 Met Gala “Camp” because it was such a fun and memorable theme. 
10. Lil Nas X (2021 Met Gala,”In America”) – It was this rapper’s very first Met Gala and he absolutely killed it. At the 2021 Met Gala “In America” Lil Nas X showed up in a three part Versace outfit. Starting off with a white and gold detailed robe, removing that to a gold-plated suit of armor, then underneath to reveal a diamond encrusted jumpsuit.  
9. Kim Kardashian (2019 Met Gala,”Camp”) – Icon Kim Kardashian posed at the 2019 Met gala “Camp” dressed in Balenciaga. The idea for this outfit was to give the effect of glossy and dripping water. The dress was a nude body con beaded with hanging diamonds. 
8. Jared Leto (2019 Met Gala,”Camp”) – Actor Jared Leto showed up to the 2019 Met Gala “Camp” dressed in an all red gown with jewel encrusted accessories designed by Gucci. The reason this look is so iconic though is because Leto carried a replica human head of his own face right by his side. 
7. Kylie and Kendall Jenner (2019 Met Gala,”Camp”) – The iconic sister duo Kendall and Kylie Jenner had one of the most memorable looks together at the 2019 Met Gala “Camp.” Both sisters were dressed in Versace, Kendall wore a orange feathered beaded dress, while Kylie wore a silver laced dress with purple feathers. 
6. Cara Delevingne (2019 Met Gala, “Camp”) – Fashion icon, model, and actor Cara Delevingne showed up to the 2019 Met Gala “Camp” in a Dior designed rainbow-striped suit. This outfit is definitely an art piece considering how much there is to look at with the noticeable head piece, red platform heels, and cane.   
5. Billy Porter (2019 Met Gala, “Camp”) – At the 2019 Met Gala “Camp” Billie Porter’s entrance and outfit put him on this list. Entering the red carpet, Billy was carried out on a velvet-draped litter hoisted up by six men. This entire outfit designed by Filipino designer and architect Francis Libiran was in an Ancient Egypt style accustomed with a pair of gold wings. 
4. Chadwick Boseman (2018 Met Gala,”Heavenly Bodies”) – From the 2018 Met Gala “Heavenly Bodies” Chadwick Boseman really blew people away in his all-white custom made Versace suit with gold detailing. This was definitely super unique and was obviously well thought out. 
3. Zendaya (2018 Met Gala, “Heavenly Bodies”) – At the 2018 Met gala “Heavenly Bodies” Zendaya showed up in a chain mail suit of armor dress. Designed by Versace they took inspiration from the historical figure Joan of Arc and made a modern art piece. 
2. Rihanna (2015 Met Gala, “China Through The Looking Glass”) – At the 2015 Met Gala “China Through The Looking Glass” Rihanna pulled up in a yellow gown designed by Chinese designer Guo Pei. Even though it was stunning, Rihanna said she felt like a clown in it according to Vanity Fair Magazine. 
1. Lady Gaga (2019 Met Gala, “Camp”) – Finally one of the most amazing Met Gala looks in Met history is Lady Gaga’s 2019 “Camp” look. The first layer of the look consisted of a fuchsia colored ball gown with a 25 ft train. Then Gaga would take off the top layer of the dress to reveal a black dress underneath and would accessorize this dress with an all-black umbrella. But wait, there’s more, underneath the black was another layer matching the first pink dress layer but silk and fitted. She carried a 90s style phone with this outfit layer three. Lastly, the fourth layer consisted of an all-black bralette, shorts, fishnets, and stilettos. She paired this outfit with a pink wagon filled with pink assortments. The designer who put this masterpiece together was Lady Gaga’s dear friend, Brandon Maxwell.


What are you thankful for?:

Since it is almost Thanksgiving, I wanted to do a survey asking people what they are thankful for. I, myself, am thankful for a lot of things: my boyfriend, my family and friends, the roof over my head, food on the table, and happiness. Even though happiness is temporary, I enjoy every moment that I get to smile naturally. I asked 25 people, “What are you thankful for?” and these were their answers.
Mr. West: I am thankful that I will be able to spend time with my family and friends.
Mrs. Cragg: My family.
Kalinda Gilger: Food and my family.
Nathaniel Bilskie: The roof over my head.
Adreona Lindenburger: Cookies.
Miranda Dubrosky: Katlynn (Heidler) and Claire (Matkovich).
KC Cozad: Sara  (Fox) and Shelby (Fox), family, and friends.
Shelby Fox: My twin, family, friends, and money.
Mr. Morgenstern: Pretty simple stuff for me: health and family, a roof over my head, and food on the table.
Makayla Landers: My sister.
Mr. Passinger: I’m thankful for, obviously, my family, but I’m also thankful for the job that I’m in.
Jasmine Chandler: My family.
Carra Lewis: My friends.
Mrs. Ruth: My family and friends.
Nick Lesher: My friends.
Apache Swanson: Family.
Morgan Watrous: My friends.
Brenden Lindstrom: Family and friends.
Wesley Kurelowech: Family.
Aiden Trask: My friends.
Lewis Hellyer: My family.
Katlynn Heidler: Friends.
Dawn Bear: My family and friends.
Piper Johnson: Family.
Parker Lewis: My friends.


Welcome to “The Office,” a top ten list:

I’m sure you have heard of “The Office,” and if you have not, ask your parents. “The Office” is one of my favorite shows. Everyone has their opinion on who the best characters are, and here are mine.
10. Kelly  Kapoor
9. Angela Martin
8. Andy Bernard
7. Kevin Malone
6. Stanley Hudson
5. Creed Bratton
4. Pam Beesly
3. Jim Halpert
2. Dwight Schrute
1. Michael Scott


OBJ finds new home in Los Angeles:

Odell Beckham Jr. Even the most casual sports fans know that name. When OBJ was traded to the Browns in 2019, fans across America thought it was a death sentence for his career. A big name like OBJ going to Cleveland didn’t seem fitting for his glamorous personality. Now, in November 2021, OBJ has finally found a new location that may be a fit for him.
After almost three wasted seasons, Beckham Jr. was released by Cleveland and signed by the Los Angeles Rams. Beckham Jr. was not the most productive with Cleveland. Some say it was because of the quarterback play, some say its because of him, but whatever it was, it did not work.
Beckham had at least 1000 yards receiving in four of his five seasons in NY with his outlier season being injured. In Cleveland, he had 1000 yards receiving in 2019, with only four touchdowns. In 2020, he had 319 yards and three touchdowns, and got injured in week seven and was out for the rest of the season. With Cleveland in 2021, he had 232 yards receiving and no touchdowns.
It is obvious his play has declined since his time in New York, but is there a chance he revives his career with Matt Stafford and the Rams?


Top ten Y2K fashion trends:

The 2000s was an iconic time for the fashion industry and most pieces from then are coming back to serve. In this top ten, I am stating my favorite (and least favorite) Y2K fashion trends.
10. Double Denim – Double Denim is a super controversial look for the reason that it is very, very hard to pull off. However, the times that it has been done correctly, it delivers a nice, charming look.
9. Low-waisted jeans – Over the years, we as a society have slowly let go of low-waisted jeans. However, it certainly served in the 2000s and still with certain looks today. 
8. Baby tees – These teeny-tiny-t shirts definitely have this generation wrapped around their fingers!
7. Bandanas – Bandanas are super cute with all sorts of outfits.
6. Shiny/Chromatic Clothing – If you like wearing clothes that make you stand out, then chromatic clothing is for you. The shine from these places can make you noticeable from a mile away while also looking fun and fresh.
5. Butterfly Hair Clips – Butterfly Hair Clips are always a fun accessory to add to any outfit.
4. Kitsch Jewelry – Similarly to Butterfly Hair Clips, Kitsch Jewelry is always a staple when looking for something to spice up an outfit. 
3. Mini Skirts – Mini Skirts are timeless pieces, and truly look good when paired with anything.
2. Wide Leg Jeans – Wide leg jeans are definitely one of my favorite pieces from the 2000s. They definitely make an outfit more fun!
1. Velour tracksuits – When I think of 2000s fashion, my mind automatically races to velour tracksuits. Velour tracksuits are fashionable, comfortable, and fierce!


Mayflower’s maiden voyage:

November 11, 1620
My legs were wobbly from the voyage and my stomach turned as I walked down the gangplank to beloved solid ground. I had spent two months on that cursed ship, eating nothing but dried fish and meat, grains, flour, cheese, rock hard biscuts that could chip a tooth, and dried fruit. This may not seem horribly bad, but imagine it being stored for months on a ship and rats happily snacking on your food, too. We left England on September 6 of this year (1620). I was sad to leave my friends behind, but I’m going to miss the hustle and bustle of town markets the most. Seeing all of the different foods being sold, kids playing tag in the streets, and mothers gossiping about the latest news. But hey, here I can breathe fresh air and see beautiful, bountiful trees. And I luckily brought with me 10 neat, clean pages of paper to document my visit (though I must be conservative in my writing), as well as my best quill. Maybe life won’t be so bad here in the New World.
November 13, 1620
Well, we are still stuck on the ship, the cold wintry breeze has extinguished any form of building until spring. I can’t believe we are here under such unfortunate times. Why can’t we just go home?
December 22, 1620
I have had no reason to write this past month– nor have I had any time. Though we don’t have much to do, we are constantly kept busy. Pilgrims have begun to fall desperately ill, mothers trying to take care of young children as they fight disease themselves. My own mother lay in bed this hour, fighting for every breath. Where is the Lord now? Still in Great Britain?
December 31, 1620
I cry out to whomever can hear me. My mother is gone. My sister and I are left with a father who knows nothing about raising up two girls. I see death, disease, and heartbreak everywhere I look. Yet here we are, stuck on this bloody ship. Nowhere to go but to the top deck and back down into the dark, suffering rooms of the lower deck. I cry myself to sleep at night. No one cares. No one hears me.
January 23, 1621
More than a third of the original pilgrims have died these past two months, and us survivors look like human twigs. I look at my younger sister, Evelyn, and see just how much this voyage has taken a toll on her. How many hardships must I endure before I reap something positive in this disastrous world?
March 3, 1621
I have not written much yet again, but with reason. Evelyn, sweet Evelyn, fell severely ill just three weeks ago. With experience of my mother’s disease, and the help of a few willing women, we were able to attentively watch the young girl and nurse her back to stability. Her cheek bones still pop out, but she is no longer wheezing, nor burning with a temperature. My father goes off alone much of the time, mourning the loss of my mother still. I know that she would want me to protect Evelyn with everything in me, so that is my silent promise to her.
Mother, if you can hear me, send the sun. And food. And happiness. And hope. With love, Susanna.
May 17, 1621
The sun has shone for the first time in months today! My spirits have been lifted and my hope renewed.
My Lord, thank you for answering our desperate prayers!
The stiff ground has begun to thaw, and I can feel hope springing within the few survivors that are left. About half of the beginning settlers made it through the winter. So many innocent lives were lost during such harsh conditions.
This afternoon we all rushed off the ship and laid out in the sun, soaking the warmth into our cheeks, and dancing with pure joy. My heart is beginning to feel full once again. I will take any small blessing that I can, for they are very scarce in this foreign land.
June 28, 1621
We have officially unloaded from the boat and worked to build a fortified base, where we remain close to one another and the safest. We had a major surprise earlier this month, though, when a member from the Pawtuxet tribe, who introduced himself as Squanto, spoke to us and worked to help us with harvest tips and how to plant certain crops. He translated for us with his tribe, worked as a guide for us, and more importantly, became a vital part of our survival. We now have the greens of corn poking up from the ground, beans have begun to sprout, and wildlife populates the area. Our people have begun to smile, laugh, and share catches and finds with each other. We have created a working system, and one could almost say we are flourishing. But we won’t get ahead of ourselves quite yet.
August 19, 1621
Our crops are flourishing, we rarely have to water them because the rain here is abundant and refreshing. The weather has shone much promise and Evelyn has finally fully recovered from her winter illness. She is like a normal child now, picking flowers, whispering with the other little girls, and full of energy.
Oh mother, I hope you are proud of us. How we miss you and cherish our time we had with you.
November 23, 1621
I have not written in quite some time, but once again it is indeed because of my busy tasks. We have planned an autumnal feast with the local Wampanoag tribe. I have prepared vegetables, onions, cabbage, carrots and other such. I also prepared the corn porridge, which I have taken corn, removed it from the cob, boiled it into a thick mush, and then sweetened it with molasses. Others have taken the duty of catching meat such as, deer, fish, shellfish, and lobsters. Berries and fruits were happily chosen by some of the few women to serve.
When we approached the makeshift table with our harvests, we saw the tribe looking welcoming and openly at what we had to bring. They also had brought many delicious dishes, including squashes, and other colorful displays. We sat, staring longingly at the heap of food in front of us. No one could believe the harvest we had produced. Being Puritans, we thanked the Lord for delivering us from such claws of ravenous death, and praised him for giving us the bountiful harvest. We ate our fill, no one afraid to ask for seconds and thirds, and left feeling full on food and companionship.
I sit here in the candlelight (how dim it is) with high spirits and a full stomach. Though the trials to get to this point were many, it was all worth it here in the end.
My dearest mother, you can rest easy knowing your girls and stubborn husband are adjusting well to life here in the New World, and we will never forget how grateful we are here this evening.
An utterance of thanksgiving was spoke by all tonight, and we will continue our Thanksgiving until our children’s children speak of it.
I blow out this candle at such a late hour with much left to write, but only two pages left. So for now I will leave yea with a simple message: Count Thy Blessings.


How to untangle a love triangle – The advice advocates #2:

Hello, it is the advice advocates, and this week we are giving advice to an individual who needs help getting himself out of a difficult love triangle. Many people find themselves caught in situations like this, so there is no need to feel guilty for talking to someone else about it. If you have found yourself in a situation like this, or know somebody else who is dealing with a situation like this, keep reading for advice that could hopefully help you or someone else. 
The issue being conveyed by this young individual states, “I’ve been talking to this girl that I really like, but her ex-boyfriend keeps interfering with our relationship. Her ex and I were previously friends, but she has expressed to me plenty of times that he makes her uncomfortable. Not to mention, he has been very aggressive to me personally when I try to explain the problem to him. Can you please help me with my problem?”
This is definitely a sticky situation, considering that this girl has had a past relationship with this boy. First of all, you definitely should distance yourself from him in ways like removing him from all social platforms, progressively stop engaging in conversation with him, stop replying to his nasty messages, or not sitting near him in class/lunch. However, if you choose to approach him directly, stay lighthearted so that he doesn’t feel attacked. Conversing with him could be a struggle, but try to get your point across to him without making him feel enraged. 
Now, for the girl that you like, she should confront the situation between you and her ex-boyfriend as gently as she can. She should express to him that she is not comfortable with his actions and exerting himself into her personal relationships. If her ex refuses to stop making her uncomfortable, then I would take more serious action like telling a trusted adult or friend. 
Hopefully following our advice will help you and your relationship. Try to remember that it’s okay so be assertive if someone is doing something you don’t like. You should never feel guilty when asking for help. If this advice helped you or someone you know, DM us @adviceadvocates on Instagram to share different problems you would like to be resolved!


Who is Alexandra Scholar?:

Alexandra Marie Scholar, also known as “Lexi” Scholar,  is a bubbly 14-year-old girl.  Lexi was born in Warren, PA, but she has grown up here in Corry, PA. From pre-k to first grade she attended Warren High School, she has attended Corry schools since she was in  second grade.
Lexi’s favorite hobby is painting. She enjoys it because it is extremely relaxing and she gets to express her creative side. Scholar has two siblings, a younger brother and a younger sister. In the future she wants to go into the law enforcement. More specifically, a detective or a criminal investigator. She claims, “I have never really had an idea of what I wanted to do when I was older, there is no influence in my life for why I’d like to do this occupation. I just find interest in it.”
Lexi says that if she could go anywhere in the world she would want to go to Hawaii because, ” It’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever seen.” During upcoming vacation days she plans on spending her time with family and enjoying her time off.
Scholar’s favorite quote is: “Forget the mistake and remember the lesson.” She says this is her favorite quote because “it says a lot in one sentence.” One animal that matches Alexandra’s personality would “probably have to be a butterfly because they’re genuine creatures inside and out.” A dream vacation of hers would be “an out of state concert with the Neighbourhood performing.” Her idea of a perfect date would be a “surprise picnic where we have time to talk for hours but also get to watch the sunset.”
Scholar’s favorite class is Spanish because she has always wanted to learn another language. Another favorite class of hers would be world history because she finds the past fascinating. Lexi’s favorite food is hot wings ” just because they’re better than anything else.” She has played soccer for almost nine years in a row and has always had a love and passion for it. She states that her biggest pet peeve is when people think they’re better than everyone else because ”everyone has their strong and weak suits in different things. You can’t judge a person on one thing because you’re better at it.”
Finally, one piece of advice Alexandra would give the reader would be to never look back because there is nothing there for you.


The one I used to love, a story:

It was my eighth grade year and it was a brand new day. We had this new kid that just moved here; their name was Luka. I thought they were very handsome, and I didn’t want to go up to them because I was too scared and didn’t know if they liked girls. Later in the day in one of my classes they walked in and sat down right next to me. I had no words on what to say to them. They turned to me and started to talk with me. I didn’t say one thing.
It was lunch time and I invited them to sit with me. We started to talk for a bit and got to know each other. I really liked them and didn’t want to ask them out. It’s been a year now and I’m in ninth grade. They have a girlfriend now and I’m starting to regret not asking them out last year. We still talk and are the best of friends. I hope to one day date them for the rest of my life and have hope to have a future with them. Luka and I still hold hands and hug in the hallway even though we are not dating.
It’s now the last day of ninth grade and I haven’t seen Luka since December.
My friend told me that Luka has to switch schools; I hope that one day I can see them again. Throughout the summer I have been kind of sad and hope that I can see them in tenth grade.


Top ten best Christmas gifts:

For many years (14 to be exact) I have had many Christmas gifts come my way! I celebrated Christmas many places. I went to my dad’s, my gramma’s, my sister’s, my brother’s, and my mom’s. I sometimes go to each of those places. I have received some nice Christmas presents and some I didn’t like too much! Some of my top ten Christmas gifts I have gotten are:
10. iPhone 6 (2017)
9. Rubik’s Cube (2014)
8. Baby blanket (2008)
7. Air Hockey table (2020)
6. Roku TV (2018)
5. iPhone SE (2020)
4. Movies (2013)
3. Clothes (2015)
2. Drone & RC car (2019)
1. Blankets (2018 & 2019)


Top ten famous international winter holiday traditions:

Christmas is a big holiday that is celebrated world wide. Many people participate in a lot of  Christmas/winter activities that involve peace and joy for all. When it comes to Christmas, some countries are more involved than others.  Some countries worldwide go all out for Christmas and make it the most important holiday of the year. Some of the most famous places to visit are stated down below, along with the traditions/activities they do.
10. The Philippines- The Philippines hold a  giant lantern festival for the tourists and for the locals. This festival goes on for quite some time. From December 16-January 2 this huge festival is thrown. The festival holds many exciting events, but the main one is the competition of the giant lanterns, where many people come together and try to see who can build the most elaborate lantern.
9. Sweden- Sweden celebrates Christmas by erecting the Gavile Goat, a massive version of the Swedish yule goat. The locals come together, and set up around 2-3 giant goat statues made out of wood, lights, and ribbon. The people come together and spend time with each other creating and setting up the statue in the middle of their town square. The other tradition that comes along with the goat statues is people trying to burn down the goats. It has only happened 29 times. It’s a holiday tradition that has gone on for many years and will continue to go on for many more.
8. Australia-  This country celebrates Christmas by having what’s called “The Krampus Run.” It’s a tradition where people get chased through the streets by these Grinch Christmas demons. These young men get heavily dressed up into costumes and chase around the locals for their idea of Christmas fun. They do this because of the old folk tale of a demon coming and capturing the bad children taking them down into the underworld with him.
7. Japan- Japan never really celebrated Christmas that much, but this tradition is a big one to celebrate. On Christmas for each families meal they eat chicken. Its a huge thing over in Japan, and everyone participates in it. They throw a KFC party at Christmas time, and they have all the traditional home made KFC dishes. When KFC entered Japan the people decided to throw a party about it at Christmas time and celebrate the food that they had gotten. The KFC in Japan has a special Christmas menu for this holiday.
6. Iceland- Iceland celebrates the Yule Lad folktales. The Yule Lads are very famous creatures over in Iceland, and are believed to be real. People throw a festival with many different holiday foods, and activities regarding the Yule Lads. Children behave a lot better around the holidays, because they are afraid that the Yule Lads will come after them. Yule Lads are little elves/ monsters that come around Christmas time, and terrorize little children that have misbehaved. The Yule lads would also leave good presents for the good boys and girls, and potatoes for the bad boy and girls.
5. Germany- Germany is one of the most famous places to go at Christmas time, because they are the center of the Christmas meaning. They celebrate “Saint Nicholas Day” (Santa Claus) which is on December 5. On that night children clean and polish their boots and leave them outside before heading to bed. The next morning they find their shoes filled with nuts, candy, and small gifts from St. Nicholas (Santa Claus). St. Nicholas also leaves coins and small treats on the streets as he passes through the town with his donkey. St. Nicholas also makes visits to the children in their homes or at school presenting them with gifts.
4. Norway- Norway celebrates Christmas at a different time than most countries. Norway celebrates their Christmas on Christmas Eve instead of on Christmas day, and that day is known as “Julaften.”On this day the families get together and eat traditional foods, and that is followed by holding hands and dancing.
3. Washington D.C- Washington has what they call National Hanukkah Menorah. The Jewish holiday Hanukkah is cerebrated with fanfare across the united states. Raised on the White House grounds for the eight days of Hanukkah is a Menorah with eight candles. Music, activities, and of course lighting the Menorah is held on the last night of Hanukkah. One of the candles are lit each night, and with that comes events held for that special time.
2. Venezuela- In Venezuela a strange tradition is held for the locals. Every family goes to church early in the morning, and after church most of the people in Venezuela take a trip to the streets of the city and start to skate. The roads are blocked off so that the people can skate around to everywhere. Before heading home for a family dinner tamales are handed out to the skater,
1.Colombia- Colombians celebrate “Day of the Little Candles.” The little candles represent the start of Christmas in Colombia. In honor of the Virgin Mary people place candles and paper lanterns in their window, balconies, and front yards. The tradition if the candles has grown, and now entire towns and cities are participating in the celebration. The people of Colombia set up a scenery of candles, and lanterns to honor the Virgin Mary. The locals of the towns walk around the houses seeing the beautiful scenery’s that are set up.
All of these traditions are very special to all the locals of these countries and are held deep in their hearts. It was amazing to learn about all of these countries and their traditions. Many people tend to stick to the same traditions and not look at other cultures for new ideas or experiences. I believe that we should  see other cultures’ traditions and join in on them to, or at least learn about them.


Who do you look up to?:

Before I start I would like to thank the 20 people who took some time and answered this question: Who do you look up to? I have received many nice answers from these 20 people. I look up to anyone who has given their time to those who need(ed) help. Now to see what others said:
“Those who follow faith before me and didn’t give up.”- Mr. Swartzfager
“Anyone who has earned a position of authority.”- Mrs. Cirigliano
“My mom and my twin.”- Shelby Fox
“Jesus because he died on the cross for me.”- Ellyauna Shearer
“My mom.”- Ali Torz
“Kim K.”- Katlynn Heidler
“My Aunt.”- Emma Fuller
“Mrs. Bennett.”- Mrs.Rutkowski
“My mom.”- Mrs.Messinger
“My mom and my twin.”- Sara Fox
“Katlynn Heidler and Cameron Brown.”- Miranda Dubrosky
“My dad.”- Parker Lewis
“Parker’s mom.”- Piper Johnson
“Tall people.”- MyLeigh Mussec
“My Gramma.”- Natalie Engle
“My brother.”- Nathan Wright
“My dad.”- Brock Thompson
“My Nana.”- Jadea Sheehan
“My mom and Jennica.”- Marcie Dick
“Mrs. Diluzio.”- Mackenzie Gordon


The musical Mr. McCray:

This year Corry High School has gotten a new band teacher, Tristan McCray. Mr. McCray was born April 19, 1986, and grew up going to Corry. His music journey began in fourth grade where he started studying music. He found out playing and teaching the art was his passion in high school and decided that’s what he wanted to do for his career. Hobbies that Mr. McCray has are gardening (where he grows vegetables), cooking, and playing music. His favorite thing to cook is soup and his favorite instrument to play is the trumpet. Fun Fact: He said if he were to get a tattoo, he would go with the iconic trumpet on Lady Gaga’s arm. 
Moving on to favorites of his, Mr. McCray’s favorite song is “Down Home Girl” by Old Crow Medicine Show released in 2006. His favorite movie is “O Brother Where Art Thou,” a comedy/crime about a trio trying to pursue freedom from hard labor. And lastly, his favorite color is blue. A music artist that Mr. McCray likes to listen to is Pete Seeger, a 1940s folk singer. Seeger’s most famous song being “The Hammer Song (If I Had A Hammer)” released in 1949 to support the progressive movement. Mr. McCray’s favorite genre of music fits into the category of bluegrass. Bluegrass is a genre of music that is more like old country originating in the 1940s. 
After a long while of thinking about where he would like to go for his dream vacation, Mr. McCray decided that he would take a trip to 48 out of 50 states because he said, “Alaska is too far of a drive and you can’t drive to Hawaii.” Colorado and Greece were the next closest options. Maybe on this trip his dad could drive him to all the states considering he was a bus driver. In fact, his whole family has school-related jobs. His mother and sister are also teachers, so it’s cool to see that school education runs in the family. 
If Mr. McCray was to give any advice it would be to keep your word and have integrity, which means to do the right thing even when no one is around. His pet peeve would even be people who lack integrity. Mr. McCray would encourage everyone to not be two-faced and to be kind to others, so I would take his advice and do an act of kindness today.


In your opinion, what is your best quality?:

In my opinion, my best qualities are my looks and how good of a person I am. I wanted to know what other people thought their best quality was, so I went around the school and asked fifteen other students what their best quality is according to their own opinion.
Jasmine Chandler: “My face.”
Brenden Lindstrom: “Probably my athleticism.”
Lexi Watrous: “Probably my hair.”
Kalinda Gilger: “I’m really honest with people.”
Aiden Trask: “My personality.”
Nolan White: “I can run.”
Ali Torz: “My ability to draw.”
Katlynn Heidler: “I like to think I’m pretty funny.”
Emma Fuller: “Personality.”
Morgan Watrous: “Personality.”
Justin Fay: “My lazy eye.”
Mrs. Rutkowski: “My smile.”
Cole Halfest: “Carsy.”
Weston Atha: “Athleticism.”
Deion Canady: “Athleticism.”


“Lucifer,” a Netflix experience.:

“Lucifer” is a live action series that involves crime solving, and emotional transition into a new place of residence. The show focuses on a club owner who turns crime detective.
Lucifer (Tom Ellis) is the devil, who came to earth and began running a night club. Lucifer becomes a crime investigator when a friend of his is killed, he begins focusing on his outrage. “Lucifer” is a highly recommended show with a large amount of content, and it happens to be an inappropriate show for children under the age of 16 minimum. The special effects are very well performed, and the setting is always on point, even for the background.  I enjoy the show to an excessive amount because of the dark story and the graphic content.
I would rate this series 5/5 personally.  It is recommended heavily for people who enjoy gore, and more adult-themed content rather than people who are more child friendly, or under 16. The show is rated 18+ (R).


Top ten Batman villains:

Batman was created in 1939 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Since then, he has become one of the most popular and iconic superheroes of all time. His fame has extended to his supporting characters, like Dick Grayson, Commissioner Gordon, and Alfred Pennyworth. But most notable of the hero’s long run is his extensive rogues gallery. Here is my list of the top ten Batman villains.
10. The Riddler – The Riddler was first introduced in 1948, and quickly became popular among fans. He is a genius criminal who specializes in riddles and puzzles, terrorizing Gothamites with his elaborate crimes. He measures up well to Batman, possessing intense analytical skills.
9. Ra’s Al Ghul – Ra’s Al Ghul, introduced in 1971, is not the most iconic Batman villain, but his narrative importance is indisputable. Known as “The Demon”, he is a master at hand-to-hand combat, and is nearly invulnerable. His main goal is eradicating most of the human population, in order to prevent ecological devastation. Al Ghul has canonically beaten and outsmarted Batman more than once.
8. Penguin – Penguin, also known as Oswald Cobblepot, debuted in 1941. Born to a rich family, he was bullied and outcast for his birdlike appearance and short stature. This rejection led him to a life of crime, becoming one of Gotham’s most feared and notorious criminals. Equipped with an umbrella and an affinity for birds, he is a mastermind and a skilled combatant.
7. Scarecrow – In 1941, DC introduced the Scarecrow, a supervillain and former doctor armed with a fear toxin. His toxin can take the form of his victim’s worst fear. Although Scarecrow has not broken Batman physically, his fearful hallucinations have harmed the hero’s psyche more than once.
6. Harley Quinn – Despite being iconic, Harley Quinn is a fairly new character, introduced in 1992. A psychiatrist turned sidekick to the Joker, Quinn is a talented gymnast, armed with a poison immunity and a lack of inhibitions. In recent adaptations, Quinn has left the Joker and has become an antihero, even working with Batman on some occasions.
5. Mr. Freeze – Mr. Freeze was introduced in 1959, and is considered compelling by many due to his backstory. Victor Fries is a former scientist who became a supervillain to revive his dying wife, Nora. He is a match for Batman with his intellect and advanced technology.
4. Catwoman – Catwoman is an essential Batman villain created in 1940. Selina Kyle is a thief who is drawn to jewels and cat-themed treasures. Her strengths include stealth, speed, and wit. Kyle is a complex character due to her romance with both Batman and Bruce Wayne. She has been presented as a villain, antihero, and a hero.
3. Two-Face – Two-Face was introduced in 1942 when district attorney Harvey Dent was attacked with acid by mob boss Carmine Falcone. His split personality mirrors his split face, making him feared for his unpredictable nature. He has been known to hold his own against Batman.
2. Poison Ivy – Pamela Isley, known as Poison Ivy, was introduced to DC in 1966. A former botany student, she gained her abilities when her professor injected her with plant toxin. She gained poison immunity, mind control abilities, plant control, and most notably, a poisonous kiss. She is one of Batman’s most powerful foes and has gone toe to toe against him many times and can definitely hold her own.
1. The Joker – The Joker is undeniably the most iconic Batman villain. He first appeared in 1940 and has become synonymous with the Dark Knight ever since. His backstory is ever mysterious except for one common thread: his clown-like appearance from jumping into a vat of acid. The Joker is the most feared criminal in all of Gotham, known for his sadistic sense of humor. He is armed chemical weapons, genius intellect, and pure insanity. The Joker has never beaten Batman, but one could argue Batman has never beaten him either, as he refuses to kill him. The two have been a dynamic pair of adversaries for over over eighty years.


The inside scoop on Duff:

Duff is a sophomore at Corry Area High. He grew up in Pittsburgh and was born on August 26. He has three siblings and he’s into football and trucks. His dream is to be in the marines or be a mechanic. His ideal perfect date would be to go hunting. His favorite food is venison. Also, his pet peeve is loud chewing. He wants everyone to keep on keepin on!


The return of Business Week:

CAHS hosted the annual ACES (Americans for the Competitive Enterprise System) Business Week on Monday, November 15 through Friday the November 26. Last year, due to the pandemic, the high school was unable to host this event. Typically it includes  juniors only, but this year, since they missed out on it, both juniors and senior were in on the event.
Business Week allows the high school students to get a taste of the entrepreneur lifestyle. They are gathered together at the beginning of the week and separate into groups. An advisor from the ACES team will then assign the type of product the group will build their company off of. There are multiply product ideas the groups may be provided with. From there, they will head to their classroom where they will be in for the rest of the week. Speakers came in and provided the students with advice and background on how the company should work. At the end of the week, each company would present their product to a panel of judges. The students in the winning company would each get $100.
There were some mixed reviews about Business Week. The majority thought the week was very stressful and difficult to figure out prices, designs, and much more within a small amount of time. According to some students, it was also quite boring at times. If the students didn’t work as a team then nothing could get done. It was such a big project that it was impossible for only one person to do the work. Others viewed it as a way to get to know each other and prepare for the future.
The winning company was “Kapture Camera.” The CEOs were Miranda Nickerson and Gwen Adams. The CFO was Nathan Shirey. The advisors of the company were Richard Zarger, a CAHS teacher, and Stacy Heiser, who works at Corry Federal Credit Union. Their product was a high-end camera with many feature likes multiple lenses connected on it and it is supposed to be nearly indestructible. They offer a lifetime warranty with it. They came in first in the RONA and placed in the trade show and stock holders meeting.


The amazing Mrs. Brady:

Mrs. Beth Brady was born on July 1, 1964. She grew up in Mayport, PA and attended Red Bank Valley schools.
Mrs. Brady enjoys reading, sports, hanging out with her family and going to the beach. In the future, Mrs. Brady wants to write a book and work at a tiki bar in Hawaii.
She likes her job because she loves kids, reading, and the summers are off. A place she would enjoy going to on vacation  is Ireland because she is part Irish.
Her favorite things are the color green, John Wayne movies, the band Maroon 5, and to feel happy. Her dream date night with Mr. Brady is to go to Applebee’s. Her spirit animal is a horse because whether they are wild or domesticated, they are free-spirited. The advice she would give to her readers is to give it your best.


Top ten favorite Christmas movies:

Christmas, in my opinion, is one of the best times of the year (tied with summer–even though they are polar opposites). The happiness and merry feel that radiates from houses, shops, and families is enlightening. I love seeing the different Christmas decorations, and the lights strung up for everyone to see. I also like hanging up lights at my house and decorating inside and outside! Now, of course another part of Christmas that I enjoy is sitting on the couch all bundled up in a blanket with fuzzy socks on and watching Christmas movies–which I could watch continuously. Below I have my top ten favorite Christmas movies in order from my least-ish favorite (of my favorites…it doesn’t mean I don’t like it) to my favorite.
10. “Annabelle’s Wish” – This not-exactly-popular Christmas movie was one of my childhood favorites because it was a short, simple film that really captivated my attention the whole time.
9. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” – This 1964 film may be slightly “tacky” according to some, but I think it is a rather wonderful movie that showcases the classic-side of Christmas.
8. “Frosty the Snowman” – This short film is yet again another classic that many people (including myself) enjoy watching.
7. “Home Alone” – Anyone can get a kick out of Kevin and his traps on Marv and Harry. This is a funny, light-hearted movie that can make the Christmas season fun!
6. “The Polar Express” – I remember sitting down with my family in my younger years and enjoying this movie (typically on a Sunday) and drinking hot coco. We don’t watch this movie quite as often, but I still love watching it.
5. “A Christmas Story”- This movie is definitely one that I make sure to watch every year because it’s such a classic movie that can make anyone laugh. It showcases the unique gifts a young person can want during the Christmas season.
4. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” – This classic Christmas movie is sure to make you laugh (and maybe even relate to the crazy adventure’s of the Griswold family). There are so many classic scenes from this movie that my family and I quote, and not just throughout Christmas.
3. “Elf” – This movie has been one of my favorite Christmas films to watch because of the sarcasm and the funny plot that is developed.
2. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (Jim Carrey version) – It’s a classic, how can you not enjoy it?
1. “It’s A Wonderful Life” – I love this film because it’s simple yet captivating and develops a memorable plot. Every Christmas Eve my family watches this movie (though sometimes my younger siblings grumble about it…only because they don’t fully appreciate just how wonderful this film is). It is one thing I look forward to most during the holiday season. Not just the movie, but being able to spend time with my family and taking time to appreciate an older, simpler film.
Thanks for taking the time to read my top ten favorite Christmas movies. I have countless others that I love sitting down and watching, but if I wrote them all down, you’d be reading for a few hours. What are your favorite Christmas movies?


Will Roe v. Wade be overturned?:

For the first time since 1992, the court case Roe v. Wade has been challenged in a big way. The Supreme Court is arguing on whether to reverse the decision made by the case: that a woman should be able to have an abortion up until fetal viability, the time when a fetus can live outside of a womb.
The argument was introduced by the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, in which Mississippi lawmakers have banned abortion after 15 weeks without exception. This law violates the legal precedent set by the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, which set the limit at 22 to 24 weeks. Mississippi is now asking the Supreme Court to let states make their own laws regarding abortion, and subsequently reverse the ruling of Roe v. Wade.
So, what does this mean for abortion in America? Six out of the nine Supreme Court justices have supported anti-abortion measures in the past and are likely to vote for the case to be overturned. The court has potential to give abortion rights to the state without completely overturning Roe, but this would still require significant changes to the ruling, especially in regards to fetal viability.
Outside of the SCOTUS building, protesters both for and against abortion rights have been rallying. Anti-abortion advocate Erin Hawley said, “We are hoping that the Supreme Court will return that issue to the states where it belongs.” Anti-abortion protesters have gathered en mass, armed with signs, posters, and megaphones.
Pro-choice activists have also shown up, including providers and patients of the procedure. Protester Kristin Mink said, “If I had not been able to access abortion, my life would be very different right now and I would not have the two children that I do today. My own health would have been at risk potentially.”
As of now, it is unknown when the Court will announce their ruling. But no matter how the justices vote, this case will have a notable impact on America.


Top ten farm animals:

Corry, Pennsylvania and the surrounding area have many farms. Farms are crucial to the environment. They not only produce jobs but also food and much more for people.

Cow
Cats
Goat
Horse
Donkey
Sheep
Chicken
Pig
Turkey
Ducks


Top ten MLB free agent signings this off season:

The Major League Baseball off season has been full of surprises. Since the signing period has been open, players have moved around, causing a lot of excitement. Major free agents have decided to leave their city, and possibly chase a ring. Here are the top ten free agent signings this off season.
10. Javier Baez to the Tigers 
Javy Baez brings swagger and a winning mentality to a Tigers team that has not been contenders in a very long time. Baez, the 2x time all-star, gold glover award winner, silver slugger award winner, NLCS MVP, and 2016 World Series Champion has had his fair share of success in his career. Baez signed a six-year, 140- million-dollar contract. The Baez signing shows that the Tigers are looking to contend soon.
9. Chris Taylor to the Dodgers
Taylor is the ultimate utility man, and the Dodgers made sure they resigned him. Taylor was an all-star in 2021, and was a candidate for MVP. He can play shortstop, second base, third base, and any position in the outfield. The Dodgers managed to lock hi into a four-year, 60-million-dollar deal. This ensures they have one of the most valuable players in the league, and helps them stay contenders.
8. Eduardo Escobar to the Mets
Escobar was an all-star in 2021, and he is a solid addition to a Mets team that struggled with offense last season. Escobar instantly makes the Mets lineup better. Escobar had a .253 average, with 28 home runs and a .314 on base percentage in 2021. He adds some much needed power to the dull Mets lineup.
7. Noah Syndergard to the Angels
Syndergard was injured in 2021, but he looks to make a strong return with the Angels. The Angels already have star power, with 2021 AL MVP Shohei Ohtani and multi-time former MVP Mike Trout. The Angels lacked pitching and needed a star pitcher to be in the rotation alongside Ohtani. Syndergard was an all-star in 2016, where he had a 2.60 ERA on the season. Syndergard’s deal is a one-year, 21-million-dollar deal.
6. Starling Marte to the Mets
Marte was sensational in the second half of 2021. He had a .316 average, .359 on base percentage, .466 slugging, and an .824 ops after the trade deadline. He adds power, speed, and average to the Mets lineup. Marte signed a four-year, 78-million-dollar contract.
5. Robbie Ray to the Mariners
Ray was the AL CY Young award winner in 2021. Needless to say that any team he goes to will benefit greatly from his play. He had a 2.83 ERA in 193 innings pitches in 2021. Ray signed a five-year, 115-million-dollar contract. The Mariners barely missed the playoffs last season and will now look to Ray to lead them into the postseason in the future.
4. Max Scherzer to the Mets
Scherzer was amazing in 2021. He had a 2.46 era in 179 innings pitches last season. He will now team up with arguably the league’s best pitcher, Jacob Degrom, forming a very scary one-two punch. Mad Max looks to help the Mets compete this season, as he re-enters the NL East.
3. Kevin Gausman to the Blue Jays 
Gausman was a Cy Young contender in 2021 and was a huge reason the Giants pitching staff was so good. Gausman had a 2.81 ERA in 191 innings pitched in 2021. The Blue Jays have some great young pieces, and they look to put together a playoff run next season . Guasman signed for five years at 110 million dollars, so he has plenty of time to help the Jays make a run for it all.
2. Marcus Semien to the Rangers
Semien set the record for most home runs by a second baseman in a single season. Semien will make an impact to a lackluster Rangers team without a doubt.  Semien was an all-star in 2021 and had a .263 average, .334 slugging, .538 slugging, .873 ops, and 45 home runs. Semien signed a seven-year, 175-million-dollar contract. He’ll look to help propel the Rangers into the playoffs.
1. Corey Seager to the Rangers 
The 27 year old shortstop shocked the MLB world when he signed a 10-year, 325-million-dollar deal on Wednesday. The 2020 World Series MVP joins fellow infielder Marcus Semien in Texas, where they have a chance to be one of the best middle infield duos in MLB history. Seager hit .306 with a .394 on base percentage, .521 slugging, and a .915 ops. He looks to a ring with Texas and to live up to his massive contract.


First Friday fun!:

People of Corry, it’s that time of the month again. Music, food, shopping, and family fun. This month’s First Friday was  held on December 3. Many Christmas activities were held from 5:00 pm -10:00 pm.
The council of Corry has come up with multiple exciting events that fit the Christmas season including: horse-drawn carriage rides across the town; viewing the lights and joyful spirits around you; hot chocolate at almost every street corner; cheerful music filling the streets; decorations and cheer surrounding you the whole night.
Stores stayed open late and displayed sales for this special occasion. Delicious foods were on almost every street corner for people to enjoy. Food trucks, crafts, clothes, art, horse-drawn rides, and more! First Fridays are for everyone in the town of Corry.
The festivities are based on what events are going on in that month. For example, in October they have Halloween activities, and the town is decorated for the spooky season. December is all about Christmas, so it’s fitting that the locals celebrate the joyful season. Everyone in town swarms the streets and celebrate all the festivities that are set up.


Animal Farm; a boring old book?:

Picking up this book was a choice I made of my own accord. As I know, several classmates would argue that the book itself is hard to read and boring, but I can assure you it is quite the opposite. The book is a short read, 10 chapters, and around 29,966 words, while a typical adult fiction is 70,000-100,000 words.
About the basic setting, the book seems to take place between 1917 – 1945. The farm where it takes place is named Manor Farm, but is shortly reclaimed by the animals a bit into the story, and renamed Animal Farm.
The book itself is an allegory, which means it can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. In this case its a political one. Published in 1945, the book is heavily based around the historical/political events happening, more specifically it reflects the events of the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Personally speaking, reading this book has given me better insight into the understanding of government and politics as a whole, and I believe would also help others have a greater comprehension of the subjects as well.
Overall, I rate this book a 5/5, easy-to-read and comprehend, short, and overall just a great piece of writing. One of my top five favorites.


A day in Skyline County:

It was just like any other day in Skyline County! It was February 17, 1950, and there was a family of four: a wife named Jasmine, a husband named John, and twins Abigail and Gabrielle. John was 35, Jasmine was 38, and Abigail and Gabrielle were 8. They were at a restaurant. The lights were flickering but nobody suspected a thing because the restaurant was old and rundown. The restaurant was called “Lucky’s Diner” and was run by Lucky and Chuck who have been married since 1945 and are both 55 years old. 
One time at 11 p.m., Lucky and Chuck were closing down so they mopped and swept. Around midnight they left the restaurant and made sure everything was unplugged and all lights were off. When they returned at 7:30 a.m. to open back up nobody was there, but everything was plugged in and the lights were on. They checked the cameras but nothing showed up. They kept refreshing the screen and still nothing. They called the police but they said, “There is nothing we can do about it.”  
“I have to go out for a delivery,” Chuck said. 
“But no one called or ordered anything recently,” replied Lucky. Chuck, who was not even bothering listening to her, left.
Five minutes after he left the power went out and nothing was working. Lucky was now scared and alone. She tried calling Chuck but her service was not working. 
“Why are all the lights off?” Chuck asked as he walked in.
“I don’t know. When you left all the power went off,” responded Lucky. 
The cops got called once again and they finally came to Lucky’s Diner. The cops saw something very unexpected.


Chaos at Thanksgiving:

Every year for Thanksgiving, my family gathers at my grandmother’s house for a huge Thanksgiving. All of the delicious food, the crazy stories, and family fun all around, making incredible stories to tell. Because all of our families are scattered around the states, we barely see each other, which makes Thanksgiving the best time to catch up and create new memories. Most of my cousins are older than me, which means I happen to get left out of the “older kid” festivities, but my younger cousins keep me busy with their opinions and games. However, when I was younger, I liked to cause trouble with my younger cousins and brothers. 
One year, my brother, William, and I were waiting for dinner to start when we noticed everyone was in living space and they left the food unattended. We managed to stay quiet enough to grab a butter knife, a plate, and two forks, and see which dish we would care to test. We scanned over the food and glanced over to a delicious, crisp, and delectable pumpkin pie. William and I exchanged looks and I went to cut out a slice to share, but William stopped me before I could. He held my arm and said, “Cut a piece out of the middle of the pie!” And because I was hesitant about cutting it out, my brother took initiative and grabbed the knife from my hand and cut a square out of the middle of the pie.
I was in awe of how quick and fluent he was, not even thinking about what he was doing, and to be honest, neither was I. We placed the piece on the plate and quickly ate the pie, enjoying the taste of the creamy pumpkin filling and the crunchy crust. As fast as we cut out the piece, it was gone in under a minute, and William and I were proud of ourselves. Then finally it was time for dinner, so we covered the pie and ran to grab our plates from the table to fill up. The dinner itself was delicious, as always, and everyone was ready for dessert. I chose to have a apple pie with whip cream and ice cream on the side, and went to sit back in my spot. As soon as I did, one of my cousins yelled from the kitchen, “Who did this!” I had to hold back giggling and watched William completely breakdown laughing with everyone staring at him. Not too long after, we confessed to our crimes and accepted the punishment of not having anymore pie for the night. So to anyone who wants tips on how to cause chaos during Thanksgiving, I’d happily share this story to fellow trouble makers.


Prissy princesses with too big a crown:

Have you ever had that one person, or more, who thinks they’re better than everyone else? Maybe you are that person. Either way, I’m going to be sharing my opinion on that type of person. 
First of all, nobody ever has the right to act like they’re better than everyone else. Second, no one deserves to feel like less of a person just because someone else treats them as such. And finally, having friends isn’t a reason to act like a complete grouch towards everybody.
Nobody has the right to act like they are better than other people because, to put it bluntly, they aren’t. We are all just human beings trying to get somewhere in life before we croak. If you have more money than others, that doesn’t mean that you are better. It just means that your parents probably have a good paying job. 
Also, no one deserves to feel like less of a person just because someone thinks they’re the best thing since sliced bread. Again, we are all human. We are all equal, so stop acting like you’re not the same as the rest of us.
Lastly, having a bunch of friends doesn’t mean you’re better, more popular, or cooler than anybody else. It just means you all have the same interests. Knowing what the stereotype is for people who think they’re better than everyone else, I’d say their only interests are looking down on other people like they’re peasants, bullying, and gossiping.
Honestly, just stop thinking you’re the queen of this world because if you keep acting that way, you’ll end up with no friends. Everybody already dislikes you. Tell your ego to simmer down and just stop being stuck up and prissy because it’s not normal.


Another Hallmark “Snow Bride”:

Hallmark is are known for making movies that have the same plot line, the same settings, and the same ending.They all have their quirks and sometimes end up falling down a hole because they just aren’t that exciting. However, Hallmark is also able to make good movies that keep the viewers interested and are memorable, apart from movies people would rather forget. Yes, they may have the same plot, theme, and characters, but they are still good nonetheless. The Hallmark movie I decided to review was a classic comedy-romance movie called “Snow Bride”.
This movie was made back in 2013 and has held a special place in my heart since then. The movie starts out by showing our main character, Greta Kaine (played by Katrina Law), going over some gossip reporter assignments, which is a classic Hallmark movie setting. She has to do a report on a family in order to get promoted. After learning her competitor has already made his way to the story, she starts her car and drives off into a snow storm with nothing more than the clothes on her back and her friend’s wedding dress. She loses her way, manages to get her car stuck, and runs out into the snow wearing her friend’s dress to find help. She then trips, falls, and rolls unconscious somehow; this is noticed by a bystander and is taken into his cabin. She wakes up next to a warm fireplace with a man, named Ben, watching over her, and as funny as it is, he happens to be the subject of her story. They end up talking and Ben comes up with the nickname “Snow Bride” because of her cover story.
Overall, I liked the movie and have been watching it for nine years now. I thought the movie was interesting and well written. The storyline was good enough to keep me interested through it all and make me feel the emotions the characters were going through. The acting was well done and the entire theme of it all came around in the end. So with that said, I think it’s a great movie, however, there were some flaws to it, including some of the graphics and the scenes were cut at awkward times, leaving some things hard to understand.
I give “Snow Bride” a 4/5 star rating and would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s interested in romance, comedy, or Hallmark movies.


Is school the right place for the Pledge?:

Every day schools around America play the Pledge of Allegiance for their students and staff. The students are usually expected to stand and say the words with their right hand across their heart while looking towards the flag. At first glance you may not see anything wrong with this, but the more you look into the pledge the more you see its faults. Before I start explaining my reasons for why the Pledge of Allegiance should not be enforced in schools, I would like to state that this is in no way criticizing anyone who likes to participate in it but merely stating the faults within it.  
To start, the Pledge of Allegiance should not be enforced in schools because not every student has religious beliefs or beliefs of God. The pledge states “One nation under God.” The reason why this is not appropriate is because in this day and age people should not be forced to say that they are under something that they are against or don’t believe in. Part of America is having your own beliefs and thoughts on religion. It’s perfectly fine to believe in God and to practice that religion, but it’s also okay to not believe in it. Students should not be forced to vow under God every day. If that’s something you enjoy or support you can go to church to hear more about it, but public school is not the place. There is very little room for religious freedom, and that’s not okay. 
Another huge problem with the pledge is the line  “liberty and justice for all” when in fact there is not. On a daily basis many people, especially black people, are killed because of their race. As if this wasn’t bad enough, school systems feed students lies with the pledge to convince them there is “liberty and justice for all.” According to ABC news, since 2015 America’s police system has killed more than 100 children. Often police officers are rarely held accountable for their actions. While the justice system fails to lock away a victim’s murderer, students every day pledge to the lies of justice in our country for our fellow peers. With justice there has to be liberty. Where was the liberty for the slaves when they were being tortured and beaten? Where was the liberty when segregation kept people of color suffering just so whites could be put on a pedestal? Liberty means the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views. If you were to ask someone in the LGBTQ community whether they had rights everywhere, sadly they would not be able to say yes. The pledge has lied to us and it’s time we recognize that in our school systems. 
A common misconception that people in America have about the Pledge of Allegiance is its about our military and soldiers who fight for the country. Even though it seems obvious, the pledge does not say anything about our military. The National Anthem on the other hand is about the people who fought for our country. If our society wants to recognize the soldiers who fight for our country, maybe America should work on putting together a new relevant saying for them. The lies aren’t going to cut it, though, and change in our school systems should happen soon.


CAHS New Year’s resolutions:

Mrs. Beebe: Try to live a healthier life.
Baylee Smith: Follow through with projects and still be able to start new ones.
Kaylee Weisner: Start a workout routine.
Haeleigh Bayle: Be a better person.
Ruthie Light: Grow hair out.
Lauren Thomas: Try to be more motivated to write.
Emma Minnick: Raise grades.
Mr. Carney: Read more books.
Taylor Holder: Pass English class
Mr. Brewer: Make good choices.
Connor Plunkett: Pass this year with decent grades.
Dakota Donaldson: Learn how to play piano.
Halle Peterson: Learn how to play a ukulele.
Nathan Lesher: Improve athletic skills.
Tyler Jackson: Be more kind to his friends.
Mr. Soprano: Be more efficient with cleaning the dishes.
Mrs. Brady: Survive the rest of the school year.
Kyle Belfiore: Stop fighting with my younger brother.
Addison Pillar: Achieve better grades in math.
Piper Johnson: Get better grades and keep them.
Ashlyn Aderhold: Teach her horse a new trick.
Sara Colwell: Stop procrastinating.
Lilyauna Shearer: Learn to trust people close to her more.
Olivia Jackson: Be more productive.
Karissa Anderson: Have a fresh start with her mental health.


The Dancing Plague:

Throughout history, many odd and catastrophic things have happened. However, few compare to the irregularity of the Dancing Plague from 1518.
The Dancing Plague took place in quite a few areas during the year 1518, then it disappeared as suddenly and randomly as it appeared. Strasbourg was a city in the Holy Roman Empire (now it’s France) and caused a very mysterious disease. During the year 1518 Frau Troffea stepped into the street, dancing. Seemingly she was unable to stop before she collapsed from exhaustion, later waking to simply start the cycle once more and for days she was unable to stop. Within a week 30 more people had joined. Those inflicted with the plague had continued dancing long past a point of injury, and the city had become concerned with the growing amount of those infected.
Civic and religious leaders theorized more dancing was simply the way to rid their empire of the problem, so they arranged guildhalls for dancing, had musicians come with professional dancers, but this only worsened the scenario and spread the plague. A number had ended up perishing from their ongoing dance. The more well-known incident is the 1374 incident, in which plague spread to several towns and cities through the Rhine River.
In the end, the Dancing Plague is actually unsolved, despite the overwhelming amount of theories created on how the entire problem started. The plague fascinates me because of the unsolved mysteries and how we know practically nothing of the incidents.


Top ten Christmas foods:

Want to try a new food for Christmas? Or even want to see if your favorite Christmas food is on my top ten? Well here is some of my top ten favorite Christmas food.
10. Fruit Cake
9. Candy Canes
8. Eggnog
7. Ham
6. Gingerbread Man Cookies
5. Stuffing
4. Cranberry Sauce
3. Apple Cider
2. Mashed Potatoes
1. Holiday Sugar Cookies


Top ten favorite Christmas songs:

There are many Christmas songs. Many people sing and cover each song. My all-time favorite is “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee. Now I’m going to share my top ten list of Christmas songs:
10. “The Little Drummer Boy”
9. “Last Christmas”
8. “Jingle Bells”
7. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
6. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”
5. “Where are you Christmas?”
4. “Holly Jolly Christmas”
3. “White Christmas”
2. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
1. “Feliz Navidad”


Festive doors takeover middle-high school hallways:

This year marks the third annual door decorating contest for Corry Middle High School. Students and teachers in grades 6-12 have been given the task of creating an intriguing door design for judging.
There will be three judges, and they will decide whose door is the best. There is no set theme, but the doors are all festive. All of the designed doors must be completed by December 13 at 3 p.m. The door decorating contest was put on by the student council members. The top three highest scoring doors will be receiving a reward.
Willow Bowen, a member of student council, shared her opinion on the contest. She said, “I think that it gets the students in the school spirit for Christmas.”
The reason for having the door decorating contest is to create a festive atmosphere and bring some color into the hallways. The faculty winners will receive front row parking during the week before Christmas break, and a party will be given to the class who decorated the door. The winning class will receive a party with assorted holiday treats and drinks. The second and third place doors will receive a cookie and milk party.
Carter Slocum, another member of student council, gave his opinion. He said, “My thoughts on the door decorating contest is that it’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit. I enjoy walking down the hallway and seeing all the different doors decorated because every door is unique and special in its own way. I like seeing all the doors, but I definitely don’t like putting [one] together…especially because I have no creativity,” he added.
The three judges will use a 20-point grading system. The final score will be decided on five factors: overall visual impact, completeness, creativity, originality, and craftsmanship. Middle school, high school, and the CTC classrooms will all compete against one another. This contest creates a great way for students and teachers to show their creative side and embrace some holiday spirit.


Former Trump staff member refuses to cooperate with Jan 6 investigation:

Former White House chief of staff under Donald Trump, Mark Meadows, has reversed a deal regarding investigations of the January 6 insurrection. In late November 2021, Meadows reached a deal with the House committee to cooperate with the investigation. Meadows agreed to testify in the investigation, in light of former Trump associates refusing to testify.
However, Meadows has now reversed this deal, refusing to provide documents or interviews in regards to the investigation. Meadows’ lawyer wrote a letter to the committee, proposing Meadows comply in writing rather than spoken testimony. The lawyer claims that the House’s request of documents violates former president Trump’s “executive privilege.”
The letter also states that material sought by the committee contains, “intensely personal communications” that do not have relevance to the investigation. Committee member Jamie Raskin (D) of Maryland says,“I can’t imagine we will accept it… we’ve got to decide what to do. Our witnesses do not dictate the terms of our investigation.”
It is unclear whether Meadows’ demands will be met, or what effect they will have on the investigation as a whole. As of December 7, the committee has interviewed over 275 witnesses and has cooperation from several close contacts to the Trump administration. Committee chair Bennie Thompson (D) of Missouri vows to end the investigation by late spring  of 2022, but the timeline is unclear as of now.


Winter Wonderland, a poem:

Up, down, and all around,
Snowflakes are falling to the ground.
The sky is white and the treetops glisten,
You’ll hear sleigh bells rings if you listen.
With rosy cheeks and a rosy nose,
Santa chuckles and “Ho Ho Ho’s.”
 
Families gather bringing joy,
children waiting for the toys.
Laughter and cheer,
is always near.
When Christmas is here.
 
Holiday spirit is all around,
from tiny decorations, to every sound.
Hot cocoa with marshmallows & whipped cream,
I fall asleep softly with joy in my dreams.
Whether your Christmas is in snow, or in sand.
Everywhere you go is a Winter Wonderland!


“Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis:

Jordan Davis is the perfect storyteller through his music.  His new song “Buy Dirt,” which was recorded along with Luke Bryan, was released on July 19, 2021.
Davis wrote the song with his brother Jacob, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins,  and Paul DiGiovanni produced it. This lovely song offers some advice for listeners. The advice is to find a significant other, get married, and buy some land.
There is a lot to this song that may really get you to want to start thinking about your future. So if you have a good heart, you will love this song.


“Keep Calm and Corry On” epidemic:

There has been an epidemic of social media accounts that focus on the students of the school in their district. TikTok has brought attention to many of these accounts throughout the United States. These accounts, specifically in Corry, include photos of students sleeping in class, photos of girls’ feet while using the restroom, shipping accounts (polls that pair people together as an idea for a romantic relationship), and photos of people simply existing.
The most problematic account in Corry may be the “corry_weirdos.” Some of the posts are obviously staged and the students know they will be posted,  but others have secret photos. Couples hugging, holding hands, or sitting together at lunch are being targeted as “weirdos.” There has even been a video of a student doing something extremely inappropriate during class. This account bullies people without consequence.
Another account takes photos of the girls’ feet from under the bathroom stalls. There may be only the feet showing, but wouldn’t it make you feel uneasy knowing that someone could do that to you? Why even feel the need to be the person who takes the photos anyway? What do you gain from being creepy?
Let’s also talk about how it may make the students being posted feel. As I said, some of them are aware of being posted and are playing along, but others are being caught off guard and being made fun of. Think about how that may affect them.
Now this might be seen as a spotlight for the owners of these accounts and that they are being glorified, but it is quite the opposite. These accounts need taken down, and the students who run them need to be dealt with. It might seem like a game or entertainment to some of you, but I find it quite disgusting. Of course, I am just one person and cannot single-handedly take down these accounts, and that is why I find myself writing on here. I hope to spread awareness to parents and teachers so they understand why there is a problem and hopefully try to help out.


Magnanimous Mackenzie:

Mackenzie Rose Gordon was born in Keene, New Hampshire. As she got older, she went to schools such as Eisenhower and Corry High, which she currently attends.
Her hobbies include creative writing and working. She hopes to attend college for actuary. A place that Mackenzie would like to visit is the city of Rome in Italy because Italy is the place of romance. Her favorite movie is “Coraline,” color is lavender, song is “Best Friends” by Grandson, and  emotion is joy.
Mackenzie’s plans for summer include working and hopefully going on a road trip with her friends. A quote she likes is “You’re a bad idea, but I like bad ideas.” An animal she would compare herself to is a penguin because they both have small feet and they both do little dances.
Her dream date is to have a picnic in a tree house. Her favorite fruit is strawberry and she likes chicken alfredo. Advice she would giver her readers is: “Don’t give any hecks about what people say, you do you and you’ll make it.”


Top ten Christmas facts you probably didn’t know:

Christmas is, commonly, a favorite holiday all across the world. Billions of people celebrate the festive day with many traditions, such as giving gifts or decorating their homes. However, there’s factors to this beloved day that many aren’t aware of. Today, I’m sharing ten facts about Christmas that you may or may not know.

Christmas was originally a pagan celebration.
Santa Claus is based on a monk who lived long ago named Saint Nicholas.
The first date of Christmas can be traced to 336 AD.
Nearly 10,000 Christmas songs exist.
Santa Claus is 1,750 years old.
One-hundred and sixty countries celebrate Christmas each year.
“Jesus Refulsit Omnium” is known as the oldest Christmas song.
Germany began the Christmas tree tradition.
Norse mythology has a lot to do with mistletoe.
The first ever Christmas film is called “Santa Claus” and was made in 1898.


Things to pay attention to after the MLB lockout:

When the MLB and MLBPA (Major League baseball Players Association) couldn’t agree on a new bargaining agreement, the league entered a lockout. This means no transactions were allowed until a new bargaining agreement is decided upon. The stove was hot right before the lockout, and it’s expected to be hot when the lockout concludes. So here are some players to pay attention to when the lockout ends.
Clayton Kershaw
Kershaw has has a historic career so far with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but his time with the Dodgers may be coming to an end. Before the lockout, Kershaw was rumored to be in talks with the Rangers. This show that the Rangers are fully committed to winning in 2022. But the Dodgers have never had a problem with spending big money. Will Kershaw stay with his Dodgers, or join his former teammate Corey Seager with the Rangers?
Seiya Suzuki
Suzuki is a slugger from Japan that has been drawing major attention from MLB teams. Last season, the 26 year old hit .317, with a .433 on base percentage, .636 slugging, and a 1.039 ops. Suzuki is projected to transition well into the MLB, so let’s see if any buyers are willing to take a chance on the Japanese slugger.
Freddie Freeman 
Freeman has been a premier player in the league for years now. He has spent his whole career in Atlanta, and he finally has a ring to show for it. Freeman declined an offer from the Braves early this off-season, presumably because he wanted more money, but this opens the door for other buyers to try their had at a deal. The 5x all-star, gold glove, 3x silver slugger, and 2020 MVP still has a lot to offer at first base. Teams that are interested in Freeman include the Blue Jays, Dodgers, and Yankees. Will Freeman stay with his long-time team? Or will he join a new team in hopes of winning another ring?
Trevor Story
Everyone expected Story to get dealt at the deadline last season, but for some odd reason, he did not. After free agency started, everyone expected Story to sign with a different team because the Rockies have no need for him. The baseball world was yet again surprised when the rumors spread that the Rockies are interested in signing Story. Story has proven to be one of the best shortstops in the league, both offensively and defensively. It will be interesting to see if the Rockies resign Story, or if another buyer will be interested in getting a stud shortstop.
Carlos Correa 
Seemingly the biggest story line this off-season is where will Carlos Correa sign. Correa has made it clear that he is most likely not re-signing with the Houston Astros. This means that he will be taking his talents elsewhere. The gold and platinum glove winner will make a huge impact wherever he ends up. The Dodgers, Yankees, Mariners, Cardinals, Phillies, Blue Jays, Angels and Red Sox all have shown interest in the star shortstop, but we will have to wait until the lockout is over to see where he lands.


Is school the right place for the pledge?:

Schools around the world every day play the Pledge of Allegiance for their students and staff. The students are usually expected to stand and say the words with their right hand across their heart while looking towards the flag. At first glance you may not see anything wrong with this, but the more you look into the pledge, the more you see its faults. Before I start explaining my reasons for why the Pledge of Allegiance should not be enforced in schools I would like to state that this is in no way criticizing anyone who likes to participate in it but merely stating the faults within it.  
To start, the Pledge of Allegiance should not be enforced in schools because not every student has religious beliefs or beliefs in God. The pledge states “One nation under God.” The reason why this is not appropriate is because in this day and age people should not be forced to say that they are under something that they are against or don’t believe in. Part of America is having your own beliefs and thoughts on religion. It’s perfectly fine to believe in God and to practice that religion, but it’s also okay to not believe in it. Students should not be forced to vow under God every day. If that’s something you enjoy or support you can go to church to hear more about it, but public school is not the place. There is very little room for religious freedom, and that’s not okay. 
Another huge problem with the pledge is the line  “liberty and justice for all” when in fact there is not. On a daily basis, many people, especially black people, are killed because of their race. As if this wasn’t bad enough, school systems feed students lies with the pledge to convince them there is “liberty and justice for all.” According to ABC news, America’s police system have killed more than 100 children since 2015 in US. Often police officers are rarely held accountable for their actions. While the justice system fails to lock away a victim’s murderer, students every day pledge to the lies of justice in our country for our fellow peers. With justice there has to be liberty. Where was the liberty for the slaves when they were being tortured and beaten? Where was the liberty when segregation kept people of color suffering just so whites could be put on a pedestal? Liberty means the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views. If you were to ask someone in the LGBTQ community whether they had rights everywhere, sadly they would not be able to say yes. The pledge has lied to us and it’s time we recognize that in our school systems. 
A common misconception that people in America have about the Pledge of Allegiance is its about our military and soldiers who fight for the country. Even though it seems obvious, the pledge does not say anything about our military. On the other hand, The National Anthem is about the people who fought for our country. If our society wants to recognize the soldiers who fight for our country, maybe America should work on creating a new relevant saying for them. The lies aren’t going to cut it, though, and change in our school systems should happen soon.


When friends let you down – advice advocates #3:

Hello everyone!  It’s Willow and Ruthie, back at it again with another advice session. Today, we will be giving advice to a girl that was a victim racism because of the color of her skin. Despite the fact that her friends were standing near her as this was happening, they did not do anything to try to help the situation. 
The advice we were sent says “Recently, my friends and I were approached by a boy in our school that is a known racist. He started calling me, an African American girl, racial slurs like the N-word with the hard R. While these events were taking place, my friends made no effort in standing up for me. While we left the scene, I decided to confront my friends about not standing up for me, in which they responded, ‘Oh I’m sorry, next time we will do something about it if it happens again.’ They also, supposedly, blocked him on social media. About a week later I had heard that one of them unblocked him because he needed to ‘ask her a question.’ A part of me wants to believe that she will block him again right after said question is asked, but another part of me wants to end the friendship all together. What should I do?”
To start, if you are someone who does participate in saying slurs or uses them against people, we strongly advise you to stop. It is not funny and should be taken seriously. For decades people have been discriminated against because of their skin color, beliefs, or sexuality. If your friends hang out with people who partake in hate speech, then you should immediately recognize the red flags and let them know how it hurts people’s feelings. If they do not choose to stop, then they do not deserve your company. 
Next, say you do drop them, but they still decide to associate themselves with the boy. It is their choice to hang out with them, and unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about it. One thing that I (Willow) have learned is that you will act according to who you surround yourself with. If your friends keep hanging around with negative influences, they may not be doing anything to fit your best interest. If they are genuine friends and care about you they will not feed into the person that continues to put you in uncomfortable situations. One thing we would like to address in your story is the part where you said “my friends made no effort in standing up for me.” This is difficult to experience first hand, so your friends could have also been in shock (however, their choice to unblock your attacker is still not cool at all). Defending someone to another person can be extremely difficult because of the fact that people who carry the intent to purposely hurt your feelings rarely care about what you have to say, but this does not mean that we do not advise you to defend yourself. We completely support the idea of confronting your friends for their wrongs and holding the boy accountable for his actions. Just never waste time on people who don’t listen to what makes you uncomfortable. 
The moral of the story: stay away from people who do not do things according to your best interest. If someone is harassing you or calling you slurs, please let someone know what is happening. Whether it’s your school, parents, or friends. We have differences that should not be discriminated against. 
If this advice helped you please let us know, and if you have any questions, you can message us on our Instagram, @adviceadvocates, to submit your own issues.


Hiroshima: the Japanese perspective:

We often hear about the American perspective of history, with self-proclaimed justifications on choices the States made. But the question I have today is can we justify what happened at Hiroshima? Was a nuclear bomb warranted in comparison to regular WWII bomb attacks? Nagasaki will be discussed later in the secondary paragraph.
2,403 US Personal (68 civilians) were killed, 19 Navy ships (8 battleships) were damaged or destroyed, around 1,143 were injured. This was our self-justification for launching a nuclear bomb on a Japanese island. Emiko Okada was eight years old at the time of the nuclear bomb, her older sister was 12. Her sister had left for the day, and had not returned home, her parents searched for months upon months but never found her remains. When they died they sent out an official search warrant in hopes their daughter was alive and healthy. Emiko had profuse vomiting after the incident due to radiation; her hair fell out, gums bled, and she was far too ill to attend school. Her grandmother often lamented the suffering of her children and grandchildren, she prayed things like “How cruel, how so very cruel, if only it weren’t for the pika-don.” (pika-don is the phonetic name for atomic bomb.)
Yasujiro Tanaka was a mere three years of age at the time of the bombs being dropped, Tanaka was buried underneath rubble, his uncle found him unconscious, his face misshapen, his uncle was sure he was dead. Tanaka managed to survive, however, mysterious scabs formed on his body after and he lost hearing in his left ear. Tanaka has a few survivors in his family: Tanaka’s mother had found glass growing out of her skin (it was debris, more than likely melted into the skin from radiation), his younger sister suffers from chronic muscle cramps, and her kidneys make it so she has a dialysis three times per week. (She often wondered “What did I do to the Americans?” and “Why did they do this to me?”)
In my opinion, despite what happened, using nuclear weapons is never going to be justifiable. Children, born or unborn, are affected. And survivors have to experience the most horrific things, things that are beyond our imagination. Humans are cruel, there is no justification for a large amount of the actions we perform. The source is not mine, but there are many more stories from those who experienced this.


Students and faculty encouraged to get in the holiday spirit before break:

Christmas is just around the corner and the Corry students have a fun spirit week coming up that should get their festive week started in the right direction. Unlike most years, this year has a four-day spirit week that ranges from Friday, December 17 to Wednesday, December 22. 
The first day is Flannel Day, which is self explanatory: just wear your favorite flannel. The second day is Holiday Tradition day where you wear your favorite holiday colors. For example, Christmas colors (green and red), Hanukkah colors (blue and white), or Kwanzaa colors (red, green, and black). Up next is Christmas Vacation, of course, when you wear a Hawaiian shirt, a hula skirt, sunglasses, or any other beachwear or dress up as your favorite character from the movie “Christmas Vacation.” Then the last day is Ugly Sweater Day, which is, again, just like it sounds.
Various spirit weeks occur throughout the school year with different activities to do in that specific week. For the most part, everyone participates and is very creative with their costumes or wardrobe, making it a very memorable experience.


Answers:

Sicily, Italy 1919
“Gianna, darling, we mustn’t waste time.” Stefano looked at Gianna pleadingly, hinting that their daughter’s departure was unbearable for him as well, but time was of the essence. Gianna looked into the eyes of her five year old daughter and saw fear, yet a determination. It brought a sad smile to the young mother’s face.
“You will be safe in America my dearest Stella,” Gi paused, bending down to eye-level with Stella. “Please remember your papá and I. If nothing else, remember the love we will always have for you. I promise we will come for you,” her voice broke and she began to cry. “This does not make much sense to you now, but when you are older, you will come to understand.” Gianna reached into the pocket of her dress and pinned a small notecard written in both Italian and English onto Stella’s warm wool coat and held her daughter’s hand. Gianna noticed one word on the small slip of paper, “orphan.” She felt hot tears roll down her cheeks and her heart sink into the deepest pit of her stomach.
“Mami, why do you cry?” She asked in broken English.
“Oh no reason, my dear. I am just happy we are together,” Gi forced a smile to her face and kissed Stella’s soft cheek.
The ship’s fog horn sounded, rattling the thin bones in their bodies. Stefano reached down and scooped Stella into his weak, yet strong arms. “My angioletto, you are the sun and the stars of our universe. Whenever you miss us, look into the night sky and see the many stars that are above you. That, my sole, is how much your mami and I love you.” The three embraced for as long as they could. But the young couple had to say goodbye to their light and world. Their little Stella.
New Jersey 1919
Young Stella stood alone on the street. Tears streaming down her face, yearning for her mother’s warm embrace and her babbo’s silly jokes about chickens. Snow fluttered down, and trees with lights hung around the small town square.
An older couple appeared, wearing soft yet reserved expressions. “Are you alone?” The woman asked. Stella sniffled and nodded her head, pointing to the paper pinned on her coat. The woman, who’s deep brown eyes looked caringly at Stella’s black hair and hazel eyes, unpinned the paper and read it to her husband.
“Stella Russo, what a pretty name. I am Mildred. And this is my husband George.” George gave a curt nod.
“We will take care of you until your mother and father get here, okay?” Mammi and papá will be here soon? Stella nodded. George looked utterly suprised at what Mildred had just said, but chose not to reply.
Mildred reached down and tucked Stella’s small hand into her own and walked down the street, babbling about the store names and what dinner they would have when they returned home. Stella’s lip quivered at the mentioning of the word “home,” but said nothing. Instead, she looked into the dusk sky, searching for the stars and her mother and father’s faces.
New Jersey 1941 (Present Day)
Christmas music rang out from the record player on my desk. I swayed to the music as a I styled my shoulder-length black hair. My tan skin had more color than my mother and father had in the summer, and my hazel eyes held deep secrets no one knew.
“Italian,” that’s what my piano teacher referred to me as. I have always known I am different, there’s no doubt. Besides, I faintly remember what my birth mother and father looked like. My mother had beautifully contored cheeks that were pale yet full of life. Her hair was just like mine, and her eyes were a deep green, full of determination and love. I remember her soft words she sang to me on a warm day as we walked down a dirt path. And I remember her pain as she gave me a kiss goodbye the day I was put onto the boat. I remember my papá and his quick smile, or when he would tease mammi about her cooking. His hair was a deep black, yet his eyes were a bright blue, ready to liven up any room that needed it.
The weeks surrounding Christmas were most hard for me during the first few years of coming here to America. But over time, I realized that my place is here with my adoptive parents (the O’Connells). I read stories, cook with Mildred, and occasionally help in George’s publishing company. The smell of new paper and ink brings utter peace to my heart.
I got over the empty feeling in my heart of being different a while ago, but it wasn’t until I heard Milly and George talking in hushed tones in his office.
I went to walk into his office but heard Mildred sniffle and George say rather blandly, “Dear, it is time the girl knows. We cannot protect her forever. My company is losing workers because they are joining the war. We are losing money every day. I cannot keep us afloat much longer.” He paused before adding, “And I may be needed in the war.”
“No George, I cannot lose you.”
I couldn’t handle it anymore, so I knocked on the door. I heard them wiping away tears and George croak, “Come in.” I cautiously walked through the door with my eyes low. “Can I help you with anything?”
“No. I think you deserve a day off. Go home and enjoy today. Mildred will be home in just a little bit.”
I couldn’t meet their eyes as I walked out of his office. Snow floated down from the grey sky in soft twirls and landed on the bleak ground. Some snowflakes fluttered onto my eyelashes, but quickly melted. My breath came out in short fog-like clouds. When I finally reached the house, I let myself in and stood by the wood stove, pondering what I had just heard.
 2 weeks later
I awoke to the sweet smell of cinnamon buns cooling out on the table. My bedroom curtain was open, so I could see the snow heavily falling.
Christmas.
Even though I am 26 years old, I still threw off the covers, slipped on warm slippers and hastily walked downstairs. I saw Mildred and George enjoying their cinnamon buns at the table and quickly joined them.
“Good morning,” I said, eye-balling the gooey sticky buns.
“Good morning, dear.”
I was halfway through my sweet breakfast when George cleared his throat. “Stella…there’s something your mother–I mean Mildred– and I need to tell you.” He paused, and I noticed how shiny his eyes were, along with Milly’s. Mildred reached across the table and held George’s hand. From his lap, he set on the table a small wooden box, and slid it across the table to me. “Mildred and I should have showed you this a long time ago. But, we were too scared you’d realize things about yourself and…well, leave us.”
“We never meant anything to hurt you, please know that Stella,” Mildred looked as if she’d throw up at any second.
Shaking, I opened the wooden box, and pulled out a tattered piece of paper. My breath was coming out in quick, short bursts, and I started to read.
Our angioletto,
Stella. Oh how we long to hold you close. 
I know you have many questions, and your papá and I wish we could answer them for you. I hope we will…someday, when we are all together again. 
Do you remember when we told you to look into the sky whenever you miss us? The truth is, we told you that to make ourselves believe that somewhere far away, our beloved daughter will be looking at the same stars as us.  We will miss you, more than you will ever know. 
I am scribbling this note quickly before you board the boat because I cannot bear to send you away without knowing why we chose to send you to a foreign country…
You may not remember, but here in our Sicily, famine and war rip apart communities. Many nights we have gone to bed hungry, worried about our safety, and cold. Your papá was recently drafted to the war. I refuse to keep you in a dangerous environment, starving with hunger all because of my selfishness. If I could, I would go with you, but it took everything to buy you that ticket.
My heart breaks a little more every time you ask me, “Mammi, why do you cry?” in your mixed English-Italian voice. Darling, you are our world, never forget that. I hope when you finally read this you understand that we didn’t send you away out of spite, we sent you away to give you something we will not have in our lifetime: opportunity. America is the land of the free. Enjoy it. 
Please know we love you. I hope that this note is one we read together someday. I wish you the best. It is Christmas time here. I hope American Christmas captivates you. I would write more if I could, but the captain just called for last-minute-boarding. That is you, Stella. And this concludes the letter. If only I had two more minutes to explain more
Buon Natale,
Mammi and papá
By the end of the note, I was crying. Crying for believing that I was sent here to America because my parents didn’t care. I was crying because I never got to see my parents again. I cried because though they aren’t my biological parents, Mildred and George are my parents. They dried my tears, they sang bedtime stories to me, and they loved me through it all. I now appreciate something I wouldn’t have before: family. Whether blood family or not, family is family and we can’t ever let them go.
“Merry Christmas, mother and father.” I hugged them both tightly. And for the first time, I felt whole.


Top ten favorite Christmas characters:

With Christmas right around the corner, and since everyone is watching is Christmas movies, I’d like to share my favorite Christmas characters.
10. Buddy the Elf
9. Ralphie
8. Cindy Lou Who
7. Jack Frost
6. Rudolph
5. Ebenezer Scrooge
4. Linus van Pelt
3. Luther Krank
2. Oogie Boogie
1. The Grinch


Is “X-men: First Class” first rate?:

“X-Men: First Class,” released in 2011, is a prequel to the X-Men movie series that began in 1999. The movie begins with the stories of our main mutant characters, Erik Lennsher and Charles Xavier. When Xavier, a telepath, is contacted by a CIA agent  to learn more about mutants, he crosses paths with Lennsher, who has the power to control metal. The two join forces to defeat mutant Nazi scientist Sebastian Shaw. The two form a crew of powerful mutants to battle this threat.
Firstly, let’s talk about the film’s strong points. The actors do an incredible job at bringing the beloved characters to life. James McAvoy plays Charles with the nuance an empathetic genius requires, and Michael Fassbender brings grey morality and a sympathetic backstory to Erik. Another of the film’s positive qualities is the characters themselves. Again, Charles and Erik stand out. In the film, they go from best friends to adversaries in a very nuanced way, making the viewer feel for the character. Finally, the film has a beautiful set design, notably the X-Mansion and Shaw’s submarine.
Of course, the film also has its flaws. One thing that felt a bit loose in the film was character motivation. For example, Erik Lennsher is a Jewish man who was taken into the custody of Nazis, who murdered his mother and experimented on his mutant abilities. Obviously, the Nazis have a mindset of superiority, believing “Aryans” are better than Jewish people. Erik has been persecuted by these people for his faith and ethnic background, and he clearly despises Nazi ideology. However, near the end of the film, Erik adopts the mindset that mutants are superior to ordinary people, and should be “cleansed” from the world. It feels out of character, not to mention insensitive, for a Holocaust victim to fall into the ideology of his oppressors. Also, the movie wastes characters’ potential, namely Emma Frost. Despite her unique power set, Frost is treated more as arm candy for Shaw than her own autonomous person. Of course, there is nothing wrong with Frost being beautiful and fashionable, but she lacks authority over herself. This is insulting because her character has been a key player in the X-Men universe since her first appearance in 1980.
If you are an avid fan of comics, especially X-Men, I think you would enjoy this story and all of its complexities. If you are just getting into the X-Men world, this story may be too fast-paced and elaborate for you. To conclude, I would give this movie a solid three stars out of five.


“Arcane: League of Legends”? More like league of lesbians!:

The new Netflix series “Arcane: League of Legends” was released on November 6, 2021. The series is about a dangerous discord between the cities of Piltover and Zaun, also known as the Topside and the Undercity. The two main characters, Jinx and Vi, are sisters fighting on rival sides of a war between magic technologies and clashing convictions. While the main focus is on this war, there are sparks of romance. This series has queer-representing characters like Caitlyn, from Piltover, and Vi, from Zaun.
In many movies or series, queer relationships are forced and developed too fast.  A good example is “ELITE,” a Spanish series that involves the characters Rebeka and Mencía. These two met on the school campus on Mencía’s first day. About a day or two of Mencía being there, she invited Rebeka to a party. When Rebeka arrived, Mencía was already all over her. A short while after hanging out and talking, Mencía made a move on Rebeka that was way too early to do. Later in the series, still too abrupt, they formed a relationship and had begun to live together.
However, in “Arcane: League of Legends,” they do the quite opposite. The characters Vi and Caitlyn meet because of a case that Caitlyn is pursuing. In the following episodes, they are together a majority of the time. Typically, we would see queer characters already showing fondness for each other and/or romance between them. Instead, Vi and Caitlyn have a friendship bond first and small, small moments of admiration for the other. Among the chaos of the war, they are solely stuck on their mission. In other shows, it wouldn’t matter what was going on, they would still try and stick in a forced moment between the characters.
These characters were originally head-canon (which means not confirmed) lesbians by the fan base, but in recent events they have been confirmed by the voice actors and creator of the show. Fans could tell by specific moments that they were not straight. For example, Vi asked Caitlyn whether she preferred men or women. Caitlyn was then interrupted by a man and had to entertain the conversation, in a flirty way, for the case. She seemed very uncomfortable and forcefully talking to him. Later, she is seen having a conversation with a woman and seems much more comfortable and able to speak. This gave the fans the implication that she most likely preferred women. In Vi’s case, she is constantly giving Caitlyn complements, slightly romantic, and calling her pet names.
Others characters, such as Jayce and Mel, have had many years to form a bond that eventually lead into a relationship. They got to know each other and went through the friendship phase. Vi and Caitlyn only knew each other over the span of a week. If the creators had followed through with the typical movie/show queer relationship, they would have been using the stereotype that are placed on lesbian relationships: the idea that lesbians move too fast in a relationship.
Of course, the fans would have loved to see a romantic scene between Vi and Caitlyn, but most of them appreciate the fact that the creator is giving them time to kindle a spark.


Discrimination and homophobia during the AIDS epidemic:

The AIDS epidemic sparked waves of panic, fear, and homophobia. This was mainly targeted at gay men and caused even more homophobia than what existed already at the time. Discussing the misconceptions and hatred spewed during this epidemic is important, so said bigotry can be avoided in case of future situations.
HIV and AIDS was discovered in June of 1981. The first official case was reported on June 5 of that year in a weekly report. When the disease first broke out, it was most common within gay men, which of course fueled people’s bigotry and homophobia. An LGBT newspaper known as “The Bay Area Reporter” published a mention of “gay men’s pneumonia.” Some people even went as far as to refer to it as “gay cancer,” which is far from true and extremely cruel. The world’s eyes were focused on gays, so much so that they didn’t care that the virus had been detected in the bloodstream of injection drug users.
Several activists for the LGBT community rose up during this time to defend themselves and countering groups/people gave them much backlash and demanded to revoke their rights, choosing to blame them for the whole ordeal. On March 22, 1980, before the disease was officially seen, evangelical Christians created a petition to cease gay rights. When Ronald Reagan was elected, he was on the majority’s side, and refused to assist with the medical crisis. This caused more and more issues among the queer community.
The plague wasn’t all horrific, though. When no one else would, lesbians banded together and volunteered at hospitals to care for men who contracted HIV/AIDS. It is truly inspiring to see that no matter what, the LGBT community stuck together and kept fighting. The world hasn’t seen the last of bigotry during crisis; in recent times, Asian people have been victims of intense racism and blame for COVID-19. People need to do better and and not let their panic get the better of them and instead should fight the true issue: the virus itself.


What’s your favorite Christmas movie?:

When it comes to Christmas, one of the most famous traditions is watching holiday movies. Movies are a huge outlet for people to connect to. This holiday season I got a little curious and decided to ask people what their favorite Christmas movie is. I got some basic answers, but I also received some shocking ones I’ve never heard of. The following movies are some answers I collected.
“The Holiday Calendar”- Emmalee Carr
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”- Sydney Woods
“The Grinch”- Jonas Anthony
“The Grinch”- Luke Hurd
“Home Alone”- Jacob Gantz
“Elf”- Kaygen Rogers
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie”- Kendyll Chamberlin
“Polar Express”- Angie Cressley
“Its a Wonderful Life”- Mr. Carney
“Shrek the Halls”- Zach Turban
“Elf”- Mrs. DePaul
“Arthur Christmas”- Mr Brumagin
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie”- Mrs. Rose
“Polar Express”- Jenna Martin
“Jack Frost”- Mrs. Cragg
“Elf”- Mr. Knapp
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”- Mr. Krasa
“Home Alone 2”- Colten Woods
“Elf”-Aubrey Vanderhoof
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”- Isaiah Bayle
“Home Alone”- Sadye Dyne
“Christmas with the Kranks”- Ellie Curtis
“A White Christmas”- Mallory Dahlgren
“A Christmas Carol”- Cameron Ricketts
“Home Alone”- Brody Burlingame
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The movie”- Tori Kinney
“Elf”- Avery Sontheheimer
“Home Alone”- Mr. Cragg
“Elf”- Kota Kuzma
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”- Emry Passenger
“Elf”- Porter Kafflerin
“The Grinch”- Tyler Biondi
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”- Keira Knight
“Home Alone”- Addie Amy
“The Polar Express”- Kendall Passenger
“Santa Clause”- Mr. Morginstern
“Elf”- Mr. Bailey
“Elf”- Mr. West
“Home Alone”- Jackson Dyne
“The Grinch”- Officer Miller
“Polar Express”- Kyle Weisner
I had a lot of fun doing this survey, and asking others what their favorite Christmas movies are. I got some original answers, and I got some that were out of the box. I want to thank everyone who took time out of their day to answer my question.


Marine love, or being in a military relationship:

Have you ever been in a military relationship? If you have or are, it is not fun, but everything about it makes it special. My boyfriend and I are in a military relationship. He is in the United States Marine Corps. He left for boot camp on September 12, 2021 and he came home December 10, 2021.
To me it seemed like he was gone forever. We went from texting and calling every day, to not talking to each other for three months. I know it doesn’t seem long, but when you have no life like me, your boyfriend is the only thing that keeps you busy. I mean, I did have school, work, and our dog to keep my busy, but it wasn’t enough.
I counted down the days till he came home. Every day was a day closer to when I got to see him. We would send letters back and forth, but it was not enough for us. It was family day/graduation and he called me. I immediately started crying in the IMC. The sound of his voice was so nice to hear. The day after I talked to him I finally got to see him in person. After three months of not seeing someone you are clearly going to miss them.
It was around 12:30 in the afternoon on Saturday, December 11. He pulled into my driveway, and my mom told me to come outside. My cousin got her phone out and started recording. Before he could even step out of his car I already jumped on him. It felt so nice to finally hug him. I got to spend the entire day with him that day. I got to see his parents after three months, and it was one of the best feelings in the world. It felt like nothing had changed.


Wife kills spouse in “House of Gucci”:

Do luxury bags, marriage, and murder interest you? Recently I watched the new movie “House of Gucci” directed by Ridley Scott. “House of Gucci” is a crime drama that follows the story of characters Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) and Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) through the evolution of Gucci while getting to see the Gucci family legacy. Main character Patrizia Reggiani meets character Maurizo Gucci at a party. Soon after getting married into the Gucci family, Patrizia is seen as an outsider. Despite her perception by Maurizio’s family, her ideas for Gucci over the years take her and her husband Maurizio to the top, though they play dirty and cause the Gucci family to fall apart.
Every actor that was cast as their character did an incredible job. Lady Gaga had an especially amazing performance considering that she is new to acting in big movie productions. The audience really got to see the emotions through her character (Patrizia) and the evolution of her personality. Lady Gaga even kept a psychiatric nurse on set saying, “I was always Patrizia. I always spoke in my accent. And even if I was speaking about things that weren’t related to the movie — I wasn’t pretending that Maurizio was waiting for me downstairs — I was still living my life. I just lived it as her.” Another main character (Maurizo) played by Adam Driver, was at some parts likable or unlikable, and that’s how you know they did a good job in terms of getting the audience engaged. I could really feel the emotions of the characters and everything that they were saying looked like they genuinely meant it. Overall the acting was a 5/5.
Considering that the story line for House of Gucci is based off of real events it’s interesting to see the history behind it. Writer for the movie Roberto Bentivanga said, “I always wanted this to feel like the audience was watching a movie, I didn’t want it to feel like it was in any way near realistic or sort of kitchen sink drama, I really wanted it to feel heightened, and really bold and operatic.” Now this story did go on for about two hours and 40 minutes, so there was enough time to see the story progress and get more intense. Every event in the movie smoothly transitioned to the next, really capturing each event that leads up to the downfall of the Gucci family. If  you knew the history then you would know that Maurizio is killed by two hit men hired by his wife ending all ties of the Gucci bloodline owning property. This scene could have been more intense but it was very casual and happened rather quickly. One critique I would give to the story line would be to make longer scenes instead of just a bunch of short ones. Overall, I would give the story line a 4.5 / 5. Even though it was based on true events it still managed to be unique. 
The last thing I will be rating is the costume design for House of Gucci. I did have some sort of expectations considering that they were supposed to be wearing luxury clothing. One outfit that stood out to me was worn by Patrizia (Lady Gaga) during a ski trip. It was a red snow suit that really stood out because everyone else in the scene was wearing white. unfortunately I wish I would have got to see more creativity with Driver’s character Maurizio. The only thing that the audience really saw from him was plane suits. There is a fashion show scene in the movie where more outfits are showcased but seeing more creativity would have been interesting. I would give the costume design a 3.5/5 because there was a unique element there but still was something lacking. 
Overall, I give “House of Gucci” a 4 / 5. I would recommend this movie to people who enjoy dramatic movies or movies based on true stories. This definitely isn’t a movie for children because of the mature topics and themes involved in the movie. “House of Gucci” definitely lived up to the expectations set by the trailer and hopefully it could win some awards in the future.


Holiday memories from your Beaver Tales staff:

The Beaver Tales staff members were asked to share their favorite holiday memories, traditions, or what they were most looking forward to doing over the holiday break.
Cameron Brown: Going to my brother’s Christmas Eve and watching Christmas movies while drinking hot chocolate!
Jennica Chase: Spending time with my family; seeing family that comes home; being able to open one gift on Christmas Eve; watching Christmas movies the rest of the day.
Ariana Gilger: Opening one gift on Christmas Eve.
Ava Gjertsen: My favorite holiday memory is visiting my family in Indiana.
Kayla Hayes: Almost every year, my mom takes this long tube of fabric and puts little stocking stuffers into it with string knotted around each of the items to keep them separated. Each day leading up to Christmas, we open up a gift for that day with an increase in value after each day. It’s like a 12 days of Christmas or bonus stocking before Christmas happens.
Jenna Martin: I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my family, starting work, and snowboarding over break!
Emma Minnick: My favorite holiday tradition is drinking (nonalcoholic) Tom and Jerry’s because they are really good and always get me in the holiday spirit!
Trevor Raupach: My favorite holiday memory is getting an XboxOne.
Emma Reyda: My favorite holiday memory was when my brother and I would have slumber parties on Christmas Eve because we were both too excited for Christmas to sleep.
Reagan White: I plan to finish “The 100.”
MaKenna Moore: My favorite Christmas tradition is on Christmas night when my family and I drive to look at Christmas lights and drink hot chocolate. We always go that night every year, and it is so much fun. Seeing all the splendorous lights shining all around after a long day of Christmas cheer is the best feeling.
Haeleigh Bayle: A favorite holiday tradition/memory of Christmas is waking up to the smell of Monkey bread (it’s kind of like mini cinnamon rolls) being baked in the oven and, of course, getting to spend time with family later in the day.
Sea Geer: One of my favorite holiday memories is when I was really young I thought my mother had given me mac & cheese for Christmas and I was very excited. In reality she had just reused the box for wrapping purposes and it was actually a Furby that we could never get to work. The next year she actually got me mac & cheese for Christmas and all was right in the world.


Door decorating winners announced:

Gallery|20 Photos





							Mrs. Braswell						







Last Friday, December 17, the winners of the recent door decorating contest were announced. In third place was Mrs. Andrzejczak in room 29 with 57 points. Second place was Mr. Fourspring in room 94 with 58 points. And the winning door was Mrs. Braswell in room 60 with 59 points! Congratulations to these three winners.
When asked how it felt to win the contest, Mrs. Braswell responded with, “I was very surprised because I knew there were a lot of great doors. And I did not expect to win, that is for sure.”
The captivating door really entranced people as they walked by, and I heard many people say, “I hope this door wins” as I passed in the hallway.
Mrs. Braswell remarked that it took about a week to finish with the help of six students. The students who assisted with the props and door were: Taylor Greer, Isabella Burrows, Tyler Barry, Madison Braswell, Carson Braswell, and Ruthie Light. The idea of their door came from Pinterest, according to Mrs. Braswell.
The door decorating contest ended on a good note, and now the hallways are fully festive before students and staff head into break. Everyone’s doors look great and really show off the creativity and different takes on each door. Attached above this article are many pictures from this past third annual door decorating contest.


“Spider-Man: No Way Home” swings into theaters (spoiler-free review):

Finally, I have had the opportunity to see the long-awaited movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” This movie has been anticipated since the ending of the previous sequel “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” where Peter Parker’s identity is revealed by the villain Mysterio, accusing Peter of murdering him. Now in the final movie of the Homecoming trilogy, we get to see how Peter deals with his newfound fame and accused murder. 
Soon finding out that life is more chaotic than ever before Peter looks to his accomplice, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), for help asking him if he can create a spell that erases everyone’s memory of him being Spider-Man. During the spell, Peter tempers it with too many requests, causing villains who know other versions of Peter Parker to appear from the multiverse. Can he get them back, or do they have No Way Home? I will be reviewing and rating this movie on characters, cinematography, and entertainment value out of five. Before I get started I would like to clarify that this will be a spoiler-free movie review. 
The first thing that comes to mind when characters are mentioned are the villains that were brought back from previous Spider-Man movies, starring Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man. These characters are so special and iconic because it’s astounding to see villains you grew up with come back in a new light. I would especially like to recognize Willem Dafoe for his chilling performance returning as the Green Goblin. His sinister laugh still lives up to its alarming reputation 20 years later. The audience will even get to see some of the villains develop throughout the story. 
On the other side of the villains we have the heroes and allies. Considering that Marvel has put out movies with little-to- no character development for new characters, it’s really refreshing to see Peter Parker (Tom Holland) go through relatable things and keep developing throughout the Home trilogy. First starting out as a young teen now changing into a young adult, the character development for Peter Parker has been taken into great account. Another character I would like to recognize is MJ (Zendaya) for her take on the character. It’s different from what we’ve seen in past years, and she has a unique personality that people can relate to. That’s what makes characters likable when making a movie: having them have some sort of normality that the audience looks at and says ,“Hey, I know what that’s like,” or, “I’ve been through that.” In all honesty the characters in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” have a strong connection with the audience despite whether they are good or bad. I rate them a 5/5.
Cinematography in movies is usually what makes it come to life with lighting, camera angles, location, and setting. This is a Spider-Man movie, so I did have high expectations for the cinematography with either the swinging scenes or the shots of the fights. The audience gets to see many up-close swinging scenes with Peter and MJ starting right where the last movie left off. I really enjoyed this because with movies from other Spider-Man franchises the swinging was either super CGI or it wasn’t logically correct, but within “No Way Home” everything looked real. Another scene in the movie with great cinematography is of Peter in the rain looking distraught. You can see every detail whether it’s the light illuminating from the city, the rain falling onto his face, to the tears in his eyes. It really is a beautifully done shot that captures the emotions of Peter. I would give the cinematography a 5/5.   
 Though the cinematography was cool, Doctor Strange took the cake with the special effects. Even featured in the trailer you can see the effect of how his powers take shape. They created patterns and loopholes, constantly changing angles, making it look like Peter was falling through time and space itself. Everything about the scenes with Peter and Stephen Strange was executed uniquely and paid well attention to detail in the background of the scenes. You can definitely see the work that the editors put into the movie day and night to get it to theaters. Overall, I thought No Way Home had some of the most breathtaking scenes in Marvel cinematography and special effects history, and it deserves a 5/5. 
When it comes to entertainment value, I could describe No Way Home in one word: WOW! There was never a dull moment, and I was drawn in the entire time. Not only was I drawn in, but I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting for what was going to happen next. Honestly, you could walk into this movie not knowing anything about Spider-Man and still be blown away by the end. Most of the people going to watch were previous fans, though, so that makes it even more entertaining to watch. During some of the most intense scenes in the theater fans were going wild, cheering on the characters, really feeling a part of something that has been long-awaited. The film had the perfect mixture of comedy, action, and seriousness, and the reason the entertainment in this film is so good is because Tom Holland has really created his own sense of humor for Peter Parker that we don’t see with other characters in the MCU. One clip shown in the trailer of Doc Ock pinning Peter to a pillar thinking he is the Peter from his universe. As soon as Spidey takes off his mask, he realizes they’re not the same person saying, “You’re not Peter Parker.” As exciting this was to see in the trailer it was even more thrilling in the theater. To see these characters have this interaction is unreal and will always be amusing especially because of the humor they have. I would give the entertainment value of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” a 5/5. 
Fortunately, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” has been receiving the credit it deserves by the fans as well as critics. It has broken world records including the third-highest-grossing movies ever, making $600.8 million worldwide on its opening debut. Also, it’s the biggest worldwide hit since COVID started. So far the movie has made over one billion dollars and is now Sony’s biggest movie yet. Overall, I would give the movie 5/5. Tom Holland’s performance was so incredible and was one his best. I think It would be safe to say that he is the new face of the MCU. 
Some exciting news that producer Amy Pascal revealed is she plans on making a second Spider-Man trilogy and it’s in the works. If you’re able and it’s safe, make sure to go check out “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in theaters. Just remember: with great power comes great responsibility.


Beautiful Bailey:

Bailey is an eight-year-old black lab who enjoys catching flies, watching bunnies through the window, and getting hugs. She was adopted along with her sister, Princess, in 2016. She is a gentle giant, and she loves meeting new people. Her favorite toy is her pink and gray sock monkey. She is incredibly spoiled, and she has more toys than she knows what to do with!
Although Bailey is eight, she is still fun-loving and excitable! She is a social butterfly and wags every time she sees someone. Bailey dislikes loud noises, hot weather, and when she is home alone without any humans. She loves her sister, and the two are practically joined at the hip. Because Princess is blind, Bailey often has to help her out, so she takes on a very maternal role. She loves her sister and her family most of all!


Steelers thump the Browns in Big Ben’s last home game:

Ben Roethlisberger has been the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers for eighteen seasons. He made his debut in 2004 and has been the face of the Steelers franchise for the past eighteen years. On Monday night, he played what is most likely his last game in the city of Pittsburgh, so it is fitting that he beat the team that he has dominated his whole career, the Browns.
There was a lot on the line for the Steelers on Monday night. It was most likely Roethlisberger’s last home game, and they had to win to keep their playoff chances alive. The crowd had a lot to do with the Browns’ offensive struggles. TJ Watt said in his press conference after the game,”…it was truly an atmosphere I have never felt here [Pittsburgh] before… feeding off of each other, feeding off of the crowd, there is no atmosphere like Heinz Field.” Watt helped his Defensive Player of the Year campaign, ending the night with 4 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, 5 QB hits, and 2 passes defended. But Watt wasn’t the only star shining on the field Monday night.
On the other side of the ball, rookie running back Najee Harris looked like the star he is projected to be. Harris ran for 188 yards on 28 carries, adding 37 yard touchdown run to seal the game. Harris broke the Steelers’ record for rushing yards by a rookie in a single season, with 1172 yards on the season with one game left. The record was previously held by Hall of Famer Franco Harris. So Harris joins good company in the record books.
Even though the Steelers’ 2021 season is widely considered to be a disappointment, their playoff hopes are still alive if everything goes their way. To make the playoffs, the Steelers need to beat the Ravens next Sunday, paired with a Jacksonville win over Indianapolis, and the Raiders and Chargers cannot end the game in a tie. It is a very specific scenario, but it is very possible that it can go the Steelers’ way. Indianapolis has not won a game in Jacksonville since 2014, but the Jaguars will have to play their best game of the season to knock off Jonathan Taylor and the Colts. It will be interesting to see how the end of the season plays out, and let’s see if the Steelers can go to the playoffs one last time for their future hall-of-famer, Big Ben Roethlisberger.


The deadliest earthquake, a devastating power:

The most devastating earthquake ever recorded struck China, killing an overwhelming amount of people, and it became considered the worst disaster.
On January 23, 1556, a large earthquake occurred in Shaanxi, China, and killed an estimated 830,000 people. The earthquake struck late evening, in a less wealthy area, with a magnitude of 8.0 to 8.3, which makes it the most death involving a disaster or war in history. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Wei River Valley in the Shaanxi Province, near the cities of Huaxian, Weinan ,and Huayin. In Huaxian, every single building and home collapsed, killing more than half the residents of the city, a number estimated in the tens of thousands. It was a similar story in Weinan and Huayin.
In some places, 60-foot-deep crevices opened in the earth. Serious destruction and death occurred as much as 300 miles away from the epicenter. The earthquake also triggered landslides, which contributed to the massive death toll. Even if this was over-exaggerated by a bit, it would still be considered the most deaths, and the aftershocks even went to the next morning.


The super Sammy:

Sammy is a seven year old Siamese feral cat. He was originally an only pet, but was given to a new home inhabited by a dog (Olivia) and another cat (Daisy).
He gets along with his housemates for the most part, but tends to play fight with Daisy and chases Olivia around often. His hobbies include napping in other people’s beds, swatting at everyone’s feet when they walk by him, and trying to escape the house whenever the door opens.
He’s a morning guy, and you can typically find him at this time waiting by his food dish begging for food, even when he’s just eaten. Sammy is also quite friendly and never passes an opportunity to be pet by someone new. Overall, he’s a wonderful pet and an even better companion.


End of semester panic:

An aura of anxiety and stress fills the school. The students of Corry Area School Middle-High School have gone into panic mode due to the amount of work the end of the school semester brings them. As the first half of the year comes to an end, with it comes the panic and stress of midterms and standardized testing. Students are using all parts of their brains to sort things out and figure out all of their subjects they have to test in, compacting all types of knowledge into their head at once.
Students have similar thoughts about the approach of midterms. Ninth-grade student Aubrey Vanderhoof said, “I’m very stressed out from the thought of taking the tests, and all the studying.” Sydney Woods agreed and said, “I don’t believe that the midterms are worth doing because they are very stressful for everyone.”
As the first semester comes to an end, teachers are throwing in as many tests and lessons as possible. Not only do students have to worry about getting last minute assignments and tests turned in and done, they also have the worries of midterms and other standardized tests approaching. Students are now studying non-stop trying to retain as much information as they can. This causes them loss of sleep and an enormous amount of stress laid upon them.
When asked how they feel towards midterms, freshman Payton McCray said, “Midterms make me hate school, and not wanna come.”
Students aren’t the only ones who are going through this catastrophe. Teachers have been planning and preparing all their students for this and are the ones creating the tests and curricular activities. Teachers are stressed over getting all their grades in and still preparing lessons for their students. The end of the first semester is very stressful for everyone at Corry Area High School. Midterms are the main focus for students right now because even though they are only 8% of your grade, those midterm questions are usually what some of the Keystones questions are going to look like, so the midterms are not only taking up 8% of your grade they are also preparing and refreshing your mind for the big test towards spring. Midterm testing is the mainstream of testing when the first semester ends, and that’s also why students tend to work harder on studying for that then doing most of their regular assignments. The end of the semester kind of feels like an end of an era. We are now halfway through the year; it’s like a new world.


“American Underdog,” an inspiring sports journey:

Recently I got the opportunity to watch “American Underdog.” I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys sports or just enjoys an inspirational movie.
Kurt Warner, played by Zachary Levi, played football in high school and in college but then had to wait many years to play in the NFL. He got a deal with the Packers but then got cut the first day of being there. Then eventually gave in to playing in what’s called the Arena Football League, which was not very well known. (That is a small organization where you play football in an arena). There he got noticed by some NFL coaches and then got signed to the Rams.
It was a hard journey to get there. Warner married a woman with two children who he immediately fell in love with. He met his wife Brenda at the bar and it took a lot of convincing for them to get together. Overall this was a great movie.


Wrestling highlight: Corry Beavers vs. Maplewood Tigers:

On Wednesday January 5, Corry’s boys wrestling team went face to face with the Maplewood Tigers. The match was a white out, but more importantly it was senior night. This year our seniors consist of Hayden Linkerhof, Hunter Savitz, Damion Kinney, Kayden Reyda, and Xavier Reyda. Our boys put 150 percent into their performances after years of hard work. Which all was shown off within their performances at the event.
The night started off with the weight class of 120 continuing until 160. There were a couple forfeits seeing how Maplewood was missing some of their teammates. The night was filled with vigorous battles between the pairs. Every boy from both teams put up an amazing battle on the mat as well as off. The sportsmanship was above and beyond on both sides among the boys, coaches, and the supporters in the stands. The environment was beyond astounding, especially when one of our boys got the pin.
The night came to an end with the final score of 51-9 Corry.  Congratulations to all the boys on their win Wednesday night. But I have to give special recognition to our five seniors, who have worked extremely hard over the years to get to where they are today.  A final congratulations to our Corry Beavers for taking the victorious win against the Maplewood Tigers.


Is the new Disney diversity being recognized?:

Disney hasn’t been very good with depicting diversity in the past. Movies like “Aladdin,” “Peter Pan,” “Fantasia,” “Pocahontas,” and many more all have damaging stereotypes about Arab and Native American culture, as well as slavery. In recent years Disney has expanded on movies for people of color (POC), but there are still faults that should be fixed. With recent representation of Hispanic, Asian, and other POC culture/characters, fans of these movies have been missing the point by a long shot.
Instead of focusing on the story and the important pieces of it, fans (usually white people) try to figure out if a character in the movie is apart of the LGBTQ+ community. Of course, LGBTQ+ representation is important, but POC rep is the focus of the movies and should not be ignored.
The movie “Encanto” came out on November 24, 2021. It is about a teenage girl named Mirabel who is surrounded by family members with extraordinary powers and struggles to find a place with them because of her lack of a miracle. Abuela (the grandmother) puts high expectations on each of the members with powers, expecting them to be perfect. Isabella (Mirabel’s sister) is planning to marry a man named Mariano. She doesn’t seemed  thrilled to marry him but she tries to follow through because she is putting the family first. Certain people interpret the fact that Isabella doesn’t want to marry Mariano because she “has to be a lesbian.” Many of the people viewing it this way are not Hispanic and don’t understand the pressure of Hispanic expectations. Just because she doesn’t want to marry this man does not mean that she is not interested in men.
The musical “Hamilton” is based around the founding fathers and important people who fought in the American Revolution. In this musical, the entire main cast is played by POC. The purpose of this is to create diversity and give it a modern spin, considering how most people back then were white, racist, and slave owners. Instead of fans realizing how monumental and beautiful it was, they went straight to guessing the characters sexualities. Considering this took place in 1776, these characters would not be very accepting of these sexualities anyway.
Our last movie to talk about is “Mulan.” Mulan’s father is drafted into a dangerous war, and she is not ready to let that happen. During the night, she steals his armor and plans to take his place. She disguises as a man to fool the captain, and it works very well. In the process of winning the war, she falls in love with the captain. Some viewers, once again, took it into their hands to shift the story’s point. Because Mulan dressed as a man, some think that she is transgender. That is not the case at all. She decided to do that to save her father, not because she wants to be a man. Also, stereotypically, Asian women are seen to be hyperfeminine, as shown in the beginning of the movie. Just because she tends to be more masculine does not mean she is a man and assuming so enforces those stereotypes on gender, sexual orientation, and race.
In conclusion, both LGBTQ+ and POC representation are important, but let’s not ignore one representation by trying to insert another. They both need their time to shine, and it can be upsetting when people are completely missing the point of the story just because they want to be included.


Top ten stories you’ve (probably) read in English class:

If you’ve ever been forced to read books in English, then you know the pain of not wanting to read a book. However, every once in awhile there’ll be a book or story that’s not too bad. As someone who has read many stories for English classes, here are the top 10 stories that you’ve read/will read in class.
10. “Hatchet” — 5th grade
9. “The Raven” — 9th grade
8. “Number The Stars” — 6th grade
7. “Of Mice and Men” — 11th grade
6. “The Giver” — 7th grade
5. “Romeo and Juliet” — 9th grade
4. “The Great Gatsby” — 11th grade
3. “Medea”  — 10th grade
2. “The Catcher In The Rye” — 11th grade
1. “Tuck Everlasting”– 6th grade


Advice for you in 2022:

New Year means a new you. Usually on New Year’s the pressure for having new goals stays on the back burner and people ignore them until the next year. In this week’s article, we will be giving you advice on how to make 2022 a good and healthy year. If you would like to know how to make this year better than the last, then keep reading. 
First, we will be talking about staying motivated for the next 12 months. Staying motivated is one of the most important things to be because it’s the first step to being more active and healthy all together. So how do you stay motivated? Well, you could try writing down events, goals, or chores you have in a planner, calendar, notebook, etc. Writing down events and goals can help you become more excited to be productive. Writing down critical tasks like the ones listed above can be especially helpful for people in school because if you end up forgetting to get your homework finished, it could become a huge burden of stress in your life. Also, you will find that remembering to turn assignments in on time leaves more time to relax and do things you enjoy outside of school. School can make staying motivated hard with all the stress of grades and assignments. If you stay on track, whether it’s now or months ahead, you will notice school becoming less stressful overall. 
The second step to having a good year is to be less judgmental and more carefree. One thing that I (Willow) have learned is holding grudges against someone can create a really unhealthy atmosphere for you and those around you. Carrying that weight of being angry at someone can ruin your year entirely. We encourage everyone reading this to think back to all the people that did something shady or hurtful to you and learn to forgive and forget. This doesn’t mean we think you should have to associate yourself with those that hurt you, just don’t let events in the past damage your future. When you move on from the circumstance that caused you to be sad or angry, you will feel the weight of it lift off your shoulders. Also, being judgmental can affect having a carefree year. When you’re judgmental it could mess up your entire mental health. All being judgmental is doing is filling up your head with bad thoughts. If you pick up a habit of judging people then it could wear off on your friends too, so try to just worry about the people who make you happy. 
Lastly, keeping yourself entertained with a new hobby could completely change your way of life. When you find a new hobby to enjoy, it opens up more possibilities. For example if you find a new interest you could make new friends, find a new passion, have more motivation, and just feel more excited overall. On the other hand it can even benefit your mental health by relieving stress, making new challenges, allowing you to explore your talents, and encouraging you to take a break. Finding a new hobby does not have to be pricey. Some affordable hobbies that anyone can enjoy or pick up could include painting, baking, writing, drawing, hiking, origami, exercising, and much more. The good thing is that the possibility for something new is endless. You could change your hobby every month, week, or year all depending on when you want to try something new again. Overall, having a hobby can add layers to your life and identity. They give you something to be excited about. So do yourself a favor and find an enjoyable hobby. 
For the new year of 2022 don’t forget to keep your motivation high, be less judgmental, more carefree, and to find a new interest. It is important to stay true to yourself throughout all of this and if 2022 doesn’t go as planned, there’s always next year. If you need any advice about relationships, friendships, or anything at all, make sure to message us on @adviceadvocates on Instagram. Happy New Year!


Top 10 local pizza places.:

Who doesn’t like pizza? I know I certainly do. Pizza is one of the most classic, go-to foods to eat. With pizza being such a popular choice, this creates the dilemma on which place to get the best pizza. This is why I’ve compiled a short list on my favorite local pizza places.
10. Willa’s Pizzeria
9. Fox’s Pizza
8. Pizza Hut
7. Crosby’s Pizza
6. Fat Monn’s Grub
5. Little Ceaser’s
4. Augie’s Pizza
3. The Library Bar and Grill
2. Waterford Pizza and More
1. Pizza Express
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Marvelous Mrs. Matson-Warner:

Lately, I have had the opportunity to interview Mrs. Matson-Warner who started teaching Spanish here at Corry in December. Though she is Mrs. Egli’s substitute, she does hope to continue her career here at Corry. She may be a Spanish teacher now, but she actually has a teaching certification in health & phys ed. She said, “…I often would be given Spanish substitute jobs at my old district (South Williamsport School District). Then I worked as a long-term substitute for their Spanish teacher before moving to this area. So I just kind of fell into teaching Spanish.” Now, of course Mrs. Matson-Warner knew Spanish very well in order to teach it.
I proceeded to ask Mrs. Matson-Warner if she ever went on a trip to somewhere dealing with Spanish-speaking. She  then told me, “My late father-in-law lived in Mexico for a while and I visited him and his partner who is Chicana. I also have traveled to Key West and used Spanish there.  My best friend lives outside of Tampa and when I visit her (used to be about once a year) we use Spanish.” I have to say, that is super cool!
Because she is a teacher, I had to ask the question: did you always want to be a teacher? To that, she answered yes. She mentioned how both of her paternal grandparents taught at Jamestown Community College, and how she used to help her grandfather grade English papers. She said, “There are lots of childhood pictures of me ‘teaching’ my stuffed animals and sister.”
Moving away from job-related questions, I asked what her favorite food was. She responded with peanut butter. “Even right out of the jar on a spoon,” she added. Her preferred subject in school was health class, and her favorite movies are the “Lord of the Rings.” Her favorite holiday is actually Yule, which is observed on the winter solstice. Her biggest pet-peeve is, “probably when someone is rude.” I continued on and asked if she had any pets. She answered, “I have a short hair orange kitty named Merry and a Maine Coon kitty named Pippin.” Pets are always nice companions to have around the house.
I then moved onto the topic of what hobbies she has outside of teaching. Mrs. Matson-Warner likes to spend time outside, be with family and friends, and read. She also mountain climbs, which I find very interesting. Her favorite vacation place is going to a camp she has in the Adirondacks. That sounds amazing! Her cherished childhood memory was camping with her family. One very interesting fact about Mrs. Matson-Warner is that her mother’s side is almost completely Swedish, so she can actually speak some Swedish.
Overall, it has been very nice hearing some fun facts about Mrs. Matson-Warner and getting to know her. Thank you for being willing to be interviewed, and on behalf of the student body, we hope you enjoy Corry High!


Top 10 quarantine songs:

This year has been one of the craziest, and with a few months of being stuck inside, there’s no doubt that staring at the same walls all day might drive people a little crazy. With not much to do, I relied on one of my favorite time passers: music. Quarantine was the perfect time to explore my music taste, and that’s exactly what I did. I jammed out, studied, and even cried to a lot of music. Here are some of my favorite songs that occupied my playlist during quarantine.

girl in red- “midnight love”
Melanie Martinez- “Lunchbox Friends”
Mother Mother- “Love Struck”
The 1975- “Chocolate”
Kanye West- “Heartless”
Daniel Caesar, H.E.R.- “Best Part”
Yungblud- “Weird!”
Pentatonix- “Can’t Sleep Love”
BTS- “Pied Piper”
Gustavo Santaolalla- “The Choice”


The mystery creature:

Every night around 8:00 P.M. a loud cluttering noise comes from the large brick house on the end of 45th street. All the neighbors are struck in wonder of what happens at that hour each night. The old man Mr. Ferguson who lives there has a little visitor every night that makes a ruckus under his antique rug from the 1700’s. Mr. Ferguson has tried to capture the creature, but it always seems to disappear once he has it in his grasp. Mr. Ferguson has made multiple plans in order to capture the small beastly creature, but his plan always backfires. He has never seen the creature or heard the noises it makes. All he sees is its small body rummaging around under his carpet causing chaos to break loose throughout the whole living room. Not this time though. Mr. Ferguson has got a plan that can’t backfire. This plan will be the game winning catch.
Mr. Ferguson sits in his large brown recliner that looks like it’s older than dirt and listens to his ancient clock. Tick, tick, tick. The clock’s hands seem to be moving slower than ever before. 7:55…7:56…7:57. The plan is about to be put in motion. Mr. Ferguson’s stomach feels like a bouncy house at a children’s party. His nerves start to kick in. Tonight will be the night he unmasks this creature.  Finally after years of torture and pain, it will all end.
Tonight. 7:59, its almost time just a minute away from victory. Thump! A loud thumping sound vibrated Mr. Ferguson’s feet. It was here. The clock struck eight. The creature is right on time. In the corner of his eye he sees a small lump laying underneath the middle of the vintage carpet. He is ready to pounce.
In only a matter of time old Mr. Ferguson was laying on the rug wrestling the small creature with all his might. The creature broke out into a screech, and then started to bite through the carpet. Mr. Ferguson heard a tear come from the arm of his light blue flannel, and all the sudden dark red blood started oozing from his pale skin. Mr. Ferguson broke out into hysteria, and then decided enough was enough. No more plan. He ripped the disoriented rug. As he lifts the carpet, boom. Nothing’s there. It was like the carpet disintegrated right in his hands. The house was completely silent.
Nothing was in sight. The living room looked as if a hurricane had paid a visit. The small creature was nowhere in sight, and neither was the rug. But then all the sudden a loud creek echos through the house. Chills go down Mr. Ferguson’s spine to the  point where his baby hair on the back of his neck are sticking up poker straight. He turns every which way checking for the creature in all places. Then all the sudden a wet goo trickles onto his head.  He looks up but nothing is there. He hears a loud breathing sound from behind him, and when he turns around to check the rug was already covering his waist sucking him into the abyss. The rug swallowed Mr. Ferguson up in one swoop. The rug soon fell to the ground as if nothing happened.
The house went back to its neat and organized self. The rug lies ready for its next victim.


South Dakota cracks down on abortion medications:

Later this month, people in South Dakota will face more intensive hurdles in the fight for abortion rights. Previously, medication abortion could begin 72 hours after a professional has met with the pregnant patient. The patient will then take medication that blocks progesterone, a hormone that helps to maintain pregnancy, causing the uterus to flush its contents.
These medications have previously been available through doctor discretion, however, on January 6, South Dakota lawmakers ruled that people seeking these medications must go to an abortion facility in person. This change makes South Dakota the first state to require a visit to obtain abortion medications.
South Dakota governor Kristi Noem (R), voted in support of the restrictive laws in September of 2021. In December 2021, the FDA lifted some of these regulations, but the South Dakotan Rules Review Committee voted to have the restrictions reinstated.
Department of Health attorney Ali Tornow claimed the purpose of the restrictions was to, “…protect the health and safety of women in South Dakota by requiring in-person dispensing of both medications.” However, pro choice advocates, including South Dakota physicians and Planned Parenthood officials, deemed the rule “risky” and “unnecessary.”
Governor Noem looks to make these restrictions permanent, stating, “I look forward to the day when the life of every unborn child is protected in South Dakota.” The future of abortion in South Dakota is uncertain, but for now, it is the only state to enforce these rules onto medication abortion.


When Winter Comes Around, a poem:

When Winter Comes Around
 
When winter comes around
We expect piles of snow
The wintry wind is a wondrous sound
Yet we still mumble and grumble
 
Nothing is ever good enough for us
We want more
and more
Until we want so much from everything,
we end up losing it all
 
When winter comes around
We complain it is too cold,
or it’s too bland and not profound–
but do we ever stop
and listen to the swirls of the snow
or the twiddle of the snow bird?
 
We only think of our gloom
Not of nature’s beauty,
like the clear,
dazzling icicles that hang from houses
We should be in awe.
 
When winter comes around,
let us surround
Our families,
Our friends,
and lives with happiness and hope
let us do this every time
that winter comes around


Top ten furry companions:

Every day someone is thinking about getting a pet. They’re siting there wondering what kind of pet they want to get. When we got my cats we were debating on what kind of animal to get. Well here is a top ten list of furry companions you could get.
10. Ants
9. Rabbit
8. Mice
7. Guinea Pig
6. Turtle
5. Hamster
4. Fish
3. Birds
2. Cats
1. Dogs


Top 10 Holidays:

This month is October which means Halloween, and many might say that is one of the best holidays. Here is my list of the top ten best holidays:
10. Valentine’s Day
9. St. Patrick’s Day
8. Father’s Day
7. Mother’s Day
6. Thanksgiving
5. 4th of July
4. Easter
3. Halloween
2. New Year’s Eve
1.Christmas


Thank you for being a friend:

Just before the new year sprang upon us, our beloved Betty White passed away at 99 years old, only a few weeks away from hitting 100. To honor Betty White, I will be reviewing the show “The Golden Girls,” that aired on September 14, 1985. The show is an American sitcom that happens to be one of many that have been watched for generations and loved by both young and old. This classic has been streamed through the television for so long to give new generations and older ones a show to love together.
The show stars Betty White as Rose Nylund, Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux, and Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo. The main four are older women who all live together, experiencing their golden years together, facing troubles and solving dilemmas of everyday life. They occasionally butt heads, but are still there for each other through thick and thin. 
The show is well done, and I have always held a special place in my heart for this show because of the memories that I shared with my family while watching. I have memories of watching the show with my mom or my grandparents because the show was very popular back in the mid to late 80s and 90s. This show is about four women in their “golden years” and is dated back in the 1980s, so if you’re not into that then it might be hard for you to get attached. For anyone around the ages of being a child and a teenager could possibly have a hard time liking the show. But despite it being an old show it was very well written and shouldn’t be cast aside because of its age.
It’s family friendly and can be enjoyed by all ages. I give the show a 5/5 rating and would recommend this show to anyone who likes sitcoms, comedy, and drama.


The Roman Empire, inside and out:

In the beginning of the 18th century, The Roman Empire started as a simple town by the Tiber River in Central Italy before turning into an empire that consumed most of Continental Europe, Britain, a large portion of Western Asia, Northern Africa, and the Mediterranean Islands.
Romans created a lot of languages, including the languages of romance, such as: Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian. All are derived from Latin, even things like the current Western Alphabet, the calendar, and the emergence of Christianity. For 450 years Rome was simply considered a republic, but during the time of Julius Caesar, Rome became an entire empire. The first emperor, Augustus, had led Rome in a time of peace and prosperity before it fell, becoming one of the most drastic implosions throughout time itself.
The origin of Rome is a legend of the twins that were the sons of Ares, who was considered the Roman god of war. In the legend, Rome was founded in 735 B.C. after the twins Romulus and Remus were left to drown in a basket at the Tiber by a king of Alba Longa, a nearby kingdom. Rescued by a she-wolf, the twins lived and even ended up defeating the king, and then creating a city on the river banks.
Rome was even an anarchy, but it was actually a republic in the early days and on because of an incident, and they made it so two different people would act as the “President” in a way, but having two made it so they were punishable by the other. They were elected by the people to be put in place, but at the same time they all come from a place of political power, and it had taken quite some time in order to make it so lower class could be elected into the position.
In my opinion, Rome was the peak of overall humanity, technology progressed, and certain things from then were fixed. However, humans themselves have become far less open to change, or the concept of indifference.


Top 10 Broadway musicals:

Who doesn’t love singing along to their favorite musical? Live from New York City hundreds of musicals are performed every month on Broadway. Ever since I was little I have always loved to sing and dance. Being able to watch others perform and share the same music passion I have is pretty amazing. Here is a list of my top ten favorite Broadway musicals:
10. “Cats”
9. “The Lion King”
8. “Phantom of the Opera”
7. “Newsies”
6. “Rent”
5. “Les Misérables”
4. “Mamma Mia”
3. “Wicked”
2. “Dear Evan Hansen”
1.  “Hamilton”


COVID-19 strikes again:

COVID cases are getting high and people are getting quarantined. I’m going to give my opinion on a few ways we can stop it. People are getting called down to the offices and getting told “you’re going home because you have been a close contact,” and we can stop it, but nobody knows how, so now I’m going to give a few ways to stop the COVID outbreaks.
First, cancel school games or limit how many people can go to them. Second, do online or hybrid school so that so many people aren’t going to be close together. Thirdly, try not to get in big groups.
If people can stop doing all that, then we can try to stop people from having to quarantine! Who would have thought that someone would have to go on google meet, zoom, or even canvas? Nobody likes doing that, so everyone should follow the COVID-19 procedures such as: washing hands well,  socially distancing, and even wearing your masks over your nose in public places. You can prevent spreading COVID by getting the vaccine or the booster shot. So many people are getting sent to hospitals or even dying from this virus. We can do this!


Who is the best character from “The 100”?:

“The 100” is a very complicated show ranging from fighting among men to fighting aliens in another world. Most of the characters have had their bad moments: turning on each other, murdering an ally, and much more. The following characters are the best my opinion!
10. Lincoln
9. Raven Reyes
8. Lexa
7. John Murphy
6. Charmain Diyoza
5. Gaia
4. Ilian
3. Dr. Gabriel Santiago
2. Monty Green
1. Emori


Top ten candy bars to get while trick-or-treating:

Trick-or-treating is one of the few times a year I let myself pig out on chocolate. So when I get handed a candy bar, I’m expecting it to be a good one! Off-branded, 6 month old, smashed candy is a definite deterent for me when looking through my trick-or-treat bag. Below I have listed the worst to best candy bars to get when wanting to satisfy your sweet tooth.
10. Baby Ruth chocolate bars- There’s not really a specific reason why I don’t like this one, it just never hits the spot.
9. Butterfinger- The way the carmelized stickiness clamps to your teeth like super glue is what makes this one of my least favorite candy bars. I don’t like to have to work extremely hard to open and close my mouth when eating chocolate.
8. Almond Joy- For me to eat one of these I would have to be really hankering chocolate, as I’m not one to voluntarily eat coconut. It has to be just perfectly mixed in if I’m going to be eating it.
7. Twix- Normally Twix are pretty good, but sometimes they can be a bit much with not only the messiness of it, but the amount of caramel that is used in them. However, I do enjoy them quite a bit.
6. Three Musketeers- In the Three Musketeers, what really makes me want to eat these is the softly whipped marshmallow inside. I love chocolate and marshmallow together!
5. Milky Way- Milky Way’s are a very nice treat because of the chocolate and caramel in them. The malt nougat, however, adds to the quality of this tasty treat.
4. Hershey’s- Whenever I eat a Hershey’s I truly enjoy it because they are made with the right ratio of sweetness and creaminess. Hershey’s has just enough of the sweetness mixed in with the dark coco flavor to make sure you only eat small portions at a time.
3.  Resee’s Fast Break-  A Resee’s Fast Break is like a sliver of heaven in your mouth. You have the salty pretzel pieces, perfectly proportioned into a caramel layer, accompanied by peanuts, peanut butter, and a silky chocolate.
2. Kit Kat- Kit Kat’s are created to have the perfect snap and ease of chewing! These candy bars provide a quick, small way to satisfy that sweet-tooth, without letting you do too much damage.
1. Snickers- Snickers have always been my favorite because of the gooey caramel on the inside, mixed with a slight crunch from the peanut, which is also mixed in with the perfect sized nougat, and wrapped to the perfect amount in chocolate. This candy bar relieves any sort of stress, I promise!
Thank you for reading about my top ten favorite candy bars! What are your favorite Halloween candy bars?


Pennsylvania fun: top ten things to do in PA:

Pennsylvania is not a very popular state. Here are my top ten things to do in PA.
10. Go to Philadelphia
9.  Go to Pittsburgh
8. Go to Hershey
7. Go to Valley Forge
6. Go to Lancaster
5. Go to Erie
4. Go to the Delaware Water Gap
3. Go to the Poconos
2. Go to the Allegheny National Forest
1. Go to Gettysburg


Top 10 candy picks:

As Halloween approaches, people’s favorite seasonal candy comes out for their only appearance in the year. Although many prefer the year-round candy, there are some seasonal ones that spike sales. Everyone has different preferences and opinions on their favorite candy. Below I have listed my top ten favorite candies.
10. Nerds
9. Sweet Tarts
8. Rolos
7. Cadbury Mini Eggs
6. York Peppermint Patties
5. Snickers
4. Hershey’s Candy Bar
3. Peanut Butter M&M’s
2.  Kit-Kat
1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups


Lake effect snow in Corry:

Lake effect snow is created when super cold air moves across the Great Lakes and picks up extra moisture and warmth from warmer lakes. Lake Erie is typically the only Great Lake that freezes over completely by the end of winter, but when there is open water added warmth and moisture make up of shallow convection or snow showers resulting in lake effect snow. 
Recently, you might have gotten many warnings on your phone or local news channels that we would be having lake effect snow in Erie County. This year, Corry has barely gotten any snow, and that is rare because most of the time there is snow on the ground for five months out of the year. Unfortunately, there wasn’t even snow on Christmas, but after weeks of not seeing barely any snowfall Corry has been struck by snowfall. How are the students at Corry Middle High School being affected, though?

 It’s safe to say that the majority of the students and staff at Corry Middle High School were hoping for some sort of delay. Surprisingly though Corry has not seen one yet. Even though the roads are slippery and its 9 degrees outside students are still up and running. This is concerning because many students walk to school from a far enough distance. Another issue if there were a delay or early dismissal is the district would have to make the choice of leaving some children home alone or keeping them there. Leaving a young child home alone could almost be as dangerous and worrying as slippery roads. 
On top of the worry of the snow, the COVID numbers are doubling now at 21 cases in the high school. If this extremely chilly weather keeps up making kids sick this could potentially shut the school down for who knows how long. This cold weather is allowing the virus to spread due to not being able to take kids outside and having us cooped up in one room partially due to weather conditions. 
Hopefully soon we will see less intense snow and more warm weather. Let’s hope to see this for the kids that walk to school but also for the false hope of a two-hour delay because most likely there won’t be one. Remember to drive slow, salt your porch steps, and stay warm.


College enrollment at all-time low:

In 2021, college attendance has reached the lowest amount in years. Wamu.org shockingly states that one million fewer students are enrolled now than before the pandemic. In fact, less than 60% of students attending four-year colleges have received a bachelor’s degree. That’s fewer than half of the students graduating. Community colleges are doing no better, with bizarrely fewer than 20% of students getting their associates degree or certificate.
Not everyone may understand that this is alarming and potentially frightening. With so little people graduating and getting careers, who’s going to fill in for the jobs society needs? As of late, there has been a nursing shortage since 2021. Some sources even claim this decline could stretch through 2030, which is quite scary. Careers such as nursing are imperative to people all over the globe, not just the United States. Without them, there’s no one to treat ill/wounded people.
This situation begs the question; why is this happening? Well, there’s a few possibilities. First, of course, would be the pandemic. Covid-19 has struck fear in many people, and left them lost. It’s also caused a plethora of unemployment and prevented people from attending college. Another reason could be cost. College is beyond expensive nowadays, and people simply just cannot afford it. Frankly, it’s no wonder there has been a decline in enrollment. Overall, this could potentially be very alarming for the future, and youth should definitely consider this when choosing their futures.


An anecdote of Aubrey:

Most people know of Aubrey Chase, but do you really know who she is? Well, Aubrey is a fifteen-year-old girl who has grown up in Corry, PA. Aubrey’s full name is Aubrey Elizabeth Chase. Her birthday is November 25, 2006, and she currently attends Corry Area High School. In her free time she enjoys volleyball, basketball, listening to music, shopping, and getting her hair done. Aubrey has three siblings: Bella, Holden, and Ryder, which are the ages of fifteen, five, and four.
Aubrey’s favorite class currently is history because, “it is easy and doesn’t frustrate me and I do not have to read.”
Aubrey has found joy in both basketball and volleyball over the years. In the future she is looking into being a politician because, “the people that run the country don’t know what they are doing, and need someone who knows how to run a country and who supports America.”
If Aubrey could travel anywhere in the world, she would pick Venice, Italy, because it is pretty, and she would hope to find her true love there.  Aubrey’s favorite movie is “Step Brothers” because she has a, “spiritual connection with Will Ferrell.” Her favorite songs are: “Vienna” by Billie Joel and “Emotionless” by Drake. Her favorite color is hot pink and her favorite emotion is happiness or excitement. Aubrey’s plans for upcoming vacation days are to go to the beach, get tan, and swim in the “salty ocean.”
Everyone has dream scenarios, and some of Aubrey’s are: a vacation to Blue Lagoon with her best friend  “Big Al.” Her dream date would be, “him picking me up with flowers, opening the door for me and taking me to Texas Roadhouse, then Starbucks, which is a must. ”
One animal that reminds her of herself would be a pig (specifically a pink pig) or a peacock.  Her favorite food is chicken alfredo and her favorite quote is, “It is what it is.” Although she doesn’t actually like that quote, but it is what it is.
The best piece of advice that Aubrey would like to give the person reading this would be, “Be yourself and if people don’t like you, oh well.”


Cheeky Charlie/Rambunctious Ralphy:

Charlie, otherwise known as Ralphy, is a one-year-old grey tabby who loves racing around the house, watching the bubbles at the back of the water fountain, and stealing his sister’s food. He was found behind a shop by a pigpen when he was only two months old and rescued to live in a warm home. He immediately got closer to his family, including the other pets in the household, and started exploring the different nooks and crannies he could get into, including the couch. He was given two names by his owners and answers to both if he’s called by them. Charlie was named after Charles Hayes and Ralphy…there’s no specific reason: it’s just funny. 
He occasionally likes to go outside, but doesn’t go too far from the house because of the loud neighbors and vehicles. He doesn’t like being held by many people, but will settle into someone’s arms and cuddle into them. During the day, he likes to lay around and sleep on someone’s lap with a cozy blanket around him. However, in the morning and occasionally in the evening, he becomes a reincarnation of the Tasmanian Devil from “Looney Toons.” He is definitely the troublemaker of the house, pushing items off a table, irritating the cat and the dog, and constantly looking for attention.
Ever since he was rescued, he always climbed up someone’s pants and made his way to lay on someone’s shoulder, and even though he is much bigger, he still tries getting up onto his family’s shoulders. If he doesn’t get the attention he wants, then he becomes very talkative and scratches at your pant leg. Although if you’re in a different vicinity than him, he’ll get up on the table or try to get up into the Christmas tree. He is very chatty when he wants food, wants in the bathroom, or when he wants to play, often becoming very annoying and irritating to be around. Despite all of his imperfections, he is loved so much and is very happy in his home.


Top 10 Stephen King books:

Personally I am a big fan of Stephen King. Mostly his horror books. I own over 42 of them. Of course I haven’t read them all, but I am getting there. If I had to choose my favorite top 10 books by Stephen King they would be:

“The Shining”
“IT”
“Misery”
“Pet Sematary”
“The Green Mile”
“Christine”
“Mr. Mercedes”
“Dreamcatcher”
“Carrie”
“Cujo”


Abby is Missing:

Abby is missing. The mystery began in the fall (October 22 to be precise), when she didn’t return home from basketball practice. It turned our small town into a panic; parents wouldn’t let their children out past 5:00 p.m., rumors of a kidnapper spread through the community like wildfire, and citizens began suspecting each other. The place was in shambles. And her parents – Abby’s sweet, sweet parents who I had grown close with throughout the years – were absolutely devastated.  She was my best friend, after all. I went and visited them nearly every day since her disappearance, sometimes bringing them gifts such as flowers or trinkets. They were grateful, and always told me how glad they were Abby had a friend like me.
Abby is missing. The police didn’t have many people of interest. They considered her uncle, a convict who had been in and out of prison frequently, and had gained a record for being a creep towards younger girls. It made sense to me. When I was over at her house for holidays, he’d be there too, and I can confirm he was an unsettling guy. Or perhaps it was that widowed neighbor who would always attempt to make conversation with her, his grief and loneliness having consumed him.  It didn’t take long, however, for detectives to search her laptop and find a man she had been chatting with online. His name was Jacob, and he was older, nineteen years to be exact. They had some flirtatious exchanges and planned on meeting up in person soon. Abby had given him her address. It was incriminating, and they’re tracking him down as I tell you this.
Abby is missing. I threw the wrapped up body into the lake from a cliff. I watched it be submerged into the cold water. A shame, really. My best friend, my dear girl. I had asked her to stop talking to other guys, and it infuriated me when she confided in me about this Jacob guy she met online. They were going to meet soon, she had told me with such sickening glee. She betrayed me, and he had tried to steal Abby away from me – now he would take the fall. Abby is missing, and no one would ever suspect me.


Misogyny is not an issue of the past:

On August 18, 1920, American women (excluding women of color) were given the right to vote. The 19th Amendment is often cited as one of the biggest milestones in the women’s rights movement, and to undermine its impact would be foolish. In the years following , the social and political climate around women began to change. Women led the workforce during the second world war, introduced second wave feminism in the 1960s, and began to diversify the workforce in the 1980s.
In the modern day, women seem to be systemically equal to their male counterparts. And by many measures, they are. We have made so much progress since the 19th Amendment was passed over a century ago. But there is still work to be done, and the idea that misogyny is an issue of the past is misinformed and harmful.
To begin, we should talk about a more concrete and technical aspect of modern-day misogyny: the wage gap. As of October 2021, women earn 82 cents for every one dollar a man earns in the workplace. Furthermore, women of color earn around 22.7 cents less than a white woman. This is a complex and nuanced issue, and it varies based on career, location, class, and many other factors. Regardless, the statistics are clear and establish a common thread.
While the wage gap is a commonly cited example of institutional misogyny, social misogyny is the most prevalent and sinister form of the 21st century. Social misogyny takes many forms: harmful gender roles, stereotypes, and most dangerously, violence. Violence, especially sexual violence, is alarmingly prevalent among women. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), 81 percent of women have experienced some form of sexual assault, and 1 in 5 women have been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. These statistics are alarming, but not shocking by any means. Sexual violence is not an oddity, but rather a fact of all women’s lives.
Sexual violence gains its prevalence from a fertile breeding ground: the concept of “rape culture”. Rape culture is defined as the normalization of sexual violence through media and popular culture. This normalization includes misogynistic language, objectification of women, victim blaming, and emphasis on the victim rather than the perpetrator. At the end of the day, it all adds up.
How can we fix this? The truth is, we can’t. Misogyny is so ingrained in our culture that it will never truly go away. But, to start, we can begin to look at things from a critical perspective. We need to hold the perpetrators of misogyny accountable. Call out sexist “jokes” and objectification, teach people about the importance of consent, and change the narrative around sexism and misogyny.
Misogyny is a problem of the past, present, and future. It is time we treat it as such.


Top ten songs, a personal list:

These are ten of my personal favorite songs and most likely are very unfavorable to most. In summary, it can be quite a variety.
10. Nico Collins – “Hate Me”
9.  Josh A – “Easier”
8. Blackbear – “Memory”
7. 8 Graves – “Cold Shoulder”
6. FabvL- “Alone”
5.  Set It Off – “Criminal Minds”
4. My Darkest Days – “Save Yourself”
3. Blackbear – “u love u”
2. NEFFEX- “Careless”
1.Yiruma- “River Flows in You”


Top ten teen 80s films:

The 1980s was the era of teen love and drama at the movies. The most iconic films were made and the biggest stars were noticed. Many movies nowadays are remakes of the icons back then. The 80s is one of the best eras in my opinion. The 80s felt like it was made for teens. The best films were produced by amazing producers and directors. When it comes down to it some movies that are top tier compared to others, and in my opinion these are the top ten best teen films from the 80s.
10. “Dirty Dancing”- Directed by Emile Ardolino
9. “Footloose”- Directed by Herbert Ross
8. “Adventures in Babysitting”- Directed by Chris Columbus
7. “The Lost Boys”- Directed by Joel Schumacher
6. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”- Directed by John Hughes
5. “Grease”- Directed by Radal Kleiser
4. “Pretty in Pink”- Directed by Howard Deutch
3. “The Breakfast Club”- Directed by John Hughes
2. “Girls Just Wanna Have fun”- Directed by Alan Metter
1. “Heathers”- Directed by Micheal Lehmenn


Top ten Y2K Shows:

Every kid has their favorite childhood shows, yet the shows were different when our generation was younger. We had shows like “Zoey 1o1” or “Good Luck Charlie,” when the kids in the current generation have shows like “Supernatural Academy” or “Stranger Things.” So, let’s  reminisce for a second and take a look at the top ten Y2K TV shows.
10 .”Wizards of Waverly Place”
9. “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody”
8. “Shake It Up”
7. “Liv and Maddie”
6. “Hannah Montana”
5. “Jessie”
4. “iCarly”
3.  “Good Luck Charlie”
2. “Zoey 101”
1. “Full House”


Kool Karli:

Karli Stanbro is a freshman who was born on December 12, 2006, and was raised in Spartansburg, PA. Karli has two little sisters named Sophia who is five years old and Grace who is six. When Karli grows up she wants to be a hair braider. She currently works for Cheri Ploss at Ploss Auction in the restaurant. She works there because she needs money. Karli enjoys sleeping. Somewhere Karli would like to visit is the Dominican Republic because, “It is pretty and I know people who went!”
Her favorite movies are “Encanto” and “Coco.” Her favorite song is “Bleed It” by Blueface. Her favorite color is red and her favorite mood is “disgust.”  She would match her personality to a tiger. To her a great vacation is going to the Bahamas. Her idea of a perfect date is doing jumping jacks and eating pizza.
She has two favorite classes and the first one is world history with Mr. Hogue and ELA with Mr. McBriar because “The people in those classes are funny!”
She has four favorite foods including: rice, chili, pizza, and pasta. Karli is joining the track and field this upcoming season. Her biggest pet peeve is when people chew their gum loudly. A piece of advice she would give her readers is “Don’t have a problem with people if you don’t talk to them.”


Local Corry girl wrestles at Tulsa Nationals:

Last weekend, Lexi Lauta–a sixth grader here at Corry–wrestled at the 67th annual Tulsa Nationals located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This tournament was for girls and boys all around the country to go to and wrestle at, and lasted from January 14 through the 16. Lexi wrestled in the 91 lb weight bracket along with 26 other girls. Through hard work and grit, she ended up finishing in the top eight, going 2-2 (2 wins and 2 losses). Lexi wrestles for Bad Karma, which is a wrestling team that consists of athletes from all over.
Lexi clearly left everything on the mat, striving to do the absolute best she could. With packed bleachers and a thunderous crowd, Lexi took on four other girl wrestlers. When asked if she was nervous or excited upon getting there, she responded with, “I was really excited but I had the number one ranked girl in the nation my first match.” Lexi fought hard, but was unable to win her first match.
When discussing her first match, Lexi noted, “Since the girl I had first was ranked and seeded first, she also won the bracket…I did my best against her, so then I had to work my way up from the consolation.” And Lexi did just that.
Clearly determined, she fought hard and came out victorious her next two matches, leading her to the Blood Round. She lost her last one in the blood round, 2-0 though, but not without fighting. (The blood round is the round of wrestling that leads to either making the podium or being done with the tournament. The name “Blood Round” fits it quite well, as many wrestlers go all out in an attempt to beat their opponent and continue making their way through the bracket to place.)
When asked if anything stood out to her at the wrestling tournament, Lexi responded with, “Everywhere around the event center was quoted ‘Hardest Tournament in the World.'”
In regards to returning for the tournament next year, Lexi was quick to respond with, “Yes, of course. Literally everyone in the [wrestling] bracket except for…four girls counting me have been wrestling for six or more years, and this is my fourth…And next year I am really excited to know that they are all moving up so now it’s my chance to win it.”
All of the girls she wrestled were almost thirteen, whereas Lexi had just turned 12 not long before the meet. Evidently there was quite the age and experience difference, but she still managed to do exceedingly well.
Overall, last weekend Lexi took on some very tough opponents, but was able to do much better than a lot of the girls she wrestled. We will all be cheering for you next year when you return to Tulsa again. But until then, good luck this season, Lexi.


Preparing for the End of the World, a fictional story:

As the sirens went off, my sister and I were shoving things in a bag. We were hoping and praying that we would make it to the bunker in time. “I’m so scared, Oliver,” said Mia. “I know,” I said in a very terrified tone.
The talk of an apocalypse has been going on for the past few weeks. The news would always say things about North Korea bombing us with nuclear waste, but nobody believed it. An emergency broadcast aired only a few moments earlier saying that the U. S. was under attack. Our parents weren’t home; they both went on a business trip a few weeks before. We never knew that when we said goodbye it would be the last time we would see them.
We both run to the bunker, making sure we have everything and close the door. We lock it and make a fire so that we have warmth and light. My family’s bunker is like the one you’d see in a movie. It’s huge with rooms and enough food to last a few years. It’s a very roomy bunker, and there is a ton of space for just my sister and me.
Suddenly, the bunker shakes and we hear bombs fall on the ground above us. My sister begins to cry and I hold her in my arms to attempt to comfort her. It all goes quiet after a few hours, and we just sit in the light without a word leaving either of our mouths. The new world has just begun, with few survivors, we must learn to live and hunt on our own.
The apocalypse has started and a new age is now in progress…


Best winter activities:

When you happen to live where it’s snowy all winter, there is not much to do for fun. That’s what most people think, but in reality there can be a lot to do. 
A lot of people enjoy snowboarding/skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, tubing, or even building a snowman.  The Peek n Peak is less than an hour away from Corry and has a lot of fun winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and also a indoor/outdoor hot tub. Not only does it have winter activities, it has events and fun all year round. 
Anyone with a hill in their yard could also buy some cheap sleds and have fun sledding! A free thing to do at home is build a snowman with friends or family.


Surprises lie behind every door:

The day started off like every other Friday, a cold winter morning and a tiring morning getting up for school. We did the usual things at school, getting homework, sleeping in class, and working hard until we got on the bus to go home. As usual, the bus ride home was loud and chaotic to handle, but the walk home was peaceful. We walk home and get into the house, getting greeted by our cat, Charlie, and our dog, Dash. We get into the living room and see our mom in a blanket with what looked like our other cat, Luna, lying next to her. She pulls out her phone and starts recording my brother and I, but we didn’t know why until we sat down. Trevor sat next to my mom, so he could see what the little lump was next to her, but I was distracted by the television. He asked, “Is it ours? Are we keeping it?” and I was confused because I wasn’t completely paying attention. I stood up and walked around the couch to find a baby chocolate Lab staring up to me.
I immediately fell in love with him and browsed through the internet to find the perfect name for him. I personally wanted Jack, Duke, or Bear, however, my mom didn’t like the name Jack and my grandparents used to have a dog named Duke. So we all agreed on naming him Bear. The first day he was very tired and shaky in a new environment, understandably so, but we all took turns playing and cuddling with him to make him more comfortable. Because he was only eight weeks old when we got him, he wasn’t potty trained, so throughout the day we had to constantly take him outside to make sure he didn’t “go” in the house. I stayed with him the first night and did a good job making sure he went outside and could go back to sleep afterwards.
Bear grew more comfortable with playing with Dash as the days went by, and the cats were getting more comfortable with him being around. We found out that he loved to play in snow the minute he got outside. For the week that he has been with us, we learned what he enjoys and what he doesn’t. He plays a lot and is very energetic when he wants to be; he can be too jumpy and snappy at times, but he is also just a puppy. Having a Lab takes a lot of responsibility, such as picking up trash around the house, not leaving food where he can get it, and knowing when he needs to go outside. Yes, it is difficult, but it is definitely worth it in the end.


Top ten antagonists:

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This top ten list is going to be ranking the top best antagonists in movies or shows, number one being the best in this scenario. If you’re not sure what an antagonist is, it’s a person or being that goes against the protagonist with hostile or evil intentions that goes against the main character(s).

 Meredith Blake – In the 1989 “Parent Trap,” Meredith Blake played by Elaine Hendrix, is playing the stepmom that tries to get rid of the twin girls and take their dad for herself and for his money. The twins spend their time trying to get her out of the picture. A quote from Meredith is, “I promise I’ll make your lives miserable from the day I say ‘I do.'”


 Gazelle – In the movie “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” Gazelle, played by Sofia Boutella, is a character that has two blades in place of her feet with knives that come out of them. Her character is actually super cool because not very often do we get to see someone with a disability have a role such as a spy. A quote from Gazelle is, “I don’t know. Could be something to do with the mass genocide.”


 Queen of  Hearts  – The Queen of Hearts, played by Helena Bonham Carter, from “Alice in Wonderland” (2010 – 2016) is a very memorable character that you see develop through the “Alice and Wonderland” movies that explain why she became the villain and how she eventually got over it. A quote from The Queen of Hearts is, “Off with their heads!”


 Necronomicon Ex-Mortis “The Book of the Dead” – This evil being is the book that is featured in many of the “Evil Dead” movies, series, and video games. It’s the most evil object ive ever seen and obviously by the title it can  do things like summon the dead, summon the kandarian demon, and control both the living and the dead. One quote from The Book of the Dead is, “Klaatu barada nikto.”


 Regina George – Regina George, played by Rachel McAdams, is one of the most iconic characters as an  antagonist ever in the chick flick “Mean Girls.” She is very competitive, sneaky, and will do whatever it takes so people don’t take her spot as queen bee. One interesting thing about”Mean Girls” though is that everyone is kind of their own antagonist by the decisions that they end up making. A quote from Regina George is, “They said you’re a home schooled jungle freak who’s a less hot version of me.”


 Johnny Lawrence – Out of the many antagonists  in the “Karate Kid” franchise almost no one is as iconic as Johnny played by William Zabka in the first “Karate Kid” movie. Recently, in the series “Cobra Kai” we’ve seen his character take a turn for the better and finally get to see his character have the spotlight. A quote from Johnny is, “An enemy deserves no mercy!”


 Joker 1989 – Tim Burton’s Joker, played by Jack Nicholson in the 1989 “Batman,” is one of the most memorable performances done by a Joker. It’s very authentic and one of the best Batman movies that has been made to this day. A quote from the Joker is, “As my plastic surgeon always said – if you gotta’ go, go with a smile!”


 Thanos – Thanos, played by Josh Brolin, was introduced into the MCU back in 2012 during the first “Avengers” movie. The reason why he is so high up on the list is because he was developed through years of movies and was eventually one of the most developed antagonists throughout the trilogy also opposing the biggest threat to the “Avengers.” The most known quote from Thanos would have to be, “I am inevitable.”


 Green Goblin – Green Goblin played by Willem Dafoe is an icon to the “Spider-Man” series. His first performance was in the 2002 “Spider-Man” playing as Spider-Man’s enemy and Harry Osborn’s father.  This role definitely left a mark on people and we got to see it recently again in the new movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” A quote from the Green Goblin is, “The one thing they love more than a hero is to see a hero fail.”


 Darth Vader – Darth Vader played by David Prowse is the most iconic antagonist of all time. I say this because of the impact that “Star Wars” has had on the world and how he is the face of it all besides Luke Skywalker. His red lightsaber, voice, breathing, and outfit has made him an icon in then and today’s society. Darth Vader’s most iconic quote is, “Luke, I am your father,” or more correctly, “No, I am your father.”


“DCeased” is Delightful!:

I recently read DC comic’s “DCeased,” and I really loved it! The story is about a zombie-like virus originating from the planet Apokolips that spreads through typical biting, as well as digitally. When Darkseid abducts Cyborg, the anti-life equation he performs on him goes wrong. When Cyborg returns to Earth, the virus quickly spreads, and it is up to the Justice League and company to solve the problem.
Let’s start with one of the most important components of a graphic novel: the art. Trevor Hairsine delivers a classic yet impactful art style, with stunning splash pages thrown in that enrich the action of the story. The character designs mostly stick to classic designs, which works well to let the reader focus on the storyline.  At the end, Yasmine Putri contributes a set of horror-inspired variant covers. The covers are stunning, paying homage to films like “It,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” and “The Conjuring”.
Also, the characters are very well-written in this story. A real standout for me was when Dinah Lance came into possession of the Green Lantern ring. Taylor handled her characterization very well, and it was interesting to see the ring’s power along with Dinah’s sonic scream. Also, Jon Kent and Damian Wayne really come into their own in this series. The story explores the boys’ struggles with taking up the Superman and Batman mantles. They feel like their own fleshed-out characters rather than replacements. Finally, Big Barda and Mr. Miracle make an awesome couple here. Together they share character development, funny one-liners, and tragic sacrifices. These two characters are not as well known as Batman or Wonder Woman, but they shine both individually and as a duo in this story.
All in all, “DCeased” is a story that any DC fan is sure to enjoy. It inserts beloved DC characters within a new narrative. The story puts a spin on the classic “zombie apocalypse” trope, adding an element of technology to it. I would give DCeased 4/5 stars. I would recommend it to any comic book or horror fan.


Renaissance, the time of art:

The Renaissance period was known mainly for great advances in art. Many of the greatest authors and artists came from this period in time.
During the Middle Ages, Europe made little advances in terms of science and art. The Middle Ages are also referred to as the “Dark Ages” because of the famine and sickness that had become quite common. Humanism was created in the 14th century, basically saying that humans are the center of the universe, and that we should embrace the achievements humans make. (This movement during the 14th century was primarily in Italy when it went on the rise; it previously existed, but was little-to-unknown.) The concept allowed them to not only embrace achievements but also to make advances in internal funding and trade, which impacted European culture, which likely lead to the Renaissance.
Leonardo Da Vinci, Rene Descartes, and Michelangelo are three of the most well-known from this period of time.  Da Vinci was a painter, architect, and inventor who is most known for painting “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.” Rene Descartes is the father of modern philosophy, and his influence in philosophy has never been erased. He also said, “I think; therefore I am.”  Michelangelo is the artist who carved David, and painted the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
These are some of the geniuses from the Renaissance period, what is unarguably the best time period for advancements in art and science, which has set the path for modern art/science, and even future art/science.


Warning! Unpopular opinion about running below:

When I say “running,” or any word related to it, most people’s brains immediately go to the agonizing feeling of running for long distances, the fatigue, nausea, lung-burning intensity, and all things negative. Even though all of those downsides go with running, I find it one of the most rewarding sports because running teaches you about yourself, what you’re capable of, and important habits.
Running most certainly is not one of the most favored sports. In fact, it is most every sport’s form of punishment. As a cross country and track runner, I do get slightly offended when people talk about how “horrible” running is. In all honesty, I believe running wouldn’t be so hated if people stopped looking at the difficulty of it and started looking at the benefits of it. Forming a running habit gives you an incentive to get your body into shape, and gives you something to look forward to each day (or even just a few days a week). When you begin running, jogging, or even walking daily, it increases blood flow and gets your heart going and getting stronger. Running also reduces your risk of a heart attack, which unfortunately, is very common. So why not start running if the health benefits outweigh the slightly sore muscles or exhausted feeling? Especially because those sore muscles will turn into muscle and you’ll ultimately feel stronger afterwards…which to me, is very rewarding.
Running also isn’t just about how you look on the outside, though it is certainly helpful in helping lose or maintain a certain amount of weight, it is also about your mental health. Running helps improve cognitive abilities, like memory. Having a good memory can be very helpful as you get older, and even at a young age. Running can help clear your mind, as well. Got a bad grade on a test? Go for a run to think about what you can do to get better, or just blow off steam. Going for a run, when stressed, can actually prove to be very relaxing, which I believe is why I like it so much. Many times I find myself running to ebb some stress from a day at school, and I always feel better once I do run. So really, there are so many more benefits and rewards to running than those few negatives.
When you’re running, it is very common to feel this exasperated, fatigued feeling, and want it to just be over. I am not going to lie and say the feeling goes away, because it doesn’t. But when you push yourself further than you thought you could handle and finish the run or race, you’ll find yourself feeling more confident and strong than you realized. Running teaches you that just because things are hard, they are not impossible. I think that with that known attitude from running, I am able to face every day knowing that just because things get hard, it doesn’t make them impossible. Running truly teaches you what you have in you, how far you can go, and that you’re stronger than you think you are if you believe in yourself. That, to me, is one of the most rewarding things about running because you can apply that knowledge to the simple things you do each day– like school.
Running creates a life full of good habits, which to me is very rewarding. Almost all devoted runners commit themselves to eating healthy, too. I know that eating healthy and running can really make one feel rejuvenated and ready to face the day. I see that energy and readiness in a lot of my family members and friends who run. So all in all, running is one of the most rewarding sports out there; not just because of health benefits, but because of the things it teaches you about yourself.
*Stay tuned for a possible new category on this site that gives advice/tips/info to new, old, and aspiring runners.*


Superior “American Horror Story” seasons:

With over one million viewers, “American Horror Story” has thrived as one of the most popular television series of this decade. The show contains ten seasons currently, all centered around different horror themes. With so many watchers comes many differentiating opinions and thoughts. That being said, I’ve decided to rate my personal top three favorite seasons.
In third place stands “Coven,” which is ironically the third season itself. Coven is one the best seasons to me because it features two different true crime cases: LaLaurie Mansion and the Axe Man of New Orleans. It’s very interesting to see a fictional horror show add in actual horror elements that have happened. It just makes it all the more frightening to think about. The twists they added onto these cases are also extremely fascinating and were a great touch.
For runner up is “Cult.” This season is particularly disturbing in my eyes, due to how real the aspect of it is. Cults are real in the world.  I think its the only season that doesn’t include a bunch of fiction within it. The power and manipulation that the leader, Kai Anderson, holds over all the members is so realistic and terrifying. His manipulation even tricks the audience because you’ll find yourself wanting to like him despite the fact he’s an awful person. It really depicts how cults function, and how the leaders remain in power.
Finally, the season I consider to be the greatest, is “Asylum.” This has to be the freakiest season of them all. Not only does it have fiction horror in it, but it displays actual things that occurred in mental hospitals back in past. It contains all the horrific details patients suffered through, and can truly make people who those things apply to feel anxious and disturbed. Overall, each season is unique and viewers will have lots of opinions because of that.


Messy Marcie:

Marcie Dick is a 17-year-old girl. She was born on December 13, 2004. Marcie grew up and still lives in Columbus, PA.
Her hobbies are photography and sleeping. Marcie has two siblings: Matt, who is 17 and Alexis, who is 20. Marcie  would like to become a registered nurse. Marcie says she would like to travel to New Orleans because it would be fun. Some of Marcie’s favorite things are “Ted,” Young, Wild and Free, the color green, and she likes to be happy. Marcie plans on going to Hershey Park this summer. One of her favorite quotes are “You only live once, so make the best of it.”
An animal Marcie would match her personality to is a monkey because she’s small, loud and messy. Marcie’s dream vacation is going to Hawaii. A perfect date for her would be going to a drive-in movie and then going out to eat. Marcie’s favorite class is history because she likes to know what the past is like. Marcie’s favorite food is chicken wings. She used to run for track but she doesn’t anymore. One of Marcie’s biggest pet peeves is snoring. The piece of advice that Marcie would give to her readers is that “You can do anything you put your mind to.”


The singular un-regular oddity:

To anyone who comes down the stairs it would not be expected for anything to be out of the ordinary. There’s a small door towards the bottom, but besides the regular oddities that come with a basement, like the door, there really wasn’t anything that strange about such a place. It just looked like a regular basement: things stored away like skates on the wall; the small objects that had lingered on the shelves for years in a thick coat of dust, but nothing seemed odd except for the door. A carpet sagged in the corner and was not the point of attention in the room because it was an old tattered carpet from the late 70’s living room that smelled weird and had an argyle pattern, but it had been ripped up and replaced when the new owners moved in. Yet the little door was the only thing to make the basement seem off. For why would such a thing be necessary? The door was old and not in the best condition. There was a beauty to it though with small unknown flowers growing through the moss that hugged the rusty metal hinging of the door. In the evening light it looked like something of marvel and wonder, but it was still odd for what and where it was.
The doorknob had not been opening in years because there was no reason to discover what might lie behind it. The elderly man who lived there would have to get down on his hands and knees to fit through the door and he simply couldn’t due to his knee replacements, so the door lied untouched. Then one day the nob started to turn slowly, maybe from rust or maybe just hesitant anticipation. The small gremlin ascended from the door and looked around the basement.
“Ew, the human world is so ugly and small.”
Then it turned and hobbled back through the door and slammed it shut behind them.


Top ten Terraria items:

10. Excalibur – It’s made from hallowed bars and is a good sword.
9. Pickaxe axe – It’s made from hallowed bars and five of each soul gathered from defeating all three mechanical bosses. It’s strong enough the mine the hardest ore in the game.
8.  Souls – Souls are used for crafting more powerful items such as tools, weapons, and armor accessories.
7. Mythril anvil – Use a mythril anvil to make items out of hard mode ores. Normal mode items that require an iron anvil can be crafted with a mythril anvil too.
6. Golden shower – This weapon sprays a yellow stream that decreases enemies defense and can damage many enemies at once.
5.  Crystal storm-  It shoots crystal orbs that do a lot of damage and it is similar to golden shower.
4. Demon scythe – This is dropped from demons in the underworld and shoots exactly what they shoot at you.
3. Rod of discord – This is a very rare drop from chaos elementals underground in hard mode and it teleports to where you target.
2. Picksaw – This is probably the best pickaxe in the game it can mine lizhard bricks, which are the hardest block in the game and can mine other blocks very fast.
1. Terra blade – This is the best sword in the game. it does over 100 damage and shoots a projectile that hurts enemies too.


“Sabrina” is visual poetry:

“Sabrina.” A film that feels like visual poetry. The classic 90s film that everyone fell in love with. The film pulls you in and causes you to fall in love with the visual picture. The most poetic romance films were created in the 1900’s because love back then was pure, and honest. The directors and producers of “Sabrina” knew that. They understood love, and what is was really about. “Sabrina,” the 1995 version was a  remake of the original “Sabrina“ that was made was made in 1954  starring actress Audrey Hepburn. This film was made in color with more updated actors and theme.
The 1995 film “Sabrina” directed by Sydney Pollack has many famous actors and actresses that were major stars back in the 90s such as: Julia Ormond (Sabrina Fairchild), Harrison Ford (Linus Larrabee), Greg Kinnear (David Larrabee), and Nancy Marchand (Maude Larrabee). The movie is based on a girl named Sabrina Fairchild (Julia Ormond) who is a chauffeur’s daughter who grew up with a wealthy family called the Larrabees. Sabrina had deep feelings for the youngest Larrabee son David (Greg Kinnear). Taking a trip to Paris, Sabrina finds herself through photography, and changes her life along with her looks.  Once she returns from Paris looking the most beautiful, she catches the eye of David Larrabee, her long childhood crush. Linus (Harrison Ford) believes that their courtship is a bad idea, and decides to intervene so that the two have no chance, but as he tries to break them apart Linus begins to catch feelings for the girl.
This film took love and romance to another level. It wasn’t like every other love story. It had purpose and other points such as hard work and determination. Many people connected to this film, and it opened up many people’s eyes to the world of romance. This movie doesn’t just give an outlook on love and choices, it also brings laughter. It’s a lighthearted film that brings that sense of happiness into peoples lives when they watch it. I loved this film because it brought many different characteristics to the table such as laughter, warmth, and suspense. This movie has many twists and keeps the viewers watching. Though there are two “Sabrina” films I prefer the 1995 version because it gives more details and the production is better.


My first vacation:

Have you ever been on vacation? For some families it might be a normal thing. Well, I went on my first vacation the summer of 2021.
It was the night before we left. We had to leave at three in the morning just so we could get there at 3 pm. Well, we didn’t end up leaving until 4 am. Once we got on the road, my parents had to stop at every gas station. As a person who doesn’t travel anywhere, the sights were absolutely amazing. I saw mountains, clouds, and rivers. We didn’t end up getting there until almost 6 pm. We got the key to our condo and went to unpack.
When we got to the condo we unpacked and the first thing we did was go to the beach. We were in walking distance of the beach so the whole Fourth of July week we were at the beach. I ended up getting so sun burnt I was swollen. One of the days we went to Ripley’s Aquarium and it was a blast. The power went out a lot because of the hurricane.
After a week of fun and sunburns we finally headed home. On my way home I was looking at pictures of the entire week and I just wanted to go back. After a 12 hour drive back we finally got home. It was around 5 am and we were all exhausted. The rest of the summer I had tan lines and good memories.


Perfect Patch:

Patch is a white boxer with a brown spot next to his ear. He is about three years old and he was born on April 1.
Patch really enjoys taking naps and playing with his toys. Patch is very clumsy and very cute. His favorite food is anything he can get his paws on and he loves blankets. Patch’s favorite game to play is getting dragged around the house in circles.
He loves to watch reality TV and watch people do their makeup and hair. Patch is a very cuddly and loving dog. He really enjoys taking walks and playing in the snow. He doesn’t like it when people kick him out of the dining room when he is begging for food. Lastly, he doesn’t like spicy food.


Steelers legend officially retires:

In 2004, a rookie QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers has to come into the game for an injured Tommy Maddox. That quarterbacks name is Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger would go 15 and 1 in his rookie season, losing to the Patriots in the AFC championship game. His performance would win him offensive rookie of the year. It would be correct to say that Roethlisberger lived up to the hype he had after his rookie campaign. Eighteen seasons, six pro-bowls, and two Super Bowl championships later, Big Ben says goodbye to Steeler Nation.
Ben Roethlisberger embodied the city of Pittsburgh. Taking hits, playing through injuries, and always putting his body on the line to win for his team, and it all helped him be successful. Roethlisberger is 165-81-1 as a starter in the NFL. In all of those 18 seasons in the NFL, Roethlisberger spent all of them on the Steelers, and he was never part of a losing team. His career win percentage is .667, which puts him second among active players, behind only Tom Brady. Roethlisberger has also accumulated quite the stat resume in his long historic career.
Roethlisberger owns almost every single quarterback record for the Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want to see how his stats stand against all time quarterbacks, he’ll impress you with those rankings too. Ben is fifth in all-time passing yards, with 63,844 total yards. He ranks eighth in all-time passing touchdowns, with 417 scores through the air. He is seventh in career passer rating all time, posting a 93.6. Ben is also fifth in completions, with 5,410, and he is sixth in yards per attempt, with 7.6. Ben is fifth in wins as a starting quarterback, with 163. He is fourth in game winning drives, with 52. He is also third in fourth quarter comebacks, with 40. If that doesn’t scream that Ben is an all-time great, then I am not sure what does.
Ben spent his whole career in Pittsburgh, giving his all to the city and fans. In five years time, Ben Roethlisbeger will be enshrined in Canton, solidifying his legacy as one of the all time greats to ever play.


Squishmellows taking the collecting world by storm:

Gallery|5 Photos










Squishmellows, the popular stuffed animal brand, has inspired a large following of collectors in the years of 2020 and 2021. The brand was initially launched in 2017 by the company Kelly Amusement Holdings, LLC, while the company itself was founded in Los Angeles, 1986. 

Besides the history of the company, Squishmellows have been selling like wildfire. With over 800 different characters to collect, hunting for rare ones have become a trending pastime. Squishmellows come in many different sizes ranging from 3.5 inches to the largest size of 24 inches. (all sizes are listed below)
Squishmellow Sizes:
– 3.5 Inches
– 7 Inches
– 8 Inches
– 11 Inches
– 12 Inches
– 13 Inches
– 16 Inches
– 20 Inches
– 24 Inches

Some of the rarest Squishmellows are as follows:
-Chanel = A Cinnamon Roll
-Lucille = A seal
-Phillippe = Frog
-Avery = Duck
-Mariah = Lamb
-Blossom = Sheep
-Santino = Platypus
-Jack the Black Cat (only 500 exist)

You can find them most commonly at (in our area):
– Target
– Claire’s
– Walmart
– Some Dollar Stores
– Hallmark 

Happy Squish Hunting! <3


Top 10 Halloween costumes:

With Halloween right around the corner, kids have to start thinking about what they want to be! I chose to pick the top 10 Halloween costumes I find the cutest. Halloween is the time of year where kids get to dress up as what they want and go get candy from strangers. Also, it’s just really cute to see kids and all their neat ideas for costumes. Enjoy!
10.  Joe Exotic – I think this would look good on younger kids, but this year it might be way too much.
9.  Food – Any kid dressing up as food has my heart. It’s so cute and there are so many different foods it’s almost       impossible for someone to have the same costume.
8. Starbucks drinks- Its unique because there are so many different drinks at Starbucks to use.
7. Pumpkin – You can never go wrong with a pumpkin, its fun matching.
6. M&M’s – It’s a good costume idea to do if you are going with your friends, but getting too old for baby costumes.
5. Crabs – The little kids trying to walk around in big costumes like this, haha!
4. Spongebob – He is my favorite cartoon character so obviously he has to be on this list.
3. Pigs – When little kids dress up as pigs they just make it look so adorable.
2. Monsters Inc. Characters – Mike, Sully, and the little girl are just too cute not to be on this list.

Cows – I picked this because who doesn’t like baby calves?


Kind-hearted Karissa:

Karissa Lynn Anderson is a junior who attends Corry Area High School. She was born on March 23, 2005, making her an Aries, and graduates high school in 2023. Also, Anderson is from Spartansburg, PA. Despite the fact that she is an only child, has five very beloved pets. She has two pet guinea pigs named Jenny and Ivy, and three dogs named Junior, Lily, and Rosa.
As far as future plans go, Anderson says that she thinks she will pursue a career in the health or mathematics field. Despite wanting to join fields that involve a lot of math, she says that her favorite subject in school is actually English. When asked why her favorite subject is English, she said that she enjoys the easy and tolerable work, she has a lot of friends in the class, and she really likes the teacher, Ms. DiLuzio. Speaking of future plans, Anderson says that her dream vacation is anywhere tropical and close to an ocean.
Next, there are a couple things you may not know about Anderson. Hobbies that she takes interest in are doing puzzles, playing her PS4, and doing her makeup. Also, her favorite color is purple, and her favorite movies are “Anastasia” and “Avatar.” When asked if there was an animal that she would match her personality to, she said a sloth because they only have “so much energy.” If she had to pick a favorite type of food, she would pick Chinese food, and her biggest pet peeve is bad hygiene. 
Lastly, Anderson’s favorite quote is “Your illness is not your identity. Your chemistry is not your character.” Also, a piece of advice that she wants to leave the readers with is that “You only live once, so don’t waste your time being stressed out over homework.”


The marvelous MyLeigh Music:

MyLeigh Music was born December 3, 2005. Recently she has moved to Corry from Mississippi. Although she moved from Mississippi, she said she has grown up everywhere, which is very interesting considering we don’t get very many new students in Corry. MyLeigh also said that she has siblings from ages 10-14 who live back in Mississippi. 
When I asked what some of her hobbies and interests were she said watching movies. MyLeigh said she enjoys watching Marvel movies and if she had to pick a favorite it would be “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Another interest that MyLeigh has is art, which is her favorite class at the moment. She doesn’t know what she wants to do when she grows up saying, “No clue.” She’s still young and has plenty of time to figure that out though. 
Speaking of favorites, MyLeigh’s favorite color is purple, her favorite place to take a vacation would be Greece because it is “Very Pretty,” her favorite food is strawberries, and her favorite band is Led Zeppelin, a rock band popular in the 70s that still has absolute bangers to this day. 
A quote that MyLeigh favors is “Family doesn’t end in blood, but it doesn’t start there either” from the hit TV show “Supernatural.”  A piece of advice that MyLeigh would give to her readers would be to “Be nice.” Being kind is definitely something that everyone should invest in.  I suggest you take MyLeigh’s advice and make an act of kindness today.


The light in the distance:

My friends and I, typical 12-year-old kids, are the adventurous, rebellious, and fearless ones in our families. We are always making up excuses such as, “We have a group project due tomorrow,” so we can hang out, and not do chores at home. During the days we typically spend our time in the woods attempting to find abandoned buildings and interesting adventures worth our while. Although at night, we tend to stay inside telling scary stories that can sometimes result in nightmares.  Sometimes on the weekends we switch things up and sneak out of the house late at night to wander the woods. We always hear stories at school about kids seeing lights at night outside their bedroom windows, but they are too scared to say anything to their parents about it in fear that their parents will not believe them.
This all changed on one October night at 11:30 p.m. We all were over at Jack’s house and decided to sneak out after everyone else had gone to bed. We spotted a glow in the woods out of the window. At that point we bundled up in layers of coats and pants so that we would not freeze ourselves to death. We then packed food, flashlights, and batteries for the trip– just in case something would happen causing our outing to be longer than planned. We crept around the house like mice; trying not to make a sound that would wake anyone up. We opened the door ever so carefully, closed it behind us, and were off on our adventure.
We know this area of land like the back of our hands, but something seemed different at night. It felt like it took hours to reach the woods, although in reality it was only a quarter mile from Jack’s house. As we approached the start of the woods, we all had to stop for a minute to catch our breaths. Soon after, we were on our way again tracking the light that we had spotted earlier. Slowly but surely we were getting closer to the light, but we were all getting terribly tired of walking, so we decided to find out what the light was and then run over to the bus stop on the highway to catch a ride back home. As we got closer to the light the more we were able to depict what the mysterious thing was. It was the strangest thing that I had ever seen. It was a pumpkin. It was in the middle of the woods just giving off radiant light. We all were debating who should take the top of it off to see what was inside and its inner mechanics. Unfortunately, the majority vote chose me. I’ve never been so scared in my life, but naturally I did not want any of them to know that. So I walk over, place my hand on the lid, close my eyes, open it…
…and I snap awake in my bed from the dream.


Top ten “Farming Simulator” activities:

Mowing grass to feed my animals.
Wood chipping. I grind logs into wood chips to sell to the sawmill or put in a heating plant.
Logging. In this game you can cut down trees and sell the logs to the sawmill or grind them into wood chips.
 Cows. My cows are what I used to get fertilizer for my field work and I enjoyed giving them mowed grass and straw to eat.
Greenhouses. A greenhouse can grow either lettuce or tomatoes that automatically sell and make you money
Trains. A train in this game is used for selling logs to the sawmill or crops to places a normal trailer can’t dump into.
Pressure washer. Vehicles and other equipment get dirty in this game and a pressure washer is used to clean it off.
Sheep. Sheep are similar to cows except they don’t eat straw. they produce wool you can sell to the Spinnery
Fertilizing. I fertilized my fields and I planted to get better crops and for a little more to do
Harvesting. After the fields were ready, I used my combine to harvest it all and used my semi to empty the combine guy when he was full.


Wrestlers qualify for District 10 AA Team Tournament:

The Corry wrestling team has recently qualified for the District 10 AA Team Tournament. So far, the Beavers’ record is 10-2. They have wrestled in tournaments ranging from South Moreland to Sharon (last weekend). The wrestlers have faced opponents who were extremely difficult, all the way down to unskilled opponents. Wednesday, however, is a pivotal match for the wrestlers. This match will determine if they continue on or end their attempt to make it to states as a team. The Beavers are seeded 6th and will go against the 11th seeded team, the Northwestern Wildcats, at 7 p.m. on February 2.
The Beavers hope spectators pack the stands Wednesday night when they take on Northwestern. In order to go, individuals wanting to attend must buy tickets online here. The tickets are $8 apiece, and fans had better buy them quickly, as seats are rapidly filling. On behalf of Corry, we wish these wrestlers good luck Wednesday evening.
*If you are unable to make the match, there will be a follow-up article published later this week.


Avery Sontheimer: a Corry student making a difference:

Avery Sontheimer is a ninth-grade student who supports animal shelters. She loves animals and supporting them as much as she can, and she does just that. She explains that she wanted to start supporting animal shelters because she saw the help they needed with all new animals coming in all the time and saw so many animals who needed to be given a second chance at life.
Sontheimer states, “I have been supporting animal shelters for around eight years and volunteered, and job-shadowed, at the ANNA shelter and the ANNA clinic.” Her way of supporting the shelters is having a Mobile Pet Food Pantry and collecting donations such as food and supplies for the shelter animals. She also organizes various fundraisers and is currently doing a winter blanket challenge. Shelters scattered all over the United States receive $5 Walmart gift cards from Avery. 
Anyone can support Avery’s mission by checking out her Facebook page, “Avery’s Pawsitive Change.” She also has a Gofundme page and numerous donation jars in various locations in Corry.


The G.O.A.T. hangs it up after 22 fantastic seasons:

Tom Brady is the greatest football player to ever do it. With all of the accolades he has accumulated, there may never be another player who rivals him. Love him or hate him, football fans witnessed the greatest career in sports history, and they should be sad that it’s over. It may never happen again.
Brady started his 22 year career in New England. He was drafted out of Michigan, with the 199th pick of the 2000 NFL draft. His draft scouting report reads,”Poor build, skinny, lacks great physical stature and strength, and gets knocked down easily.” Since then, Brady showed everyone why they should’ve drafted him. On September 23, 2001, Tom Brady would replace an injured Drew Bledsoe. He was never projected to even be a starter, and his historic career started by accident. Since then, he became the most decorated player in NFL history.
Brady holds just about every single all-time stat for a QB. Brady also has more Super Bowls than any other NFL franchise. His seven Super Bowl championships are first by a long shot, with the closest being Terry Bradshaw, with four. Brady was even in a bid for another championship in this year’s playoffs, but fell short to the LA Rams, who are representing the NFC this season.
Brady has recently left the door open for returning, but let’s appreciate his historic career for what it was. Brady was the face of football for 20 years. Mr. Cool has defined his legacy on dominance, consistency, and always being in the game. Even when you are down 28 to 3.


A Tennessee school board bans Holocaust graphic novel:

Recently, the McMinn County School Board of Tennessee announced that they would be pulling the graphic novel “Maus” from school shelves. The school board cited profanity and nudity as reasoning for the banning. The book, by Art Spiegelman, tells the story of a Holocaust survivor through the lens of a “cat and mouse” chase. The Nazis are the cats in this allegory, while Jewish victims are the mice. This decision caused quite a bit of controversy because it took place as people were preparing to celebrate Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Spiegelman says,“It’s leaving me with my jaw open, like, ‘What?’” He called the decision “Orwellian” and discussed how many people have expressed the significance of “Maus” to him. In response, the school district said, “We do not diminish the value of Maus as an impactful and meaningful piece of literature, nor do we dispute the importance of teaching our children the historical and moral lessons and realities of the Holocaust.”
The decision has been slammed by authors, politicians, educators, and parents. However, supporters of the decision have used it to endorse the bans of other books. One Texan parent advocated for the banning of a Michelle Obama biography on the grounds of “racism against White Americans.”
Book banning has been a controversial topic since the days of “Fahrenheit 451,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and even “The Wizard of Oz.” The question now is, how far is too far? Should schools censor sensitive material from their students? The answer may be a long time coming.


The House:

Our neighboring house always sat there just staring blankly at me. Its eyes were made from the finest of Evil, and the heart pounded like hooves of a thousand running horses. My chest burned heavy with hatred for that house. From its daunting windows to its lifeless atmosphere. Anxious wasn’t simply enough to describe the gut-wrenching feeling that the house gave me.  I would lay in bed, and the uneasiness would eat at me until my feet carried me to the window to investigate. For years, no one stepped a foot onto the property. I’m not even sure it’s a house; more like a graveyard for spirits. It reeked of death like the feeling of when you’re losing air, the lights dim, and your vision blurs. The suffocating feeling of all uncertainty– I hated it.
Years would pass, the paint would chip, the windows would fog, but not a single live soul dared to come into contact with it. The weeds were overgrown, and the grass would probably reach my knees. The sidewalk was cracking, and the porch was starting to sink in. Its outside was starting to match its inside. The particular day I remember most, it was raining, couldn’t be much warmer than a freshly filled swimming pool, and the clouds hovered over the sky like a soft blanket. Morning was approaching and I was awake due to the uneasy feeling. I had schoolwork to do, but it was of no interest to me, so I stared at my pale hands, and watched my fingers bend and curl.
My alarm went off, and I nearly chuckled. It was of no use to me, as I was already consumed by the insomnia of fear. I took one glance out my window, hoping that making eye contact with the house would somewhat set me at ease, but it did the opposite. My lips departed, and I could feel my jaw drop. Not much younger than me, a girl with dark locks and piercing green eyes walked out of the house. Her eyes met mine, wearing a grin on her face that would later leave me with even more sleepless nights. It was almost impossible for someone to live there; a garbage can was more fitting for a home. I quickly sat up. With a chuckle, the girl made her final footsteps back into the house, and the door slowly closed behind her.


The history of Valentine’s Day:

Valentine’s Day occurs every February 14 across the United States and in other places around the world. Candy, gifts, flowers and chocolate are exchanged between loved ones in the name of St. Valentine.
There are many theories on how Valentine’s Day began, but the most noted one begins in Rome in the year 268. Emperor Claudius II wanted a fierce team of young men to fight in his armies. He found that when young men are in love or sharing their lives with a wife and children, they tended to be more cautious. To ensure large numbers of soldiers for his armies, Claudius outlawed marriage for those young men. Claudius may have outlawed love, but he could not stop it. Young men and women still fell in love and wanted to become couples in the eyes of the church. A brave—and obviously romantic—priest named Valentine thought the law was horribly unjust. Putting his life in danger, Valentine continued performing marriage ceremonies, doing so in secret and hidden from the eyes of authorities. Still, news of Valentine’s secret ceremonies made its way back to Claudius. The priest was found and put to death on, as some versions state, February 14. Centuries later, the Catholic Church made that kindly priest a saint, one of three saints named “Valentine.” No one knows exactly when St. Valentine’s Day was first celebrated, but there is a poem in existence that is considered to be the first ever written Valentine’s Day card. It was sent from a prisoner in the Tower of London to his wife in the year 1415.
Some countries have banned St. Valentine’s Day, but people in love show the courage of the doomed priest by celebrating the occasion. Repressive governments may confiscate all of the red roses available in the country. Still, no one can ever halt the flow of love and affection. Today’s click-and-post culture is tossing aside many old traditions and rules. Still, the history of Valentine’s Day lives on annually every February 14 in a worldwide celebration of love. Happy St. Valentine’s Day. Tell everyone in your heart how much they mean to you. And remember when you sign those cards how love and friendship lives on, even in the face of adversity.


Choir students make Corry history, qualify for National Honors Choir:

Senior Taylor Fenstermaker and junior Ryah Lambert have recently qualified for National Honors Choir. This is a big accomplishment, not only for the girls, but the Corry Area School District. They are the first from Corry High School to qualify for this special opportunity. To get some first-person views on this, I asked Mrs. Smrcka (the chorus teacher), Taylor Fenstermaker, and Ryah Lambert some questions about this honorable occurrence.
Our first respondent, Miss Fenstermaker took time out of her day to put thoughtful answers into the questions I asked, and this I very much appreciated. When asked , “How long have you been a part of choir, and what drew you into the singing world?” Taylor replied, “I have done choir since sixth grade. I joined choir because I love singing and my mom participated in choir in high school as well.”
 She told me about her experiences in choir and PMEA Festivals and I was so excited to be able to get to ninth grade and do all of those things, too. After her inspiring response, the questions continued, “What was your reaction when finding out you qualified?” Taylor said, “I found out I was accepted into the National Choir while I was in the middle of recording a video for Spanish class! Mrs. Smrcka messaged me to let me know and I started crying because I was so excited. I called Ryah right away and we went out to get milkshakes to celebrate.” 
The third question reveals Taylor’s dedication to this opportunity: “How did you prepare for your audition?” She said, “Mrs. Smrcka and I worked on the two-page piece that I then had to record a cappella. We went through line by line to check notes, dynamics, and rhythms to ensure it was the best performance I could give.” 
 Next, I was interested in what Taylor’s favorites were, including part to sing, thing about being in choir, and musical she was a part of. Taylor answered,”As a Soprano 2, I often sing the melody of the song; however, I love to sing harmonies, which is the part that makes the song have more depth and sound more interesting. 
“My favorite types of songs to sing are from Broadway, more specifically shows from the fifties, sixties, and seventies. My favorite part about being in choir is the community that is created and the connections made through rehearsing with the same group of people every day. It is also amazing celebrating their accomplishments and achievements together. 
“My favorite musical I have ever participated in is ‘Little Women’, which we performed and recorded last spring. Not only is this show itself amazing, but I loved working with all of my peers that were also in the show. I improved my singing and performance skills and I made many new friends.”
The second respondent, Ryah Lambert, enlightened us with her take on these questions as well. When asked “How long have you been in choir, and what introduced you to the singing world,” Ryah answered,”I have been singing in choir all of my life, and music/piano/singing are like my therapy.” This reply really shows just how important singing is to Ryah among other things. 
When asked  what her reaction was when she found out about her qualifications Ryah said,”When I found out I qualified for Nationals, I screamed, ‘What?!’, and my mom got afraid because she thought something was wrong. Then I started crying because I really did not think I was going to make it.” 
The next question reveals how Ryah prepared. “I prepared for my audition by practicing the material a lot and memorizing it; however, I was sick when I auditioned, unfortunately.” With Ryah being sick, one can imagine how difficult it must have been to audition for a singing opportunity. 
For the last three questions about “favorites,” Ryah answered,”My favorite voice part to sing is Soprano 1 and Soprano 2.” 
She continued, “My favorite thing about being in choir is that music really binds people and allows you to connect on a whole different level. You make life-long friends, especially at the festivals when they are in person. My favorite musical would have probably been ‘The Addams Family.’ We weren’t able to do it because of Covid-19, but I was in love with my role in that play. ” Overall Miss. Lambert seems to be very physically and emotionally involved with her part in this qualification.
The last respondent, Ms. Smrcka, played a major part in the girl’s accomplishment. Ms. Smrcka is the choir teacher at Corry High School. She is over-the-moon excited for these girls, and what they have done. When asked, “How have things changed with choir over the years since you’ve been a bit limited due to Covid-19,” Ms. Smrka responded with, “It’s been very different, and a bit challenging. The students have had to do online auditions, and they haven’t had many musicals or concerts in the past three years due to restrictions.” 
When asked how she was feeling about this accomplishment Ms. Smrcka said, “I was thrilled they were the first musical students to qualify for this special opportunity at Corry High. They were the two soprano qualifiers out of four to make it. I am just very proud of these girls.” 
When asked how someone should prepare for this qualification or partake in this event, Ms. Smrcka said, “It takes consistent preparation and determination in practice everyday. You have to be able to do all four steps of the auditions confidently. It takes lots of patience as well because it’s a process of elimination type of audition.” 
Finally when asked what one piece of advice she would give others who want to accomplish this, she said, “Don’t let others pull you down; if music is your passion then go for it.”    
Both of these ladies really express their gratitude and appreciation for their acceptance. This is something that they will be able to remember for a lifetime, and something I’m sure will leave them wonderful memories. Things like these opportunities can take these young and talented girls to great places.


Survey: Valentine’s Day plans:

Valentine’s day is a “love” holiday, so many people will be out with their loved ones going on dates. We went around the Corry Middle-High School and asked 25 students: What are you doing on Valentine’s day? Here are the responses we received:
Kellyanne Bromley: Sit at home and eat
Kayla Kurelowech: Spending time with my mom
Jordan Hicks: Cry in my bedroom because I’m alone
Mr. Passenger: Make dinner and have presents for my wife and girls 
Andrew Harney: Sleeping 
Jordan Loney: Working 
JadeaLisa Sheehan: Sleeping 
Mrs. Graves: Going out to dinner with family 
Mrs. Adamski: Go to dinner at Timber Creek in Meadville
Ellie Fieseler: Staying at home 
Winter Cochrane: Hanging out with family
Tyler Bird: Work, go to school and then basketball practice
Allyson Henry: Sleeping  
Mrs. Reynolds: Snowmobiling, then going to eat on the trail
Marcie Dick: Going to school 
Dominic Brink: Asking my girlfriend to dinner
Rose Becerra: Going to watch J Lo’s new movie (“Marry Me”) in theater
Trent Williams: Hangout with my mom and have fun outside
Kalinda Gilger- Going to my boyfriends and watch Netflix and eat snacks
Katelin Price: Nothing
Justin Fay: Hanging out with my girlfriend
Makayla Landers: Coming to school
Parker Lewis: Nothing
Katlynn Heidler: Nothing 
Sarah Snyder: Nothing


The world as it is, a fictional story:

Months have passed since the bombs have dropped. Mia and I have been doing well considering we’ve been living in an underground bunker and we just lost our parents. We found some sort of solar-powered record player with some records in storage along with hazmat suits that allow us to leave the bunker with protection. We haven’t left yet, we want to plan for an adventure when we know its a little more safe out.
To pass our time, we’ve been listening to music and watching movies. At some point into living in our bunker, we found a stray dog and decided to take him in. We made sure that he wasn’t contaminated and did our best to try and nurse him to health. He is very good company and Mia’s anxiety has been getting better now that he is around.
We haven’t heard much from the outside world. A man who survived the blast tried to break in a few weeks ago. He was very sick and looked like something out of a horror movie. He kept begging for us to let him in but he looked insane. He realized that we were not going to let him in so he got very upset and intentionally tried to scare us. He eventually left but his voice and face is permanently burned into our minds.
ONE MONTH LATER
I’ve decided that its time for me to leave the bunker and try to get Mia and I some more clothes and things to do. Mia and Rover (yes, that is what we have named the dog) are staying in the bunker. I slipped on my suit and taped down the edges and opened the four doors that blocks our world to the one outside.
The sky is melancholy and grey, with the sound of wind blowing filling the area around me. All the plants are dead and the house in which my family and I once lived has lost all of its shine and homeyness. I open the door to the place I once called home and grabbed as much stuff as I could. I start to tear up because all of the memories of Mia and I being happy are gone. My family is gone.
I leave the house and march my way towards our bunker and enter, with tears still in my eyes. I hand Mia her things and she asked how much longer we had to stay in here. I never answered her because to be honest, I’m not sure.
That night, as I lay in my bed with Rover, I dream of what the world will be like in a few years…
If you enjoyed this story, click here for a related tale


I’ll be there for you!:

It’s hard to believe that the show “Friends” started in 1994 and ended in 2004. The show was a great hit in the 1990s and early 2000s, but is still making its name known to a wide span of generations. This show meant a lot to people because of the real meaning behind the show and in the theme song. “I’ll be there for you” was the whole point of the show because it was about family, friendships, and the obstacles of life. The show is no longer filming, but after 18 years since the show ended, it is still making appearances on your television screen.
The show is based in Manhattan, New York, when a few high school friends and two other roommates meet up and all grow amazing friendships that can last for a lifetime. The main characters are Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, Courtney Cox as Monica Geller, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Matt Le Blanc as Joey Tribbiani, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, and Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing. These main six characters are forced to go through life but also have the love and support of their roommates to keep them sane. This show is rated for a mature audience, definitely PG-13 and I wouldn’t recommend this show to anyone who doesn’t like older shows.
I personally give this show a 5/5 for always making me laugh and having the ability to stay alive for so many years, with many more to come. I would recommend this show to anyone who loves comedy, romance, and classic 90s shows.


Top ten dairy-free candy:

These are the top diary-free candy that people can enjoy. I did this for people who can’t have chocolate and other candy that has diary. People who are allergic to diary get made fun of for not being able to have it. So I thought I would make this article for people that need help finding candy they can have. It is hard for a lot of people to find what they are able to  eat if they have any allergies, but you can still have fun when you are trick or treating.
10. Runts
9. Life savers
8. gummy worms
7. Swedish fish.
6. Smarties
5. Starbursts
4. Sour Patch Kids
3. Nerds
2. Airheads
1. Skittles


Corry wrestlers beat Wildcats; head to Team Tournament:

The Corry Beavers wrestling team beat the Northwestern Wildcats 54-9 Wednesday, February 2, under a spotlight in the old gymnasium here at the high school. Because they beat the Wildcats, they are able to continue on with their season at the Team Tournament in Sharon Saturday, February 5. Counting the Beavers, there will be eight teams present, and many good matches.
On Wednesday, there were countless “nail-biting” matches, as many fans would agree. Each match the crowd grew louder and more engaged on what was happening on the mat. Though the score may have made it look like the Beavers breezed through Northwestern, each match was hard-earned and sheer determination was ignited within each wrestler. Head Coach Travis Proper even said going into the match that, “I thought our chances of winning were high going into the match last night. I knew there would be several great individual bouts.”
So many of the wrestlers evidently gave it their all on the mat and were awarded with an individual victory, as well as pushing the Beavers’ ahead of the Wildcats with a devastating lead.
New aggression, quickness, and precision was seen Wednesday night. And to that, Coach Proper said that in regards to takeaways from Wednesday, “It was nice to see all but one match go in our favor. The kids are wrestling better now than they have all season. They have put in a lot of work and dedication in the practice room. We are learning how to manage and win those close matches.”
Senior Hunter Savitz wrestled Wednesday night and pinned his opponent. When asked about the fluidity of his pin, he responded with “Our coach said he wanted us to get on the mat, then get back off. So that’s what I was trying to do.” He was rewarded the pin with an important 6 points for the Beavers early on in the match. He noted how he also feels like he has been, “wrestling my best that I ever had” this season.
Savitz was also asked that as one of the captains of the wrestling team, how does it feel to lead the others into this Saturday’s crucial tourament? He said, “It feels good. I feel like we could do very good.”
In relation to what Savitz said, Coach Proper stated his feelings about heading into Saturday’s tournament by saying, “We are looking forward to this weekend’s challenge. The plan for this weekend is to win one match at a time. I’m expecting great things from our team!”
Being able to conquer opponents takes humility, dedication, patience, and hard work. With this mentality going into the tournament, there is a good probability the Beavers will begin to show just what they can do. Good luck to the wrestlers this weekend.


Seriously dealing with a stalker- The Advice Advocates #5:

Hello, it is the Advice Advocates back again to provide you with this week’s article. Today, we will be giving advice to an individual that has an ongoing issue with somebody that is constantly being creepy and, overall, harassing her. She had also explained in her message that many girls in CAHS have had very similar experiences with this certain person, so if you happen to be one of the people that this has happened to as well, please do not be afraid to let someone know! Anyway, keep reading to hear our advice to this individual, especially if you are going through something like this or know someone who is going through something like this. 
To begin, the message that we received states, “Hi Advice Advocates! I need your advice about a guy who has been harassing me lately. He stares at me and follows me around during school, and it makes me very uncomfortable. He has sexually harassed me and other girls in the past, but staring and following isn’t exactly a crime, so I don’t know what to do. Do you have any advice on how to get him to leave me alone?” 
Obviously, the actions this person describes in the message are definitely serious and should be shared to someone that you trust and genuinely believe can help you. Taking the first step and actually letting someone know what is going on can be very frustrating and difficult, so we are not trying to pressure you into doing something that you are still uncomfortable doing. However, even just letting someone know what is happening to you can lift a major weight off of your shoulders and help you feel safer. To start, try to have a conversation with an authority at the school or any trusted adult. In the situation where the adults that may not take you seriously and completely sweep over the situation, which unfortunately happens quite often, you could let a friend know and have him/her walk with you to the places that you are most often targeted at. You could even ask a classmate that is going to the same area as you if they want to walk with you to your class if none of your friends are heading that way. By doing this, your classmates don’t even need to know what is going on, it will just look like you want someone to walk with.
Another thing that you can do to prevent the situation from going further is to contact the parent(s)/guardian(s) of your attacker and tell them what has been going on regarding their child. Ways that you could do this are reaching out directly from you (message, call, meeting, etc.) or you could have a trusted adult/friend reach out for you (school administrators/ principals/ staff, parent, family member, therapist, etc.). Reaching out to the parent(s)/ guardian(s) of the person that is harassing you can make a significant difference in the situation because they can directly sit down and tell their child that what they’re doing is wrong and needs to be put to an end. The only problem with doing this is that a lot of parents tend to favor their child and be in denial over the whole issue, which does nothing but let the attacker continue harassing you and other students. At the end of the day, if all fails you could contact the police, whether it is a school security officer or directly through the police station. There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting a higher authority know about issues you are experiencing, especially if you are being sexually harassed (which is a legitimate crime).
Overall, if you or a person you know is going through something like this, please take our advice and seek help (if you are comfortable doing so). Situations like this can be more serious than you may think they are, and seeking help can completely flip a situation around for the better. 
If you or someone you know needs help with an issue of any kind, DM our instagram @adviceadvocates to receive anonymous advice!


The Plague of Athens, a disease in time:

Athens was a major power in Ancient Greece, a nation that few dared to go against. Only the people from Greece dared to try such.  However, Athens had a pandemic strike, which actually had taken the favor of the Peloponnesian War away from Athens.
The Plague of Athens was an odd disease. It appeared in the middle of war, and had thrown Athens into disarray, even causing anarchy. According to Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesion War; “…the catastrophe was so overwhelming that men, not knowing what would happen next to them, became indifferent to every rule of religion of law.” Athens had fallen into anarchy during a war, a time where nobody was willing to think about others, a time when the ill were thrown away from all others, left to die. The disease killed 75,000 to 100,000 alone, which was one-fourth of Athens population.
Disease is a tragedy that can not be predicted, nor can it be underestimated, or ignored. Disease itself has turned the tides of war, brought down civilizations, and tainted families. People need to learn that things can resurface, and be far stronger, in all truth.


Top ten Tim Burton productions:

Tim Burton’s movies have impacted audiences for generations with their creepiness, originality, and iconic characters. Tim Burton is a director, writer, producer, animator, and artist that makes stop motion, fantasy, horror, and comedy movies. I will be ranking my favorite Tim Burton movies out of ten, with one being the best. 

“James and the Giant Peach” – “James and the Giant Peach” was released April 12, 1996. and Tim Burton was the producer for the film. “James and the Giant Peach” is such a fun and unique movie because it has the element of starting off live action and turning into animation.


“Sleepy Hollow” – “Sleepy Hollow” was released in 1999 and Tim Burton was the director. The live adaptation of the cartoon is such a cool movie to watch around the spooky months. Also, the story line does have some of its own originality that goes along with it and makes it such a memorable movie.


“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” – In the 2005 adaptation of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” a remake of Willy Wonka in the Chocolate Factory, Tim Burton shows his watchers amazing sets and vibrant colors in almost every scene. The ending is different from the original as we get to see the once poor family now having a candlelit dinner in the chocolate factory.


“Batman 1989” – “Batman 1989″ is notorious for almost everything in it. The Joker, Batmobile, Michael Keaton, and the vibe of the movie. For me this is a very entertaining movie and one of my favorite scenes in the movie is when the Joker is wiping off his tan makeup and his skin is white underneath.


“Alice in Wonderland” – “Alice in Wonderland” directed by Tim Burton in 2010 was an impressive remake of the animated film made in 1951. The character design of the Mad Hatter is now I would say more well known than the animated version.


“The Nightmare Before Christmas” – “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was a story created by Tim Burton that was released in 1993 and is the third most successful stop motion movie. This movie always sticks around for me considering that you can watch it at Christmas and Halloween time.


“Corpse Bride” – “Corpse Bride” directed by Tim Burton in 2005 is another amazing animated movie that blew people away once again. This is such a fun movie especially when you get to see the color change when Victor goes to the underworld with Emily.


“Beetlejuice” – “Beetlejuice” was released in 1988, directed by Tim Burton, and was pretty successful considering it had an average budget. It ended up being the tenth highest grossing film in 1988. Shockingly, “Beetlejuice” isn’t even in the movie for 20 minutes.


“Edward Scissorhands” – “Edward Scissorhands” is one of my personal favorite movies besides it being a Tim Burton movie. Something about the way that Tim Burton created such an unsettling world in a different way. Like seeing the scary in things that are supposed to be normal, like neighborhoods, but then seeing elegance in what you’re supposed to be scared of.


“Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” – Tim Burton’s first big hit, “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” will always be my favorite Tim Burton movie. When I was young I saw it as a horror movie because Large Marge’s scene always scared me. Pee Wee Herman is such a genuine, unique character that deserves more recognition in today’s generations.


Top ten most powerful DC characters:

The DC Universe is full of powerful heroes and villains, some more widely known than others. Between super strength, speed, telepathy, telekinesis, and other amazing abilities, it is safe to say that DC Comics boast some powerful characters. But, with over 10,000 characters in the universe, who is the most powerful?
10. Wonder Woman  (Diana Prince)
As a huge Wonder Woman fan, it pains me to put her in last place on this list. However, this does not mean Diana can’t hold her own against her foes! Wonder Woman possesses superhuman speed, strength, durability, flight, healing, and even telepathy. The princess is also immortal due to her demigod status. Wonder Woman’s impressive feats include reconstructing planets, defeating gods, and moving faster than the speed of light.
9. Superman (Clark Kent)
Possibly the most well-known DC character, Superman’s power is nothing to laugh at. He has the power of flight, superhuman strength, speed, enhanced senses, x-ray vision, mind control, invulnerability, and energy absorption. He is mortal, but his slow aging and invulnerability allows him to live far longer than the average human. His feats include moving planets, holding a black hole, and even creating galaxies!
8. Doomsday
The second Kryptonian on the list, Doomsday is a massive prehistoric being. Known as “the ultimate killing machine,” he boasts super strength, speed, regeneration, immortality, and power absorption, among others. Doomsday has managed to kill Superman (in some continuities), beat the entire Justice League of America, and build a Kryptonite immunity.
7. Raven (Rachel Roth)
Raven is the most powerful member of the Teen Titans. As the daughter of the demon Trigon, she inherited the gifts of flight, astral projection, telekinesis, teleportation, and all other kinds of magic abilities. Her accomplishments include defeating her father, Trigon, warping an entire dimension, and teleporting faster than the Flash can run.
6. Dr. Fate (Kent Nelson)
Dr. Fate is a powerful sorcerer who was trained by the wizard Nabu. Nabu’s helm of fate makes Nelson capable of spell-casting, flight, pyrokinesis, element manipulation, and reality warping. He will do anything to protect order in the universe, including stopping the space time continuum, moving planets, and transporting the Justice League to an alternate universe.
5. Darkseid (Prince Uxas)
Formerly the planet’s prince, Darkseid rules Apokolips with an iron fist. Armed with super strength, genius-level intellect, telepathy, and energy manipulation, he makes his way through universes, conquering planets and even galaxies. He has beaten Superman, destroyed a Green Lantern battery, and most notably, discovered the Anti-Life equation.
4. The Anti-Monitor
The Anti-Monitor was created with the birth of the multiverse. Because of this, he has the power to absorb universes, manipulate reality, and summon cosmic armies on demand. His feats include destroying infinite universes, time traveling to the beginning of time, and shifting Earth’s reality.
3.  Eclipso
Eclipso, a being derived from an Apokolips diamond, has incredible power; divinity, invulnerability, energy projection, and extreme magic, among others. Eclipso has taken the form of many genders and species. In these forms, they have destroyed the goddess Hecate, mind controlled divine beings, and fused with the omnipotent Presence.
2. Mr. Mxyzptlk
Talk about a tongue twister! Don’t let his silly name fool you, however. Mxyzptlk is one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe. His unique set of powers include reality warping, omnipotence, and cosmic manipulation. In short, he is capable of almost anything. He has performed notable feats such as eliminating gravity, imitating the powerful Spectre, and creating thousands of universes.
1. Dr. Manhattan (Jonathan Osterman)
While Dr. Manhattan is not in the DC universe, he is a member of the multiverse. Osterman is easily the most powerful character in the DC continuity, with an impressive list of abilities including, but not limited to, size alteration, flight, cloning, phasing, telekinesis, omnipotence, reality manipulation, and spontaneous creation. Dr. Manhattan has destroyed several nuclear missiles, created new timelines, and moved quadrillions of times faster than the speed of light.


Humble Haylee:

Haylee Elizabeth Brewer was born on December 7, 2004. She plays softball and is in band. Also, she is from Greenville, Pennsylvania with dreams of going to Dusquene University in Pittsburgh, PA.
Haylee’s hobbies include baking, softball, playing music, and reading. She has one sister, Hannah, with whom she shares a birthday. In the future, Haylee wants to be a physical therapist that specializes in spinal rehab.
Some places Haylee wants to visit are Amsterdam because it’s the place from “The Fault in our Stars” and the Anne Frank house. Her favorite things are the “Pitch Perfect” movies, “Lady Like” by Ingrid Andress, the color green, and to be excited.
Haylee’s favorite quote is “You don’t have to understand life, you just have to live” by unknown. An animal she would compare herself to is a cat because they can be sweet or salty when it comes to their mood.
Her favorite class is psychology taught by Mr. Woods because she enjoys learning about the brain. Her favorite food is potatoes because you can do anything with them and no matter what they’re delicious. Her pet peeve is ignorant people.


What are your favorite Valentine’s Day treats?:

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, which means it is time for all the sweet treats. So I was asking people what their favorite treats are for the holiday. I got a mix of answers, most including chocolate. It is a great time of year, with even better treats. Here are some of Corry’s students’ favorite treats.

Dove Chocolates
Valentine’s Rice Crispy Treats
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Heart Tarts
Lindor Chocolates
Caramel Chocolates
Ferraro Rocher Chocolates
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Rice Crispy Treats
Godiva Chocolates
Valentine’s Chocolate  Pretzels
Valentine’s M&M’s
Valentine Pops
Hershey Canes
Valentines Cookies
Lindor Chocolates
Sweethearts
Russell Chocolates
Reese’s Hearts
Valentine’s Candy Hearts
Hershey’s assorted hearts
Pez candies
Brach’s hearts
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Valentine’s M&M’s


Corry wrestlers now head to states:

Monday evening, February 7, the Beavers once again took on a very tough team, the Tyrone Golden Eagles. They wrestled Tyrone after they placed third in the Team Tournament last weekend at Sharon. With this very hard fought win (final score 36-29) under their belt–and Hershey chocolate bars in their hands–they are headed down to Hershey to compete at states as a team for the second time in the past three years.
The wrestlers left Corry at approximately 3 pm February 9 to start the long journey to Hershey. They paraded through the halls at 2 pm as well, so that Corry High could send them off with a boost of enthusiasm. The wrestlers are very excited, and rightfully so, as they are able to say they made it to states together as a team.
Tomorrow afternoon at 2 pm, Corry will take on Notre Dame-Green Pond at the Giant Center, located right in Hershey. On Friday February 11 they will wrestle another team that is to-be-determined. The matches against both Notre Dame and whomever else they will wrestle will be difficult and challenging, but they are at states and will be wrestling the best teams of PA.
This opportunity does not come often to individuals or even teams, so the wrestlers making it to states is one thing they will remember for many years. On behalf of the newspaper staff and students at Corry High, we want to wish these wrestlers the best of luck in Hershey.


Shining a light on Career Technical Education in February:

The month of February is a month for several celebrations, including Career Technical Education (CTE). This month is dedicated to celebrating the values of CTE and the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across the United States. This celebration was founded in 1926, by Calvin Coolidge when he was president and ten years after the federal government finally began funding the “vocational education” through the Smith Hughes Act.
What is Career Technical Education? Career Technical Education, also known as CTE, is something that provides students of all ages with the academic and technical skills, along with knowledge and training necessary to succeed in any future careers they may enter in. In total, approximately 12.5 million high school and college students are enrolled in several jobs in the CTE field.
Some of the programs offered in the CTE program at Corry High School include: cosmetology, welding technology, building property maintenance, precision machining, early childhood, automotive technology, and health care.
The Career Technical Education field consists of several jobs. Some of those being: teacher at a junior or community college, teacher at a technical or vocational school,  a high school teacher, and a professional development trainer.  These jobs make around 60, 000 dollars per year, which  is above the national median. This allows those who followed the CTE pathway to have a stable income. This being why we should give the celebration more recognition for all the opportunities the program has brought to the citizens whom have the chance to take part in it.


The Doom Door:

I never knew a door could hold so many wonders yet so many dangers. That one thing could be so magical yet so otherworldy. The Doom Door, as I call it, was a place of so many mystical things, you doubted your own sanity. It all started on Friday, October 13.
Although I had been through our basement countless times, it never occured to me that we had a thick, wooden door three feet in height set in the far wall. The moment I set eyes on it, I felt chills roll down my spine. But my curiosity edged me further along, and further, and further, until suddenly, I found myself gripping the ice cold handle. I now had sweat trickling down my neck, and my feet were frozen in place. I felt a cool breeze slip under the intimidating door and tickle my bare toes. With that sudden flash of cold, I snapped out of my trance, dropping my hand from the handle quicker than lightning. I turned, and headed for the staircase. Out of nowhere, I heard a soft, eerie whisper float from the door up to my ears. I attempted to not turn back, but my mind was overtaken by the mysterious voice floating from the uncharted door. Before I could stop myself, I had my hand on the door handle yet again, but this time I started to open it. The door creaked on its hinges, squeeling in protest. It was like the souls who found themselves doing the same thing I was but had a terrible feat were screaming at me to shut the door and never turn back. After the door was fully opened, I stepped into the dark corridor. Before I could utter a scream or run back through the menacing door, it slammed closed behind me. I took a step forward, and fell into darkness.
As I fell, tumbling head over heels in the open abyss, my screams were absorbed faster into the space than they came out. My heart was pounding, my body was ice cold, and tears streaked down my face. I fell, and fell, and fell. Soft, strange music chords were being strung together in the background. I didn’t know where they were coming form. Next, starnge figures appeared in front of me, behind me, and all around me. My mind played so many tricks on me, I wasn’t sure who I was anymore. The choas made me want to crawl out of my own skin. It was so dark, and I was so confused. It all felt like a dream, why couldn’t I wake up? As time went on I realized how much I was going to pay for the mistake I had made. I would continue to fall, forever and ever… Maybe one of these days I’ll fall into another who had the same unfortune as me.


Victoria is victorious:

Victoria Marie Kinney was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, on December 26, 2006. Tori spent her few childhood years in Union City, PA, then she soon moved to Corry, PA, when she was in first grade. Victoria, or as many know her, “Tori,” is fifteen years old and she is a freshman at Corry High School. She is in all advanced classes, and she takes her schooling very seriously. Tori tries her hardest at school, and after high school she plans to go on and accomplish many exciting things. 
She enjoys playing volleyball, drawing, snowboarding, reading, traveling, and spending time with her friends. Tori is a very social person and she has many friends that adore her. She always has a positive attitude and spreads kindness and warmth wherever she goes.
Tori’s favorite subject in school is math because she tends to pick up the subject quite easily, and she likes to challenge herself academically. Her favorite math subject is geometry because it’s easy, and it’s interesting to learn about. After high school Tori would like to attend college and study psychology. Tori’s dream job would be to be a psychologist because she likes helping people, and she enjoys the topic.
When it comes to Tori’s favorite color she says she has a few. Her top three choices are red, green, and purple. She enjoys these colors because they bring her happiness and fond memories. She likes to incorporate these colors into her daily outfits. Tori is a fan of the early 2000 decade because people had fewer things to worry about. They just had fun and let loose. The fashion was on point and everything about that decade screams fantastic. 
A fun fact about Tori would be that she has two birthmarks and that she has two middle names. The number two might be her magical number. A piece of advice Tori would like to give other is, “Don’t spend time worrying about things that won’t matter in the future.”


“Encanto” casts an enchanting spell:

“Encanto” is an animated movie that was released in 2021. It was directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush. The movie genre(s) are musical, comedy, adventure, and animation. It is a children’s film and it is rated PG. You can watch it on Disney Plus,  Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Redbox, and Apple TV.
“Encanto” is about a family who was blessed with magical powers all from a candle. Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) is the only one in her family who didn’t get a power, so she goes on an adventure to find Bruno (John Leguizamo). Mirabel thought that Bruno had something to do with the powers. Luisa (Jessica Darrow) is Mirabel’s sister and she has super strength. Isabela (Diane Guerrero) is also Mirabel’s sister and she can make plants grow. Julieta (Angie Cepeda) is Mirabel’s mom and she can heal people with a meal. Agustín (Wilmer Valderrama) is Mirabel’s Dad and he also doesn’t have a gift.
When I first watched it, I did not like it. I never wanted to watch it again, and now I love it and I sing every single song when I watch the movie. I used to get so bored watching it and now I will just sit and watch it without getting bored, tired, or interrupted.
I recommend people to watch it if you are into animation, Disney movies, adventurous films, or humor. I would rate it 4.5/5.


Nothing:

Tossing and turning,  laying in bed, trying to calm this crazy head. Thinking about what could have been, should have been, and what would have been. If only I could side with the choice I made, and go on without the what-ifs that drift so perfectly like mist on a hot day. In the forever tangled cord that is life, these thoughts race without end in the room, without purpose. The dreams are vivid, yet ever forgetful. There is no why, no when, and no how.
There is only the life that coincides with the darkness. In this blackness, there is no concept of space,  yet I am confined to the imperceptible walls of this room; however, noticeable in this empty abyss, there is a door. Only through the never-ending absence of light could I reach that door. Maybe it holds everything that can be perceived behind it. Maybe it holds light. I reach, but at last I cannot touch it. It is nothing.
The door…
The door is…
The door is a false hope. Here I stay bound to this gloomy space, with only the thought of nothing to keep me.


Celebrating Black History Month:

February is a month where we celebrate black history. Black History Month is all throughout the month of February and it’s to celebrate what African Americans have done for America  and the accomplishments they’ve made. America would not be where it is today as a country if it wasn’t for black Americans and the contributions they have made. 
Recognizing all of the things that prominent black Americans have done is important. Considering they have made many things that help us today in modern society should be noted. On the list below you will notice some of the everyday items that you might not even realize were created by black inventors. 

Potato chip by George Crum 
Mailbox by Philip B. Downing 
Traffic Signal by Garrett Augustus Morgan 
Beauty and Hair care products by Madam C.J. Walker
Masking and Clear Adhesive tape by Richard G. Drew

How do you educate yourself during Black History Month? Well some ways you can learn more about Black History Month is getting to know more about its origin. It’s been going on for 52 years, becoming official during January 2, 1970 – February 28, 1970. Before becoming official by the government, the creator, historian Carter G. Woodson started the movement in 1926. The entire idea of it was to show the importance and recognition that needed to be given to black Americans. 
Woodson thought teaching about Black History Month was integral to have to broaden our society. During this time schools around America should be discussing this topic. Educating their students on where Black History Month originated from and why we celebrate it. African American history should be essential to be taught in schools so we have a more educated and accepting society. 
Ways that you can show your support for Black History Month would be buying from a black owned small business, doing research on the contributions that black figures have made, and donating to charities that support anti- racism and equality. From doing these things you’re allowing light to shine on some of these business owners, teachers, or authors who have worked hard to  positively educate and impact others. 
To learn more about Black History Month all you have to do is a quick Google search and you’ll find plenty of educational articles with interesting facts and information. If you’re interested in hearing more about this topic, some black influencers talking about it on social media are Rachel Elizabeth Cargle, Glo Atanmo, Kehinde Wiley, Blair Imani, Ibram X. Kendi, and Amanda Gorman. Remember to stay educated and celebrate America’s impactful African Americans.


Thanking our school superheroes during National School Counselors Week:

The first week of February is National School Counselors Week. If you weren’t aware already, National School Counselors Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. School counselors work to maximize student success, promoting access and equity for all students. As vital members of the school leadership team, school counselors create a school culture of success for all.
To start, school counselors have many different duties like helping students achieve and plan out their goals, referrals for long-term support, and keeping track of data analysis in students issues/needs/challenges. School counselors help all students apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions, apply interpersonal skills, and plan for post-secondary options (higher education, military, work force). They offer school counseling lessons based on student success standards, short-term counseling for students and collaboration with families/teachers/administrators/community for student access. Each and every thing listed above not only helps students achieve their goals, but they also make students feel safe with all of the programs they provide.
Next, school counselors create school counseling programs based on three sets of standards that define the profession. These standards help school counselors develop, implement and assess their school counseling program to improve student outcomes. To be delivered effectively, the school counseling program must be efficiently and effectively managed. School counselors use program focus and planning tools to guide the design and implementation of a school counseling program that gets results. This program focuses on beliefs, vision statements, and mission statements. The planning for this program contains school data summary, annual student outcome goals, actions plans, lesson plans, annual administrative conference, use of time, calendars, and advisory council. 
School counselors deliver developmentally appropriate activities and services directly to students or indirectly for students as a result of the school counselor’s interaction with others. These activities and services help students develop the ASCA mindsets and behaviors for Student Success and improve their achievement, attendance and discipline. Through the school counseling program, school counselors ensure equitable academic, career and social/emotional development opportunities for all students. Direct services are in-person interactions between school counselors and students and include instruction, appraisal and advisement and counseling. Also, Indirect services are provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselors’ interactions with others including consultation, collaboration and referrals. 
To achieve the best results for students, school counselors regularly assess their program to determine its effectiveness in helping all students succeed, inform improvements to their school counseling program design and delivery, and show how students are different as a result of the school counseling program. School counselors also self–assess their own mindsets and behaviors to inform their professional development and annually participate in a school counselor performance appraisal with a qualified administrator. The ASCA National Model provides School Counseling Program Assessment and Annual Result Reports. 
To sum it up, school counselors do so many great things for the students in their district. Our school counselors carry out multiple jobs that are often swept aside and not recognized inside and outside the classroom, so use this week as an opportunity to thank our school counselors for all of the work they do! During this week make sure to thank our district counselors, which are Mrs. Audet, Mrs. Dow, Mr.McGinnity, Mr. Anthony, Mrs. Trauner, and Mrs. Hirschmann, for all of their hard work in helping out schools become better places.


Lilli the little rascal:

Who is that little cat over there? That’s Lilli she’s the youngest of five, she’s will be one in March. She loves to play and jump around, It could be later at night and she will want to play. At night you can hear her running up and down the hallway. She may not be the smartest cat, but you can’t trick her.
Lilli has one brother and three sisters. She loves all of her siblings even though they don’t like her. She will be trying to play around with the cats and sometimes they just stand there and look at her or walk away. The other cats even try to beat her up for trying to play with them. Lilli is a very loving cat; she loved my grandmother the most even though she was meant for my mom. She loves to try everything you eat: butter, pancakes, french toast, chicken noodle soup, and more. One time my grandmother was eating chicken noodle soup and Lilli spilled it everywhere trying to eat it. One of her favorite foods is tuna fish mixed with her dry food.
You may think Lilli is just a normal old cat, but I think she is the most loving cat I will ever see. If she was a real human she would be the nicest person you would ever see. Sometimes she can be a bit annoying when she gets on top of you, but after a bit you realize she just wants loving. She shares enough love for everyone even though she doesn’t like every person she meets. She will be one of the greatest cats I will every have and no one can replace how special she is.


Perfectly Parker:

Parker Hannah Lee Lewis was born on April 5, 2006 in Bradford, PA where she was raised. She came to Corry in 2020 and attended the Corry Area Middle-High School ever since. She has four siblings named Bri- 21, Dominic- 26, Lexi- 9, And Logan- 9.
When she grows up she wants to be a nurse and would like to visit Italy because “It’s pretty.”
She enjoys hanging out with friends and listening to music. Her favorite movie is “Clifford the Big Red Dog” (2021), Her favorite song is “Sure Thing” by Miguel. Her favorite color is blue and her favorite emotion is happy. Her favorite quotation is “Live life, be happy.” Her favorite food is pizza and steak, and her favorite class is art.
Parker would best match her personality to a sloth. She would love to see Hawaii sometime in the future. A date night that she wants to have is a picnic under the stars. A pet peeve that she has is little tiny holes in something. A piece of advice Parker would like to tell the readers is “Follow your dreams and never stop following them.”


Advice for new runners:

With spring right around the corner, people may begin thinking about going out for a run and trying to either get back into shape, or simply prioritize losing weight and getting into a healthy lifestyle. With that in mind, there may be some little tips I can offer new runners who are beginning their running journey. I am an avid runner, so getting others to begin running and feeling great about themselves is definitely something I’d like to do. I am in no way a professional, however, so please take my advice with a grain of salt.
My first piece of advice for new runners is to take things slowly. I know that is basically common sense, but sometimes (myself included) runners try to start running five days a week and quit a few miles within those five days. When you do too many miles too fast, and too soon, you will most likely experience shin pain which can lead to shin splints. Yes, this is very common, but believe me, they are no fun. I have been struggling with them for two years, so make sure to always gradually wade into running, so your body has time to adjust to the demanding physical strain you experience when running. I simply suggest starting out walking if you have never run before for a half an hour each day, or if you are more in shape, then running a light one-two miles three times a week evenly spaced out. I would stick with the lower portion of running for a few weeks, then add a mile or two (depending on if you want a hard workout/run or a relaxing one) and see how it goes. If you begin to feel pain in your shins at all, ease off running, ice, elevate, and relax the muscles to prevent further injury.
My second piece of advice for new runners is to not be discouraged. Just because you aren’t running a 5K in under twenty-five minutes doesn’t mean you are horrible, it simply means you just need to keep practicing and running to build your endurance up. Speed will come once you have your miles up. If you can consistently run three miles, than you can begin to focus on the speed part. Everyone has bad running days. Some days, your body just really does not want to run and feels extremely fatigued, but this does not mean you should just give up. Instead, fight through the fatigue and realize it is okay to not have an amazing run. Even the best runners have their bad days and struggle to run the necessary miles.
My third and final piece of advice is to stick with it and consistently run. If you consistently run, then you will begin to get into a smooth running routine, and your overall health will start to be improved. Even if you are at the stage of simply walking, walk consistently, and soon you will find that the faster and farther you walk, the less terrifying running will be. Being a consistent runner is key because sticking to a schedule may help prevent certain injuries that could be obtained in running inconsistently.
Running is a great habit to get into, and the benefits are many. I personally find running therapeutic and necessary in my everyday life. Though I only have three pieces of advice this time, stay tuned as I will periodically add more advice throughout the rest of this school year. So what do you say? Get outside and start your running adventure!


Corry lifts mask mandates, but is it safe?:

Recently, Corry Middle-High School has announced that masks will not be required as long as COVID cases are under the number of 18. This has definitely been a goal that the community of Corry, PA has been working on for quite some time. Well now, Tuesday February 15, 2022, was the first day since we’ve been back that masks have not been required. Is this truly the safest option that is possible for students and staff, though? 
The phrase staying safe in the times of COVID has been used frequently in our lives, but it doesn’t really seem like people take that seriously. Every day students were told to pull their mask up, to use hand sanitizer, and to wipe down their desk every day after every period. Slowly we stopped doing these things one by one forgetting that there is a deadly virus still taking people’s lives. It’s understandable that this is tiring to repeat every day, but that doesn’t give us the excuse to just give up on our own and others’ safety. If we want to live a normal life again, then you’re going to either have to get vaccinated or tested every week. 
Vaccination refusal is a topic that has always been controversial, but it’s been more popular than ever due to COVID. Instead of getting the vaccine to keep themselves and others safe, people seem to let their political views get in the way of health for our city. Corry schools have even had to witness losing students from COVID. If this isn’t an obvious reason to why the problem of the mask mandate should be fixed then I don’t know what is. 
Ways that we could truly help lift mask mandates in Corry schools in our community would be to have all students and staff either vaccinated or tested every week. If the students and staff  refuse to get vaccinated and tested, then why are we giving them the luxury of not having to wear a mask? This is a serious real world issue and if you don’t want to cooperate with it then it becomes a personal problem. So you’re going suffer the consequences. Why are we allowing ourselves to have an unsafe community? It’s honestly unfair to the people who did get vaccinated almost as if we were moving backwards. It seems as if the school board didn’t look for solutions to a safe education environment but was just sick of the complaining from parents and just gave them what they wanted. 
If you don’t want to wear a mask so badly then get vaccinated or tested every week. One’s completely free made for children and adults, and one is repetitive and painful. That’s the price you should pay, though, if you don’t want to have to wear a mask. Oddly enough, the people who constantly wore masks around their chin were the most happy mandates were lifted. It’s interesting that the ones who didn’t even wear it correctly were the most excited. Some of these people were even adults, but I’ve been wearing masks correctly for nearly two years and this is genuinely something I’m concerned about. Masks aren’t the problem, people are. If Corry Middle High School wants to lift the mask mandates then they should think about the effects it will have. If you’re able to get vaccinated, I highly suggest it for the safety of yourself and other people. If not, you might not be so lucky in the future.


Favorite 2022 Super Bowl halftime show performers:

When it come to the infamous NFL Superbowl halftime shows, it’s a bit controversial to see if the performance matches everyone’s liking, and this year’s show seemed to strike many people’s eyes and make it an unforgettable show for many. Since many tended to like this halftime the most, it got the most hype. I decided to ask students and staff members who their favorite halftime show performer was.
This halftime show was kind of a throwback to many since it was old rap and pop icons from the nineties. The performing list consisted of legendary 50-year-old American rapper Snoop Dogg, 56- year-old American rapper Dr. Dre; then there was big-time rapper Eminem performing at 49 years old, 46-year-old American rapper 50 cent, young rapper Kendrick Lamar also made an appearance alongside the legends, and as an ending act Mary J. Blinge made an appearance along with her stunning voice. I recorded some of the results I gathered from the survey question, “Who was your favorite 2022 halftime show performer?”
When it came to the performance of Snoop Dogg 53% of the people I asked enjoyed his performance the best; for Eminem 30% of the people I asked liked his performance; for 50 Cent, only 7% of the people I asked liked him, and it was a tie between Dr. Dre and Mary J. Blige with it being 3%. The only performer who was not said was Kendrick Lamar. It could be because he wasn’t really a part of the original nineties rapper icons.
I would like to say thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to answer my survey question. I enjoyed hearing everyone’s replies and I was very curious about who would get chosen as “the best performer” at the Super Bowl this year. I have to admit I was a little shocked, but I’m glad I got to ask and tally up people’s replies.


Top ten halftime performances:

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events that take place every year, which millions of people watch. Every year they invite artists to perform at the halftime show. Everyone has different opinions on the performance. So here are the top ten halftime shows from previous years.
10. 2001 – Headline: Aerosmith and NSYNC special guests: Britney Spears, Marie J. Blige, Nelly
9. 2006 – Headline: The Rolling Stones special guests: N/A
8. 2011 – Headline: The Black Eyes Peas special guests: Usher and Slash
7. 2019 – Headline: Maroon 5 special guests: Travis Scott and Big Boi
6. 2021 – Headline: The Weeknd special guest: N/A
5. 2015 – Headline: Katy Perry special guests: Lenny Kravitz and Missy Eliot
4. 2014 – Headline: Bruno Mars special guest: Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. 2012 – Headlines: Madonna special guests: LMFAO, Cirque du Soleil, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A, Cee Lo Green, and Andy Lewis
2. 2013 – Headline: Beyonce special guest: Destineys Child
1. 2020 – Headline: Shakira and Jennifer Lopez special guest: Bad Bunny,  J Balvin and Emme Muniz


Sunken Sara:

While the sun hits my skin, I bask in it. This is the most warmth I’ve felt in a while. I stand comfortably as I look down into calm, clear, blue water. Usually, I’d get seasick pretty quickly, but today just isn’t the same. I’m not dreading being here. Instead, it’s leaving me in awe. It’s so beautiful. How could I be so blind before? 
I’m standing on an old boat with my grandfather, looking down at the coral and swimming fish. He always takes me fishing and even though I hate fishing, I always come along for him. I want my grandfather to be happy and smiling for the last few years he has. After he goes, I’ll be alone. I’ve already accepted the thoughts and feelings of being lonely and alone because after all, everything is only temporary.
It’s been a couple hours and we caught a lot of fish, but the sky isn’t as blue or as warm as it was. Now everything’s gotten darker. I can no longer see my reflection in the water. The waves keep getting bigger and more rough. My granddad told me not to worry about it and that the roughness will soon go away. But, that was thirty minutes ago. I hear thunder now as I feel my clothes getting quickly drenched with rain water. Before I knew it, I was suffocating, gasping for air but choking on the little bit that I got. I can’t see or hear anything but the water. It sounds louder- more deafening- than when we first got here. I feel my grandfather’s arms wrap around me as I realize. It wasn’t rain water drenching me, it was a massive tidal wave that had hit our old boat. And I wasn’t suffocating, I was drowning. In a matter of seconds, I was thrown overboard into the ocean, being knocked around by the currents going in different directions. My grandfather held onto me as he tried to get us both up to the surface, but after a few minutes, it’s too late. The anchor had already been dropping into the water. It’s lowering itself directly on my stomach and it’s falling so fast that I can’t get out from under it. 
I’m not scared of being alone, I’m scared of my grandfather being lonely. All I can think right now is how all of this could happen so fast. One second we were enjoying the beautiful view of the clear, blue ocean water surrounding us. Now, I’m dying. I suddenly feel a hard surface on my back and at the same time, I feel all the weight of the anchor collapse onto my entire torso and part of my legs. I am hearing cracks and feeling unimaginable, inexplicable pain. I’ve fallen into the hands of darkness.


Top ten songs by ABBA:

The band, ABBA, has impacted my life, and many other people’s lives, very greatly with their music. ABBA is a band that is primarily from the 1970s and 1980s. I grew up listening to the sound of their voices, and they have been one of my favorite bands for as long as I can remember. With that being said, I feel very entitled to rank my favorite songs of theirs. I want to mention that I do not dislike any of the songs below, and it was very difficult to decide where they all fit together.

“Chiquitita”

“Chiquitita” is a great song to cheer you up when you are feeling upset or sad, and the vocals by ABBA are amazing, as always. However, it is sitting at ten because, overall, it is a little bit boring compared to the other nine songs.

“Mamma Mia”

Don’t get me wrong, “Mamma Mia” is a fantastic song that definitely deserves the hype it receives, but it is much like “Chiquitita” in the sense that it, overall, does not compare to the other songs in terms of greatness.

“Our Last Summer”

The song-writing of “Our Last Summer” is absolutely immaculate. ABBA does a great job creating a story within their music, but this particular song is a perfect representation of amazing storytelling. “Our Last Summer” also creates a nostalgic, warm vibe that the summertime usually brings.

“Slipping Through My Fingers”

“Slipping Through My Fingers” is much like the song “Our Last Summer”use of the nostalgic storytelling. The vocals that ABBA provides in this song help convey the heartbreaking idea of growing up and becoming distant with someone you love. 

“Voulez-Vous”

“Voulez-Vous” is a very spunky song that will make you want to get up and dance every time you listen to it.

“Lay All Your Love On Me”

“Lay All Your Love On Me” is a very fun song and has even been made into a TikTok trend, influenced by the scene that it appears in the movie “Mamma Mia.”

“The Winner Takes It All”

  The vocals in this song are so good that I feel like my ears are in heaven every time I listen to it. The singers in ABBA have an amazing vocal range, however, this particular song does a great job of showcasing that. The song is emotionally breathtaking, and I could listen to it over and over again.

“Money, Money, Money”

Overall, this song deserves to be in the top three. This song has a great vibe, and the vocals are absolutely insane. This song makes me want to sail on a boat around the world and make tons of money. This song reminds me of empowerment and I, honestly, just love everything about it.

“SOS”

“SOS” is and has always been one of my favorite ABBA songs. Again, the vocals are amazing and it does a great job painting a scene (much like “Our Last Summer”). The song is extremely catchy and makes me feel like I’m in a movie every time I listen to it. It brings a lot of emotion to the table, and I’m obsessed.

“Dancing  Queen”

 This, truly, would not be an ABBA ranking list if “Dancing Queen” was not number one. “Dancing Queen” is probably the catchiest song I’ve ever heard in my life, and I can’t stop myself from dancing and jiving every time it comes on. “Dancing Queen” is such a feel-good song, and it brings so much joy and happiness into my day whenever I listen to it. This song never fails to make me feel like I am the dancing queen.


My Dead Wife Keeps Texting Me:

My ex-wife Jane died three years ago in a car accident around Christmas time. She was driving across a bridge and a drunk driver slammed into her and knocked her car into the rushing river below. It was a hit and run, and by the time help arrived it was too late. It left me devastated for a very long time, but after some therapy I’ve learned to move on with life.
It was the weekend and I was at home watching some cheesy film, when my phone dinged and the screen lit up. I picked it up off the cushions, and nearly dropped my phone from shock. I received a text message, but that wasn’t what frightened me; the name it said it was from was Jane.
After sitting alarmingly still for several minutes, I finally worked up the courage to pick my phone back up and read the text. All it said was, “I’m soaking wet, it’s cold.”
An uneasy feeling brewed in my stomach as I stared at the message in complete disbelief. Before I even had time to do anything, another message popped up. This time saying, “Please come find me.” I nearly vomited.
I quickly sent a reply, “Whoever this is, it isn’t funny.”
Then, a plethora of texts were sent, over and over again, “I want to come home.” It just kept sending, again and again, nonstop.
A chill ran up my spine as a knock came to my front door.


Top ten vacation spots:

Do you love to travel? This is a list of the top ten places in America to visit for vacation. Personally, I love to travel and I would love to visit all of the places! One of my favorite places I have been to is Turks and Caicos, it was one of the many beautiful islands my Carnival cruise stopped at.
10. Grand Canyon
9. Yosemite
8. Yellowstone
7. Maui
6. Nevada
5. Mexico
4. Georgia
3. New Orleans
2. Lake Tahoe
1. Outer Banks


Build stronger relationships – know your love language:

This article may be a little late, as Valentine’s Day has been long past, but I feel as if this article could help everyone learn a little more about themselves. Whether you spent the holiday with self care, alone, or with another person, this information may help build a stronger relationship with yourself and the people around you. Also another important mention is shown in the picture below:

The main five love languages


Words of Affirmation
Speaking from the heart, expressing empathy, communicating appreciation, compliments, words of encouragement, and reminders of personal strengths, speak volumes to individuals with this love language. Often people with this love language are sensitive and are very aware of their surroundings. They often encourage others, and know just what to say to cheer up others, hoping that others will do the same for them.
Physical Touch
Hugs, holding hands, pats on the back, kissing, cuddling, playing with hair, are all examples of this love language. This shows roots to a childhood, often only feeling deep affection and love from others through touch. Through this love language you may feel appreciated and loved.
Gifts
This love language is pretty straightforward, visual symbols of love, such as gifts, make you feel loved. The gift-giving itself is not about the money, more so the symbolic thought(s) behind said gift(s). The main key to this love language is to give something meaningful that matters to them that reflects their values.
Quality Time
Spending time together: actively listening, eye contact, and paying full attention, are all qualities of this love language. The main point of this love language is the act of undivided attention, without distraction, or outside interference. People with this love language value one-on-one time and meaningful conversations.
Act of Service
This love language is all about valuing when someone goes out of their way to help you or make your life easier. Its things like helping care for you when your ill, making food or coffee for you, or just helping out around the house when you’ve had a rough day. This love language is for people who believe actions speak louder than words.


What is your favorite movie genre?:

People’s personalities are formed by past experiences and visuals that peak someone’s interests. I personally go for either comedy or thriller because that is what I was raised on and its what peaks my interest. Some people can’t stand horror because its too gruesome, some may not like sci-fi movies because of unrealistic events that occur in it, and some can’t sit through a romance movie because it is too “boring.”
I decided to go around our school asking students and teachers what their favorite movie genres were.
In total there were 23% who voted for horror, 13% voted rom-coms, 17% voted for comedy, 3% voted for western movies, 13% voted for sci-fi movies, 17% voted for action movies, 7% voted for romance, and another 7% voted for thrillers.


Netherlands 700th Anniversary:

The Netherlands is a country over 700 years old, and its history is considerably peaceful. The area is often overlooked when it comes to history despite their open-mind, and they have set small things in the process for change.
In the Netherlands during 2001 same-sex marriage was legalized, and it was basically without an argument and nearly unanimous. This was a big step because they also allowed religious figures in 2014 to have the option to agree to the ceremony. It remains the fact that the Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, and many countries have decided to follow in those steps, legalizing that same thing. This is one of the many things that the Netherlands took a step to make happen.
In the end, the Netherlands is often forgotten by many, but they also set forth several changes in history, and that shows through research that maybe even the more forgotten places have something to contribute.


Corry boys varsity basketball team goes to playoffs:

The Corry Boys Varsity Basketball team is entering the 10 4A basketball playoffs, facing off against Fairview on February 24, 2022 at 7:30.
Lead by Coach Bailey, the varsity players are: Jeffrey Petty, Brady Higley, Logan Joncas, Chance Rogers, Marcus Lambert, Rylan Smith, Nate James, Nick Brundage, Codi Reedy, and Tyler Bird. The basketball boys are currently 8th in the region.
When asked how he feels about the playoffs Tyler Bird said, “I am feeling excited for the playoffs.”
When asked how he feels about this opportunity Coach Bailey said, “It’s an awesome opportunity because only eight teams get into playoffs in our region. I’m excited because we have the talent to compete against anyone in our region.”
When asked how he feels about playoffs Logan Joncas said, “Good and excited”
Good luck in the playoffs Corry basketball team.


My top ten music artists:

Are you getting bored of your same old music? Want to listen too someone new? Well, here are some of my favorite music artists. You may know some of them, but you may not know all of them.
10. NF
9. James Arthur
8. Anson Seabra
7. Conana Gray
6. Bmike
5. Alec Benjamin
4. Alexander 23
3. Lewis Capaldi
2. Jordan Suaste
1. Jxdn


When will the MLB lockout end?:

Fans and players are fed up with Major League Baseball. Players have been in a lockout since early December, and their spring training was just delayed. MLB views February 28 as the last day they can negotiate without delaying opening day. Players and owners have agreed on some things about this next season, but what is still left on the table?
Let’s start with what has been agreed upon. Both sides have agreed upon a universal DH, draft lottery, and to the elimination of the buyer side of draft-pick compensation. There are no specifics on the draft lottery. And with the elimination of buyer side of draft-pick compensation, teams can sign players without losing draft picks. These are some positive changes for the game of baseball. A universal DH will bring more excitement  for viewers now that they don’t have to watch a pitcher strike out. The draft lottery will eliminate teams tanking for top picks. This forces owners to spend more money to be competitive. These are all good changes, but what still needs addressed?
MLB owners are known for trying to save as much money as possible. That’s why you see teams like the Pirates, Oriels, and Diamondbacks struggling to find their footing every season. The Major League Baseball Players’ Association (MLBPA) want to address the problem with arbitration and service time manipulation. Arbitration is used when a player is not eligible for free agency and cannot come to terms  on a contract with an organization before a set deadline. Organizations are then allowed to determine the salary for the player without discussion. Owners abuse this to save as much money as possible, forcing players into terrible salaries. Another thing that needs addressed is the living conditions and salaries of minor league players. If a player was not signed to a very big contract then they don’t really have wiggle room when it comes to what they are spending. Housing and the food provided are not very ideal. Owners will have to step up to provide.
As an outside source, it seems like MLB owners are killing their own game. They’ve taken advantage of players for years now, and MLBPA wants to change that. The glaring problems with MLB are going to have to be addressed for this lockout to end, and we may be close to that end.


Wonderful Miss Wojcicehowski:

Miss Wojcicehowski is a life skills teacher at Corry Area High School. She actually grew up here in Corry, Pennsylvania and attended this same high school; though, she graduated from Edinboro University.
Wojcicehowski says she got into the job she has now because she always dreamed of being a teacher and wanted to stay in her hometown. Her interests/hobbies include the fact that she’s a canine handler and has a three-year-old German Shepherd that specializes with human remains in land, water, and crime scenes.
Beside that, she’s also a bee keeper. Speaking of animals, Wojcicehowski says that if she were to align her personality with one, it would probably be a koala.
When asked for a piece advice she would give her readers right now, she answered: “Pursue your passions, work hard, and character matters.” She’s surely a fantastic and intriguing individual and teacher.


“The Forbidden Games” aren’t so forbidden:

L.J. Smith is best known for her young adult novels like “The Vampire Diaries,” “The Secret Circle,” “Dark Visions,” and many more incredible books. This book series is mainly based on supernatural love and mischief. “The Forbidden Games” is a teen horror trilogy of novels, and it consists of three books. Each book ends with an unexpected turn of events causing the reader to crave the next book in the series to reveal all information. “The Forbidden Games” series was published all in the same year which was 1994, but it took a more than a year to write all three books.
The first book in “The Forbidden Games” series is called “The Hunter,” and it starts off the series with introducing the main characters: Jenny Thornton, Julian, Tom Locke, Audrey Myers, Dee Eliade, Micheal Cohen, and Zach Taylor. “The Hunter” book is about a seventeen-year-old girl (Jenny Thornton) who needs a board game for her boyfriend’s (Tom Locke) birthday party. Jenny was drawn to a mysteriously hidden shop called “More Games.” She meets a boy who has snow white hair and icy blue eyes (Julian). Jenny bought the game not knowing the consequences that would come with it. Jenny, Tom, and the rest of their friends begin to set up the game unaware of what’s about to come. As they begin to play the game they run into a hardship that leaves them in dismay. The story soon turns into a love triangle between Jenny, Tom, and Julian. Tom and Julian yearn for Jenny’s love, and they soon encounter troubled events with it. The first book The Hunter is very good, and it really draws the reader into the story. I would rate this book a 3.5/5 stars just because it is the beginning book of the series and it doesn’t have major plot twists.
The second book from :The Forbidden Games” series is called “The Chase” and for a good reason. This book is the middle combination of the series, and it puts in any and all last-minute characters and circumstances leading up to the finale. Jenny and the rest of her friends have multiple run-ins with the main protagonists in the story, the Shadow Man Julian. The group had survived the events in the first book, so this is how they return back to their normal lives but that may change. Julian has cooked up a plan to torture Jenny to come back to him, and be his queen. Jenny goes through the same hardships she had in the first book. Can she handle the pressure, or will she crack? This is when Jenny and Julian’s relationship starts to grow and you can really see a connection. For this book I would definitely rate it a 4/5 stars. This book has amazing connections, and just a great setting and plot. Nothing about this book is boring, or uninteresting. It holds the reader’s attention the whole time and pulls you in to want to read more.
The third and last book of “The Forbidden Games” series is called “The Kill.” This book is the end of a long trail of chaotic events and an everlasting love story. The characters from the original are all come together one last time to stop The Shadow Men and end this devilish nightmare they’re all connected to. They’re stuck in an amusement park and stuck in the between world known as the Shadow World where the Shadow Men live, and other mystical creatures. This is Julian’s last chance at luring in Jenny to be his love for eternity. The characters encounter many hardships that feel impossible to overcome. Will Julian win Jenny over? Will they never make it out of the Shadow World? What will happen? You’ll just have to read and find out. I would rate this book a 5/5 stars. It has the perfect unexpected ending that just fits the story line. The book has such emotions and really makes you feel as one with the book when you’re reading.
The book series “The Forbidden Games” is a great book series for teens who love horror mysteries. I would rate this book series a 5/5 stars overall. It has a great plot, and storyline that is very interesting. I strongly recommend this book series to book lovers. It is a whirlwind of emotions, and you will fall in love with everything about each book.


The last twelve hours:

Twelve hours. That’s all the time we had left on this earth. Everybody who lived on the block was crammed into my neighbors one-room apartment. We were all fixated on the small television that broadcast the news. The End Times were here–had been here–and the signs were evident. What else was there to do?
The news anchor signed off with a simple, “Every country has declared war on us. There is nothing we can do but pray our front lines hold somewhat. There is nowhere we Americans can go, so enjoy what freedoms you do have. Everyone, have a blessed twelve hours, and I hope with everything in me you will be watching me again soon. But folks, things look very grim.”
He gave a sad smile and the news was shut off. Childhood cartoons started rolling, and I wondered how in the world someone could broadcast such a happy show on such a depressing and day of anguish. Mr. Petronelli got up swiftly for someone of such an old age and shut the TV off.
He turned around slowly and faced us all. “I think we should all get together for a marvelous feast, what do you say?” Though the circumstances were less than ideal, everyone momentarily let go of the fear and let out a joyful holler. “Let’s all go home and see what we can whip up together, eh?” Another chorus rang out and I saw how one man, frail and thin as he was, could bestow such peace upon paranoid people. He met my incredulous eye and gave me a smile, and unexpectedly, I found myself smiling back.
My children are gone and grown up, not living anywhere near me, but I still took the time to call each of them and ask that they try to spend their last hours as close to their community as I was. “Mom,” my oldest son Jonah said, “please don’t worry about me. I will be fine, I’ve got an army on my side, remember?”
I smiled through the tears, “I love you,” I whispered, and hung up the phone to call my spunky twenty-year old daughter. “Mom! Oh, I am so glad to hear your voice. I am terrified, I can’t do this. Why is all of this happening to us?”
“Honey, please relax. I need you to remember all of the things you have learned over the years. Our hope is not in this world.”
“I love you, Mom, and I’ll see you later.”  Once again I found myself smiling though I was utterly terrified.
The feast was amazing, and we spent all night talking about our childhoods and the spunkiness of our youth. The younger couples sat amazed and laughed hysterically when they heard of the pranks we pulled on the teachers. The closeness of the community was breathtaking, and I found myself beyond blessed to spend these last few hours with people whom I now call family.
At one point I happened to look at the clock and saw we had a mere hour left until our country was invaded and left in utter chaos. I could hear murmurs as people looked out the window and saw a bright light enveloping the sky. I knew exactly what was happening. I ran down the stairs and to the quiet street outside, spreading my arms wide to welcome in the warmth of the light. Before I knew it, I had closed my eyes with a smile on my face and felt my spirit being called home. No more fear, only faith.


Putin takes on Ukraine:

Recently, everyone has heard of the attack that Russian President Vladimir Putin put into place against Ukraine. Yet, not many people know how the whole situation started. On Monday, February 21, Putin put on a “show” which soon followed with the attack on Thursday, February 24.
The attack started with explosions before dawn and were launched directly into the capital Kyiv and then several other cities.  It was quickly revealed that Russia’s goal was to destroy the state of Ukraine. As of right now, there has been at least 57 people killed. They have been targeting the country starting from the east following to the north then the south. It has been reported that that President Putin sent out a warning to other countries that if they make any attempt for any interference it would lead to “consequences never seen in history”.
Ukraine’s leaders have now deployed more than 36,000 guardsmen as they prepare for full invasion over their land. Ukraine’s National  Guard and their border services are now finding an additional 100,000 reserve members to train the newest addition to the military, whom will only serve part time, yfet will help Ukraine in this state of crisis that has quickly taken place in their country.


My opinion: Religion:

I don’t believe in “God.” No, I’m not a satanist or an atheist. I just believe that there are multiple Gods and Goddesses. Whenever I pray, it’s not to the “God” that other people usually pray to for religious reasons. I pray and whatever God or Goddess hears me praying is the one that can help me with my problems. I believe there are certain Gods and Goddesses for specific things. One for sadness, one for protection, one for love, and etc. After all, how can one God take care of billions of people all at once?
Also, I don’t believe in religion. Every religious person says that their religion is “God’s true religion,” but in reality no one actually knows what the true religion is. I also don’t believe in religion because I feel like you shouldn’t have to live by other people’s standards, not even “God’s.” The Ten Commandments are you shouldn’t have any gods before “God,” you shouldn’t murder, you shouldn’t lie, you shouldn’t steal, and so on. Obviously you shouldn’t steal or murder people, but anyone who has any decency- religious or not- wouldn’t do that stuff anyways.
To add to that, I also don’t believe in “heaven and hell.” I believe that when our bodies die, your soul lives on and you start a new life. This is why I try to tell people not to think negatively about themselves because your body is only temporary. Eat what you want to eat, drink what you want to drink, and live your life because in the next, your soul may never get the chance to experience what you can in this life. This includes going on the tallest roller coaster in the world, eating three hamburgers in one sitting, swimming in the ocean even though there may be sharks, trying the hottest pepper in the world, and a lot more.
Basically, don’t let these things take control of your life. Do what you want to do.


Does pineapple belong on a pizza?:

Many people like to try weird food combinations, such as milkshakes with french fries. However, a very popular debate is if pineapple belongs on pizzas.
Hawaiian pizza is a type of pizza that has ham and pineapple on it. As odd as it might sound, it is a popular kind of pizza that people enjoy. Nevertheless, a majority of people would agree that pineapple does not belong on pizza. This includes Gordon Ramsey, who is a popular chef.
Some people’s reasoning behind it is because they believe that pineapple is too juicy and strong. What do you think about pineapple on pizza?



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Marvelous Mrs. Marsh!:

Mrs. Marsh is a teacher at Corry Area High School. Her birthday is October 22, 1985, and she grew up in Corry.
Monica Marsh attended Edinboro University to get her teaching degree. Her dream vacation is going to Maine with just her husband and (while she loves her children) no kids.
Marsh’s favorite color is teal, her favorite food is pizza, and her favorite quote is, “Be kind.”
While Marsh was in high school she was a member of the marching band. Her biggest pet peeve is people that are late, she tells me she gets anxiety every time she isn’t early to something.
Her quote for everyone reading is, “Do your work and don’t be late!”


“Uncharted” charts on opening weekend:

Last weekend, “Uncharted” was released. This has been an anticipated movie to those who have played the video game considering that it’s been popularly played since 2007. In the live movie adaptation of the game we get to see young Nathan Drake played by Tom Holland and Victor “Sully” Sullivan played by Mark Wahlberg look for 500-year-old lost treasure. This happens by Victor aka “Sully” recruiting clever Nathan for the recovery of five billion dollars in treasure. Although they have obstacles trying to avoid the wealthy Santiago Moncada, who’s also hunting for the treasure. Doing whatever it takes to get his hands on it. Finding the treasure soon turns into a race of who will get it first. Will Nathan and Sully find the treasure? Or will their inability to work together sabotage them? For the “Uncharted” review I will be rating the cinematography, storyline, and the choreography from 1 to 5. 
To start the review off strong, I decided to review the cinematography because of the visuals shown in the film that were very impressive. One visually aesthetic scene that stood out to me was when Nathan arrives on the beach and the audience gets an incredible view of the island. Even though the islands were beautiful the audience got to see the detailed architecture of Berlin, Germany in many of the scenes. One notable scene that shows amazing cinematography is where Nathan is chasing another supporting character, Chloe, after he’s found out she’s stolen something. The audience gets to see them jump from rooftops and run from the buildings. The fast pace of the scene and camera direction really brought the scene to life. Later in the movie, Nathan finds himself in a difficult situation free-falling from the sky. The point of view for this scene was allowing the audience to feel that they are barreling through the sky flipping and turning along with the characters. This makes the movie more of an experience because it feels like you’re right there and you’re involved with the scene. One last scene that I would like to mention is when Nathan is underground exploring a crypt and their surroundings. This stood out to me because it showed the art of visual storytelling. Overall, I would give the cinematography a 4.5 out of 5. I thought that it was a cool experience for the audience to feel like you’re on the adventure with them. 
Continuing the review, the next topic that I would like to discuss is the “Uncharted” storyline. Tom Holland himself actually inspired Sony with his pitch of a young James Bond movie that featured his origin story as 007. Instead, this came to be more of inspiration for an “Uncharted” movie that featured young Nathan Drake. I thought the storyline for this movie was good as it is a treasure hunt and the initial goal is to find the treasure. One critique I would give is to try to stay away from the idea that an object is a macguffin and is the only thing that affects the plot of the story. I would have liked just a bit more character development from some of the characters and that it drove the plot more than the treasure did. The pace of the movie was something that I had mixed feelings about. This is because some scenes were a bit slow paced and it felt like you might have been waiting for something to happen. I really enjoyed the climax of the plot. I thought it was a very intense and action-packed scene that the audience was waiting for. It was also believable because of the idea that the characters would have selfish traits and make decisions that only benefit them in the story. The idea for this storyline was unique and allowed more light to shed on the backstory of a beloved character that people have seen for years. I would give the storyline for “Uncharted” a 3.5 out of 5. 
For the last category, I will be rating the fight choreography. Choreography is what really makes the scenes entertaining to watch. I was honestly very impressed with the choreography in “Uncharted,” it looked natural and it flowed easily. While filming “Uncharted,” Tom Holland thought it would be a good idea to learn a few bar tending tricks to get into the role of his character Nathan by actually going undercover at bars. A personal favorite scene of mine that featured amazing choreography was of Nathan Drake in a club bar fight. Throughout this club scene Nathan showcases some bottle flips giving Santiago Moncada’s workers some hits to the head with bottles. Eventually, Nathan creates a quick escape by using liquor and a lit candle to blow fire into the face of his opponent. The only thing I would add to that scene would be more hand-to-hand combat. The scene with the best choreography, the climax of the movie, is a fight scene that takes place on two pirate ships being airlifted by helicopters. As crazy as this sounds, the choreography was actually thoroughly entertaining because of the way they incorporated the ships and helicopters into the fighting. It’s important that the set was used to enhance the choreography for reasons like making the fight more grounded. The reason I think this is the best fight scene is because it’s humorous and detailed while forcing the characters to develop. I would give the “Uncharted” choreography 5/5. 
As a result, I thought “Uncharted” had an overall decent performance. The film did top the domestic box office earning $51 million dollars over opening weekend with a $120 million dollar budget. Bits and pieces of the movie were a bit underwhelming at times, but if they made a sequel I would willingly pay to watch it. If you’re looking for an action-packed treasure hunt movie with some humor then I would recommend this movie to you if you’re above the age of 13. Overall, I would give “Uncharted” a 3.5 out of 5. Hopefully we’ll see a sequel in the future.


Jubilant Jeremy:

Jeremy Saurwein is a 16-year-old honors student at Corry Area High School. He was born on August 11, 2005, making him a Leo. He lives with his mom, brother, and their dog Graham.
Jeremy’s extracurricular activities include football and track. In his free time, he likes to go to the gym and practice playing piano. Saurwein is inspired by the people around him and a desire to make his younger self proud.
Some of his favorite things include piano, football, and spending time with his friends. When asked if he had any advice for his fellow students, he said, “Don’t take high school for granted, it’s the only four years of it you get.”


Corry’s 15R travel volleyball team takes home a win for the second weekend in a row:

Epic Corry 15’s took home first place again for a second weekend in a row. They started out at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, on February 20, 2022. Then the next weekend they headed up to Erie to compete in the Erie Sports Bank Park on February 27, 2022. Both tournaments took place on Sundays.
Allison Sawyer, front row player, said, “I feel like our season is going well because we are a very well-rounded team, and can give each other constructive criticism without taking it to heart. We haven’t lost a set in the past two tournaments, and we are getting better and better every tournament as a team, and learning new positions.”
The Corry volleyball program has travel teams for ages 12-15. Each age group has done especially well at each of their tournaments whether they are in state, or out of state. The tournaments are usually held at Erie Sports Bank Park in Erie, or at Fort LeBoeuf High/Middle School. The season usually starts at the end of November, but the tryouts are in the beginning of November. These girls practice two days a week and have tournaments almost every weekend. The coaches of the program are Kelly Goodsel, Pat Goodsel, Amy Allen, Karalee Kemp, Valerie Watrous, and Mark Brenner.
Aubrey Chase, middle hitter, said, “I really love how this JO season is going so far. We are getting better everyday, and we work really hard. I love playing with all my teammates, and winning with them.”
The coaches that attended the tournament were also asked the question, “How do you feel about the season so far?” 
Coach Amy Allen said, “It’s exciting to see our girls, some of them especially that started in 12u to see them now. They’re learning, and making adjustments, improving, and growing closer together as a team. It’s been a good season. I’ve enjoyed watching them and I’m excited to see how far they can push themselves.” 
The Epic Corry 15’s have been playing together since they were in the 12’s bracket. They have been doing the travel “JO’s” program together for four years. 
“I think we have made a huge amount of progress from now to high school, and we continue to grow as a team,” Payton McCray, setter, said. “There are some areas we can improve on, but all around the season is great.”
Halle Albers, left side hitter, said, “I believe that after every tournament we are getting better and better. We have also grown as a team in many ways. We are a very competitive team. I think that this season will just bring more and more wins for us.”
The 15’s team consists of Payton McCray (setter) Kendyll Chamberlin (setter and right side hitter), Allison Sawyer (front row player), Aubrey Vanderhoof (middle), Emmalee Carr (middle), MaKenna Moore (outside hitter and DS), Halle Albers (outside hitter and DS), and Sydney Woods (Libero).
Kendyll Chamberlin, setter/right side hitter, said, “I think our season has been very successful. Each set we get better, and better. We work well as a team, and make each other better.”   
The 15’s team was also accompanied by 13-year-old Grace Allen (front row hitter and setter)  who is from the 13’s team. She had played with them the last two weekends when they had sealed first place wins. Allen said, “This year for the 15’s JO teams I feel like you guys have really become good examples for the younger age groups. You all are very strong on the court, and you all take on the role of being leaders. I feel like you’re having fun, and you guys really focus on the tiniest details while playing the game.”
The 15’s is coached by Kelly Goodsel, and Pat Goodsel. At the SPIRE Institute tournament on February 20 there were eight teams. The 15’s ended up playing six games, and they won every set in each game. They went the whole day undefeated and in glory. They not only took home first place, they also got shirts as a “trophy.” The weekend of February 27 there were 16 teams in the tournament, and the girls played another six games that day going undefeated once more, not even dropping a set the whole day. It was recorded that only one team had made over 20 points while playing against them. They took home another win for the second weekend in a row, and they took home yet another shirt as a “trophy” for their win. It’s astonishing that they have not lost a set for either tournament, beating every team that they played against. 
The girls have been working really hard, and they have dedicated their personal time for this sport. Spending almost every weekend and many week days to get to this point of winning two tournaments in a row. They are growing not only individually, but also as a group.
Emmalee Carr, middle hitter, said, “Our season has been pretty good. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re all taking every opportunity we can get to learn more and get better. I’ve really enjoyed playing, and growing with these girls.”
These girls are very well rounded individuals making everyone of them very valuable. They look like a unit on the court, making each move and decision look so easy. They flow so well together, and they make an amazing team. Each one of them are very dedicated athletes who work hard to be the best, and when they come together they’re unstoppable. They often challenge each other and push one another to do better. Each one of them are very dedicated to this sport, and their team.
“I believe that our season has been good, and we are getting progressively better every day,” Sydney Woods, libero, said. “Every tournament we learn new things. We have grown as a team, and we have built trust.


Corry High singers picked for PMEA All-State Chorus:

Three high school students were recently selected to represent PMEA Region 2 and Corry in their chorus competition in April. These three singers were chosen through a three tier vocal audition process. Senior Taylor Fenstermaker, who was chosen for the second consecutive year, will participate along with junior Ryah Lambert (also a second consecutive year competitor), and sophomore Lauren Thomas. They will compete at the All-State Festival in the Poconos the first week of April.
There are two festivals that individuals must compete at to make it to states. The singers start with districts (seven counties) and the top ten from each district gain the opportunity to go to audition for states. Then regionals, which consists of 13 counties, is in Franklin in a few weeks. Four individuals made it to the regional competition, three being the girls and a fourth being Kyron Helmer. The state competition has a completely different folder of music prepared for the singers to perform–most of the music being at the collegiate level–and have the singers come together for a field trip of two to three days. It is expected the singers know the music when going so that they are prepared to perform. The state competition is made up of 240 of the top singers from high schools in the state.
When talking with chorus teacher Mrs. Smrcka I asked if she was excited the girls made it this far, and to that she stated, “Absolutely.”
Talking about the opportunity Mrs. Smrcka said, “…they work hard for it.”
Time, dedication, and patience all come into play when practicing and preparing for such such event as this. According to Lauren Thomas, the singers spend about 3-5 hours a week preparing and perfecting the necessary notes and pitches.
During a short interview, Thomas was asked how she felt about making it to this opportunity as a sophomore. To this, she responded, “I am super excited about making it this far, especially as a sophomore! It’s something I love to do, so it’s amazing that I get to be challenged and grow as a singer. The experience is great!”
This opportunity sure is a special one, and we all wish you three girls good luck in your next and exciting competition.


The Spring Season’s Approaching:

When the sun shines,
the wind whistles.
The grass is as green as limes,
that’s when it chimes.
 
You see the freshly planted gardens,
and the blossomed trees.
The roads lined with farmers,
and just then you’ll feel the breeze.
 
The lawns soon get cut,
leaves show their greens.
The flowers then erupt,
just then you have to pull out the sunscreens.


Easygoing Einhouse:

Mr. Einhouse is our new gym teacher that just started a few weeks ago. He was born on January 27, 1990, and grew up in Forestville, New York. He went to Forestville High School and attended Edinboro for his college education. Some of his hobbies include sports, college football, and hunting and fishing. He has two siblings: a 30-year-old brother and a 29-year-old sister. 
Mr. Einhouse had always been a fan of college football and pursued coaching when he got an opportunity. He chose the job he is in now because he loves sports and working with kids. A place where he would like to go is out West for a hunting trip to spend time outdoors and take in the beautiful scenery. His favorite movie is “Remember the Titans,” and his favorite color is red. Plans for upcoming vacation days include spending time planning his wedding in the summer.
An animal that best matches his personality would be a yellow lab. His idea of a perfect date is going to Riverside because it was the first date he and his fiancee went on. Some of his favorite subjects in school were obviously physical education and history. His favorite food is macaroni and cheese and his favorite sport is football, with his close second being basketball. His pet peeve is people who don’t show effort or who don’t try whatsoever. Advice he would give to anyone reading is to be involved, “You’re only in high school for so long until it’s all over, so enjoy it while it lasts.”


“Into the Woods” auditions being held this week:

Our very own Corry Area High School is putting on a play! This year’s show is “Into The Woods.” Auditions are open to anyone in 9th-12th grade and are going to be held March 10 at 3:30.
They are seeking singers and actors for their spring activity. There are many different roles of different sizes and abilities, and there is no previous experience needed.
Also, if you are interested but you are worried it won’t work because of a spring sport, no need to worry! The production will be very flexible with schedules. There are prep session with Mrs. Smrcka March 7 and March 9 for helping with bigger roles.
If you are interested and need more information feel free to visit Mrs. Smrcka in the choir room!


Is that really a moose?:

Is that a Moose I see over there? No, that’s my brother’s cat, Moose!
Moose is the biggest cat of five, he is also the only boy. He loves to play at night you can hear him trying to play with the other four. He doesn’t understand he is stronger than the rest. Sometimes he is a mommy’s boy, but most of the time he’s off on his own, either hiding or off trying to play with the others.
Moose doesn’t really love my brother but he’s not scared of him either. He is one of the most loving cats you could ever meet. Sometimes he can be a bit much, though, but we get through it. He really loved my grandmother. When we would put him up with her she would pet him under his chin with her nails. He loved that the most of all.
His favorite food is chicken or pop tarts. My brother could be eating pop tarts and Moose will go and look at my brother when he’s eating it. He’s a big fan of KFC though. We could go out and get KFC come home and he will run to the door if he smells it. He could want my brothers pop tart and he will get it 50% of the time.


The radiant Mrs. Rutkowski:

This year we’ve welcomed a new staff member: Victoria Rutkowski, who works in the cooking room in the CTC wing. Victoria was born on March 23 and grew up on a farm in Waterford, PA, with her two siblings J.R. and Ali. She attended Fort LeBoeuf High School and Edinboro University in her college years. 
Some hobbies and interests that Rutkowski has are kayaking, bowling, cricuting, hunting, fishing, playing with Rudd Roo (her son), and her dogs Chloe, Mabel, and Kimber. She even does some sports like softball, golf, and bowling. Topics that interest Rutkowski are she loves to teach history, child development, and foods around the world. Rutkowski pursued the job of teaching to inspire kids to love learning. 
A favorite movie that she has is the “Fast & Furious” franchise and “Hachi: A Dog’s Story.” The music genre that she enjoys the most is country, and her favorite color would either be yellow or gray. Her favorite foods to eat would be steak, tacos, or mac n cheese. Her favorite quotation would be, “I want people to love me and fear me, but most importantly, I want people to fear how much they love me,” and “Must love dogs.” 
Rutkowski’s plans for upcoming vacation days would be to relax with Ryan (her husband), Russel (her son), and her three dogs Chloe, Mabel, and Kimber. If she were to go on a dream vacation she would choose to go to the mountains with her family and dogs, or she would swim with pigs in the Bahamas. If she were to travel anywhere she would go to Benezette because she would love to travel out west. The perfect date for Rutkowski would be cheese and chocolate taste testing. 
After her teaching years Rutkowski would love to be a stay-at-home dog mom for retirement. Some of her biggest pet peeves are messy or disrespectful people. Lastly, a piece of advice that Rutkowski would give to her readers would be “Every day is a new adventure.”


A New Beginning, a fictional story:

Years have passed. I don’t know how old Mia and I are. Rover, who we had since he was a puppy, is now old and grey. Grass is starting to grow again and the radiation levels have decreased. Mia and I try to leave the bunker and take Rover on a walk at least once a week. We have received letters and gifts from some sort of sanctuary. They want us to join them, they said they need more young people to repopulate the Earth. I’m a bit skeptical whereas Mia is ready to leave. We have barely enough food to last another few months so we have no choice but to leave for the sanctuary. We plan on leaving in a few weeks or so, only because the sanctuary is about a three-day walk from our bunker.
THREE WEEKS LATER
We are a day into our journey to find the sanctuary; Rover is tired and Mia is barely trudging along. Luckily, the air is clean enough to breathe it without a mask for at least every other hour without it making us super sick. I’m starting to get home sick, at least I miss what I’ve called home these past few years. I will update you when we are close to the sanctuary.
THREE DAYS LATER
We have just arrived and this place has about forty different families. It’s a bit overwhelming considering we haven’t seen other people in so long. It’s almost comforting knowing that all of us have survived. This place is huge. It has a schooling system, every family has their own “home,” and even a playground and dog park. Mia is happy to see other girls and have someone else to talk to. Even Rover seems to enjoy playing with the other dogs and little kids that live here. I’m happy my family is safe.


Top ten movies that are set in the future:

Have you ever wondered what the future would look like? Well, there are many movies that could give you a possible look into the future. This is my list on what I believe are the top ten movies that are based in the future.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Star Wars franchise (set “a long time ago,” but still futuristic)
Wall-E
Fantastic Planet
GATTACA
Star Trek franchise
Metropolis
Avatar
Synchronic
Ex-Machina


“Gilmore Girls” is a classic worth revisiting:

The iconic series “Gilmore Girls” is a comedy-drama show that came out in the early 2000’s. Amy Sherman-Palladio created the show with the head writers Daniel Palladio and Jenji Kohan. The first episode launched on October 5, 2000.  Starring Alexis Blendel as Rory Gilmore, Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore, Melissa McCarthy as Sookie St. James, Keiko Agena as Lane Kim, Scott Patterson as Luke Danes, Edward Herrmann as Richard Gilmore,  Kelly Bishop as Emily Gilmore and many others. At the time when “Gilmore Girls” first came out, the show was streaming on three platforms: Up TV, The WB, and The CW. The show has seven seasons, all seasons including approximately 21 episodes. At the end of the production there was a total of 153 episodes filmed. You can now find the show on Netflix, Prime Video, VUDU,  Vudu Movie & TV Store, or Apple TV.
The show is about Lorelei and Rory Gilmore, and  the life they live in their small town known as Stars Hallow. It first starts when Rory (Alexis Bledel) is in her sophomore year of high school. Her mom, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) is 32 years old. They both face many challenges throughout the years. They face many real-life problems that people face in their daily lives, which is one of the many reasons I enjoyed the show as much as I did. Both girls go through many hardships, those including relationships, school or work, friendships, and problems within the family.  On top of that, they both take part in several events that take place in their town, those including the weekly town meetings, the 24-Hour Dance A-Thon, The Stars Hallow Movie Festival and several others.  Rory is an extremely bright individual, yet she is still a teenager who makes questionable decisions. Lorelai is a strong-minded independent woman who just wants her daughter to be happy. But she wants her to live a better life than she did. Lorelai went through many privations in her life which the show covers throughout season one.
Many people have many different opinions on the show. Yet, if you look the reviews up, you will find that the show has a 4.7/5 rating. The viewers claim that they “never get tired of watching this show over and over again,” or that “Gilmore Girls” is their ” all time favorite show!!!”
My personal opinion about the show is that it is very well-written, especially for the current generation. The story line is very strong and is able to keep the viewers hooked, so you really never know what to expect. I for one believe that the story line between Lorelai and her parents is extremely interesting, and I have greatly enjoyed watching it unfold. My thoughts have varied throughout the seasons as different events take place. But at the end of the day I would have to give the show a solid 4.5/5 because personally I have taken a liking to each of the characters individually, which helps the plot tremendously. I vigorously encourage anyone of the age 13-30 to watch it seeing how it seems to fit that variety well. The show is full of many different types of people, all with different personalities, and completely different lifestyles. And that is why I encourage you to start watching this show, as soon as you can.


What is the “Don’t Say Gay” bill?:

Recently in Florida, a bill nicknamed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill was passed, which prohibits schools from teaching kids about sexual orientation and gender identity. This also allows teachers and staff to report any LGBTQ+ students to their parents.
Now this does not literally mean “don’t say gay,” but restricts elementary-aged students from openly discussing their sexual/gender identity, which they may not be able to do at home. School is supposed to be a learning environment as well as a safe space. There are councilors that preach for you to have an honest conversation with them, but if they now have the “go” on being able to tell your parents something you trusted them with, how do they expect for students to talk to them? There is already enough bullying from the students against LGBTQ+ people, but now the teachers and staff have the ability to chime in without any consequences.
Along with that, the schools under this bill will not teach LGBTQ+ gender identity or sexual orientation. Some children really struggle with figuring out who they are and only having access to learning about it on the internet is not very easy. It is actually a lot more difficult than you think. The web is such a large place and you may not be able to find exactly what you are asking. Being taught about it would make room for many questions.
One side of opinion believes this should be taught and it is important to be taught while the other side thinks that it is perverted to want to teach young kids about this. They think the only way this can be taught is by talking about the sexual aspect of LGBTQ+ relationships. That is certainly not the case. There are many ways that LGBTQ+ is incorporated into a young child’s life. For example, if a student has two mothers and they are chaperones. Children should be shown that it is okay for them to love the same sex or love the opposite. Heterosexuality has been pushed on kids for decades, but as soon as the idea of LGBTQ+ is given, it is immediately shut down.
What is the real problem? Why is it such a fuss that kids are learning about LGBTQ+? We need to realize that, in the real world, there are many LGBTQ+ people and to leave young people thinking they do not exist, and then they end up being one, is cruel.


What are you looking forward to in the spring?:

Spring is coming soon (March 20 to be exact). People love the spring over any season for some reason. I went around our school and asked 25 people “What are you looking forward to in the spring?”
Mrs. Brady – Nice weather and outside activities
Avery W. – Nicer weather
Tyson P. – Nicer weather
Nolan W. – Vacation
Aiden T. – Baseball
Wesley K. – Baseball
Kylie D. – Milking Cows
Mr. Benzel – Warmer weather
Mrs. Greer – Warmer weather
Mr. McGinnity – Sunshine and Mr. Cragg’s birthday
Mrs. Ruth – Better weather
Marquis S. – Going out of town
Nathan W. – Better weather
Klay M. – Sports
Brock T. – Baseball
Kalinda G. – Swimming and nicer weather
Rose B. – Nicer weather
Katelin P. – Nicer weather
Jaylynn S. – Weather
Taylor M. – Swimming
Trent W. – Easter and Easter egg hunts
Ashlyn A. – Horse shows
Harley T. – Flowers
Lindsey H. – Rain


The Beach Boys and The Beatles:

During the year COVID started and school shut down, I found myself listening to different genres of music. I made many different playlists of music to listen to. One I specifically made was an “oldies” playlist, to which I added songs by The Beach Boys and The Beatles, as I knew they were very popular bands primarily in the 60s. I now find myself listening to The Beach Boys and The Beatles all of the time because it is something about the simple yet fascinating songs they produced. Below I will review one album from each of the two bands.
The first album I will review is the “Pet Sounds” album by The Beach Boys because this is the album I find myself singing to the most. However, I do love other songs from their many albums. “Pet Sounds” is a fun album that can easily get people tapping their foot and humming along. Sure, the album name may be slightly odd, but I think the unique name adds to the special way The Beach Boys thought. I love how The Beach Boys incorporate their voices into the beat and sing the different pitches to go along with the overall tune. My favorite songs of this album are, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Sloop John B.,” “Here Today,” and “God Only Knows.” These songs have absolutely captured my heart and attention in so many ways because of the simpleness yet passion they show in each of the songs. The Beach Boys truly had a gift in their songwriting and still to this day are able to capture people’s attention with their music. Overall, I would rate this album a 4.5/5 stars because most of the songs are amazing, but there are one or two songs I am not entirely in love with. However, their artistry is truly amazing and I would recommend this to anyone who wants to listen to some oldies.
A separate album I will review from The Beatles is “A Hard Day’s Night” because I am very fond of this album. I like the upbeat yet classic tune this album has, and I really enjoy the songs in general of this album. There are so many amazing songs and albums by The Beatles that choosing solely to review this album was hard, but this was of course the album I knew the most songs from and the most that I counted into making my top favorites. A few of my favorites from this album are “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “I Should Have Known Better,” “If I Fell,” and “I’m Happy Just to Dance with You.” The background vocalists are amazing on this album especially, like in “I’m Happy Just to Dance with You.” The background singers really help to enhance these songs and give it more volume, which I think helps to entrance me even more. There really aren’t any negatives to this album; the songs in this have really captured my attention. In the end, I would rate this album a solid 5/5, because I love the songs in this album and I love the cover name of this album, which is especially intriguing.
Listening to The Beach Boys and The Beatles really helps relieve any stress I may have had earlier in a given day, and I find myself loving more and more of their songs. The unique lyrics and tunes really help differ the 60s and early 70s from the present time, which I love. I think I especially love these two bands because their songs are clean and give out fun, or interesting messages. Take “Come Together” by The Beatles for instance: the lyrics in this song (which happens to be one of my favorites of their’s overall) are just fun and are easy to get your foot tapping to. One thing I find specifically important and love about these bands is that I can’t just easily pick my favorite song from each group since they are all so entrancing. Overall, these two albums and artists continue to change the music world almost 60 years after being produced, which to me, is amazing. Anyone considering listening to “oldies” should most certainly take a look at these two bands, as I am sure they will capture your attention like they did mine.


Should freshmen be allowed to attend prom if asked?:

The controversial question everyone has been asking for the past two weeks at Corry High School is, “Should freshmen be able to attend prom if asked by an upperclassman?”
Many have been on board with the option of having freshmen who have been asked by an upperclassman to be able to attend prom this year, but others have disagreed with this decision saying that it’s always just been for the two upper classes (juniors and seniors). Last year was the first year that freshmen and sophomores were allowed to attend prom, but only because the parents took it into their own hands to throw their own prom that wasn’t connected to the school. It was still the same rule that the only way freshmen and sophomores were able to attend is if they got asked by an upperclassman.  Now some people are determined to make this permanent. 
Sophomores are guaranteed that they are allowed to attend if they get asked by a junior or sophomore. The freshmen class was never really guaranteed to attend, although people just assumed so since it occurred last year. The reasons are endless on why the freshmen class is not allowed to attend if they’re asked, but some of the main “rumors reasons” that are stated are that it’s because of Covid-19 precautions; now that we don’t wear masks they don’t want a lot of students in one non-school location that is a public area being exposed like that. Others assume that it’s because the school administrators and other faculty want to keep it the way it always was. However, there was also a rumor that the school board would allow freshmen to attend if asked, but grades and behaviors have been spiraling in this class during the 2021-2022 school year leading to the privilege of going to prom being taken away from them. This left a handful of students in all classes with mixed emotions. 
I went around and asked some of the students at Corry High their opinions on the following question, “Do you believe freshmen should be able to attend prom if they’re asked by an upper class man?” For this poll I mainly confronted seniors, juniors, and freshmen since they were the main subjects during this decision making. What I found was very interesting. Out of the 62 students I questioned, the results were nearly a tie: 48%(30/62) of the students voted yes while 52%(32/62) of them voted no. This intrigued me because I know many upperclassmen ask younger classes to be their dates to prom. The outcome of this poll ensured my inference that many students acquired mixed emotions with the decision the school board made. Because the poll was nearly a tie, it is obvious that many students agree with the school board’s decision while many are left with a feeling of vexation as well.


Are transgender athletes making teams unfair?:

Transgender athletes are making the playing field more difficult than it needs to be. This is a new problem arising within this generation, whether it’s as small as school sports to something as big as the Olympics. Having different gendered athletes on the same sports team, whether it is a men’s or women’s team, could be detrimental in my opinion. The main idea is that if a man that identifies as a woman is on a women’s team, then it could be very difficult to even have teams. Transgender athletes are creating a toxic environment for other athletes because things become unfair to other athletes.
There are many teams that I have come across that have a transgender player on their team, and this causes some controversy. A small point that some people don’t understand is that men are naturally more masculine than women, that’s just a fact on its own. So if a male is now on a women’s team, it would be unfair to other female athletes because men are naturally stronger. Another example is if an athlete uses steroids for procedures that are in the process of becoming transgender. These examples are reasons it can be so hard to be an athlete, and not for just women sports teams.
A solution to this is to just be on the team that is your gender, regardless if you change it or not. It just isn’t fair to have a male who identifies as transgender on a women’s team because of the simple fact that men are naturally more masculine. This shouldn’t discourage teenagers and adults to stop playing the sport they love, but only to make things fair between every athlete. Everyone wants a fair chance in a match between teams and when the teams seem unfair, then it’s seen as a waste of time to lose against a team that has transgenders on the team.


Broncos trade for star QB Russell Wilson:

The Broncos have been in the quarterback market for a couple of years now, and it seems like they may have finally found their guy. After Broncos fans were crushed by the news of Aaron Rodgers returning to the Green Bay Packers, they were quickly lifted up after the trade for Wilson was announced. This was one of the biggest trades in NFL history, the haul that Seattle got for Wilson was impressive to say the least. Let’s discuss the details:
The Broncos sent Drew Lock, Noah Fant, Shelby Harris, two first round picks, two second round picks, and a fifth round pick. Seattle sent Russell Wilson, and a fourth round pick to Denver. The haul that Denver had to give up was a big one, but Wilson is well worth the high price. Sending Drew Lock to Seattle doesn’t hurt Denver at all, but Shelby Harris and Noah Fant are hard losses for the team. Zach Ertz, Rob Gronkowski, and C.J. Uzomah are some of the veteran tight ends that Denver could consider signing. Replacing Shelby Harris may be a little more expensive. Jason Pierre-Paul, Calias Campbell, and Dante Fowler, Jr. are some of the top choices at defensive end.
While Denver is obviously looking to win after making this blockbuster trade, Seattle has taken the other route. After trading Wilson, the Seahawks decided to release 8x pro bowler and 6x all pro linebacker Bobby Wagner. Seattle is set up with an abundance of draft picks, and a lot of cap space saved for the next couple of years.
Overall, both teams benefit tremendously from this trade. Denver commits to the “Win now” mentality after trading for the superstar quarterback. On the other side, Seattle commits to a rebuild with all of their draft picks.


Corry students attend Mercyhurst Ethics Symposium:

On Tuesday, March 8, eleven Corry students went to Mercyhurst University for the Eleventh Annual Ethics Symposium held by the Erie Rotary Club. The day consisted of several lectures regarding ethics and moral dilemmas. Speakers included Professor Richard McCarty, club director Tatiana Bogatova, and Rotary club president Diane E. Chido.
Students arrived at 8:00 am and attended a lecture with Professor McCarty about the definition of ethics and the value of opinions. During this, after the oral lecture, students watched a video that posed a series of moral dilemmas. After debating them with their classmates, students could approach the microphone to share their reasoning.
Students then split into small groups to engage with those from other school districts to discuss ethics and values. These meetings were supervised and assisted by Rotary club members and Mercyhurst professors. After an on-campus lunch, students and teachers gathered in the auditorium again for more open microphone sessions, followed by a gift giveaway.
When asked about his experience in the teachers-only conference, Corry chaperone Mr. Hogue said, “The most beneficial part was meeting teachers with similar experiences and opinions.” He shared how comforting it was to speak to other educators about the struggles of teaching students during the pandemic.
Fellow sponsor Ms. DiLuzio said, “It was so cool to see teachers rest easy and have discussions while students… had autonomy.”
As a student who attended this symposium, I thought it was a very fun and educational experience. It was incredible to listen to the speakers share the philosophy of ethics with myself and other students. I would recommend that anyone interested in ethics take a look at the Erie Rotary Club website.


“Cuphead”: A great game leads to a great show:

The video game “Cuphead” was released on September 29th, 2017. Its a run and gun shooter-type game that focuses mainly on boss battles. With complex and humorous characters and immersive game play, “Cuphead “is super entertaining.
The art and characters were based off of 1930’s cartoons, using paint and vintage sounding music. The entire game gives very “old-timey” vibes overall, given that’s what its inspired by. In fact, there was a actually a show released after the game on February 18, 2022.
“The Cuphead Show” kept all the iconic characters and gave them more personality as well. The show is extremely funny and captures the viewer’s attention. It doesn’t follow the plot of the game but still remains amazing. Overall, both the show and game have proved to be worth trying out, and I highly recommend them both.


Gone, a fictional tale:

I heard someone yell my name from down the street. “Korina!” I turned to see who it was, and it was my best friend, Chloe. We had been best friends and done everything together since the school year started. I love her like a sister. “Korina, I need to talk to you. I can’t go to your house after school today.” 
I replied with, “We still have all summer, so it’s okay.” She laughed nervously and agreed with me.
When we got to the school, we said our goodbyes and walked to our separate classes as we usually do. It was the last day of school, so obviously it went by faster than usual. After what felt like only a couple hours, Chloe and I were meeting up in front of the school. “I wish we had classes together. It sucks not being with my best friend throughout the whole school day,” I said. Chloe looked down at her feet and was frowning. “What’s wrong, Chloe?” She hesitated. 
“I won’t be able to come over after school,” she said softly. 
“But, you already told me that this morning. We have all summer to hang out.” I looked at her with a face of confusion.
 “I actually can’t hang out with you at all.” At that moment, my heart broke. We had plans to spend time together since we only see each other on the walks to and from school. Why, now, is she telling me she can’t? Chloe shed a tear- as did I- and she walked away from me. I looked down at the cement sidewalk and looked back at her. She was gone. This long road, leading to both her and my house, is empty.
It’s been a few years now. I still hang out with Chloe, just only during the school year. I know a lot more now. I know why people gave us weird looks, I know why she didn’t hang out with me that summer or any summer after that, and I know why she disappeared on that long road that day. She’s not a living person; she’s dead. She died in our school during a bombing in 1829. She’s been trapped in this school and only a little bit of the area around it for over one hundred years. Other people gave us weird looks because to them, I was talking to nobody. She didn’t hang out with me that summer because she was trapped in this invisible force-field that kept her in her cemetery, along with the others who didn’t survive. 
It turns out, there’s a lot of dead people.


Top ten movie conspiracy theories:

Everyone has their own crazy ideas about what is true or not. I personally have a few favorite movie theories that I would like to share.

The 100 Year Pandemic Theory – Apparently, a pandemic happens every 100 years. Some people say that it is the government who is creating these pandemics. Although this is false, it definitely is an interesting and creative story.
The Nemo Theory – Some people say that Nemo never even existed. He was just a way for Marlin to cope with the loss of his wife and kids. Nemo in latin is “no one,” so the title of the movie is literally “Finding No One.” Whether it’s fake or not, it makes a lot of sense.
A Wreck-It-Ralph Theory – Some think that Calhoun killed her own husband. Think about it: her wedding was ruined because a Cy-Bug ate her husband, Brad. Cy-Bugs turn into whatever they eat. Calhoun was attacking the Cy-Bug, which could have also been her husband. And who am I to say this isn’t true since you can’t actually see the face of what Calhoun was shooting at.
The Peter Pan Theory- It is believed that Peter Pan is actually an Angel of Death. Maybe all the children are already dead, and that’s why they never grow up. Neverland could be the “afterlife” where all the children happily spend eternity together. 
The Frozen Theory – Some people believe that when Anna and Elsa’s parents “died from a shipwreck,” they actually ended up on an island- and had a baby, Tarzan. I mean, Tarzan does have the same green eyes and long nose that the King has.
The Coraline Theory – In the movie, “Coraline,” Mr. Bobinsky wears a medal that was offered to the civil and military personnel who helped deal with the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. This could also be the reason he’s blue.
Another Coraline Theory – This is a theory of my own. In the “Coraline” movie, Miriam Forcible and April Spink have a doormat that reads, “No whistling in the house.” Witches, along with many other people, believe that you should never whistle in your house because it invites evil, unwanted spirits and energy into your home. April gives Coraline a reading from her tea leaves, which is in the shape of the other mother’s evil hand. Miriam turns the cup around and says it’s a giraffe. I’ve come to my own conclusion that April is a witch and Miriam is a skeptic, which is why she called the hand a giraffe. 
The Brave Theory – In Brave, a witch gave Merida “The spell cake.” It is believed that the witch is actually Boo from Monsters Inc. There’s even a carving in the witch’s wood carving store of what seems to be Sully. This could be a way of remembering Sully and what he had done for her.
The Phineas and Ferb Theory – Some people believe that the series was all a part of Candace’s imagination. Candace was also born with paranoid schizophrenia. The theory is that Phineas was bullied a lot in school, and one day, a bully punched him so hard that he died from it. Candace could be trying to cope with the loss of her little brother by making herself believe he’s still there. This theory could also explain why every time Candace tries to tattle on Phineas, her mother never believes her.
The Moana Theory – Some people say that Moana actually died in the beginning of the movie during the thunderstorm because she only meets Gods and mythical creatures after that.


Likable Lauren:

Lauren Brundage is in sixth grade and was born May 21, 2010. She goes to Corry Middle School and has grown up here.
Lauren’s favorite sports are volleyball and softball. She has two older brothers. Lauren tells me she would love to visit North Carolina.
Her favorite animal is a dog, favorite food is popcorn, and her favorite class is ELA (which makes sense because her mom is anEnglish teacher).


Summer homework, or summer school?:

A common trend that is starting to occur more commonly in schools around the country is summer homework. Summer homework is usually assigned to the honors classes that are paced faster than an average class. Honors students and students in general work hard all year just to obtain grades that will keep them satisfied. If teachers are assigning summer homework they might not be thinking about the effect it has on students in the long run. 
Concerningly, the amount of mental health issues that seem to come with school is rising rapidly. According to KVC Kansas research shows that academic stress leads to less well-being and an increased likelihood of developing anxiety or depression. If teachers know that their honors students work hard, why can’t they understand that a break is more than necessary? Another website, Sharecare, states that between 600 to 800 students between the ages of 15 and 24 commit suicide annually. Adding to that a poll of 804 teachers revealed that 73% considered school is far more stressful than education from the previous decade. 
One of the worst sayings that a teacher can say is “You knew what you signed up for.” The reason this is so awful is because it invalidates the student’s right to have any sort of tranquility. Apparently taking honors classes means you get almost no life at all. What school is turning into is truly sad. Students who choose to take the honors courses care about their education and challenge themselves to work a bit harder. When teachers start taking advantage of that and assigning summer homework, it tarnishes the perspective kids have on school. It’s discouraging to know that your knowledge has to be challenged in a time that is supposed to be fun. 
Being open with students is really important. If you don’t let them know what they’re getting into, then you can’t expect them to be happy when you surprise them with an unexpected workload. When giving students access to schedule their classes for next year, teachers should be ultimately clear on what the workload will be. Like for example, summer homework. Teachers who plan on assigning summer homework should clarify that before the schedule is even available to the students. When teachers only explain the criteria after the class is irreversible, it’s unfair to students who think it might not be for them. Not to mention, it’s common for schools to force kids into classes they think they can handle based off of their GPA or average grade they passed with for the previous course they were in. So kids who had passing grades in advanced classes will be forced to continue on that path. The problem with this is just because someone might be passing doesn’t mean that the class is fit for them.
For honors students, usually there are assignments posted back to back keeping you constantly on your feet. To teachers, the workload might seem reasonable, but when you combine all of your classes together it starts to weigh on you. Slowly throughout the year kids will get more and more burned out making the motivation to succeed a burden. The only thing that you can look forward to is the two-day break that is barely enough to regain your energy. It’s common for teachers to forget that we have lives, families, and overall that high school students are still children. How are we expected to perform our best if we never get a break? If teachers are going to assign homework over the summer break, then kids are slowly going to become less passionate about bettering their education. For kids to appreciate learning you have to give them a break to take their own life into consideration so that they enjoy coming to school. Summer is for fun, spending time with your family, and overall relaxation. How much of students’ lives go into school work already? Is that not enough? 
There is a difference between what’s reasonable and what’s not. If English teachers want to assign a summer book that you will talk about later in the year, then that is understandable. But sending home summer packets should not be acceptable because it creates unrealistic expectations for young teens. How long before math teachers are sending home math packets for students to complete? If teachers want to give honors students summer homework they should make it flexible. Have it be interesting so students come back passionately talking about what they just read, because a thousand pages of meaningless words aren’t going to make kids excited to learn.


Weekend shenanigans:

On March 4 of last week, my brother and I were invited to my cousins to stay over for the weekend. As soon as we walked through her door, we ran down the stairs to the basement that had a bunch of video games. We played for a little while until my aunt had to go to the dollar store, so she had me drive. She is like an older sister to me and she was a little shocked to see me driving down a road. We got back to the house and I managed to put makeup on my youngest cousin; it wasn’t the best, but it also wasn’t the worst I’ve done. Not to mention I have never actually done makeup on anyone  other than myself.
The rest of the night, my cousins, my brother, and I played hide and seek among us until midnight. Usually when we stay over at each other’s houses, we stay up late until we can’t stand it anymore. The next morning was slow, as usual, and I was tasked with helping my aunt prepare food for the big party she was hosting. We made three cheese steak dip that also had various kinds of peppers in it; it was very delicious. We also made a nacho table that wasn’t too bad, but was kind of gross after sitting out for a while. Most of the kids stayed in the basement while I stayed with the adults and played board games.
We stayed up for a while and played a lot more games until it was one in the morning. I was exhausted and immediately went to the spare bedroom where my bag was sitting against the bed. I shut the door, collapsed onto my bed, and almost instantly fell asleep. The next morning I woke up, in no rush, and went downstairs into the living room to have some coffee with my aunt. Not even ten minutes pass and I get a text message from my mom to pick me up after going to the store. I got dressed for the day and went home, but not without saying goodbye to my aunt, uncle, and cousins.


Sucked into a song:

The bus doors opened in front of me and I trudged up the three steps and to my seat. Angrily, I unzipped my bookbag and put my headphones in, cranking up the music. I am not sure why I am always the butt of the joke, but I am. I stared out the window and felt hot tears bubbling up on the edges of my eyes, but I refused to let them travel down my cheeks. This is just what they want, I thought. For me to show weakness and cry like a baby. I laid my head back on the seat of the bus and let the lyrics wash over me. When upset, I put on my oldies because I feel as though it takes me to a happier, much more lively place. “Surfin’ U.S.A.” by the Beach Boys came up next on my playlist, and I turned up the fun music to drown out the voices on the bus and the voices in my head. With my eyes closed I felt myself being enveloped in the tune and words of the song.
A few seconds later I felt a soft, warm breeze tickle my face. I cracked an eye open because I mean, it’s the middle of winter. My eyes practically bugged out of my face when I looked around and saw palm trees swishing in the wind and the ocean crashing in gently. I saw surfers hop onto their surfboards and ride huge waves like absolute pros. I began to slightly calm down, yet still had an underlying thought of, How did I get here? and How in the world do I get back to that freezing cold bus? I could hear the strong beginning cords of “Surfin’ U.S.A.” ripple through the air, except there wasn’t a single person there who had a radio. As the Beach Boys started singing, I looked around incredulously, but no one else seemed even slightly fazed by the catchy music. I suddenly realized what had just happened…
I was stuck in a song.
Families threw Frisbees and young children dug in the sand. It was like a picture-perfect version of what the beach should be like. After sitting on the sand for what felt like hours, waiting and trying to snap back into my reality, I finally got up and decided to do something with myself. The only thing I could think to do was to try to talk to someone and ask them for any help they were willing to give. I tried to approach many people, but each time they acted as if they couldn’t see me. At one point, I even tried to tap a young lady with a huge sunhat, but my hand passed right through her. I gasped, a claustrophobic feeling washed over me as I saw that there was no way I could get out of this song. My breath started coming in and out faster and faster, and I felt an anxiety attack creeping up on me.
I plopped down onto the sand, and sobbed. Life around me went on normally, laughter and the lyrics of “Surfin’ U.S.A.” floated through the area. After crying enough tears to fill a separate ocean, I suddenly had an idea. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw that it somehow was still functioning. I clicked the pause button on my phone and closed my eyes, praying that I would return to the smelly bus. I opened my eyes timidly and was welcomed by the sight of my toothy 6-year-old cousin who rides the same bus as me staring at me.
“Jeez Cathryn, you look like you saw a ghost,” she giggled and plopped down beside me. “Are you okay? Do I need to tell Auntie that you are sick?”
“No, I’m okay kiddo, just a little cold is all,” I responded. I could hear her small voice carry on and on about her day and I nodded and smiled at all the right times, but I couldn’t shake the experience I had just had. All I could think about was how happy I was to be home and here on this stinky, noisy bus headed to a family who cared deeply about me.
As soon as we stepped off the bus, I hugged Amelia close and felt her squirm out of my grasp. She started laughing, “Cathryn you are acting so weird. I think you need to take a nap. You never give me hugs.” She grabbed a hold of my hand, taking advantage of my huggy demeanor, and skipped up to my family’s house. I looked around and realized, I really like the snow…


Does “The Lighthouse” shine bright?:

“The Lighthouse,” directed by Robert Eggers, was released in 2019. The film follows two lighthouse keepers as they descend into madness. I watched this movie over the weekend and found myself baffled, amused, and terrified.
The movie had very well-done performances. One thing that I found compelling about the film was the performances by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. Pattinson stars as the young Ephraim Winslow, a hardworking man with a mysterious past. Dafoe acts as the elderly, jaded light keeper Thomas Wake. The two performances play off of one another, with Dafoe’s eccentric character slowly being eclipsed by Pattinson’s burgeoning madness. The scenes between the two, whether it is a fierce argument or a tender dance, always have incredible chemistry. Dafoe has already cemented his status as a great actor, but for “Twilight” haters who doubt Pattinson’s prowess, this film is sure to prove them wrong.
Another highlight of the film is its cinematography. The entire film is shot in black and white, adding to the surreal atmosphere. Eggers employs blink-and-you-miss-it splice shots between scenes, adding to the chaos and confusion. The film is full of foreboding angles, closeups, and intense dreamlike sequences. Frankly, watching this film will leave you questioning your own sanity!
One downside of the film, in my opinion, is the story’s progression. Going into this film with no background knowledge, I found myself incredibly confused and feeling a bit ignorant for missing the plot. However, I was certainly not alone. After watching, I found myself reading articles and watching videos explaining the different themes and influences of the film. Looking back on “The Lighthouse” with newfound context, I found myself impressed with the deep, intellectual storytelling. I realized themes that had not been apparent before, and deeper social critiques hidden within a seemingly jumbled mess of horror. This did not, however, absolve me of my confusion.
I would recommend this film to anyone who is a cinema buff. If you have the knowledge to dig deeper, you will enjoy the hidden details and commentary. If you are not well versed in cinema, like myself, you can still look forward to intriguing cinematography, stellar acting, and disturbing elements of horror. It is important to note that this film is rated R. It contains horror, violence, and sexual elements, so watch at your own discretion.
Overall, I would give “The Lighthouse” three stars out of five.


Top ten Lana Del Rey songs:

Lana Del Rey is a highly popular American singer-songwriter. She’s currently 36 years old, and her real name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant. Her music is well-known for its focus on movie star glamour, tragic romance, and melancholy sounds.
10. “Summertime Sadness”
9. “Dealer”
8. “Million Dollar Man”
7. “Video Games”
6. “Cherry”
5. “Brooklyn Baby”
4. “Off to the Races”
3. “Watercolor Eyes”
2. “West Coast”
1. “Put Me in a Movie”


“Teen Beach Movie” washed up on the shore of my heart:

After re-watching one of my favorite Disney Channel Original movies of all time, “Teen Beach Movie” (2013), I’ve decided to share my opinions on it. This film is the perfect mix of whimsical and heartwarming with its fun plot and meaningful theme. The story of this movie is written by Vince Marcello and directed by Jeffery Hornady, Marcello tells the story of two teenagers that get themselves in a very… unusual situation after a crazy attempt to save one-another in a surfboarding accident.
The movie begins with two teenagers, Brady (Ross Lynch) and Mac (Maia Mitchell), that (considering they live on the beach) absolutely love to surf! Mac’s grandfather and Brady have a mutual love for the movie, “Wet Side Story.” However, Mac has never been very fond of the movie herself. One day, at Mac’s house, it is revealed by her aunt that she will be moving away to a boarding school to fulfill her mothers wish of her daughter being successful. Mac decides to spend her very emotional last day home surfing. Usually surfing would be very pleasant where she lives, however, this specific day there is anticipated to be a crazy storm that will make the ocean tides very dangerous to be out on. This does not stop Mac, though. She decides to surf anyways and gets caught right in the midst of the storm. Brady, in his attempts to save her, gets on a jet ski and searches for her. This causes both him and Mac to be caught in the storm, and wiped out in the ocean. Brady and Mac wake up to find themselves near the shore of a very familiar place. As they start to near land, Brady realizes that they have, somehow, ended up inside of his favorite movie. Will they decide to exert themselves and disrupt the movie? Will Mac get home in time to leave for school? Watch the movie to find out!
There is a lot to love about this movie. Ranging from the incredible plot to the soundtrack, which is very hard to not be impressed by. The theme that this film pursues encourages individuals to do whatever makes them happy, even if it does not fit into society’s set standards. The actors: Ross Lynch (Brady), Mac (Maia Mitchell), Grace Phillips (Lela), Garrett Clayton (Tanner), and others also did a phenomenal job bringing the characters alive. I love the way they all express the fun and happiness that summer brings and how great it can be to create new relationships. Maia Mitchell does a fabulous job presenting her character and showing how easy it can be to have a more positive mindset in life, rather than a negative one. Every song in this movie is fun-loving, which makes it hard not to fall in love with. 
Overall, “Teen Beach Movie” is a very well-done movie! I recommend this movie to people that crave the nostalgia of a good ol’ Disney Channel Original! I would not recommend this movie to people who are interested in more mature films, or do not particularly like family-friendly movies. I really love this movie, and I hope you will too!


Objectification and misogyny in comic book films:

Personally, I am an avid fan of superheroes. I collect comic books, watch superhero films and television, and spend money on comic merchandise. However, I feel that far too often, fans are afraid to critique the media that they consume. I want to point out a glaring issue within this genre, despite my love for it.
It is no secret that comics are pandered to young boys and men. Although, in recent years, more women and girls have participated in “geek” culture, the world of superheroes is still very much a “boys’ club.” Since their debut, heroes like Iron Man and Superman have been a means of projection for male fans. They are the ideal man: strong, powerful, handsome, and masculine. This begs the question; what role do female characters play in these stories? The unfortunate truth is, far too often, female heroines become an object of sexuality rather than a character. To validate my point, I will compare four different films and their depictions of the same female characters.
Unfortunately, you cannot talk about the objectification of female heroes without mentioning Marvel’s Black Widow. Natasha Romanoff, played by Scarlett Johansson, made her film debut in 2010’s “Iron Man 2.” In her first scene, the Russian spy is undercover as Natalie Rushman, an assistant to Tony Stark. Immediately, Tony and his security guard, Happy, begin to ogle the woman. Stark even goes as far as to pull up old modeling photos of her scantily clad. Throughout the film, even after her reveal as a talented spy, Romanoff is presented as little more than eye candy. She runs, shoots, and flips with her skintight catsuit zipped down, hair immaculately curled, and winged liner framing her eyes. All this, while Tony Stark is shown being dirty, bloodied, and in practical armor.
Now, contrast Romanoff’s first appearance with her final one in 2021’s “Black Widow.” This overdue solo film explores Natasha’s revenge on the cruel Red Room and its ringleader. Throughout the film, Natasha is portrayed as refreshingly human. She wears little makeup, keeps her hair pulled back, and wears a more practical suit. The film explores her trauma, family bonds, and her desperate attempts to redeem her past. She feels like more than Black Widow. She serves as more than a sexual object. She is a real person! She laughs, cries, eats sandwiches, watches films, and fights with her family! And the entire time, she is still just as beautiful as she was in “Iron Man 2.” Only now she is a beautiful person, rather than a beautiful thing.
My second example begins with 2016’s “Suicide Squad.” This film served as Harley Quinn’s, played by Margot Robbie, film debut. Throughout the movie, she is unabashedly objectified by her majority male team members. Her first scene shows her scantily clad, performing an impromptu gymnastics routine. Later on, she puts on a thin shirt, booty shorts and sky high heels. She wears a jacket that reads “Property of the Joker.” Harley Quinn belongs not only to the Joker, but to all her male counterparts who ogle her, and for the male audience that watches her.
When compared to her second film appearance, 2020’s “Birds of Prey,” the differences are not apparent. Throughout this film, Harley does not dress modestly. She wears cropped tops, short shorts, high shoes, and flashy makeup. How is this different? The answer lies in two components of the film: the costume design and Harley’s characterization. Firstly, Harley’s clothes are fun. They match her eccentric personality. She wears sparkly capes, roller skates, and metallic overalls. Her wardrobe is just as bright and crazy as she is. Harley is not being dressed for the viewer’s pleasure, but for her own. And this shows in her character! In this film, she is more than a two-dimensional love interest. We get to watch as she spontaneously cuts her hair, plays roller derby, and salivates over a breakfast sandwich. Harley Quinn is so fun! And as was the case with Natasha Romanoff, she is still beautiful.
So, what makes the difference? How can audiences differentiate between objectification and characterization? Personally, I believe the key is to think critically about the media we consume. Consider the female characters in your media, watch how they are filmed and how they interact with the men around them. You might notice a few things.


Bubbly Mrs. Brundage:

A kindhearted sixth-grade English teacher at Corry Area High School, Mrs. Brundage was born in Union City, Pennsylvania. She has been teaching in the district for 15 years, enjoying every moment with her school kiddos. Mrs. Brundage really enjoys her job, working and helping kids every day. 
Interestingly, Mrs. Brundage was once a student at the very school she teaches at. Yep, Mrs. Brundage was once a Lady Beaver who enjoyed school and everything about the subject English. When asked what her dream career as a child would have been she answered with, “I always knew I wanted to be an English teacher when I grew up. I had such good teachers around me, and they had influenced me throughout my school career that I just knew that would be the best job for me. I had always thought that teaching was the spot for me, so I decided to go for it. I just love the relationships you build with the students.” 
To get more of an insight on Mrs. Brundage’s life, the following questions will give you a big picture about her. When asked what her favorite hobby was she answered with, “My favorite hobby would definitely have to be shopping, I love shopping!” 
Knowing her love for English, and the fact that she’s an English teacher, it was no surprise what her answer was to the question, what was your favorite subject in school? “My favorite subject in school was English for sure, because I love to read.”
 Since she is big on reading the next question was about her favorite book.  “My favorite book I’ve read would have to be the book I’m reading right now with my sixth graders. It’s called ‘A Long Walk to Water.'” She enjoys the meaning behind the story. 
Then when asked “Have you been binge watching any shows lately, and if so what show?” she answered with “Not really, I’m usually just watching whatever my son puts on the TV. There is a show I’ve gotten into recently called, ‘Chicago P.D.'” 
When asked about her favorite candy, Mrs. Brundage had no hesitation to answer, “Almond M&M’s for sure! Sweet and salty all in one, it’s a perfect mix. I do love almonds, and chocolate so to have them together it’s just the best kind of candy for me.” 
Mrs. Brundage is also one to travel, so the next question fits her perfectly. What is her dream vacation? She answered, “Hawaii! I’ve been wanting to go to Hawaii for the longest time. I love the ocean, so Hawaii would be the best choice.”
 Mrs. Brundage loves quotes and puts a quote on her board every day for her students to read. This question was a bit harder for her to choose, because she loves so many quotes. But when asked about her favorite quote, Mrs. Brundage answered with, “This is a tough one. It would have to be, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’ ” 
Mrs. Brundage is very family-oriented; she has two sons, and a daughter. When asked for a fun fact about her family, she answered with, “All my children are exactly seven years apart, isn’t that crazy?”
 The last question was about what advice she would give to readers. Mrs. Brundage answered with, “Perseverance pays off no matter what you’re doing.”


Top ten spring flowers:

Now that the Spring Season is coming around, everyone will be opening their gardens soon. Which means flowers will soon be back. We all have our favorite flowers. So here are some of the top ten spring flowers.
10. Cherry Blossoms
9. Alliums
8. Daffodils
7. Hyacinths
6. Wallflowers
5.  Peony’s
4.  Tulips
3. Iris’s
2. Begonias
1. Daisy’s


Top ten favorite things to do in spring:

Spring time is here! What are some warm(ish) weather festivities you love to do? My favorite is going riding, but I love plenty more! Here is a list of things you should try:
10. Go four wheeler riding
9. Watch sunsets
8. Go on walks
7. Buy new clothes
6. Dance in the rain
5. Dream about summer
4. Be almost done with school
3. Watch baseball
2. Riding bikes
1. Gardening


The diary of a detective, a fictional tale:

I, Thursday, am a 27-year-old female from a small town in Utah. I work as a detective for a private organization and my job is essentially to solve crimes and uncover murders. Although I love my job, some of the things I’ve seen is not meant for the faint of heart. Recently, my boss is having me drive three miles from home to try and solve a murder case. A husband and his wife found dead in the bed of their own home. Thankfully, the kids weren’t home and were staying with their grandparents for the weekend. Unfortunately, there are no prime suspects and I’m left all alone to try and solve what exactly happened.
UPDATE
I have been investigating the house, the victims, and people who knew of the victims. I have found nothing. It’s not very often you see a cold case. Not only that, but one that has no evidence or no suspects. The only bad thing about where I am staying is that this small town has houses that are so far apart you wouldn’t be able to catch a murderer because you can’t hear anyone scream. Not to mention, everyone in the town seems to act like this is a common occurrence. No one is scared.
SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE TOWN
I keep hearing scratching at my doors and knocking on the windows every time I try to sleep. Everyone here is not at all okay. They all look grey and at night they all walk the dirt roads with torches mumbling some unknown words. I have to get out of here, and soon. I have to let everyone know not to come here. These people are crazy
This is the last entry that Thursday, Marshal, 27, female, wrote after she was found murdered in her sleep on her bed.


St. Patrick’s Day explained:

St. Patrick’s day is here! Thursday, March 17, many students participated in wearing green on the holiday. St. Patrick’s Day is known as an Irish religious holiday, an anniversary of St. Patrick’s death in the fifth century, but does anyone actually know the history behind this green leprechaun holiday?
St. Patrick was originally born in Roman Britain, but was kidnapped at 16, and brought to Ireland as a slave. He escaped but at some point returns to Ireland and was credited to bringing Christianity to its people. He also had demonstrated and explained the holy Trinity (son, father, and holy ghost) using a three leaf clover, native to Ireland, a shamrock.
That explains the reasoning behind the holiday and the shamrock, but why are leprechauns so prominently known in this holiday? Well, there isn’t much of a good reason for this. A lot of people just come to the conclusion that leprechauns are a prominent symbol of the holiday because of its appearance in Celtic folktales. (Fun fact: leprechauns have their own holiday on May 13) .


Top ten songs you can’t listen to without crying:

“Runaway” by Kanye 

“Runaway” by Kanye West was released on October 4, 2010, on the album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” This song would make anyone emotional with the remorseful words used to describe all of the problems wrong with oneself. Runaway is coming from the perspective of someone that is sorry for all of the things that they make other people put up with, but they can’t help it because that’s who they truly are. A lyric from the song that describes it as a whole would be “Cause you could blame me for everything and I don’t know where I’m Manage if one day you just up and leave.” 

 “Mirrorball” by Taylor Swift 

“Mirrorball” by Taylor Swift was released in 2020 on the “Folklore” album. This is one of my personal favorite Taylor Swift songs because it’s very unique and delicate with its words. “Mirrorball” reflects the idea that you mirror other people’s personalities to help yourself fit in, but when no one is around that’s when you shine the most. This is also  a way to say that when you love something you can lose yourself in it. The lyrics from the song that emphasize the meaning the most is “I’m a mirrorball, I can change everything about me to fit in, you are not like the regulars.” 

 “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star 

“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star was released in 2011 from the album “ll giorno in più.” This song has been interpreted by completely giving yourself up to a person to such an extent and losing yourself in the process. The singer ends up in heartbreak because they were loving someone that was damaged without the capability of true affection. One verse from the song is “You live your life, you go in the shadows. You’ll come apart and you’ll go black.” 

 “The One That Got Away” by Katy Perry 

“The One That Got Away” by Katy Perry came out in 2010 on the “Teenage Dream” album. “The One That Got Away” is about losing someone who was important to you and then realizing later in life that  they were the one that got away. This song reminisces the things that they did with the person they lost and how in another life they would be together. The most meaningful line in the song would be “All this money couldn’t buy me a time machine, no, can’t replace you with a million rings, no, I should have told you what you meant to me.” 

 “Purple Rain” by Prince 

“Purple Rain” by Prince was released July 27, 1984, on the “Purple Rain” album. The amount of emotion in the song always sticks with me and makes it more than a song; it’s an experience. Prince described the meaning of “Purple Rain” as “When there’s blood in the sky – red and blue equals purple. Purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your hope guide you through the purple rain.” My favorite lyric from the song “It’s such a shame our friendship had to end.” 

 “August” by Taylor Swift 

“August” by Taylor Swift was released in 2020 on the “Folklore” album. Swift wrote this song to reminisce about the memories of young summer love, and after summer is over the relationship tends to fizzle out even though you thought you finally had them. It creates the image of what you imagined that person to be but seeing who they really were by the end of it. One verse from the song is “But I can see us lost in the memory, August slipped away into a moment in time, cause it was never mine.” 

 “My Immortal” by Evanescence 

“My Immortal” by Evanescence was released on December 8, 2003, on the album “Fallen.” This piece was a song that is about mourning the loss of a loved one but them still having them haunt you. The only thing that you want the spirit to do though is leave so you can finally have peace. A line from “My Immortal” is “I wish that you would just leave, cause your presence still lingers here, and it won’t leave me alone.” 

 “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran 

“Photograph” by Ed Sheeran came out on June 23, 2014,  with the album “X.” This song is interpreted many different ways but I see it as when someone is away, keeping the love you have for them in a photograph, where the happiness you had was captured there, frozen. Sheeran also talks about the ways that love can affect a person in ways of how it can hurt you but also how it can heal you and it’s the only thing you truly know. A memorable verse from “Photograph” is “we keep this love in a photograph, we made these memories for ourselves, where our eyes are never closing, hearts were never broken, and times forever frozen still.”

 “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac 

“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac was released in 1975 on the album “Life Becoming a Landslide.” Stevie Nicks, the band’s lead singer, came up with the song after facing the fear of losing everything just for a dream. Singing about how you don’t know if you’re going to keep it together just so you can pursue it.  This can be an emotional song for a lot of people because of the topic of passing time. A memorable lyric from the song would be “Well I’ve been afraid of changing, cause I’ve built my life around you, but time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I’m getting older too.”  

 “Adam’s Song” by Blink-182 

“Adam’s Song” by Blink-182 was released in 1999, on the album “Enema of the State.” This song is number one because to me it’s a story of growth and finally seeing the brighter sides of things. This song is about having lows in your life that cause depressive episodes and make you feel like you can’t make it any longer. Eventually though you start to see the beauty in things and how it can change your life, finally making you excited to live again. A memorable verse from “Adam’s Song” is “Tomorrow holds such better days, days when I can still feel alive, when I can’t wait to get outside, the world is wide, the time goes by.”


The fierce Fallon:

Mr. Fallon is an American history, sociology, and psychology teacher at the Corry Area Middle-High School. His full name is Kevin Fallon, and he has one brother. Also, his birthday is November 23. Although he grew up in Erie, PA, he attended school in Harborcreek. 
Next, a fun fact about Mr. Fallon is that if he could match an animal to his personality, he would pick a cat. Fallon’s hobbies include running and watching football. 
When asked what his dream vacation spot would be, he said the Grand Canyon or any national park because he loves to go hiking and be adventurous. 
An additional thing that you may not know about Mr. Fallon is that his favorite movies are from the Star Wars franchise. Also, Fallon is a teacher because he wanted to help young people and his favorite type of food is Mexican food.
Thank you, Mr. Fallon for letting me interview you, it was a pleasure. Now, though, I will leave you all off with Mr. Fallon’s favorite quote, which is, “You can either prepare the child for the road, or prepare the road for the child.”


Do more people in our school believe that there are more doors or wheels in the world?:

Recently, there has been a debate going around whether there are more doors in the world or wheels. This topic has been very popular among social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. As a matter of fact, I have even heard multiple people argue this dispute in school. Because of this, I have decided to carry out an experiment of my own to find out if more people in our school believe that there are more doors in the world or wheels.
To start, I went around the school to multiple classrooms to get to the bottom of this opposition. There were several differing opinions throughout each classroom. There were some rooms where students believed that doors totally outweighed wheels, but there were also rooms where wheels knocked doors out of the park. However, there was one side of the argument that, overall, completely demolished the other. Can you guess which one it was? If you guessed wheels, then you are correct! Out of the 79 individuals that were interviewed, 66%  think that there are more wheels in the world than doors. This leaves only 34% of voters that are on the doors side of the argument.
To sum it up, this experiment shows that there are more people in our school that believe there are more wheels in the world than doors. I want to say thank you to the students and teachers that participated in my experiment and who allowed me to interview them during class-time!


Mary Poppins: Vintage or contemporary?:

“Mary Poppins,” the musical film produced on August 26, 1964, starring Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins) and directed by Robert Stevenson, is well-known around the world for its message that it relays to the viewers. Mary Poppins is a story about trade-offs and the importance of finding balance, understanding and fulfilling obligations, and subordinating personal ambition. Like in history, things are bound to repeat themselves. Well when it comes to highly liked movies, shows, or books people tend to do a remake of what was a big hit. This is exactly the circumstances when it comes to the popular Disney musical film “Mary Poppins.“ The remake of the popular film is called “Mary Poppins Returns” kind of leaving off where the first movie ended, except the story-line and cast are a little different. “Mary Poppins Returns” was created on November 29, 2018, directed by Rob Marshall. The two films hit it off in movie theaters leaving people speechless, and singing for weeks after they saw the films!
The original hit film “Mary Poppins,” starring Julie Andrews and many more amazing actors and actresses, was a true classic. Julie Andrews was a very famous and an uprising actress at the time when her hit movie came out. She was just releasing a new film as many know called, “The Sound of Music.”  She was the perfect fit for a role like this, in fact the whole cast was just a spot on choice. The cast consisted of Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes, Karen Dotrice as Jane Banks, Mathew Gaber as Michael Banks, David Tomlison as George Banks, and Glynis Johns as Winifred Banks. Music played a huge part in the movie, making it a true show stopper. The songs were written and put together by Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman, and Irwin Kostal. These songs are still well-known today, and sometimes make a cameo in today’s musicals and movies. The plot of “Mary Poppins” is when Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Mathew Garber), the children of wealthy and upright Banks family, are faced with the prospect of a new nanny. They are pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the magical Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews). Embarking on a series of fantastical adventures with Mary and her cockney performer friend, Bert (Dick Van Dyke), the siblings try to pass on some of their nanny’s sunny attitude to their preoccupied parents. I would rate this musical film 3.5/ 5 stars. 
The remake version, “Mary Poppins Returns,” stars Emily Blunt as the famous and loved nanny, Mary Poppins. This film was recreated to bring light to the world. The original film Mary Poppins was the light of many people’s lives bringing song and sunshine for everyone. The producers of the film felt like the film industry, and society, needed a little bit of joy in their lives so why not recreate the film that brought all things joyful. Many in the media thought that this remake wasn’t needed, and wouldn’t be as famous or as good as the original. Turns out the media was wrong; everyone ended up loving it and it was a hit! This cast was just as good as the original, with many familiar faces that hold high status, actors and actresses, and some of the original cast also popped into some of the scenes. The cast consisted of Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack, Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes Junior, Meryl Streep as Topsy, Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks, Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks, Pixie Davies as Annabel Banks, Nathanael Saleh as John Banks, and Joel Dawson as Georgie Banks. “Mary Poppins Returns” is about now-adult Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) who has three children, and he is a bank teller. Michael learns that his house will be repossessed in five days unless he can pay back a loan. His only hope is to find a missing certificate that shows proof of valuable shares his father left him years earlier. Just as all seems lost, Micheal and his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer), receive a surprise of a lifetime when Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt)– their beloved nanny from childhood– arrives to save the day and take the Banks family on a magical, fun-filled adventure. I would rate this film a 4/5 stars. 
The two films are brilliant pieces of work done by two amazing directors, and splendid cast members. These movies were my childhood, and they brought me joy and magic. I definitely suggest watching both of them. The original is a classic that brings lots of lessons and is a joy to watch. The remake is more up to date, and brighter.


NFT: the most divisive technology:

Anyone who has been on the internet in recent months has probably heard of NFTs. NFT, short for non-fungible token, is the latest addition to the vast and controversial world of cryptocurrency. An NFT is defined as a “unique digital identifier that cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided, that is recorded in a blockchain.” These digital identifiers are most often presented in the form of an image, video, or audio file.
The digital token has made waves in digital and economic circles as more people flock to cryptocurrency companies like BitCoin and Ethereum. The contention of the tokens is not with the files themselves, but their production and sale. The price for an NFT can range anywhere from 75 USD to nearly 7 million. To the average person, spending real world money on a file could seem preposterous. Computer science professor Jonathan Zittrain says, “People have complex reasons for buying things, and NFTs are no exception.” NFT enthusiasts validate their purchases with a multitude of reasons, including supporting artists and creators, investing in the expansive crypto market, or simply owning a unique piece of media.
Despite the support of many, NFTs have an equal number of criticisms. Detractors of the technology cite potential scams, environmental harm, and art theft. Financial markets researcher Michael Every says of the growing market, “It worries me intensely even if I fully understand the dynamic that drives younger people in particular.”
Regarding the content being sold as an NFT, artist Devin Elle Kurtz said,“I searched my name to make sure my art hadn’t been stolen and turned into NFTs, and sure thing, an obscure old piece from my DeviantArt is randomly on the front page of the marble cards NFT website? How is this allowed…” Kurtz and many other artists have voiced their concerns over NFT manufacturers potentially making money off of their creations and designs.
As of now, the NFT craze does not seem to be going away anytime soon. With both cheerleaders and naysayers for the new technology, it is important to do research and consider what you buy, especially when dealing with internet fads.


Carlos Correa finds a new team:

Carlos Correa was the biggest free agent heading into this off-season. Many players had yet to find a team when the lockout started, and Correa was one of them. Here we are, a couple of days after the lockout ended, and Carlos Correa has signed a three-year, 105 million dollar contract with the Minnesota Twins.
Correa has emerged as one of the best shortstops in the league since his debut in 2015.  Correa is coming off his best season. He slashed .279/ .366 on base percentage/ .485 slugging/ .850 ops. In the 2021 season, Correa also displayed the most pop he’s had in his career. In 640 plate appearances he had a career high 26 home runs and 34 doubles. He also tied his career high in BB with 75. Correa’s 1.200 OPS at target field may have also influenced his decision to sign with Minnesota. Obviously, Correa had an amazing offensive season in 2021, but let’s not forget about his defense.
In 2021, Correa won the Platinum Glove. The Platinum Glove Award is given out to the player that is voted the best fielder in the N.L. and A.L. separately. According to Baseball Savant, Correa had the 6th most Outs Above Average with 12, and 9 runs prevented, which also ranks 6th. His 77% success rate while fielding is tied for second among shortstops. He is ranked 6th overall for fielding among shortstops.
Correa’s 35.1 million dollars a year is the most ever for an infielder, and it’s well-deserved. Will Correa be able to continue his amazing play with the Twins? We’ll see the answer to this question when MLB opens on April 7.


The San Francisco earthquake:

Many earthquakes have occurred throughout history, and many in the United States, as well. San Francisco happened to have taken one of the biggest and most well-known earthquakes in the history of the United States.
The San Francisco earthquake had a magnitude of 7.9 and happened on April 18, 1906. The power of the earthquake was felt from Los Angeles to Oregon and caused severe damage to San Francisco. The city has experienced prior earthquakes, but 1906 was described as s noise similar to “the roaring of 10,000 lions.” San Francisco was shaking in its entirety, cable cars stopped, the city hall collapsed, and Palace Hotel’s windows shattered. There was even a large scale fire in the business district after the earthquake.
The fire lasted four days before the rain put it out, more than 500 blocks had been leveled, 28,000 buildings were destroyed, and there was a damage of 350 million dollars. The death toll exceeded over 3,000, while 250,000 people were left completely homeless.
The point is that San Francisco experienced many earthquakes around the 1900s, but the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was by far the worst. The event caused even foreign countries to try and help pay the destruction in property, while also sending food and water to help the people who were lived through the tragedy.


Top ten Skillet songs:

10. “Hero”
9. “Awake and Alive”
8.  “Feel Invincible”
7.  “Not Gonna Die”
6. “Whispers in the Dark”
5. “The Resistance”
4. “Back from the Dead”
3. “Undefeated”
2. “Rise”
1. “Monster”


“Hulk” is an overlooked action classic that predates the MCU:

“Hulk” is a 2003 movie which is rated PG-13. In this movie Bruce Banner gets exposed to a gamma radiation device that changes him so when he gets angry he grows really big, turns green and gets super strong.
When he first transformed he destroyed his lab in a fit of rage because he couldn’t control himself. This movie has some spectacular and intense actions and adventures. The second time Bruce transformed he attacked this man who was pushing him around and threw him to the ground and even attacked the two other guys who were with him.
My favorite scene in this movie is when Bruce saved his friend Betty from three mutant dogs that Bruce’s dad sent to attack her.


Vandalism fuels a bathroom shutdown epidemic:

There’s a new epidemic in this school: people are causing bathrooms all throughout the school to get shutdown because they choose to vandalize them.  Bathrooms around the high school have been closed for various acts of vandalism.
The closing of the bathrooms has been going on for a long time, but specifically this year there have been numerous times when different bathrooms are closed off. For the innocence of the reader, no specific details will be given of some of the rather harrowing vandalism; however, if you let your imagination wander, I am sure some pretty disgusting scenarios could will come to mind. With the few individuals, or groups of individuals, vandalizing the bathrooms, they make it so the once-accessible bathrooms cannot be used by everybody else due to their lack of consideration. Ruining the use of such facilities is getting out of control, and many people can’t help but agree that something needs to be done to stop the bathroom shutdown epidemic.
Mr. Knapp, a janitor here at the school was able to answer questions in regards to the vandalism. Vandalism here at the school may “range anywhere from vaping to flushing fruit down the toilet,” according to Mr. Knapp. What students who do this do not realize is the amount of work it takes for the janitors to fix the mess they made. Mr. Knapp and Miss Rose already spend about half of the school day working in bathrooms because of students. When students decide to flush fruit down the toilet it involves taking the actual toilet off of the floor in order to fix it. This alone requires at least two people and several hours to fix. Even vapes that students flush down the toilet lead the janitors to have to remove the toilet from the floor. My question for students who flush fruit or vapes down the toilet is this: Would you want to be cleaning this up? Or spending hours in a stinky bathroom to unclog a lodged apple from the pipes of the toilet?
While talking with Mr. Knapp he also mentioned the reason why bathrooms stay closed for the length they are closed. They leave the bathroom closed for the reason of trying to figure out who caused the problems. In order to attempt to figure out who the student was, administration typically tries to have Mr. Knapp or Miss Rose narrow down a possible time that it could have occurred. From there, they go through the cameras and see who exactly went into the bathroom and try to figure it out from there. Many times, they can get a possible lead from a fellow student saying they saw or heard something going on. Mr. Knapp even said that getting information from students is very helpful and their names will never be revealed to the student at fault. As Mr.Knapp said, “If the boys want the bathroom open, come clean,” referring to the one in the high school hallway that has been closed for a while.
If a student is caught vandalizing the bathrooms, administration may step in. Mr. Cragg, the high school principal, and Officer Miller answered questions regarding dealing with students who are caught vandalizing. If a student’s name is leaked to the administration in regards to if they did something, or if the administration is able to pinpoint exactly who it was, the student can face serious punishments. Such punishments can be that they get arrested for institutional vandalism, which could result in a felony charge brought against them if the damage is $1,000. Another punishment the student(s) may receive is the possibility of one year in prison for criminal mischief, which is the defacing or destruction of public property. Both punishments are severe enough to have an impact on the student’s future because they would be added to their record.
Overall, this epidemic of the bathroom lock-downs have spiked rapidly, and many individuals voiced their displeasure on the lack of available bathrooms. This epidemic will not stop unless students talk with others to put an end to this, but this article has been published in hopes of raising awareness on this problematic situation that has arisen. If students know of fellow classmates who partake in such behavior, do not hesitate to reach out to administration, teachers, or one of our janitors.


What dog you are based on your zodiac sign?:

1. Aries (Mar 21- Apr 19)
German Shepard
Just like Aries, German Shepards are courageous and fiercely loyal. They can be aggressive when needed but are always friendly to those they care about, just like the fire sign!
2. Taurus (Apr 20- May 20)
Corgi
Taurians are notoriously stubborn, just like Queen Elizabeth’s dog of choice! They enjoy the finer things in life, and need to be pampered just like the high-maintenance canines.
3. Gemini (May 21- Jun 21)
Sheepdog
Sheepdogs are known for being intelligent, responsible, and easygoing. They are often considered one of the smartest breeds because of their job as a herder. This is similar to Geminis, who are often described as clever, playful, and fun loving.
4. Cancer (Jun 21- Jul 22)
Pomeranian
Both Cancers and Pomeranian’s get a bad rap for being whiny, but both the zodiac sign and the breed share positive attributes, like being affectionate, playful and silly.
5. Leo (Jul 23- Aug 22)
Border Collie
Leos are well known for being energetic, lively, and honest. Just like the iconic “Lassie dog”, this fire sign is easily bored and fiercely loyal.
6. Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)
Golden Retriever
Virgo usually has humble, self-effacing, industrious, and practical characteristics. These could be matched with the traits of a Golden Retriever like being even-tempered, hardworking, and affecting.
7. Libra (Sep 22- Oct 23)
Shih Tzu
Both Libras and Shih Tzus have similar characteristics like being affectionate, friendly, lively, and outgoing.
8. Scorpio (Oct 23- Nov 21)
Doberman Pincher
Dobermans, just like the sign Scorpio, are well-known for being fiery and aggressive. The two also share traits like fearlessness and intense passion.
9. Sagittarius (Nov 22- Dec 21)
Borzoi
Borzoi are seen to be very athletic and intelligent independent animals. Sagittarius would be a Borzoi because they are loyal, smart, and assertive.
10. Capricorn (Dec 22- Jan 19)
Blue Stafford shire
Capricorns would be Blue Staffies because they both share the characteristics of being gentle, always on the look for adventure, and having practicality.
11. Aquarius (Jan 20- Feb 19)
Siberian Husky
Siberian Husky characteristics are cleverness, being friendly, and alert. An Aquarius would be a husky because they share the same optimistic personality while being accepting of their owner.
12. Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)
Jack Russell Terriers
Jack Russell Terriers are stubborn, energetic, and athletic. Pisces have similar traits like being emotional, sensitive, and  aware of their surroundings.


The life of Lexi:

Some of you may know Lexi Heiser, but what do you actually know about her? Alexis Victoria Heiser, more known as “Lexi or Lex” Heiser is a 14-year-old girl, born on May 8, 2007. Lex grew up here in Corry, PA. She has three siblings: older brothers Nathaniel (Nate), who is now 24, and Tristan, who is 19, plus her younger brother Kevin, who is currently 12. She also has four beloved cats, Zoey, Pongo, Precious and Lukie. Her family also has three family dogs, Winston (Winnie), Norman (Norm), and Marley. Growing up Lex attended Conelway School, then Corry Primary for second grade, then she attended Corry Elementary, until switching over to Corry Area Middle-High School where she currently attends and has attended since 2018.
Not only is Lexi a crazy cat lover, she is also an extremely busy girl who loves to be on the go. Lexi is currently in two sports, track, and dance. This year is her first year throwing for track, and her twelfth year dancing. Lexi will soon begin her second softball season. In her free time she enjoys snowboarding, riding, and jet skiing, all with her best friend Jenna.
Currently, Lexi’s favorite class is Biology with Mrs. Jackman. Lexi’s favorite movie is easily “California Christmas,” and her favorite color is cheetah print, but if she actually had to pick a favorite color it would have to be forest green. Her favorite song is “Somebody’s Problem” by Morgan Wallen, and her favorite food is pasta salad. Lexi’s biggest pet peeves are: when people put their hands in her face, when people chew with their mouths open, and when someone talks over someone else.
Lex has several future goals, those starting with attending Cornell University, then going on to getting a stable job as a veterinarian. All she wants in the future besides being very successful is a good home and a good family. A dream vacation of hers is to travel to Paris, France, with her mom.
Lexi’s ideal perfect date would either be a roof top dinner with a good view, or a ride to watch the sunset. If she had to pick one animal to match her personality it would be a cheetah because she loves cheetah print, and cheetahs are as fast-paced and feisty as is she.
Lexi’s current favorite quote is “You win some, you lose some.” A fun fact about Lexi is that she was Little Miss Corry in 2016, and is currently Jr. Miss Corry.
I would now like to take a moment to thank Lexi for taking the time out of her day and allowing me to interview her.


Radiant Rachael:

Rachael Edgar is a junior attending Corry High School this year. She was born in Erie on September 10, 2004, making her seventeen years old.
She’s a big fan of animals, which truly shows with her owning two cats, three dogs, and three rats. Some of her hobbies include skiing and playing soccer; in fact, she works as a skiing instructor in the winter and has been on the soccer team for some time now.
When asked about her future plans, Rachael says that she wants her career to be something she enjoys and will give her plenty of money. In ten years, she sees herself content with things, as well as successful and wealthy.
An interesting fact about her is that she has owned five rats in total during her life so far. A piece of advice Rachael would like to give her readers is, “Do what you want, man.” Overall, she is a thriving student with a bright future ahead of her!


“The Blind Side” a good family film with great acting:

“The Blind Side” is a movie about a teen boy, Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), whose mom abandons him. A nice lady named Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) takes him in, takes care of him, and treats him like family. He gets accepted into a football team and gets offered many scholarships.
Michael and his adopted brother S.J. (Jae Head) get along really well. At first his adopted sister Collins (Lily Collins) is nervous about him moving in with them, but then she starts to like and trust him, so as time goes on she felt good about having another person living in the house with them.
I really like this movie. It’s a good family movie that is rated PG-13. It is based on a true story and the actors are really great at acting in this film.


Top ten dog breeds:

I am personally a lover of all animals, but I want to show you my top ten favorite dog breeds. These are not in a specific order, they’re just my top ten favorite dogs.

Canis Panther
German Shepherd
Rottweiler
Border Collie
Cane Corso
Bulldog
Siberian Husky
Maltipoo
All Black American Bully
American Eskimo Dog

I would like to add, you NEED to search “Hulk the pitbull” on google. He’s just the cutest dog.


Top ten snacks:

Snacks are what we look forward to after every meal, whether it’s healthy or not. Most of the snacks that everyone enjoys are definitely not healthy because what makes the snack so good is exactly what makes it unhealthy. I definitely have my favorites when it comes to snacks and I have specific times when I eat them. This top ten will just be about my favorite snacks rated from ten to one.
10. Tostitos – I’d eat these chips with anything, whether it be salsa, chicken wing dip, or even by themselves. Definitely deserves to be in the top ten.
9. Pringles – Although I haven’t had Pringles in a while, salt and vinegar Pringles hold a special place in my heart and a place on the top ten list.
8. Slim Jim – Slim Jims are meat sticks, what more is there to like?
7. Yogurt Parfait – I love having fruit mixed with yogurt and granola as a healthy snack from time to time.
6. Goldfish – Goldfish in general are very addicting and are a must-have in the snack collection.
5. Sour Patch Kids – They are mouth-rotting goodness that I can’t stop eating and have so many flavors.
4. Twix – Twix are my go-to candy bars and deserve to be top five on this list.
3. Cheez-Its – Everyone likes Cheez-Its and there are a lot of different flavors to choose from, so it’s a win-win.
2. Chex Mix – There are pretzels, little bread sticks, and Chex all in one bag; I would eat them for dinner if I could.
1. Apple slices- Out of all these snacks, apple slices take the cake because they are healthy and you can eat them whenever you want without being judged.


What is the best type of learning?:

In 2020, we had a virus spreading called Covid-91. When COVID was spreading we started three different types of learning. We had online learning, virtual learning (VLN), and in-person learning. But what is really the best way of learning? Now in 2022, online learning isn’t really talked about as much because COVID has calmed down.
First, we’re going to start off with in-person learning. In-person learning is a good way to learn. If you need to ask a question you don’t have to ask in front of everyone. In my opinion in-person learning is one of the best ways to learn. Your teacher can get to know you better with in-person. And no matter what happens, everyone has a way to get to school.
Now, let’s talk about online learning. Is online really a good way of learning? Being online can be hard; not everyone has good WiFi and some don’t have WiFi at all. I live somewhere we really can’t get WiFi. So this means online learning was a struggle. People that do online don’t really get good grades. Why? People don’t really get that good of grades because they get distracted or they fall asleep. When we came back to school many teachers said that a lot of their kids failed because they wouldn’t do their work. I really think that kids wouldn’t do their work because they either got distracted or they didn’t want to ask a question because not a lot of people want to ask in front of a class.
Last of all: VLN. Is it really a good way of learning? From what I’ve seen, a lot of people fail. They fail because they can do work whenever they want. A good thing about VLN is you can get up whenever you want, but then people don’t want to do their work later so they keep holding it back.
What is really the best learning model? In my opinion, I think in-person is the best way. I think it’s the best way because you don’t have to be afraid of failing and you can talk with your teacher on how you could get your grade up. A student who returned from virtual learning said that they, “liked VLN more.” They liked it more, but even with liking it, they still failed some classes or  said they would get distracted. They also said while being VLN, they guessed on a lot of questions because they didn’t know how to do it.
Is there really a right way of learning? Even with all of these different ways of learning, one isn’t always the best. We all have are own opinions on what’s the best way to learn. How someone else learns may be good for them but not good for other people. Everyone has their own way of learning, so there is no way that is best for everyone.


Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs:

This is my favorite “Ice Age” movie. In this movie Sid is taken by a female tyrannosaurus after he finds their eggs and the hatch. The mother dinosaur was mad because her eggs were missing so she emerged from the dinosaur world to above to try to find her eggs.
Her eggs had hatched and she found her babies with Sid. Sid refused to give her babies to her so she takes her three babies and Sid, too.
After she took Sid she went back to the dinosaur world and tried to eat him. After Sid was taken, Manny, Ellie, Crash, Eddie and Diego track the mother dinosaur back to where she’s from to try to find Sid before he’s harmed or killed.


1987:

The year was 1987.
I don’t know what day, but I know the year. I remember hearing the crunching of leaves under my feet as I walked up the stairs to my house. My over-sized, multi-colored sweater with my pastel pink leggings blocked some of the harsh winds on the fall afternoon. I do not remember much else, but I try without success each day to recall what happened that day in 1987. It’s odd, the way you can be trapped inside your own body, tormenting yourself each day.
I know my name of course, Jessica Lewis, but I don’t know who I am. I’ve been living and breathing for the past 32 years, but I have simply been going through the motions. I see all these young girls walking down the streets of New York City, and I can’t help but be slightly jealous. They know who they are and what they want in life, I’ve spent the past 32 years trying to catch up. I had two beautiful kids with my husband and now have four grandchildren, however I simply cannot help but think: What if that day in 1987 never happened?
I guess I should go back and explain a bit more so that you aren’t left completely clueless. This is the recount I had been told many times by my parents, whom I lived with at the time:
I walked wearily up the stairs to the front door after I had come home from a date. My mom asked how it went and all I said was, “It was okay I guess. The guy was a little strange though. Another failed date is all.” I shuffled up the stairs and to my room, and plopped down onto my bed. Eventually my mother called me down for dinner, to which she had made my favorite food, chicken and rice, in hopes to lift my spirits. While eating dinner, my mom and dad noticed I broke out into a cold sweat.
“Is everything okay Jessica?” he asked.
“No. I’m sick of being labeled as ‘that kid’ who still lives with her parents at 27 without a job and no husband. What exactly is wrong with me?”
According to my mother, my dad went into a whole long discussion with me about how I needed to just relax and maybe move into my own place to really “get out into the world.” In the middle of his discussion, however, my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I dropped hard to the floor. My mom recounted sprinting to the home phone and dialing 911 as fast as she possibly could. She gave our address and hung up, begging the medics to drive as fast as possible. Meanwhile, my dad was trying to prop me up and feel for a pulse. To save many details I’ll just hurry and summarize it by saying I flatlined for a good minute before the doctors got my heart beating again.
I remained in a deep coma for five years. The doctors said there was no way I would ever wake up, but my parents were determined to keep me going. They paid every last penny they had to keep me going. The day I woke up was the day my parents filed for bankruptcy. I awoke with no warning, my mom said. It was a warm spring day, and the frost had just melted off of the grass when I awoke. When I awoke I did not know who I was, where I was, or who my parents were. After regaining some recollection of my parents and the ability to move around and pass cognitive tests, I was taken home. And now here I am 32 years later, old and wishing that I could just remember why I went on the date, who was there, and why I thought the man was so strange. More importantly, however, did the man on the date have something to do with my long coma?
—
I awoke one morning to a faint scratching sound. I thought nothing of it until the scratching grew louder. I quickly sat up in bed and looked around. My heart started to race. I was back in my bedroom at my parents’ house…
I felt as if I was floating on air and soon realized I must have been having an “out-of-body” experience because I in fact was moving around without using my legs. I watched as my younger self sat up in bed to the sound of my alarm and trudged out of bed. It was then that I felt myself fast-forwarding in time and moving to a new location to see myself sitting in a small diner and what looks to be like waiting for someone. “I wonder who I was waiting for?” I thought.
Moments later a tall man wearing rather dark clothing approached the table and asked to sit down. My younger and much more lively self warily smiled and gave a curt nod. He reached across the table and held out his hand for a handshake. In that moment, I was snapped into my younger self’s body and found myself shaking this man’s hand. He looked old…yet young at the same time. I cocked an eyebrow. To that, he gave a wide smile. “You must be very confused.”
“Very…” I replied shortly.
“Thankfully, I can explain.” He paused for a brief moment before continuing. “You see, I met you here in this exact spot about 37 years ago. You don’t remember this conversation because I didn’t want you to remember it.” He let that sink in and my mind reeled with questions and anger.
“You what?” I sneered.
“I simply did not want you to remember this conversation for this sole reason. I told you the day you would die in hopes that you would live life and instill purpose. Unfortunately, that did not happen.”
“What…” I gulped. “What day will I die?”
“September 15, 1987.”
My stomach dropped to my feet, and I could hardly breathe. “1987…? So you mean, I’ve been dead for 37 years?”
“A shame, but yes.”
“Then what have I been doing for the past 37 years?”
“Waiting.”
“Waiting? For what?”
“Judgment.”
My eyes grew watery and my heart heavy. I didn’t know who I was all of this time because I wasn’t me. My husband, my kids, and my grandkids were all some sick joke. I looked with fear at this strange man, but all he could offer me was a gentle hand on my frozen, outstretched arm. Suddenly, everything went dark and the only thing I heard were soft chimes in the distance.


Linkerhof ends his high school wrestling career with a bang:

Senior Corry wrestler Hayden Linkerof went to states and earned two medals, in fifth and seventh place. 
Linkerhof has been wrestling since he was seven years old, and has participated in clubs and training that are not school functions. He helps with the younger wrestlers when he can, but most of the time is at his own practices. Other than tournament matches he is in, he doesn’t really watch for fun.
 World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), his dad, and his cousin, Pete, all influenced him to get into wrestling. He says that getting into high school, he didn’t really look up to anyone, but if he had to choose, it would be Ryan Morris. Since the time he started wrestling, he’s gone to states five times. “States was fun, but my placement didn’t represent how good I did at states,” he said.
Hayden shares that conditioning for wrestling takes a lot out of you at the beginning, but gets so much easier once a wrestler is more conditioned. After high school, he said that there is nothing he will miss more than his teammates. “All the memories we shared at tournaments, and during and after matches will be something I’ll hold onto,” he adds. 
After high school, he is going to attend Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania to wrestle there.


The Titanic and its critical flaw:

The Titanic was one of the most luxurious ships created, and it met a quick, devastating end. In reality, there are many conspiracies that remain unproven, so only the scientifically accepted statements will be in this article.
On April 15, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg, leading to the death of over 1500 people. The Titanic was created out of competition by three different boat manufacturers, against Cunard. The Titanic first class were 44% more likely to survive than others. The Titanic had a single flaw that led to the sinking, which is that the bulkheads themselves were water proof, but the walls separating them were only a couple feet above the water line, basically meaning that water could flow back and forth from one bulkhead to another. First class contained some of the biggest business figures of the time, and John Jacob Aster IV was the most wealthy, he was the heir to the Aster family fortune.
While many notable figures of wealth boarded the Titanic, practically none lived,  and the ship had a critical flaw that played a large part in the sinking.


“Batman: White Knight” saves the day!:

Recently, I read the graphic novel “Batman: White Knight” written and illustrated by Sean Murphy. The book follows an interesting concept: what if the Joker regained his sanity, and it was revealed that Batman was the true plague on Gotham? While this story is not canon, it reveals a lot about the characters both in and out of the main timeline.
I enjoyed many things about this book, including the art, characterization, and plot. To begin, Murphy’s art style is very unique and expressive. He uses sketchy line art and blocky color schemes to communicate the fast-paced plot of the story. The character design is unique and intriguing.
Another aspect Murphy does well is the characterization, particularly of Jack Napier (a reinvented, sane Joker), Batman, and Harley Quinn. To begin, Murphy brilliantly depicts both the insanity of the Joker, and Jack Napier’s feverish attempts to redeem himself. Before his transformation, the Joker is presented as an eclectic “fanboy” of the Dark Knight. His antics remind one of the Joker’s campy roots in media like the 1960s Batman series. The translation of Napier from an obsessed madman to a charismatic politician is well-done, and leads the readers to many moral quandaries about a person’s past. Batman, on the other hand, is framed as a morally gray character. The story presents him and his team (Nightwing and Batgirl) with an interesting realization: that Batman himself is the source of Gotham’s problems. Finally, the story takes an interesting approach to Harley Quinn and her relationship with Jack. Here, we can see more of Harley’s roots as an academic woman. She is smart and analytical, and loved Joker despite his problems, not because of them.
Finally, the plot feels incredibly true to life. Of course, one always has to suspend their disbelief when reading a comic, but “Batman:White Knight” takes a more realistic and analytical approach to the Batman universe. The story explores real world themes that plague cities like Gotham: racial injustice, de facto segregation, corrupt police officers, and politicians. The story also delves into an underutilized aspect of the Batman universe: the repercussions of having a vigilante rule your city, and how public perception of crime changed after the caped crusader took over Gotham.
To conclude, I would recommend this graphic novel to fans of Batman, and in particular his dynamic with the Joker. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.


Corry High School singers come back from regions in glory:

Corry High School Honors Choir students Taylor Fenstermaker (Senior), Kyron Helmer (Senior), Ryah Lambert (Junior), and Lauren Thomas (Sophomore) have made big strides in the musical world over the past couple months. The four  singers have just returned from the regional choir competition, which took place on Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25, at Franklin High School in Franklin, PA.
Qualifying for choir regions is fairly common for Corry High School Choir. These four singers are now a part of chorus history by being added to the long list of qualifying for regionals and states. When asked about if anyone in Corry High School Chorus history has ever qualified for regionals and states, Mrs. Smrcka said, “Yes, every year we have a good amount of students qualify for regionals and states. For the past 20 years I’ve been teaching here, we’ve had over 25 students attend regional and state chorus competitions.”
Taylor Fenstermaker (Senior) left chorus regionals placing first chair (place), out of 20 Soprano 2’s.  Kyron Helmer (Senior) placed 8th chair at regional’s, Ryah Lambert (Junior) placed first chair (place) as an Alto at regional’s, and Lauren Thomas (Sophomore) placed in the second chair (place) out of 20 other singers at regional’s. All of them placed well in each of their levels of tone. 
Being able to attend regionals is a big accomplishment for high school chorus singers. So many emotions are flying through the air, and so many memories are going to be made. They all must have been so excited, and so nervous at the same time. When asked what they enjoyed most about going to regionals, Taylor Fenstermaker said, “My favorite part about regionals was meeting new people who love music and singing as much as I do.” 
When asking Kyron Helmer, he answered with, “I enjoyed meeting new people and seeing old friends that I met at prior music festivals.” 
Ryah Lambert’s response to the question was, “What I enjoyed most about going to regionals was getting to hear all of the voices come together. It’s amazing how you can practice a song at home/school by yourself and maybe not like it too much, but then love it when you hear everyone sing it together and all of the parts shine through. It is also really special since everyone there is so talented.”  
Lauren Thomas’s added, “I enjoyed meeting new people, and growing as a singer the most.”
Three out of four of the students also qualified to perform at states. The singers that did were Taylor Fenstermaker, Ryah Lambert, and Lauren Thomas. Sadly Kyron Helmer did not qualify for states, but he sends the best of luck to the three girls, stating, “I didn’t qualify for states, but I hope that Taylor, Ryah, and Lauren knock the socks off the judges and blow their competition right out the water. They’re amazing singers with extremely bright futures in music.”  
It’s just one exciting moment after another. When asked about their hopes for states Taylor Fenstermaker replied with, “For states I am most excited about learning more from our guest conductor and singing in a group with other advanced musicians.”
 Ryah Lambert responded, “My hopes for states are to place well and to be able to learn more from the conductor there.” 
Lauren Thomas responded with, “My hopes for states are to place well, to grow in my abilities, and have a great time with such a cool experience.”
These students should be very proud of themselves for their accomplishments that they’ve made throughout the past couple months. They’ve all worked very hard to get to this point, putting in countless amounts of training to their voices, and learning many songs. They all have such love and passion for singing. This is truly an honorable accolade for these four, and it is assumed that their musical journey definitely won’t stop any time soon.


Radical Rose:

Roselyn Marie Becerra is a freshman who attends high school at the Corry Middle-High School.  She was born on February 26, 2007. She grew up in Erie, PA. Some of Rose’s hobbies and interests are: drawing, listening to music, singing, dancing, and roller skating. Rose has seven siblings, aged: one, three, six, ten, 11, 12, and 14. When she grows up she wants to be a detective. Somewhere she wants to visit is Mexico because that is where her dad’s side of the family lives.
Her favorite movie is “The Lion King.” Her favorite song is “All I Have to Give by the Backstreet Boys.” Her favorite color is olive green. Her favorite emotion is “happiness.” And her favorite quotation is “Hakuna Matata, it means no worries for the rest of your days,” from “The Lion King.” Her favorite food is barbecue ribs. Her favorite class(es) are history because “It is very interesting” and biology because “It teaches you about what we once evolved from and why things are what they are.”
A pet peeve Rose has is when “People smack their lips.” Rose doesn’t play any sports but she wants to play soccer and volleyball. Rose’s perfect idea of a date is “a box of chocolates while cuddling and watch a movie.” An animal she would match her personality to is a wolf. For an upcoming vacation Rose is going to New Hampshire.
A piece of advice Rose wants to share to you guys is, “Don’t try to go for something that is gonna keep you waiting or wasting your time if you know it won’t work.”


Albert Pujols’ last ride:

Albert Pujols was one of the best players in Major League Baseball for a long period of time. In recent years, it has been apparent that father time has gotten to the once great Pujols. Pujols made his debut with the Cardinals in 2001. He spend ten historic years with the club before signing with the Angels. And now Pujols will be back in a Cardinals uniform for the first time since 2011 for his final MLB season.
Pujols’ career is one of the best that baseball has ever seen. He burst onto the scene in 2001. He was an all-star, won rookie of the year, and silver slugger. All of these accolade would set the tone for the rest of his historic career. Pujols is a 3x MVP, 2x World series Champion, 10x All star, 2x Gold Glove, 6x Silver Slugger, 1x Batting title winner, and NLCS MVP. He has one of the most decorated careers of MLB player to ever live. After all of these accolades, Pujols is now 42 years old and ready for his career to be over.
The bulk of Pujols’ legendary career was spent with the Cardinals and the Angels. Most of his success was also found with the Cardinals. This season, Pujols will join legendary Cardinals Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina.  The three have won two World Series together and hope to compete for a third in 2022. Many people will be watching Pujols’ 2022 season closely as one of the all-time greats plays one last season.


The first “normal” prom since 2019:

With prom right around the corner, students and staff alike are scrambling to prepare for it. Prom 2022 is scheduled to be held at the Peak’n Peak Resort at the Lodge on Friday, May 13. Dinner is at 7:00 p.m., while the actual prom event will commence from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The car parade lineup will be at the CAPS parking lot from 4:14-5:00, when it leaves. Coronation is at 6:15 p.m. and welcomed to the public.
Tickets may only be purchased by juniors and seniors, however, sophomores may attend if invited by an upperclassman (freshman are not permitted to go). For additional information, you can visit Ms. Carey, who has been graciously organizing the event.
Due to COVID, there hasn’t truly been a standard school dance event since 2019. This year’s prom will be the first since then to be considered typical, looking back on pre-COVID. This is extremely exciting and refreshing news, so make sure you don’t miss out on this celebration!


Thoughts on the transgender athlete controversy:

In recent media many people have brought up the idea that transgender women are making it unfair when they join a female team because people believe that they have “natural advantages.” One of their theories is that some trans women join a cisgender women’s team just to make the sport easier for the trans women to win. Crazy, right?
One of the points made by transphobic individuals is that trans women have naturally high testosterone levels. Well that is not the case. Ninety-four percent of trans women that are on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have the exact same level of testosterone and estrogen levels as cis women. If you did not already know, yes, cis women already have testosterone naturally.
Now, what about “special advantages.” What about them? They do not have special advantages. Instead of focusing on trying to find special advantages in trans players, why don’t you recognize the special advantages some famous players have? Michael Phelps, a competitive swimmer, has been said to have a lung capacity twice the size of the average person, which helps improve his performance. Not only that but he produces about half the amount of lactic acid as any other player. Now why is that a big deal? This allows him to take a shorter amount of time to recover and then he can join back into the race.
Logically, you know that transgender women have no advantages and are not on the teams just to “make it easier” for themselves. You just want to find any way to discredit their achievements and not view them as “real women,” which is just another way to be transphobic.
The MO SB781 bill is known as the “Save Women’s Sports Act.” This bill was put into place to prohibit anyone assigned male at birth to participate in women’s sport teams. While it has not been passed, many others like this one have been and it is spreading all over the country. This is bill is targeted towards middle school, high school, and college athletics.
Trans women and men should be treated the same as everyone else. I am going to be completely honest as much as I, and many others, may want inclusiveness, it is going to take a very long time to get there. We have so many terrible, cruel people that act as if they are not the same as everyone else. There is nothing that separates us. If you are so disturbed or threatened by the fact that trans women are playing against you, quit. If you are uncomfortable, quit. It is not their job to make you feel more “safe.” It is not their job to make you feel like the game is fair. It is fair, but you don’t want to believe it. The idea or repetition of “unfair” just won’t do it. They are real women and they are real men that deserve the same right to play as anyone else.


Survey: What is your favorite spring activity?:

As the winter season ends, everyone is defrosting their spring activities. I asked 25 of my fellow students what their favorite spring activities are and I got a variety of responses. These were the most popular:

Riding four wheelers
Gardening
Playing at the park
Biking
Baseball
Riding
Go to the zoo
Golfing
Gardening
Playing catch
Drawing on the sidewalk with chalk
Riding bikes
Going to the park
Climbing trees
Jumping in puddles
Playing Golf
Hiking
Going for a run
Camping
Picnics
Playing softball

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to answer my questions. It was very enjoyable and I hope that they all get to experience their favorite spring activities.


Mr. Buona wins Golden Apple Award:

David Buona recently received a Golden Apple Award after Corry Middle School student Kennadie Kubecki nominated him.
Golden Apple Awards have been awarded to teachers all over the country. They are representations of a teacher’s hard work and compassion they show towards their students. Teachers can be awarded a Golden Apple Award through their students writing essays describing why their teachers deserve to win. Mr Buona described that he was lucky enough to have a great, creative kid like Kennadie Kubecki to take the time out of her day and write an amazing letter about him. He said, “I think my award is more of a reflection of her skills and ability as a writer than mine as a teacher.” 
Mr. Buona has been teaching for 19 years, 18 of them being in Corry. He said his father was a great storyteller, and he taught him how important education was if he wanted to be successful. Mr. Buona said that, “I’m lucky enough that I get to tell stories every day while also trying to instill that same realization of just how vital your education is to your successes in life.” His favorite part about being a teacher is being able to have fun every day while talking about things he enjoys, and then seeing his students grow from little kids into young adults. “It’s a fun journey!” he says. 
When I asked what Mr. Buona’s initial reaction was he said that, “I was surprised and shocked and just got done yelling at my class so I felt bad.” That’s okay, though, because we all know Mr. Buona loves his kids and teaching. 
When I asked how long it was before he won a Golden Apple Award he said, “This is my second; I got one about 13 years ago as well.” So lucky enough, he has had the opportunity to win two Golden Apple Awards, and that’s impressive because most teachers don’t even win one. 
When I asked him if this award completed his teaching goals he responded with, “I still have 17 years left, so I have lots to accomplish!”


Local teen boy learns how to cope with his emotions in a healthy way:

Recently, there has been an event in which local administrators have been calling a “miracle from god himself.” Kyle Smith, a 15 year-old sophomore who attends the Corry Area Middle-High School, has been working especially hard to deal with his emotions in a way that is not damaging to the people, and things, around him. 
According to Smith’s mother, Martha, he has struggled with maintaining his anger for years. As a matter of fact, she has taken to her public Facebook account multiple times in the past to seek guidance about how to control her son’s coping mechanisms, which include: punching holes in walls, kicking and screaming on the ground, shouting offensive and vulgar language, and telling his mother to “shut up and make him a sandwich.” However, after receiving little-to-no beneficial feedback, she has decided to take matters into her own hands. 
At first, her husband, Mark, was completely against the idea of sending his son to therapy. He expressed that “his son is tough and does not need a woman to cry to.” This statement, though, did cause an uproar of backlash towards Mark that later persuaded him to let his wife book the long-anticipated appointment. 
Mark, however, was not the only person that was concerned about the idea of therapy. Smith was also reported to have a breakdown outside the doors of the facility, and supposedly even tried to punch a hole in the brick exterior. Now, not only does the young man have to talk about his feelings for an hour a day, but he also has to do it with several injured knuckles. Although it has not been exposed to the public what has happened during the appointment, there have been many instances over the past month of people seeing him in an aggressive manner outside of the area. With that being said, these instances have decreased over time, showing a sense of growth in Smith.
“Although vulgar language is still something we are trying to work on decreasing, punching the walls has now become something that happens only occasionally!” says Mrs. Smith in a rather excited tone. “Still though,” she adds, “you can’t expect him to be perfect. Boys will be boys!” 
After all of the hardship therapy has set upon Smith, he seems to finally be maturing. “Even though I still find my way of reacting to things very effectively,” Smith explains. “I am only 15. I still have time for growth.”


The Pagan origins of Easter:

Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Despite its Christian roots, people of all faiths celebrate Easter for their own personal reasons. Many people, Christian or otherwise, enjoy taking part in egg hunts, gift-giving, and spring festivities. What many do not realize, however, is that these well-loved traditions do not have a Christian origin. So, where do Easter traditions come from?
The earliest Christians celebrated the rebirth of Jesus, a holiday known as the Resurrection, but the first recorded celebration of Easter occurred in the second century. Before Christianity, Germanic Pagans celebrated a spring festival known as Ostara or Eostre, dedicated to the springtime goddess of either name. The iconography of rabbits and eggs seemingly began with this Pagan sabbat, as they represented the fertility and new beginnings of spring.
The Resurrection began to coincide with Ostara when Christians attempted to convert the Germanic Pagans. The church blended many Christian and Pagan holidays, such as Christmas and Yule, to make the conversion more palatable. Because Ostara took place at a similar time to the Resurrection, Christians blended Pagan imagery of eggs, rabbits, and flowers, but replaced the fertility celebrations with the biblical resurrection.
So, Easter is a complex blend of Christian ideas and Pagan celebrations. The holiday is important to modern day Christians and Pagans alike, as well as nonreligious people. No matter how or why you celebrate this holiday, consider its rich cultural history the next time you eat a chocolate bunny.


Top ten spring Squishmellows!:

Because of my love for squishmellows and collecting them, I wanted to share my cutest finds of spring/Easter Squishmellows! The spring/Easter squishmellows are bright-colored, cute, and come in many different styles and animals. The most common animals I’m seeing are chicks, birds, bunnies, cows, and so many others!

1. Sophie the Lamb

2. Belena the Cow

3. Charity the Chicken

4. Daska the Duck with Bunny Ears 

5. Rosie the Pig

6. Barb the Dog (I personally own this one in the biggest size! Don’t think she’s part of the spring/Easter Squishmellows but she’s still rather amazing)

7. Elodia the Squid

8. Cedrick the Chick

9. Aimee the Chick with bunny ears
10. Walker the Goat








Gallery|10 Photos


Tips on tractor safety:

Safety is a must when using a tractor. Read the manual and warning labels before using it and remember these useful tips:

When using a tractor, drive carefully and don’t drive across hills.
Keep the bucket level and watch how high it is.
Keep others away from the equipment when it’s in operation.
If cutting grass drive slowly if it’s tall and make sure no one is close to you.
Don’t raise something high with the bucket because if you make a turn with something heavy is raised high up and you turn the tractor might tip right over.


Curse of Love, a fictional story:

Anneliese was the princess of her kingdom, which was ruled by her father, the king. The two of them never truly got along, despite their close relation. Anneliese frequently disagreed with his methods of leading, and after her mother passed, they heavily drifted apart. However, everything drastically changed once Anneliese was cursed by a witch. The witch gave the princess meticulous instructions; before the last midnight of the month, she was to receive an action of true love. If she failed to complete this, she’d be cursed to never be loved again, and would die alone.
Anneliese rushed to host a ball after the encounter with the witch, terrified and desperate to find this “true love” she needed. After hearing about the incident, her father agreed and together they started to set up and prepare for the event. One week later, the castle’s gates were open to the public, with the intent of finding the princess a partner. Many suitors piled into the ballroom, and one by one, Anneliese danced the night away with them. However, she felt no connection with a single person who showed. As the night disappeared, so did her hope.
The princess sat on the steps of the royal garden, head buried in her knees as she wept. She couldn’t find her true love, and she’d be cursed for eternity. She felt a presence next to her and an arm wrapped itself around her shoulder. Her teary eyes glanced up to meet her father’s sympathetic ones.
“Please don’t cry,” he pleaded as he rubbed her back comfortingly.
“How could I not? I’m to die alone now, you never understand anything!” she snapped with a glare.
The king fell silent for a few moments. He finally spoke up again, “You’re never alone. I shall love you forever.”
He pulled his daughter into a hug and placed a kiss atop her head, something he had not done in several years. They were never affectionate with one another, not since they became distant. Anneliese, much to her surprise, was comforted by this. She relaxed into her father’s arms and sobbed contently.
“I see you’ve both broken the curse.”
The pair perked up at the sound of another voice. There, in the garden, stood the very witch who had cursed Anneliese. She gave the witch an astonished expression, “Whatever do you mean?”
“You’ve been given an act of true love, so I shall now lift the curse,” she said.
With misty eyes, Anneliese looked to her father, the one she had claimed to hate for so many years, and hugged him tightly. She had been so, so wrong about her love for him.


Getting to know mellow Maddie Braswell:

Madison Braswell is a sophomore student here at Corry High School. To many, she is known as Maddie. Maddie participates in many activities and is always a nice smiling face to see. Before getting started, I’d like to thank Maddie for taking the time to answer these questions!
I started out with rather generic questions as a “warm up.” After questioning Maddie, it turns out her favorite color is teal, her favorite season is fall, and her hobbies are to crochet and do crafty projects. Crafts are always a fun way to spend free days and relax after a possibly stressful week.
Of course, I had to ask her what her favorite food is, because how can an interview not have a question related to food? Maddie’s favorite food is chicken tortilla soup. I can’t help but agree with her love of chicken tortilla soup, it is truly a great dinner to have on a chilly day in the fall or winter.
Maddie is also very active in the sports area: she does cheer (football and basketball) and track as well! Maddie runs sprinting events and does the hurdles for track. I then asked how she liked doing hurdles. To that she responded with, “It’s a lot of work and can be difficult at times, but it’s worth it, and actually doing it feels good.” To end this paragraph on a “pawsitive” note, I asked Maddie if she had any pets. She said, “I have four dogs. Isabel is a Pekingese, Clover is a Springer Spaniel, Forest is a Beagle, and Pandora is a Husky…we have a cat with the most generic name ever, his name is Mittens.” All of Maddie’s furry friends seem to be like a bunch of fun!
Moving on to a series of more in-depth questions, I started out by asking what her favorite subject is, which turns out to be biology 2 with Mr. Kerr. Going off of that, I wondered if her love of science would play into her future job. Maddie told me that her preferred job is to become a dentist! I then inquired about how her high school career has been going so far. She responded, “I feel like my high school career has been a challenge in a good way. Of course there is always stressful times, but those are just lessons that I’m being taught through trial and error.” I could not agree with Maddie more! Life is all about learning and growing, and seeing how Maddie already has this figured out in tenth grade, I know Maddie will go far in life. Her goal, or dream, has been to “graduate high school and college, and be successful in my future career.” Goals are important in life, and Maddie clearly has many goals for herself, which is a showing of true character!
Getting into the deeper questions, I asked Maddie what her favorite quote is. To that she responded with, “I like to think of life as an adventure, like a roller coaster. It helps with the ups and downs,” (Eddie Izzard). I definitely find this quote very meaningful! One important life lesson Maddie learned, specifically a lesson her dad teaches her is, “Don’t be an ant” which means that Maddie should make her own path in life, and that she doesn’t need to be exactly like everyone else. I can’t help but really appreciate the value in this life lesson, which shows how important just being yourself is.
Once again, I want to thank Maddie for her time and I am sure all the readers learned something fun and new about fellow student, Madison Braswell. To conclude this fun article, here is a piece of Maddie’s advice for everyone: “Don’t take things the hard way, everything can be difficult, but there’s always a way to work through it. Just be understanding of people because one day you’re going to want someone to understand you.”


“Moon Knight” episode one is stellar!:

Last Wednesday, Marvel Studios released the first episode of the new Disney+ series “Moon Knight.” The series follows Steven Grant, a museum gift shop clerk with strange night time habits and an affinity for Egyptian history. Grant thinks of himself as a chronic sleepwalker, constantly waking up in random places with no memory of how he got there. The reality, however, is that Steven has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), sharing his body with a mercenary and a mysterious Egyptian specter.
The highlight of Moon Knight’s first episode is Steven Grant, expertly played by Oscar Isaac. With limited supporting characters, the audience’s main focus is on Steven. Isaac plays him expertly. Steven is just an ordinary guy– awkward, endearing, and quirky– who finds himself in a bizarre supernatural and psychological situation.
The series also shines a light on mental illness in the MCU. Since 2021’s “Wandavisio,” Marvel has made an important effort to explore the mental health of its heroes. Steven Grant suffers from DID (often called Multiple Personality Disorder). The quality of Marvel’s representation has yet to be seen, but a protagonist with DID is groundbreaking on its own. DID has often been demonized in media, with films like “Split” reinforcing harmful stereotypes about the disorder. Oscar Isaac himself also confirmed that Steven Grant is on the autism spectrum, making him the first canonically autistic character in the MCU.
The series also explores Egyptian culture and mythology. Screenwriter Mohamed Diab says,”As an Egyptian, we always see us depicted or the Middle East depicted in a way that is—we call it orientalism, when you see us as exotic and dehumanized…” The MCU has explored mythology before, most notably Norse, but with several inconsistencies. With an Egyptian screenwriter on the team, I have high hopes for how “Moon Knight” will depict both ancient and present-day Egyptian culture.
I would give “Moon Knight” episode one four out of five stars. I recommend this series to fans of the MCU, or any mythology buffs out there. I am excited to see what Marvel does with this character and his fascinating lore!


What’s your favorite Easter tradition?:

April is here, so you know what that means: one of the best holidays is coming up! Easter time is here! Baskets full of treats left from the one and only Easter Bunny, a big feast to share with all your relatives, and a trip to church honoring the Resurrection of Jesus. Each family has their own special tradition that they do with their families, whether it be coloring eggs, eating the big family dinner, visiting family, finding the basket, or the famous Easter egg hunt! There are so many more traditions that many people hold close to their hearts, and I took a survey to find out what the students and staff have to say about the following question: “What’s your favorite Easter tradition?”
Gwen Adams – “Eating the Easter candy from my basket.”
Mrs. Adamski – “Eating dinner with my family.”
Jonas Anthony – “Eating Easter ham with my family.”
Halle Beach – “Coloring eggs”
Tyler Biondi – “Eating the big Easter dinner.”
Mr. Brewer – “Painting Easter eggs with my kids.”
Gary Butcher – “Doing our Easter egg hunt.”
Mr. Carney – “Eating my kids Easter chocolate.”
Emmalee Carr – “Getting my Easter basket.”
Karson Chamberlin – “Easter egg hunt.”
Kendyll Chamberlin – “Hunting the Easter bunny.”
Aubrey Chase – “Painting eggs.”
Mr. Coates – “Eating candy (Cadbury Mini Eggs)”
K.C. Cozad – “Painting eggs.”
Mrs. Cragg – “Easter egg hunt.”
Mr. Cragg – “Going to church with my family.”
Sara Fox – “Going to see the Easter Bunny.”
Shelby Fox – “Looking for my Easter basket.”
Miley Gwin – “Coloring eggs.”
Trevor Hays – “Finding my Easter basket.”
Luke Hurd – “Hunting for Easter eggs.”
Porter Kafferlin – “Eating dinner with my family.”
Tori Kinney – “Finding my basket.”
Keira Knight – “Easter dinner.”
Morgan Martin – “Coloring eggs.”
Maleri Mather – “Easter dinner.”
Delaney Nickerson – “Finding Easter baskets.”
Tyler Parker – “Eating the food.”
Mr. Passinger – “Visit family and do our big Easter egg hunt.”
Mackenzie Patterson – “Easter egg hunt.”
Addison Pillar – “Easter egg hunt.”
Mr. Potocki – “To decorate Easter eggs, and then eat them.”
Kaygen Rogers – “Coloring eggs.”
Elly Shearan – “Easter egg hunt.”
Zach Turben – “Easter egg hunt.”
Peyton Wilkinson – “Easter dinner.”
Sydney Woods – “Easter egg hunt.”
From looking at all of the responses the one that is most popular is hunting for Easter eggs. There are many interesting things that people enjoy doing the most for Easter.


Top ten Easter candy:

Have you ever wanted to get your kid Easter candy and didn’t know what you wanted to give them? Well, I have my favorite kinds of candy! So here is some of my top ten your kids may like.
10. Cadbury Creme Egg
9. Jelly Beans
8. Mini Eggs
7. Chocolate Bunny
6. Reese’s
5. Lindt Milk Chocolate Carrots
4. Marshmallow
3. Starburst
2. M&M
1. Peeps


Pirates third-baseman signs largest contract in Pirates history, immediately gets hurt:

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the laughingstocks of MLB for years now. They are not only a joke because they are bad, but they have one of the lowest payrolls in the MLB. Their biggest contract in the history of the team was a six year, 60 million dollar deal back in the year 2000. On Thursday, the Pirates shocked the sports world when they agreed to an eight-year, 70 million dollar contract extension with their young , star third-baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. The deal was the biggest news of the afternoon, until Hayes was taken out of the game in the first inning.
Hayes is much deserving of this contract. He was always considered to be one of the top defensive prospects in the minor leagues, but he showed his offensive potential in the shortened 2020 big league season. Hayes had a down year offensively in 2021 because of injury, but always showed signs of promise.
Hayes and the Pirates have been in talks about a long-term extension for a while now, but they finally decided to agree on a deal. This is just one of the cases of the Pirates misfortune over the years. Hayes has said in an interview since that he is okay. The Pirates have also come out and said that he was taken out due to “forearm spasms” and is “day to day.” Hayes also said that he got in the hot tub and, “Felt better.” It will be fun to see if the Pirates will turn a new leaf and spend some cash, but this misfortune can’t seem to miss these poor fans.


Cake or Fake?:

Whenever I have free time, I usually spend it watching movies while working on homework or my own projects. I turn to a lot of different types of television to make sure I’m occupied and distracted, while also getting my work done. I watch Netflix along with other streaming services as much as possible in my free time. Netflix is known for old, new, and its own films that are watched frequently. A lot of the Netflix Originals that I have watched are very interesting and tend to be very eye-catching films. 
I have come across a show called “Is It Cake?” that is about nine bakers who compete to make a cake that is as realistic as the real thing. Just like a lot of other baking shows, it gives a total of a $50,000 cash prize if bakers make it through all the challenges. First round is where all the bakers are all tasked with identifying which of six items is the cake and the three bakers who find it first get to compete for a $10,000 prize to keep. The whole point of the show is for bakers to make a cake that is as realistic as possible to fool the judges to determine who moves on in the rounds. Whoever wins the first round moves on to the next and gets to choose two different bakers to compete against. The show includes different categories, such as clothes, fast food, toys, or anything you can think of. 
Because I enjoy baking in my free time and absolutely love watching baking shows, I loved the show after just watching the first episode. The idea of making a cake that looks like a real life object is incredibly cool to me and having the question “Is it or is it not cake?” going through my head is entertaining. Watching bakers work with difficult challenges and still manage to trick the judges is very satisfying to me personally because of the amount of thought and little details put into the cakes that make it look realistic. I would recommend this show to anyone who likes baking or enjoys watching baking shows. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t very interested in baking or slow-paced shows because it does take a lot of time and patience to get to the end.
I give this show 4.5/ 5 stars because I do love the show with baking and a competition aspect, but it is around 40 minutes long, which makes it a little boring at times.


“Moon Knight” episode two raises the stakes:

On Wednesday, episode two of Marvel Studios’ “Moon Knight” was released. While the first episode gave us a bit of exposition into who Steven Grant is, episode two explores the other identities: mercenary Marc Spector and the Egyptian god Khonshu.
Again, the performances in “Moon Knight” are incredible. Oscar Isaac, of course, takes center stage as both Grant and Spector. Isaac plays the roles in a nuanced way that highlights the difference between Grant’s personalities and the turmoil they face. Ethan Hawke also shines as the mysterious Arthur Harrow. Just like Grant, the audience is tasked with figuring Harrow out. Is he a justice-loving devotee of an ancient god, or a sinister figure full of bloodlust? With the exploration of Spector and the introduction of his wife and colleague, Layla, we seem close to figuring it out.
Episode two also cranks up the action factor. When Harrow and his followers corner Grant for the precious scarab, he is forced to flee with Layla, and finally “summons the suit” of Khonshu, although it becomes a dapper evening suit rather than the foreboding garb Spector summoned in episode one. The inexperienced Grant is made to fight a ghostly jackal alongside Layla, until he finally surrenders the body to Marc.
This episode really sets the pace for the series, expanding the characters, lore, and conflicts. I am excited to see how Steven handles these newfound struggles, and what comes of Harrow’s plans.


Actually Angie:

Angelica Jenavive Cressley, more known as “Angie,” is a 15-year-old girl born on March 23, 2007. Angie grew up in Corry, PA with her two siblings, Brian (17) and Lauryn (18). Growing up, Angie took part in roller derby, which she has now been doing for 12 continuous years. Angie is also taking part in softball, which she has been playing for 12 years as well. Angie has also taken part in cheer, which she has been doing for 10 years. She is currently on the high school track team, where she participates in long jump, triple jump, the 100 meter, and she recently started pole vault. She is also currently in honors choir.
Angie’s favorite color is yellow, her favorite song is “Don’t Rain on My Parade” by Barbra Streisand, and her favorite movie is Baywatch. In her free time, Ang’s favorite thing to do is take part in musicals and color guard.
If Angie had to pick one emotion, it would be excitement. Her favorite fast food is KFC, her ideal week would be a week spent strictly napping. Her dream vacation would be to visit Paris and eat macaroons. Her favorite food would have to be chicken wing dip, and the animal that reminds her of herself would have to be a hippo. Angie knows lots of movie quotes, but her favorite one would have to be, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” from “Beauty and The Beast.”
Angie has several future plans, those consisting of attending Oregon State, or NYU.  If she attends NYU she plans to be living in New York City. She plans to major in meteorology, musical theater or mathematics. She would like her family to consist of a, “good looking man and a ton a pitties.” 
Angie says her biggest pet peeve is mouth breathers. And one thing she would like to say to someone reading this is, “Don’t be annoying, that’s my job ” 
I would like to give a big thank you to Angie for taking the time to answer these questions, it is very appreciated.


Survey: What is your favorite thing about school?:

Now many people may not like the idea of waking up early in the morning to come to school. People may show that they don’t like school, but deep down there is one thing that they like about school. Thanks to 25 people I asked, I got some information about why people may like school. Here’s the responses I received.
Shelby Fox: “Math class”
Sara Fox: “Snack bar and Mr. Potocki’s class”
Katlynn Heidler: “Snack Bar”
Madison Gustafson: “English”
Ali Torz: “Friends”
Roselyn Becerra: “Friends”
Parker Lewis: “Mr. Hogue”
Taylor Mitchell: “PE”
Jazmyn Hersey: “Mr. Adamski”
Aubrey Chase: “Food”
Mr. Hogue: “Working with many wonderful people”
Sarah Snyder: “Seeing besties”
Sarah Goldner: “Seeing Grant Adams”
Jameson Dyne: “Seeing Rose”
Brooklyn Taylor: “Seeing friends”
Grant Adams: “Seeing Friends”
Aaron Hawlui: “Gym”
Ryan Knapp: “Gym”
Kerah Groves: “Writing”
Connor Sterling: “Gym”
Eli Gates: “Gym”
Mr Potocki: “Getting to work with amazing people”
Myleigh Music: “Mr. Potocki”
Mrs. Greer: “Meeting new students”
Mrs. Ruth: “Getting to communicate with people”
Thank you everyone for your wonderful answers and letting me take a few seconds to talk to you. Now everyone may be wondering about what I like about school and to me my favorite thing about school is seeing people I may not see a lot.


The deeper meaning of K-12:

Have you thought in depth about how corrupt our society is, or even some of the corruption taking place in the education system? “K-12,” a musical fantasy-horror film, written by Melanie Martinez, was released in 2019 as a movie featuring all of the songs from her new album. The movie follows the story of Crybaby, a girl with supernatural powers, that is going through the grades K-12. In the beginning of the movie she is shown to have absent parents before getting on the school bus. It is evident from the beginning that the kids at the Sleepaway School do not like Crybaby and see her as an outcast. During her stay, Crybaby starts to notice the school is hiding something sinister. Thankfully though, through her journey at Sleepaway School, she finds more people that acquire the same supernatural gift as her. The reason I chose “K-12” to review was because I think it’s a very underrated movie with great songs and deeper meanings about our society today. 
To begin, the cinematography was impressive and refreshing. The location chosen to film the movie was a building called the Eszterháza in Fertőd, Hungary. This estate alone created a beautiful cinematic setting that the characters could explore. One thing that stood out to me cinematically was the pink hue that is filtered over the scenes. The movie has a darker meaning but the light color contrasts it. Another moment with impressive cinematography is while Crybaby is in grade one. In this scene the characters Crybaby and Angelita are able to use their supernatural gift to enter a dreamlike world that is under the covers of their blankets.While panning through what looks like a blanket fort, there is still something dark and creepy behind it. Even though “K-12” is categorized as a horror film, the movie displays a very delicate scenery. One scene in particular is a long shot of Crybaby walking through a courtyard full of intricately cut bushes in various different shapes. Rarely do movies ever have scenery that contrasts with that actual meaning of the movie. Putting light, soft, and welcoming colors with a dark storyline shows an impressive juxtaposition. 
Continuing, special effects were used quite often, particularly to showcase the abilities of Crybaby and her friends. I was intrigued with how they chose to use special effects with only a budget of 5-6 million dollars. The first scene where the special effects stood out to me was in the scene “Wheels on The Bus,” where the bus driver is under the influence of alcohol while driving the kids to Sleepaway School. Nearing a bridge, the bus takes a swerve, sending it hurdling over the edge. The viewers get to see the bus sink under a deep trench of water that gives off a very eerie look. Luckily though, Crybaby and her friend Angelita use their supernatural gift to lift the bus out of the water and raise it into the clouds. The special effects don’t look realistic in the best way possible. They look dreamlike and otherworldly. The kids at Sleepaway School do not like Crybaby and see her as a freak. The hatred for Crybaby is only grown more when she is seen talking to her enemy Kelly’s crush, soon being approached by a punch. Immediately, she is able to overthrow her tormentor by extending her hair and putting Kelly in a choke hold, both of them levitating in the air. As violent as this seems, using your own hair to strangle someone is not something you see every day. This was scary, unique, but not too gory or sickening. Eventually the fight is broken up, though, and Kelly makes a recovery. 
Lastly, the deeper meaning behind the K-12 storyline is by far the most interesting part of the movie I wanted to talk about. The basic idea behind the movie is the flaws in society. The first song from the movie that showcases a controversial topic is “The Principle,” a song metaphorically about the 45th President Donald Trump. It talks about the topics of being under a leader that’s “money hungry” while  “shooting at the angels while claiming you’re a good guy.” These lyrics from the song have a deep meaning of hurting the innocent people in your country while still protesting you’re a good person. Another song with an important meaning I wanted to discuss was “Strawberry Shortcake.” The reason why I think this song is important to discuss is because women’s bodies are constantly being criticized by society, especially by men. Crybaby sings about how you have to make sure everything about your body’s perfect just to meet society’s standards even if it hurts. Eventually after you do think you’ve added enough to your appearance, you’re blamed for “attracting” men. I thought that the messages and deeper meanings behind the songs were really creative. 
In the end, I thought that Melanie Martinez did a great job with her storyline and writing. “K-12” is the perfect mixture of quirky, dark, and fantasy. The only critics overall that I would give would be to make a clear path for the storyline and stay on topic. I don’t really see “K-12” as a movie but more of a work of art because of the open ideas and the messages hidden between the lines. I would not recommend this movie to anyone that is uncomfortable with sensitive topics because they are discussed frequently. Overall, I would rate “K-12” a 4 out of 5.


“Adventures in Babysitting” is definitely a trip:

“Adventures in Babysitting,” a film released on June 19, 1987, staring Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Anthony Repp and Keith Coogan tells the story of a senior in high school, Kris Parker (Elisabeth Shue), who is stuck babysitting the Anderson kids, Sarah (Maia Brewton) and Brad (Keith Coogan), when her and her boyfriend’s anniversary plans get unexpectedly canceled. As the three are hanging out in the Andersons’ living room, Kris receives a phone call from her best friend, Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller), that flips the whole night around. On the phone, Brenda begs Kris to come pick her up in the city after running away from home. The kids, along with Darryl (Anthony Repp), Brad’s best friend, convince Kris to take them with her into the city where they find themselves in extremely frightening situations. Will Kris be able to pick up Brenda in time? Will the kids get home safely before their parents come home? Watch the movie to find out!
The film was written by David Simkins and directed by Chris Columbus. As a matter of fact, “Adventures in Babysitting” was the first screenplay David Simkins ever produced. Chris Columbus, however, is notoriously known for also directing the well-known film “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lighting Thief” and many more. This film is rated PG-13 because of the fact that it does use some vulgar language and suggestive jokes. 
The film “Adventures in Babysitting” is extremely timeless and is definitely worth the watch. I have seen this movie many, many times and truly, I do not think I could ever get tired of it. From the amazing acting all the way down to the action-packed scenes, this movie doesn’t have one thing I do not like. It is very interesting to see all that the crew has to face to overcome their challenges and save Brenda. The acting by Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Anthony Repp and Keith Coogan was all spectacular and they all did amazing jobs portraying all of the emotions that they would have gone through, given if this was a real situation. Elisabeth Shue and the way she brought the character, Kris Parker, to life really stuck out to me the most. She does a fantastic job of portraying how fearful, yet brave, Kris is while facing constant changes in her life throughout the film. Disney has remade this film as of 2016, but that one is absolutely not, and will never be, as entertaining and impacting as the original.
Overall, I would rate this movie 5/5 stars. I recommend this film for any action-lovers out there that are over 13 years old, or anyone who just simply loves the nostalgia of a classic 80s movie. I definitely enjoyed watching this movie and I hope all of you choose to watch it as well.


My top 10 favorite things to do on Halloween:

There are several things people do on Halloween.  Most kids go trick-or-treating, but I am 16 years of age, so trick-or-treating is not really my thing. I like going to Halloween parties or walking around to admire the decorations or to see all the jack ‘o lanterns lit. I also dress up in a really scary costume to scare little kids and see the fear. I like staying up late to watch scary movies with my family. It is also a family tradition to play card games and have a little costume party. Sometimes we even go on a shopping spree to spend family time together. Every year I make a basket full of Halloween goodies for my best friend. I enjoy doing this because it always makes her day. Sometimes I go over to a friend’s house and make cookies and other treats, my favorite thing out of everything to do is listening to Halloween music on full blast just “vibing” to the songs.
10. Go to Halloween parties
9. Walk around and look at decorations
8. Dressing up
7. Watch movies
6. Card games
5. Costume Parties
4. Shopping spree
3. Basket for friends
2. Making baked goods
1. Listening to spooky music


Jazzy Jasmine:

Today I am here to introduce Jasmine Chandler to help you get to know her better. I asked Jasmine 13 questions.
When I asked Jazz when her birthday was, she said November 4, 2009.  Jasmine enjoys playing in mud, swimming in ponds, and has a passion for art, which is her dream career. When asked what her dream vacation is, Jazz said “To go and see a Bad Boy concert.”
Her favorite color is yellow, her favorite person is her dad, her favorite season is fall, and her favorite holiday is Halloween. I asked Jazz what her favorite book is and she said, “Kizzy Anne Stamps.” In school, Jasmine’s favorite subject is ELA and her favorite song is “Hit Em Up” by Tupac Shakur. Out of everywhere on earth, Jazz’s favorite place to be is with her brothers.


Tractor equipment and their uses:

Equipment is attached to the back of tractors that can cut, rake, bale, plow, etc. The equipment is designed to do a specific job in a field of grass or crops. The first piece of equipment used in crops is to plow it with a trailer plow to open up air between where the old crops were.
A few days after the field is plowed it needs to be harrowed. A harrow breaks up the hardened clumps that the plow dried off. The snow makes the dirt harden and plowing the soil opens up the soil to dry the clumps, then the clumps need to dry so the harrow can break them up and smooth out the soil.
A few days later the seeds can be planted after the soil is dry, clump free, smooth and leveled out.


Top ten favorite places to eat:

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There are so many places where people like to eat, including buffets, take outs, and even dine-ins. There are many delicious places to eat, and I will give you my top ten favorites:
10. Fat Monn’s Grub (Corry, PA)
9. The Dinner Bell (Frewsburg, NY)
8. New Beginnings (Sugar Grove, PA)
7. Gigi’s Route 6 Diner (Corry, PA)
6. Sakura Buffet (Lakewood, NY)
5. Golden Corral (Erie, PA)
4. Sonic (Erie, PA)
3.  Fifties (Jamestown, NY)
2. Tasta Pizza (Falconer, NY)
1.  Phil-N-Cindy’s (Jamestown, NY)


A Boy Named Joshua:

The spring morning gave way to chirping birds, blooming flowers, and a soft glow of the sun I hadn’t seen in weeks. I walked outside with my coffee cup in hand and sat down on the porch swing. It creaked beneath me, but it’s aged wood held fast. I swung myself back and forth gently, listening to the cows in the pasture to my right. It was good to see the sun and hear the cows lowing after such a violent thunderstorm last night. The earth still smelled of the recent storms, but it was no match for the rising sun. My small farm gives me all the company I need, with my chickens, ducks, my barn cats, my good ole dog Biscuit, the cows, my one lone horse, my stray rabbits who are more like pets, and the small birds I feed every morning. I set my coffee cup down and swept my long chocolate brown hair into a low bun. I slipped my pink slippers on and walked back inside my ancient farmhouse and into the mudroom. I slipped on my chore clothes, overalls with my muck boots, and headed outside.
I had a slab of hay in my hand and was about to toss it to my ten-year-old mare, Juniper, when I heard faint crying. I turned my head towards the noise and quietly set Juniper’s hay into her stall. The crying was coming from the loft in the barn, and I could immediately tell it was the cry of a small child. My heart was beating irregularly fast as I climbed up the steep steps to the loft. When I reached the platform I saw a small boy sitting behind a bale of hay in the corner. Just his little head showed above the hay bale. I stood utterly motionless for a moment, not exactly sure what to say to him.
“Hey little guy, are you alright?” I asked him in a soft voice. He whipped around, revealing tear streams down his dirty face. He had a long scar down the right side of his face, but his bright blueish-green eyes drew me away from the scar. I held out my hand, not sure what else to do. “Are you hungry? I have some eggs we could scramble and pancakes we could make.” He sat for a moment before slowly rising, and without saying a single word, he took my hand, and I led him down the stairs.
I continued babbling as we walked to the house, as I wasn’t really sure what else to say to him. “What’re you doing out here all alone?” To that I got a shoulder shrug. “Are ya hungry?” A head nod. “Did you just get in my barn last night?” Another head nod. I decided to just talk about the house, and how it had been passed down for generations, and how it was finally my turn to live here. I felt a stabbing pain in my heart, the loneliness I felt every day amplified by the small boy who looked around the house in hopes of finding another child to meet. “Sorry little man, it’s just me and the animals.” He looked at me in a way that asked, “But why?”
“Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to find a husband or have any kids. But I’m still young, twenty-two to be exact, so I’ll find someone.” I was more or less reassuring myself I would find someone, not this small boy who looked exhausted and hungry. “Let’s get some breakfast.”
The little boy sat at the table in silence while I scrambled some eggs and got pancakes cooking on my old stove. With the smell of eggs cooking, Biscuit, my elderly dog, ambled down the stairs and into the kitchen, sniffing around the little boy and happily gave him kisses. The little boy smiled and patted Biscuit’s head, which put Biscuit into a flurry of tail wags and more slobbery kisses. I set out some bacon from last night’s dinner and watched as he gobbled it up…and of course threw some to Biscuit. When he finished with the bacon, he downed the glass of milk I had placed at his seat. “Can you please at least tell me your name?” I asked with a tentative smile, petting Biscuit as she sat at my feet.
He looked at me a long moment before saying, “Joshua.”
I patted his little arm, “Nice to meet you Joshua. I’m Eleanora. Now how old are you?”
“Six,” he responded. I decided to stop questioning him until he ate. I set the plate of pancakes and eggs in front of him and he demolished almost all of it. He then asked me a question for a change. “Can I go take a nap?”
“Sure,” I hesitated, “…you can, um, sleep on the couch. I’ll grab you a blanket.”
While little Joshua slept I grabbed my phone and called the local police station and carefully explained my situation. I asked if there was any report of a missing child, and they said no. I even added, “Joshua is sleeping right now and does not show any intention of leaving. I think you can mosey on down, there’s no rush.”
Of course I was talking to Blake, whom I had been friends with for a while, so he knew the little boy would be safe here for a few hours. “Eleanora, it is my job as both your friend and an officer to tell you a few things. One, do not get attached. Two, be careful: though he may be a little boy, we don’t know why he is out here all alone. And three, if a car pulls up claiming to know him, call us first. He may be in danger at home or something.”
“Thanks, Blake, see you in a little bit.”
“Bye, Eleanora.”
I hung up the phone and went back out to the kitchen to clean up breakfast. After I had finished that I went back into the living room and pulled out my phone, checking through different sites to make sure there wasn’t a missing child report. Nothing. I looked up to find Biscuit curled up beside Joshua, both of them fast asleep.
It was another hour before Joshua awoke, and when he did, he looked much healthier than the way he’d shown up. He got up and carefully walked over to me. He got close to my ear and whispered, “I need to show you something.” His eyes were fearful, and I felt my heart starting to kick it up a notch. I gingerly grabbed his outstretched hand and watched as he led me outside, my mind full of questions. I was both confused and happy to see Joshua more outgoing. He instructed me to stand right where I was and let go of my hand, pacing a few feet away. My face must have been full of silent questions and fear because when he turned to me, he said, “It’s okay. But you might be scared at first. I know I was.” With that he turned around and lifted his little hands and face towards the sky.
Just as I looked up the sky began to change from bright blue and cloudless to dark and stormy. I looked back down at Joshua and saw his face contorted into deep concentration. The sky seemingly opened up and rain poured down, but it wasn’t everywhere, just a small circle around Joshua and I. Then the sky changed again and gentle snowflakes drifted down and onto my head. Slowly the clouds dissipated and Joshua turned around, waiting for my reaction. My breathing was still shallow, as I was terrified yet also amazed. “Wow, that was…interesting.” Joshua’s face turned into a smile.
“You’re not scared?”
“Oh, I am, but I am more amazed than scared, little Joshua.”
I watched as his smile turned bigger and he raced over to give me a hug. “Thanks for not leaving me,” he said. My heart ached for this boy.
“Joshua, there’s something I have to show you, too. It is why I live alone.” His curious face looked at me now with many questions. I let go of him and crouched down, holding out my pointer finger. A small flame, about two inches high, flickered on my pointer finger. Joshua looked amazed, and for once I felt my Gift was appreciated.


Supreme Court confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson:

On April 7, the Supreme Court confirmed President Biden’s justice nomination, Ketanji Brown Jackson. On the campaign trail, Biden made a promise: he would nominate the first ever black female Supreme Court Justice. He fulfilled his promise on February 28, 2022, when he nominated Jackson.
Jackson boasts an impressive list of credentials. A graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, she has worked at Time magazine, worked as a corporate lawyer, and served on multiple federal benches of law.
After a long series of hearings, Jackson was confirmed on a 53-to-47 vote. All 50 members of the Democratic caucuses voted for her, with three Republicans joining. While some rejoiced at the historic confirmation, others dubbed it as strictly a diversity win. After Jackson’s confirmation, several Republicans walked out of the Senate chamber.
On the other hand, Democrats were ecstatic at the confirmation. Vice President Harris was, “deeply moved […] that we have just made a decision to put this extraordinary jurist on the highest court of our land. It’s a good statement about who we are.”
Jackson’s confirmation marks both historic progress in the government, as well as a deep partisan division within the Senate.


Top ’80s jams:

Music is a HUGE part in many people’s lives. Everywhere you go you hear some type of music, and it has a calming effect on many. Music is kind of like a guide to some people, and it helped them during difficult times in their lives. The 1980s  was definitely without a doubt one of the most influential and breakpoints for musicians and their greatest hits. The 1980s reflected the beginning of a period of great disparity and focus on affluence was reflected in the music. Several new genres popped up including, hip hop, new wave, and hair metal; all of these genres have influenced and impacted many songs today. The ’80s is when music became big and popular, and it made a big impact in the music industry today. Many of the artists in the ’80s are known as legends for their hit songs, and they’ve all made the music standards off the charts. The ’80s artists are the ones that paved the way for all of the artists after them. The 1980s hold many legendary songs that will never be forgotten, but when it comes down to it there are some specific songs that have more love than others. The list for the best ’80s songs could go on for forever, but here are the top ten that made the biggest impact and are now and forever imprinted in the music industry.
10. “Close to Me,” by the Cure (Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Reeves Gabrels, Roger O’Donnell, Jason Cooper, Gary X, Peter O’Toole, Andy Anderson, Pearl Thompson, Lol Tolhurst, Boris Williams, Michael Dempsey)
9. “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” by Talking Heads. (Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, and Chris Frantz)
8. “The Message,” by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five (Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Rahiem, Keef Cowboy, Natshniel Glover, Eddie Morris, and Cowboy)
7. “Modern Love,” by David Bowie
6. “Express Yourself,” by Madonna
5. “Fight the Power,” by Public Enemy (Flavor Flav, Chuck D, Terminator X, Davy DMX, DJ Lord, Sister Souljah, Brian Hardgroove, Khari Wynn, The Interrorgator, Brother James, Crunch, and Brother Roger)
4. “Straight Outta Compton’ ,” by NWA (Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr, Dre, MC Ren, DJ Yella, The D.O.C, Arabian Prince, and DJ Speed)
3. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” by Whitney Houston
2. “Beat It,” by Micheal Jackson
1. “Purple Rain,” by Prince


Top ten most iconic early 2000s movies:

The early 2000s in general was quite the iconic decade with music, fashion, and, of course, films. This period was a prime time for iconic movies and formed a lot of memorable scenes and sayings that people still use today. Here’s my ranking of the top ten most iconic films.
10. “Shrek”
9. “The Lovely Bones”
8. “Ponyo”
7. “Legally Blonde”
6. “The Notebook”
5. “American Psycho”
4. “Spider-Man” series
3. “Shrek 2”
2. “Jennifer’s Body”
1. “Mean Girls”


Clueless: The 1995 hit still entertains:

“Clueless,” a 1995 teen comedy starring Alicia Silverstone (Cher Horowitz), was directed by Amy Heckerling, and produced by Paramount Pictures.
The movie is an amazingly written, strongly structured piece that is extremely enjoyable for people of all ages. I myself have watched it several times over the years. It is the type that never gets old. The plot of the movie is very well-fitting for teenagers. The movie covers the life of a wealthy teenage girl who tries to get her life back on track. Making new friends and relationships on the way.
The film grossed $56.1 million in the United States and has received several positive reviews  from critics. It is also considered one of the “best teen films of all times.” The film was followed by a spin-off sitcom “Emma,” and a series of books, comic books, stage musicals and video games. The movie was determined a “sleeper hit” in 1995. The movie was soon open in 1,653 theaters on July 19th, 1995, which grossed $10,612,443 over opening weekend. It was soon ranked 2nd behind “Apollo 13,” and the 32nd highest-grossing film of 1995.
“Clueless” starred several talented actresses, those including Alicia Silverstone who played Cher Horowitz, Stacey Dash as Dionne Davenport, Brittany Murphy as Tai Frasier, Paul Rudd as Josh Lucas, Dan Hedaya as Melvin ” Mel” Hororwitz, Donald Faison as Murray, and Sabastian Radishi as Paroudasm. Director, Amy Heckerling first noticed Alicia in the Aerosmith music video for the song “Cryin” and kept her in the back of her mind for the role. During the same time there were several others suggested for the role such as: Alicia Witt, Keri Russell, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. Casting director, Maria Ross first found Brittany Murphy she was just as charming at Tai, yet a shy newcomer to the acting industry. Reports say that director Heckerling said that Murphy was “the sweetest”
Filming began on Nov. 21, 1994, it then consisted over a 40 day period. It was filmed across several different locations, those consisting of Occidental College in LA, Ulysses S. Grant High School in Valley Green provided filming locations for school interior sets. Along with other locations of Circus Liquor in North Hollywood, and Rodeo Drive in California. The setting of the movie was a modern day Beverly Hills, the director studied real Beverly Hill High School Students to understand how real 1990’s high school teens talked and learned. Along with some appropriate slang terms, she would be able to use during the production.
Overall, I would rate the movie a 4/5 with how I greatly enjoyed it. Still, there are a few minor things that I would have liked to see portrayed differently. Putting those aside, I would highly recommend this to any one, but especially any girl aged 12-25.


Top ten indie horror games:

Indie horror is a popular style of video games among our generation. In fact, some of the most played games fall under that category. Many popular creators came to be playing this style of games, such as Markiplier or Game Theory. Here is what I believe are the best indie horror video games”

Five Nights at Freddy’s
Amnesia
Little Nightmares
Bendy and the ink Machine
Phasmophobia
Pacify
SCP security breach
Poppy Playtime
The Convenience Store
Kraven Mannor


Conspicuous Coachella:

Coachella is an arts and music festival located in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley.
Although it was shut down for two years due to COVID, the festival just opened back up this year in 2022. The festival is usually about two weeks in length and the average attendance is 250,000 people. Many celebrities attend Coachella, such as the Kardashians, Jack Harlow, Sydney Sweeney, Harry Styles, and more. However, this year a lot of drama has occurred. When artists such as Doja Cat and the Weeknd performed, it didn’t really go as it was planned.
The crowd was tired and the artists felt disrespected and as if they were boring their audience. Not to mention, a ticket was $1000 and many people who paid for a ticket were not allowed into the festival due to it being over over capacity. Is Coachella over priced for nothing?


Angle grinder safety tips:

An angle grinder is a tool with many uses. You must be cautious when using one because of the fast wheel and consider the following tips:

When gripping the side handle look at where your fingers are because they are kind of close to the blade.
If cutting metal then don’t turn the wheel or bend it because it might break and fly apart.
When surface grinding, hold the tool at about a 20 to 30 degree angle and keep it moving around to prevent gouges.
Never carry the grinder with your finger on the switch because just one slight push might turn it on.

Remember these tips and read the manual before using the tool.


“Moon Knight” episode three: Marc hits Egypt:

Episode four of Marvel Studios’ “Moon Knight” focuses on the main alter of the series, Marc Spector. He travels to Egypt to follow Arthur Harrow’s cult of Ammit as they search for the goddess’ tomb. This episode is a fast-paced exploration into Marc, his relationship with his wife Layla, and the fellow gods that have conflict with Khonshu.
Khonshu sends his avatar Marc to Egypt to stop Harrow by whatever means necessary. Marc interrogates and fights his way across Egypt, until something strange begins to happen. This episode hints at a third personality, which fans speculate to be Jake Lockley, one of Marc’s comic personalities. Before he can question it, however, he runs into Layla. The two embark on an intense journey to defeat Harrow and ultimately, Ammit.
This episode features fantastic performances from Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, and awesome voice acting by Khonshu’s actor F. Murray Abraham. These performances are highlighted by the fast-paced of the episode, which features a marketplace chase, undercover operation, and a meeting with the gods.
The episode ends on an intense cliffhanger. It highlights the power of both Khonshu and his avatar, Marc (and Steven by proxy). The cosmic visuals are beautiful and dramatic. When the episode ends, the audience is left confused and worried about the state of both Khonshu and his human vessel. This installment is sure to leave fans anticipating more!


The wondrous Mrs. White:

The wonderful Mrs. White is a sixth-grade science teacher at Corry Area Middle-High School. She was born and raised in Corry, PA, and attended Corry Area High School.
Her favorite subject in school would have most definitely been spelling, and when asked why she said it was because she had won a spelling bee in sixth grade. Mrs. White attended Clarion University where she specialized in Special Education K-12, and got a master equivalency certification to teach K-6 grade.
Mrs. White has many hobbies she enjoys that mostly involve nature such as: camping, traveling, gardening, bike riding, and many more outdoor activities. Her favorite movie series would have to be “The Hunger Games” series, and the reason why she loves these films is because they’re about a female being a heroic character and sticking up for what’s right.
When it comes to books, Mrs. White loves anything by her favorite author Richard Paul Evans. Mrs. White is a big fan of ice cream so when it came to her favorite ice cream flavor she didn’t hesitate to say what her go-to flavor is, and it’s Death by Chocolate by Penn State Creamery. Mrs. White has a pretty big family that she loves to spend lots of time with, her family consists of: her husband, three children, a son in-law, a daughter in-law, a grandson, and Tucker (her dog).
Mrs. White has been teaching for 37 wonderful years; throughout those 37 years she’s taught at four different school’s, those schools being in New Castle, Columbus Intermediate School, Corry Primary School, and Corry Area High School. Mrs. White has had the opportunity to teach every single grade k-12 throughout  her years of teaching. Out of all the grades she’s taught her favorite ones to teach would have to be fourth and sixth grade. Teaching those grades were her happiest years of teaching. Mrs. White chose to teach science because she loves everything about it from teaching her students about nature and the ways of life, to giving many insights on the way of life explained through science. She loves how she can always do hands-on activities with her students, and use the outside as her classroom in a way. When asked about what her favorite science lesson is to teach she was speechless, because she could never choose. She loves every single lesson she teaches: that’s part of the reason she loves teaching science, because she loves everything about it.
Mrs. White is full of amazing advice and powerful words of wisdom. When it comes to her favorite piece of advice she’s ever been given she said it is this: “Everything takes practice, the more you practice the better you get, the better you get the more you like it, the more you like it the better you succeed.” A piece of wisdom Mrs. White would give the readers is: “Laugh and have fun every day. Enjoy life, and don’t get hung up on the little things.”
Sadly this is Mrs. White’s last year of teaching, and then it’s into the wonderful years of retirement. After 37 years of helping and inspiring students to do their best, she has decided it’s time to break free of her teaching career. When asked what she enjoys most about teaching she said, “I love being around children, and encouraging them. I strive to make all my students the best they can be.” Then when asked about what she’s going to miss most about teaching she stated that she would miss having lunch with her other sixth grade teacher friends, riding to and from school with her carpool buddies, and the fun and laughter each day holds when she’s teaching. Two things she won’t miss while in retirement is grading all those assignments and teaching online and in-class students at the same time.


“Moon Knight” episode four flips the script!:

Moon Knight episode four is probably the most exciting installment of the series so far! This episode shows Marc (primarily fronting as Steven) and his wife Layla searching to find the highly sought tomb of Ammit. What comes next is a high stakes, fun, and trippy adventure.
The episode evokes classic explorer films such as “Indiana Jones” or “Tomb Raider,” showing the pair navigate a dark and dangerous maze of treasures. This is interrupted in the end, however, with an abrupt scene change that leaves more questions than answers.
As usual, Oscar Isaac is at the top of his game in this episode. He walks the line between sweet, clueless Steven Grant and cold, domineering Marc Spector with expert precision. However, Layla’s actress, May Calamawy, takes center stage throughout the episode. In episode four we learn a lot about Layla, and Calamawy perfectly portrays the hurt, confusion, and eventual betrayal that her troubled husband causes her.
Like many others, I was left dumbfounded by this episode’s ending. The fourth episode closes off with a “Shutter Island”-esque insanity revelation, but this is seemingly not literal. This bizarre yet fascinating ending paves the road for a dynamic fifth episode. And I, for one, cannot wait!


What iconic horror movie villain are you based on your zodiac sign?:

Aries (Mar 21- Apr 19)

Chucky – Many of the bad traits that aries have are short tempered, reckless, and intolerant. Chucky is a man trapped in a doll’s body but he still manages to act like a child. 

 Taurus (Apr 20- May 20)

Leatherface – Leatherface is probably the only killer that just gets to the point. Taurians typically are called blunt and driven by anger much like the crybaby Leather Face. 

 Gemini (May 21- Jun 21)

Pennywise – Geminis are known for being two-faced and inquisitive. Pennywise is usually seen preying on children, acting kind at first but untimely ending it in the worst way. 

 Cancer (Jun 21- Jul 22)

Ghost face – Cancer’s toxic traits consist of holding grudges for long amounts of time and being secretive. Ghostface as we know picks their victims through the grudges from their past. 

 Leo (Jul 23- Aug 22)

Freddy Krueger – Freddy Krueger has been said to love attention and to never be satisfied. Although Kruegar has claimed many victims, he always craves more. He also loves the attention he receives from all of the people he harmed. Leos are similar to this in the way that they are described as loving attention and being hard to satisfy.

 Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)

Jason Voorhees – Jason Voorhees is a cold and fussy man child that roams around Camp Crystal Lake. Virgos can relate to this because they are also demanding and can be quite annoying.  

 Libra (Sep 22- Oct 23)

Carrie – Libras are known to be people-pleasers, and they would do anything to make the people around them happy. Carrie spent her whole life trying to please her mother and her family until she finally snapped. 

 Scorpio (Oct 23- Nov 21)

Michael Myers – Similarly to Scorpios, Michael Myers is a very mysterious individual. It is unknown when he will strike his victims because of the fact that one minute he could be cool and collected, but the next he could be on the prowl.

 Sagittarius (Nov 22- Dec 21)

Jack Torrance – Sagittarius are reckless and emotionally cold, much like the horror icon Jack Torrance who terrorized his family in a hotel as the months went by. 

 Capricorn (Dec 22- Jan 19)

Pinhead – Pinhead is known for being intelligent and bone-chilling while intentionally doing evil things. Capricorns can relate to this by being impulsive and doing what it takes to get what they want. 

 Aquarius (Jan 20- Feb 19)

John Kramer – Aquarius has been said to be extremely clever, much like the horror villain, John Kramer. John Kramer created the very carefully articulated traps you see in the “Saw” movies. 

 Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)

Regan MacNeil – Pisces have bad traits of being aggressive and described as having a scattered brain. Regan MacNeil, usually a sweet nice girl, is possessed by a demon and soon turns aggressive and foul-mouthed .


Track tales:

My heart was pounding, my hands were sweaty, and my eyes were locked onto my teammate as she rounded the last corner on the track and headed toward me with the 4 x 400 meter baton in her hand, waving through the air in fluid motions. She drew closer and closer, with a Seneca girl trailing behind her. I was the last leg of the race, and the one with the most pressure. It was my seventh-grade year and our season was coming to an end, so I knew I had to give it everything I had.
I started to shuffle and stuck my hand out to take the baton from Gwen as she sprinted toward me. I felt the cold, rounded baton strike my hand, so I clenched it tight and took off. The Seneca girl I was up against wasn’t handed the baton until a while later. I was going strong, breathing in and out in a good rhythm, pumping my arms, and letting my legs fly. But out of nowhere, I heard heavy breathing coming up behind me. I pushed a little faster, but still, the breathing got closer. I could hear my whole team screaming my name as I rounded the corner of the 200, and edged closer to the 300 mark. My breathing wasn’t so rhythmic anymore; it was short, quick breaths trying to suck in as much oxygen as my lungs could handle. Now I could hear her feet stomping on the track and the swish of her hair as it flung to and fro.
“Come on, just 100 meters left,” I told myself over and over, chanting the short phrase as if it was going to save me.
Before I knew it, she was right beside me, and there we were running in perfect synchronization down the track. I watched her slowly pull ahead, her strides longer than mine. In retaliation, I jumped up beside her. Back and forth we went, bee-lining down the last 100 meters to the finish where my team and her team stood screaming. Time seemed to slow down as I realized I had to beat her. So with a last mighty surge of speed I pulled ahead of her by a fraction of an inch, flung myself across the finish line, and heard the official scream to an up-roaring crowd:
“Corry! Then Seneca!”
My coach leaped into the air and ran to congratulate me on my hard-earned win.
My girls team gave me a shower of high-fives, hugs, and ‘good jobs.’ I was instantly surrounded by people, though I was hunched over trying to hold my balance and keep breathing.
I felt a light tap on the back of my shoulder and turned to see the Seneca girl towering over me, panting just as hard as I was.
“You…did…absolutely…amazing!” She mustered out, through gulps of air.
“You did too!” Together, we shared a laugh at how out of breath we were.
We talked for a short while longer, getting to know each other and hoping to be able to race against each other again during the season. After parting ways, my 4 x 400 team went up to the table to claim our medals, which gave a sweet reward to all of the hard work that was put into it.
“Smile,” said a fellow teammate who took a picture of us girls with all of our medals.
Though the moment of happiness was captured on camera, it will always be most memorable in my heart.


Survey: What is your dream career?:

Most people have a dream career, so I asked some people what theirs is. It’s okay if you don’t know what you’re going to do, too! You want to wake up every day not hating going to work. I think my main goal in life is to love my job.

Cameron Richards: Sports Photographer
Johnie Craker: Vet
Sadie Carpen: Doctor
Landen Nichols: Diesel Mechanic
Jason Lindstrom: Air Force
Tate Tasker: State Trooper
Anna Alsdoif: Mechanic
Gabe Scouten: President
Addy Reyda: Traveling Nurse
Gavin Maleski: Military/Air Force
Makayla Landers: FBI
Jallen Klabier: Graphic Artist
Erik Banks: Astrophysicist
Andrew Harvey: NASCAR
Jackson Dyne: Chemist
Porter Kafferlin: Mechanic
Aubrey Vanderhoff: Politician
Tyler Biondi: Blacksmith
Oakley Terill: Game Warden
Cooper Downey: Chemical Engineer
Devin Hildum: Army
Mr. Daniels: Teacher, “I’m livin’ it”
Olivia Whitaker: Marketing management
Kyla Frisina: Orthodontist
Kylynn Dean: Trophy wife


Top ten games on my phone:

Most of my games just sit on my home screen because I only play them when I’m bored. Although my games are boring, I’ll give you my top ten favorite games to play.

Call of Duty
Pixel Gun 3D
Subway Surfers
Minion Rush
Solitaire Home
Mortal Kombat
8 Ball Pool
Roblox
Thumb Drift
Ibis Paint X


The glamorous Gabby:

Gabrielle Troyer was born on January 12, 2006. She’s lived in Corry her whole life with her older sister and younger brother.
Some of Gabby’s hobbies include sewing, singing, managing the Corry High School football team, and sports. Gabby is involved in track, football, skiing, and softball. Gabby explained, “In third grade, Mr. Chud asked if I wanted to do management. I’ve been there for nine years. I owe Mr. Chud, Mr. Goodwill, and Mr. Jaquith a lot for getting me into this job I love.”  In her future, she sees herself pursuing a career in the athletic training field.
If Gabby were to travel anywhere in the world, she would choose to travel to Covington, Georgia, or New Orleans. Her favorite show “The Vampire Diaries” was filmed in these locations, although she would spend her dream vacation relaxing and hanging out with friends. 
Gabby’s favorite movie is “The Blind Side,” her favorite artists is Shawn Mendes, she favors the color orange, her favorite subject is English ever since Mr. Lesher’s middle school class, uniquely her favorite food is alligator. Lastly, her favorite quote is from the hit TV show “Supernatural”: “Family doesn’t end in blood, but it doesn’t start there, either.” 
The biggest pet peeve that Gabby would have is when people don’t have the correct use of grammar. If Gabby were to give any advice to her readers it would be “study hard and work hard.”


Time:

We would all be free without this thing called time
It may exist in our world, but not in my mind
There would be no “daytime” or “nighttime,” it would just be life
Maybe if there was less time, there would be less strife(1)
 
It is a made up thing to keep us all “organized”
But really it’s just an excuse to control our lives
We have to go to school and work at a specific “time”
And when we’re late they all act like it’s a crime
And we get punished for nothing, because it’s all in your minds
 
One person decided that “time” is necessary
How is that fair when we didn’t know life’s bare necessities
It’s my life, whose right is it to take control
I know what we need, and what we need is ukiyo
Ukiyo means “living in the moment,” which isn’t what we know
But we could, if only we learned to grow
 
(1)- conflict


“Maid”: One of Netflix’s best originals:

“Maid” is a ten-episode Netflix Original, created by Molly Smith Metzler, that aired on October 1, 2021. This drama features Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, Rylea Naveah Wittet, Anika Noni Rose, Raymond Ablack, and Andie MacDowell.  The show follows the struggles that a young mom, Alex (Margaret Qualley), endures as a working maid living in an abuse shelter with her two-year-old daughter after an extremely terrifying incident with her ex-boyfriend, Sean (Nick Robinson). 
I first watched this show during spring break and I genuinely could not stop watching. I finished it in two days because of how invested I was in the story that was being told. One of the things that stood out to me about this drama is that it is inspired by the memoir “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive” by Stephanie Land. The fact that the story is inspired by true events adds to the scary reality that “Maid” addresses. Many people in this day and age do not realize how many horrible things people in the lower class experience while trying to simply stay alive, and this show definitely makes it a point to depict how truly cruel the world can be. Also, the emotional storyline brought tears to my eyes multiple times throughout tuning in. The way Margaret Qualley expresses Alex’s lengthy grieving process is spot-on and the series would not be the same without her incredible acting skills. Another actress I want to mention is Anika Noni Rose. She plays the character Regina, who is a wealthy woman that Alex works for who struggles with many issues of her own. The way she portrays the feelings her character expresses is immaculate. To be completely honest, there was not one actor/actress in this show that did not impress me with their acting. The casting for this series could quite literally not get any better,
Overall, I would rate this show 5/5 stars. This show is pretty mature, so I recommend it to anyone that can handle mature television. I also recommend this series to anyone who enjoys realistic storylines. The plot of this drama is so encapsulating and interesting, and the acting is divine. This series made me emotional in so many different ways, and has definitely become one of my favorite shows. “Maid” is 100% worth the watch, and, if you choose to watch it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


“Black Swan”: a disturbing yet beautiful film:

Recently, I viewed the film “Black Swan,” directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman as the protagonist. The movie was released on December 3, 2010, and is centered around a ballerina who gets cast as the lead role in an upcoming performance, which ends up taking over her life and causing a dark turn of events. After watching, I can say the movie quickly became one of my favorites.
The first thing I’d like to admire about it is the scenery/images shot. The camera crew certainly did an outstanding job with capturing some beautiful shots, as well as eliciting emotions from the viewers. Typically, I don’t get disturbed by fictional media. However, some of the shots in this movie actually left me feeling uneasy. Certain scenes were shot so well that it truly brewed feelings in me and had my undivided attention. Another job well done would be the plot twists and how the film meddles with your mind. After a while, I did not know what to expect and couldn’t be sure if anything happening was real or not. Not to mention Natalie Portman’s acting: she was incredible. I found myself so attached to and intrigued by her character, and she really tied the beauty of the movie together. I was left speechless.
“Black Swan” was actually given several awards:  an Academy Award for best actress in a leading role, a Saturn Award for best supporting actress, and many more. This movie certainly deserves all of them, and I cannot recommend it enough.


Hypercritical students make for a toxic school setting:

As I walk through the halls I cannot help but notice just how critical students are of one another. It’s as if they cannot bear to hear one another’s opinions or beliefs without calling them names or making them feel as though they are not worth their time. It’s annoying even just hearing students make a classmate feel horrible for their grades or scores on different tests/exams. These negative and hypercritical attitudes are causing a rather toxic atmosphere here at school and it needs to come to an end.
Being unreasonably critical of people not only makes the individual look bad, but also those who are with that negative person. If a teacher or faculty member sees one student talking down on another, they may assume that those with the critical student are of like behavior. Nobody wants to be seen as a bully or jerk to others because it may ruin any positive reputation they may have. Sitting in the lunch room, I have heard many people bash others for certain things they believe in. There’s one concept a majority of people do not understand, which is really sad. The concept many ignore is that you do not have to necessarily agree with someone on a certain topic, but you still need to respect it. We as a collective student and school body have all formulated our own opinions on a vast array of topics, but does that mean we are entitled to criticize and demoralize others? Absolutely not.
The critical attitude of these students is slowly tearing away the peace within the school. If this problem is going to be solved students need to exhibit two major things: patience and understanding. Patience is hard for everyone, but if we all work together, we may be able to conquer this rather toxic demeanor within the school. This process of patience and understanding will take dedication and time, but this is of the utmost necessity if this school wants to strive in education and a positive atmosphere.


“Pretty Little Liars” delivers a mystery worth uncovering:

The ABC Original “Pretty Little Liars” is a seven-season show described as the “Desperate Housewives” for teens. The show premiered on June 8, 2010. Casting started in October 2009. The show was originally developed as a television series by a “book packaging” company, Alloy Entertainments. The show was originally planned for the WB in 2005, with a different writer. The show is based off the books with the same name by Sara Shepard. In June 2008, Alloy noted that it was developing a “Pretty Little Liars” television pilot for ABC family. The writers of the show are Marlene King, Sara Shepard, Oliver Goldstick, and some others. The show was filmed in Vancouver, almost entirely at the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank.
Writers say that the true aim of  the show is to prove that friendship can get you through anything. Throughout the seven seasons the four girls, Emily, Spencer, Aria, and Hannah, face several obstacles  as they try to solve their beloved friend Alison’s murder. Now, there are various novels based off the series. The show now has many spin-offs, those being: “Pretty Little Liars:  The Perfectionists” and “Ravenwood.” The show is extremely entertaining since there are constantly curves thrown into the climax.
Overall, I would rate the series a 4.5/5. I deeply enjoyed watching it and still to this day re-watch it every now and then. And every time it never gets old, the plot always keeps me hooked. It is definitely worth the watch, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in watching a show that is very suspenseful yet still shows the reality of teenage life.


Hilarious Halle:

Halle Peterson is a 17-year-old junior at Corry Area High School. She was born on September 15, making her a Virgo.
Halle is an honors student, and plans on pursuing a career in the investigative field after she graduates. Outside of academics, Halle plays on the Corry soccer team and enjoys reading, video games, and playing with her dogs. You can usually find her playing guitar or snowboarding.
She has two dogs, named Palmer and Hoku. Her favorite color is teal, her favorite movie is “Iron Man,” and her favorite food is lo mein.
When asked what inspires her, Halle answered “My mom.” Her advice to fellow students would be, “Don’t stress on the little things.”


“Moon Knight” episode five: Marc tries hippo therapy:

On Wednesday, the fifth (and second to last!) episode of Marvel Studios’ “Moon Knight” was released. This episode followed the shocking cliffhanger of episode four, providing more context for the bizarre events.
This episode takes a deep exploration into Marc Spector’s psyche. The audience, alongside Steven, has to unpack Marc’s extensive trauma. This episode has, in my opinion, the best performance Oscar Isaac has provided in the show so far.
The show expertly explains episode four’s madness, while still allowing an air of uncertainty and mysticism to form. This episode has a visually stunning depiction of Egyptian mythology and expands on our newest goddess, Taweret. Taweret, voiced and motion captured by Antonia Salib, is kind and endearing. The sweet hippo is an interesting contrast to the gods we have seen so far, particularly the harsh, brooding Khnoshu.
Oscar Isaac tops his performance of both Marc and Steven. He expertly portrays Marc coming to terms with his trauma, and shows the fear and confusion Steven feels when he learns that he is not the original host, but simply an alter. We see Steven relive memories that were never really his, and both Steven and the audience come to understand why Marc needs Steven to cope.
This episode is an emotional and vivid portrayal of grief, trauma, and loss, earning it 5/5 stars from me. However, it also ends with a shocking moment, a cliffhanger that leaves me wondering: where do we go from here? Khonshu is imprisoned, Ammit has been released, Layla is alone, and Marc’s fate is very uncertain. Tune into next Wednesday’s episode to see how the series concludes!
Previous episode


Survey: What was the best part of your spring break?:

We just got off of spring break that lasted about a week long, having Easter dinner with families and looking for Easter baskets around the house to find the delicious treats within them. Now we are back in the classrooms to keep expanding our knowledge. I went around the school asking both students and teachers what the best part of their break was. A lot of the responses were varied, while others were similar.
Mrs. Craig: Hanging out with family and cooking dinner
Mrs. Ruth: Relaxing through the whole break
Mr. McCray: Sit by the fire
Mrs. Briggs: Watched the new “Fantastic Beasts”
Kaylee Pierson: Beat my friends at the board game, Sorry, twice
Mrs. Adamski: Hanging out with family
Lexi Frisina: Hung out with family, friends, and boyfriend.
Mr. Detlénaut: Went to Pittsburgh
Trenton Lilley: Had some amazing deviled eggs
Alivia Burger: Played “Minecraft” all day, every day
Mrs. Reynolds: Not being on a routine
Mrs. Marsh: Went to the Cleveland Zoo
Mrs. Rose: Spent time with grandkids
Mahra Goodwill: Softball tournament
Tate Tasker: Hung out with Kurtis
Addy Reyda: Hung out with my boyfriend
Bella Burrows: Went to Pittsburgh with my boyfriend
Emily Blake: Hung out with my boyfriend
Mr. Daniels: Ate a lot of chocolate
Kyla Frisina: Hung out with my boyfriend
Caiden Chase: Hung out with family
Micaiah Pike: Went to New York


Corry’s track team impresses at Slippery Rock Invitationals:

On Saturday, April 23, some of Corry’s track team headed down to Slippery Rock University to compete in their first invitational this year. 
Every athlete performed well, yet only a few of them placed. The track meet started at 8 a.m. and lasted all day until 10 p.m. Corry’s track team had a good day, having many people qualify for districts such as: Skylar Riedel qualified for long jump and triple jump; Camryn Fox also qualified for long jump; Mallory Dahlgren qualified for discus; Rachel Brady qualified for shot put and javelin; Levi Tasker qualified for 100m dash; John Styborski qualified for discus; and Xavier Reyda also qualified for discus. The girls’ 4x100m qualified for districts, and the girls’ 4x400m qualified as well. Then the girls’ 4x800m qualified for districts, and they also placed 2nd at the invitational, receiving a medal.
Senior Xavier Reyda did the best out of the boys for discus, also placing 3rd for shot put, and Skylar Riedel placed 6th in long jump, and 7th in triple jump. 
When asked what they enjoy most about their track season, Reyda answered, “What I enjoy most is the unexpected factor. For example, if you throw super far, your next throw could be bad compared to that one.” 
Riedel said, “Competing long and triple jump.” 
The next question was, “What were your thoughts on the Slippery Rock Invitational?” Reyda said, “It was hot, but there was a lot of competition around.” 
Riedel replied with, “It was the biggest meet I’ve ever been to, and it was very hot. Overall, it was a great experience.” 
The final question was about the track season so far. Reyda said, “I think my season is going pretty well. I threw districts in both my events and the numbers keep getting higher and higher.” 
Riedel said, “I’m enjoying the season and I am looking forward to seeing my improvements.”
The boys’ head coach Travis Carey attended the Slippery Rock Invitationals and here are his thoughts on how it went, “We competed well, and it was really good weather,” Carey said. “Some people improved their events, and excelled at this meet. It was an overall great day to compete.”
The boys’ team did competently. In the 3200 relay, the boys’ team got a 9:11.47; in the 100 hurdles Jacob Sproveri got a 21.28; for the 100m dash, Levi Tasker got an 11.72; 1600m run, Fabian Fourspring got 4:59.3; 400m relay, boys’ team got a 46.59; 400m relay, boys’ team got a 56.96; 300m hurdles, Skylar Messinger got 48.05; 800m run, Devin Graham got a 2:17.30; 200m dash, Waylon Jackson got a 25.36; 3200m run, Stephen Brady got a 10:54.06; 1600m relay, boys’ team got a 3:48.43; long jump, Mason Savitz got an 18-0.5; high jump, Mason Savitz got 5-0; triple jump, Will Allen got 35-04; pole vault, Isaiah Bayle got 8-6 and so did David Parrett; shot put, Xavier Reyda got 46-04; discus John Styborski, got 124-07; and lastly for javelin, Nolan Carey got 134-10. 
The girls’ head coach Ryan Kelly also attended the Slippery Rock Invitationals and here are his thoughts about the meet, “It went really well considering the heat,” Kelly said. “We had a few district qualifiers and I was really proud of all of them.”  
For the girls’ team they did pretty well. For the 100m, Skylar Riedel got 13.87; 200m Alexis McGahen, got 29.78; 400m, Camryn Fox got 2:42.41; 800m, Jordan Fox got 2:42.41; 1600m, Haeleigh Bayle got 5:49.09; 100h, Delaney Nickerson got 21.01; 300h, Delany Nickerson got 57.92; long jump, Skylar Riedel got 16-04.75; triple jump, Skylar Riedel got 30-06; discus, Mallory Dahlgren got 104-00.00; javelin, Rachel Brady got 115-04.00; and for shot put, Rachel Brady got 35-08.00.
Close to 40 students attended the Slippery Rock Track Invitational, and although everyone did adroitly, those who were mentioned did outstanding. The names and statistics recorded above were those of the team that had the top scores out of each of the events of the track athletes in Corry. This invitational gave every athlete the opportunity to hit these high scores.


The U.S. is out of the “pandemic phase” according to Dr. Fauci:

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is the Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States, the U.S. is out of the “pandemic phase” after being controlled by this virus for about two years.
Covid-19 has caused shutdowns and slight reopenings many times. The numbers have gone up and down quite frequently, but with this new report by Dr. Fauci, it could result in even more reopenings and the return of “normal” life.
Athough Dr. Fauci said that the country is getting out of the pandmenic phase, he did caution viewers to still be conscientious  of the virus and that there is still a global pandemic going on. He further suggested individuals continue to get vaccinated and take precautions. He did note, however, that each individual will have the ability to choose which precautions they want to take, or the risks they want to take in what events they choose to attend, or places they choose to go.
This reveal of the U.S. coming out of the “pandemic phase” will allow for more sites, buildings, and stores to open back up and get their business back into prospering.
With this new information in mind, it shows the progress the country is making in dealing with the pandemic. Dr. Fauci’s announcement also has many relieved and optimistic about the steps being taken. People continuously hope for the best in terms of fully coming out of this pandemic, and with this new information in mind, the end looks very close.


April Comes and Goes, a poem:

April comes
Then April goes,
With the rain falling
And the sun shining.
 
The flowers start blooming,
As Summer starts brewing
The birds start singing,
And the chimes start swinging.
 
Fires begin to burn,
And the fireflies return
The birds start to sing,
And the bees start to sting.


Are the Mets the real deal?:

There are a lot of teams in MLB that many consider to be a joke. The Pirates, Guardians, Orioles, and Athletics are all looked down upon because of their low payrolls year in and year out. What if a team was a joke because of their high pay roll? Enter the Mets. The Mets are near the top in payroll every single year, but always fail to get very far above .500. MLB fans have made fun of them for this reason. So when the Mets went out and got star players like Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, and Eduardo Escobar, people expected them to still be the same old Mets. After the start of this year, it doesn’t look like that is the case, and now the Mets are being considered World Series contenders.
In 2021, the Mets made a huge acquisition in Fransisco Lindor. Lindor under-performed in 2021, but seems to have found his swing in 2022. This past off-season, the Mets made five huge moves to greatly improve their roster. The Mets signed Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Mark Chana, Eduardo Escobar, and Chris Bassitt. Scherzer and Escobar were the only all-stars from the group, but the other players are no slouches. Marte led the league in steals with 47 and would have been an all-star if his first and second halves of the season were switched. Bassitt was having a great season before he was sidelined for six weeks after taking a 100 mph liner to the face.  The Mets were done all this without Jacob deGrom, who would’ve won the 2022 Cy Young if not for injury. DeGrom will help the Mets tremendously when he returns.
The Mets are currently sitting at the top of the NL east, with a record of 14 and 6. They will look to further their division lead, with seven games against the 2nd place Phillies in 11 days. Can they keep winning? Or will the Mets be the Mets?


My Reality:

Do you ever feel like you were born in the wrong reality?
Born into world without choice, unconsciously roaming, told to listen. It only did harm.
…
But you had no choice.
Wings are clipped, they say its for our own good. But what good does it if we can’t fly?
Stuck confused in an endless loop.
Wanting to be reborn, wings grown big, in a world of our own creation,
in a world where the only thing that seems to be important is putting food on the table and tending the garden in the morn. Electricity was nothing but a dream, this is a true reality, how it should be, lute and instruments in hand, dancing and smiling in town square,
..bring me back to reality,
my reality.


The amazing Austin:

Austin Nickerson was born September 15, 2005, growing up with three siblings: Maddy, Grant, and Samantha. Throughout his life Austin attended Erie, Clymer, and Corry for school. However, he has spent his middle and high school years at Corry, recently joining the high school band. 
Some of Austin’s interests are writing song lyrics, watching movies, and playing video games, specifically “Red Dead Redemption.” In his future years, he sees himself as an entertainer or possibly a professional wrestler. 
If Austin could visit anywhere in the future it would be to perform in the Tokyo Dome or Madison Square Garden. He also said that his dream vacation would be a world tour, so maybe he could make a few stops to those places while he’s making his way around the world. Austin’s upcoming traveling days consist of concerts, New York City, and a trip to Puerto Rico with his church. 
Fun facts about Austin would be his favorite color is black, he likes sushi, his favorite class is honors choir because he gets to sing, his favorite movie is “American Psycho,” and he enjoys watching hockey and wrestling. 
Austin’s biggest pet peeve is when people are two-faced and when they are helping you just to use it to their advantage. His favorite quote is “Hard work pays off, dreams come true. Bad times don’t last, but bad guys do,” by Scott Hall. If Austin were to give advice to his readers it would be to support the Johnny Depp case and spread the message #justiceforjohnny.


Johnny Depp v Amber Heard: Is this case being handled appropriately?:

As of recently, the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard case has stirred an abundance of attention and controversy. Primarily, it’s gained immense popularity on socials medias such as TikTok and YouTube. People have been nonstop gossiping if Amber Heard or Johnny Depp is at fault, though most people seem to have taken sides with Depp and showing their support for him.
What I wish to focus on, however, is how little people seem to take this situation seriously. There’s been a barrage of compilations on TikTok and YouTube, with titles like “funny moments in the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial.” This is absurd, considering this is a domestic abuse trial. Sure, there’s some moments that have been humorous, but the bigger picture is that this is not a laughing matter. As stated, most people have been supporting Johnny Depp, but people have been acting as though he’s having a good time in court, when in fact he’s there for abuse allegations. The trial is being treated like a reality TV show episode, which is frankly disgusting. Viewers have been poking a ton of fun at Heard’s lawyers, because admittedly, they’re clearly not the best and have had funny interactions, but the case as a whole should not be entertaining to someone. On top of this, TikTok users have been making edit videos of moments or of the case in general. People are so out of touch with reality and insensitive about this matter. Whether you believe Heard or Depp is guilty is beside the point. It’s not a joke.
As a Johnny Depp fan myself, I also feel the need to point out the way people have been painting him as 100% innocent, and as if he can do no wrong. Whether you think he’s guilty or innocent doesn’t matter; his actions are far from perfect and he’s said and done some pretty awful things. It is truly a gray area. Holding somebody to such standards and placing them on a pedestal is harmful and will do no good in the trial. Everybody involved must be held accountable.
Overall, this case is something that should be analyzed and unbiased. Treating this trial as if its entertainment is the last thing that should be happening because its about domestic violence.


Survey: What weird food/food combination do you enjoy?:

YUCK, what is that? I went around the Corry Area High School asking 25 people: What weird food/ food combination do you like that some people may not? These are some weird food combinations, or some foods people like, that some may or may not like. Here are the responses:

Mr. Adamski: “Pickles and Cheese”
Mrs. Brady: “Noodles, Milk, Salt and pepper”
Sarah Goldner: “Bread, Mayonise, Turkey, Banana Peppers, and pretzels with ranch”
Ashley Walinski: “Dill Pickles with Whipped Cream”
Kaitlyn Fay: “Marshmallow with peanut butter”
Jaelynn Lindsley: “Pizza with sauce (No cheese or toppings)
Ashleigh Pizer: Cheese and applesauce”
Callie Breachuy: “Popcorn and Applesauce”
Natalie Engle: “Cookies and applesauce”
Mrs. Marsh: “Pizza with pineapple”
Mrs. Craker: “Fish sandwich with ketchup”
Mr. Knapp: “Fried Brussel Sprouts”
Mrs. Johnson: “Tortilla Chips with sour cream”
Mrs. Messinger: “Don’t have one”
Mrs. Willis: “Mexican Food”
Mrs. Krone: Roasted Brussel Sprouts”
Mrs. Cragg: “Pizza with pineapple”
Chelsea Peeple: “Takis with cream cheese”
Diana Piscitelli: “Fries with barbeque sauce”
Jacob White: “Hot cheetos and milk”
Logan Donnell: “Crackers and hot cocoa”
Kyliegh Graves: “Takis with cream cheese”
Mackenzie Nichols: “Ramen noodles with hot sauce”
Harley Trisket: “Ramen noodles with hot sauce”
Emma Fuller: “Ramen noodles with hot sauce”

Thank you everyone for your responses there were some really weird ones and some what normal ones.


Survey: Favorite lunch choices:

I took a survey of students at our school on what their favorite lunch choices are. Everyone’s answers were (not surprisingly at all) very similar.

Rachel Brady: Cheesy chicken rice
Porter Kafferlin: pizza
Trevor Hayes: popcorn chicken bowl
Tyler Biondi: tacos
Gwen Adams: popcorn chicken bowl
Kiera Knight: popcorn chicken bowl
Tori  Kinney: popcorn chicken bowl
Lakota Donaldson: mac and cheese
Karissa Anderson: popcorn chicken bowl
Lani Keenedy: popcorn chicken bowl
Stephen Brady: mini corn dogs
Kayla Kurelowech: nothing
Emily Blake: zen bowl
Bella Burrows: tacos
Cole Nickerson: zen bowl
Brant Xander: zen bowl
Bryan Cressley: kung pow zen bowl
Kurtis Grenz: popcorn chicken bowl
Jamie Brozell: cheesy chicken rice
Landon Dean: mini corn dogs
Keaton Higley: pizza
Maddie Goodwill: mac and cheese
Addy Amy: pizza
Kendall Passinger: mac and cheese
Brinley Watrous: mac and cheese


Trouble on the sidelines:

A person’s life could revolve around sports; I personally have been active my entire life, pushed into sports when I was younger, and it has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Sports are very important to a lot of people and they can get passionate about how they are represented. Coaches are a big part of that. Coaches are like a role model and are almost like the heart and soul of the team. Their entire job is to make the team better to achieve their goal as athletes, but when a coach isn’t as good as a team could get, then there will be complaints. And not just by the players.
As a serious athlete, I believe that players and parents should be able to have their opinion out in the open in order to make a decision. The opinions of players are so important because they have to work with those coaches and have to make decisions that impact the team. Coaches determine who plays, who sits, their game plan, and different drills for the players to practice; the coach ultimately decides how well the team does throughout that season. Parents are also very opinionated when it comes to their child’s playing time and the team itself, putting even more pressure on the coach. If a coach has good intentions for the team and doesn’t overlook a player’s abilities, then they would obviously be best for the team.
I’ve also talked to other athletes, who will stay anonymous, who also have their own opinions on the subject. One athlete explained, “Yes, only because some coaches choose to play players because they like them while other players could be participating.” Another said that parents and players should get to share their opinions, but it shouldn’t be left up to them. A few more agreed with both of these arguments, but are mostly on the same page when it comes to this opinion. 
A lot of fantastic athletes I know wasted their years because of coaches that had ill intentions and never got a chance to show their abilities. In the future, I hope this changes, but until then athletes must deal with the coaches they are dealt.


My top ten favorite movies of all time:

Over the years, I have grown to love many, many movies. Most of these movies are ones that I have enjoyed since my youth, and will continue to love throughout the duration of my life (hopefully). I am also going to add that I love all of these movies, and they all hold a special place in my heart. Just because some of them are ranked lower does not mean I don’t enjoy them. With that being said, this is a list of my top ten favorite movies.

“Mamma Mia”
“Adventures in Babysitting”
“13 Going on 30”
“Tangled”
“Legally Blonde”
“10 Things I Hate About You”
“My Girl”
“Mean Girls”
“Coraline”
“Corpse Bride”


Tractor Supply, a great destination for parts and service:

Tractor Supply in Corry, PA, is a store for engine parts, pet care, tools, and many other things. If you need any engine parts they might have just what you need.
I’ve seen many engine parts and devices there and you might want to look there if you need something. They also have pet supplies, food, and toys.
If you’re going to Tractor Supply to get a part for your engine,bring the part and if they have what you’re looking for make sure it matches the size and style of it. Their service isn’t bad at all from what I’ve  there so far. They have good employees and almost any engine parts you might need.


Top ten Tim Burton movies:

10. “Frankenweenie”
9. “Alice in Wonderland”
8. “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
7. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
6. “Dumbo”
5. “Corpse Bride”
4. “Beetlejuice”
3. “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
2. “Coraline”
1. “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”


Corry Girl of the Month honorees for the 2021-22 school year:

This past school year, seven seniors at Corry received the honor of being named “Girl of the Month.” These girls were given the honor due to their traits of scholarship, leadership, and citizenship.
Corry High School has been lucky enough to have our own Girl of the Month honorees throughout 2021 and 2022. The honorees from October 2021 to May 2022 are as follows: Madyson Rivera, Miranda Nickerson, Chloe Anthony, Olivia Jaworski, Taylor Fenstermaker, Haylee Dyne, and Maleri Mather.
In 1958, the Corry Business and Professional Women’s Club started the “Girl of the Month” program.  After honoring 300 girls, the organization disbanded in 1990. In 1997, the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority took over to continue the program, honoring about 190 girls to date. The Beta Sigma Phi Sorority is an international women’s organization led by Sandy Cromwell and DiAnn Bova.


A Detective’s Investigation:

“The West Wood Killer” had become a well-known name to the press and residents of the small town. West Wood was quiet, with a population of a little over 4,000. Nothing exciting happened there, let alone a serial killer being on the loose. The mystery slasher had first struck a few moths ago, when a young college woman disappeared from her campus. Her body was later discovered in a swamp by a secluded road. More and more people began to disappear and were later found dead, though law enforcement didn’t initially make connections between the murders at first. Soon they realized each death had one similarity: a tiny, almost unnoticeable question mark carved into their left wrists.
As a head and experienced detective, I was quickly put on the case. They figured if anyone could catch the perpetrator it’d be me. I worked tediously and endlessly trying to put the nightmare to an end, to no avail. Every suspect we obtained was ruled out, and the case seemed as if it was going cold.
Maybe it was, I thought as I tossed evidence that would put me at the scene of the crime in the fire. It was ironic, truly; a trusted and excelling detective being a mass murderer. I glanced briefly at the lady’s corpse in the trunk of my car, wondering what the headlines would have to say tomorrow. And I’d certainly get a call about it, and I’d have to investigate the crime scene and try to capture myself.
I opened the front door to my house and opened my arms as my two children rushed to embrace me. My wife smiled pleasantly from her spot on the couch, pointing out the news broadcast that featured a picture of me and praised me for my hard work in the recent case. Yes, this case would remain cold.


What is your greatest memory/ best high school experience of Corry High?:

Abigail Sell: Being able to have fun and joke around with my classmates.
Connor Butchko: Making all of the friends that I have made.
Derrick Albers: Homecoming 2021.
Caleb Marrs: The baseball games.
Chloe Anthony: Battle of the Books – year 8th and 9th.
Taylor Fenstermaker: Performing at the choir’s Broadway dinner concerts.
Sarah Kocol: Being with my friends and going to prom.
Nathan Wright: Making Matt Leofsky mad.
Austin Fenstermaker: When Mr. Chud and I would eat lunch together.
Rachel Brady: Spending time with my besties.
Kendall Keener: When the seniors ran out for our homecoming assembly entrance and I threw Maleri Mather in a basket with my best friends.
Diana Piscitelli: My 10th grade homecoming.
Selena Green: Being able to make memories with my friends doing the pep assemblies.
Aiden Kafferlin: Winning homecoming king.
Samantha Goodwill: Senior homecoming court.
Hunter Savitz: Going to team states for wrestling
Bryce Lindstrom: Making homemade jean shorts to wear in the assembly my senior year.
Logan Joncas: Scoring 1000 points.
Lexi Frisina: Bus rides home from basketball games and softball at activity day.
Rosemary Molthan: The atmosphere of teacher-student homie-hood; I love being friends with my teachers.
Austin Benninger: My friends.
Abigail Fralick: Getting the last goal of the night on senior night of soccer.
Jade Beebe: Graduation.
Sierra Geer: Painting the set of “Anything Goes.”
Jade McElravy: Business Week.
Alexis Hasbrouck: Being able to come into school and having friends and teachers there for you.
Caelin Silvis: Riding the Soaring Eagle at Prom 2021 and playing with my friends
Tyler Beach: The assemblies and hopefully prom.
Nathaniel Davies: Working on the morning announcements, oddly enough.


If you could relive one year of high school, which year would it be? Why?:

Chloe Anthony: Junior, because I went to Nationals for IEA and I could redo my schedule.
Damion Kelley: 12th
Derrick Albers: Junior year because it was my favorite year for football.
Connor Butchko: My senior year because it would be my last year again and just to hang out with friends one more time.
Nicholas Baker: 9th grade
Taylor Fenstermaker: If I “could,” I would choose not to. If I had to, my senior year because I was able to do live performances and attend choir festivals.
Bryce Lindstrom: 9th grade. It was the only year of high school I had before the pandemic.
Aiden Kafferlin: Freshman year, I was easy going.
Zachary Ahl: Junior year, it was a good time.
Konnor Johnson: 9th grade because [there was] no COVID and I had some of the best teachers: Mrs. Reynolds, Mr. Hogue, [and] Mr. Potocki.
Logan Joncas: 10th, it was a lot of fun but some was taken because [of] COVID.
Jasmine Miles: Freshman (9th) [grade] year because it was pretty laid back and I liked the projects I was given.
Alexis Hasbrouck: Probably 10th grade because even though it was a tough year it helped push me to be the person I want to become.
Nathaniel Davies: Freshman year because that was before COVID and that, a but of a hot take here, sucked.
Caelin Silvis: My junior year because I’d say that’s where I peaked.
Hunter Savitz: Senior year–it was filled with fun.
Diana Piscitelli: 9th grade so I could fix my fashion sense.
Sierra Geer: I wouldn’t want to relive any year because I want to leave.
Jade McElravy: Senior year.
Riley Maynard: Sophomore year because it was the last year all of my friends were together.
Tyler Beach: Freshman year, I had a lot of classes with my friends.
Lexi Frisina: Freshman year because classes were easier and I was actually excited to be in high school.
Austyn Benninger: My senior year.
Austin Fenstermaker: 11th so I could have taken harder classes.
Samantha Goodwill: I would relive my senior year because of all the activities we had.
Critstin Rastatter: Tenth grade because school got cancelled.
Selena Green: I would relive the year of 2019 where our first year of high school began and we thought we were so cool to be with the “big kids.”
Abigail Sell: 12th, made many good memories and bad memories, learned a lot.
Rosemary Molthan: “There is a time to cheer, and a time to weep.” I am ready and excited for college.
Abigail Fralick: Whichever day we had the homecoming pep rally sophomore year, it was fun and we actually did events.
Nathan Wright: 11th grade year.
Kendall Keener: Sophomore year because it was the most relaxing and laid back.
Rachel Brady: Sophomore year because I peaked then.


Survey: What are you looking forward to most about summer?:

Summer is just around the corner. Just one more month left of school until we’re all free from unbearable amounts of school work and long stressful nights of studying. Boating, camping, hanging with friends, amazing weather, and sleeping in are all things that summer’s got everyone excited about. When it comes to summer vacation, Corry Middle-High students and staff are itching to get back to their summer activities that they love most. The question asked to several students/staff members at Corry Middle-High was: What are you looking forward to most about summer? Here are some of the answers:
Emmalee Carr: Getting my permit
Sydney Woods: Boating with my family
Zach Turban: Going golfing
Karson Chamberlin: Swimming
Kendyll Chamberlin: Going to baseball games
Kaygen Rogers: Tanning
Angie Cressley: Going to cheer camp
Luke Hurd: Good weather
Delaney Nickerson: Swimming
Miley Gwin: No school
Morgan Martin: No school
Jonas Anthony: Eating
Mr. Carney: Spending time with my kids
Mr. Potocki: Getting a refreshing break from the long school year, and spending lots of time with my family
Tori Kinney: Making money and having fun
Lexi Heiser: Going to fires and lakes days
Mallory Dahlgren: Going to the beach
Avery Sontheimer: Having no school work to do
Lexi Scholar: Going to the beach
Brody Burlingame: No school
Cameron Ricketts: Not coming to school
Aubrey Vanderhoof: Hanging out with friends
Addison Pillar: Vacation
Tyler Biondi: Going to parties
Porter Kafferlin: Going to parties
Peyton Wilkinson: Tanning
Gwen Adams: Going to the beach and watching sunsets
Keira Knight: Sleeping in
Mr. Passinger: Spending nice days at school preparing for next year
Mr. Knapp: Warm weather and sunshine
Addy Zajac: Swimming
Addy Amy: Going on vacation
Kendall Passinger: Going to California


What class influenced your career choice the most?:

Chloe Anthony: Independent study on creative writing
Nicholas Baker: Welding
Maleri Mather: Healthcare technology in CTC
Taylor Fenstermaker: Choir and going to state choir made me change my plans to a career in music.
Sarah Kocol: Machining, tool tech, art, cooking
Bryce Lindstrom: Mr. Kruse’s class made me want to be a machinist and learn the trade America made through the industrial revolution.
Zachary Ahl: Welding
Konnor Johnson: Science. Science is my favorite class because there are so many fun things you can do with science.
Logan Joncas: CAD
Austyn Benninger: Cooking class
Austin Fenstermaker: Principles of health; Dr. Simpson
Jasmine Miles: Intro to Psychology taught by Mr. Woods
Alexis Hasbrouck: Biology
Nathaniel Davies: Basic Programming with Mr. Scuttella before he left.
Caelin Silvis: Business/Marketing
Hunter Savitz: Drafting/CAD
Diana Piscitelli: Art class
Sierra Geer: All of my music classes. A career without music would be pointless and sad for me.
Riley Maynard: Probably chemistry, [it] made me consider a lot of options.
Tyler Beach: History
Lexi Frisina: World of healthcare with Mrs. Turben.
Samantha Goodwill: Honors pre-calc and AP calculus
Selena Green: Marine science or chemistry
Abigail Sell: Automotive
Rosemary Molthan: Mrs. Watrous– AP Gov.
Abigail Fralick: Mr. Kerr’s Chemistry 2 course, made me like chem.
Nathan Wright: Machining
Kendall Keener: Mr. Woods intro to psych and criminal justice
Jade Beebe: Intro to psychology
Rachel Brady: Biology 2 with Mr. Kerr
Amanda Gjertsen: Healthcare technology


Go “Into The Woods” this Friday and Saturday:

This Friday and Saturday on May 6-7, the Corry High School will be putting on the show “Into The Woods.” Opening night of the show is on May 6 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., and May 7, also from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
If you are planning on seeing the show you might like to know that it is a fairy tale about the struggles of obtaining your wishes. Some characters you can expect to see in the show are The Baker and The Baker’s Wife, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and a witch that stirs the pot to their greatest desires. 
Students who are showcasing their amazing talent in these roles are Austin Nickerson (The Baker), Taylor Fenstermaker (The Baker’s Wife), Cooper Slocum (Jack), Angie Cressley (Little Red Riding Hood), Lauren Thomas (Cinderella), and Ryah Lambert (The Witch). 
The director behind the play is Mrs. Smrcka, and helping with the show’s choreography and costumes is Ms. Britten. It will be a fun weekend activity to come and support the cast and crew’s hard work. 
The tickets for Corry Middle-High School students are five dollars, adults are seven dollars, and six dollars for senior citizens. We hope to see you there!


What is one thing about school you will miss after graduation?:

Bryce Lindstrom: Seeing my friends on the daily.
Konner Johnson: The people.
Aiden Kafferlin: Seeing my friends every day.
Zachary Ahl: Being with my friends every day.
Nathan Wright: Less priorities.
Austyn Benninger: My teachers.
Austin Fenstermaker: The teachers.
Rachel Brady: My friends and teachers.
Kendall Keener: The football games and assemblies.
Abigail Sell: The freedom to mess up and to be able to shrug it off.
Diana Piscitelli: My friends.
Selena Green: The spirit weeks, fun day, and the pep assembly.
Taylor Fenstermaker: Seeing my best friend Lexy every day.
Sarah Kocol: Being with my friends every day.
Chloe Anthony: The known.
Logan Joncas: Seeing my friends every day.
Caleb Mars: My friends and the memories.
Derrick Albers: The sports and the dances.
Nicholas Baker: Friends.
Connor Butchko: Friends.
Hunter Savitz: Sports.
Samantha Goodwill: Seeing all of my friends and teachers.
Lexi Frisina: Cheesy chicken and rice day and sports.
Jade Beebe: My friends.
Abigail Fralick: Being able to see my friends every day.
Riley Maynard: How much we’re gonna change in life before we see each other again.
Jade McElravy: Teachers.
Sierra Geer: All of my favorite teachers.
Nathaniel Davies: Hanging out with all the cool and reasonably smart people I have met.
Tyler Beach: Not seeing my friends as much.
Jasmine Miles: The conversations with my fellow classmates and teachers.
Alexis Hasbrouck: My teachers and high school sports.
Caelin Silvis: Having fun and messing around there and being with my friends.
Amanda Gjertsen: Seeing friends every day and some of the teachers.


What was one of your most embarrassing moments in school?:

Bryce Lindstrom: Slipping on my way into class this winter.
Nathan Wright: Having to do chorus after not getting the class I picked.
Austyn Benninger: Math class.
Diana Piscitelli: One time I was blowing my nose and the whole class went silent.
Abigail Sell: Dating.
Kendall Keener: The 2020 Christmas break assembly was atrocious.
Rachel Brady: Farting in class.
Austin Fenstermaker: Doing air guitar at the prep rally and no one clapped.
Taylor Fenstermaker: I have never had a significant embarrassing moment.
Sarah Kocol: Every day.
Logan Joncas: Answering questions and everyone laughs.
Chloe Anthony: Passing out in the auditorium.
Hunter Savitz: I was embarrassed for one of my friends who peed their pants.
Samantha Goodwill: Playing basketball.
Lexi Frisina: Sitting in someone else’s truck after basketball practice thinking it was my dad’s truck.
Sierra Geer: There are no embarrassing moments, I’m always awesome, lol.
Nathaniel Davies: I did these things called the morning announcements.
Caelin Silvis: Getting my nose broken from playing football.
Amanda Gjertsen: Showing up to a college class late twice because I didn’t know where to go.


Corry Boy of the Month honorees for the 2021-22 school year:

Gallery|2 Photos




Ryan McBriar 
							From left, Max Rimdzius, Hunter Savitz, Levi Tasker, Hayden Linkerhof, Derrick Stine, Samuel Fisher, Logan Joncas						







The “Boy of the Month” program, run by Corry staff and Corry Rotary Club members, honors senior boys. The criteria to be chosen includes academics, community service, and extracurricular activities.
The Boy of the Month honorees from October 2021 to May 2022 are as follows; Max Rimdzius, Hunter Savitz, Levi Tasker, Hayden Linkerhof, Nicholas Brundage, Derrick Stine, Samuel Fisher, and Logan Joncas.
The young men who are chosen are honored at a Rotary luncheon with their parents/guardians. The committee is lead by Dave Mitchell and Dave Schwabenbauer.


What was your favorite school activity?:

Connor Butchko: Golfing for Corry.
Derrick Albers: My favorite activity was either football or any dance.
Caleb Marrs: Baseball.
Damion Kelley: Basketball.
Chloe Anthony: Battle of the Books.
Taylor Fenstermaker: Music- PMEA festivals and the musicals.
Sarah Kocol: Business Week and Activity Day.
Maleri Mather: Homecoming week and prom.
Nathan Wright: Friday football games.
Austin Fenstermaker: Dodgeball.
Rachel Brady: Volleyball.
Kendall Keener: I love Friday night football games.
Diana Piscitelli: I liked the dances.
Selena Green: My favorite was the pep assemblies, sports, and the dances.
Zachary Ahl: Dances.
Riley Maynard: Dances and the plays done at the school.
Aiden Kafferlin: Homecoming.
Samantha Goodwill: High school football games.
Hunter Savitz: Football or wrestling.
Bryce Lindstrom: Touring manufacturing plants.
Logan Joncas: Basketball season.
Lexi Frisina: Playing sports or activity day.
Rosemary Molthan: Studying fascinating topics.
Austin Benninger: Unified Track.
Abigail Fralick: The pep rallies.
Jade Beebe: Prom.
Jasmine Miles: Eating lunch.
Sierra Geer: The musical.
Alexis Hasbrouck: Sports.
Caelin Silvis: Field day, Homecoming, and Prom 2021.
Tyler Beach: Shooting trap.
Nathaniel Davies: Just learning all types of new things.
Amanda Gjertsen: Study games in healthcare technology.


Where do you see yourself in ten years?:

Bryce Lindstrom: Working part time at Corry Manufacturing and being a farmer.
Aiden Kafferlin: With a family, living well.
Zachary Ahl: Working a good job.
Nathan Wright: Living life to the fullest.
Sarah Kocol: Hopefully married and to own a small business.
Taylor Fenstermaker: I see myself working as a music therapist living in a smaller city with my husband.
Konner Johnson: A manufacturing engineer.
Chloe Anthony: Moved into my own home, married to a great husband, designing professionally in a studio, corgis, cats, and Welsh ponies.
Damion Kelley: Working.
Caleb Marrs: Working a good job and having a family.
Derrick Albers: Having a good job and a family of my own in a nice house.
Nicholas Baker: Not sure yet.
Connor Butchko: Having a family and a good dog.
Cristin Rastatter: I don’t know.
Logan Joncas: With a family and job.
Samantha Goodwill: I see myself in an insurance career in a big city.
Rosemary Molthan: Having fun, still learning. Doing something I am passionate about.
Austin Fenstermaker: A successful with a wife, maybe a kid, and definitely a dog.
Rachel Brady: Happy.
Kendall Keener: Rich and happy.
Abigail Sell: Working hard for a better future.
Diana Piscitelli: Maybe working at a good paying job and having a side job selling my art online.
Selena Green: With a family, married, and doing the job of my dreams.
Austyn Benninger: Working.
Hunter Savitz: Living in a nice home with a family.
Abigail Fralick: Finally getting my license, hopefully.
Jasmine Miles: With a good job I enjoy, surrounded by those I love.
Anthony Relyea: With a nice house and a great job somewhere warm.
Jade Beebe: With a good job and family.
Lexi Frisina: Living in a barndominium with two kids and a husband. Hopefully watching my kids play softball.
Riley Maynard: Hopefully married with kids and a career I like.
Tyler Beach: With a house, a good job, a wife, and maybe a kid.
Jade McElravy: Wherever life takes me.
Sierra Geer: I don’t even know what I’m doing next month. I hope I’ll be doing something I love with people I love.
Alexis Hasbrouck: Graduated from college and an experienced vet tech.
Caelin Silvis: Living life.
Nathaniel Davies: I see myself being a semi-popular video game developer, sitting in my house and having a mid-life crisis 15 years early.
Amanda Gjertsen: Still in Corry, hopefully with a job as a mortician, maybe with a dog.


The Legend of Steven Kwan:

If someone asked you who the best contact hitter in MLB is, who would you say? DJ LeMahieu, Jose Altuve, and Juan Soto all come to mind. Steven Kwan is a new name in MLB. The 2022 season is his rookie season, and he is one of the most interesting players to date. This is the Legend of Steven Kwan.
Kwan started the year in the Bigs with the Clevelend Guardians. Not many people were expecting many of the Guardians to be elite hitters other than Jose Ramierez but proved many of those people wrong. Kwan started the year off red hot, reaching base in 19 of his first 29 plate appearances. Kwan also saw 116 pitches before swinging and missing, and he only had one strikeout in that span. Hearing about any player doing this is ridiculous, let alone a rookie to start his career. This is a very impressive feat, and who knows if anyone will ever do it again.
Currently, Kwan is .328 with five doubles, one triple, one homer, and ten walks. He is still under ten strikeouts for the season, with seven so far. Kwan has had an amazing start to his rookie season, and baseball fans only want his productivity to continue. At the end of the 2022 season, we may be adding Steven Kwan to the list of elite contact hitters.


Delightful Daniels:

Josh Daniels is a life skills teacher who enjoys lifting, hunting, coaching, softball, basketball, and soccer. Mr. Daniels was born on December 2, 1980, and raised in Corry, PA.
Daniels went to Corry Area High School and graduated from college at Penn State Behrend. Daniels has one sister named Jolene aged 39. When Daniels grows up and retires, he would like to run a sheep farm. When asked, “Why did you get the job he did?” He responded “I like working with kids.”
He would like to travel to the rainforest of South America because he said, “I want to see the interesting animals.”
His favorite movie is “Pulp Fiction.” His favorite song is “New York State of Mind” by Nas.  His favorite color is blue. and His favorite emotion is anger. His favorite food is fast food. Some plans he has for (upcoming) vacation days is going to soccer tournaments.  Daniels has a pet peeve of people acting helpless. He enjoys coaching basketball, baseball, and football.
A piece of advice he would give his readers is, “You are capable of doing anything as long as you are given the time to do it.”


What do you have planned after high school?:

Rosemary Molthan: College at Cal U, then graduate with law degree and a doctoral program.
Connor Butchko: I plan to move out of Corry so I can accomplish bigger and better things.
Nicholas Baker: Going to work.
Derrick Albers: To go to Erie Institute of Technology for CNC machining.
Damion Kelley: Work.
Samantha Goodwill: Going to Purdue University for actuary science.
Sarah Kocol: Working at CMF and just taking care of myself and trying to have fun
Austin Fenstermaker: Mercyhurst for an education in physical therapist assistance.
Rachel Brady: Westminster College for biology and volleyball.
Kendall Keener – I am going to Robert Morris to study psychology so I can pursue a career in criminal profiling.
Abigail Sell – Work in a shop, hopefully manage one
Taylor Fenstermaker: I am attending Mercyhurst University to major in music therapy
Nathan Wright: Make money.
Selena Green: I am going to be working my butt off to save up for college, then once I am saved up I will decide on a major.
Diana Piscitelli: To go to Jamestown Community College majoring in the arts studio.
Logan Joncas: Going to college.
Aiden Kafferlin: Go to college.
Zachary Ahl : Welding somewhere.
Konner Johnson: Go to college to become a manufacturing engineer.
Bryce Lindstrom: I plan to go straight to the workforce and farm in my spare time.
Chloe Anthony: College/we’ll see.
Austyn Benninger: Landscaping.
Abigail Fralick: Going to college and getting a degree in secondary education.
Hunter Savitz: Attending Penn State Behrend for engineering.
Lexi Frisina: I plan to go to Edinboro to be a nursing major and play softball.
Jade Beebe: College.
Tyler Beach: I enlisted in the marines, and after that I’m going to be a line man.
Jasmine Miles: I plan to attend Penn State World College (online) and pursue my BA in psychology of science
Jade McElravy: Go to college.
Sierra Geer: Going to California University of Pennsylvania with Rose and studying music technology.
Alexis Hasbrouck: Go to Calu to play softball and become a vet tech.
Amanda Gjertsen: Taking a gap year then going to college.
Nate Davies: I plan on taking a gap year, work on making some games, and then going to college for computer programming.
Caelin Silvis: Not much other than exercise, work, play games, and travel.


Which movie would you select to depict your future life (after graduation) and why?:

Rosemary Molthan: “The Life and Times of Andy Warhol”? Unsure, but maybe someday there will be one about me.
Caleb Marrs: “2 and a Half Men,” just watch and you’ll know.
Samantha Goodwill: “When Harry Met Sally.”
Sarah Kocol: “Rick and Morty” because they’re always on adventures and having fun.
Austin Fenstermaker: “Up,” so my wife and I will always have fun and adventure through heartbreak and loss.
Abigail Sell: “A Series of Unfortunate Events”; no matter how bad things get, there is a solution.
Taylor Fenstermaker: “Mary Poppins,” because I can just be a singing nanny, have a magic bag, and have Dick van Dyke.
Nathan Wright: “Grown Ups.”
Selena Green: Probably “Christmas Vacation.” My life is always full of adventure and crazy things that happen.
Cristin Rastatter: “Megamind,” and I don’t know why.
Logan Joncas: I don’t know.
Austyn Benninger: “Fast and Furious”
Chloe Anthony: “Voltron”, purely because it would be so cool to be responsible for concept art, but also who doesn’t want to explore space in a huge mechanized cat and eat goo?
Abigail Fralick: “Legally Blonde”; I’m a smarty pants with great style who is going to do great in college.
Jade Beebe: “Legally Blonde.”
Lexi Frisina: “Grown Ups.” I want to keep in touch with all my friends, get together, and not act like grown ups.
Jade McElravy: None.
Sierra Geer: “The Road to El Dorado”
Alexis Hasbrouck: “God’s Not Dead” because I want to tell people about God in whatever I do and become in life.
Amand Gjertsen: “Monty Python and The Holy Grail.”
Nate Davies: The Facebook movie because I plan on taking over and making the site actually good.
Caelin Silvis: Either “The Sandlot” or “School of Rock.”


Who is Haylee Dyne?:

Haylee Dyne is an 18-year-old athlete who grew up in Spartanburg, Pennsylvania. Haylee was born on November 22, 2003. Growing up, Haylee attended Sparta Elementary for five years, then she went to Columbus Elementary for one year before attending Corry Middle-High School for the last seven years. Haylee is the middle child with two sisters, Veda and Sadye Dyne.
Haylee’s favorite class in school is health care. Over the years, Haylee has pitched for several different softball teams; her teams vary between Corry Posse, Erie Frost, Dream Crushers, UC Ice, and she is currently part of our Corry Beavers High School Varsity Softball Team. She has also taken part in basketball over the years. Haylee played on the middle school basketball team during her middle school career and was also part of the high school basketball team for the past four years.
Haylee is currently a senior in high school, who will soon be moving on to bigger things. Haylee will be attending Thiel College this coming fall, where she will be majoring in nursing and playing on the Thiel softball team. After College Haylee hopes to live somewhere nice with her future husband, with two kids while pursuing her career as a nurse.
The most important people in her life are her mom and dad because “If it weren’t for them I wouldn’t be who I am today.” When I asked Haylee what one fun fact about herself is, she said that  if she could watch one TV show for the rest of her life, it would be “One Tree Hill.” Dyne’s favorite thing to do in her free time is hang out with her friends and family.
If Haylee could travel anywhere it would be Bora Bora, because it’s nice. Haylee’s favorite color is red, and her favorite show is “Vampire Diaries.” If Haylee had to pick a favorite song it would be ” All Your’n” by Tyler Childers. A piece of advice that Haylee would give the reader is “Don’t give up.”
I would now like to thank Haylee for answering these questions and giving me the time out of her day. It is very appreciated, and Thiel is very lucky to have you for the next four years. We cannot wait to see where this adventure takes you.


“Moon Knight” episode six: What now?:

On Wednesday, the final episode of Marvel Studios’ hit series “Moon Knight” premiered on Disney+. So, how does the finale hold up to the rest of the series?
I have thoroughly enjoyed the previous five episodes, so I was greatly anticipating the finale. Overall, the episode left me a bit conflicted. Let me begin with my praises of the episode.
Once again, Oscar Isaac delivered an incredible performance as Marc Spector. He picks up from the sorrow of episode five and drives straight into action mode. The stakes are high and the pace is fast. Right alongside him is May Calawamy, the actress who plays Layla, pursuing an unexpected new character arc that teases a new superhero addition to the MCU.
On the other side, the plot seems a bit rushed. The wrap up felt loose and left quite a few questions unanswered. Considering the show is not planned to have a second season, Moon Knight’s future is uncertain. As for me, I am anticipating his next appearance.
Previous episode


Survey: Celebrating Memorial Day:

Since Memorial Day is approaching, I decided to ask 28 faculty and students that attend Corry Area High School, what their Memorial Day plans are. Here are the responses I received:
Miss Rose: Visit the cemetery and have a picnic
Mrs. Adamski: Going camping and having a cookout
Mrs. Cragg: Picnic at my house
Mrs. Yetzer: Spend time with family, enjoy the outdoors and have a picnic
Mrs. Willis: Going out on the boat
Mr. Krasa: Going out on the lake and not coming off
Wesley Kurlowich: Probably having a bonfire
Levi Merrill: Probably going out to eat
Andre Henderson: Probably hanging out with my fam
Lewis Hellyer: Going camping
Mr. Hogue:  Rocking and/or Rolling
Addy Pillar: Camping
Kaygen Rogers: Kayaking, riding and camping
Angie Cressley: Softball Tournament
Mr.Carney: Brunch and a cookout
Porter Kafferlin: Going camping
Gwen Adams: Going to the lake house and visiting the cementary
Peyton Wilkinson: Boating
Mr. Potocki: Working a wedding
Aubrey Chase: Eating popsicles and maybe going swimming
Maddie Gustafson: Sitting at home with Maisey
Mr. Cragg: Picnic at camp, or ”whatever the wife tells me i’m doing”
Taylor Mitchell: Going to my grandmas house
Mr.Brewer: Probably eating food and sitting out with whoever may be my company
Karson Chamberlin: Finish all my school work
Kael Albers: Fishing, camping and boating
Sydney Woods: Plan a family barbecue to celebrate
Halle Beach: Dance competition
Jonas Anthony: Eating food
I would now like to thank everyone who took the time out of their day to answer this question. It is very appreciated.


Oh, Happy May:

Flowers are all around
And fresh green grass fills the ground
the sun is so bright
the weather is just right
Oh May has saved the day!
 
Happiness is throughout
And luckily there’s been no drought
All the friends gather near
We’re all so happy spring is here
Oh May has saved the day!


Corry softball senior night:

Corry softball had three games last week: away at Titusville on Tuesday, home against Oil City on Thursday, then away at North East on Friday. The Titusville game got rescheduled to Wednesday due to bad weather only to get rescheduled again to Saturday, then to Monday of this week. The North East game also got canceled because of a robbery that occurred near the school. However, the Thursday game against Oil City was fair game. 
The Oil City game was senior night for the softball team and it was truly a night of events. There are five seniors on this year’s softball team, including Kiran Bugbee, Haylee Dyne, Lexi Frisina, Lexy Hasbrouck, and Reghan Trask who all contributed to winning the game. The ending score of the game was 10-0 with a pop-up to shallow right field from Lexi Frisina driving in the final run.
Senior night was overall successful and was a very emotional night for seniors, underclassmen, and parents. The seniors from this year all contributed to the team, whether it was amazing hits, fantastic plays, or cheering from the bench. The memories shared with the team are unmatched and the seniors will truly be missed after this year goes by.


Lively Lucas:

Lucas Baker is an eighth grade student at Corry Middle-High. His birthday is June 23 and his favorite things to do are to eat, play basketball, and play football.
His favorite class is gym because he loves to be active and hangout with his friends. Lucas’s dream vacation would be to go to the Bahamas.
His favorite song is ¨Sometimes¨ by juice WRLD. Lucas’s pet peeve is being disorganized.


A Boy Named Joshua: The Final Storm:

Before beginning the final piece of this story, if you haven’t read the first part, check it out here.
—
It’s been five hours since I showed Joshua my Gift, and since he showed me his. After the reveal we went inside and sat on the couch, and I asked Joshua countless questions about how he got his Gift, when, and who he was. He avoided most questions but spoke with knowledge far beyond his years when he looked at me at one point and said, “Miss Eleanora, you may not believe everything that has just happened, but you need to embrace it.” I have always tried to cover up my Gift, but with the simple words of Joshua I can’t help but begin to think maybe I should be embracing it…not hiding it.
Sitting on the couch now, I can’t help but fear that when the police come and try to take Joshua away, it may throw him into a flurry of storms. I quickly thought of a plan to make sure Joshua could stay. I picked up my phone, hands shaking with nervousness and dialed the police station’s number. Blake picked up on the first ring. “Eleanora…”
“Hey Blake,” I paused, my breath coming out like I had just got done running. “It’s Joshua…I tried to stop him but he ran into the woods. He’s gone. I’m sorry.” Lying was easier than I thought. I hardly had to act like I had just got done running because my anxiety already made me out of breath.
“I was afraid that might happen. I’m sorry we couldn’t get there sooner. We are running an important investigation right now. Can I get a description of Joshua, though? I want to still put out flyers and notify the surrounding barracks. I also want to do a quick search through the woods in a few hours. That okay?”
“Uh, yeah, yeah, fine,” I stammered. “Um, Joshua is six years old, his eyes are a striking blue-ish green, he has a scar that runs the length of the right side of his face. I’d say he is about three and a half feet tall-ish. He’s shorter for his age. His hair is a dirty blonde and he is wearing ripped up jeans (not styled that way of course) and a forest green t-shirt. Hope that helped.”
“Got it, thanks Eleanora. Keep an eye out in case he comes back. See you in a few hours.” Blake hung up first, and I slowly brought my phone down from my ear, my hands shaking uncontrollably. I couldn’t believe I had just lied to Blake who was an officer…I could be arrested.
I felt a small hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay, Miss Eleanora?”
“I think so. But I may have just got myself into some trouble. Joshua,I’m going to need you to hide in the cellar for a little bit in a few hours, okay? It’s a long story but you have to trust me.”
His big eyes stared back at me, wide with anxiety. “I trust you.”
—
Blake showed up a few hours later in his patrol car and casually jumped out. I had sent Joshua to the cellar with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk to keep him occupied for a bit. He begged that Biscuit be left with him, though, which may put a wrench in the plan, but I caved and let Biscuit stay in the cellar with him.
“Hey Eleanora,” Blake gave me his usual tentative smile.
“Hey Blake.”
“Where’s ole Biscuit?”
My hands started to sweat and I tried to casually say, “Oh she’s inside sleeping the day away–lazy old girl.”
“Alright, well, let’s just check the barn real quick and then we will quietly walk through the woods for a minute or two just to see if he stayed close. He might have left an obvious trail we could follow as well.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
We headed for the barn and did a quick sweep. Of course, we did not find Joshua. I kept silently praying he and Biscuit could sit still for just a few more hours. Blake startled me while I was deep in thought by asking, “Now which part of the woods did he run into?”
“He headed straight for the main trail right here,” I pointed to a mowed path that led back to the old oil rig about a mile back. “There’s so much woods here, though, it’ll be darn near impossible to find him,” I added for the effect.
“I know, but at least he has a path to follow, which is making me think he may come back.”
“I hope he does, I’m worried about the little guy.” Acting should have been my career choice. I surprised myself with how easily everything flowed out. Then again, my worrying about Joshua wasn’t a lie at all, so maybe that helped ease the nerves.
We walked down the path until we got to the oil rig and I busied myself with calling his name, looking in small hiding places in the oil pump itself and all around in the bush. After a half an hour of looking we headed back, all the while calling his name at different points. By the time we got back the sun was setting and the leaves were flipping harshly in the wind. A storm was coming.
“Well, that went about how I thought it would. I know you are worried about him, Eleanora, but I am sure he’s around here somewhere. A storm’s coming. He’s sure to be knocking on your door tonight.”
“Thanks, Blake. I’ll call if I see him.”
“Okay, take care Eleanora.”
“You too.”
—
Later that night after dinner, the storm started to blow in. Joshua, who had made a storm himself hours before, sat paralyzed on the living room floor in fear.
“Joshua, are you alright? If the storm is frightening you, please don’t worry, it’ll pass in just a little bit.”
“Miss Eleanora, I am not afraid of the storm, I am afraid of who follows it.”
My hairs stood on end. “What exactly do you mea–?” Just then a huge crack of lightning lit up the entire house, making the electricity flicker. I could feel the static of the lightning on my arms, and prepared myself for the huge rumble of thunder that would follow. I crouched beside Joshua just as a the peel of thunder vibrated the house and windows. It was louder than I had ever heard before. Joshua screamed and covered his ears with his small hands. I gathered him into my arms and held tight, waiting for the vibrations to end.
Panting, Joshua looked at me and said, “He’s here.”
The front door blew off its hinges and a figure walked in. Dark clouds surrounded him and an eerie mist hovered around his body. “Well hello, Joshua,” he sneered. “Did you miss me?”
Beside me, Joshua stood up. “I don’t care what you do to me, but do not hurt Miss Eleanora. She doesn’t even know who you are.”
“Oh, but Joshua, here’s the thing,” the figure whispered in a way that made me shiver, “because you brought her into this, she’s going to have to pay as well.” He smirked and looked directly at me.
I stood up, “If you want him, you’re gonna have to go through me. And believe me, that won’t be easy.”
The figure laughed a hideous laugh, “Oh you’re too funny. Isn’t that what they all say? And don’t they all die in the end? Well, maybe not all. But you will.” With that he lunged at me. I threw Joshua onto the couch and held my hand out, channeling anger into my Gift and sent a wall of fire sailing into the figure’s face. He and his mist disappeared before my eyes.
Joshua screamed, “Run! He’ll be back in just a minute.”
I grabbed Joshua’s hand and sprinted outside into the pelting rain. I looked at Joshua, “What is that thing?”
“He’s…my dad.”
Just then the figure reappeared in front of us, snarling and hurling balls of mist with static electricity in them at us. I ducked and dodged, struggling to protect Joshua as well. “That thing is your father?!” We raced into the barn where we were somewhat protected and waited for Joshua’s father to appear for his third attack. “Okay Joshua, talk to me. How do we defeat him?”
“We can’t. But I can.”
“No way, absolutely not. I am not letting you face him alone.”
“You don’t understand, I am the only one who can get close enough to him to destroy him.”
“For such a young boy you sure are smart and bossy,” I laughed and ruffled his hair. “I’ll make a distraction.”
I stepped outside the barn and looked around, waiting for the figure to appear. I felt a sudden drop in temperature and whirled around. The figure’s face turned into a grin as he said, “Who knew a small farm girl could possess so much power. You really left a sting in that punch. But unfortunately for you, I can’t be beat.”
I wanted to say, We’ll see about that, but instead I said, “You talk too much.”
I hurled flame-ball after flame-ball at him. He dodged most of them, and the ones that did hit him only left temporary holes in his misty body. I could see Joshua slinking around in the back and was hoping I could cause a long enough distraction to give Joshua the right opportunity. I decided to really kick it up a notch and went from hurling fireballs to dodging his electricity waves to keep him focused and even more involved with our fight. I flipped and ducked and dodged all around. Finally, I heard the figure gasp in surprise and looked up to see that Joshua had created an almost force-field like barrier around him and was focusing on shrinking him more and more. He was trying to condense him to the point of obliteration. I felt so useless, as I wasn’t sure what to do. Joshua looked stronger than before, his little face determined and contorted into one of extreme exertion. With one final heave he crushed the terrifying figure and sent the electric waves into the sky, where the storm dissipated and eventually the night grew calm. I could hear Joshua breathing hard as he looked up into the sky with triumph but also grief.
I sprinted over to Joshua, who had wobbled a bit from his exhaustion but remained on his feet. I enveloped him in a hug and he weakly hugged back, laughing and saying, “You’re hugging me so tight I can’t breathe.” I loosened up my grip but still held on. After a minute he looked up at me with sad eyes, “I wish I could stay but I have to go. There are more beings like him who want to hurt good people. I have to stop them.”
“No, no, no. Joshua I know I am not your mother but I cannot let you go. You are too young for this.”
“Miss Eleanora, I have to.” His eyes pleaded with me. “I have already lost half of my family to these monsters. I don’t want to be responsible for losing you too.” He sounded like a grown man; it broke my heart.
Tears streamed down my face. “You better promise me you’ll come back and visit.”
He smiled a sad smile, “I can’t make a promise I can’t keep.” He paused before continuing, “I have to go now. But I’ll always be with you…just wait for a gentle breeze or a fresh rain.” I gave him one last giant hug as he walked into the middle of the yard and transformed into this small, gentle ball of mist and rose up into the night sky.
I walked to the porch and plopped onto the porch swing, my heart shattered yet full. A gentle breeze tickled my cheeks and sent the wind chimes into a soft chorus. I looked into the night sky and whispered, “Be safe, little Joshua.”


The 2022 Met Gala: “Gilded Glamour” or “Gilded Failure”?:

The 2022 Met Gala took place on May 2, 2022. The event was hosted by the amazing Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Regina King. The theme of the night was “Gilded Glamour,” although many people that arrived did not follow this theme. 
If you are not familiar with The Met Gala, it is a fundraising event for the Costume Institute and an opening celebration event for its annual fashion exhibit. It is also considered to be one of the biggest fundraiser benefits in New York City, drawing in millions of dollars every year. The ball also doubles as an event for celebrities to attend in very elaborate outfits to, or not to, match the theme. 
Following the topic of the theme, many people did not dress according to it. The theme was “Gilded Glamour,” which is fashion that includes jewel-toned gowns crafted out of a variety of fabrics, including silk, velvet and satin. The word “Gilded” means to show how wealth and glamour was used to conceal the social unrest and turmoil of the era. With that being said, I was expecting a lot more than what was served at the ball. Many people that attended took a more modern take on the theme. For example, Gigi Hadid wore a red Versace catsuit with a big, matching puffer “jacket” that was supposed to embody the silhouette of the extravagant dresses that were worn during the gilded age. As well as Dove Cameron, who wore an Iris van Herpan gown that was supposed to symbolize the “bones,” or architecture, of the dresses worn by women in that time frame. However, there were also a few people who avoided the theme in its entirety. 
Kim Kardashian, for instance, showed up to the ball in the exact sheer, beaded Jean Louis gown that Marilyn Monroe famously wore on May 19, 1962, when she sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden. To be honest, I really liked this look, but it just did not fit the theme all that well. 
Now, to get into my, and I’m sure everyone else’s, favorite look of the night: Blake Lively’s Versace gown. Her gown was not only absolutely stunning, but it also had the silhouette often worn during the Gilded Age. Also, Lively’s gown paid tribute to New York City architecture, specifically the Empire State Building. She also stated that the draping on the side is a “tip of the hat” to the Statue of Liberty and the back of the dress showcases the constellation ceiling of Grand Central Station.
To conclude, the 2022 Met Gala was especially unique this year because of the lack of theme-following. All in all, I definitely was excited to see what everyone attending would come up with for the “Gilded Glamour” theme. Although the thought of putting a modern day twist on Gilded Age fashion is fun in theory, I was expecting more old-timey fashion statements, which is why I was let down the most.


Curtain call!:

It was October, 2018. My mom and I were sitting in our living room browsing on social media and she saw an advertisement that said “Auditions for October Erie Playhouse show, ‘Miss Nelson is Missing.’ Click here to see when and where!”
“Rachael! You should audition for this show in Erie! It sounds like so much fun, especially since you don’t have your school production till May,” my mom said.
I went over and looked at her screen to read more about the show. “A group of misbehaving school students get a scary substitute teacher and it makes them realize…where is Miss Nelson?”
“Huh, sounds interesting and fun– I’m in!” I said curiously.
A couple weeks later, after much preparation and rehearsing, my mom drove me in to Erie to audition. As I was singing my song and reciting my monologue in the car, I realized how nervous I really was.
“Mom I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know anyone, and what if they don’t like my performance?” I said nervously.
“You will do great! Just be yourself and sing with all your heart,” my mom said confidently.
We arrived at the Erie Playhouse Rehearsal Hall. As we walked in the door a white board said, “Miss Nelson is Missing auditions upstairs!” When we got upstairs we were the only ones there! We filled out all my information and what role I was auditioning for, but as everyone arrived and did the same, they finally started calling names.
“Our first person to audition will be Ms. Rachael Hajec!” the director exclaimed.
“Oh no no no no! I can’t go first!” I said, as all the thoughts in my head were bouncing off the walls.
“Good luck honey, you got this,” my mom said.
I raised my hand and walked towards the audition room. As I followed the director inside, I was so nervous that I was not paying any attention to where I was walking, and all of a sudden I stumbled on the ledge below me!
“Oh my goodness! Are you okay dear?! I am so sorry we forgot to put the sign up to watch the ledge.”
“Yes…I am fine, thank you.”
After that embarrassing moment, I sang my song well and read my monologue confidently. Suddenly I wasn’t nervous anymore, and I realized that I really wanted to get a good role. As I walked out, I remembered the ledge this time, I was happy with my audition, and I was excited to get the results later in the week.
A few days later I went on their website and kept refreshing the page. They said the cast list would be posted at 12 and it was 12:01.
12:02, refresh
12:03, refresh
12:04… THE CAST LIST! My thoughts going into it was that I was definitely going to get a small part in the ensemble, or no part at all. As I read the third name down it said: Rachael Hajec – Mop Hanson/Narrator.
“Mom! I got a lead role!” I said enthusiastically.
“I am so proud of you! I am gonna call and tell everyone right now!”
Months went by filled with rehearsals, costume measurements, songs, learning new choreography, lines being memorized, and all of a sudden it was opening night! I was so excited to perform my first Playhouse show in front of my friends and family.
Twelve shows later we: packed everything up, took down the set, and went back to our normal lives. The Erie Playhouse not only took a chance on me by having a girl who they did not know play a lead, but they helped me grow, create friendships that I still have to this day and will continue to have for a long time, taught me important life skills, showed me how to be professional and have fun at the same time, helped me realize my confidence and talent within me all along, and inspired me to always be myself.
Tears filled my eyes as we sang the closing number. My director smiled as we heard, “Curtain call!”


Are the Angels the real deal?:

The Los Angeles Angels haven’t had a playoff team since 2014. Many baseball fans are mad at the organization because it seemed to be wasting the career of Mike Trout, who is widely considered to be one of the best players of all time. Now, the Angels have another player who is even more amazing than Trout. Shohei Ohtani is a two-way player and reigning A.L. MVP. Ohtani proved that he can be the most productive player in MLB because of his ability to pitch and hit. The 2021 Angels were missing Trout, but were still expected to make the playoffs. Now, in 2022, the Angels are looking like real contenders for a World Series.
So far in the 2022 season, the Angels are 2nd in the NL West. They are 24 and 16, and only a game back from the top spot in their division. Most would expect that the Angels best performer this season would be Trout or Ohtani. Well, those people would be wrong. Trout and Ohtani are doing great, but they aren’t playing like Taylor Ward. Ward is hitting an absurd .375, with a near .500 on base, and a 1.200 ops. Ward has tagged nine homers, two triples and five doubles on the season. Ward’s video game numbers are helping out the Angels immensely.
The thing that will make or break the Angels this season will be injuries. Can Syndegard, Trout and Ohtani stay healthy? If they do, the Angels have a real shot at a World Series, their first since 2002.


Who was your favorite teacher in high school and why?:

Nathan Wright: Mr. Kruse, he taught me the meaning of life.
Selena Green: Mr. Coates because we would talk about anything and everything. He also helped me through some difficult times.
Caleb Marrs: Mr. Coates, super nice and really funny.
Damion Kelley: Mrs. Reynolds.
Connor Butchko: Mrs. Reynolds because she helped me whenever I needed help.
Abigail Sell: Mr. McCray, he knows how to teach very well and has knowledge and patience.
Austyn Benninger: Mr. Daniels because he will always be my favorite teacher.
Cristin Rastatter: Mrs. Rutkowski.
Aiden Kafferlin: Mrs. Happoldt, she’s just amazing!
Bryce Lindstrom: Mrs. Goodwill. She made her class fun and I looked forward to her class. My favorite high school teacher was Mr. Kruse.
Zachary Ahl: Mr. Coates– just a cool dude.
Taylor Fenstermaker: Mrs. Watrous because she always encourages me, listens and gives advice, and is so funny.
Chloe Anthony: Ms.DiLuzio, because she is a fantastic human being and cares for everyone deeply. Plus, she has Kappi (her dog).
Hunter Savitz: Mr. Carey– very nice and respectful.
Rachel Brady:  Mrs. Jackman.
Konner Johnson: Mrs. Reynolds. She is very funny and always trying to help her students.
Logan Joncas: Mr. Soprano. He is like a student, so I relate to him.
Diana Piscitelli: Mrs. Walls, because when she read short stories she explained how the stuff in the stories could happen in real life.
Samantha Goodwill: Mr. Soprano– he had a fun environment while still teaching everything for the AP test.
Abigail Fralick: Mr. Luther, he always made math enjoyable and is the nicest teacher I’ve had.
Kendall Keener: Mr. Buona because he’s the coolest.
Maleri Mather: Mr. Coates because he is always so happy and is friends with everyone.
Nicholas Baker: Mr. Simmonson.
Austin Fenstermaker: Mrs. Reynolds because she is one of the only teachers to make me enjoy English.
Sarah Kocol: Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Kuzma because they were always there for me and supported me through everything.
Jasmine Miles: Mr. Woods because he taught in a way that was enjoyable and memorable.
Rosemary Molthan: So many. My teachers are very important to my life and education. Ms. Carey is the best, though.
Jade Beebe: Mrs. Jackman.
Lexi Frisina: Mrs. Adamski, because she’s fun to talk to about life and fun to joke around with.
Riley Maynard: Mr.Carney– his class was fun and we always played trivia.
Tyler Beach: Mr. Hogue– I love history.
Jade McElravy: Mrs. Bourgoine– she is very attentive, respectful, and caring to her students.
Sierra Geer: I have a long list, but if I had to choose only one it would be Ms. Smrcka because she always cares so much.
Alexis Hasbrouck: Mrs. Watrous because she’s someone I can always turn to if I need wise words and she’s always looking out for me.
Caelin Silvis: Mr. Hogue– he’s pretty cool and likes my dad’s radio station.
Nathaniel Davies: Definitely Mr.Woods because he made class funny and super enjoyable.
Amanda Gjertsen: Mrs. Turben– I had her class for three years and really enjoyed all the fun activities we did.


What song sums up your high school experience, and why?:

Bryce Lindstrom: “Don’t Blink” by Kenny Chesney along with photograph by Nickelback.
Sarah Kocol: “Summer of 69” by Bryan Adams.
Taylor Fenstermaker: “Happy Working Song” by Amy Adams because it finds fun in tedious and boring tasks; making the best of it. 
Samantha Goodwill: “We’re All in this Together” from High School Musical.
Logan Joncas: “Life is a Highway” by the Rascal Flatts because of all the ups and downs.
Rosemary Molthan: “Campus” by Vampire Weekend or “American Idiot” by Green Day. 
Christin Rastetter: “Animal I have Become” by Three Days Grace because high school is a drag.
Chloe Anthony: “Waves” by Dean Lewis
Damion Kelly: “Wild and Free” by Wiz Khalifa 
Austin Fenstermaker: “Learn to Fly” by the Foo Fighters because I am learning to go out on my own. 
Rachel Brady: “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” by Soulja Boy because it got me through it. 
Kendall Keener: “Back in the Day” by Mac Miller because it’s about succeeding even though people party on my downfall. 
Abigail Sell: “How Did You Love” by Shinedown, no matter how much we pray, help, or judge one another, one thing that will not crumble or pass away is the kindness and love you show others. 
Diana Piscitelli: “How to Save a Life” by The Fray.  
Austin Benninger: Alternative and country music. 
Lexi Frisina: “Photograph” by Nickelback, I know I will always look back at pictures of memories I made in high school.
Sierra Geer: “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” by My Chemical Romance for freshman and sophomore years because I was edgy, but “Way Less Sad” by AJR for junior and senior years because I’m finally my own person.
Jade McElravy: “Limitless” by Diamond Dixie
Nate Davies: The COVID-19 song because…well…
Alexis Hasbrouck: “Breathe” by Jonny Diaz because I feel like some days were crazy, but all you have to do is just breath and give it to Jesus.
Amanda Gjertsen: “Good Riddance” by Green Day.
Abigail Fralick: “Live While We’re Young” by OneDirection, who doesn’t love a good 1D song and I’m too scared to grow up, so I’m enjoying these days.
Jade Beebe: “Fifteen” by T-Swift


Healthy hygiene:

The sun is starting to shine and the weather is starting to warm up, and the hygiene on some people is in need of attention. Some ways to keep your hygiene healthy and smell good in the process is:

Wash your blankets
Shower on a good schedule
Use deodorant
Use cologne/perfume
Brush your teeth
Smell spray that helps keep odors away


The door down below!:

One time long ago, there were these teens who always were getting themselves into trouble. One night they decided to go to an old house that had looked like it had been abandoned. Little did they know it wasn’t. The first kid walked in and the rest followed. The one girl had an awful feeling about this from the beginning, but no one else would listen to her so she followed along in the back of the group. When going into the house it looked completely normal just with a little too many cob webs. Not thinking anything of it they searched the house up and down finding nothing unusual or spooky about the house. This was until the girl that was following behind saw another door they didn’t go explore yet. Everyone went down the stairs and then it started to get creepy. The stairs creaked a lot.
One boy broke one from just stepping on it. The girl cried that it wasn’t safe and that they should just go home now, but no one had listened. The further they went the darker it got and the boy spotted another door that sounded like something was in distress behind it. They all got down the stairs and huddled around the door to open it. The boy put his hand on the door knob and started turning it slowly until he couldn’t turn it anymore. He tried to open the door but it wouldn’t budge. All at the same time, they pushed each other into the door to break it open. What they found was not okay. All these kids in this giant room they all started screaming for joy because they had thought someone had found them.
Then the door at the top of the stairs shut with a loud BOOM. The kids screamed and they felt the wind sweep them into the room they just opened and a person appeared saying, “I knew you’d come looking for trouble, now you can be with the rest of them.”
The door slammed shut before any of the kids could say anything. The little girl cried and said, ” I told you this wasn’t a good idea and that we should have went home. Now we will never be able to go home.”
They searched for a way out but couldn’t find one. They talked to the kids that were in there and realized they had been in there forever and no one could help them. Later that year the cops had arrested the owner of the house and when they searched the house they found the door, but by the time they got there it was too late and all the kids were gone.


Get in the spirit!:

Gallery|2 Photos










Students and staff are invited to follow a themed-cale
ndar to celebrate school spirit with their clothing for the rest of the school year.
Each day for the rest of the 2021-22 school year, if able, members of the CMS community are encouraged to dress according to the assigned theme to make the last few weeks of the school year more unified and entertaining.
See the attached calendar in the photo gallery for more details.


Top ten favorite shoe brands:

Obviously, I wear shoes every day. That just makes me even more of a shoe-lover because there’s so many brands, colors, styles, etc. from which to choose.

Nike
Vans
FILA
Converse
Adidas
Jordan
Puma
Under Armour
Reebok
Hey Dude


Young Yvonne:

I decided to spotlight Yvonne Fay. I asked her eleven questions, and these were her responses.
When asked what her favorite color is, she said “blue and purple.” I asked what her favorite food was and she said “sushi,” which is quite understandable.
I also asked what her favorite show is and she said “Reign.” Her favorite song is “Love on the Brain” by Rihanna. Her favorite music artist is Melanie Martinez, which I completely agree with. Yvonne’s favorite quote is “I’d rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size zero,” which was said by Sophia Loren.
When she’s older, Yvonne wants to be an esthetician. Her birthday is May 4, and her full name is Yvonne Marie Fay. Her favorite person/idol is her mom and she loves to read and bake.


The man in the woods:

There was a family living in a house deep in the woods of Maine. The house was old but very beautiful. It had been passed down in the family for many generations. Janice gained ownership of the house after her mother and father passed away when she was 40. Janice and her husband, Jerry have been married for 18 years and have 3 children, Autumn (22), Carol (23), and Ronald (25).
The family loves the house, they were away from the city and got to listen to nature instead of cars and things like when they lived in the city. The kids loved living in the country because they didn’t live close to anybody so while their parents were away on work trips they would have big  parties and invite all of their friends from the city.
One weekend in July, Janice and Jerry were both gone for the week for work. Autumn and Carol had an idea. They wanted to have a party. They told Ronald that they were going to have a party while their parents were away.. Ronald liked the idea so he started inviting all of his friends. During the party, the next day, and a couple of their friends told the siblings that there was a man standing behind a tree in the woods and kept peeking his head out watching the party. Thinking that it was probably one of the people from the party they went to him to ask him if he was okay or if he needed something. They realized quickly that they have never seen this man before so they asked him who he was and what he wanted. The man didn’t give them his name but he explained to them that he was 21 years old and got lost while hiking in the woods. The siblings asked if he needed directions or anything. The man insisted on staying at the party and relaxing because he was getting tired. The man stayed and helped himself to some drinks. The man started asking the siblings if this house was theirs and who all lived with them and the siblings told him that it was their parents house and they were gone for the week.
The next night the siblings were having another party and everybody that wanted to come to that party too stayed the night at their house. The next morning when the siblings woke up the man was gone but when they went to sleep the night before he was asleep in the living room along with Autumn, Carol, and Ronald’s friends. They were confused but didn’t think much of it. Later that night Carol and her friend went into the basement because that’s where Carol’s room was and she needed to grab something. While in her room Carol noticed that things were moved around. She pointed it out to her friend and they both looked at each other with confusion but just let it go because nothing major was wrong. While walking out of her room Carol heard someone let out a big gasp of air as if they were holding their breath for a long time. She screamed and slammed the door, ran up the stairs to find her brother. She started screaming in Ronald’s face and tells him their is someone in her room. Carol and Ronald start running through the house weaving through all the people and they got to the bottom of the stairs, the guy from the woods came walking out of Carol’s room as if nothing happened.
Ronald started getting in his face and yelling at him and the guy got really scared and told Ronald that he got lost trying to find the bathroom and didn’t want Carol to see him in her room. Autumn was at the top of the stairs along with everybody else at the party trying to figure out what just happened. She noticed her brother balling up his fists like he was going to throw a punch at this man, so she ran down the stairs and told her brother to calm down and told him to just call the police.


Mr. Passinger is the new high school principal:

Attention Corry High School: we are going to have a new high school principal, Mr. Passinger. Mr. Passinger  is taking over Mr. Cragg’s spot as head high school principal after this year.
Sadly, Mr. Cragg is retiring after this year and everyone will miss him dearly, but he’s heading into the glorious years of retirement. To get an insight on how Mr. Passinger feels about becoming an upcoming principal, I asked him some questions.
The first question asked was “Are you excited to become the new high school principal?”  Yes he is very excited to become the high school principal it is a step forward for his career, and it is a new challenge. He enjoys having new challenges that will enhance his ability as a person. He was a teacher for 22 years, and an assistant principal for four years.  He feels that it’s time to move onto bigger things. Mr. Passinger is excited to become the new principal because he is in a good place to help and support the faculty and staff.
The next question was, “Were you the only person running for this job?” Passinger replied, “Yes but no. Usually you do have others run up against and people vote who it should be, but I was named/chosen by the superintendent to be named as main high school principal.”
Mr. Passinger was an English teacher for 18 years, and then he switched to assistant principal for a new challenge for his career. When asked, “Why did you choose to become an assistant principal?” Passinger said that, “After teaching English for 18 years I believe that I’ve done a nice job teaching English, and I was ready for a new challenge, and when the assistant principal job opened up I went for it. I wanted to take what I taught in the classroom to help other students and staff in a different ways. I also tend to lean towards leadership roles, so I was ready to go for this opportunity.”
Then when asked about what his goals are while being principal he stated that his goals were to continue building the curriculum and assignments to challenge the students, help the staff to benefit them more as individuals, and enhance learning. Mr. Passinger would also like to build a stronger, closer relationship with the students and staff to make their school days go by easier, and he understands what each one is going through. He is also going to be opened minded towards the community and school staff about things like enhancements and changes about education and school issues.
Mr. Passinger is honored and excited to become Corry’s new high school principal coming next school year.


Top ten super heroes:

10. Iron Man
9. Hulk
8. Thor
7. Black Widow
6. Captain America
5. Aquaman
4. Superman
3. Batman
2. Spider-Man
1. Black Panther


The disturbing trend surrounding the Depp v. Heard case:

In 2016, “Aquaman” actress Amber Heard made abuse allegations against her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. In 2022, the allegations started a firestorm when Depp’s defamation case went viral online. Many viewers do not believe Amber Heard’s claims due to inconsistencies, lack of emotion in court, and countering claims of abuse from Depp.
To preface this article, I want to make it clear that I do not support Amber Heard and I do not believe the majority of allegations she has made against Depp. It is important to believe domestic abuse victims, but Heard’s story shows major inconsistencies, a lack of tangible evidence, and little to no corroboration. On the contrary, evidence suggests that Depp was a victim of abuse from Heard during their relationship.
I do believe this case has provided a lot of good. For one, the publication of a male domestic abuse survivor is incredibly rare. Yearly reports show that one in three domestic abuse victims are male. Despite this, there is a lot of societal stigma surrounding male abuse victims. I believe that such a high profile man shamelessly admitting his victimhood is a good thing. In recent years, several male celebrities such as Matthew McConaughey and Terry Crews have opened up about their experiences with physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. These influential men, including Depp, are working to end the myth that men cannot be abused.
However, the other side shows an ugly perception of abusers and their victims. Many people who have kept up with the case have made gross statements about Heard, and in the process, trivialized the struggles of female abuse victims. For example, in May 2022, a TikTok audio of Heard describing an alleged sexual assault by Depp went viral. Under the audio, users (mostly young women) shared sentiments that Amber Heard should not complain, and any woman would be lucky to be sexually involved with Depp. Regardless of the truth in her statement, the assault Heard describes is truly horrifying. The romanticization and dismissal of this assault has real-world implications. When people brush off claims of abuse and assault, it hurts real-life victims the most.
The case, which should be a sobering account of domestic violence and marital assault, has instead been treated as an excuse to promote victim-blaming and misogyny. Many pro-Depp individuals have used misogynistic tropes to dismiss Heard’s claims, calling her a “gold digger” and a “crazy ex.” This trial is less about justice, and more about ridiculing and humiliating a woman who alleges abuse.
Amber Heard is not exempt from criticism. In many cases, she is deserving of it. But the mockery of Heard is a slippery slope. So, next time you like a meme about the trial, ask yourself: am I harming a manipulative liar, or female victims as a demographic?


Perks of stay-at-home order:

On March 13, 2020, it seemed like the United States had shut down. All businesses except life-sustaining businesses were forced to close their doors until further notice. Schools were shut down suddenly, and everyone was mandated to stay home. It all happened so fast that nobody knew what was to come in the next few months, let alone the next week.
Staying home and not going anywhere for two weeks is very boring let alone having to do it for months before things slowly started opening up. I keep busy by doing crafts, baking desserts, and teaching myself new skills. I baked different types of brownies, cakes, and even pies. One of the new skills I taught myself was to play the flute. This all changed a couple weeks later though.
On May 16, 2020, the best thing during quarantine happened. I got a dog! Her name is Zoey, she is three years old, and she is a Great Dane. Her personality is so sweet, and she loves attention. Additionally, she absolutely adores being around children. We went on walks every day to give her exercise, but it does not happen as often now that I’m back in school. Although staying at home for months at first seemed boring, it got better after I got my dog. It changed things up, and gave me something new to do.


Mr. Cragg set to retire from Corry Middle-High School:

Mr. Cragg, who has been the high school principal for 17 years, is set to retire on June 30 of this year.
Mr. Cragg started his journey of working in the administration in January of 2000. Over the years he has impacted the lives of many students, teachers, and other staff workers here at Corry Middle-High School. Because Mr. Cragg has spent 17 years exclusively being a principal, it proves his dedication to not just his job, but the students as well.
Mr. Cragg has not always been a principal, however. When asked if he had always wanted to be a principal he said, “No, absolutely not.” He then explained how his father was a PE teacher, which made him want to go to college for physical education as well. Upon graduation and at the beginning of his career, he taught health class, physical education, and driver’s education. Both Mr. Cragg and his father went to Slippery Rock University for their degrees, and Mr. Cragg even met Mrs. Cragg while attending Slippery Rock. When he first became the high school principal, Mr. Cragg said he was, “scared to death.” He explained how he felt that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a principal, or if he could even handle being a principal. However, as time has shown, this position has worked very well for Mr. Cragg.
When asked if he would miss coming here to the high school every day, Mr. Cragg noted how he will miss his relationships with the kids and teachers that have grown over the years, but he will not necessarily miss work. This led to the question of what he is looking forward most to retirement. Mr. Cragg is most looking forward to travelling with his wife, Mrs. Cragg, the middle school girls PE and health teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Cragg are both set to retire from their long service to Corry High at the same time this summer.
Mr. Cragg mentioned how the best part of working here is the fact that he is so invested in this town since he grew up here, and how much he wants everyone to do the best they can. Here at Corry High countless students have moved on to college, the workforce, or the military and have led very successful lives. His favorite part of his job has been, “Dealing with kids.” Kids are difficult to work with, and it takes a certain individual to truly relate and help them grow into respectable individuals.
When asked what the funniest thing was that has happened in his career he answered, “…I would have to say it would have to be the practical jokes I’ve played on so many people over the years, especially Mr. McGinnity.”
Many people have been wondering who the new assistant principal will be. Though Mr. Cragg was not able to say a specific name, he did verify that there will, in fact, be someone moving into the assistant principal position. Mr. Passinger, the current assistant principal, will be taking over for Mr. Cragg when he officially retires. If Mr. Cragg could pass down any advice to Mr. Passinger as he takes over the position of head principal it would be, “Just be patient and listen to kids.” He noted how Mr. Passinger will do an excellent job in this position and it is “like he’s meant for it.”
On behalf of all of Corry High, we want to thank you, Mr. Cragg, for your many years of service to the students (and staff) of this school. We also wish you and Mrs. Cragg a wonderful retirement and many happy memories.


Observations about the end of the year:

The countdown is almost at an end; only five days left until “school’s out for summer.” 
Now that it’s the end of the school year, lots of things are changing all around Corry High, from the weather to classroom decor. Teachers are taking down all of their decorations, packing it all away for next year, making the walls bare. No more work to keep students stressed and preoccupied, no more endless stacks of papers for teachers to grade, and freedom is ahead. There are many mixed emotions and feelings flying through the air about the end of the school year such as stress, anger, relief, happiness, and sadness. Seniors are on their way out, and new upcoming underclassmen will be starting their first year of high school. Some teachers and faculty are saying their goodbyes and putting their badges up for good and heading into the glorious years of retirement.
The end of the school year doesn’t always mean happy and easy times. There is still hard work that needs to be done such as finals, Keystones, assignments, and lessons that still need to be taught. Many students have given up, throwing their patience down the drain, and moving away from their school assignments and obligations. Students are done, they’ve had enough, all of their brains have been tested and pushed to their limits. Keep pushing through each day finishing assignments and taking your time on tests and doing your best. Students are discouraging their education and aiming towards summer days and nights, but they should still be in the school mindset, making good grades for the end of this quarter. Many are failing classes and it’s not befitting them, it’s actually hurting them in many ways.  Not wanting to be in school or doing school work anymore is understandable, but they should still be pushing themselves through it trying to do their best for the end of the year. Leave school feeling good and happy about your education, not upset and disappointed about how you could have done better. 
As the days go on, more and more absences are recorded from both students and staff. Everyone is starting to get a lot more vigilant with missing school due to the nice weather and just not wanting to attend. The attendance of the school has gone down a lot when it comes to missed days. Many assignments are turned in late and teachers are over teaching lessons and assigning work. People are walking around as if they’re zombies, and it is a race on who can move the slowest. Not all students are down in the dumps about school; some are still sticking through their classes, but are marking off the days on their calendars until they’re gone. Upcoming freshmen and sixth graders are shaking in their boots about joining the high school and actually being high school students roaming around in the “big kid halls.” Seniors are wishing this school farewell as they head off into the real world, and looking back on all of their high school memories, the good and bad ones. Some teachers can say this is their last year of teaching and they’re off to retirement.
Many exciting things have gone on throughout this school year from wearing masks at the beginning to not having to wear them anymore. Many people have made major decisions for their futures or education. Many laughs and memories have been shared at this school, but I’m sure many are glad to have it end and are ready to head into summer.


If They Didn’t Know, a poem:

Only the things you experience are the things that you know
But who sees or hears or touches or smells the things you don’t
No one will ever have the same situation
People say they “understand,” but how could they
When they don’t experience the things you do
They experience the things that you don’t
Some people say they wish they lived like another
Be grateful for what you own
Because your life isn’t your life if they didn’t know


Top ten restaurants in Corry:

Below is a list of all the restaurants in Corry or within the Corry area that are not fast food. Many of them are widely known but are great family-friendly establishments. They all serve a wide range of food and each are unique in their own ways.

The Library Bar and Grill
Lou’s Country Kitchen
Mel’s Hometown Restaurant
Jin’s China Kitchen
The Fork and Barrel Restaurant
The Corner Bar and Grill
Fat Monn’s
Augie’s Pizza
Sweet Traditions Pancakes and Sugar House
Gigi’s Route 6 Diner


Summer Nights, a poem:

Summer nights,
Warmed by the fire’s heat.
The stars shining bright,
throughout the night.
 
As we sit by the fire
Marshmallows toast,
Lights strung on wire,
We tell scary stories about many ghosts.
 
Singing campfire songs,
Admiring the sky’s light.
With your friends all night long,
Throughout the Summer Night.


Esports group forms in Corry; first tournament: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate:

Newly in Corry Middle-High School, an esports club has formed with hopes to be a league in the upcoming year. During their very first club meeting, about 60 students showed up.
This Friday, May 27, there will be a tournament for the club at Warren Area High School in the auditorium at 10 a.m. Attendees will be competing in the game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which will be free to play and lunches will be provided. Players are welcomed to bring their own controllers from home, although they will be given at the event.
Like all tournaments, there are rules in line. These rules include: 1 v 1, double elimination, no items, spirits, smash meters, stage hazards, no DLC, tournament stages only, stage bans and picks. It’s vital that said regulations are followed for every member to have a good and fair experience.
Mr. McBriar and Mr. McGinnity are the advisers of the eSports club, so any questions you may have should go to them. The club is open to both middle and high school students, where students are allowed to form their own groups and compete.


Survey: What was your favorite memory from this school year?:

This school year is coming to an end and a lot has happened since the beginning of the year. Everyone had their favorite moments and their least favorite moments, but usually focus on their favorites. I went around the school asking teachers and students from different grades what was their favorite memory from this school year. There were a lot of different answers, whether it was school related or not.
Keira Knight: Playing volleyball and watching my friends in the play.
Lani Kennedy: Spirit week.
Halle Peterson: Soccer season.
Mr. Bailey: Having everyone back in the stands for basketball games.
Blake Cook: Beating the hurdle record in middle school.
Gavin Kent: Playing basketball.
Jaelynn Lindsley: Went to the sea wolves game.
Laikynn Bayle: Meet new teachers.
Cyndaleigh Fahey: Having social studies.
Maddie Leofsky: When Mrs. White fell over at the assembly.
Kaleigh Healey: My math grades went up.
Morgan Willis: Going to cheer camp.
Rachel Moats: Going home every day.
Seth Alsdorf: Spending time with teachers.
Lucas Baker: Playing basketball.
Kamdyn Moon: Diving play in baseball.
Lucy Hasbrouck: Gym class.
Ellie fiesler: Gym class.
Audrey Miller: Mrs Burek’s class.
Kaitlyn Day: Hanging out with my friends.
Trevor Hayes: Going home after school every day.
Tori Kinney: Playing high school volleyball.
Gwen Adams: Taking pics for prom.
Aubrey Chase: Potty breaks with Rachel.
Sarah Fox: When I have to cover for Aubrey.


Middle school v. high school field trips:

Middle school recently had a chance to go to watch an Erie Sea Wolves baseball game and came back at the end of the day. Many teachers and students claim that they got this privilege because of the Coronavirus, that not only effected the middle school students, but the high school students as well. A lot of teacher believe that because the middle school students were most effected by the virus, they deserve to have a break once in a while. While it is good to have breaks, what about high school students? How come they were excluded from the field trips?
High school students were cheated out of things that middle school gets to have now. For example, sixth graders get to have recess. There are instances that high school students get to have a field trip for their class, but those are for educational purposes. Very rarely does high school get to have a break and a day to themselves without having work to worry about. High school students have a longer range of harder classes and a lot more stress on their shoulders because of sports, jobs, and colleges to look at.
High schools should be able to have a day to relax and not worry about homework or open-ended assignments. Middle school students get to have that privilege, why can’t high school students? Giving high school students a day that they deserve lets them feel refreshed and able to continue with their studies after coming back. High school students work hard all year and get a smaller amount of break days than middle school students.


Tips on vehicle repairs:

There are many repairs that can be or might need to be done to a vehicle. These repairs can be performed by you unless it’s difficult and if you haven’t had any good experience with it.
Most repairs are made at a shop either if it’s an inspection or if you send it because you know something is wrong. Inspection usually happens a few times a year if nothing is wrong that you know of. During inspection they check under the hood and the lower part of the vehicle to see anything out of the ordinary. The inspection likely will take longer if they find more than one problem.
Usually you will be contacted by the shop if they know there’s a problem or more. If a problem is found then they’ll try to fix it, and if they do fix the problem or problems. Then when it’s done they’ll call and tell you it’s done and you can come pay and take it back with you.


Top ten Marvel villains:

10. Thanos
9. Loki
8. Hela
7. Nebula
6. Malekith
5. Dormammu
4. Dweller in Darkness
3. Aldrich Killian
2. Ultron
1. Ronan the Accuser


If you were to change one thing about your high school experience what would it be?:

Caleb Marrs: Lunch.
Rosemary Molthan: I wish my mental health had been better, but I am glad that I am where I am now. 
Samantha Goodwill: I would give myself a non-online junior year. 
Cristin Rastatter: Nothing.
Logan Joncas: COVID-19.
Aiden Kafferlin: COVID-19.
Zachary Ahl: Everyone being annoying. 
Konner Johnson: COVID-19
Bryce Lindstrom: I wish I would have been more ambitious about machining before I went on co-op.
Sarah Kocol: Bullying.
Damion Kelley- Make it better.
 Chloe Anthony- COVID-19-19 
Diana Piscitelli: I would have been more social
Rachel Brady: I would have skipped more.
Kendall Keener: I would have gotten involved in more diverse extracurricular activities.
Nathan Wright: The time frame it took place.
 Taylor Fenstermaker: COVID-19 would not have happened 
Abigail Sell: To have been more kind to others.
Austin Fenstermaker: To have continued soccer and maybe play basketball. 
Selena Green: I would change COVID-19. Everything would still be the same before everything changed. 
Nicholas Baker: Not taking advantage of it. 
Connor Butchko: Nothing, it was perfect.
Lexi Frisina: I wish I would have worked rather than play three sports. 
Amanda Gjertsen: To not have done school online last year.
Jade Beebe: COVID-19
Abigail Fralick: Being in Harborcreek my freshman year; moving in high school is weird.
Jasmine Miles: I would change the fact that I didn’t try to make more friends.
Caelin Silvis: I’d change how often I went to school activities and go to more.
Nate Davies: *cough* COVID-19 *cough*
Jade McElravy: To not go by so fast.
Sierra Geer: As a rule I always answer these questions by saying I would never change the past, but I do wish Samuel could have finished high school here sometimes.
Hunter Savitz: I would have been more outgoing– everything was better when I was.
Tyler Beach: Go to more games.
Riley Maynard: I wish a lot of my friends stayed closer and didn’t have to move away.


Survey: What is your ice cream order?:

Mr. McBriar: dark chocolate raspberry
Cameron Brown: banana split blizzard
Mr. Brewer: cotton candy
Olivia Whitaker: Oreo blizzard
Mr. Woods: pineapple sundae
June Lehmann: vanilla soft serve
Mr. Simmonsen: vanilla moosetracks
Kayla Hayes: chocolate soft serve
Elaina Brown: brownie
Mr. Potocki:  cookie dough
Emily Blake: cotton candy
Carter Slocum: birthday cake
Ms. Carey: whitehouse cherry
Gwen Adams: hot fudge sundae with peanuts
Mrs. Adamski: Reese’s flurry
Ruthie Light: cookies n cream
Isabella Burrows: coffee
Mr. Buona: Reese’s pieces and Butterfinger flurry
Karli Stanbro: cookies n cream
Cooper Slocum: brownie
Rachael Edgar: twist soft serve
Alivia Burger: strawberry
Ava Gjertsen: cookie dough


Top ten summer foods:

Now that the summer season is here, everyone is going to start to eat their favorite seasonal foods. Here are my top ten summer foods:
10. Fruit parfaits
9. Potato salad
8. Cheeseburgers
7. Fruit salad
6.  Hot dogs
5. Ribs
4. Watermelon
3.  Corn on the cob
2.  Fruit kabobs
1. Strawberries


‘Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman’ is boo-worthy:

I recently watched the 2021 film “Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman” and I have a lot of mixed opinions on it. The movie is centered around the earlier life of Wuornos, before her serial killings. The main focus is her marriage to Lewis Fell before they divorced the same year they married.
The actress who starred in the movie and played the younger Wuornos was Peyton List, which begins my first issue with the film. Although I do think Peyton List did a fantastic job depicting her, I’m not certain how I feel about painting her as this femme fatale who was so beautiful. The real Wuornos was an extremely violent and hostile woman, which they did convey, however it almost seemed as though they wanted to make her attractive and almost seductive when she was quite the opposite, and such a vile person. People often like to excuse or defend Wuornos because of her tragic past and her side of the story, but that is an explanation, not an excuse. She was a serial killer, and should never be idolized nor pitied. You can feel sorry about her past, but don’t defend her actions.
Another flaw I found within the movie is that the majority of the plot wasn’t true to her real life, despite being labeled a documentary. The only truth in it was the fact that Wuornos was married to a much older man named Lewis Fell, and the marriage went sour and ended after she beat him with his own cane. The rest of the film is dramatized and made up to be entertaining and like a drama, which is odd to me since it’s supposed to be a documentary.
Overall, the movie felt as though it didn’t want to tell the real story, but instead dramatize and twist it for entertainment purposes, even though there were some sufficient scenes/moments. Rating: 2/5 stars.


What quote would you have the underclassmen live by?:

Connor Butchko: You can do anything in life if you set your mind to it.
Abigail Sell: Never lose hope, there will always be redemption no matter how bad life gets.
Kendall Keener: “A life ain’t a life till’ you live it.” -Mac Miller
Rachel Brady: Don’t take it too seriously, laugh often.
Diana Piscitelli: Never give up on your dreams because they’re worth fighting for.
Nathan Wright: Just send it.
Chloe Anthony: Live in the moment, don’t take life for granted, and enjoy ice cream unless you’re lactose intolerant.
Caleb Marrs: Cherish every moment because it goes by so fast.
Sarah Kocol: Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
Austin Fenstermaker: “I think everybody’s weird. We should all celebrate our individuality, and not be embarrassed or ashamed of it.” -Johnny Depp
Riley Maynard: YOLO
Lexi Frisina: YOLO
Konner Johnson: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” -Albert Einstein
Taylor Fenstermaker: “No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.” P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)
Bryce Lindstrom: You never know you’re in the good times until you’ve already past them.
Logan Joncas: “Be outstanding.” -Mr. Hogue
Samantha Goodwill: “Be mindful.” -Mr. Woods
Hunter Savitz: Don’t get pinned, try to win!
Rosemary Molthan: “This world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.” -Sarah Kay
Jade McElravy: Senior year isn’t a race, don’t rush it.
Jade Beebe: YOLO
Abigail Fralick: “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” -Muhammad Ali
Sierra Geer: You can do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do.


What fictional character parallels your high school experience and why?:

Abigail Sell: Mabel from “Gravity Falls” because I can relate to her.
Kendall Keener: Dory from “Finding Nemo” because I forgot everything except y=mx+b. 
Rachel Brady: Harry Potter because it was magical.
Nathan Wright: Big Nate because we have the same name. 
Chloe Anthony: Miles Morales because we’re both nervous for the future and have to explain that we want to pursue art and have massive expectations placed on us, whether consciously or unconsciously. This evolves and changes as the story changes.
Austin Fenstermaker: Michael Scott. Half of the time I don’t know what I am doing, but it usually works out.
Lexi Frisina: Goofy because he is lighthearted and likes to have fun.
Taylor Fenstermaker: Julia Sugarbaker from “Designing Women” because I am organized, hard-working, and not up to date on the current slang, but I can be fun and have fun sometimes.
 Cristin Rastatter: Megamind because we both had a troubled past.
 Logan Joncus: Spider Man because he pushes through difficulties.
Samantha Goodwill: Blaire from “Gossip Girl”
Hunter Savitz: Deadpool because we both hate wolverine.
Rosemary Molthan: Charlie from “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
Jade Beebe: Hannah Montana.
Abigail Fralick: Rory Gilmore from “Gilmore Girls” since she obsesses about her grades and she seems to always end up with toxic guys.
Austyn Benninger: Spider-Man
Sierra Geer: Luz Noceda from “The Owl House” because I also use escapism to deal with all of my problems, and I am obsessed with learning people’s backstories.
Amanda Gjertsen: Tina Belcher.


Top ten comedies:

10. “Not Another Teen Movie”
“Not Another Teen Movie,” Directed by Joel Gallen, is in the number ten spot because of its spoofing of other classic teen movies like “Bring It On,” “The Breakfast Club,” “She’s All That,” “10 things I Hate About You,” “Pretty in Pink,” and many more. There’s something about the blunt and obscure jokes that make it funny. 
9.”White Chicks” 
“White Chicks,” Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, is in 9th place for its unique and hilarious costumes, but also because of its iconic scenes where the “sisters” have a roast battle and a dance battle. I can tell you that every time the song “ It’s Tricky” by Run-D.M.C comes on, I think about this movie.    
8. “21 Jump Street”
“21 Jump Street,” Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is the perfect movie about undercover cops. This is in the 8th spot because of the chemistry between the characters Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill). What makes this movie so memorable is the fight scenes and dialogue the characters use. 
7. “10 things I Hate About You”
“10 Things I Hate About You,” directed by Gil Junger, is definitely different from other movies on this list. The actors really brought their characters’ humor to life through this movie and that’s one of the reasons why I think it’s so popular to this day. All of the jokes are still funny and up-to-date.
6. “Peacemaker”
“Peacemaker,” Directed by James Gunn, is a spin off from “The Suicide Squad.” I think that this show was the first creation from the DC Universe that actually genuinely made me laugh. It’s such a different tone from others] projects that DC has put out. In my opinion “Peacemaker” has the best intro to a show ever created. 
5. “Step Brothers”
“Step Brothers,” directed by Adam McKay, in 5th place is by far one of the most popular comedies by far. Rightfully so, though, because this is one of the most quotable movies made. Putting two of the best comedians together Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly was a really smart choice in getting people to laugh.
4. “Land of the Lost”
“Land of the Lost,” directed by Brad Silberling, does not get enough credit for its humor and unique storyline. I think that Will Ferrell has mastered the art of being effortlessly funny and he should keep making movies like this.   
3. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” directed by Edgar Wright, is a cinematic masterpiece with jokes that I still laugh at every time. I find myself and my family constantly quoting this movie and singing the songs. If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. 
2. “Deadpool 2”
“Deadpool 2,” directed by David Leitch, is better and funnier than the first. I know what I said is probably controversial to some but I think everything was done to perfection. I like how Deadpool never fails to mention other characters in the universe, too. 
1. “Hot Rod” 
“Hot Rod,” directed by Akiva Schaffer, is taking 1st place on this list because I think this movie is timeless with countless funny references. Something about this movie that feels special is that the time period looks kind of like the 80s, 2000s, and current day all at the same time. I would recommend this move to anyone who wants a good laugh.


America needs gun control:

On May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, 19 children and two educators were slaughtered by an 18-year-old carrying a firearm. These children were very young, only in elementary school. People across the country have had their hearts touched by this and have sent prayers to the families that have lost someone important to them. 
Since we don’t have gun control in America, these families will now suffer every day of their lives because of it. Families won’t sleep, they won’t eat, and they won’t be able to love for what will probably be a very long time. 
Our government and our lawmakers of America continue to watch this cycle of horrific school shootings repeat over and over again. It is truly chilling to know that our federal government just sits and watches as all of these children and teens die across the country. It’s been happening since 1999 when the Columbine Massacre struck in Colorado. According to  ABC News, there have been 11 mass school shootings and many more acts of gun violence and threats in the past 20 years. 
People know that gun control works. Why is it even an argument that it should be applied instantly? Instead of acting now, Americans would rather just accept a harsh reality where people go to get their education and they die, they go to the store to buy groceries and they die, they go to teach their students and they die. This country needs to get up and do something about it. It’s so frustrating that this is what it took to create any kind of gun law. Honestly really heartbreaking alone to know that these 18 children and 3 adults had to die just to make a change, if change even happens. Would anyone even be surprised if this crisis was left on that back burner like it has been for the past two decades?
According the 1996 National Firearm Agreement in Australia, after Australia banned several firearms, there was an extreme drop in suicides, homicides, and mass shootings. There has not been a mass shooting in Australia since 1996, and unlike America, Australia took action and made changes the minute it happened instead of just sitting around. It’s blatantly clear that the American society prioritizes their guns over children.  
It’s so tiring and truly frightening to walk into school anymore. Personally, I have extreme paranoia knowing that it could happen to my friends, family, and me at any moment and I would have absolutely no control over it. I would like to ask people that don’t agree with gun control: What if that was your child, your niece or nephew? Would that change your opinion, or are you truly just too vicious to care about anyone but yourself? How many more people have to die. Let’s make change instead of reliving this nightmare every day. Let’s protect our educators and children of America.


Class of 2022 senior superlatives:

Click on the gallery below to see the results of the 2022 senior superlatives!
Also, be sure to explore the class of 2022 senior surveys.








Gallery|9 Photos




Ava Gjertsen 
							Most likely to be rich and famous: 
1. Sammy Fisher 
2. Maxx Rimdzius
3. Taylor Fenstermaker


Additional advice/tips for aspiring runners:

If you have not already read the first article of advice for new and aspiring runners, click here to get some basic beginning advice.
In the last article we talked about how it is important to start out running lightly and gradually work up to greater mileages, keep a positive attitude on your running journey, and the importance of consistency in running. In this article we will talk about the importance of diet, hydration, and running attire (like shoes).
To begin, my first piece of advice for new runners is to clean up your diet if you have not already. In order to get good times and feel as good as possible when running, you need to make sure you have the right nutrition being put into your body. If you are someone who eats fast food quite frequently and are trying to run to stay in shape, you’re making it really hard on yourself to succeed. I would advise you decrease the number of days a week you eat fast food or takeout and try to substitute in salads, rice with your choice of cooked veggies and a meat, smoothies, and other home-cooked meals that help reduce the sodium and fat intake. Eating too much “junk food” is also a major problem for some runners; things like chips, fruit gummies, chocolate, ice cream, and other non-essential foods may prove to be harmful to runners. There are some runners, however, who can handle eating foods like this and still end up running fine. This does not mean they should eat like this, though. It is almost vital that fruits high in natural carbohydrates are consumed because many people say a runner’s best friend are their carbs (both natural and the carbs you get in noodles or bread). Cleaning up your diet does not mean completely stripping yourself of take-out, junk food, and big greasy burgers, it just means eating foods such as that moderately. So essentially, if you are trying to see a major difference in your running you need to make sure you are eating a rather clean diet with a lot of nutritious foods that will help increase energy.
The next tip I have is to make sure you are always staying hydrated. Hydration is one of the most important things when it comes to running. Nothing except water (and occassionally a Gatorade, Pedialyte, or a Liquid I.V.) will keep you hydrated enough for running. Without the appropriate amount of water, your body cannot function at its finest and you’ll find yourself possibly getting muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, and extreme fatigue, not to mention an extraordinarily dry mouth. Hydrating should be happening all of the time, however, the three days leading up to a race, it is most important. This means you need to be drinking extra water than you normally would in order to prepare your body for the upcoming race.
The final tip for runners is to make sure you have proper foot wear and running attire. It isn’t too hard to get the proper running attire for clothes, especially since all of us are bound to have at least a couple pairs of sweats in our closets. Finding the right running shoe is extremely important with running because each of us have different forms and have different feet shapes. For me, I need more support in my shoe and I need it to have a lot of extra cushion to help with my shin splints. My biggest suggestion for finding the proper running shoe is to go to a sports store like Achilles and have a trained worker get you the proper shoe for your foot.
If you are an aspiring runner, hopefully this article is full of the advice you need and are looking for. Running is something anyone can do, all it takes is a little work and dedication to get into, but then it will prove to be a fantastic way to get/stay in shape. If you want to start running but aren’t sure how, don’t overthink it, just go do it!


Mysterious Carter:

Carter James Slocum is a sophomore that attends Corry Area Middle-High School. His birthday is February 6, 2006, making him a 16-year-old Aquarius. For the most part, Slocum grew up in Corry, Pennsylvania, but he also spent three years as a toddler living in Titusville, Pennsylvania. He also has two siblings, one of which is his twin brother, Cooper Slocum. His other sibling is his 13-year-old sister, Kate Slocum. 
As of currently, Slocum says that he is not sure what he wants to pursue as a career when he graduates. However, he definitely wants to travel the world and have an impactful career that he loves. Speaking of traveling, Slocum mentioned that he will be going to Boston/Salem Massachusetts at the beginning of June, as well as Rhode Island, Connecticut, Virginia Beach, New York City, and possibly Tennessee. Although he has many upcoming vacation plans, Slocum expresses that his dream vacation would be exploring different places in Europe and staying in the “most amazing” hotels. To continue, he would also like to visit Brazil because it is his dream to see the Amazon rainforest, and he is really fascinated with their beautiful culture. Some additional places he would love to visit are Egypt, Italy, Greece, and many more.
Carter Slocum is a man of many hobbies, some of which include taking care of his animals (considering that he has four of them), crystals, watching Netflix and YouTube, hanging out with his friends, tending to his plants, and scrolling through Pinterest. Slocum does not play any sports, though. He says that he does not engage in sports because he does not consider himself very good at committing himself to something other than school. When it comes to school, Slocum says that his favorite class is probably chemistry because he is “really good at it”, and he really enjoys having his teacher. He also added that his government class is a very close second because it is the first history class that he feels like he has learned a lot in.
Next, here are a few things you may not know about Carter Slocum. To begin, his favorite color is green, his favorite emotion is peace, and his favorite song is “TikTok” by Kesha. He says that he does not really have a favorite movie, but whenever people ask, he just says that it  is “Titanic.” When I asked Slocum what animal he would match his personality to, he responded by saying, “A cat because some days I am very zen and at peace, but other days I am in a bad mood.” Another thing you may not have known is that Slocum’s favorite food to eat is Olive Garden’s salad and breadsticks. Lastly, his biggest pet peeve is when he is trying to learn in class but students keep talking and being a distraction..
To conclude our journey of getting to know Carter Slocum, his favorite quote is “That’s hot,” which is a phrase used by the “fabulous” Paris Hilton. A piece of advice Slocum would like to leave this article off with is: “Stay in the present moment because you are going to regret focusing on the past and future instead of being able to enjoy what is around you now.”


Corry softball continues in playoffs:

On Tuesday, May 24, the Corry softball team won a playoff game in Fairview 11-2.
Corry softball is a well put together team with star athletes. Player of the game was Alli Goodwill because of her amazing defensive play and her in-park home run. Payton McCray got defensive player of the game, and offensive player of the game was Kayla Hayes.
Coach DiLuzio said, “Our ladies know the sport; they’ve been playing for most of their lives. The X-Factor is enthusiasm. When they bring that, we are unstoppable.”
This was the first playoff game and it is single elimination. The team will play against Jamestown tonight and hope to win. The seniors who potentially could be playing their last game are, Lexi Frisina, Lexy Hasbrouck, Reghan Trask, Haylee Dyne, and Kiran Bugbee.


Mrs. Rutkowski, new family consumer science teacher, wants to inspire kids to love learning:

Mrs. Rutkowski is our new family consumer science teacher. I have her for my second block experimental foods class. She makes class simple but not too easy. She makes sure you are on task and completing her assignments on time. If you do your work and get it done, it will be a fun class. And with the pandemic it makes it hard to work with food. But even then we try our hardest to make class easy and fun.
Mrs. Rutkowski was born on March 23 and grew up in Waterford, PA. She has two siblings, one older sister and one younger brother. In high school she went to Fort LeBoeuf, and she went to Edinboro University for college. She has two dogs that are like children to her. Their names are Mable and Chloe. The reason she chose to teach is that she wants to inspire kids to love learning. She used to teach at East Middle School in Erie. Now that she has started to teach in Corry, she has come to enjoy Corry school and her students.
In my opinion, Mrs. Rutkowski is a very nice teacher and if you ever get to talk to her, whether you will have her in class or if you get to see her in the halls, I would say hello and welcome her to our school. I think she will definitely achieve her goal of helping students love to learn. Also, I think everyone who has her now, and will in the future, will agree with me.


“Stranger Things” season four, part one: The beginning to an end:

“Stranger Things,” an ’80s inspired show created by The Duffer Brothers, has just released part one of a fourth season on May 27, 2022. 
“Stranger Things” follows the story line of a group of friends: Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Will Byers, and Lucas Sinclair. When their friend Will goes missing, the group of friends meet Eleven, a girl with telekinetic powers that has escaped from a secretive experimental lab. Living in the small town of Hawkins, Illinois, they soon start to notice more and more strange occurrences happening all around them ever since the disappearance of their friend (Will). With the help of Jim Hopper (the Chief of Police) and Joyce Byers (Will’s mother), the kids are able to have guidance through the horror of their lives. Throughout the seasons you see this group of friends fight monsters like the Demogorgon, Mind Flayer, and in season four, a being called Vecna. If you haven’t watched the fourth season part one yet, then you’re in luck because this will be a spoiler-free review. Although, I will be talking about topics shown in the trailers released. 
If you weren’t scared while watching “Stranger Things” during the previous seasons, then you will be now. While I was watching, I noticed that this season has a way darker and more sinister tone. The jump from the bright colored and fun Starcourt Mall shown in season three to the gray reality of the upside down is chilling. There were a few times I was even caught off guard by some of the scenes used. In one of the trailer clips, you even see the character Max (Sadie Sink) rising into the air quite literally defying the laws of gravity. Seeing this was like experiencing something straight out of “The Exorcist.” Another spooky thing that viewers can expect to see this season is a darker side of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). The audience truly hasn’t seen the side they are about to show. Big steps were taken because this is not the vibrant and upbeat season that we have just come from. 
Something that makes this show so popular with its viewers is the way the characters are able to touch the audiences hearts. I personally think that the chemistry that the characters have with one another will never die and it continues to thrive throughout season four, part one. One thing that I was disappointed with though was the amount of screen time character Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) is given. He’s honestly a very neglected character who has so much potential of being more than the kid who was trapped in the upside down. I would also say that this has been a similar problem for Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) in the past, but I’ve actually seen an increased amount of story his character is getting. On a positive note though, the shows did introduce more characters including Argyle (Eduardo Franco) and Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). These characters have been receiving a lot of love from the audience and I think creating lovable characters is one of this show’s specialties. You will be on the edge of your seat the whole time, praying that your favorite character is spared from harm’s way.
“Stranger Things” is the perfection of cinematography and musical scores. Sometimes I even think that the music created by composers Ilaiyaraaja, Kyle Dixon, and Micheal Stein for the show could literally bring me to tears. The soundtrack is one of the best that I had ever heard in all existence. I haven’t experienced the ’80s but somehow this music makes me nostalgic for what it was like. The song that I think has the best representation of the show is “Kids” and every sound makes you feel emotional. The song of this season that brought the show to life is “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush and I thought this was a really beautiful song that played during the scenes. The cinematography is also something that I hold close to my heart: it’s easy to be biased when the show even makes riding a bike cinematic. The scene in the trailer that shows Max looking into what looks like a part of the upside down is truly horrifying and beautiful at the same time. Instead of the expected blue haze of the upside down we are engulfed in red everywhere with the image of debris scattered in the air. I don’t think I’m ever disappointed with the cinematography of the show. 
I would say that the long wait of three years was definitely worth it. I was on the edge of my seat for almost the entire time of season four part one. “Stranger Things” genuinely holds a close place in everyone’s heart that watches it and I feel like I can say that with confidence. Even though the show has taken a darker approach, I still feel the lighthearted essence that each and every character brings. This season is a beginning to an end because sadly it’s been confirmed that next season will be the final. It is definitely exciting to start seeing everything piece together making one big connection. 
I would give season four part one a 5/5 rating. It truly does deserve it, and if you were disappointed with this season, you have to look at the bigger picture and how things are developing. I highly recommend this show to anyone reading but keep in mind it does have a PG-13 rating. Have fun watching and enjoy it while it lasts.


Top ten children’s books:

Most little kids love to read books, but everyone has a favorite. Here is a list of ten children’s books that kids love!
10. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”
9. “Charlotte’s Web”
8. “One fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”
7. “Curious George”
6. “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”
5. “Big Fish Little Fish”
4. “Ferdinand the Bull”
3. “Wocket In My pocket”
2. “Never Give a Mouse a Cookie”
1. “Where the Wild Things Are”


Top ten Johnny Depp movies:

Johnny Depp is an icon from the time he hit the spotlight in the mid-’80s starring in the famous horror film “A Nightmare on Elm Street” that came out in 1984 causing Johnny to rise to fame for his excellent acting and good looks. He was a teenage heartthrob in the ’90s taking over television. His acting skills were impeccable, causing Depp to partake in many of the films by a major film director Tim Burton. Johnny was in at least eight films. Johnny Depp has been in many amazing movies that are legendary. He is big in the film industry, and known for many famous films. Depp has been in at least 84 films! Some of his films standout more than others, and now I will be you telling you the top ten Johnny Depp films.
10. Dark Shadows: (2012)
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street: (1984)
8. What Eating Gilbert’s Grapes: (1993)
7. Sweeney Todd: (2007)
6. The Corpse Bride: (2005)
5. Sleepy Hollow: (1999)
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest: (2006)
3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: (2005)
2. Edward Scissorhands: (1990)
1. Alice in Wonderland: (2010)


You know what I really love? Reading.:

You know what I really love? Reading. Especially Stephen King books. I have read over thirty and own a little over forty-two. And if you didn’t know, Stephen King writes other types of books. He doesn’t just write Horror books, although that is the genre he is know for. He has written mystery, fantasy, and has even written nonfiction books too. He has written at least 87 books. He has published 61 Novels, 5 nonfiction books, and has over 200 short stories that were published in book collections.
And if it wasn’t for his wife, he probably never would have become the success he is today. He started to write the first novel that he published in 1973, it was called Carrie. He sat down in his chair, leaning over his typewriter, and started clacking away. A few chapters in, he gave up and thought it wasn’t very good. So, he crumpled them up and threw it away. His wife looked into the bin by the desk and grabbed the crumpled up papers, unraveled them, and read it. She came up to him, tapped him on the shoulder, and said “I think you’ve got something here.” So he continued the story, and attempted to get it published. When the novel was accepted, an editor named William Thompson (who would become great friends with King in the future) sent a telegram to his house which read “Carrie Officially A Doubleday Book. $2,500 Advance Against Royalties. Congrats Kid. The future lies Ahead – Bill”
And from there he began a life-long career. Some of his more famous stories are Salem’s Lot, The Shining, Misery, Cujo, Pet Sematary, and IT. Each of them have a movie. There was an original in 1990. But most people these days know about the new movies IT (2017) and IT: Chapter Two (2019). But being that I am writing mostly about books, you can infer that I like the books better than the movies. Since I brought up the topic of movies based off of his books, there are a few some people I have met and talked to, had no idea were Stephen King stories. For example the movie “The Shawshank Redemption” was based off of his novella “Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption.” There is the movie “Stand by Me,” which was based off of his novella “The Body.” There are even movie directors today that were so inspired by his stories they fight over the rights and try to make movies based on his other books.
So in conclusion, one thing I really love is Stephen King books. And if you decide to ever read one of his stories I bet that… YOU’LL FLOAT TOO!


“Joker” provides an origin for an enduring pop culture villain:

On April 25, 1940, the Joker made his first appearance in the Batman comics. According to the writers of these comics, the Joker was supposed to appear once, but due to the potential seen in the character, he has become one of the most iconic super villains of all time. And if you asked me, I’d say the Joker needs an origin. Why did a perfectly good man go insane? The Joker has appeared in the comics, TV shows, movies, drawings, media, and even tattoos. Since then there have been a number of Joker movie portrayals throughout the years, some of them with origins and some without. Here is the live-action Joker movie portrayals in order: 
Cesar Romero in 1960 played a classic clown version of the Joker in the Batman TV series. If you look at pictures of him you can see Romero’s signature mustache, but other than that, his Joker was fun and entertaining. And what was even better is that he played in a series, so kids could sit in front of their TV and wait for the next episode of “Batman,” because it was always a different story instead of the single story a movie tells.
In 1989, Jack Nicholson played in the first full Batman movie. His Joker told of the original Joker’s origin in the comics, about a person who joined crime as a result of failure and in a fight with Batman, fell into a vat of chemicals. This damaged the nerves in his face and turned him insane. He took a different turn on the clown prince of crime and showed a little of his dark side, but he still dances to a boombox while he vandalizes museums.
In 2008, Heath Ledger came to the spotlight in “The Dark Knight,” and is the best-known Joker to hit the big screen to most people. He was funny, but he showed a lot more of the Joker’s dark side. Another thing with Ledger’s Joker was that he didn’t have an origin. He always told different stories, but they were lies. 
Then in 2016, Jared Leto played the character in “Suicide Squad.” He took on a more modern version of the Joker, decked out in tattoos and silver teeth.  He was psychotic, and he barely showed any humor. Most people hated him for his Joker because it did not show the Joker character very strongly and how little he was in the film, although I have met some people who love that version.
Since then there have been multiple portrayals of the Joker, whether it comes to the TV series of “Gotham,” or the “Lego Batman Movie,” they have tried hard. In 2019, Joaquin Phoenix starred in “Joker,” an origin movie. Set in 1981, the movie tells the story of a man named Arthur Fleck. He has a disease that causes him to laugh at awkward and inappropriate situations. He lives and takes care of his mother, Penny Fleck, in an apartment complex in the main setting of any Batman movie, Gotham City. In life he believes people are equal, and people like Thomas Wayne think they are better. They don’t have troubling lives or have to dress up as a clown and go into hospitals to cheer up sick kids to earn money. He tries to do stand up comedy to earn money but fails and becomes the laughingstock of Gotham. The failed comedian’s descent into insanity inspires a violent revolution against the wealthy people in decaying Gotham City. 
I would recommend* “Joker” to any Batman fan in the world because, personally, being a huge Joker fan myself, I loved this film. I give this film a 5 out of 5 star rating.
*Disclaimer: “Joker” is rated R and recommended for mature viewers.
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Home schooling vs. public school:

As time has been changing due to the pandemic, parents are seeking different options to educate their children. Parents either choose to send their children back to public school, or decide to do home school in concern of possibly contracting COVID-19 at school. There are pros and cons to each style of learning, but the social interaction between the two are polar opposites. Students can thrive in public school and home school, but it goes beyond just the academics. It also includes any sports, extracurricular activities, and the social interaction with their peers.
For some parents, home schooling seems like the best option for their children. This is because they can monitor them all day knowing what they are doing. Additionally, the parents can pick out the curriculum that best fits their children’s learning capabilities. From there, they can see all of the work that they have done and can see what needs to be improved or changed. Other perks include that they can plan field trips to their own preferences and which places would be the most beneficial to the scholars.
On the other hand, parents might decide to send their children to public school for their education. They could choose this option for a couple of different reasons. Some include the reason that the parent does not feel like they have proper education to educate their children and that they need to have a social life while being exposed to society. School academics are important, but being exposed to society is just as vital. This is because communication and cooperation is used every single day between individuals.
In the end, there are pros and cons between home schooling and public school. Ultimately, it is the parents’ discretion on the way they choose to educate their children. Some may find it more beneficial to educate them at home, and others prefer sending them to public school.


The collapse in the Bronx:

The New York Yankees started off the 2022 season red hot. Led by slugging outfielder Aaron Judge, the Yankees looked like they were going to run away with the highly competitive AL East. Now, here we are in early September. The Yankees are ice cold and the Tampa Bay Rays are only five games back for the division lead. How did we get here? What lead to the collapse of the New York Yankees?
There are a lot of people to blame for this collapse, but Judge is not one of those people. Virtually everyone around Judge has had trouble in the past month. For example, Aroldis Chapman started out the season as cold as ice. He was then placed on the I.L., and struggled still upon returning. The man who replaced Chapman as the closer is Clay Holmes. Holmes was a big part of the Yankees success early in the season. Even breaking Yankees legendary closer Mariono Rivera’s record of 28 straight scoreless innings. In Holmes last 30 games, he is sporting a 4.13 ERA which is very inflated compared to his hot start. Even more concerning is when you look at Holmes last 15 games, where he has an enormous 7.13 ERA. Holmes will have to step back into his early season form if the Yankees are going to break the losing trend.
Another key part of the Yankees is catcher Jose Trevino, and he has had a steep decline in production. Trevino is hitting .245 with a .267 OBP and .367 slugging over his last 30 games. Former MVP Josh Donaldson has a very unproductive stat line that is very similar to Trevino’s over his last 30 games. Over the last month, the overall production from the Yankees lineup hasn’t been impressive (other than Judge of course).
The Yankees are still in first place with a semi-comfortable division lead of five games. They’ve recently won 3 out of 4 in a series against the Twins. They seem to be on the up climb lately. If the Yankees can get and stay hot heading into the playoffs they will be a tough team to beat. If they stay cold, it might be another early exit for the Bronx Bombers.


Batman Ninja: we’re not in Gotham anymore!:

It is no secret that the DC’s cinematic endeavors (the DCEU) are not the most well-received among comic book fans. One thing the company has been praised for, however, are its animated films and shows. From the iconic “Batman:The Animated Series” to the recent and wildly popular “Harley Quinn” show on HBO Max, DC’s most applauded content seems to be in the animated format.
Among all these animated features, however, one film I rarely see mentioned is 2018’s “Batman Ninja.” Directed by anime legend Junpei Mizusaki, the film merges superheroes and anime to provide a fresh new medium for Batman fans everywhere. As much as I personally like Batman, I often find his character to be overdone. This film, however, is one of the most unique and interesting takes on Batman since his creation. By placing familiar characters in a fresh new setting, the film gives viewers a unique look at Batman outside of Gotham.
Another highlight of the film is the talented voice acting cast. It is important to note that I watched the American release version, but I will credit the Japanese voice actors as well. Tony Hale was a refreshing new voice for the Joker (also voiced by Wataru Takagi), staying true to the character’s roots while also adding dramatic flair. Grey DeLisle gave a phenomenal performance as Catwoman (Ai Kakuma), further cementing her as my favorite voice for the character. Other notable performances include Tara Strong as Harley Quinn (Rie Kugimiya) and Fred Tatasciore as Gorilla Grodd (Takehito Koyasu).
Art style and quality is undoubtedly the most important aspect of an animated film. “Batman Ninja”‘s animation has been revered for its style, detail, and fluidity. The film was animated by the YamatoWorks production company, in partnership with Dreamworks. The distinctive look of the film was accomplished through a mixture of hand drawn animation and CGI.
The character designs, done by Takashi Okazaki, are a stunning blend of feudal Japan, modern day Japan, and the classic designs of the characters. Batman, for example, wears a blend of the classic batsuit and traditional Samurai attire, including waraji sandals, Japanese auxiliary armor, and haramaki chest armor. Another stunning character design is Harley Quinn’s. Okazaki had the difficult task of melding the aesthetics of feudal Japanese people and European harlequin entertainers. He truly nailed it, however, seemingly taking inspiration from the Japanese counterparts of clowns and jesters, the taikomochi and hyottoko.
To conclude, I saw “Batman Ninja” as a criminally underrated film that served as a beautiful mix of Japanese culture and history, and the iconic characters of Batman and his rogue gallery. I would recommend this film to any Batman enthusiast, especially those who enjoy the Joker and Harley Quinn. Even if you are not a Batman fan, this movie is a wonderful watch for anyone interested in anime, Japanese culture, character design, or animation in general. I would rate “Batman Ninja” 4 stars out of 5.


Introduction to Corry High’s 2022 fall sports season:

Fall sports are here and we cannot wait to watch all of our student athletes thrive in each of their sports this season. There is girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, football, boys and girls soccer, and golf.
The girls volleyball team, coached by Kelly Goodsel and Mark Brenner, had their first match on Wednesday, September 7 at Warren High School. The girls played strong, but sadly they lost in three sets coming home with a loss. The girls have another game on Tuesday September 14 home against CASH. 
To get more of an insight, senior Tayler Elchynski answered questions on this year’s volleyball season. Elchynski said, “The season just started and so far it has been good!” 
Elchynski continued, “I am really looking forward to district 10 playoffs and making memories with the team!”
 Coach Goodsel added, “This season I am looking forward to watching my players grow as athletes and as individuals. Our season didn’t start out strong, but over the course of the season we will continue to improve and have a successful year ahead of us.”
The football team has played only two games this season, and their record is 0-2. The first game was home on Friday August 26 against Meadville. The score for that game was 55-6, Meadville taking the win. Their next game was Thursday September 1 at Oil City, and the score was 55-6, Oil City taking the win. The boys next game is away on Friday, September 9 playing against Conneaut. 
To get an in-depth view on the boys football team, senior and captain Cooper Yatsko answered questions about the start of the season. Yatsko answered, “We’ve been seeing sparks on both sides of the ball and the outcomes of our games so far haven’t reflected the potential we have with a young team.” 
Yatsko added, “As we move into the middle of the season we look forward to improving as a unit and racking up some games into the win column.”  
Coach Goodwill also answered the same questions saying, “Not as well as it could be. We have a lot of things to fix, but once we do we can have some success.” And for the second question he said, “To see our guys improve and compete at a high level within our region.”
The cross country girls and boys team both had races this week, and they both went against North East at home. The girls team won, but the boys lost by only one point.  Both teams have another race Friday night September 9, away at Eisenhower. 
Senior Stephan Brady of the boys team gave his input on how he believes the season is going so far. “Our season had had a shaky start because we lost to the Powerhouse North team by 1, but we can still turn it around and be region champs if we beat Harbor Creek at the end of the season.” 
 Brady continued, “I look forward to being the second best team in the district and going to states as a team.” 
Senior Gwen Adams off the girls team answered the same questions stating, “I think it’s going good and I’m working pretty well.” The second question she stated, “The Hershey trip we are going on!” 
Head coach Mr. Kelly also answered the same questions stating, “We have started the season really well. Our girls finished 2nd out of 13 teams and our boys were 4th out of 13 teams at the Hickory Invite. I am excited to see how we compete at the end of the year and I am hopeful to send lots of kids to states.”
The golf team played against Meadville, Cathedral Prep, Warren, Mcdowell, Erie High, and Hickory. Their next match is Monday September 12 and it starts at 9:00 a.m. Senior Captain Nate James took 2nd at the last golf match scoring a 77, and he is now placed 4th in region 6. 
Senior Captain Ashton Mineo answered questions about this year’s golf season. Mineo answered with, “It has been tough for us adjusting this year against stronger competition and much harder courses. However, we are making the most of it.” 
 Mineo continued, “I’m looking forward to the end of the season’s tournament at Tamo.” 
Their coach also answered the questions stating, “I think the season is going quite well even though our expectations are a bit low this year, the guys are all working hard and that’s the most important part. What I am looking forward to this year is to practice. I like to practice and I like to see the boys improve and then as we go to our events we do our best.”
The boys and girls soccer teams have had a pretty good season so far. The girls team played Monday August 29 against Iroquois and won. Their second game was on Tuesday, September 6 against Grove City and they lost. Then their third game was on Thursday, September 8 against Harbor Creek, and they took another loss. Their latest game was against Seneca on Saturday September 10, and they lost that game as well. 
The girls team Senior Captain Rachel Edgar responded to questions about the season: “I think our season is going all right so far.” 
Edgar added, “I am looking forward to winning more games and improving.” 
The girls coach said, “It could be going better. Our numbers are low and I believe that’s been the difference in some of the games we have had. The toughest match ups are finished for the season, so hopefully we can start to turn things around. I am looking forward to the season in general. I enjoy watching the girls play well and win together. It’s nice to see the progress made with each week that passes.”  
The boys played Tuesday, September 6 vs. Grove City. Then Saturday, September 10 against Oil City. Their next game is Tuesday, September 13 at home vs. FLB. 
Senior Captain Devin Graham said, “Our season has been pretty good and we are looking a lot better than last year. We have a really young team, so it’s hard keeping up with teams that are mostly upperclassmen. I am looking forward to making memories, and watching the team get better.”
As the sports seasons go on be ready for some more Corry High sports content to be published.


Introducing Mr. Getty:

Mr. James Getty has just begun his first year as a high school teacher at CAHS. Because this is his first year working at CAHS, here are a few things to get to know him. Getty was born on January 2, and he is the youngest of three children. 
Although he grew up in Erie, PA, he attended high school in Harborcreek. After graduating high school, Getty spent the following few years attending Penn State Behrend and Mercyhurst University to advance his education. When asked why he initially got into teaching, Getty said that he just really enjoys teaching and helping others.
Something that Getty really enjoys is traveling. In fact, he says that his dream vacation would be traveling all summer to a bunch of different places. When asked where he would like to travel next, he responded with, “Out West, like to California and Colorado.” Besides traveling, he also really enjoys playing tennis. Getty was on his college tennis teams all throughout his time attending university. Alongside his career as a teacher, Getty actually teaches tennis classes at a tennis club. 
As we dig deeper into who Mr. Getty is, here are a few fun facts about him that could allow you to get to know him even more. When asked what his favorite movie is, he responded with, “Shawshank Redemption.” Getty said that he does not have a favorite class to teach because he loves all of them. Additionally, his favorite color is blue and his favorite food is tacos, chicken wings and pizza. Other than his time playing tennis in college, he also played soccer in high school.
To conclude our journey of getting to know Mr. Getty, a piece of advice he would like to leave the readers with is, “Find something you enjoy and go for it.”


Calling all Seniors! A message to the class of 2023:

Freshman year is often considered the scariest year of high school. A new section of the building, new teachers, new rules, and intimidating “big kids.” But I think most people who are going into or have experienced senior year would argue that it is the most nerve wracking year of high school by far. Sure, seniors are experienced. They know the lay of the land, so high school is fairly simple for them. But, unlike freshman, who fear entering high school, seniors often fear leaving it.
Recently, I went to a family reunion for Labor Day. It was nice to see all my relatives, but I quickly tired of all the questions and resigned myself to the kids’ table. Questions like, “Where are you going to school?”, “What will you major in?”, “Where will you work?” I found myself embarrassed to answer that I really did not know. Sure, I have a list of potential schools and a half-baked idea of my future career, but I honestly have no idea what I will do after high school.
From the outside looking in, it seems like all of my classmates have it together. I see them getting scholarships, touring campuses, taking CTC classes. But when I began to look deeper, I realized; a lot of them, no matter how prepared they may seem, are just as lost as I am.
The end of high school can cause a lot of emotions. Fear of the unknown, relief to leave old things behind, excitement for a new chapter. Graduation is a fresh start, a new beginning. But what many seniors, myself included, tend to forget is that high school is not the end. It is important to remember that while we are growing into young adults, we are only 17 or 18 years old. We still have our whole lives ahead of us.
If you do not believe me, I have some examples. Consider Stan Lee, the  pioneer of Marvel, the creator of some of the most iconic and well loved characters of all time. His first hit comic, “The Fantastic Four” was not published until he was 39 years old.
Vera Wang, the revered fashion designer behind famous bridal collections, did not begin her fashion career until age 40. The legendary actor Morgan Freeman did not find his big break until he was 50.
All this to say, success does not have an age. I know seniors feel the need to hit the ground running, but we truly have so much time. By all means, work hard, plan ahead, and think about your future. I have no doubt that my fellow classmates will go on to achieve great things. But my point is that we have time for achievements. We have time to enjoy the last bits of childhood before joining the “real world”.
So, next time your grandma or uncle asks you about schools and jobs and significant others, remember: your future does not have to start today. Tomorrow works just as well.


Top 10 all-time Madden games:

10. Madden ’13 – I never really played this Madden, but they integrated ball speed and ball trajectories.
9. Madden ’22 – In my opinion, this is one of the worst Madden games of all time. The mode Superstar KO, was the same as every other year. The passing was bad, you threw it straight to the defensive backs.
8 Madden ’18 – In 18, Madden Ultimate Team Squads came out. It’s where three people can combine their squads and go against another trio. This is one of my favorite modes in this Madden.
7. Madden ’20 – I liked it since they added superstar factors and x factors to select players. This madden came out on June 14, 2019.
6.  Madden ’04 – This is my first video games I played. I grew up playing this game as a kid on the Playstation 2. It won VGX Award for the Game Of The Year.
5. Madden ’12, This is my first madden I got on the Playstation 3. They made several improvements on the game including  3d grass, and pylon and ball physics which made this video game better to play.
4.  Madden ’21, A new mode got added in this madden which is called ” The Yard”. The Yard is a mode in which each team is controlled by one, two, or three players. They have control over there own unique avatar.
3. Madden ’23- This madden just came out on August 19, 2022. EA Sports added the all new FIELDSENSE, which equips players with more control at every position. They also added Field Pass, which gives you rewards such as packs, and coins.
2.Madden Mobile – This game is so great because of its availability, You can play this madden anywhere. You can also play this game on IOS, and Android.
1.Madden ’15 – This was the Madden I played the most on the Playstation 3. This Madden came out on August 26, 2014. In this Madden they also added Gauntlet. This is a mode where you test your skills in a series of challenges.


Top ten Harry Styles songs:

Harry Styles is a huge celebrity at the moment. He has been busy producing music, touring the world, and starring in movies, all in this last year. His career started in 2010, when he auditioned for the British talent show, The X-Factor. He then was put in a group with four other males who also auditioned, who were known as One Direction. They blew up, toured all over the globe four times, produced five studio albums, and six years later the band went on a hiatus. The hiatus was promised to only last eighteen months, but the band has yet to return. This then started Style’s solo music career. Out of his many amazing songs, here are my top ten favorites.
10. “Ever Since New York,” from Harry’s debut album. Although this is tenth on the list, it is still an amazing song with a very deep meaning. This song is about Harry’s step father, Robin Twist, who passed away from cancer in 2017. Harry was in New York when he heard the news of Robin’s cancer, hence the song title. The song is not only a touching piece, but can be sadly relatable for some.
9. “Canyon Moon,” from Harry’s second studio album titled Fine Line. This song has no certain, confirmed meaning. There are some strong conspiracies made that this song was about a significant other of his, and how he misses their “time under the canyon moon.” This song is upbeat, catchy, and super fun to sing along to.
8. “Sunflower Vol. 6,” is another from Fine Line. To me this song has the same type of feeling as “Canyon Moon” does. Like I said, very catchy. This song is high energy and the lyrics are amazing. Harry makes comical sounds in the song also, which are funny and enjoyable to listen to, as well as sing. I experienced him perform this song live in concert, and the energy everyone in the arena was giving made it an even better song.
7. “Falling,” also from Fine Line. I think everyone can agree that this song is pretty emotional. Harry’s voice in this song specifically is so insanely powerful and strong. The lyrics of this piece tells such a great story, about how he lost someone he loves and he is blaming it on himself. This is a slower paced song, but still so amazing.
6. “Matilda,” from his album Harry’s House just released in May of 2022. This entire album was most definitely his best. The order of these top six spots were a fight between songs all from this album.  This song specifically can be very relatable to people who may have experienced being left out or mistreated by their own family. Harry’s vocals in the bridge of the song are incredible, and his vocal range is unbelievable.
5. “Grapejuice,” also on Harry’s House. This  is more of a classical song, which is different for him. Despite a new style, it is wonderful, as if he’s been making songs like these forever. This is a love song, stating “there’s just no getting through the grapejuice blues,” “without you.” He is explaining how he needs this person in order to get through his life. If you are in love, the song will mean even more to you. “There’s never been someone who’s so perfect for me,” shows just how in love he is.
4. “Daylight,” once again, comes from Harry’s House. Another love song, another great song. The chorus of this is so sweet and warming to my heart, it is hard to even explain how it makes me feel. The tune of this song, the happiness it radiates, is all so fascinating. “If I was a blue bird, I would fly to you, you be the spoon, dip you in honey so I could be sticking to you,” his love for this person has to be so strong to even come up with these types of lyrics.
3. “Satellite,” from Harry’s House. The beat of this song is also different from most other songs he has created, nevertheless still fantastic. This has been one of his biggest hits on his new album. Some fans even claim they love it so much because it reminds them of a song that One Direction would put out. This statement is agreeable in my opinion. The main vocals, background vocals, everything sounds so perfect and was sung flawlessly. The lyrics are also impossible to get out of your head and to stop singing. Overall, this song really deserves to be ranked top three of his entire discography.
2.”Keep Driving,” from Harry’s House. This song does not have an obvious meaning behind it, other than to just keep going through life no matter what. The song is so good, even though the lyrics are really just so random. “Black and white film camera, yellow sun glasses. Ashtray, swimming pool. Hot wax, jump off the roof.” Anyone can admit these lyrics are almost entirely random, not verbally telling any story. Even though the lyrics are nonsense to some, the beat of the song, the tunes, the lyrics, are all so nice to listen and sing along to. The bridge of this song is one of the best song bridges I have ever heard, despite the random, crazy lyrics.
1. “Little Freak,” also from Harry’s House. This is simply in the top five songs I have ever heard. This song is so meaningful, a love song. Him loving this person, but trying to get over them and love them from a distance. “I was thinking about who you are. Your delicate point of view, I was thinking about you. I’m not worried about where you are, or who you will go home to, I’m just thinking about you.” From the second the song begins, to right when it ends, everything sounds so great. His voice sounds the best it has ever sounded in this song, it displays his vocals beautifully. It is almost hard for me to even put into words how amazing it is, just listening to the song can explain everything.


Top ten Super Bowl contenders:

As the start of the 2022-23 NFL season kicked off Thursday, September 8. It is time for Super Bowl contenders.
10. Miami Dolphins. The Miami Dolphins added some really nice offensive players this off season including WR Tyreek Hill, LT Terron Armstead, C Conner Williams, and WR Cedric Wilson.
9. Denver Broncos. The Denver Broncos are a serious contender for the Super Bowl this season; they added Super Bowl Champion QB Russel Wilson this off season from the Seattle Seahawks.
8. Cincinnati Bengals. The Cincinnati Bengals fell short of bringing home the Lombardi Trophy last season as they lost to the Los Angeles Rams, but Joe Burrow might be on a comeback season.
7. Las Vegas Raiders. The Las Vegas Raiders added number one wide receiver last season Davante Adams so he can team up with his college quarterback Derek Carr. They also added Pro Bowl Defensive End Chandler Jones.
6. Kansas City Chiefs. The Kansas City Chiefs lost wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the dolphins this off season, but they added former Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.
5. San Francisco 49ers. The San Francisco 49ers have been dealing with injuries the last few years, but they’re healthy and ready to go. They did lose their offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Deebo Samuel and Trey lance will have a special season this season making a run for the Super Bowl.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the GOAT Tom Brady on their team so they automatically are on this list, but they added wide receiver Russel Gage, and pro bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph.
3. Los Angeles Chargers. The Los Angeles Chargers have a really good shot to win Super Bowl 57. They added pro bowlers JC Jackson and Khali Mack. They have really good wide receivers including Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
2. Los Angeles Rams. The Los Angeles Rams have a really good shot to go back as they won Super bowl 56 in February 2022. They added WR Allen Robinson from the Chicago bears, but they lost WR Robert Woods to the Tennessee Titans. I think Cooper Kupp will have another Phenomenal year.
1. Buffalo Bills. The Buffalo Bills are a Super Bowl favorite this year by everybody. They have a top five quarterback in Josh Allen. They added pro bowler DE Von Miller this season and will help give the bills a chance to win the Super Bowl this year.
 
If you have any of your own opinions contact me at [email protected]


The Queen is dead:

As of 6:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. ET) Queen Elizabeth II was publicly announced dead to the public and she had died about an hour before the public announcement, but as of right now there is no exact time for her pronounced death.  “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” stated the royal family as they announced her passing.
World leaders all around the world have immediately started sending their condolences.
 President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine Tweeting His Condolences
“It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On behalf of the 🇺🇦 people, we extend sincere condolences to the @RoyalFamily, the entire United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over this irreparable loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 8, 2022
American President Joe Biden’s response of the queens death and her legacy
“Steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons.” He said the queen’s “legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world,” and pledged to continue “a close friendship with the king and the queen consort.”
Former President Donald J. Trump’s response to her death
“Our thoughts and prayers will remain with the great people of the United Kingdom as you honor her most meaningful life and exceptional service to the people. May God bless the Queen, may she reign forever in our hearts, and may God hold her and Prince Philip in abiding care.”
The British flag will stay at half-mast on this momentous day.


Why is skin color so important to people?:

Black, white, orange, blue, purple, red. All of these are just colors on the color wheel. No color is quite the same, but not a single color is better than another. Throughout history, people have discriminated against others based on the color of their skin. Why do we let history repeat itself? For years African Americans have not been given the same equal rights as White Americans. In my opinion, that is absurd and disgusting.
As an American citizen, everyone has all rights documented either in the United States Constitution or the Bill of Rights. So why is everyone not getting the same treatment? Today, society seems to look at what is on the outside and not the inside. As human beings, we all have a heart, lungs, eyes, and ears, but most importantly, a brain and feelings.
Some questions to ask yourself, if you are someone who is racist, would be:
What makes me having lighter skin better than anyone else?
How does the color of their skin affect me or what I do?
Why shouldn’t they be given the same opportunities I have?
Should I be looking down on this person because of the color of their skin?
On a personal note, I have a little cousin who was adopted this summer and he is African American. As my whole family is white, this does not change a single thing or affect the love and opportunities that we continue to give and will give to him throughout his  life. The heartbreak of it all is that as he gets older, we have to tell him that he could be at risk. Officers pulling him over and suspecting that he has committed a crime just because of his skin color, peers at school making fun of him because of his skin color, and telling him that he might not be offered the same job opportunities or be able to go to similar functions because of his skin color. Is this what the world has come to? Is this what America has come to?

“
I am white, but I see you, I hear you, I believe you, and I am with you through the frustration and pain.”


As a young white woman in America I could never, and would never, be able to compare my life to what African Americans and people of other ethnicities go through. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help, listen, and try to understand. Go to Black Lives Matter protests, donate to campaigns, ask them how you can help in any and every way possible. We are one United States of America, one society, and one world. Do not let unpopular opinions interfere with your beliefs and purpose for doing what is truly right.


The “Don’t Worry Darling” disaster:

The highly anticipated movie “Don’t Worry Darling,” releasing this year on September 23,  has recently been under excessive amounts of drama involving the cast as well as the director Olivia Wilde. Will the movie even survive this unfolding mess? 
According to Variety, the downfall of the cast all started when Shia LaBeouf was allegedly “fired” from the lead male role of Jack Chambers by Wilde because he was creating an unsafe environment due to his “method acting” and many cast members were uncomfortable working with him. One actress in particular, Florence Pugh, didn’t want to film vulnerable scenes with LaBeouf because of his past with abuse and sexual misconduct leading to being sued by singer songwriter FKA twigs. LaBeouf claims that this was in fact not the case and he dropped out of the film due to scheduling conflicts. 
Later in 2020 Harry Styles was revealed to replace LaBeouf for the role of Jack Chambers. Harry Styles fans were ecstatic to hear that he was finally getting his big break as a new actor, but people are skeptical because of a released clip of his acting that left many unhappy. Styles’s speculated relationship with director Wilde only upset people more. Recently fans have suspected they have broken up for reasons of the “couple” not standing together at the premier and the absence of Wilde at Styles’s concerts. 
The drama continued when a video Wilde made on August 19, 2020, for Labeouf had leaked. The Wrap states quotes from Wilde saying “You know, I think this might be a bit of a wake-up call for Miss Flo, and I want to know if you’re open to giving this a shot with me, with us. If she really commits, if she really puts her mind and heart into it at this point and if you guys can make peace — and I respect your point of view, I respect hers — but if you guys can do it, what do you think? Is there hope? Will you let me know?” Immediately fans were turned off by Wilde referring to Pugh as “Miss Flo” and assumed it to be a dis at the actress and invalidating her feelings. 
As the feud rumors were swarming around Wilde and Pugh, many noticed the lack of promotion that Pugh was giving this next big movie. It wasn’t a surprise when Pugh revealed that she would only be doing press at the premiere. Honestly, it was a surprise she even showed. 
The premier almost instantly took this situation to the next level when a video of Styles reportedly spitting on Chris Pine was  released. It quickly became an internet meme and marked itself a place in pop culture history. Buzzfeed News states that Pine’s rep was quick to respond with “Just to be clear, Harry Styles did not spit on Chris Pine. There is nothing but respect between these two men and any suggestion otherwise is a blatant attempt to create drama that simply does not exist.”
After everything, fans are hoping this movie knocks it out of the park despite the drama and mostly because of it. The first reviews for the movie coming in are not so hot, but I’ll leave it up to the public for this one.


Survey: What are you looking forward to most about this coming school year?:

As the school year begins everyone is prepping for the rest of the year ahead of us. I went and asked 25 students and faculty what they were most looking forward to this school year.

Naomi Brown: “Homeroom.”
Mr. Brum- “Getting to know my new students and meet the challenges of a new year.”
Mrs. Brundage- “Seeing what we will get to do in student council.”
Mr. Buona- “Watching their amazing minds grow”
Emmalee Carr- “Boyfriend Heath coming up for hoco.”
Ellie Carey- ” The cafeteria lunches.”
Mr. Carney- “Forging new relationships.”
Mr. Coates- “Getting to know new people.”
Angie Cressley- “Basketball cheer season”
Ellie Curtis- “Seeing all of my friends every day.”
Sadye Dyne- “More football games.”
Maddie Goodwill- “Finally not being a middle schooler.”
Andrew Harney- “Graduating 10th grade. “
Roo Hellyer- “Sports.”
Luke Hurd- ” Track season.”
Porter Kafferlin- “Spirit week and hoco”
Tori Kinney-  “Volleyball.”
Wesley Kurlowich- “Welding.”
Nick Lesher- “Homecoming.”
Rylee Nickerson- “This coming volleyball season.”
Mr. Potocki- “Getting to have the regular traditions we had before Covid.”
Aiden Trask- ” Hanging out with my friends.”
Parker Trask- “The end.”
Kyle Weisner- “Graduating 10th grade.”
Mr.Woods- “Every moment.”


Top 10 shows/movies:

I’m listing my the top ten shows/movies and my opinion on each. I picked TV shows because I am really into watching TV and I thought it would be interesting to see what I can come up with.
10. “Diary of a Future President” is an American comedy-drama TV series. It’s a good show because it tells me a lot about life and makes me think about how some people have been crazy but good at the same time.
9. “13 Reasons Why” is another good one. It’s sad because it makes me think about how other people have sad lives and you always have to think about not everyone’s life is perfect. Sometimes you have to put yourself in other people’s shoes.
8. “Riverdale” is an American supernatural-horror-crime-drama-TV series based on the characters of Archie Comics. I really got into this show because I understand how sometimes it is hard when people pass away and how bad it can hurt. I have realized that in my own life.
7. “Alexa & Katie” In this series a high school student is suffering from cancer and her best friend is always there for her. I have been blessed to not have that happen to me but I know kids and adults that have. It’s so sad because they can’t control it, but I liked watching “Alexa & Katie” because it showed me how grateful I should be to not have what some people have.
6. “Annie” is a 2014 American musical comedy-drama film. I haven’t watched it in a while, but I can feel for Annie. This movie has made me cry because of how she was treated.
5. “Tangled”  This is my childhood movie, so I couldn’t forget about it! I mean I don’t really know what to say about this one other than I used to love it. It’s such a sweet but sad movie at the same time.
4. “Home” Mostly, I love the song in this movie “Dancing in the Dark,” it makes me happy.
3. “He’s All That” I like this movie because it is true love and it shows that people that aren’t the best-looking can be the most caring and the sweetest, that’s why looks don’t matter. This also shows that sometimes there are friends that pretend to be your friend.
2. “Kissing Booth 1-3” This has always been my absolute favorite movie. I just love it so much and Elle is the prettiest. I just love them I don’t really have a certain reason they just are so great!
1. “Jane the Virgin” I love this show; it’s very creepy and interesting, but it’s my all-time favorite because it just is so great.


Top 10 Kanye Songs:

Kanye West is one of the most controversial figures in all of entertainment. I believe he is drastically misunderstood, but that is neither here nor there. Despite your personal opinion on Kanye and his antics, he is arguably the greatest hip-hop artist of all time and he makes outstanding music. It was extremely hard to narrow it down to ten, but these are my top ten Kanye Songs:
10. “Homecoming” – This is one of Kanye’s greatest story telling songs, talking about his home town. My personal favorite off of Grammy winning album “Graduation”. Also a marvelous feature from Chris Martin on this track.
9. “Through The Wire” – You can’t tell Kanye’s story without this song. The song really just shows how determined Kanye was with his music and I believe this is his best song off his great debut album “The College Dropout.”
8. “Gorgeous” – Kanye delivers a great rapping performance paired with a phenomenal feature from Kid Cudi on the hook.
7. “No More Parties In LA” – Kendrick Lamar hops on this song and delivers an all-time great feature just to get out performed by Kanye later in the song. Both performances were legendary and the song really tied the theme of the album together.
6. “Violent Crimes” – This is just a beautiful song with a great purpose. 070 Shake and Kanye present the songs messages about being a man and a father with powerful performances.
5. “Saint Pablo” – Kanye produces arguably his most meaningful rap performance of his career to pair with an angelic chorus provided by Sampha.
4. “Devil In A New Dress” – Kanye utilizes an amazing sample to tell a great story along side an outstanding feature from Rick Ross.
3. “Paranoid” – This is such a smooth sounding, uplifting song with great all around production. Paranoid is an intricate piece to the most influential album in hip-hop history “808’s and Heartbreaks”.
2. “Runaway” – This is the best song off of the greatest hip-hop album in history, what more is there to see. Wonderful production is matched with meaningful lyrics.
1.  “Ghost Town” – This is my personal favorite song and it’s easy to see why. It is an absolutely beautiful song with three outstanding features from 070 Shake, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Kid Cudi. Each artists pours all of their emotions into this song and it is perfect.


Steelers shock Bengals in wild week one win:

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a daunting task in front of them when they matched up against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals were last year’s AFC Champions. They were an explosive, exciting team, but they had their problems.
Their offensive line struggled last year, so they went out and spent a lot of money on it this off season. The Bengals looked like the favorite to win the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers, on the other hand, had a lot of problems. The Steelers barely made the playoffs last year with 10 wins and 7 losses. The Steelers offensive line and their run defense were their biggest problems the previous year. But they had an even bigger question once they entered the off season: Who was going to play Quarterback? The future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger retired, leaving the Steelers with a question mark at quarterback for the first time since 2003.  They addressed their run defense problems in free agency and trades, and improved slightly on their O-line. They signed quarterback Mitch Trubisky to a two-year deal and drafter quarterback Kenny Pickett out of Pitt. Trubisky was named the starter with Pickett the backup. Going into week one, everyone expected the Steelers to be 0 and 1, and that was not the case.
The Steelers started the game off defensively with a bang. After a Cam Heyward sack of Joe Burrow on the first play ran by the Bengals, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick picked off Burrow and ran it back for a 31 yard touchdown. This was fitting because the theme of the Bengals game was turnovers. The Steelers would force five turnovers, including four interceptions off Burrow. As a spectator, you wold expect this game to be a blowout, it was the complete opposite. The Steelers offense struggled to get into the end zone despite the  excessive turnovers from Burrow. The Steelers scored all 20 points in regulation off turnovers.
At the end of regulation, the Bengals were threatening. They got down to the goal line with minimal time left and failed to get it in but got new life from a penalty. They would score on a Jammar Chase touchdown catch on fourth down. The Bengals thought they had sealed the deal, all they had to do was kick a PAT. Well, it didn’t exactly work out like that. The Bengals long snapper was injured earlier in the game, prompting a back up tight end to sub in. The timing was just off enough for Fitzpatrick to make another splash play, blocking the PAT. In OT the Steelers would get into field goal range and Chris Boswell thunked the ball off the upright, giving the Bengals another chance. The Bengals got the ball and were set up for a long game-winning field goal. The long snapper was again an issue when the snap was way off target, prompting the holder to rush the hold and McPherson to miss the FG. The Steelers would again get into field goal range, and Boswell nailed the 53 yard game winner.
With week one all wrapped up, both the Steelers and Bengals have questions heading into week two. Pittsburgh will be missing TJ Watt for at least six weeks, a big blow for the steel city. Cincinnati will look for Joe Burrow to redeem himself after his atrocious week one start. The biggest takeaway from the divisional match up is that the AFC North will be an absolute dog fight. Must watch football.


Updates on Corry homecoming 2022:

Corry High School’s 2022 homecoming season is right around the corner and it looks very exciting. Homecoming is the most important time in the year for school spirit and the student council has worked together to create an exciting homecoming.  
The theme for this year’s homecoming is Old Hollywood. The dance will be on Saturday October 8th. If you are confused about what that might look like, it’s a time in Hollywood that falls between 1930 and 1960. This time period was considered the “Golden Age” for film and aesthetically pleasing fashion, movies, and music. The classes have been broken into different film genes. The seniors are noir (black and white), the juniors are horror, the sophomores are comedy, and the freshmen are western.                                                                     
Spirit week is one of the most popular, anticipated parts of homecoming and many people either love or hate it. Despite whether you like it, the days look quite interesting. Starting off with Monday, it’s wear your favorite pair of pajama pants. Tuesday is country club vs. country. Wednesday is Adam Sandler day, typically shown as a baggy t-shirt shirt and basketball shorts. Thursday is orange and black day to show school spirit, and Friday is color wars. The color for seniors is black, juniors are red, sophomores are yellow, and freshmen are, as usual, brown. Spirit week will take place from October 3-7. 
That is all that has been released so far about this year’s homecoming season. If you are interested in learning more or helping out go to the next student council meeting in room 66. Upcoming topics that the student council will be working on are: planning the homecoming parade for October 6 and pep assembly for October 7.


Greetings to Grubbs:

This school year our school hired a new middle school girls physical education teacher, Mya Grubbs, more known here as Ms. Grubbs.
Grubbs grew up in Sheffield, PA. Growing up she took part in several different sports, from competitive cheerleading to softball, basketball, and even volleyball. All during her high school career. During high school Grubbs also got the opportunity to take part in a co-op program with Abraxis that allowed her to help teach and coach kids. This played a part in how she fell in love with teaching and helping kids develop the skills to play the sports she once loved.
Before she began to teach here at Corry Middle-High School,  she studied at Lock Haven University, where she also took part in sideline cheerleading. Grubbs has one younger sister, who is currently studying physical therapy at Slippery Rock University. In her free time, Ms. Grubbs loves to ice fish when it’s cold, going on hikes, and of course, shopping. She also really enjoys the Harry Potter series, both movies and books.
Growing up her favorite class in school was PE class, which of course makes sense. And if she had to pick her favorite quote it would be, “Live every day like it’s your last.”
Ms. Grubbs says that she hopes to have a Golden Retriever one day, and that she would already have one, but “College isn’t really the right time to buy a dog. But hey, you do you.” Grubbs also says that if she had to choose one place to live, it would definitely be somewhere in the mountains.  Her dream vacation would be a camel ride through the Grand Canyon because that would be so much fun.  When I asked Ms. Grubbs what her favorite part of teaching here so far is, she said it would be when the kids come to class with a positive attitude and ready to participate. This is only her first year teaching, but she cannot wait to watch her kids succeed and participate in activities that they usually would not take part in.
I would like to thank Ms. Grubbs for taking the time out of her day to talk with me. And I hope that she has an amazing year here, and many more here in the future.


Meet new Vice Principal Ms. Brown:

This 2022 school year Corry Middle-High School has a new Assistant Principal and her name is Ms. Brown. Before this job at Corry High, Ms. Brown was a fourth grade math teacher for 20 years. 
Ms. Brown was born and raised in Harbor Creek, and she’s a husky alumni. She attended Gannon University for her undergrad, and Mercyhurst University for her master’s and principal papers. Her family consists of two sons whose names are Mathew, who is her oldest. Matthew is 20 years old, plus he’s in the Air Force. Her second son is her youngest, his name is Lance, and he’s 16 years old. Both boys attend Harbor Creek High School. She has two dogs and their names are Bentley and Lola.
Being at a new school even as faculty can be scary and intimidating. When asked, “What are you enjoying most about being here?” Brown replied that the people here are just so kind and wonderful. She said that the staff here is just so nice and welcoming. She compared the heart-warming atmosphere to home. 
When asked, “What made you want this job?” Ms. Brown said that she wanted a change in her life. She loved teaching math at North East, but after 20 years it was just the same thing over and over again. She wanted a challenge, and a change in her everyday routine. She also wanted to deal with an older age group when it comes to being in the education field. When asked what her favorite subject in school was, Ms. Brown said that it was science, and it was more an anatomy type of science because she loved when they would dissect animals and learn about their bodies. 
When asked what her dream career was as a child she said that she had wanted to do something with mortuary science, which consisted of being a funeral director and taking care of the deceased bodies. Her favorite book is the same as her favorite movie which is “Where the Crawdads Sing.” In her free time Ms. Brown enjoys working outside, walking her dogs, and redoing her furniture. Her dream vacation would be to go to Turks and Caicos. When asked what her favorite quote is she replied, “Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story.”


‘Anne of Green Gables’: An old book inspires a modern show:

“Anne of Green Gables” was originally a book (and later an eight-volume long book series) written by Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. The story is centered around an orphan girl named Anne, who accidentally gets adopted by an elderly sibling duo, and her struggles and adventures adapting to her new home. The book was phenomenal, although it is an older piece of literature and a bit difficult to read. The characters are crafted and created so wonderfully, and you really feel connected with them. The story just overall gives a comforting, old vibe and is was well-written. This book sparked many different shows, but only one truly stands out; “Anne With an E.”
“Anne With an E” is a Canadian show that first aired on March 19, 2017, starring Amybeth McNulty. The show takes a bit of a more darker turn when it comes to Anne’s past, but that only made it more accurate. This, in my opinion, was the best adaptation to the book. Its a very aesthetically pleasing work, and the casting was accurate; plus, they added a new character for queer representation. It was especially good that the cast was mainly younger children, unlike other shows that made them older than the actual story.
It is immersive as well as emotional, as the TV show takes the viewer on an adventure of friendship, family, trauma, love, and so much more. Both the book and show are worth trying, and I highly recommend them.


Corry senior ties school record for goals in a single game:

Senior Devin Graham recently tied the school record for goals in a single game in a win against Oil City.
Graham’s six goals were more than enough to beat the Oilers by itself, but two more goals were tacked on for a final score of 8-0. This was the first win of the Beavers season, but it was a good one. Now Graham and his team are looking to turn the tides of their season and have more games like this one.
I asked Graham how he felt prior to the game,”Excited because I knew this was one of our chances to win. I was pumped up.” I was curious to see how this effected the confidence of the team, and Graham said, “I think it helped us calm down. We have a young team, and now they can relax and play. It was fun to win.”
Graham is only one of two seniors on the team this year, with their starting lineup mostly made up of sophomores. My next question for Graham was about how he is enjoying his senior season. “It’s going well. It’s good to see our team improve as we go on. It’s encouraging.”
I asked Devin if there are any standout hard workers on the team other than him, he responded with, “Ryan Webb and Carter Linden. Ryan and I put a lot of work in together this summer, and Carter worked more solo. Both have been putting in the work and have been a huge part of the teams success.”
Lastly I asked Graham about his future plans after high school. “I am planning on going to college, but I’m not sure where or what I’m going to study. ”
Graham and the Beavers have a lot of games left in the season. They will hope to recreate this game, and keep on their winning ways.


Ambitious Ava:

This week we welcome our newest student Ava Piet! She transferred from Penn Hills High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Comparing Corry to Penn Hills, the change is drastic! At Corry Area Middle/High School, the graduating class typically has 100-150 students but at Penn Hill their graduating class is around 500-600 students. 
Of course Ava has not been here very long but here are the impressions she has picked up so far. She thinks the school is small and interesting. The school is welcoming but she has observed the drama amongst the halls. Her favorite class is English and favorite teacher is Mrs. Marsh.
She questioned the lack of bells while we switch periods and believes our school lunch is superior to Penn Hills. Her favorite food is tacos from Aztecka in Pittsburgh, PA.
Ava is very social within her friend groups and loves to crochet. At the moment, her favorite book is “Throne of Glass” by Sarah J. Maas. Piet believes her friends would describe her as sarcastic, funny, and caring (which are all supported by me)!
Her favorite colors are red, black, and blue. Ava has two pet birds. She has one brother and one sister. When Ava gets older, she would like to be an arson investigator. She plans on getting involved in the Spring Creek Junior Firefighter Program.
Let’s all make her feel welcome!


“Yellowjackets” scores its spot as a superior drama series:

“Yellowjackets” is a TV-MA, 10-episode drama-thriller that was created by Ashley Lyle Bart Nickerson. The show aired on Showtime on November 14, 2021. “Yellowjackets” stars Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Sammi Hanratty, Liv Hewson, and Courtney Eaton as a group of teenagers who are trying to survive after being involved in a plane crash, with Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Lauren Ambrose, and Simone Kessell portraying their adult counterparts. Ella Purnell, Steven Krueger, and Warren Kole also star in the drama. The series was also nominated for many 2022 Emmy Awards including: Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Melanie Lynskey as Shauna Shipman), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Christina Ricci as Misty Quibley), and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
In 1996, a New Jersey high school soccer team planned to travel to Seattle for a national tournament. Their plans get drastically ruined after their plane crashes deep in the Canadian wilderness, and the remaining team members are left to survive for nineteen months. The series follows their attempts to survive while also tracking their current lives in 2021. How far will the team members go to keep themselves alive? Find out by watching “Yellowjackets” on Showtime.
I binge-watched this series a few months ago and it quickly became one of my favorite shows. After finishing the series, I immediately longed for a second season, which has been predicted to be airing on Showtime within the first quarter of 2023. I am a huge fan of the intensity and ominous aspects this series brought to the table. While watching, I felt that there was never a dull moment. I was always kept on my toes, wondering how the team would handle and survive through certain situations. 
Another thing that I truly admired with this series is the absolutely incredible acting by all of the cast members involved. I can only imagine how much talent it takes to perfectly portray characters that have gone through the amount of trauma and emotional damage as their characters have. All of the characters are so different, but somehow the cast managed to play their unique characters in such a remarkable way. Additionally, I was very impressed with how the actors that played younger characters and the actors that played the younger characters’ older counterparts perfectly matched each other’s energy and further brought the character to life. 
In conclusion, I really enjoyed watching “Yellowjackets,” and I am very confident rating it 5/5 stars. I would recommend this show to mature audiences that enjoy horror, mystery, thriller, and drama when it comes to a series. I hope you all enjoy this series as much as I did.


What iconic mean girl you are based on your zodiac sign:

Aries (Mar 21- Apr 19)
Regina George from “Mean Girls”- Aries, you have the honor of being assigned the mean girl. Regina George is iconic for her confidence, passion, and fiery personality. This is you to a T. As an Aries, you are brave, confident, and a social butterfly. You are definitely Queen Bee material.
Taurus (Apr 20- May 20)
Big Red from “Bring it On”- Big Red is, as her name suggests, a big deal. She dominates, both on and off the cheerleading squad. Just like a Taurus, she is a self-disciplined person who craves control and power. She is a natural leader, stubborn and quick to confrontation.
Gemini (May 21- Jun 21)
Heather Chandler from “Heathers”- Heather Chandler is the top dog. Don’t let her appearance fool you: she is no ditz. In classic Gemini fashion, she is clever, conniving, and extroverted. Just like you, Heather Chandler is a party animal. She is very popular and social, but she always looks out for herself first.
Cancer (Jun 21- Jul 22)
Blair Waldorf from “Gossip Girl”- Cancers are known to be one of the most emotional signs. Blair Waldorf is a fiercely loyal friend, but won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to succeed. She is manipulative and “toxic,” but also very intelligent and even loving to those she deems “worthy.”
Leo (Jul 23- Aug 22)
Chanel Oberlin from “Scream Queens”- Chanel Oberlin is the definition of a Leo. Leos are often stereotyped as “self- centered” and Chanel literally has a whole posse named after her. In classic Leo fashion, Chanel is a confident attention lover, and lives for the finer things in life.
Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)
Jackie Burkhart from “That 70s Show”- Virgos are notorious for being materialistic perfectionists who hold themselves and those around them to a high standard. This describes the character of Jackie perfectly. She is an honest, high maintenance, emotional personal who will never settle for less.
Libra (Sep 22- Oct 23)
Jennifer Check from “Jennifer’s Body”- Libras are often considered one of the most social signs. Beneath that, however, there can lie deep insecurity. Jennifer Check is a person who needs validation to live. She constantly seeks attention from her peers. Similar to a Libra, she values her image and reputation.
Scorpio (Oct 23- Nov 21)
Rizzo from “Grease”- Rizzo is a different type of “mean girl”. She deviates from the preppy, blonde stereotype. Rizzo herself is an outcast, but she becomes a bully to avoid becoming a victim. Like Rizzo, Scorpios are known to be unique and mysterious. As a Scorpio, you stand out from the crowd and draw everyone’s curiosity.
Sagittarius (Nov 22- Dec 21)
Amber Von Tussle from “Hairspray”- Amber is the definition of competitive. She believes she is the best and is entitled to win the trophy, get the boy, and be the object of everyone’s affection. Sagittariuses are the same way. They are known to be cutthroat, competitive, and passionate.
Capricorn (Dec 22- Jan 19)
Sharpay Evans from “High School Musical”- Sharpay is fierce, smart, and aggressive, but above all, she is ambitious. Just like a Capricorn, she knows what she wants and goes for it. She is passionate, driven, and self-assured. Sharpay embodies an important aspect of Capricorns: she will do anything to be successful.
Aquarius (Jan 20- Feb 19)
Quinn Fabray from “Glee”- Quinn begins as a typical mean cheerleader, but throughout the series progresses into a sympathetic, kinder character. This relates to the Aquarian archetype, as they are known to be assertive, creative, and independent but sometimes project their insecurities onto others.
Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)
Gretchen Wieners from “Mean Girls”- Gretchen projects the image of a loyal best friend, but is deep down a very insecure and jealous person. Just like a Pisces, she is ruled by her emotions. She is sensitive and volatile. Pisces often rely too heavily on those around them, which is exactly what Gretchen does with Regina George.


‘The Little Mermaid’ live action casting sparks controversy:

We all know the tale of The Little Mermaid: it’s a classic Disney fairy tale about a mermaid, Ariel, who wants to be a part of the human world instead of staying in the sea, so she gives her voice to a sea witch in exchange for legs, before she meets and falls in love with a prince. Recently, there’s been lots of advertising for an upcoming live action adaptation of the animated movie, directed by Rob Marshall and expected to be released on May 26, 2023. Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel. This choice, however, would prove to be controversial.
There has been unrelenting criticism and hate buzzing all over the internet in response to the new Little Mermaid casting. These viewers think that since the original Ariel was white, the live action actress should be as well. Plenty of people think this casting isn’t realistic, but what’s realistic about mermaids and talking sea animals? Individuals also  argue that its okay to change other princesses races then, such as Tiana or Mulan. However, Ariel’s race isn’t vital to her character, unlike Tiana or Mulan. Their cultures are brought into their films frequently, which is why they shouldn’t be portrayed as white. Allow children who aren’t white to have representation and feel seen.
Another issue I’m having with the upset audience is their blatant racism. The amount of racist “memes” and “jokes” I have seen everywhere on the internet is exhausting and heartbreaking. There are so many far bigger problems in the world than a black woman playing Ariel. Halle Bailey is beyond talented and beautiful, and she absolutely deserves a chance in regards to this role.
On the other end of the spectrum, a new trend TikTok has risen. This trend includes parents filming their black kids watching the new Little Mermaid trailer. The reactions are nothing short of heartwarming, from happy, smiling kids to ones just watching in awe. I truly have no idea how people can watch these videos and have a problem with the new Ariel. Representation matters always.


A current snapshot of the 2022 college football season:

It’s that time of the year where every Saturday our day is taken up by the countless amount of college football games that are played. Whether it’s sitting at home on the couch watching, or at the game witnessing the live action plays, football season is a whirlwind of fun. Stated here are a list of the top ten D1 football teams this 2022 fall season based on records and points. 
10. Arkansas falls into the number ten slot, and they were previously ranked 10th so there hasn’t been a change in their placement yet this year. Arkansas’s record is 3-0 winning every game they’ve played so far this year, and they have a total of 920 points.
9. Oklahoma State is ranked ninth after previously being ranked eighth, dropping one placement. Oklahoma is 3-0 this season going undefeated. Their total number of points so far this year is 1,071 points.
8. Coming in at number eight is Kentucky with their record being 3-0, and yet again another undefeated team in the top 10 teams. Kentucky was ranked ninth but made their way down one spot being ranked now as 8th, and they have a total of 1,096 points this year.
7. Southern California fills in the number seven spot after being previously ranked 7th, so not much has changed for Southern California. They’re undefeated this season with a score of 1,197 points.
6. Oklahoma is ranked sixth and is undefeated. Oklahoma has a total of 1,257 points this season, and have remained ranked in the same spot since the beginning of the season.
5. To start off the top five college football teams Clemson is ranked fifth on the list. They’ve also had an undefeated season with a total of 1,268 points, and they’ve stayed in the same ranking place they were in originally.
4. Michigan fills the fourth spot with a 3-0 season so far. They haven’t decreased or increased in their rankings so far this year. Michigan’s total points so far this year are 1,364 points.
3. Starting off the top three Ohio State is ranked third, having a record of 3-0 this football season. Ohio State started the season off ranked third and they are continuing to stay in that spot at this time. Their points for this season are 1,473 points.
2. Alabama is ranked second with a record of 3-0, and a point amount of 1,492, starting off the season strong. Alabama was ranked second at the beginning of the year, and their ranking stays the same.
1. The number one college football team so far this season is Georgia. A record of 3-0, and a staggering total of 1,569 points so far this season. Georgia started the year off strongly ranked as number one, and they are continuing to stay there.


The big issue with MCU fans:

Love it or hate it, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is one of the most popular movie franchises right now. Since the release of “Iron Man” in 2008, the MCU has grown to introduce beloved characters like Thor, Black Widow, and Spider-Man to the big screen. These cinematic endeavors have put comic books on the map, and made comic culture more accessible than ever.
One shortcoming the MCU has been criticized for is a lack of diversity, especially a lack of well-written female characters. Since her debut in “Iron Man 2”, Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) people have claimed her depiction is misogynistic and hypersexualized. In recent years, Marvel has introduced more female characters who take a more active role in their own stories.
The turning point for women in the MCU was 2019’s “Captain Marvel,” the franchise’s first solo film about a female character. The film received mixed reviews, with some calling it an empowering feminist statement, others saying it was too shallow, and a large group who vehemently despised the film and everything it stood for. But why? Why was a superhero movie, received by critics and fans as average and unassuming, the target of so much hatred? The answer is, unfortunately, misogyny.
Fans of the MCU quickly “review bombed” the film upon its release, submitting poor reviews as a retort to the film’s feminist rhetoric. The biggest victim of this firestorm, however, was Brie Larson, the actress portraying the main character. Social media users blasted  Larson’s personality, calling her “smug,” “annoying,” and “arrogant.” Fans ridiculed her performance and her calls for diversity within the MCU. The situation was a disaster of epic proportions and truly sparked the misogynistic attitude plaguing MCU fans today.
After “Captain Marvel,” women seemed to take more initiative in the MCU. 2021 saw the release of the Disney+ series “WandaVision,” which focused heavily on Wanda Maximoff and her journey through grief and mental illness. Shortly after, the long-awaited “Black Widow” film premiered, following the titular assassin, and introducing new female characters like Yelena Belova. Both of these projects received some backlash from disgruntled fans, but it never reached “Captain Marvel” level.
Recently, the MCU has been adding and expanding onto their roster of female characters. New shows such as “Ms. Marvel” and “She-Hulk” feature female superheroes as their main characters. Ms. Marvel received an abundance of criticism, for varying reasons. Some had derogatory feelings about the main character, Kamala Khan, being openly Muslim. Others disliked the way the show was marketed to a more childish audience. But the biggest issue for many was the fact that Kamala Khan is a teenage girl who acted like one. This attitude did not improve with the release of “She- Hulk,” with many criticizing its messages about the female experience, and including references to Megan Thee Stallion and other female cultural figures.
Around this time, some MCU fans started jokingly calling the franchise the “M-She-U,” in reference to the uptick in female characters and feminist messaging. Some claimed that diversity was taking over the MCU, with references to Jane Foster as Mighty Thor, Shuri as Black Panther, and Kate Bishop as Hawkeye. While I could not find a conclusive statistic on women in the MCU, research has been done on the representation of women in comic books and superhero media. Only 26.7 percent of all DC and Marvel comics characters combined are female. Out of the 23 films in the MCU’s “Infinity War Saga,” only two were women-led. Natasha Romanoff, one of the biggest women in the MCU, has a total of one hour 33 minutes of screen time throughout the eight films she has appeared in, while Tony Stark has a whopping five hours and 21 minutes through his 11 film appearances.
All this is to say: women are not taking over the MCU. Sure, more women are leading films and taking up their own mantles, but Marvel still has a long way to go before becoming female dominated. Of course, it is okay not to like a female character. If you think Captain Marvel is cocky, or She-Hulk is annoying, that is fine. Female characters and the media they appear in are not exempt from criticism. In fact, with the MCU’s track record of female representation, I would encourage it! What is not fine, however, is hating a character simply for their gender. It seems self-explanatory, but apparently it is something that has to be said. In a universe full of underground organizations, hostile aliens, and unhinged sorcerers, is a few female superheroes really the most unrealistic concept?


Corry football secures its biggest win in recent memory:

The Beavers shocked the world last Friday when they pulled off the upset against Harborcreek. Corry dominated the Huskies from start to finish on both sides of the ball, ultimately winning the game 20-7.
The defense was pitching a shutout for a majority of the game until the Huskies cashed in on a garbage-time touchdown. Corry’s defense was showing out early and often. They forced a fumble on Harborcreek’s first drive, which was vital towards setting the tone for the rest of the game. The defense went on to force an additional fumble and Mason Savitz came up with a huge interception late in the third quarter. That interception really helped the Beavers slam the door and secure their first victory of the season after a rocky start to the year.
The offense was executing at high level as well, this was in large part thanks to the connection between sophomore quarterback Nolan Carey and junior wideout Rylan Smith. Smith stole the show with two ridiculous touchdown grabs that proved to be the difference in Corry’s big win.


Prejudiced people:

Everyone wants to be better than the person standing next to them whether they realize it or not. “What’s the harm in wanting a little bit of self-gain?” you might ask. When we let our myriad of prejudices get in the way, those simple preconceived opinions that quickly cross our minds can start to determine the outlook of our everyday life. So my question is, can we ever get over our myriad prejudices and misconceptions regarding other people?
I believe that no matter how hard we try in life to ignore the hundreds of quick judgments and misconceptions, we can’t avoid having them cross our minds. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should just surrender to our rude thoughts and let them run rampant. It’s just that there really isn’t a way to not judge someone quickly because we are all wired to be quick to judge and to only believe what we want to believe. Just because someone doesn’t have the nicest clothes doesn’t mean that they’re some unintelligent, low-life kid. Just because someone looks grumpy doesn’t mean they can’t be the sweetest and most caring person. Take me, for example. People always tell me not to look so grumpy as I walk down the hallway or walk to my mom’s car because they know that I’m a nice person, I just appear grumpy. And just because someone dresses cool, acts cool, and does “cool” stuff, does not mean that they are someone you should look up to. By listing a few of the thousands of examples on people’s prejudices and misconceptions, you might be sitting there realizing how many of these you are actually a part of. No one even thinks twice anymore when they’re walking down the hallway or are walking in a grocery store and they see someone and automatically slide them into one of their many “categories” of who people are. As Americans, and people as a whole, we should be ashamed of these behaviors. It’s not fair to immediately judge someone just for their appearance on the outside. Like many wise people have said before, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Although my opinion about how we can’t truly get rid of our copious amounts of quick-judgement thoughts isn’t going to change, I do believe that if we all practiced being more forgiving, we would see an enormous amount of change in the demeanor of humanity. For example, instead of seeing someone’s outfit and putting them into the unpopular chart, stop and think for a moment about how you don’t always have the most stylish clothes on either. People need to learn to have grace and understanding. Although mankind will never stop having prejudicial thoughts on each other, if we all worked a little harder to be a kinder, less judgmental people, the world would be a much happier place.


The 2022 Homecoming Court:

On Tuesday, the homecoming court for the 2022 school year was announced. The senior class voted on six king and six queen candidates to represent our school this homecoming season.
The 2022 homecoming king nominees are as follows: Jonathan Albers, Tony Brutcher, Nathan James, Wesley Lover, Ashton Mineo, and Cole Nickerson.
The nominees for homecoming queen are: Gweneth Adams, Isabella Burrows, Lakota Donaldson, Tayler Elchynski, Brilie Tasker, and Peyton Wilkinson.
The court was responsible for choosing a fellow court member to escort them at the pep rally and parade. The pep rally will take place during 6th period in the East Gym on Friday, October 7. The court members will walk the gym together while their biographies are read. The highly anticipated homecoming parade will begin on Thursday, October 6 at 6 pm. The court members will be riding in a top-down vehicle with their escort, complete with decorations. Be sure to attend to see all your classmates and hopefully get some candy!
Our 2022 homecoming king and queen will be crowned at the homecoming game on Friday, September 7. Kickoff begins at 7, and the coronation will begin at halftime.
Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees this homecoming season! Students, be sure to vote for a king and queen to represent Corry this homecoming season!


“Ugly Love” a heart-wrenching novel:

“Ugly Love” is a novel by Colleen Hoover. Colleen Hoover is a 42-year-old author who has recently risen to the top of the writing industry. Hoover was recently named the “Best Selling Author,” and ” The #1 Sunday Times Best Seller.” Hoover first started writing in November 2011. Her first novel “Slammed” was published in 2012 and a “New York Times Best Seller.” Since then Hoover has published 39 novels. Her best sellers being “It Ends with Us,”  ” Hopeless,” “November 9,” and “Ugly Love.”  Hoover focuses on  young adult fiction and romance.
The heart-wrenching novel  “Ugly Love” came out in 2014. The novel tells a story about Tate, a 23-year-old nurse, and a student who has no time for relationships. Tate recently moved in with her brother Corbin until she has the money for her own place and Corbin’s best friend Miles, a secretive airline pilot scarred from a tragic heartbreak years ago. The story definitely throws you through a loop, as there is a whirlwind of events that take place involving all the characters of the story. I would definitely say that this one is a tear-jerker.
Hoover does an magnificent job covering all the details of Tate and Mile’s relationship, and truly gets the meaning of the novel across. Hoover did state that the true meaning of the story was “to show how much love can hurt and how much loving someone can cause so much immense pain,” which is definitely expressed through out the chapters.  I would personally rate this novel a 4/5, and it is definitely one of my favorites so far.


“The Black Phone” a new horror classic:

Recently, horror movies have been coming out like hotcakes, but only some of them caught my eye. “The Black Phone,” released on June 24, 2022, was one of them. 
“The Black Phone” is a horror/thriller that’s set in 1978 based on a Joe Hill story. It follows the character Finney, a shy and vulnerable boy, who frequently gets bullied at school. His sister (Gwen) and friend (Robin), are his only outlets. The town has been under immense distress because of the disappearances of young boys around the town, including the disappearance of his friend Robin. The one thing that the cops find at each spot of the crime scene are black balloons. As Finney walks home from school one day, he runs into a strange man, but it doesn’t take him long to realize it was too late and he was now a victim of the one and only, “The Grabber.” Waking up in a strange cement room with little to no escape routes, Finney’s only hope is a disconnected black phone hanging on the wall, with past victims communicating on the other line, and his sister who has vivid dreams of The Grabber’s attacks and whereabouts. Warning for readers: this review will have spoilers so turn away now and come back later if you haven’t watched. 
The first thing I would like to recognize is the fresh face on the screen, Mason Thames. I thought he did an incredible job, especially for being so young and this being his first big role. I genuinely appreciate seeing new actors hit the screen because then I feel like the viewer can fully experience the story that is being told without being blinded by star-power. You never think something will happen until it’s you. Thames’ emotion through Finney really showed that his character was shocked, frozen with fear. I imagine this is what it would realistically be like for someone in that situation. Not only applying to scenes with The Grabber but also with his vanquished relationship with his father. The thing about this movie that is so striking yet tame is the fact that everything that happens for the most part is grounded. The foundation of the movie feels so realistic like an actual story about someone who could truly be real. For the audience that could make it all the more emotional. 
 On the other hand, Ethan Hawke sent a chill down my spine with his rendition of The Grabber. From the way that he spoke to his posture. In one interview, Hawke describes working with Scott Derrickson in the past saying, “You know working with Scott Derrickson..um..I was interested before just to get an email from him that I was on his mind to maybe collaborate with again..um…Sinister was a special was a special movie in my career it was really challenging performance…it kind of awaken my love of genre movies..I don’t really like playing villains I don’t really like inviting that kind of evil into my imagination…but I read this script and it was so beautiful the kids journey was so beautiful and I could kind of see how this might be something new and different for me and I could contribute in a different kind of way.” A detail that I noticed about The Grabber I personally thought was incredibly scary was how the mask facial expressions would change depending on what the grabber’s intentions were, for instance how The Grabber had a frown when he waited atop the stairs for Finney. The acting in this movie was truly striking to me, and I think what made Hawke’s performance so good and frightening was the fact that The Grabber is and could be a real person. 
Relating back to what Hawke said about Finney’s story and how he grows as a character, as scary as the plot was, it really warmed my heart to see him progress into a more confident and content person. I really liked the comparison of Finney in the beginning walking through the hallway being a “nobody,” but after his experience being able to break through and have confidence in himself.  The scene that spoke out to me was at the end when Finney reunites with his father. I think in that moment his father realized that he needed to be there for his children because they were all each other had, and drinking and mourning over the loss of his wife was not going to ever give closure. Not only for him, but for his children suffering from his aggression. I would at least hope to infer that he accepts Gwen for her gift with dreams even though that is what he thinks destroyed his wife. 
One thing I noticed about “The Black Phone” was its similar cinematography to “Sinister,” another great Scott Derickson film. When certain scenes would cut to a film effect I instantly got chills because it reminded me of those “Sinister scenes.” The scenes with the film were so paralyzing because you want to help the kids so badly but there is nothing you can do. I connected the fuzzy static sound to when you are in a dream and you’re screaming but no one can hear you. A jump scare I thought was well done that had amazing cinematography was when Finney was on the phone talking to a previous victim when he shines his rocket flashlight in the corner of a room to be met with the victim on the other line levitating off the floor. This was one of the best scares I’ve had in awhile and the way the camera followed the flashlight and then spotlighted the victim was frightening. 
I would give “The Black Phone” a 5 out of 5. It felt like a story not just a movie and the entire time I was rooting for the characters. I thought this movie taught a really good lesson to not take life for granted and to not underestimate yourself because you’re more powerful than you might think, all you need is confidence. Another reason why I enjoyed this so much is because it reminded me of “The Haunting Hour” and “Goosebumps” if it was more mature. This is without a doubt a new horror movie classic in the books. I wouldn’t even be opposed to a prequel about the grabber in the future.


College and career fair to be held on September 28:

On Wednesday, September 28, the college and career fair will be held in the East Gym during a two hour window from 8:30 to 10:30 am. This is a free and easy way for students to get information about different colleges, trade schools, and military options. Students will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from different organizations, receive brochures and other information, and sign up for updates and news alerts.
There will be 55 different schools, businesses, and military organizations in attendance. Students will have the chance to learn about these different schooling and workforce options by visiting the individual tables within the gym. Some of the organizations in attendance include the Great Lakes Institute of Technology, Mercyhurst University, Corry Manufacturing, United States Army, and more.
The planned schedule for the day is as follows:
Seniors: 8:30 to 9:20
Juniors: 9:25 to 10:05
Sophomores: 10:10 to 10:30
Be sure to attend school on September 28, as the college fair is educational, informative, accessible, and free. This is an important and unique opportunity that you will not want to miss!


‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’: Disturbing, disrespectful, dark:

**Content warning: “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is rated TV-MA
“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is a documentary show that was released on Netflix on September 21, 2022. Of course, its based on the story of the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, but also told through the eyes of his victims and their families. Evan Peters was cast as Dahmer and, due to his fame, this has caused a plethora of hype and anticipation for the series.
The first thing I’d like to acknowledge is how Evan Peters portrays Dahmer. Peters is a phenomenal actor with plenty of range, and this factor really presents itself  in his latest casting. Peters was extremely fitting for this role, as he truly captures the disturbing and awkward personality Dahmer had and expresses him quite well. The only issue I find with the casting is the fact that Peters is a popular actor in terms of attractiveness, which has led some people to make gross comments about finding his role as the killer “attractive.” However, I think if anyone could’ve played him, it was definitely Peters; he was a perfect choice.
Another element I didn’t like about the documentary was how they made it seem like Dahmer and one of his victims, Anthony Hughes, had a cute relationship leading up to his death. The writers make this long story about Dahmer and how he met Hughes, but its very romantic and gives the pair chemistry. I found this uncomfortable and odd, considering Dahmer brutally murders this man. Any relationship they had was not cute or romantic. They paint Dahmer as the first guy to not care about Hughes’ deafness, but Dahmer was an evil, vile person who is undeserving of being shown in such a light. It felt disrespectful, frankly.
I did, however, find it quite interesting how they gave the perspective of people around Dahmer, such as his neighbor, family, and the victims and their families, and police incompetence. When it comes to true crime, I strongly believe the victims should be who is focused on, not the perpetrator(s). Its just a factor of respect and decency. The pain and suffering Dahmer has caused should be more acknowledged and focused on rather than him and his deranged life and mind. The episode focused on his neighbor is fascinating, since its rarely seen. My favorite part of the series was the writers exposing the police for their incompetence and constant mistakes. So many times victims could have been saved if only the police in the case did their job.
Overall, I found the show well-written and executed but honestly distasteful and disrespectful in some aspects. Not only that, but lots of scenes made me feel sick and highly disturbed. It is graphic.  Dahmer is a person who deserves to be forgotten and I’m unsure how I feel about Hollywood profiting off his horrific crimes and re-traumatizing the still living families of the victims. Rating: 3/5 stars.


The Festivities of Fall, a poem:

Carving pumpkins with your lover
Then taking strolls down the leaf-covered streets
Covered in the perfect amount of layers to keep warm
While decorating the house in beautiful fall decor
 
Sipping fresh cider
While munching on pumpkin treats
Watching football games under the lights
Then enjoying the rest of the night by the bonfire
 
Wrapped under layers of blankets
Binging classic Halloween movies
Raking the crisp leaves
Before carelessly jumping into the piles


Poll: What is the most anticipated homecoming tradition this year?:

As homecoming season approaches, there has been a lot of talk about all the different fun traditions to look forward to. These events include the homecoming football game, the homecoming formal dance, spirit week, the homecoming pep rally assembly and the homecoming parade. Because of all the excitement that has been building up for the last couple weeks, I have decided to conduct a survey on 60 high school students to see what the most anticipated homecoming event is this season.
To begin, I walked to multiple classrooms to see what students had to say about their favorite homecoming traditions. Many of the students had a hard time deciding on what they were anticipating the most because of all the different things to be excited about! Although there were many differing answers to this survey, there is one tradition that is the most anticipated for by the CMHS student body. 
If you guessed the homecoming football game, you would be correct! The homecoming football game won with 19 votes. However, spirit week happened to be a very close second with 17 votes! Additionally, the event winning third place is the homecoming parade with 10 votes, in fourth place is the homecoming pep rally with eight votes and in last place is the homecoming dance with only six votes. Although the homecoming dance seems to be the least anticipated event, that does not mean there still are not people excited to attend it! Isaac Morningstar, junior, says that he is excited for the homecoming dance because he wants to “see what everyone is wearing to see if they are hot or not!”
In conclusion, this survey shows that the most anticipated homecoming tradition this year is the homecoming football game. Furthermore, all homecoming events start on Monday October 3. I hope to see you all having fun participating in your favorite homecoming tradition!


Avery’s Pawsitive Change charity night:

On Tuesday, September 27, the Corry volleyball team held their annual charity night. This year’s charity chosen by seniors Tayler Elchynski and Lakota Donaldson was Avery Sontheimer’s organization Avery’s Pawsitive Change.
Avery is a sophomore at Corry High who has been fighting Ewing’s Sarcoma for the last two years. She decided to form an organization called Avery’s Pawsitive Change that helps animals at local ANNA  shelters. This foundation is close to her heart because she loves animals so much, and in her future she hopes to open up a veterinarian office here in Corry.
Elchynski and Donaldson chose this charity because it is a very popular organization, and it’s a great cause. Her organization makes a great impact on the Corry community. Since Corry volleyball is a great program, they wanted to shed publicity on her goals for her organization.
That night the theme was a pink out in honor of Avery. The team had special t-shirts made that said Avery’s organization on the front in bright pink lettering. At the volleyball game Avery had a table set up to collect donations from spectators. There were 50/50 tickets that could be bought, and there was a cash prize. There were also raffle tickets with a basket filled with pet items, cash, and lotto tickets. The winner of the raffle basket was Jessica Chase, and Missy Turben was the winner of the 50/50 tickets. Turben kindly chose to donate her cash prize to Avery’s Pawsitive Change. There was over $1,000 raised for Avery’s organization that night.
The Corry Lady Beavers swept the Fairview Tigers ending the night with a 3-0 win.


Mental health matters!:

Dear reader, 
You will not feel this way forever. It is only temporary so do not worry. Take time for yourself to grow. Putting in the work will be hard but you can do it. 
If you need to let people go for a certain amount of time or forever, then do that! You are doing what is best for yourself. That is nothing to be guilty for. You cannot love other people until you love yourself. 
Low moments are bound to come but you will always get out of them. It can take some time, but you can do it. Some have more severe issues than others but that does not make what you are going through less important. 
No matter what you think, there are people that care about you. There are people that are going through the same thing. Some have even gotten out of it! Which just proves that you are able to heal. 
You are not an obligation. You do not have to be “fixed.” Explaining yourself is not “making up excuses.”
People will break you, but never leave it up to them to fix what they did. They will ignore it and let it worsen. You must step up and heal yourself. If they fix it, the second they leave, it will break again. 
You are not weak. There is a difference between feeling weak and being weak. You are only feeling weak. You are here, which is strong. You are moving on, which is strong! 
Reach out for help, please. There are resources available and people who want to help. 
YOU ARE LOVED!
Resources:
Erie County Crisis Line: (814)-456-2014
Suicide Hotline: 988
 
P.S. If you would feel more comfortable, you can always talk to me. My school email is [email protected] and I’ll give you my number to talk!


Pujols etches his name in history:

Albert Pujols has been one of the best generational talents the game of baseball has seen in recent history. Pujols’ age has not treated him well, but he was still able to hit one of the most impressive milestones. The 700 home run club. Only three other players in MLB history have reached the 700 homer milestone, and they’re arguably the greatest to ever live. Pujols joins Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds in the 700 club. Let’s take a closer look at Pujols’ magical final season.
Pujols’ announced before the season start that this would be his last. He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, his former ball club where he had most of his success. Everyone wondered if he would get the 700. He started the season at 679, which means 21 was the magic number. He hit 17 homers in 2021, so he would have to step up his game to make history. He hit the bulk of his season total in the second half. He hit his 699th and 700th in the same game to join the all-time greats in the 700 club. Pujols will go down as one of the best to ever do it. If the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series, Pujols’ storybook ending will be complete.


Survey: Who would you cast to play you in a movie about your life?:

I think it’s safe to say that most of us probably fantasize about our life being a movie. So I thought it would be a fun idea to ask people who they would want to play them in a movie about their life. Most people had to think about their answers, but there are some pretty interesting ones.
Mr. Woods – Patrick Stewart
Briley Vanderhoof – Adam Sandler
Lauren Thomas – Nina Dobrev
Kieran Graves – Meagan Fox
Carter Slocum – Harry Styles
Hunter LaSalvia – Ryan Reynolds
Carson Meredith – Keanu Reeves
Maddy Braswell – Dwayne ¨The Rock¨ Johnson
Mr. Potocki – Kevin James
Aiden Williams – Arnold Schwarzenegger
Lucas Baker – Ryan Reynolds
Mr. Buona  – Denzel Washington
Mr. Carney – Chris Hemsworth
Sydney Mineo – Sadie Sink
Liz Colwell – Blake Lively
Kyla Frisina – Patrick Dempsey
Keira Knight – Keira Knightley


Carefree Cameron:

Cameron Jay Brown is a sophomore who attends CAHS. Brown was born on June 21, 2007 (15 years old), and he grew up in Jamestown, New York. Also, he has four siblings, aged 18, 22, 23 and 25. When Brown graduates high school, he would like to pursue a career as an EMT. 
As of currently, Brown does not play any sports, but he does enjoy watching TV. In fact, his favorite movie is “Home Alone.” Additionally, Brown’s favorite color is orange, his favorite food is nachos and his favorite emotion is happiness. 
Similarly, his biggest pet peeve is when people chew with their mouth open. When asked where he would want to travel next, he says, “I want to go back to New York City, especially during Christmas and New Year’s.” However, when he was asked what his dream vacation would be he said, “somewhere nice and warm.” 
If Brown was an animal, he says that he would be a parakeet because he is loud. Furthermore, Brown’s idea of a perfect date is sitting at home during the Christmas season, watching Christmas movies with a burning fire and drinking hot cocoa. Also, his favorite class is early childhood development because he likes to play with the kids. 
To conclude getting to know Cameron Brown, his favorite quote is, “Be careful who you trust. Salt looks exactly like sugar.” However, a quote that Brown would like to leave readers with is, “Put what really matters above anything else.”


Dance is one of the hardest sports in the world:

When you think of difficult sports, basketball, football, soccer, or track are probably some of the things that come to mind. I am here to explain to you that dance is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. 
According to Dance Magazine “…data found that the profession of dance scoured a 97 out of 100 for the overall level of physicality on the job. Dancers were placed above athletes and sport competitors who ranked at number three on the chart scoring a 90.4.” To be clear, I am not saying that other sports are not physically taxing because they most definitely are, but I’m explaining a sport that is commonly underestimated. 
Reasons why dance might not be considered difficult to people is because it’s underestimated. The first assumption that people make about dancers is that they are ballerinas who dance on their “tip toes” and “spin.” This is honestly insulting because it’s mockery at the true skill that dancers have. The memorization and knowledge that it takes to acquire all the terms in the dance world is insane, starting off with the fact that everything is in french. It’s highly impressive to be able to know an entire combination of moves in a completely different language. Anyone could understand other sports terms like “go long” for football, but no one in the room could even begin to understand what tombé-padeburé-jeté-means. If other sports are in English and are difficult, imagine the intelligence it takes to remember and understand directions in a different language. 
Not only is dance a sport, but it is a performing art. I don’t believe that there is any other sport in the world that involves the precision and perfection that dance does. While a dancer is performing, they are thinking about their lines, technique, facials, choreography, timing, stage presence, and team. Every single one of these things is being looked at by the audience and judges. For example if someone shoots for a basket in a basketball game and misses, it’s just a missed shot, you always have another chance to redeem yourself and win the game. Applying this to a performance in dance, if a dancer does so much as drop their leg early in an extension, that could be the last time they ever perform their routine again. Dancers have two minutes and thirty seconds to nail their routine and if they don’t, it’s game over. Another thing I would like to point out is you have to look pretty while performing some of the most difficult moves you will ever see. In other sports you could look as sweaty, worn out, or annoyed as you want, but while you’re performing on stage a dancer’s face has to match the song to which they are dancing, and points will be deducted if they don’t look good doing it. 
While performing choreography, your body must be strong enough and have the technique to hold and control your movement. To explain this, I’m to use a leg extension as an example. A leg extension is a move where you hold your leg out and it is positioned next to you as high as it can go. While performing this, the first thing you’re going to do is begin with your feet in first position. Next, the dancer will point their foot remaining turned out and it to piqué. Now, you’re standing on one foot with the other bent to point at your knee. To perform the extension you lift your leg while keeping your hip down to perform the right technique. I wanted to describe this to show the physics and technique that goes into one singular move.
The last thing I would like to point out is the judges. The people who are chosen to judge dance competitions are professional choreographers, Broadway dancers, and backup dancers. Therefore, they are judging ages under 18 by their own level of skill as adults. For a local comparison in Corry, PA, this would be like an Olympic diver judging the Corry swim team on their skill. Being a dancer also comes with having thick skin, because judges are tough and dancers are told horrific things like they’re too fat, skinny, tall, that their legs aren’t straight enough, or how high their relevé is will define who they are as a dancer. The teacher and choreographer are ultimately being judged as well because if the teacher creates bad choreography then their studio won’t win. 
Dance has been proven to even help other athletes through ballet. This art helps strengthen them and some famous sportsmen according to Reference.com who have participated in this are Lynn Swan, Herschel Walker, Rio Ferdinand, Steve Mclendon, and Ray Emery. I feel like showing that other sports use dance shows how much strength it takes to do it full time. So maybe next time you think that dance isn’t difficult remember that professionals are taking it just to help strengthen themselves. If I would want the readers to do one thing after seeing this it would be to respect dance because it is hard, if not one of the hardest, sports out there.


Top 10 shows that feel like fall:

It’s officially October, which means changing leaves, Halloween, and crisp days. At this time of year, there’s plenty of media reaching to capture the season’s spirit for marketing purposes. Today, however, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite television shows that put me in the fall mood.
10. “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” – Based on the classic comics, this show follows a teenage girl who is also a witch, and all the scary and supernatural witchcraft she gets herself into.
9.  “Gilmore Girls” – The two main characters of this show can always be seen in sweaters, sipping coffee, and pumpkins always surrounding them in their town Stars Hollow.
8. “Anne With an E” – Although this series takes place in all seasons, it just gives off such a cozy, country fall vibe. Its about a young orphan girl in the 1800s who gets adopted, and her struggles and adventures through it all.
7. “Stranger Things” – A group of kids have to take on the supernatural happening in their town after becoming friends with a girl with powers. The weather in this series is rarely ever warm and bright, taking on a cooler, creepier atmosphere that just screams October.
6. “The Haunting of Bly Manor” –  A creepy show centered around, as the name states, apparitions haunting a manor that a young governess arrives to.
5. “American Horror Story” – Each season is based on a new concept, but one thing is always guaranteed for each: horror. The show is dark, frightening, and frankly quite disturbing, but sure to get you spooked for the occasion.
4. “Scooby Doo” – Whether you’re watching the cartoon or live action versions, Scooby Doo is full of mysteries and monsters that are guaranteed to get you in the spirit
3. “The Munsters” – A black and white sitcom from the ’60s about a freaky family full of monsters.
2. “Buzzfeed Unsolved” – What originally started as a YouTube channel, Buzzfeed Unsolved is now on Hulu as a show. Two comedic friends get together and tell stories of true crime and the paranormal and even get down to some in person ghost investigating.
1. “Over the Garden Wall” – A charming, vintage-styled cartoon about two brothers getting lost in what feels like a fantasy forest after going over a garden wall. The autumn setting, classy and original music, and heartwarming story of friendship and brotherhood is sure to capture your heart and get you ready for the season.


Corry football spoils Fairview’s homecoming:

Corry traveled to Fairview Friday, September 30, in hopes of spoiling the school’s homecoming game, and they did so in very dramatic fashion.
Late in the 2nd quarter, tempers flared after a personal foul on a Fairview offensive lineman, causing an uproar from the coaches and players on the Corry sidelines. Corry went into the locker room at halftime down 24-7 at the half, but the Beavers weren’t ready to back down.
Fairview would extend their lead with a field goal in the middle of the third quarter. On the first play in the fourth quarter, Corry linebacker Mason Savitz intercepted a pass from Tyler Corbin, returning it for a touchdown. Corbin would throw another interception on the very next drive, this time it was Corry’s Levi Ehrhart who made the play.
The Beavers would start their drive off with good field position and score a  touchdown on a 12 yard run by quarterback Nolan Carey. The Tigers went 3 and out and the Beavers regained possession once again. Now, late in the fourth quarter, the Beavers trailed 21-27.  Carey unloaded a deep ball to wide receiver Waylon Jackson to get them down to the one yard line. The Beavers would punch the ball in on a Wildcat direct snap to Savitz.
Carey would make the PAT, putting the Beavers on top 28-27 with around 1:30 left on the clock. The Beavers would kick an onside kick and recover the ball right in front of their own sideline. Carey kneeled out the clock to complete the Beavers comeback.
We asked head coach Jeff Goodwill what the game plan was heading into their matchup with Fairview, and he remarked, “…Big thing was to eliminate the big play. It killed us last week, and it killed us in the first half.” Coach Goodwill also explained that it was not just the coaches, but more so the players motivating each other towards their tremendous fourth quarter comeback.
This was Fairview’s homecoming game, so that gave Coach Goodwill and his team even more motivation considering the fact that Fairview actually played spoiler for Corry’s homecoming game last season. Finally, we asked Coach Goodwill what has changed about this team since the beginning of the season and he responded by saying, “Their preparation throughout the week has improved immensely. They are able to get ready and prepare a lot better week to week.”
We were also able to speak to Mason Savitz, Corry standout running back/linebacker, about the game. When asked about the scuffle late in the second quarter he said,”It definitely lit a fire under all of us.” He explained how the coaches’ energy helped keep the team fired up for the remainder of the game.
Finally, when asked how this win will impact the team moving forward, Savitz said,”Keep the physical mentality going into next week, and keep that same energy.”
Come out and support the team as they take on the North East Grape Pickers this Friday for Homecoming.


The pep assembly makes a big comeback!:

Here at Corry High School, we have not had an indoor pep assembly since 2020 due to COVID 19 restrictions. This year, however, the homecoming pep assembly is coming back in a big way!
This year’s homecoming pep assembly is set for Friday, October 7th in the East Gym during 6th and 7th period. Students can expect the return of classic homecoming fare, as well as new and exciting activities thought up by our student council.
As usual, students will be able to watch and participate in all the activities. Keeping with tradition, the assembly will be hosted by Mr. Potocki, who will explain the rules and point distribution to ensure everyone has a fair chance of winning. Students can look forward to a rendition of the alma mater by the honors choir, a set by the marching band, and a performance by the cheerleaders.
The homecoming court will walk the gym in formal wear with their escorts while their court questionnaire is read. This will be an opportunity to see our homecoming king and queen candidates, and get to know them a little better.
As for games, whatever friendly competition takes place will be a surprise! All four high school grades will be competing based on spirit week participation, banner design, and total points won. Who will win this year’s pep assembly? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: this festive event will put some pep in Corry’s step!
I would like to extend a big thank you to Ms.Carey, our student council, and all other students and faculty involved in organizing this event. Without these people, homecoming would not be possible!


The B E A V E R S show their pride:

During second period all students 6-12th went out to the football field and spelled out the word BEAVERS in honor of school spirit.
Spirit week is one of the most exciting parts of the school year at Corry High. On top of all the other festivities taking place this week, our school has decided to do something new. We have our traditions that take place every year, such as the parade, and our spirit week. Thursday, October 6 is the day we wear our orange and black, but this year Mrs. Hajec got permission from Mrs. Yetzer to bring something else into the festivities of this week.
Sixth grade was the B, seventh was the first E, eighth was the A, ninth was the V, tenth was the second E, eleventh grade was the R and the seniors were the S. Eight to 10 teachers were assigned to each letter so that the process went over a little smoother and be more efficient.
There was also people documenting it as well. Mr. Krasa and Mr. Potocki took pictures with the drone, and Mr. Woods’ media class filmed the experience.








Gallery|3 Photos




Beaver Tales Staff 
							Corry unites: 1019 students & 101 faculty & staff gather to spell out BEAVERS


Chemical pumpkins:

It’s finally Halloween, and I get to place my radioactive pumpkins out on the front porch. In case you’re wondering how they are radioactive, I dropped them into the ravine. Now let me tell you the story of how I retrieved my radioactive pumpkins.
Let me start by saying that in 1892 a chemical testing plant blew up near my house and filled the creek with Radium. The creek now flows with chemicals. Some other background information you might need is that pumpkins are really expensive here in the year 3005, and I managed to get twelve at an underground swap meet. I was so excited to put them out by my front porch step this year until the truck I was carrying them in opened up and they all ended up in the creek. Now, I know what you’re thinking, what the heck was I going to do? It cost me $4,000 for those pumpkins, and I was not about to let them go to waste. So, I put on my freshly bought hazmat suit and jumped into that creek. The only problem is, I tore a hole in the side and now my hazmat suit was filling up with Radium water, and that’s so dangerous! Luckily I was able to get it off in time, but I was still drowning in Radon. I was able to save just six of the pumpkins, which is half, so fifty percent.  I was so excited to chop them up into jack-o’-lanterns and get them outside. In the first one I carved the power plant as that is the beginning of my pumpkin story. In the second, I carved the dangerous creek with the pumpkins rolling into it, and in number three I carved me in my hazmat suit. For number four I carved me rolling in the Radon water, and for number five I carved my rescued pumpkins. In the sixth and final one, I carved them all carved on my doorstep.
I think it was a good idea, and I cannot wait for all of the trick-or-treaters to see my glowing, radioactive pumpkins this Halloween. I know that not only will they be surprised to see the borderline extinct vegetable, but they will also be excited to see that they’re glowing. I just hope that they don’t hang around too long because they will start glowing too!


Meet new teacher Miss Seggi:

Introducing Corry High’s new tenth grade honors English and history teacher Miss Seggi. Monday October 3 marked Miss Seggi’s first day on the job at Corry High. 
Miss Seggi is in her second year of teaching. She spent her first year at Fort LeBoeuf. She attended Fort LeBoeuf High School, and then went to college at Pitt Bradford studying English Education, and then at Fort LeBoeuf earned certification to teach social studies. She chose this specific job because it offered the things she was looking for, and it was a permanent position. Seggi actually applied for a job here but was told that no spots were open. Then this position opened up, and she had a connection that got her recognized, and her resume checked out to be perfect for this spot.
Miss Seggi chose to be a teacher because it is a simple and calming job and that’s what she was looking for. She loves working and helping children to shape them into their best selves. She loves that this is a county school, and that it’s tiny and quiet. Miss Seggi says that she is very excited to teach here because she has her own room and she can control what she teaches and does, plus she is ready to settle down here and start her teaching career.
In Miss Seggi’s spare time she coaches volleyball and basketball at General McLane High School, she enjoys watching TV, and going out to eat. Her favorite book is “Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls, and her favorite movie is “You’ve Got Mail,” a popular 1998 comedy. When asked about her family such as pets, and siblings she said that she has a dog and it’s black lab retriever mix named Pepper. She also has a brother who is 21, and his name is Lucas; he is studying at Akron College. Her dream vacation would have to be to go and visit Australia.
When asked about her favorite subject in school it was no surprise that she answered English since she is an English teacher. She likes how English is laid back and you read different books and articles of all varieties. And Lastly when asked what her favorite quote is she said it would have to be, “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”- “Dead Poets Society.”


Corry is keeping it cool with new AC installation:

Corry Middle-High School has been long overdue for an update in the AC department. Every year staff and students are exhausted from the heat and resulting unpleasant odor in the school.  Thankfully, this year Corry is investing in an AC unit being installed. This is one big step forward in the advancement of Corry High. 
Mr. Passinger  said this process will take about two years. Recently, the cafeteria has been in preparation for there to be makeshift classrooms set up in the back area. Disruption throughout the school is scheduled to begin around the third week of October, starting in the area between room 33 and room 47. During this time, classrooms are scheduled to be condemned and moved elsewhere, one place being the back of the cafeteria.
For this renovation there have been some mixed opinions. We decided to interview the teachers who are being affected first. Mr. Buona sounded positive and said, “Bring it on! The school is moving to more modern times,” and “it will be fun being moved.” He did voice his concern for the kids getting sidetracked though. 
Mr. Carney said, “Not too excited about it (the move) but the end result will be nice.” 
Mr. Potocki said, “It wouldn’t be as big of a deal if we weren’t online for the past two years.” Potocki added, “It will be worth it though” and hopefully money left over helps fund newer science labs. 
Lastly, Mr. Simmonson was “disappointed about the disruption” but “optimistic about how nice it will be.” 
Although the process is lengthy, it seems as though most people are excited about the upgrade. All in all, CAHS’s decision to finally install air conditioning is a big step forward for the facility.


Becoming a Dog Mom:

Throughout my life, I have always been surrounded by animals. Not a year has gone by where we have not had at least one pet. However, all of them have been family pets, which I don’t mind, but it felt like something was missing. I always wanted to experience the joy of cuddling with my very own furry friend. I was determined to finally get my own dog. My first obstacle was getting my mom to agree to a new pet. Thankfully, my mom is just like me, and all it took was one picture of some cute puppies for her to say yes.
A few weeks passed, and it was time to meet the puppies. At first, I felt disappointed, as there weren’t any dogs that stood out to me. That was, until, one puppy in particular caught my eye. She was small, and her entire head was covered in fluff. Her eyes were the color of honey, and her little black nose wiggled in the cutest possible way. The first time I held her in my arms, I immediately fell in love. The weeks leading up to taking her home were some of the slowest, and every day I grew more and more impatient.
Thankfully, the day came, and it was one of the best days of my life. We took our first ride home, and I couldn’t have been any happier. Of course, with any puppy, there comes a little bit of chaos, but her adorableness was worth the trouble. I decided on the name Amira, and she quickly took to it. It suited her perfectly, and I could not have picked a more perfect name. She was one of the happiest, funniest puppies I could have ever asked for, and to this day, she is always by my side and making me laugh. Amira is turning three soon, but it feels like just yesterday I was carrying her through the door for the first time.


Seasons:

Alike in sweet, sorrowful moments
The change in weather calls for thought
Each storm presents new components
Both seasons may leave us distraught
 
Spring and Fall
The flowers that were born, now begin the wither
The beginning and end of it all
I see you start to thither
 
The seasons contain hardships
Not any different than you and I
We close each other off like guard ships
I can feel you preparing your goodbye
 
Flowers cannot grow without rain
Love is not love without pain


Thirsty:




‘Hocus Pocus 2’ is a fun yet unsubstantial story:

The 1993 film “Hocus Pocus” has long been considered a Halloween classic. The film is well loved for its comedic, family friendly tone. The stars of the film are the iconic Sanderson sisters, Winnifred, Sarah, and Mary, played by Better Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy respectively.
This Halloween season, the Sanderson sisters returned in the Disney+ film “Hocus Pocus 2,” starring many original actors as well as some new faces. Given that the original is so beloved, the long awaited sequel garnered a lot of anticipation from fans. The film broke streaming records for the most views as a streaming original film in 2022. While the movie’s hype is undeniable, how did the film itself compare to the original?
The main appeal of “Hocus Pocus 2” is the return of the iconic Sanderson sisters, played by their original actresses. And in my opinion, they did not disappoint. The performances of Midler, Parker, and Najimy were by far my favorite part of the film. The trio returned with the same campy, comedic brand of evil that first charmed audiences nearly 30 years ago. The actresses fit perfectly into the reprisal, proving again that they were perfectly cast.
The new cast, however, left something to be desired. The main character, Becca, played by Whitney Peak, was a likable but one dimensional protagonist. Her best friend, Izzy, played by Belissa Escobedo, was played in a way akin to fan favorite character Dani Dennison, played by Thora Birch. Dani was a beloved character due to her witty personality and childlike curiosity. Izzy’s replication of this falls flat, and she feels more like the classic “best friend” character, used only to aid the protagonist. A new cast member I did enjoy, however, was Gilbert, played by Sam Richardson. I liked the idea of the Sanderson sisters having “fans” in the modern age, especially in the form of a well-intentioned occult expert.
My biggest critique of the film was its blatant use of “nostalgia baiting”. Of course, any sequel to a film must rely on its source material, but I felt that “Hocus Pocus 2” used its predecessor as a crutch rather than a source of inspiration. The plot was rather repetitive of the first film, and the deviations that were added felt out of place. Where the story fell flat, it often propped itself up with references to the first film. Most of the content pandered to the nostalgia of fans. Rather than tell a new, interesting story using beloved characters, the film seemed to say “Hey, the Sanderson sisters are back! Don’t pay attention to anything else!” The result was a bland, repetitive plot.
I want to make it clear that I believe sequels and remakes can be done right. Fan favorite media with loveable characters can, and sometimes should, be reiterated for a new generation. I think “Hocus Pocus” was the perfect story to translate into a new era, and the sequel could have been a classic. However, it felt at times like a cheap copy rather than a new iteration.
Overall, I would rate “Hocus Pocus 2” 3 stars out of 5.


Homecoming royalty:

On Friday October 7, during halftime, Mrs. Dow announced Corry 2022 homecoming King and Queen, Wesley Love and Lakota Donaldson.
To start off the royal halftime event each candidate lined up on one side of the football team standing arm and arm with their parents.
Corry High’s homecoming court consisted of John Albers who escorted Lakota Donaldson, Ashton Mineo who escorted Peyton Wilkinson, Nate James who escorted Brilie Tasker, Tony Brutcher who escorted Bella Burrows, Wesley Love who escorted Gwen Addams, and Cole Nickerson who escorted Tayler Elchynski. Corry High’s 9-12 grade students who voted chose Wesley Love son of  George and Jennifer Love as king, and Lakota Donaldson daughter of Sean Donaldson and Sophia Lattanzi as queen


Taylor Swift drops details on upcoming album, ‘Midnights’:

Famous singer Taylor Swift announced her new album, “Midnights,” to be released October 21, after winning Video of the Year at the 2022 VMA’s.
This will be Swift’s tenth studio album, with thirteen tracks. Her last two music releases were re-recordings of her past albums, so this album full of all new songs will please fans. Leading up to the album releasing, Swift has one-by-one released the names of all of the new songs.
Swift started a series on her TikTok account, which she called “Midnights Mayhem.” Every day until all the songs were named, a video would come out at midnight where she would be sitting in front of the camera, then answer a phone call which revealed different track titles.
Here are the track names to “Midnights”:
“Lavender Haze”
“Maroon”
“Anti-Hero”
“Snow On The Beach”
“You’re On Your Own, Kid”
“Midnight Rain”
“Question…?”
“Vigilante”
“Bejeweled”
“Labyrinth”
“Karma”
“Sweet Nothing”
“Mastermind”
There are many Taylor Swift fans here at the Corry High School who have some things to say about the new music releasing spree they will soon receive from Swift.
“I am most excited for ‘Anti Hero,'” says junior Cooper Slocum. “I saw a video saying how this song is her most vulnerable song, even more than ‘The Archer.'”
“I just know that Taylor Swift is a hit-making machine, and there will be songs off of this album that will stick with us forever,” Mr. Potocki said when asked his thoughts on the new album. Many others have this same opinion about Swift, and are also looking forward to the new album.
On top of Swift’s album coming soon, she has also been nominated for five MTV Music Awards. The more nominations and wins, the more streams and supporters for her new album. This will very much be in her favor. Fans have been suspecting her to surprise-release a single off of the album before October 21 due to even more hidden hints in her videos.
Taylor Swift really does have a hold on her fans, being the most streamed artist on Spotify in one day. A countless number of people are expecting “Midnights” to get the same audience feedback as the album that gave her the most streamed artist title.


Are the Dolphins still a top contender in the AFC?:

As the Miami Dolphins started on a 3-0 start, they’ve lost two straight, they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals on Prime time and they just got blown out by the New York Jets.
The Miami Dolphins started off hot beating the Super Bowl favorites the Buffalo Bills, and they came back 28 points to beat the Baltimore Ravens. Then the Dolphins started having injury problems, Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa got a roughing-the-passer call against the Buffalo Bills. He got up and started to stumble, so he went back to the locker room and returned at halftime, so the NFL went under investigation for the injury. He played in the Dolphins v Bengals prime time game and he got slammed down on the ground and go carted off the field.
They’ve also been dealing with even more injuries: WR Tyreek Hill has a quad injury, WR Jaylen Waddle has a groin injury, and CB Xavien Howard has been dealing with a groin injury since Week 3. T Terron Armstead has been dealing with a toe injury since Week 3, also.
In Week 5, the Dolphins play the Minnesota Vikings and rookie Skylar Thompson will get his first ever start at quarterback because Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater are dealing with concussion problems.


Top ten Halloween movies:

Over time, I have grown to love scary movies, especially during the Halloween season. Most of these movies are my favorite scary movies from when I started watching Halloween/scary movies, and I will continue to love them throughout my lifetime. But just because some of these movies are ranked lower doesn’t mean that I never enjoyed them. These are my top ten Halloween movies…
10. “Beetlejuice”
9. “The Shining”
8.  “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
7. “Trick-or-Treat”
6. “Hubie Halloween”
5. “Jeepers Creepers”
4. “Hocus Pocus”
3. “Terrifier”
2.” Halloween”
1. “Scream”


What are your ‘big three’?:

If you have ever dabbled in astrology, chances are you have heard someone ask, “What is your big three?” So… what does that mean? In astrology, the “big three” typically refers to a person’s sun, moon, and ascendant sign. Still confused? It’s okay, let’s break it down!
The sun sign is the most commonly used and easily identified of the big three. It is your “main” sign, if you will. This sign is identified based on your birthday. To find out your sun sign, you can simply look up your birthday and determine which sign it falls under. Your sun sign represents your identity, preferences, personality,and sense of self. It is a generalized view of who you are and how you function in the world. This is where astrological generalizations are derived, like “Cancers are emotional” or “Geminis are two faced”.
Moon signs are a bit more complex. To identify your moon sign, you need to know date and time that you were born. The more precise the better, because the moon moves into a different sign every 2-3 days. Your moon sign offers a sense of introspection. The moon regulates your inner feelings, emotions, and subconscious. While the sun sign represents basic aspects of personality, the moon sign explores unexpressed or hidden feelings.
The ascendant, also called rising, sign is also determined based on the time of your birth. This is determined based on what sign was rising in the eastern horizon when you were born. Your ascendant sign represents who you are on the outside. It governs how you are perceived by others and how you present yourself to the world. Some believe it can also control physical appearance and mannerisms as well.
This all may seem daunting, but with the help of the internet, calculating your big three is easier than ever! There are many astrological calculators you can use to find out your big three or even your full birth chart.


The kid was gone, a fictional tale:

It was four in the morning and John, the mischievous child, was walking around town after curfew. His father was Abraham Lincoln, the president in 1860. His father told him to make sure to follow the rules, but John did not follow the rules: he left the house with no one knowing.
He went down to the corner diner to see his friend, Craig, but Craig wasn’t there. John was confused. A few minutes later, there appeared a little black cat. The black cat was trying to tell John that there was a wreck down the road, but the cat couldn’t talk, so the cat and John were walking around together, and there was John’s buddy in the ambulance. He looked horrible.
They didn’t know what happened. A few hours later, John found out Craig died. Craig was his buddy who died in a car crash. Craig is remembered today because a statue was built of him because he did good things for the world.


Beautiful Mrs. Brown:

The school’s art teacher, Mrs. Mary Beth Brown, deserves more credit than she receives. Art is a critical way many people express their feelings and sharing that passion with someone who can help you expand your own abilities is important to many students. Not only does Mrs. Brown do this, she also gets to know her students individually and is very down to earth.
Born on March 31, Mary Beth Brown grew up in “that little rinky dink town” McKean, Pennsylvania and has three brothers and one sister who are 61, 60, 59, and 53, respectively. She attended Edinboro University, which is now part of PennWest. She always wanted to be a teacher and adored art; from here she put her two passions together and became an art teacher.
In her free time she spends time gardening, exploring trails around town, creating art, and before COVID hit she was on a roller derby team. Her first pick on a movie night would be “Steel Magnolias,” she explained that she loves it so much she got her daughter’s name from the movie and her favorite quote, “You know I love you more than my luggage” is from it. Mrs. Brown also shared that she adores musicals and “White Christmas” has to be her favorite but “Mamma Mia!” is a close contender.
Sharing a refusal to give up and the dedication to push through a problem, Mrs. Brown believes her personality is most similar to a honey badger. These critters can be seen fighting snakes in trees, eating straight out of a beehive while getting stung, and scaring off any bigger animals. Mrs. Brown loves the drive these little beasts have.
One of the easiest ways to drive Mrs. Brown insane is by lining up at the door before class ends. This is and has been her biggest pet peeve for a while. But she would like to leave the readers with the message: “Grab every moment when it presents itself because you may never have that moment again.” She also stated, “Don’t be afraid to take chances.”


Usage paywalls may soon impact computer performance for consumers:

We use computers every day for doing school work, messaging friends on our phones, and to playing video games in our “spare” time. You are most likely even using some form of a computer to read this article. So how would you feel if your technology, that you already own and paid for, was bottlenecked by a paywall, Whether it be for a particular use case such as networking or just the general speed of your computer?
Intel is considering doing so and they have made significant changes to the opensource Linux kernel to add support for paywalled features in future processors. Currently Intel is only targeting database/server grade processors, however, if Intel can make good profit margins on this “feature,” they would likely start including this in consumer processors and the rest of the consumer market would likely follow.
On the other hand this seems like a good idea to prevent the creation of e-waste. Even just the server space has quite a large amount of computers. However, this really isn’t going to help very much because lower tier performance processors are still going to be made and new processors will still replace older processors. Not to mention that no existing motherboards currently support this new standard for limiting processor performance and capabilities.
Luckily, Intel hasn’t introduced anything new in terms of capabilities of their processors, so if they do go this route the database/server and consumer space won’t be forced into it immediately due to the lack of any large improvement in processing speed or power efficiency.
AMD has not made any comment to Intel’s current plan as of writing this article. Hopefully the rest of the consumer market does not decide to follow in Intel’s footsteps. We can hope that this “feature” dies in the database/server space as it did in the consumer space back in 2010 when Intel tried a very similar move that didn’t catch on.


Corry Firefighters Fire Awareness Month:




The Beavers pick a win from North East:

Last Friday the Beavers recorded their second consecutive victory. Corry defeated Northeast 32-12, and this win was extra sweet considering that it came on homecoming weekend. 
Right before halftime Corry had a 13-12 lead heading into halftime off of Mason Savitz and Tony Brutcher receiving touchdowns. The Beavers started out the half slow, but the defense sparked the scoring when the Beavers blocked a Grape Pickers field goal attempt. Brutcher picked up the loose ball and carried it 95 yards to the house. The Beavers would make a stop and on the following drive Nolan Carey would break free, running for an 81 yard touchdown. Savitz would extend the lead to 32-12 after a pick 6. With the Pickers knocking on the door, Brutcher would secure the win with a pick that he returned 85 yards. The Beavers kneeled out the ball at the 15, securing the Beavers win. 
We were able to catch up with the Erie county football player of the week, Tony Brutcher, and ask him a few questions about the game. We started out by asking him what was going through his mind during the blocked kick return for a touchdown. He said, “It was very confusing because I didn’t know that I was allowed to return it until I saw someone sprinting towards me. Then I realized that I didn’t hear a whistle, so I picked up the ball and ran.”
Brutcher was unable to be with the team at halftime because he was participating in the Homecoming festivities. We asked how he was able to adapt without being in the locker room, he said, “Coaches did a great job of explaining adjustments and it was easy to get back into the groove of things.”
Lastly, we asked him how the emotions were after big homecoming win, he replied, “I was just super happy we won, that was the only thing I was concerned about the whole time. I know I made a couple of big plays, but I was just super happy with how our defense played and I was just grateful our guys got the win.”
The Beavers play at Girard this week, hopefully spoiling their homecoming to keep on winning.


‘Smile’ made me frown:

“Smile” is a new horror film that hit theaters this September. It’s about a curse that haunts Dr. Rose Cotter with the fright of seeing illusions of others with smiles on their faces. This curse is passed on through the act of seeing her brief patient commit a gruesome suicide in front of her flashing a chilling smile. Throughout the film, Dr. Rose struggles to find a way out of this grinning curse. This will be a spoiler-free review, so this will not contain any specific details from the movie. 
The cinematography of this film was impressive. I don’t know if I was just reading into it too much, but scenes with the camera shots upside down really caught my eye. I related that to the symbolism of what could be a metaphor of a frown. A specific scene shown in the trailer for “Smile” was of a camera panning across a hospital hallway and revealing an alarming shot of a patient sitting up, smiling. This would not have been nearly as scary or interesting without that shot, so I appreciated that. If I could give one critique to the cinematography I would add more depth to the scenes with the smileys (the people who smile) so the camera is more focused on them as a subject. 
I was honestly let down by the plot of “Smile.” When I’m watching a movie I don’t want to feel like I already know what’s going to happen next, and that’s exactly how I felt. Not once was I necessarily shocked at anything the characters did; it was so predictable to me that I didn’t really feel scared, or remotely interested, at points in the movie. If I were the writer I would have suggested putting more surprise elements. 
I always want to root for the character in these situations, but I didn’t find any of the characters likable. In my opinion, none of the characters made smart decisions the entire film, and there was plenty of opportunity. The only character that was even remotely likable was Rose’s ex-boyfriend Joel, and they didn’t even elaborate why their relationship ended in the first place. 
I was really impressed with the title reveal in the movie because it was something I’ve never seen before. It was “Smile” flashing in red and black, getting closer to the screen with intense sounds. The sound effects and the alert were the most interesting parts of the movie, though. Audiences didn’t get that alarming vibe throughout the rest of the movie, unfortunately. My biggest pet peeve was when the credits rolled and they played “Lollipop” by The Chordettes. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t like when movies play old upbeat songs after a scary movie. 
“Smile” was an okay movie for me. I can see why people are hyping it up and saying it’s scary, but it’s just not for me. I would give “Smile” a 3 out of 5, it was definitely something that I think people would enjoy and think was scary and even though it wasn’t my cup of tea, I would still recommend others watch it.


Students walk the red carpet into HOCO 2022:

On October 8, 2022, in the East Gym in the Corry Middle-High School the student council and Mrs. Carey held the annual Homecoming dance with a theme of Old Hollywood.
Not even minutes before the dance started there we already lines of people dressed in fancy and suited dress clothes and others in gorgeous dresses just waiting for their tickets to be checked and to be let into the dance. Upon entering the doors all of the students of Corry saw the decorations. Huge single displays scattered throughout the area of where the dance was being held just for students to capture the moment within the hundreds of videos and photos taken that night. Stars with the names of every person who attended the dance adorned the walls and tables were arranged for people to rest after having hours of fun, or during the fun for a quick break, and then getting right back into the party.
Almost the whole school attended, everyone seemed to have smiles and joy on their face besides the usual injuries that stopped parts of the dance for a few moments or the occasional drama that occurred.
Groups were partying the whole night and couples were enjoying the time they got together and everyone danced the night away until the time hit 10 pm and the dance came to  an end. Everyone slowly made their way out of the dance while collecting their scattered belongings and the stars that held the names of all the students who attended the dance.
The dance was enjoyed by everyone. The whole school of Corry Area Middle-High school would like to thank Mrs. Carey for putting on such a great dance for people to just get away from the world and enjoy the time they had with the people at the dance.


‘Elvis’ rocks its way to the top!:

“Elvis” is a PG-13 biopic that tells the story of the rise to fame and tragic downfall of the notorious rock n’ roll icon, Elvis Presley. The film was written and produced by Baz Luhrmann, and was released in theaters on June 24, 2022. As of September 2, though, “Elvis” has been released to the streaming service HBO Max.
 The film mainly focuses on the relationship between Elvis (played by Austin Butler) and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (played by Tom Hanks), though this is not the only relationship that is touched on in this movie. Over the course of the film, viewers get a glimpse into Elvis’ relationship with his wife, Priscilla Presley (played by Olivia DeJonge), his parents (played by Helen Thompson and Richard Roxburgh), and many more as well. Likewise, the movie highlights key points in Elvis’ career that shot him into stardom, as well as the factors that played into his tragic demise. 
The first thing I noticed about “Elvis” is how accurate it was to real life events. When creating a biopic, there should not be any misinformation about the person who is being told about. As I watched “Elvis,” I did not feel misled or suspicious about the events that were being shown before my eyes. Also, the movie touches on occurrences in Elvis’s life that many people may not have known about him prior to tuning in. The little peeks into Elvis’ reality helped me, as a fellow watcher, understand why his career unraveled the way it did. Reliability is a factor that I deem to be very important when viewing a biopic and “Elvis” maintained that reliability exceptionally.
Another element that I found to be brilliant was the acting within the film. You don’t have to be a professional movie critic or casting director to notice that the acting in “Elvis” was remarkable. By just sitting down and watching the film, I could tell that every actor who was hired to be a part of the project worked to their full potential to make the movie amazing. Although every actor in the film was wonderful, there are three that I thought were particularly notable: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, and Olivia DeJonge.  
From the voice, the mannerisms and the emotion, Austin Butler played the role of Elvis to a T. By watching his performance, I could tell that he clearly did some intensive research for his role. In fact, Butler has vouched first hand that he had meticulously studied the king of rock and roll for three whole years after being cast. Also, Butler mastered the voice of Elvis unlike anything I have ever heard before. The way he pronounced his words, the accent, and the unique singing voice made the film feel ten times more authentic. 
Moving on to Tom Hanks, he had a noteworthy performance as the Colonel Tom Parker. He was able to encapsulate the mysterious, scheming identity of the Colonel, and I was very impressed to say the least. I feel that Hanks’ ability to shape-shift into his characters shined brightly indeed as his character, Colonel Tom Parker. Lastly, Olivia DeJonge’s appearance as Priscilla Presley was particularly fabulous, in my opinion. I admired the way DeJonge portrayed Priscilla because of the way she was able to display the emotions that she was enduring while in her relationship with Elvis. Watching DeJonge’s powerful and expressive acting made me genuinely tear up a few times.
Overall, I really enjoyed watching “Elvis.” It was definitely one of the better biopics I’ve seen in a while. I thought that the entirety of the film was very authentic and respectful. I would recommend this movie to Elvis-lovers and people who enjoy movies based on a true story as a whole. Personally, I would rate this movie 5/5 stars.


Top 10 autumn-themed date ideas:

With the leaves falling and Halloween around the corner, fall date ideas are the key to your partner’s heart. From spooky to cute, these dates will leave you ecstatic. Take a look at the ideas below and go try one.
10. DIY Halloween decorating – Grab some paints and canvases from the dollar store to decorate together.
9. Hiking – It may be cold but the scenery is perfect for some outdoor adventures.
8. Rent a cabin – A cozy cabin with apple cider and some “Hocus Pocus” to start your night.
7. Drive-in movie theater – Horror movies in the dark and out by the woods? What could go wrong?
6. 13 levels of fear – Can you handle all the levels of these tortuous houses? Grab on to your partner because you are in for a spooky night.
5. Apple picking – Pick some fresh apples and take them home to bake some cute little treats!
4. Fall photo shoot – The trees are at that perfect fall color! Take some photos and show off your partner.
3. Port Farms – Hay rides, corn mazes, and so much more activities to enjoy at our local Port Farms!
2. Carving Pumpkins – pick out a pumpkin and choose a design for your partner to complete.
1. Halloween movie marathon – Add in some spooky and sweet Halloween movies to your comfy night.


‘The Curse of Bridge Hollow’ is spooky family fun:

“The Curse of Bridge Hollow” is a 2022 Halloween/comedy film featuring Marlon Wayans, Priah Ferguson, and Kelly Rowland. It is about the curse of a demon that’s stuck in a jack o’ lantern that spreads evil into Halloween decorations and makes them come alive.
A few things I liked about this movie is the cast, like Marlon Wayans (Howard Gordon) and Priah Ferguson (Sydney Gordon) they just immediately clicked so well together as a father-daughter duo. Another thing I liked about the movie was the plot; the way the plot was so well pieced together was amazing. Another reason the plot was so good was because the CGI and special effects were so well done.
“The Curse of Bridge Halloween” isn’t the scariest Halloween movie, but it still has some scares here and there, and you can watch by yourself or with family and friends. It says some curse words so I wouldn’t watch it with young children. I would totally recommend this movie to everyone over a certain age. I rank this movie a 4.2/5.


Spooky Season, a poem:

Spooky season is near
As the goblins scavenge the streets
The witches fill the sky
The vampires takeover the night
The monsters come out to play
 
The dark starts to swarm you
The fear closes in
Your heart begins to race
And you want to hide your face
 
Evil has been released
Light no longer exists
The next 31 days
Are not going to be pure bliss
Spooky season is here


Bright and hopeful Kyla:

Kyla Raye Frisina is currently a junior at our school. She was born on December 27, in Corry, PA. She is the middle child, with an older sister Lexi, and a younger brother Keaton. She plays on the varsity volleyball team, and JV softball team. Another activity she is committed to is cheering for the boys varsity basketball.
When asked about some of Kyla’s favorites, she has a definite strong answer for everything. Her favorite colors are purple and light gray. She says her favorite movie is a scary one, “When a Stranger Calls.” She was asked her favorite television series, “Definitely ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ it has been my favorite for a while now,” Kyla said. She also mentioned her favorite actor from the show is Patrick Dempsey.
Kyla also has a bright, hopeful future ahead of her. Her dream job she hopes to be able to work as an orthodontist. She hopes to one day travel to the Maldives, because, “It is just so pretty, and would be really fun to go to,” Kyla said. She also hopes to one day be happily married to her high school sweetheart, living a happy life with her husband and future children.
To end this interesting interview, here is how to get on Kyla’s good side. Her biggest pet peeve is when people fake cry, or act hurt or upset to get attention. This is her biggest piece of advice she could give people, “If you’re doing stupid things, be smart while doing so,” Kyla said, admitting what she believes in. So, make sure to abide by these pieces of information to be friends with this amazing student, Kyla.


Delightful Dominick:

Dominick Brink is currently a sophomore. He was born on May 31, 2007, in Erie, PA, in Lecom Hospital. He is the oldest of his family with his younger brother Jackson Brink who is currently an 8th grader. He is currently in the Corry Area Middle-High School marching band where he is actively practicing and is currently playing snare drum, he also plays the baritone saxophone as a hobby and experiments with various amounts of instruments. He has also qualified for district band playing his drum along with Easton Barber (bass drum) and Sky Messenger (clarinet). He is also trying for District Jazz Band on drum set. On top of all that he is in the esports group and potentially the co-president for it.
Dominick was asked about some of his favorites, his answers were very difficult to get out of him. His favorite movie is “Back To The Future.”
His favorite color is “Green…dark green…. wait dark or olive green.”
He was asked what a few of his favorite shows, he said “Bleach,” “Initial D,” and “Attack on Titan.”
Dominick has a great, hardworking future ahead of him. He plans on becoming a computer engineer and attending Penn State Behrend with no gap year in between high school and college. After high school he wants to work for Microsoft.
To conclude this interview, here is a word from Dominick: “I would like to make a shout out to my future accomplice in being the co-president of the esports team, Conner Vanco. He and I have decided that we are going to collectively be in charge of the team. Also, I would like to promote the esports team. We are a team that goes and competitively have fun by playing games against each other and other schools. If you are interested email either Mr. McBriar or Mr. McGinnity for more information and thank you all.”


The Pagan origins of Halloween:

Chances are, you have participated in some sort of Halloween activity. Trick or treating, pumpkin carving, and dressing up are all popular Halloween traditions. But have you ever stopped to think about where these traditions come from?
Unlike other popular holidays, modern Halloween has no solid basis in religion or historical events. In the modern day, it is seen mostly as a way to celebrate all things spooky and paranormal. But before that, there was Samhain (pronounced sah-win). Samhain is often regarded as the predecessor to modern day Halloween. The first celebrations of Samhain date to nearly 2,000 years ago, in what is now modern day Ireland. Early Celtic Pagans, particularly the group known as Druids, viewed Samhain as a sacred holiday where the mortal veil was incredibly thin and spirits could roam free.
One of the most important Samhain traditions was the bonfire, which was meant to symbolize the sun and keep the winter chill at bay. These fires were a gathering point for many, where they communicated with spirits and employed different methods of divination. They also practiced traditions like “mumming” (dressing in scary costumes) and carving grotesque faces into gourds or pumpkins to scare evil spirits away. It is no coincidence that dressing like monsters and carving jack-o-lanterns has persisted throughout the centuries!
When the Romans conquered Celtic territories in 43 A.D., they sought to merge their religious beliefs with that of the Celts. As a result, the Roman festivals of Feralia and Pomona, celebrations of the dead and the fruit goddess, respectively, began to meld with Samhain. Interestingly, Pomona’s symbol was the apple. Many historians believe this symbol led to traditions like apple bobbing and the consumption of apple-based treats!
Samhain, like most Pagan holidays, fell under Christian influence as the religion grew in prominence. The most notable of these influences came in 1000 A.D., when the church introduced “All Souls Day” as a Catholic replacement for the Samhain festival. This Catholic influence did not erase the holiday’s Celtic roots, however. Even under church influence, All Souls Day was celebrated by lighting bonfires and dressing as demons, saints, and angels. As the years went on, the day became known as “All Hallow’s Eve,” which eventually evolved into the modern name “Halloween.”
It is important to note that this article covers Halloween from its Celtic origins. There is no lack of other “spooky” holidays from other cultures that have left their mark on the holiday. Notably, holidays like Dia de los Muertos, Daimonji, and Walpurgis Nacht have influenced the scary festivities of the season.
Samhain is still celebrated by some Irish people, as well as Pagans around the world. Its influence on modern day Halloween festivities is undeniable. So, the next time you cut some holes in a sheet or turn on a scary movie, remember the ancient traditions that inspired it!


Top 10 best cult classic ’80s movies:

Even today, ’80s movies thrive and are still the favorites of many people. There are some movies from that era in time that have yet to gain the popularity they deserve, so I am going to list some of the best cult classic ’80s movies. There is no particular order of these films just because I think they are all too unique to compare. 
“Night of the Comet”
“Night of the Comet” came out in 1984 and was directed by Thom Eberhardt. The movie starts off with everybody celebrating a comet that was going to pass by, but ends up turning the population into dust and those slightly exposed into zombies. Two sisters Regina and Samatha and truck driver Hector, who were protected by steel during the passing of the comet, struggle to survive with the remaining zombies and suspicious scientist chasing them. Will they survive or be victims of the night of the comet? If you like sci-fi and horror I would highly recommend this movie to you. 
“Legend” 
“Legend” was released in 1985 and was directed by Ridley Scott. It’s a fantasy, adventure, and romance film. The evil being Darkness has plotted to create eternal night by destroying the last unicorn. Jack (Tom Cruise) goes on a mission to save the light of day and princesses Lili (Mia Sara) from turning off to the dark side. The set and makeup design of this film is highly impressive and they spent 14.4 million dollars on glitter alone. 
“Three O’Clock High”
“Three O’Clock High” was directed by Phil Joanou and was released in 1987. This film is about a scrawny school reporter, Jerry Mitchell (Casey Siemaszko), who asked to write an article about a new student, Buddy Revell (Richard Tyson). Buddy is a buff, troubled, and violent student who has been through many schools already due to his past. He is infuriated when Jerry asks to write about him and immediately challenges him to a fight when the bell rings at three o’clock after school. This terrifies Jerry, and his only option may be to face Buddy at the end of the day. This is one of my personal favorites on the list and Buddy was even used to inspire character Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery), from “Stranger Things.” 
“The Monster Squad” 
“The Monster Squad” came out in 1987 and was directed by Fred Dekker. This movie follows five kids Andre Gower (Sean), Robby Kiger (Patrick), Brent Chalem (Horace), Michael Faustino (Eugene), Ryan Lambert (Rudy) who find themselves battling Dracula, the Mummy, Gill Man, Wolf Man, and Frankenstein. The monsters have arrived in town in search of an amulet, and the kids soon realize they must stop them by getting the amulet first. So they can banish the monsters with an incantation to open up a wormhole, and send the monsters into limbo. 
“Labyrinth”
“Labyrinth” is a 1986 film that was directed by Jim Henson. It’s a fantasy musical that follows the character Sarah Williams (Jennifer Connelly) who takes her baby brother Toby for granted and he ends up getting stolen by the Goblin King (David Bowie). The only way the Goblin King will let Sarah have her brother back is if she completes his task of walking through the labyrinth in only a set number of hours. This movie has stuck with me since I was young and just recently there has been talk of a sequel being produced by David Bowie’s son Duncan Jones. 
“The Stuff” 
“The Stuff” came out in 1985 and was directed by Larry Cohen. This horror sci-fi follows private detective David ‘MO’ Rutherford , who is investigating a new substance on the food market called “the stuff.” Everybody is absolutely hooked on it but it seems that the sweet treat could possibly be lethal and deadly. This movie may be a little silly, but I think it’s a unique and good watch. 
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun”
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was released in 1985 and was directed by Alan Metter. This movie is about Janney Glenn (Sarah Jessica Parker) who has just recently moved to a new town and loves to dance. Although her free spirit Janney lives in a strict household under the surveillance of her dad, an army colonel. Janney finds out that her favorite dance TV show is coming to town for auditions and she disobeys her father for the first time to get a chance to be on the show. Throughout the film she struggles with her dad and her love life. 
“The Running Man”  
“The Running Man” was directed by Paul Micheal Glaser and was released in 1987. “The Running Man” is a dystopian sci-fi horror that follows the character Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who is imprisoned and has the opportunity to leave if he enters into a sick reality TV show. Contestants of this show have to survive deadly courses that they will surely not survive. Even if they do survive, will talk show host Damon Killian (Richard Dawson) let them go?
“The New Adventures of Pippi Long Stockings”
“The New Adventures of Pippi Long Stockings” came out in 1988 and was directed by Ken Annakin. Pippi arrives in town after falling off board of her father’s pirate ship. She soon starts influencing the children around the community with her spunky, bubbly, and mischievous persona. In my opinion this film is an underrated classic. 
“Midnight Madness” 
“Midnight Madness” was directed by Micheal Nankin and David Wechter. The movie was released in 1980 following character Leon picking college students to participate in his scavenger hunt all around the city. The main team, who consist of Adam Larson (David Naughton), Flynch (Joel Kenney), Laura (Debra Clinger), Marvin (David Damas) and Adams younger brother Scott Larson (Micheal J. Fox). They compete against five other teams for the fight to the finish of each clue leading up to the next. Interestingly enough this was Micheal J. Fox’s first feature film as he was only 17 at the time. I think this is a super fun movie and a great watch with the family.


Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches are not a vibe:

This is not a sandwich of my childhood that I would ever want to eat again. Don’t get me wrong: bread, jelly, and peanut butter are all good separately, but together? Ew.
Peanut butter or jam on toast is lovely, but peanuts and grapes (or any jam fruit) do NOT go together in any sane mind. The tastes of the individual flavors should have never mixed together in the first place; it’s like mixing cashews and lemons. It makes zero sense and it doesn’t taste good.
They’re so sticky, too. Little kids with sticky fingers probably got that way from a PB&J. They can be very messy even once constructed. Have you ever seen a child make a PB&J? They use the same knife for both jars and mix the two in and out.
Spreading peanut butter on plain bread is a nightmare and getting the right ratio of peanut butter to jam is almost a science. Everyone has their own ratio they prefer it at, too.
They also leave a bad aftertaste of two things that shouldn’t mix. It’s not green eggs and ham. There isn’t something wonderful under its oddities. It is piano strings and door nails in the same box. It shouldn’t exist.
They also never seem to sit right in the stomach and they just do not vibe with the mind, body, or soul. So can we ditch the sandwich? There are so many better options in the year 2020. Your body is your temple. I don’t know about you, but I cannot imagine anyone eating a PB&J in a temple.


Sparrow Pond spooks my wallet:

During the spooky season of October, lots of activities are going on like Fall Fest, apple picking, watching your favorite Halloween movies, but most of all attending haunted attractions. Every year I try my hardest to make it to at least one haunted attraction. This year, I made a trip to Sparrow Pond for their annual haunted hayride.
Sparrow Pond’s haunted hayride includes riding a wagon while looking at scary scenes and being approached by the scare actors. In the past, there were also haunted cabins you could walk through. Nothing was mentioned about it on their website, so I assumed it was no longer being done due to lack of employees or COVID restrictions. I would honestly doubt it was COVID though because of the close proximity of everybody on the hayride.
Right off the bat, I was unhappy with the way the workers were acting. They stated that they did not want to see phones during the ride. Before the hayride took off, me and my guest, Cooper Slocum, took a selfie. Immediately, we were screamed at with unnecessary aggression, they said and I quote “Put that phone away or you will walk back.”  If the ride hadn’t even begun, then was it really necessary to have such a rude confrontation with paying customers? Not to mention the person operating the tractor almost hit a group of people in the parking lot waiting in line! I don’t know about you, but a tractor coming at you at full force is not something I would be happy about.
It cost $12.95 to get into the attraction, which would be all right if you got what you paid for, but I personally didn’t feel like a 15-minute hayride should cost nearly $50 for a group of four. I thought that the sets were decently put together, their best one that I personally liked was one inspired by the hit TV show “Stranger Things.” I also think that the actors did a good job, but my problem is that they are probably making more than $1,000 a night and my question is where is this money going? I feel their profits are not going to their sets and hayride experience.
This was a less than okay experience for me. I don’t like to say that I wouldn’t recommend going, because I think entertainment is subjective, but it’s going to be a no for me. I thought it was overpriced, had rude workers, and cheap sets. This had more of a children’s demographic than a teen or adult. Hopefully others have a different experience.


Cup o’ Joe brings coffee back to Corry:

Nothing could possibly wake teachers up better than a piping hot cup of coffee, and recently Corry Area High School has been deprived of it. Thankfully this shortage is finally being replenished by our local Cup o’ Joe crew who has returned to graciously provide caffeine to all of the teachers who have been craving it.
Throughout the mornings, the lovely Cup o’ Joe staff will be bravely traversing the halls and delivering the rich, warm cups of coffee to our staff. If you see any of these generous students working to give back to the teachers, give them a greeting almost as warm as their coffee.
Self-proclaimed caffeine addict and Cup o’ Joe super fan, Mr. Woods, shares his hot takes on this small business. “Delicious, I’m their biggest fan,” Woods said. “They’re super friendly and care about their customers and always say please and thank you. They work hard to make sure you get what you ordered. It’s a great opportunity to do what school is supposed to do: get you ready for the real world. And, Mrs. Carney makes the best lattes.”
Mr. Woods’ statement shows just how incredible our local coffee brewers are and he is and will remain excited for the crew to show up at his room during second period every day.
The only way to get the strongest information about Cup o’ Joe is to talk to the crew. Mrs. Wojcicehowski (Mrs. W) and Mrs. Nosel shared the ‘tea’ about this program and about their experience with it.
Mrs. W has been running this program for seven or eight years and explained that Cup o’ Joe helps the kids build job resumes and letters of recommendation, and that it pays for the kids to go into the community. She also loves the hot chocolate they make.
Working for a solid two weeks, Mrs. Nosel has been helping the students and Mrs. W deliver coffee to everyone in need. To her, the best part of the job is watching the kids learn job skills and interact with other teachers.
Unlike these two wonderful teachers, all of the hardworking students agreed to a favorite part of the job: delivering coffee to all of their friends. But these employees adore every part of the job because it is extremely rewarding to them. While they care for each of their customers, their favorite stops are Mr. Woods’ room, Mrs. Toplovich, Mrs. Crumb, and Mrs. Beckwith.
Cup o’ Joe is an incredible experience for all of these kids and they all adore it, so please show some gratefulness and share pleasantries with these dedicated workers.


Two underdogs go head to head in the NLCS:

This year’s NLCS has taken the baseball community by surprise. The Philadelphia Phillies take on the San Diego Padres for a shot at a World Series. The two teams were the lowest seeds in the National league heading into the playoffs. Both teams had to play in a wildcard series away and were able to leave the opposing cities with wins.
The Padres would go on to beat their division rivals, the L.A. Dodgers, in the NLDS. They took control of the series tow games to one, and finished off the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The Phillies found themselves in a similar situation, and they ended up beating their division rivals, the Atlanta Braves, in the NLDS. The Phillies took the series three games to one, sending them to the NLDS.
Both the Phillies and Padres were huge buyers at the trade deadline. The Phillies acquired OF Brandon Marsh, RHP Noah Syndergard, RHP David Robertson, INF Edmundo Sosa. All of their deadline acquisitions has helped their journey. Sosa has been their best acquisition, hitting .315, with a .345 OBP, .593 slugging, and a .937 OPS since the trade deadline. The Phillies were rewarded for their trade deadline aggressiveness, but so were the Padres.
The Padres were even bigger spenders at the deadline. The Padres traded for superstar OF Juan Soto, superstar closer Josh Hader, First basemen Josh Bell, and OF Brandon Drury. They had their struggles with their new superstars but were able to make the playoffs. Now, their new and old superstars are killing it in the playoffs.
The next NLCS game takes place tonight for the first game in Philly. The series is currently tied 1-1 with the Phillies looking to take control of the series on their own home turf.


Top Corry XC runners skipping regional meet:

Top runners from Corry will not be participating in the Cross Country Regional Meet this Saturday the 22.
For the boys’ team this will include myself, Stephen Brady, and Tavon Kornikoski. For the girls’ team this will include Jordan Fox, Haeleigh Bayle, Shay Linden, and Teya Bailey. When asked what the boys’ team thought about not running Saturday this is how they replied.
Tavon Kornikoski, a junior, replied “I think it will be refreshing to take a week off and prepare for a peak at the end of the year.” If we make it to the state meet it will be in early November.
Stephen Brady, a senior, replied, “It’s the best thing for me to do to perform the best next Saturday.”
Next Saturday, October 29, there is district meet, which is the race that will decide whether or not the team can qualify for the state meet.
Personally, I think that being able to get an extra speed workout before the district meet could be beneficial to increasing our speed and feeling more prepared. To qualify for the state meet we will have to either be a part of one of the top two teams or be one of the top 10 runners apart from the top two teams at the district meet next Saturday.


Kick off the scary season by donating to UNICEF:

As Halloween rolls in this month, so does Corry Key Club’s yearly UNICEF collection.
The Key Club (lead by Mrs. Braswell) is giving back yet again by collecting UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) donations. For those who don’t know what UNICEF is, its an organization that sends profits to third world countries and assists with safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. All donations will be well spent.
Key club will be accepting donations in cash, change, and check between Monday, October 17 to Friday, October 28. Students should deliver their contributions to their homeroom teacher, as they all have UNICEF boxes.
The homeroom with the most money at the deadline will receive a doughnut and juice party in appreciation for their generosity. If questions arise, please take them to Mrs. Braswell or a Key Club member. Remember to donate, it goes to a wonderful cause.


October ‘Girl of the Month’:

Every month there is a “Girl of the Month” and a ” Boy of the Month” who gets spotlighted in our local newspaper, The Corry Journal.  Mrs. Bourgoine, who is in charge of collecting girl nominees said the winner is chosen by a committee of high school teachers and is honored by the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. Mrs. Britten is in charge of the boy of the month, but unfortunately the Journal did not respond to her in time for this month. Usually, every month the boy is chosen by a committee of  high school staff members, and is honored by the Corry Rotary Club.
When looking for female nominees, they are looking for a girl who is in the program that honors society, exemplifies the qualities of scholarship, citizenship, and leadership. When looking for the boy, they look for someone who has strong academics, community service hours, both in school and out, honors, and partakes in extra curricular activities.
This month the “Girl of the Month” was Kendra Maker, a senior here at Corry High. When I asked Kendra what her initial reaction was when she found out she had won, she said, “I was excited when I was told the news.”
Then I asked Maker why she felt she was chosen this month. She said, “I think I got the position because my determination was noticed by one who overlooks such a variety of individuals.”
This was the nominee for this school year, but more will come throughout the year.


The Backup, a fictional story:

The year is 2056 and a new football season is about to begin for the Corry Beavers. The Beavers are coming off of three straight state championships and they are looking to continue their historic run. This is all possible thanks to three time Gatorade Player of the Year, All-American quarterback Chad Powers and fellow 5-star recruit Kritter Jones anchoring the defense. It was no surprise when Coach Badwill named his two stars co-captains, but there was controversy swirling around the third captain, backup quarterback, Silas Conner-Peter III.
Silas Conner-Peter III has little to no playing experience, but he was just named a captain because his dad gave a lot of money to the program. Silas Conner-Peter III was bullied every single day by his teammates for his play at practice or even his appearance. After another tough day of practice Silas Conner-Peter III ran into the school janitor, and he asked what was wrong.
Silas replied, “What would you know about a tough day on the football field?”
The old janitor went on to explain that he was once a star football player himself and 40 years ago he got drafted to the NFL, but he got into a bad car accident, thus crushing his football dreams. Silas Conner-Peter III, desperate to earn the respect of his teammates, begged the man to train him until he finally agreed.
After almost an entire season of training behind the scenes, Silas Conner-Peter III saw tremendous improvement in his game, yet he was still not seeing the field. Corry had made it back to the state championship for the fourth time in four years and things were looking good for Chad Powers and company. Powers ran for touchdown to put the Beavers up 3 with three minutes to go, but Powers was hit as he dove for the end zone and he began clutching his leg.
Powers had to be carted off and things were looking grim for Corry as the defense allowed an easy touchdown, putting them down four with a minute to go. Silas Conner-Peter III was finally going to get his chance to be great. Silas efficiently led the Beavers down the field, setting up one final play from the ten yard line. Silas Conner-Peter III drops back and delivered a dime to Kritter in the back corner of the end zone to clinch a fourth straight state championship. Coach Badwill and team busted out in pure jubilee as they mobbed the field.
The state championship was awarded to star quarterback Chad Powers for his marvelous five touchdown performance, but when he was handed to the award he immediately deferred to his backup Silas Conner-Peter III. Powers thanked him for finishing the job and leading the boys to one more ring. He also apologized for being so hard on him and admitted that he misjudged Silas Conner-Peter III. The boys embraced each other with a hug and the Beavers left the field as back-to-back-to-back-to-back state champions.


Magnificent Mrs. Moisher:

The school’s emotional support paraprofessional, Mrs. Kelsey Moisher deserves more respect than she receives. Helping out students is her passion. Not only does Mrs. Moisher do this, she also used to work in a salon doing hair. She gets to know her students very individually and is down to earth.
Born on March 12, Kelsey Moisher grew up in a little town called Corry, PA, she has two brothers who are 30 and 36 years old. She attended Tri-State Institute. She also has always wanted to be a teacher and to help children. From here she put her two passions together and became an ES teacher.
In her free time she loves to read, attend her children’s activities, and enjoys cooking. Her favorite quote would be, “It’s okay to try and fail, but it’s not okay to fail to try.”
When asked what she hates she said, “I hate stubbing my toe.” One of the easiest ways to drive Mrs. Moisher insane is by walking out of class without permission. This is and has been her biggest pet peeve for a while.
But she would like to leave the readers with the message: “Tomorrow is a new day you can always start over”


How accurate is Netflix’s ‘The Watcher’?:

*This article contains minor spoilers, so be cautious when reading!* 
Recently, I watched the 2022 Netflix original show, “The Watcher,” and I noticed many differing components from that of the show and that of the case it was based on. “The Watcher” is an ominous drama series that is loosely based on the unsolved true crime case of a family who began receiving mysterious and threatening letters after moving into a new house in 2014. As I made my way through the series, I realized that there are many contrasting components from the series and the true crime case that it was based on. Many shows and movies that are based on true events often make the cases seem more dramatic and severe than they actually were. 
To begin, the Netflix series “The Watcher” follows the story of a married couple, Nora (Naomi Watts) and Dean Brannock (Bobby Cannavale), with their two kids Ellie (Isabel Gravitt) and Carter Brannock (Luke David Blumm), who are harassed with letters signed by a stalker called the Watcher after moving into their dream home in Westfield, New Jersey. The series showcases the Brannocks attempt to rid themselves of the nightmare their lives had become. In search of help, the Brannocks hire a private investigator, set up an intensive security system in the house, and alert the WPD on multiple occasions. On top of their dilemma with The Watcher, the Brannocks are also greeted by their odd and nosy new neighbors. 
In comparison, the real-life case of The Watcher and the Broaddus family goes as follows: After buying the house at 657 Boulevard Westfield, NJ in 2014, Derek and Maria Broaddus, along with their three children, decided to renovate it before moving in. During the process of re-doing the house, The Watcher began tormenting them, claiming in his anonymous letters that the house was his family’s for decades and that he was put in charge of watching over it, waiting for its “second coming.” The family ultimately decided not to move into the house, and hired private investigators. Even after the Westfield Police investigation, The Watcher was not able to be identified.The Broaddus family originally bought the house for $1.3 million and after about five years of living in horror, they sold it in 2019 for $400,000 less. 
 I had mentioned before that “The Watcher” is loosely based on the real case of the Broaddus family in 2014. When I say loosely, though, I mean very loosely. However, here are some components from both the series and the real case that are pretty similar! In both the Netflix series and the true crime case, 657 Boulevard Westfield, NJ stays true to its identity, as Netflix decided to keep the address the same in the show. Another aspect of the case that Netflix kept the same are the letters that were written by The Watcher. From the typewritten font down to the exact wording in the messages, the letters in the series are identical to their real life counterparts. These comparisons, though, are about the only things that are accurate to the real-life events that took place at 657 Boulevard in 2014. Almost everything else in this series is completely fictional. The Branock family and their neighbors were merely inspired by real people. 
 In reality, the owners of the house were Derek and Maria Broaddus, and they had three children all under the age of 10. In the series, the Brannock family is shown to have two older children. Additionally, in their time owning the house, the Brannocks never even moved in due to their renovation plans and the haunting letters they received. However, the Broaddus’ are shown being terrorized by The Watcher during their time living in the house. According to the case, the Brannock family was never physically harmed by The Watcher like the Broaddus’ were shown to be. The series also highlights the shady lives of the Brannock’s new neighbors and their supposed suspicious activity. Yes, the neighbors in the show are inspired by the real neighbors of the Broaddus family, but they weren’t as creepy and meddling as they are portrayed to be in the series.
In conclusion, there are many similar and contrasting components from the Netflix series “The Watcher” and the true crime case that it was based on. Overall, I did enjoy tuning into “The Watcher.” In fact, I thought it was really amusing and enticing, and I would recommend it to people who enjoy thriller TV. Though, I do think it is important to separate fact from fiction, especially when it comes to media that is based on true events.


Why a stay-at-home order was a bad idea:

In May of 2020, the world was shut down. COVID-19 had caused a global pandemic. Suddenly all businesses that weren’t life-sustaining had been shut down and everybody had to stay at home and nobody really knew how long it would stay like this. Staying at home might have been fun for some, like people who like to play video games, but for some people it was horrible, for example, people with anxiety and depression.
People who like to play video games probably loved the pandemic because they got to stay at home all day and play their games. Some other people that might have enjoyed quarantine are people that are introverted and don’t like to associate with others. They probably enjoyed being able to stay at home and not have to talk to very many people.
Although some people might have enjoyed the pandemic, some may have thought that it was horrible. For example, people with depression may have had a horrible time in quarantine or even coming out of quarantine because people with depression might not have had much to do to clear their mind. People with anxiety have been at home every day with their family or people they are close with and having to go from that to having to be around lots of people again can be uncomfortable for a person with anxiety. Having to be around other people at school, the grocery store, or work can cause anxiety attacks.


Have you ever met ‘Someone Great’?:

The Netflix original movie “Someone Great” came out on April 19, 2019. Love, grief, heartbreak, and healing are all huge components in this movie. An aspiring journalist, Jenny, takes on one last experience with her dear friends, Blair and Erin, before moving to San Francisco. Her long-term boyfriend, Nate, dumped her after Jenny had gotten the job in San Francisco instead of trying long-distance. Growth and love conquer the pathway Jenny builds for herself on this adventure.
All of the actors and actresses did an incredible job. Brittany Snow as Blair, and DeWanda Wise as Erin, portrayed their characters’ personalities perfectly. Erin and Blair were both huge roles in Jenny’s healing process and the caring, bubbly personalities brought out happiness from Jenny. “Someone Great” is supposed to be about one last friendship adventure between Jenny, Blair, and Erin. The movie is not supposed to be completely centered on Jenny’s breakup but there are still those bits that you can see her pain through. The writers and director did a great job at showing those moments of relief and fun being taken away within a quick second. Small reminders in public can shift your whole mood. I loved the flashbacks of Nate and Jenny’s relationship; fighting in the rain; showing affection towards another in private. The evolution of the good and bad memories slightly show her moving on. 
The music choice used for Jenny’s heartbreak was very real. One of the songs played was “Truth Hurts”  by Lizzo. It looks as if Jenny is mad and happy during this scene but still hurting. You can tell she is in denial. There is a quick switch after that song to a one called “Mansard Roof” by Vampire Weekend.” Memories flood back to her and it changes the tone. 
To those lost souls trying to find their way back to themselves, “Someone Great” is definitely for you! This movie helps you find an understanding of how to start your healing journey. It feels nice to see what other people are going through and how they turned it around. I do not recommend this movie to anyone who dislikes character studies. “Someone Great” focuses on Jenny and her last adventure in the city while dealing with her devastating breakup. This film is rated R so watch at your own discretion. Overall, I would rate this movie a 5/5 stars. I thought it was amazing and truthful.


Quarantine life brings a new furry friend:

In a world where a pandemic starts, people’s everyday lives have to change. Here is the story of how mine changed.
“Corona” first started around my birthday. I was told we were not going back to school for two weeks. Then after the first week ended, we were told that we weren’t going back. We had to finish school online or with paper packets for the rest of the year. We were not allowed to go anywhere or do anything for months. Essential workers were the only people allowed to do anything.
A few months after my birthday, I was scrolling through Snapchat and saw a boy that had puppies. A little background:I have been trying to get a puppy since I was seven. I am now 17,  so I showed my mom and she was totally on board. My dad, on the other hand, was not. So my mom and I just kept talking about it in front of my dad and saying it’s the perfect time because we are redoing our house and with quarantine we will have lots of time to spend with it. When it came close for the puppies to find their forever homes, my mom contacted the boy’s parents and they only had one left! So, of course, I said I would take him, but it was up to the boss: My dad.
We got ready for him to come home, and I was still trying to manage school and a new puppy. My dad always said he wasn’t taking care of him or touching him, but now he’s a big softy for my mini Dachshund named Ruger.
Now it’s October, Ruger is ten pounds, my dad loves him, he’s a real pain, and doing well. Overall, quarantine was a traumatic experience, but I got to go through it with my partner in crime.


‘Midnights’ lives up to fan expectations:

Taylor Swift released her ninth studio album, “Midnights” at midnight on Friday, October 21. This has been a highly anticipated album by all of her fans. Fans wondered what kind of vibe it would give off, the mood of the songs, what new amazing lyrics would be written, and whether or not the album would give off any of the same energy past albums have projected.
After the album dropped at 12 a.m., Taylor Swift announced at 3 a.m. another mini album, with seven more songs getting released. Then at 8 a.m., a music video for the song “Anti-Hero,” was uploaded to the internet, now standing at 27 million views in three days. The “Midnights” album became the most-streamed album in 24 hours ever on Spotify, which was very well deserved. Clips from her songs immediately started trending on TikTok as well. This album was everywhere.
Countless fans will agree with me that this album was amazing. Multiple people have come together that this album seems like a mix of her albums “1989,” “Reputation,” and “Lover.” This is so true, there are amazing love songs, and some strong revengeful songs, which align with the themes of those past few albums. The vocals in this album were amazing, and her vocal range seemed so limitless as displayed in all of these songs.
Something controversial about the album was the song “Snow On The Beach,” featuring famous singer Lana Del Rey. Not only did this collaboration have us Taylor fans excited, but also brought along Lana Del Rey fans to be looking forward to this unexpected duo. When the album was released, some fans skipped right forward to this specific song. Fans were very disappointed to find out that Lana Del Rey did not have one single verse in this song, she just wrote this song and did background vocals. To me, this is Taylor’s album herself, so everyone should still just appreciate what they got from the feature and enjoy the song anyway. Despite the disappointment, the song was still amazing and very catchy, and most can still agree on this.
If I had to pick my favorite couple songs from this album, it would be “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” “Question…,” and “Bejeweled.” These songs remind me of some of my favorite previous albums. The chorus’ of these songs all instantly stuck with me, and the lyrics are very fun to sing to.
“Midnights” would definitely be a huge recommendation, this album will live on forever. Many popular hits will result from this album, like “Blank Space,” “Style,” and “Wildest Dreams,” from 1989 and known by almost everyone, even eight years later.


‘The Mist’ makes me misty-eyed:

Recently, I watched the film “The Mist,” a thriller/horror that was released in 2007 and based on the novella written by Stephen King, the king (pun intended) of horror stories himself. This movie took me on a roller coaster of emotions, and I have plenty to discuss.
First things first, the plot (and twist) was phenomenal. It centered around a group of people who get in stuck in a supermarket as a deadly, mysterious mist spreads outside. This movie exceeded my expectations in every aspect, even the concept itself. The idea of being trapped with strangers in a confined space, not knowing what is going on, and falling into fear, panic and survival is too realistic and frightening to me, as people tend to lose themselves to these feelings in life or death situations. Not only that, but the viewer can never predict what will happen next. So many times I thought I knew what was to come, but was proved wrong each time. The movie is beyond captivating, and not a moment will be spent not on the edge of your seat.
Furthermore, many scenes evoked emotions from me. The losses of certain characters hit me surprisingly hard, and I even found myself tearing up by the climax. A lot of movies have difficulty being immersive and getting viewers attached to the characters, but “The Mist” is not one of them. The cast did a fantastic job depicting these characters and building chemistry with one another so viewers feel connected with them and their relationships throughout the story. Seeing these characters suffer felt all too real and painful. Also, the horror scenes were extremely disturbing. They weren’t particularly graphic, but a great deal of them left me feeling creeped-out and a bit sick. The supernatural aspect of it was fascinating nonetheless.
What really did it for me with this movie, however, was the ending. It’ll be the last thing you expect, and it left me feeling empty and somber. I have not been able to get this film out of my head since watching it, and I highly recommend it if tragic and darker themes pique your interest. I would rate “The Mist” 4/5 stars.


Pittsburgh Steelers: Meeting childhood idols:

I have met eight players that play in the NFL. My parents were season ticket holders with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so they would get emails about various camps in the summer.
I have been to eight or nine camps for the Steelers. I met DeAngelo Williams, Hines Ward, Jesse James, Ryan Shazier, Ben Roethlisberger, and James Conner. I loved going to these camps because I am a huge football and Steelers fan. People are a little jealous. The Steelers are my favorite team in the world. They mean a lot to me. I have done a lot of stuff with the Steelers. My family and I love the Pittsburgh sports teams.
The person who got me into sports was my dad. I’ve loved football ever sine I was two years old. I have been helping out the middle school and varsity teams for the past seven years. It’s something I love doing.
Meeting those players was the best thing of my life. The camps were long but not too long. The longest one I went to was the Father’s Day camp for Ben Roethlisberger, which was six hours. It was a lot of fun going and meeting my idols. They would give free food and drinks for each of the camps. We got to take pictures with the players at the start and then after the camp was over we got our pictures and autographs from the players. Those days were the best days of my life. When I met Ben I was speechless. He was my hero since was little. I got to open his camp, and I caught a pass from him.


The Pennsylvania senate election: what you need to know:

The 2022 Pennsylvania Senate election is quickly drawing to a close. The main party candidates on the ballot are John Fetterman (D) and Mehmet Oz (R). There are also other third party candidates running for the position, but the race is most intense between Fetterman and Oz.
John Fetterman is a member of the Democratic party. He was born and raised in Pennsylvania. Fetterman’s former occupations include being the mayor of Braddock, PA, Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor, and the chair of the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons. Fetterman takes a liberal leaning stance on political issues, and cites himself as pro abortion rights, pro LGBTQ+, and most notably, pro criminal justice reform.
Mehmet Oz is apart of the Republican party. Oz was born in Ohio and went to Philadelphia to attend medical and business school. Oz worked as a medical professional, professor, and most notably, the host of a health-related talk show from 2009 to 2022. Oz is a conservative candidate, and due to his experience in the medical field, he focuses mostly on healthcare related issues. He seeks to modernize health care, stop illegal immigration, and support free speech.
The two candidates will feature in their first and only televised debate on October 25, 2022, airing at 8:00 pm EST. The debate will air live from abc27 studios in Harrisburg, PA.
Pennsylvanians of voting age will be able to vote in person or using mail-in ballots. The General Election will take place on November 8th. For more information on voting, visit the pa.gov website.


Survey: Thankful for pie:

It’s almost Thanksgiving, so let’s have some pie! I walked around school and asked the staff and students their favorite pie. I love pie myself, so I wanted to see what other people liked, too.
Mrs. Rose: ”Peanut Butter pie”
Mrs. Moisher: “Pecan pie”
Mr. Kuzma: “Pumpkin pie”
Mrs. DiLuzio: “Banana Creme pie”
Mr. Piot: “Chocolate pie”
Mr. Goodwill: “Pecan pie”
Hannah Daily: “Pumpkin pie”
Colton Anderson: “Pumpkin pie”
Mrs. Balogh: “Pumpkin pie”
Mrs. Sampsell: “Apple pie”
Mr. Knapp: “Apple pie w/ extra sharp cheese” hmm unique
Mr. Chud: “Apple pie”
Mrs. Lindsey: ” Apple pie”
Tony Brutcher: “Pumpkin pie”
Mr. Fralic: “Apple pie”
Mrs. Turben: “Dutch Apple pie”
Mrs.Britten: “Cherry pie”
Mrs. Ruth: “Pecan pie”
Mrs. Mitchell: Pumpkin pie w/Cool whip”
Mrs. Beckerink: “Apple pie”
Mrs. Greer: “Pecan pie”
Mrs. Clark: “Peanut Butter pie”
Mrs. Toplovich: “Pumpkin pie”
Mrs. Conroy: “Peanut Butter pie”
Austyn Morton: “Pumpkin pie”
Mrs. Tammy: “Banana Creme pie”
Garett Light: “Pumpkin pie”
Mrs. Lyngarkos: “Hershey pie”
Kat Kaiser: “Pumpkin pie”
Jalleen Klaiber: “Pumpkin pie”
Arianna Jones: “Pumpkin pie”
Mr. Potocki: “Peanut Butter pie”


Matt Canada needs to go:

The Pittsburgh Steelers were on a four-game losing streak until the Steelers won against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Steelers offensive coordinator is at blame for this. Canada calls predictable plays that the other team’s defense reads and makes outmaneuvers.
For example, in the Bills game on October 9, Canada called a play where three wide receivers go to the sideline and the running back is set back to the right of the quarterback, the Bills defense read this play multiple times. The Steelers tried this play seven times, almost all of them on first down, which forced the Steelers to make tough plays and to punt it. Another example, would be when Canada calls a play when he sends the wide receivers on deep routes and he sends the running back on a check down route. This also forces the quarter back to throw a check down because the wide receivers are not open down field.
The Steelers need to revamp their coaching staff. They need to fire Canada. Some offensive coordinators that could replace Canada include Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Sullivan, and Brian Flores.


Blender makes it easy to animate movie and video game scenes:

Have you ever wondered how animated movies and scenes are made? Well, in this article I will be reviewing one of the most popular renderers called Blender. It has been free and open source since October 2002. While learning to use blender I have found that it has a very intuitive and easy to learn user interface.
If you decide that you do not use a certain part of the interface you can make it hidden, which will save to your project file and be retained across rendering and designing sessions. You can even change the layout of the interface to have certain tools in specific places to make remembering where things are easier.
Blender makes it very easy to work on different computers, too. Almost everything you need for a particular rendering project is stored in the main project file along with an optional portable Blender install so that you do not have to re-download and install Blender if you do have to switch the computer you are working on. It is currently supported on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Blender also includes an easy to use Python scripting experience. This can be used for writing custom extensions for automating certain tasks such as tree generation, terrain, ivy, and even clouds. Blender also has a powerful video editor which can be used on any video or group of images, made with blender or not.
In conclusion, Blender is a very useful tool for 3D animation and video editors. It can be used and customized for a variety of purposes and is one of the most common tools used when studios make animated movies or video game scenes. It has been free to learn and use since 2002 and the developers intend to keep it that way.


NFL number change rule:

As of 2021 the NFL changed what number a skill position player can wear. Skill position players can now wear single digit numbers. Some NFL players liked the rule change and others did not.
Ways NFL players could solve the problem for fans who don’t like the rule is they could go back to their original number. People like the rule change because they can really wear any number they want. Some positions like offensive linemen and defensive linemen can’t really change their number. Quarterbacks, punters, and kickers can’t change their number because of the rule.
My opinion on this rule change is, I like it because my many different players can change their numbers they like instead of numbers that they don’t like. For an example, Colts Corner back Stephon Gilmore wore 5 in college but when he got into the NFL he couldn’t wear 5 anymore, so he switched to number 24 for when he played for the Bills and the Patriots. He officially changed his number back to his college number when the 2021-22 season started.


Monster cereals make a spooky return:

Every year Halloween rolls around there is one thing I look for on the shelves. You could even call it a tradition. The five cereals Count Chocula, Franken Berry, Boo Berry, Yummy Mummy, and Fruit Brute appear in stores each spooky season.
The classic cereals have been around since 1971. The first two characters to be introduced were Franken Berry, a strawberry flavored cereal, and Count Alfred Chocula, a chocolate flavored cereal. A year later in 1972, Boo Berry made its debut as a blueberry flavored cereal.
There were many ups and downs with the production of some of the cereals. One of the trials and tribulations was something called “The Franken Berry Stool.” This had many consumers faces, and other things, turning pink due to an indigestible coloring in the cereal. Thankfully, it was removed and reformulated quickly
Some of the cereals have been in and out of production throughout the years like Fruit Brute being put on shelves in 1974, only to be replaced by Yummy Mummy in 1988. Although in 2010, the cereals were both released again and have remained ever since.
These cereals are such a fun and creative way to put people in the Halloween spirit. I haven’t seen marketing for a holiday quite like this, and the packaging this year has had a very nostalgic and retro design to them. If you can, make sure to try out these cereals and figure out which one is your favorite.
I did a quick survey because I was interested in what cereal would be everyone’s favorite and these were some of the answers I got.
Mr. Potocki – Boo Berry
Chesniy Hodak – Boo Berry
Kennadie Kubpcki – Count Chocula
Mr. Carney – Franken Berry
Joseph Johnson – Boo Berry
Cooper Downy – Boo Berry
Hunter LaSalvia – Boo Berry
Mackenzi Spence – Boo Berry
Avery Gates – Boo Berry
Cooper Slocum – Boo Berry
Myleigh Music – Boo Berry
Kan Swift – Count Chocula 
Gavin Kent – Boo Berry 
Tyler Parker – Boo Berry 
Rose Becerra – Boo Berry 
Raven Munn – All 
Brodie Riley – Count Chocula 
Sara Miles- Franken Berry
Mrs. Brown – Boo Berry 
Angie Cressley – Count Chocula 
Austin Nickerson – Fruit Brute


First Annual Powder Puff Game a rousing success:

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Corry High had their first annual Powder Puff game on Monday, October 24, held by Corry High Varsity & JV cheerleaders. 
It was a flag football game with a twist. The cheerleaders and the football players switched roles. The cheerleaders played, and the football players cheered, coached, and officiated. The event started at 6 p.m. and ended at around 8 p.m. Admission was $3, and for every person $1 was donated to Pink Racks charity organization.
Grades 9-12 cheerleaders played in the game split into two different teams: the black team and the pink team. The Senior & Sophomore cheerleaders were the pink team, and the Juniors & Freshman were the black team. The football players were the cheerleaders, refs, and coaches.
The pink team seniors and sophomores won, with a final score being 22-8.
Captain Brilie Tasker gave her input on why she and other cheerleaders chose this event, charity, and how she thought the game went. 
“We chose to do flag football because that is the sport we cheer for and we thought it would be funny if we could do what they do,” Tasker said. “We chose Pink Racks as the charity because it’s October which is breast cancer awareness month and we wanted to support them and raise awareness. I think the game went well. It was kinda hectic, but we all had a lot of fun. Both teams played well.”
One of the two captains who coached the winning team was Cole Nickerson. 
“I really enjoyed coaching for the Powder Puff game, especially when it was for a wonderful cause.” Nickerson said. “The game went really well, especially after my team won. Our tactic to the game offensive was to run trick plays to keep the defense on their toes. On defense, the goal coming into the game was to rally to the football and pull the flag.”


Tale of two turnips: vol. 1:

Late into the night in an enclosed room, slithered a lonesome snake with only one thought on his mind. Turnips. He was almost as ravenous as he was slippery. In all of his years (hours) of being alive he has never laid his fangs on anything more scrumptious. There is only one problem that this reptile is facing: competition. The turnips seemed to like his arch-nemesis better than him; they practically rolled up and sang out to him. It was unfair, unjust, traitorous, and madness! No one could love the luscious food nearly as much as he and the plump white turnips knew this well enough.
The turnips are so beautiful and crunchy and pure, this slimy snake knew that he could never blame them for anything, but his enemy is fully deserving of his anger because he is the only other thing for him to be angry at. So the plan is set; a deep apology is made to all the precious turnips before his devious actions take place. He is going to soak the turnips in the bitter vinegar and ensure that his nemesis grows to hate turnips.
Before each turnip is soaked in the rancid liquid, a gentle kiss is placed on the crown of their heads to ensure that they would forgive him. Strategically, the snake slithers the turnips in place and ensures they do not look suspicious. As the plan comes together, the snake gets more pleased with his work and decides to go to sleep and see if  his mortal enemy takes the bait.
After a long peaceful night, the snake slides out of his den and makes his way towards his trap; he notices there are two missing turnips and one with a bite taken out of it. The trap was a success! His nemesis had not eaten all of the turnips! But he knew he could not rejoice yet.
Sneaking up to his enemy, the snake offered him a turnip, “I have a spare, if you want,” he utters deviously. To which his enemy vehemently denied and ensured he thinks he ate too many and now they taste funny.
Mission success.


Corry Halloween festivities deliver fun for all ages:

Halloween is just around the corner, and there is reason to be excited. Halloween is a beloved holiday around the world and in our small town of Corry, Pennsylvania. People all around town are setting up their spooky decorations and putting on their creepy costumes. There is plenty of local fun and festivities going on as well as trick-or-treating of course.
Halloween fever will be running high this weekend because there are so many fun festivities and events. There are trunk- or-treat events at both the Faith Evangelical Church and the Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Saturday, October 29. Additionally, there are trunk-or-treat events going on at both the Corry Manor and Corry Cambridge. Also there is a Pumpkin Walk going on in Spartansburg that day. Overall, there will be plenty of Halloween fun on Saturday.
The fun does not stop at Saturday: on Sunday there will be a scary  Haunted Garage in Spartansburg. There will also be a trunk-or-treat event at the Moose Club in Corry. There will be an abundance of opportunities for kids to get candy leading up to Halloween day. On Halloween, there will be a Halloween Party held in Spartansburg welcoming local guests.
Of course, the main event, trick-or-treating is happening on Halloween day, too. Trick-or-treat hours in Corry and Columbus are from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. All of this information can be found on Facebook if you are looking for another town’s hours. There should be lots of Halloween fun and  fever going around this weekend.


Mac n’ cheese fundraiser for Corry choir and band:

This Friday, October 28, at Corry High, there will be a Mac n’ Cheese Loaded Bar in the cafeteria. This event will start at 4 p.m. and continue until the kickoff of the football game at 7 p.m. The cost to get in is $7 for adults, 12 and under will be $5. Second helping will cost $3.
There will be may topping options for your mac n’ cheese. The protein options, of which you can select two, will be bacon, hot dogs, ham, ground beef, rotisserie chicken, and chili. The hot veggie options are corn and peas. Cold veggie options will be green peppers, onions, and tomatoes. There will also be Italian bread crumbs, shredded cheese, and sour cream available. In addition, there will be various desserts and lemonade.
The proceeds will benefit the Honors Choir and the Bands Disney Trip.


Terrific Toplovich:

The school’s middle school English teacher, Mrs. Valerie Toplovich, deserves so much respect. Not only does Mrs. Toplovich love helping out young people, she is also very down to earth with her students.
Who is Mrs. T? She is a brilliant, sweet, and beautiful lady. She was born on July 11, and grew up in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. In high school she played volleyball, softball, and even bowling, which is very unique. She played volleyball in college.
Toplovich’s favorite quote is one she made up herself: “Real life doesn’t work in multiple choice.”  Toplovich’s favorite movie is “The Breakfast Club” filmed in 1985, and her favorite song is “I Got a Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas. Her favorite color is pink. (I agree pink is beautiful.)
Mrs. T’s biggest pet peeve is disrespect. When I asked her what animal relates to her personality she said “a dog.” Her favorite emotion is love, and her idea of a perfect date would be going on a car cruise and watching a sunset. She also loves pizza.
When I asked her why she entered into the teaching field Toplovich said, “I have always wanted to teach because I love learning, but I went to collage for business instead and worked in the plastics industry. The company I worked for went bankrupt, so I had a chance to become the teacher I wanted to be.”
Last but not least, her dream vacation would be “not one particular place, but as long as it involves the sun, roller coasters and fast cars I’m in!”
From knowing Mrs. Toplovich for so long, one way to drive her insane is to be disrespectful. She may be a strict teacher, but she puts her students first and she gives them the world. She was my English teacher in eighth grade, and from that year forward she has been my biggest supporter.  I just want to thank her so much for being my favorite teacher of all time and for being the best. As she would say, “If Mrs. Toplovich wouldn’t do it, you shouldn’t do it.” That’s what she always tells me!
Mrs. Toplovich, I really appreciate you!


Girls volleyball stays alive in district playoffs:

Corry Girls volleyball traveled to Meadville on Wednesday, October 26, for the first round of the PIAA district playoffs.
The Lady Beavers beat the Fort LeBeouf Bison earlier in the regular season and were set for a playoff rematch. During the regular season match up, the Beavers had a couple of close sets with the Bison, but were able to come away with a road win. The Beavers were favorites heading into the match up, and it was a good one.
The Beavers and Bison would go back and fourth in the first set, but the Beavers would come out on top 25-21. With a 1-0 lead heading into the second set, the Beavers confidence was quickly shot down when the Bison came out firing. The Beavers would fall 11-25 in the second set. The Beavers were able to rebound in the third set, taking it 25-20 to take a 2-1 lead.
Heading into what would be the final set, the Beavers were looking to close out the Bison, ending their season. The Beavers scored 12 straight points, with 3 of those being an Ace from Sophomore Makenna Moore. Moore broke the record of 87 aces in a single season. Moore currently has 93, and is looking to add to her total before the seasons end. The Beavers shut the door on the Bison, winning the fourth and final set 25 to 18.
The Lady Beavers are headed back to Meadville on Wednesday, Nov 2. They’ll take on Seagertown in the third round of the PIAA district playoffs.


100 years of Halloween costumes:

Halloween has been celebrated in America since the 1840s, but organized Halloween events did not become popular until the 1920s. With this, America saw a rise in trick or treating, dressing up, and other spooky celebrations. Today, costumes are one of the most important aspects of Halloween. But how did people dress up in the past century?
1920s: In the 1920s, costumes were homemade and generally based on concepts rather than characters. Masks and face paint were especially common. Popular costumes included clowns, witches, and wearing a Jack o’ Lantern as a hat or mask.
1930s: During the Great Depression, people were looking for fun in any way they could. So, despite the poor economic conditions, Halloween continued on. People wore homemade costumes of cats, bunnies, and other animals. At this time, Disney films debuted, and characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse were common costumes among kids.
1940s: The ’40s saw a boost in trick-or-treating, and kids hit the streets wearing rubber masks of their favorite characters. More and more families were buying costumes rather than making them. Popular choices included characters like Popeye, the Looney Tunes characters, and Tom and Jerry.
1950s: Television saw a big boom in the 1950s. Children wanted to dress like their favorite characters like Little Orphan Annie and Peter Pan. With the rise of western films, dressing like cowboys was a go-to for many young kids, especially boys.
1960s: Now more than ever before, Halloween was ruled by pop culture. People, especially teenagers, dressed as real people like the Beatles and Twiggy. The most widespread costume was the superhero. Superman and Spider-Man were two very popular options.
1970s: The costumes of the 1970s continued the trend of dressing like your favorite characters. Some popular options included Barbie, Scooby Doo, and especially Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang.
1980s: In the ’80s, Halloween was all about film, especially science fiction. Movies like “ET” and “Star Wars” led to tons of alien and futuristic costumes. For teenagers and young adults, Halloween became scary again, and bloody, creepy costumes became popular with the rise of slasher films.
1990s: Group costumes were growing popular in the 1990s. A bunch of friends could dress up as the “Star Trek” crew, the Power Rangers, or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Around the ’90s, “geek” culture was gaining traction, so sci-fi and comic related costumes increased in popularity.
2000s: Y2k was the era of the popstar, and trick-or-treaters reflected this. Stars like Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez were a common costume choice due to their glitzy and iconic looks.
2010s: In the 2010s, Disney costumes were back! The release of the animated film “Frozen” led to many children dressing up as Elsa, Anna, and Olaf. 2016, arguably the most significant year of the 2010s, saw satirical costumes of politicians like Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and more risque costumes like Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad.”
2020s: Obviously, time will tell what costumes are the most influential of this decade, but so far, Halloween has been ruled by characters like Baby Yoda and Scarlet Witch, as well as concepts like cowgirls, angels, devils, and fairies.
Halloween is almost upon us. So, next time you visit Party City, think about the costumes of the past. Maybe you can take a page out of your grandparents’ book this Halloween season!


CTC spotlight: What is cosmo up to?:

Students and faculty do not get a look into CTC wing classes too often, so let’s take a look at what our cosmetology class is learning. During the week of October 17 through October 21, the cosmetology students were learning what tools are needed to do haircuts and how to do them. Practice makes perfect!
Monday: The start of the week began with worksheets focusing on the instruments required. These included identifying the tools and which instrument is best for what use.
Tuesday-Wednesday: The students began practicing on their mannequin heads. They were assigned two types of haircuts: zero degree haircut and 180 degree.
Thursday: The mannequin heads were then washed and styled.
Friday: The students repeated the haircuts for more practice.
Every Wednesday the cosmo students get a chance to get practice on real people. The life skills students take a trip down to the CTC wing and they get to choose from a variety of services the class provides.








Gallery|5 Photos




Reagan White 
							Mannequin head being washed.


Skating for the Queen City Junior Roller Girls:

Roller derby has been a prominent part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom, who still plays today, had me on roller skates by the time I was four years old. By the time I was six years old, I was practicing roller derby with other kids in town just for fun. My love for the sport really took off about a year ago when I joined the Queen City Junior Roller Girls, a roller derby team based out of Buffalo, New York. Two times a week we are driving to Buffalo for practices and bouts. That might seem weird to some people, but it’s worth it to me.  
I am a Jammer on the team, which means I am one of the few people in charge of scoring points. Blockers are responsible for preventing the other team’s Jammer from scoring points. Points are scored when the Jammers pass the Blockers on the track who try to hit you out of bounds. This sport is very aggressive and full contact.  I have never left a scrimmage without bruises. Another fun thing about the sport I love is that you get to pick cheesy nicknames.  When the season returns soon, I will be playing under the name “The Rock Bottom”.  
I started this season being a member of the house team. After a couple practices I was on the traveling team. This traveling team consists of high school girls from Pennsylvania, New York and Canada. Thanks to the team, I’ve made lots of friends from other states and countries. The bouts are played in a number of different states and Canada.  We were all disappointed when Covid-19 shut down our season.


Notable Nosel:

Rebecca Nosel is a fabulous life skills teacher at Corry Area Middle-High School who was born on June 9, 1987. 
Nosel has one sister, Carrie, whom she grew up alongside in Corry, PA. In fact, she, too, attended Corry as a high school student. In high school, she was a cross country runner and softball player! However, after earning her high school diploma, she moved on to get further education where she attended Slippery Rock University. Nosel speaks very highly of her time at Slippery Rock and goes so far as to say it was “four of the best years of her life.” 
Outside of school, there are many things that Nosel enjoys doing. Three of her hobbies are traveling, reading, and running half-marathons! When asked where she would love to travel to, Nosel says that she has many destinations on her bucket list. However, if she were to pick her top three, they would be Greece because she likes Greek food, and a safari in Africa because of the tourist attractions and for her love of exotic animals, and the Australian outback. As for upcoming vacation days, she says that going to the beach would be nice or just anywhere out of the country again. 
Also, there are many fun facts about Mrs. Nosel that you may not know about. For instance, Nosel’s favorite movie is “Beauty and the Beast”, her favorite color is red, and her favorite food is quesadillas. Another thing you may be wondering is her favorite song. Nosel says that she doesn’t have a particular song that she would call her favorite, rather she just enjoys any song that motivates her. Also, her biggest pet peeve is chewing fingernails. Additionally, if Nosel had an animal she would match her personality to, she says that she would be a giraffe because, “they are calm, unless you poke their buttons.” Also, as she is the life skills teacher, I asked her why she got into the job that she did. Her response was that she “simply just likes kids.”
In conclusion, Mrs. Nosel is an incredible addition to the CMHS staff! Her favorite quote is “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Also, a piece of advice Mrs. Nosel would like to leave her readers off with, “Always try your best, and if something is hard, keep pushing through, because eventually it will become very easy.”


Christmas is the top tier holiday:

Christmas season means yummy food, pretty decorations, catchy songs, amazing movies, gift giving, family time, and so many more wonderful things. Out of all of the holidays, Christmas is just the best. The feeling during the Christmas season is incomparable, and nothing but great.
To me, the Christmas season begins in November. Christmas time starts just a little before Thanksgiving, but after Thanksgiving, it really is full mode Christmas. Holiday lights begin to be hung on houses, stores start to advertise Christmas displays, and everything starts. The snow falling really contributes to the festive feeling and mood. The day after Thanksgiving, it is a tradition for my family to go find the perfect tree, decorate it, and decorate the house. Not to mention Black Friday Christmas gift sales starting. All of this chaos happening within a few days is so exhilarating to me and gets me so excited.
There are many main components to the Christmas season that excited me the most and that makes this the best holiday. First of all, the amazing food eaten on Thanksgiving and Christmas is so good. The cookies, seasonal desserts, seasonal drinks are always wonderful. Every Christmas morning my family goes to my grandparents house for a big Christmas breakfast that also may persuade me to love the holiday food. 
Another thing is the lights and decorations. Driving by houses full of lights, inflatables, large Christmas characters, and watching festive light shows are all so enjoyable. 
Next is all of the songs that come with this fantastic holiday. There are many classics that almost everyone can sing along to and will have stuck in their head. The movies correlate with the same ideas of songs, there are so many well-known movies, some of the most popular movies are Christmas movies. They all display such a happy feeling of this holiday and some contain relatable situations people might be in during this time and can connect to. 
The next happy quality to this time is the gift giving. This definitely stresses some people out, but when not stressful, finding and putting together gifts you know someone well enjoy is an indescribable feeling. Making someone happy and pleased with what you picked out for them is not just a mood booster for them, but also for you while watching them. 
The last, and my favorite idea about this season is the family time. Getting together on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my family; my parents, brother, aunts and uncles, cousin, and grandparents. We are all so close and so happy these days, always excited to play our Christmas games, laugh together, tell each other everything we got, and open more presents together.
Christmas is not about presents in any way, it is mostly about the spirit and joyful feelings you get. The overall universal happiness it gives everyone is unmatched. Christmas is the most reliable time of the year to provide joy. All of the things and ideas that come with Christmas makes it the best holiday ever.


Phillies and Astros share wins in Game 3 and 4:

The Astros and the Phillies World Series contest is underway with a few games left. The Phillies blew out the Astros in Game Three on November 1.  The runs for the Phillies were scored by a two run homer for Bryce Harper, one by Alec Bohm, one from Brandon Marsh, two run homer by Kyle Schwarber, and one from Rhys Hoskins.
The Phillies were the last seed coming into the National League Playoffs, this means that they were the last team to get in. They have definitely exceeded expectations winning against the Atlanta Braves 3-1, and the  San Diego Padres 4-1.
The Astros won on November 3, 5-0. Both teams were in a defense battle the whole game, but pitcher Christian Javier held the Phillies scoreless. With Game Five nearing in Philadelphia, the Astros will be pressured at the Phillies home stadium.


Brilliant Blake:

Blake Cook was born on September 14, 2007, in Erie, PA, at Hamot Hospital. He grew up in Spartansburg, PA, which is southeast of Corry, PA. He currently attends Corry Area Middle-High School and he plays football for the Beavers. He also runs track and field for the school. He does not have any siblings, and he doesn’t want any.
Blake would want to attend Auburn, Michigan State, or Buffalo University, then pursue being a professional football player. If he could travel anywhere in the world he would like to travel to Puerto Rico because he feels like he has a connection to it.
His favorite song is “Family Ties” by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar. His favorite movie is “The Breakfast Club” because it’s just a good movie overall.
His spirit animal would be a gray wolf. Blake’s biggest pet peeve is when people talk too much, especially when they are told to stop. Blake’s favorite class is Mr. Potocki (first period) because Mr. Potocki is chill.
Some advice he would give to people is: “If you see yourself in a certain way today imagine what you will be in one year of hard work and dedication.”


Come support the Lady Beavers in an all-or-nothing contest:

This Wednesday, November 2, the Corry Lady Beaver volleyball team will travel to Prep-Villa Haggerty Center to play against the Saegertown Panthers in the District 10 semi-finals. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. following the match before them at 6 p.m., which is the North East Grape Pickers vs. the Mercyhurst Prep Lakers. 
You can buy tickets online at here and they are $8 a person.  The theme for the student section is Halloween costumes, and other spectators are encouraged to wear Corry colors.
Your Lady Beavers have worked so hard to get to this point, going 7-1 in their conference ending up 2nd in District 10. All of the players and coaches have put in countless amounts of hours to get to this place they’re in, and all of us at the newspaper wish them the best of luck.


MCU phase four? More like phase snore:

With phase four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) coming to a wrap, there is no better time to look back at all of the ups and downs it has. Needless to say, this phase is a roller coaster but with highs and lows of quality content. For being one of the biggest cinematic universes,(along with DC, Star Wars, and Star Trek) Marvel has had a notable decrease in quality movies. Their typical Rotten Tomatoes is 84% and they only had two of the six films they released score above that with all of the rest falling short by a bit. So why are they all getting these reviews?
“WandaVision” (2021)

Phase four started off strong with “WandaVision”, a show that expanded incredibly on its characters, had respectable plot twists, maintained relatable characters, captured different styles of TV series, and built to have an interesting story on the future. The show starts as a sweet comedy between Wanda and Vision but it slowly shows the audience things are more complicated so any plot changes are reasonable and not out of left field. The show builds on Wanda’s power and shows how she can harness them and grow in the future. It also shows her deep struggles after “Endgame.” Overall, this show was adored by the fans (shown by its 91% Rotten Tomatoes) and was a good way to start off the phase.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021)

The next release is “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”. This show adds onto Sam and Bucky’s complex relationship that was previously established. They both are grieving the same person and are brought closer by this. This show not only has intense character development, but it presents morally grey scenarios that these characters have to face and address. This show includes not only political but also social issues that Marvel has never dared to tackle before. It grows on the idea that people of color have never been treated with the same respect as white people and how it is systematic. It also alludes to the snap being like COVID and implying that togetherness and support is what will make society stronger in the end. This show earned 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Loki” (2021)

The third series, “Loki,” has earned more criticism despite its 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. This series follows Loki from Endgame, therefore going back on his character development forcing it to be rebuilt. This show is the only one being renewed for another season and has gained negative comments after the finale for the romantic relationship between Loki and another iteration of himself, Sylvie. The show started off with an incredible portrayal of Loki but slowly drifted away from that in favor of creating a relationship between him and Sylvie. However the show captured perfectly how conflicts that may seem big mean nothing at all. This show was the first precursor for the build up of the multiverse.
“Black Widow” (2021)

With a low of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, “Black Widow” has been under more criticism than anything previously listed. It is critiqued for being too long, too predicable, and too boring. The movie is mainly under fire for this because it takes place before endgame and only serves the purpose of introducing Yelena. It does go more into depth on Natasha’s tragic backstory and it also introduces a villain that played a huge role in the Marvel comics. Overall, the movie was good but not anything to write home about.
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021)

Shang-Chi was one of the better movies in phase four. It includes a deep backstory, severe trauma, intense family drama, a hidden past life, and hidden family cultures. In addition to this, it has a similar way of storytelling as “Iron Man 3” did. It was all the two protagonists, Shang-Chi and Katy, telling the story to some friends and have something related to the story happen at the very end for example, Wong interrupting their dinner and asking to talk to Shang-Chi and Katy. The movie included deeply built characters that displayed varying personalities and goals in addition to forcing them to work together. Shang-Chi shows the importance of family and how somethings are forgivable but not forgettable. This movie received 91% Rotten Tomatoes.
“Eternals” (2021)

The least liked of them all, “Eternals”. With a whopping 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, this movie was generally not appreciated by Marvel fans. In concept, it was a good idea but the movie fell short due to their motto of not getting involved in humanity in order to protect them. The only way this group helps humanity is by destroying deviants and then they go back into hiding. The problem with this is that it would lead fans to think, “Hey, these guys could have helped a lot with Thanos seeing as he did wipe out half the population for 5 years” and that would be a good thought, but that would include them getting involved. These characters in this movie were not nearly as relatable as other ones in any of the other marvel movies. This make the percentage understandable.
“Hawkeye” (2021)

With one of the higher ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, “Hawkeye”, received 92% for its incredible portrayal of found family and creating such diverse characters, something Marvel has been struggling with recently. The show also addressed that wealthy privileged kids forgot how much people struggle. One problem in the show was how Kate’s problematic actions get glossed over for the sake of dramatizing the engagement between her mother and Jack. But overall, the portrayal of Kate as a teenager was well-received as the younger audience could relate to her and understand her.
“Spider-Man No Way Home” (2021)

The third installment of the Marvel Spider-Man series was a smashing hit. The public adored it, even though it is riding on nostalgia. This movie set high expectations for the rest of the phase. This movie is more like the end to an origin story for Spider-Man than the end of a saga, leaving fans waiting for more. The characters were all equally loved, every villain could be empathized with, and they all were human and dimensional. These characters were more like people you know than one dimensional stereotypes. This solidifies the 93% Rotten Tomatoes.
“Moon Knight” (2022)

With a rating of 86%, this show was well-received. It shows the struggles that this anti-hero goes through and shows mental health in a more accurate way than “WandaVision.” Some of the major criticism on this series was the inaccuracies with Egyptian culture and the rushed ending. But the show always kept fans on edge and anticipating the next episode.
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022)

With a rating of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, Doctor Strange was not adored by fans and is in fact incredibly disappointing to the fan base. The main point of the movie is to shed more light onto the multiverse but it instead displays a poorly written villain who has so many powers with no restrictions. The character was deeply written and well developed before this movie came out and went back on her best traits. Also, the only character traits in this are powers in addition to being bland, annoying or cold. All of the guest stars were killed within minutes of appearing and the only reasoning for it is to show another character’s power. The rating given to it is definitely gracious.
“Ms. Marvel” (2022)

Coming in with 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, “Ms. Marvel” adds a slice of life and shows the optimistic ideals of a young teenage girl. It adds a creative twist to the narrative by showing action and events through Kamala’s point of view and expresses her dreams, ones kids commonly have, then realizing the actual weight and responsibilities of the dream of being a hero. The characters are relatable and almost everyone can relate to the situations they go through.
“Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022)

This edition of the Thor trilogy was not taken well by fans. It did not handle serious situations well and used Chris Hemsworth’s looks to their advantage and were pandering. To solve the problem of having a woman as Thor, they got rid of her. This movie is only a product of mass production of Marvel movies. It received a rating of 64% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” (2022)
 
As the first series to tackle the fourth wall, “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” addresses the audience and tries to relate to them in a way no other Marvel series has managed. The casting is incredible and the critics say the writing is incredible. There is a percentage of the fanbase that feel the characters all fall into the same stereotypes and that Jennifer cannot have any flaws. The show also got criticism for putting Jennifer into the stereotype women get put into more often now: better than men in every way and does not mess up, ever. Overall, the show got itself a rating of 85%.
While the phase is not finished yet, it has been a crazy ride for all of the fans; the highs are extremely high and the lows are extremely low. Fans are awaiting a smashing phase to take them out of the current slump.


Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker, attacked in his home:

On October 28 at 2:30 a.m., police officers were called to the San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul. Upon entering the house, authorities saw Paul Pelosi, 82, grappling with a male assailant over a hammer. The assailant overcame Pelosi and reportedly “violently assaulted” the man in front of the officers. Police managed to disarm the man, and both Pelosi and the assailant were sent to the hospital for medical treatment.
Mr. Pelosi survived the incident but suffered a skull fracture and injuries to his hands and arms, which were treated in surgery the same day. He is expected to make a full recovery. Mr. Pelosi is the one who called authorities after he heard a disturbance from the back door of his home.
Authorities believe the assailant was David DePape, 42. He is currently being charged with residential burglary, elder abuse, attempted murder, false imprisonment of an elder, assault with a deadly weapon, and threatening the family member of a public official.
Mr. DePape’s motive was to “interrogate” Nancy Pelosi about an unspecified political matter and would cause her bodily harm if she was untruthful. According to authorities, DePape had an extensive online presence where he often posted conspiracy theories and extremist views.
Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said on Monday that her husband is “making steady progress on what will be a long recovery process.”


‘The Kissing Booth’ fits together like a puzzle:

“The Kissing Booth” premiered on Netflix on May 11, 2018. It’s about a girl, Elle Evans (Joey Lynn King) and she has been best friends with Lee Flynn (Joel Courtney) for years now, but secretly she’s in love with his brother Noah Flynn (Jacob Elordi).When Elle Evans, a pretty, late-bloomer who’s never-been-kissed, decides to run a kissing booth at her high school’s spring carnival, she unexpectedly finds herself locking lips with her secret crush: the ultimate bad boy, Noah Flynn. When all of a sudden Lee Flynn falls in love with Rachel (Meganne Young).
I really like this movie because the cast did a very nice job. I would have to say in my opinion my favorite part is when Elle falls in love with Noah. I also really like when Lee wins homecoming court. Some of the movie is emotional, though, for example when Elle’s mother passed away from becoming terminally ill with cancer. It is also very upsetting when they all leave for college because those three teenagers were best friends for years and it is hard leaving someone you love for that long. Even though it has sad moments and happy moments, it is like a puzzle in the end: it all goes together.
I would consider ages 14 and up to watch it because it has inappropriate content for younger ages. But if you are older I would definitely consider it. It is great with emotions and all of the above.