Your #1 place for all the latest news here at AJHS!  Marking Period 3 2018 

How The Addams Family Musical Comes to Life  by Julia Hopkins 

The burgundy curtain steadily opens as the bright white spotlight shines on the actors and actresses performing as they enter on stage. Beautiful notes grace the audience's ears, and at 

the end of the show, they are left satisfied and impressed with the students. To make the show truly come to life, a variety of crews are necessary. The Hair and Makeup Crew helps with the performers hair, wigs, makeup, and microphones. While this task may seem simple, during the show, the crew members work fast and diligently for quick changes. Additionally, crew members have to capture the part’s makeup so the audience can notice them, which takes trial and error to figure out during practices. 

The crews arrive a couple hours before the show to have enough time to “glam” the leads. Before a performance, the back room is lively, as it is filled with numerous people getting their hair braided, makeup done, or even searching for products. Also, in the play, the ancestors are required to do their makeup themselves. However, if someone needed help or fixing, hair and makeup crew will step in. This whole process, roughly, depending on the amount of wigs and time of day, an hour. Typically, during the later shows people become more tired, therefore they working slower. During a large portion of the show, Hair and Makeup Crew does touch ups on the makeup and hair. However, quick changes are a completely different technique. Sometimes, a wig needs to be changed in less than one scene. To have enough time, crew members will wait near the side of the stage so the cast member can quickly change without moving towards the back room. While this may seem challenging or straining, it pays off for the best!   

2

Midterms by Adrianna Licari 

  The second marking period marks the beginning of halfway to summer, and being close to many different end of the school year activities like awards ceremonies and celebrations. It also, however, marks something dreadful and fearful: midterms. Ninth graders have gone through these three times and definitely picked up some useful tricks to making them less intimidating and to be more successful.   Seventh grade was full of new things: a new environment, new friends, new teachers, and midterms. Navigating the school was already hard enough, but now midterms? Reflecting back, many ninth graders remembered fearing them. There are definitely many things to remember when taking them and many strategies that can work. After the first midterm many seventh graders learned that these tests were not as scary as they made them out to be. Current seventh grade student Jasmine Licari states, “No, they were not as intimidating as I had thought they would be.” They also pick up some tricks to help them on the future midterms and even on basic tests. For many, it is a great opportunity to learn more about what study strategies work best for them.   Eighth grade was nearly the same, the word midterm just substituting the real title of the test: unit test. “To prepare you for next year” the teachers explained as they would hand out the class exams. Though some of the eighth grade midterms actually did reflect some information from the beginning of the year, the main focus was on what we had most recently learned, so there were a few differences between these and ninth grade ones. Ella Meulstee, a current ninth grader recalls, “[Eighth grade midterms] were pretty easy and they were a lot quicker and different than this year.” They did allow for many students to get a feel for the length of the test for the next year, which many mention did help.  Midterms seem intimidating, especially when they are one’s first, but they do not have to be so bad. There are some bright sides to them, after all. Teachers tend to be easier on the workload and homework load. Also, it helps prepare for the final and the years to come, so people know what to expect from them. Taking them is a part of school, and after a little practice and experience, the test will only seem like one of the others.    

  Spring Break is on its Way! by Abby MacAdams   Everyone right now is longing for a break from school, even teachers. As we are more than halfway through the year, students are getting antsy. With Spring Break on its way, students are excited and ready.  To prepare for the break, students can work hard and get their school assignments done ahead of time to avoid doing it over break. School can be overwhelming, and it is definitely not fun to complete loads of homework over a break from school. Although students would rather not complete their homework ahead of time, it is certainly a good choice if they want to relax over spring break.  We recently received some warm weather in the mid to high 70s and students went all out. Wearing shorts and short sleeve shirts, students were happy about the weather. This can predict the spring break. Over break, many students may head down to the beach or maybe just visit a well known summer spot- Rita’s Water Ice. Many students visit Rita’s throughout the summer, even when they are walking home from school on hot days. Since Rita’s has officially opened for this season, students are excited and will most likely be taking a trip there over break for a cold snack in the warm days.  Spring break marks the almost end of the school year and students want to make the most of it. The anticipation for a break from school is getting stronger and stronger as we move towards it. Students are getting more excited and start to make plans with their friends soon. With no other major breaks coming up before it, spring break is the one to be excited for!  

3

 

Track  

by Abby MacAdams   It’s finally spring which means it is track season. Here at the Junior High School, track includes seventh and eighth grade boys and girls. Seventh and eighth grade girls and seventh and eighth grade boys practice together therefore are a team. Practices are usually until five everyday after school, although sometimes the teams must improvise due to weather.  Speaking of weather, some days the track teams must meet inside for practice because of rain or snow. What do the teams do inside you ask? Sometimes they run around in the hallways or up and down the stairs. Some other teams follow the same procedures.  The first track meet is April 11th and it is a tri-meet (three teams) scrimmage. It is at Schwarzman Stadium. The team members will treat this as a real meet even though the results will not go on the record of any team in the meet. The purpose of this is to get the teams ready for a real meet and make sure they know what will happen at each of the meets.  Another track event is coming up- Penn Relays. This event is held for many more schools than just the regular season. Each team (boys and girls) chooses the five fastest people on the team to compete in the Penn Relays. These selected people will go to the relay on a school day without the rest of the team.  The AJHS track teams will leave at the same time as other sports teams for meets. To prepare for meets, teams will leave at 2:45 for home games and 2:06 for away games. For away games, the buses will arrive at 2:15. Wish our track teams good luck this season! 

TADA 

by Molly Cleary 

One of the most popular clubs in Abington, TADA, is approaching the final few events before the wildly anticipated TADA Games. After fun winter events like Beat Street, Bring It On, and Unique Game Show, we are brought to the last event, TADA Extravaganza, before the Games begin. For those who have never participated in Games, it has to be one of the most fun school events there is. In an Olympic fashion, ninth grade TADA members lead eight teams, named after American colleges and universities, through sporting events and  

games. During the two weeks that consist of those challenges, the captains write and choreograph a song and cheer to promote both their team’s victory and staying away from drugs. At the end of the two weeks, the teams perform their song and cheer in the acclaimed TADA Games Finale. As complicated as it sounds, I highly recommend participating! Not only do you meet and grow close to people you would have never met before, but every event with your team just a ton of fun! TADA only wants kids to be kids, and that’s exactly what the Games is.  

4

A Team of Potential by Patrick Garry  This year, the 7th Grade boys basketball team had a 3-5 record. They were able to make the playoffs, but lost in the first round to Cedarbrook by two. Coaches Mike Ruivivar and Dan Garcia had full trust in the team, and the players had full trust in their coaches. Everyone on the team had something to offer in the games. Whether it was strong defense, or amazing shooting, it helped the team in so many ways. It always sad to see the players upset after every loss, but it was also so uprising to see when they won.  Some of the difficulties that the players had during the season was their chemistry. Not everyone on the team had played together before, and it hurt the team during the season. But part of the reason that the chemistry was not as great as it could of been was because of the shortness of the season. The team only played in eight regular season games, in only a month! If the season would have been a bit longer than the team probably would have won the championship. There were also injuries towards players that were key to the lineup. But the kids who stepped up to the plate definitely fulfilled their role to the squad.  All of the players on the had the same mindset, “We have to win.” That was one of things that was so good about this team. They were all on the same page for the entire season. Once day one the season started everyone on the team had that mindset. That is why at every practice and at every game, the team worked to the best of their ability to help the team succeed. Mike Ruivivar told his players that they were on the team because they were all and extension of him. Every one of the players remembered that and did not take their position for granted for the rest of the year. That made them try their best an ended the regular season 2-1 to make it into the better bracket. The last game of the season, was by far the best that they ever played with each other. It was everything you wanted a basketball game to be. In the last five minutes, it was just back and forth between the two teams. You could tell that Abington wanted to prove something to the other teams. Even though they did not win, they did indeed prove something to the teams that the boys lost to. They definitely had a season that any team would want to have. If the 8th grade team next year is much the 7th grade team this year, then it should be very hard for other teams to compete with them. All of the players on the team have a very bright future playing for Abington and probably even further. Abington will definitely win a championship with a team full of players like the ones on this year’s squad. 

The Musical by Molly Cleary 

The AJHS musical, The Addams Family, was performed from March 1st to March 5. After four months of hard work, the show was a huge success! Every crew, cast, and pit member did a phenomenal job in all four performances despite the postponing of the Friday show. As a cast member, I can say the entire four-month experience was great. The show really does accommodate everyone, as there are always so many ways you can help. If it’s the stage you want to try, auditioning would be right for you! Usually auditions consist of three days of dancing, singing, and acting and a day of lead callbacks. Whether you get a chorus part or a lead role, being on the stage itself is my favorite part. There are several crews available for those who don’t think performing is right for them, including hair or makeup crew (see Julia Hopkins’ article on p. 1), costume crew, stage crew, business crew, light crew set crew, or student directors. All of these crews are run by teachers, but otherwise completely consist of students. Because of this, the musical does not only give you a fun place to use your talents and spend your time, but you can meet the best people in the cast that can become your best friends. The cast is an excellent way to introduce yourself into the world of music and theater, and I highly applaud the AJHS music program for making each show such a rich experience. Try out for the musical, or get involved in the crews! You never know how much you will end up loving music or theater. 

5

 by Abby MacAdams and Mara Ginsberg 

  Odyssey of the Mind is a club that Abington Junior High School offers for students of all grade levels. This 

club includes problem solving, acting, singing, dancing and art. Each team is around seven students, and they attend a competition for a spot in the next competition. The first competition is regionals. If the team places 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at regionals, then they will move on to states.  In the Junior High, there are two Odyssey of the Mind teams. Both teams are taking different approaches on the competition. This meaning that one team is doing a building choice, and the other is making a skit. The building choices require the team to create some sort of invention or anything that can be built to solve a problem whether it’s driving, picking up things, holding weights, or anything else. The skit approach requires a team to write a skit, make costumes, and make a set to put on a short play. The skit and build both have strict guidelines on what has to be done during the performance.  There are two things that the teams must complete at the competition. They must do a long term problem (the skit or the build) and do a spontaneous. A spontaneous can be a verbal, build, or a verbal-build. The verbal spontaneous requires teams to be given a problem and think with their team of creative ways to solve the problem. Teams are usually rewarded for creative answers with extra points but the scoring may vary between different problems. The building spontaneous includes materials or objects that the teams are given to solve a problem. The teams must work together to build something that fixes the problem given by the judges. A verbal-build includes both talking and building to solve the problem. For all three options, the teams will not know the problem until they get into the room. Also, each one only allows at the most five members to participate, so if the team has more than that, some people will need to sit out.  To attend the competition, the teams must both offer two volunteers to judge other age groups for the competition. One of the judges must judge the long term problem along with a few other volunteers, and the other must judge the spontaneous (also along with other judges). If the teams do not collect their judges for the competition, they can not compete. 

 

 

6

 

Editorials  

The Arts Are Just As Important As Sports by Julia Schumacher 

In teen movies the climax usually revolves around two things: either the big dance (prom or homecoming) or the big game (football, basketball, soccer). These movies are very formulaic. Starting with the unpopular protagonist developing a crush on the popular love interest. Then through a twist for fate the love interest gains feelings for the protagonist, and declares his/her love for them to the entire school at the dance and/or big game. Everyone then lives happily ever after (or until they start college). The main reason that the love interest catches the protagonist’s eye is because they are usually the school’s athletic star. Their life is ultimately better due to the team they are apart of. The question is, how is being on an athletics team make you popular?   In schools all over the country, these athletes are treated as gods for winning games for their schools, while the real talent in the school gets ignored. Musicians in schools are almost always ignored, and sometimes even bullied for their talents. Since the beginning of time, musicians were called “dorks” or “losers” for playing a musical instrument. If this happened to the basketball, or football players, the school would take immediate action to stop the bullying, but because musicians are “lesser people” this behavior gets ignored. Music has always played second fiddle to the athletic program in school, and it is time for this mentality to stop. Why is it that the first program to get cut during budget cuts is the music program? Music departments are important because music strengthens the brain, provides students with a creative outlet, and helps build a student’s confidence.  Music is important because it strengthens the brain. While music is great to listen to, there are any studies that explain how music can strengthen the brain. In the article “Music Improves Brain Function” the author explains that “Even a year or two of music training leads to enhanced levels of memory and attention when measured by the same type of tests    

Continued on p. 7  

          

 

7

Continued from The Arts are Just as Important as Sports on p. 6   that monitor electrical and magnetic impulses in the brain”. This explains that a year or two of music lessons of an kind can strengthen your attention and memory. Compared to how sports can affect the brain, being in a music program helps you more than it hurts you. Music can actually help you memorize and study for a test, while sports will only distract you from studying and getting good grades.  Music is essential in schools because it gives students an outlet to express their creativity. Being creative in schools these days is harder than you think. All you do is memorize specific wars and math equations. This leaves little time to express your creativity. Music is one of the any ways students can be creative in school. This is also true to adults too as explained in “Students find satisfaction, creative outlet through music lessons taken later in life”. A former musician said that "Picking up an instrument later in life is a great way to broaden one's sensibility of his or her creativity". This just endorses the fact that music helps along in the creative process.  Music helps build students confidence. Playing an instrument, or singing in a chorus is hard work. You have to practice everyday to perfect your craft. Most times when you take private lessons, or play in the school orchestra, band, and or chorus, you have to perform for an audience. Performing in front of an audience can be scary, but science backs up the idea or gaining confidence through music. As the article “Playing a Musical Instrument Develops Self-Confidence in Teens”, the author elaborates that “accomplishments are one way to gain self-esteem”. There is a lot of practicing and preparing when getting ready to play for others. When you play for them, the compliments you get can boost your confidence, and create accomplishments for yourself this can help you gain self esteem.  Music is a wonderful thing, and shouldn’t be ignored in schools. Music can help students channel their creativity, boost their confidence, and can increase brain activity. Sports do have their pros, but music can only help you and not hurt you. As said by Bob Marley, “one good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain”.   

 

 

     

  

8

Stand Up Students, Now! by Julia Hopkins 

A Day of Remembrance by Molly Cleary 

On March 14, 2018 at 10:00am, students across the world rose against the flawed school system for 17 minutes, honoring the seventeen people who lost their lives at the Parkland School District on February 14th. Pupils met outside, using technology to document this monumental moment in history. Snow, cold weather, and the loss of education did not hinder the actions of these adolescents, as the turnout at the Abington Jr. High School was extremely high. On the contrary, some participating acted very disrespectful, using the walkout as an excuse to leave class. Therefore, this caused a rowdy atmosphere, but a large amount of students kept the initial motive and were sincere. When students began to depart from this monumental experience, we as a school felt empowered and united taking a stand for not only the present, but the future.   In addition, majority of classes only had a few students who chose not to opt for the walkout. However, even those students were able to be education on the matter, as the Abington Senior High School board constructed a film. It featured people from different backgrounds and stories, all coming together as one. Moreover, it provided informational statistics showing how school shooting have become habitual in the United States, and has become a prime issue. We as a school were very emotional after the video, as many began to discuss these topics on their own time. This allowed many students, who were unaware of these circumstances, to have their eyes opened to the matter and become for involves in present day politics and federal issues.   Overall, the walkout honoring the Parkland students was a success, and definitely will be remembered by the Abington community. 

 

A month after the tragic school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, schools across the country participated in the Walk-Out to remember the seventeen victims. The Walk-Outs took place on March 14 at 10 A.M, exactly a month after a previous student shot and killed seventeen innocent members of the high school. To remember, students left the building, congregated and waited seventeen minutes, one for each victim.   Abington Junior High School gave students the choice to participate if they wanted to; this was appreciated, as some schools across the country went as far as to punish the students if they tried to leave to respect the event. A majority of the students walked out, but unfortunately, not everyone participated. The disrespect our student body showed during the walk out was indescribably shameful. Students were throwing snow, laughing, playing music, Snapchatting, and being obnoxiously, inappropriately loud. There was roughhousing, yelling, and overall a complete ignorance to the entire purpose of the event. It was as if it was a recess rather than a memorial event for the seventeen people who died for no reason. This does not apply to all students of course, but such a large portion of the students acted inappropriately that the entire message of the Walk-Out was forgotten. Did they forget that seventeen people, including freshman students our age and even younger, were not supposed to die? It could have been any school, any student, and if it did happen at Abington, seeing this type of behavior during a memorial would be disgusting. The video Abington made portrayed the event as respectfully as it should have been displayed, but the behavior at the Walk-Out made us seem childish and completely ignorant to the tragedies that have happened in high schools just like ours.  

AJHS students participated in the Day of Remembrance  on March 14, 2018 to pay tribute to those who have lost  their lives to school gun violence. 

9

 

  

 Zip Ties: How They’ll Save Your Life 

by Sagan Brinkert   

  What is a zip tie, you ask? Hopefully no one will ever have to answer that question, as everyone should know what a zip tie is and carry at least two with them at all times. By the time you are done reading this, you will have subconsciously ordered a large pack of zip ties on amazon. Wikipedia defines a zip tie as “A cable tie (also known as a wire tie, hose tie, steggel tie, zap strap or zip tie, and by the brand names Ty-Rap and Panduit strap) is a type of fastener for holding items together, primarily electrical cables or wires.” The Merriam Webster English Dictionary defines a zip tie as “A plastic strip that can be threaded through its end and tightened so as to fasten something.” The urban dictionary defines a zip tie as “something you tie up and throw at your cat for him to play with.” What I am trying to demonstrate is that a zip tie has many definitions as well as and many uses. 

  The zip tie was originally invented in 1958 by an electrical company called Thomas and Betts. Believe it or not, they were not invented for our kitties to play with as a toy. They were created to harness airplane wires in their place. Over time, the world discovered many other uses for these handy little gadgets and let me just say, some of them are absolutely brilliant. 

1. Hold cluster of similarly shaped objects together (Ex. pencils) 

2. Unclog a drain (No one likes sticking their hand in there) 3. Key ring 4. Packing (Roll up a shirt and zip tie it!) 5. Broken zipper? Not anymore! 6. “Lock” zippers and luggage (Of course, any person with 

scissors holds the key to this lock) 7. Secure a hubcap on a wheel 8. Zip tie art and crafting 9. Other stuff that you can discover!!! 

  As I said before, zip ties are brilliant. What would we do without them? I will answer my own question: we simply would not live without them. Please join me in thanking the Thomas and Betts electrical company, as they are the reason for its very existence (okay, maybe not.) The best part about zip ties? I would have to say that you can buy them in bulk for under ten dollars and have a pack of miraculous everything ties in one to two business days! 

  Fun Fact: The plastic tooth that zip ties currently have, 

began as a metal tooth for maximum hold.  

 

   

10

 

In Tennis-ity by Nilah Swan 

  Individuals may say that tennis isn’t an intense sport, but ask Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, and Venus Williams and try to do their exercises for a day or maybe even play in a four hour match in all weather conditions. Serena Williams does a 10 minute warm up, 4 minute arm workout, 7 minute for leg, and core workout and that’s just for training for her next match. Try the tennis workout everyday, play some matches, and then come back and answer this question: Is tennis an intense sport? 

  Tennis is played in a box and maintained between the two allies (when played with singles and when played with doubles allies are in ,but according to a class of 20 95% said tennis is an intense sport because the players move a lot on the court. Another student Eric Barr agreed with the topic that tennis is an intense sport and said that, “It is an intense sport because they have to move around a lot to hit the ball, it takes a lot of concentration, energy, and skill to wait for the ball then hit it with persistence.” The other 5% was one person and they said tennis wasn’t an intense sport because, (they compared tennis to another sport like football) “As the tennis player they don’t have to run that much the sport is only maintained in a small area, also if the player has a partner it makes like match even easier.” This counterargument leads into the facts about tennis being intense.    A question was asked to a few students in the class one being Caitlyn McCrork the first question was, “Even though the sport is played in a box do you think it’s still intense why or why not?” They answered, “Yes because there is a lot of energy put into that box, you are maintained in that box, but there are some many places the ball can go that you have to run a lot.” Caitlyn said this, but isn’t even a tennis player and doesn’t know much about tennis, but knows that playing in a box takes as much energy as running up and down a court during basketball. The second question was, “Because tennis is in the Olympics and baseball and softball are not. Do you think tennis should be removed from the Olympics because it’s not that intense of a sport why or why not?” She answered saying, “It’s an intense sport and it should stay in the Olympics because you’re playing by yourself on one side usually and with baseball and softball you're with a team to help you out.” It’s clear to see that tennis is an intense sport there’s one more hardcore evidence to back up the earlier counterargument.  

There are many people that say tennis isn’t even a sport let alone an intense one, but that’s all option and not facts. So according to Tennis WareHouse “Why Tennis is an Intense Sport”/11/17 states: 

1. Tennis has no coaching. Aside from certain moments on the Women’s tour, there are no coaches watching the game who can correct your errors, calm you down, or make in-game adjustments to your opponent. Even in boxing, you get coaching after every round. 

2. Tennis has no substitutions. There are no teammates to bail you out when you get tight and make mistakes. This is one of the biggest reasons why it can be so difficult to regain an optimal level of play when something goes wrong. It might take an average player two or three games to recover when they get tight or lose concentration. In that time span, a set or match can be lost. 

3. Tennis has no time outs (except for rain delays, or injury treatment). You can’t simply remove yourself from the match for as long as it takes to recover physically or emotionally. 

4. Tennis has no time limit. In most sports, there is a clock which determines who wins, regardless of how even the contest is. The team with a lead can play to run out the clock just by taking more time to play or adopting a more conservative strategy. In tennis, you have to win the last point of the last game of the last set. If you change your game in any way to conserve a lead, it may reduce your effectiveness and allow your opponent to outplay you and overcome the deficit. With no time limit, endurance becomes an issue. 

5. Tennis is physically demanding. A tough closely contested match can take two to three hours. Tennis players are doing a series of small sprints, lunges and changes of directions and can run up to three miles during a five set match (which is more than NBA players run). As athletes become fatigued, it’s much hard to maintain concentration and mental toughness. 

Continued p. 11 

11

Continued from In Tennis-ity on p. 10 

As The Tennis WareHouse noted, tennis is an intense sport and there are people that know a lot about one sport and see what’s being played on TV like football they’re running and tackling and its therefore considered a sport, but when they see or hear someone talking about tennis and how interesting it is or how it is a sport the person that doesn’t play tennis doesn’t know that time, energy, persistence , mental, and physical power go into tennis and it’s way more than hitting a ball over the net and grunting. And that’s why tennis an intense sport.  

 

Unfair Treatment? by Caitlyn McCrork 

Many people can express themselves through making music, whether singing, playing the trumpet, or just dropping a beat. A very controversial topic in the world of music is about marching band and indoor 

percussion programs. In a variety of different schools, marching bands and indoor percussion programs are treated unfairly.   We, as a marching band and an indoor percussion program here in Abington, are not always treated fairly in relations to other activities, especially sports programs. “The athletic programs at the schools get a lot of call outs on the announcements and a lot of recognition. When the marching band played for the prep rally at the beginning of the season, we were not announced by the announcers, nor were we thanked,” Eric Barr, a member of the Abington Marching Ghosts and Abington Indoor Percussion, admitted about the issue. The programs are are often ignored during performances at football games and are rarely thanked.   As Mya McClure, a member of both programs, says, “People 

consider many of the participants nerds.” People look at the marching band and indoor program and see nerdy people instead of seeing talent. Members of the programs balance learning to play an instrument, learning to march, memorizing where to be, and memorizing music. “When you welcome talented individuals into your band, regardless of their skin color, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background, you’ll learn to value a person’s talents and contributions over what they look or sound like,” according to Five Ways Marching Bad Can Prepare You For College by Music & Arts. The music programs help to accept the diversity of the different people who join them and the members have to work together to put out a show.   While some may say that the band and other programs are treated fairly due to the fact that they don’t bring as much money and equipment cost a fair amount more that other programs, they still put in just as much if not more work and time than other activities. Throughout the marching band and indoor seasons, the groups participate in competitions and they work hard so they can achieve at the competitions. As said by Daniel Fyffe, director of bands at Franklin Central High School in Indiana, “The excellence they had to work so hard to achieve through competition becomes a habit, a behavior, an attitude and part of their character.” When competing the members of bands strive for excellence and when they achieve it stays with them. The band programs are treated unfairly in regards to other activities such as football and basketball even though they are a huge part of what allows students to have a creative outlet.   

 

12

Rich and Poor? by Matthew Schick 

“Governors’ salaries in 2015 range from a low of $70,000 in Maine to a high of $184,632 in                                     Pennsylvania with an average salary of $134,792.”(1) Many people in high positions make                         salaries that make a dollar bill look like dirt. Many people around the world live in poverty and                                   live paycheck to paycheck. Many leaders, ceos, and bosses could quit their jobs and never have to                                 work a day in their lives. Some people that have a ever expanding amount of money worked very                                   hard; however, some inherited the money. Many people just do not have the opportunity to make                               a sufficient amount of money. Many rich people advocate change and donate millions and billions                             of dollars, some do not. Also with the amount of money they made from billionaires so much                                 more people could be able to receive a college education. 

“Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is crazy wealthy. His net worth can soar in mind-blowing                                 ways, like when Bezos became $1.5 billion richer in one day a few weeks ago, or when he earned                                     $6 billion in just 20 minutes last April.”(2) Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world(on record);                                   Jeff Bezos has over 100 billion dollars. Bezos, as a single person, nearly has a net worth of Disney,                                     the movie, book, tv, magazine, icon. Jeff Bezos has donated millions of dollars over his life. Bill                                 Gates, the founder of Microsoft, with a whopping 90 billion dollars donates billions of dollars.                             The Gates foundation has given 41.3 billion dollars to many in need across the world(3). We                               believe that when people with large of money donate, money it improves the economy.  

There are many people that we think could benefit from money that is donated. According to the                                   Huffington Post, “More     than 45 million people,       or 14.5 percent of all         Americans, lived below     the poverty line last       year.”(4) We think that       45 million people is too         many, especially in     America, to be homeless.       With America, one of the         wealthiest and largest     country in the world,       having a 45 million       homeless people is     ridiculous number for     such a successful     country. The average     salary to be considered       the poverty line, for a         

family of four, is $25,000(5). Not every person can afford to go to college and get a college                                   education; this leads to a life in which they cannot get a good paying job and live above the                                     poverty line. 

We believe that a solution for the about 45 million people in the United States is to have more                                       affordable college education. Most people feel they cannot go to college because of the cost of a                                 college education. College tuition can rank up to thousands of dollars, even the cheaper colleges.                             We believe that when people have the ability for a good college education than people will be able                                   to get better jobs. With more education we believe that the poverty line will go down do to the                                     ability to get higher paying jobs. 

With 45 million people in the United States suffering from poverty the least we can do is                                 try. There are many people in the United States that are well above the poverty line we believe                                   that we could try and make a difference. For 45 million United States citizens a little increase is                                   literally everything.  

  

 

13

  

Bitcoin  by Sophie Chen 

  As our technology use and knowledge increases, so does the appearances of more and more “digital currencies”. By dictionary definition, a digital currency is “money balance recorded electronically on a stored-value card or other device.” The new question people are wondering: will digital currencies eventually become dominant in the global community over traditional currency? One of the most well-known cryptocurrencies is Bitcoin. I do not think Bitcoin is a good idea because it has an unstable economy, it is vulnerable to hacking, and the market is sketchy and shady.  Bitcoin is not a good idea because it has an unstable economy. It is not regulated by the government, and no bankers or politicians can interfere, so it is not being monitored or managed. However, since Bitcoin is solely electronic, its supply cannot be destroyed.  While this may seem like a good idea at first, the value of the currency can change over time depending how high of a demand it is in, and the value can drop or rise at the slightest notice. There is no group such as the government to supervise and stabilize it. For example, the Bitcoin market took a steep crash just a few weeks ago, as the result of a few rumors. If only a couple lies can drastically change Bitcoin’s economy, this currency is not something we should be depending on to run and function an entire country. The economy is unstable, and even the smallest rumors can have a big effect on it.  Another reason Bitcoin is not a good idea is that it is vulnerable to hacking or robbing. While even the paper currency we use today is liable to being robbed, hackers can break into your Bitcoin “wallet”, and steal everything, then vanish without a trace. If you are robbed in real life, there are often clues that the robber may leave behind, and it may help you identify who they are. On the internet, mostly everything is anonymous, so you have no idea who hacked into your account, or how to get your money back. Also, not everyone is as savvy with computers, and may not know how to build better security. Printed money has been around and used for centuries, while digital currencies like Bitcoin have only been around a few decades, and are still working out their flaws. Some people carry around “mobile wallet devices”, which are similar to flash drives, but at that point, if you are just carrying around your money, then what is the point of using a digital currency? Many people say that currencies such as Bitcoin are harder to  

 lose because everything is electronic, but if you are just carrying around your money anyway, then why not just use print money.  Lastly, all business on Bitcoin is anonymous, so that makes the market very sketchy and shady. No one knows anyone else’s real identity, and that makes the economy very open to thieves, criminals, and other questionable people. You have no idea where the money is coming from, and people may have stole, murdered, or committed other dishonorable acts to obtain it. While some transactions are harmless, such as the man who was selling his house and only accepting Bitcoins, others may be criminals using the currency asa way not to get tracked for the dirty deeds they have performed. You have no idea who you are doing business with, and there are no regulations to monitor the market, either. However, Bitcoin can be used for other, more positive purposes. You could pay your bills using it, or shop online with it. Many people are turning to this cryptocurrency because of the positive benefits it has. In conclusion, I do not think that Bitcoin is a good idea because it has an unstable economy, it is vulnerable to hacking, and the market is sketchy and shady. 

 

  

14

Movies Should You Love Simon? 

By Samantha Shackleton 

Love, Simon directed by Greg Berlanti debuted on March 16, 2018. This PG-13 romantic comedy, based on the novel Simon and the Homosapien Agenda, stars Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. This movie highlights the life of Simon Spier, a closeted young gay man, and his journey of coming out. After falling in love with someone on email, Simon realizes he has no clue who he is really talking to. The movie follows his quest to connect with his secret admirer.  This movie highlights the lives of LGBT+ and their struggle for acceptance. Glenn Kenney, of the New York Times, commented, “Tender, sweet, and affecting, this is the mainstream romcom that gay teens might not have even known they needed. But when they watch it, they'll find themselves deeply reflected.” In fact, Nick Robinson, who portrays Simon, shared how the movie inspired his own brother to come out to his family. By shedding light on the LGBT+ community, the film crushes stigmas, crosses boundaries, and encourages people to be true to themselves.  I personally found very little wrong with this charming movie, but others disagreed. Emily Yoshida, from Vulture, stated, “The ferris wheel is the other perfect parallel to Love, Simon, not the most thrilling ride in the park, a little slow, utterly predictable, perhaps even welcoming the label of ‘boring’." Yoshida probably believes this because Love, Simon does follow the formula of a teenage movie; however, this is to be expected from a PG-13 romcom. Also, I must say, the ending of this movie was not what I wanted and did not feel right. The ending is subjective though, so others may disagree.   Overall, Love, Simon is a must see movie for everybody no matter their gender, sexuality, race, or age. This marvelous movie has earned a four out of five ferris wheels. 

 

The Greatest Show(Man) of 2018 by Caitlyn McCrork 

  The Greatest Showman tells the tale of how the Barnum Circus came to be. While there are fictional parts to the movie, a lot of the story is true.   Phineas T. Barnum (PT) grows up in a very poor family and promises his wife, Charity, who grew up in a very wealthy family, a life that he can not provide in their current financial state. PT and Charity met when they were young, however Charity’s parents did not accept them together. PT gets fired from his job at a trading company and he gets an idea to open a museum of oddities. He takes out a loan and opens the museum, however it did not get any visitors because it was not accepted in the time period. He eventually gets the idea to begin the circus. He begins searching for unique people. They are faced with a lot of judgment, however the show brings in many visitors and a huge profit. PT finally had the chance to give Charity the life he promised her. PT meets others and add them into the show, including Phillip Carlyle, his assistant , and Jenny Lind, an opera singer. Along the way they face hatred towards them for being “freaks”, racial issues, and financial issues. The building burns down and PT gives up, but he gets encouraged to start again. The circus begins again in a tent and the Barnum Circus began.   The Greatest Showman is a very inspiring movie. It teaches to accept others and it also teaches lessons about family. The music in the movie is amazing and is guaranteed to get stuck in your head. The costumes in the film are very well done and the actors and actresses fit the roles they play very well. Although the movie is not one-hundred percent true, it tells an inspiring story of a man who followed his dreams and succeeded.   While the movie was very well done, no movie is perfect. The movie tells the story of how the circus came to be, however the circus acts the PT found were not emphasized that much and some were emphasized too much. Jenny Lind, for example, was a major part of the movie and felt as if she was focused on too much seeing as she was just an opera singer, whereas acts in the circus such as Tom Thumb, a dwarf, and Chang & Eng, conjoined twins, were barely even shown in the movie. The CGI in the movie was also not great. The elephants were disproportionate and you could tell all of the animals were fake.   Even with the negative points the Greatest Showman still deserves a 5 out of 5 star rating. The movie was amazing. While many will enjoy the movie, anyone interested in musical theater and music in general will love it. The music is one of the best parts of the movie and I highly recommend seeing it.  

 

15

My Love of Lady Bird by Michael Brennan 

  Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird is a movie about growing up, family, and love. It is an incredible film that feels very real and doesn’t break immersion for one second. The plot follows Christine McPherson, AKA “Lady Bird”, Christine is a rebellious teen facing the difficulties of school, a relationship, and her imperfect family, and through it all, she learns that she needs to grow up. Christine yearns to go to an Ivy League college in New York, however, due to her family’s low end status, and dad facing unemployment, she knows that her expectations most likely won’t be met. Through her high school life, Christine has many relationships all of which end due to unfortunate circumstance. She makes it through her high school career and eventually does go to a college in New York, however due to her clashes with her mother, she knows she has a decision to make. I plot is definitely one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing.  The film’s strengths knock the flaws out of the water in my opinion, the amount of things this movie does right is astounding because I’ve seen many movies that try to capture the same aspects but they never came close to how well done they are in Lady Bird. First, the soundtrack. The film’s subtle use of flute, piano, and strings all help perfect the film’s impeccable use of the BGM (Background Music). The movie only uses the BGM when needed or to increase the significance of a scene. Usually only during suspenseful, meaningful, and important scenes. Next are the sets, to this day, I still can’t tell what was a set and what was filmed on location. Areas like the school, The general neighborhood, and New York, are all very obviously filmed on location. What made me think was some of the more defined interiors like the McPherson’s home, the coffee shop, and the classrooms. I think the mark of a good and detailed film is one that has you asking yourself “Hmm...Is this a set or a location?” because it shows the amount of attention and care that they put into it. Last, the acting. OH MAN THE ACTING! Everyone’s acting was on point and very believable. Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, and Beanie Feldstein’s acting all stand out, whether it was the fact that they were the main characters or the fact that they are just great actors in general, their performances were all on point. That doesn’t mean that the performances done by people like Lucas Hedges or Stephen Henderson weren’t bad, in fact they were great, it just means they didn’t stand out like the others.  That being said, Lady Bird isn’t a perfect film, however I still find it difficult to think of many glaring flaws. There are some scenes or characters that I felt were unnecessary. Lady Bird’s entire relationship with Kyle, while partly important to the plot, I felt that the movie would have done just as well without it. It would have made the movie fairly shorter though. Another thing is that there are a lot of story lines that are left to interpretation, while it’s good within the context of the film, It may be bothersome for some viewers. The same can be said for the ending, but I can’t give any analysis on that part for obvious reasons.  With how realistic the movie feels, and with how done almost everything else in the movie is done, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird receives a 10/10 from me. I recommend that everyone sees it as soon as possible for an insight on the difficulties of growing up with an imperfect family.  

  

   

16

Alvin and The Chipmunks by Collin Deters 

  *Sigh*, I could’ve been reviewing something else. I could’ve been reviewing something a whole lot better, like Wonder or Coco. But no, I subjected myself to the torture of auto tuning and CGI chipmunks. If you don’t know what Alvin and the Chipmunks is, it is an animated musical group, comprised of three talking chipmunks,that was made in 1958 for a novelty record. They remained relatively unknown, until Fox bought the rights to them and saw that they could make money off of them, and then spewed this out in 2007. So let’s dive into this shambling corporate sellout disguising itself as a kid’s film. I’m just going to tell you things I can remember from the movie, because I don’t really think that much time and effort should be given to this heap.  The movie starts off with high pitched, auto-tuned singing, with the song being a bland, popular, flavor of the month pop song. What a lovely way to start off a movie! When the Chipmunks find themselves in Dave’s office building, Simon says that they are in a building when the other Chipmunks ask where they are, yet they clearly established that they have been living in the forest their entire lives, so how would he know what a building would look like, let alone is? Alright, so I want to say that the product placement is off the charts in this movie. If you don’t know what product placement is, it is basically when a movie endorses a product, like Mcdonalds or Pepsi, and it is everywhere in the movie. And I mean EVERYWHERE. Alright, so Dave kicks the Chipmunks out because he was freaked out that they could talk, But let’s them back in when they sing. Basically, he lets them when he realizes he can make a profit off of them. This is basically Fox and Hollywood in a nutshell. On a brief note, I want to talk about Jason Lee, the actor who played Dave. I have nothing against Lee, but his voice is beyond hoarse in this movie. He sounds like he drank a cactus and sandpaper smoothie before every shoot. So there’s even a scene where Simon eats Theodore’s feces! I cannot make this up! I wish I was! I almost gagged at this! This can’t be real. This can’t be the state that modern entertainment has found itself in, can it? I really don’t like the Chipmunks in the movie. They are just the most obnoxious characters and are the worst part of the movie. I am on Dave’s side of not liking them; they constantly ruin this man’s life! If I found these furry little guys on my doorstep, I’d kick them to the curb faster than you could say “Christmas time is near”!  This has to be one of the worst movies Fox has ever made. It’s boring, it’s generic, it has bad acting, and does not care for its audience. But is it the worst movie ever? No. No, there are probably worst movies out there that have tried less than this movie. But still, don’t watch this movie. But, if you want to, that’s alright. 

        

17

Restaurants  Hi, Welcome To Chili’s 

by Eric Barr  As I walked up to the Chili’s, I saw an admirable sight. I strutted up to the symbolic contraption that lay ahead of me. The near presence of this simple machine was enough to bring a single droplet of tears to my eyes. The large, magnificent doors stood there, showing me my true purpose. Showing me the truth, that humans are just a small speck and do not matter. The doors are not meant to be understood by our minds. They just are. They always will be. This was topped off with two compelling golden chili peppers as handels to open up this device to let me inside its grand entrance. As soon as I entered the second pair of doors, I was instantly thrust into a new world. Gone were the times of worry and sorrow, no eldritch horrors to be found here. The young female biped waitress was standing there, with a face of pure lethargy. I was now excited. The aroma was of tex mex and Americanized Mexican food. The insignia of the food chain was placed around deliberately, and with much thought. The waitress then swiftly spoke, taking me off guard as I was soaking in the juices of pleasure coming from the restaurant. She asked me and my family member how many people would be dining with us that evening. My aunt swiftly answered, “Two please.” The waitress gave a quick nod and just as quickly grabbed two menus with her average hands. Her vocal cords then began to vibrate in such a way that the molecules in the air hit each other until it got to my ear where my brain recognizes the words, “Follow me please.” This is where the fun begins.  As the waitress hastily shows us to our table, I began to see the full extent of the greatness of the holy relic which calls itself Chilis. I looked out the window and I saw the gibbous moon looking over lonely Earth. I knew tonight would be particularly special. My enjoyment came to a sudden halt when I saw the waitress discard the forks and knives in a violent fashion; that made me seize with disgust. How could one throw aside those valuable relics of modern wonder? How dare she! After witnessing this horrid act occur right in front of me, I quickly sat down as was expected of me. The collection of cells and bone in front of our table pulled out a binded piece of paper and leather and opened it up to the first blank page. Then suddenly with a booming, but subtle question, she asked “What would y’all like to drink tonight?”. I was stunned by how quickly she decided to ask me this important but simple question. I was slightly delayed, but then I thought of the perfect beverage. I responded with a monotone voice,” May I please have a Sprite.” Then she did the unthinkable, something beyond my scope of understanding. She pulled this archaic device, which seems to contain a liquid with a viscosity that was not yet known to me. However, to my relief, it worked the same as graphite but was a bit quicker to write.  Still recovering with what happened three minutes earlier, I was a bit skeptical of the quality of the refreshments that they would offer to supply to me for my own consumption. Then, it arrived. On a greasy, metallic platter sat my beverage. My body felt overwhelmed from just the very thought of the bubbly liquid sliding down my esophagus.  Continued on p. 18 

  

18

Continued from Hi, Welcome to Chili’s on p. 17 My parched tongue and glands as well as muscles in my mouth began oozing with saliva, which made me even more excited for my drink. The waitress then smoothly put the cups upon the formica exterior of the table from which I was sitting. There it was: the pinnacle of human innovation, my glass of Sprite. Now, of course when I say glass, I do not actually mean the material which one may think of when someone such as myself says the word glass. It was made of a hard plastic material, also known as (C2H4) or, as it is known on the streets, polyethylene. This cup held contents which for most of human history was unbeknownst to us as a species. I began to see the carbon dioxide within this` liquid begin to try and escape its prison and burst out into the world, and become one with our demon sultan known as Azathoth. He is neither benevolent or malevolent. He exists in a dimension different from our own. Existence itself is his dream, a dream of which he is unaware of. When, not if, he wakes, we will all disappear. For now the constant whining of detestable flutes and the beating of drums keep him in his eternal slumber. But one thing will outlast the dumb, idiot god: Sprite and its goodness, like Azathoth it is all mighty and the only such thing with true immortality. I quickly jumped out of my seat and leaned into the polyethene straw which accompanied my beverage. I quickly started sucking on the straw, forcing the liquid to climb its way up into the orifice in my face. The moment the molecules of the Sprite had their electromagnetic field collide with mine I instantly felt the sweet,cold taste of this nectar of the gods. I started shaking with joy and satisfaction that this establishment provided me. Then almost instantaneously the bothersome waitress dared to interrupt my moment and ask what nutrients I would like to digest this evening. I thought for a quick minute about my answer, though the answer to my question was always in the back of my mind. “ I would like a kids quesadilla and a plain bacon cheeseburger, as well as the queso with bottomless chips.”  Overall my food experience was a nice one. The cheeseburger came out a bit burnt with almost no bacon; however, the taste was quite good. But the queso was the real highlight of the show, the best queso I’ve ever had. And they only gave me four quesadillas which is way less than usual. Man was it swell! I’d love to go back to that place. It was alright; nothing special. 6/10 

 Sweetly Scooped, Your New Favorite Ice Cream Place  

by Molly Cleary  Sweetly Scooped Ice Cream, 501 Old York Rd, Jenkintown, PA 19046 

● Hours: 12 p.m.- 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 12 p.m.- 9 p.m Friday and Saturday; 12 p.m.- 6 p.m. Sunday 

● Prices: $5-$15 ● Reservations: can reserve for parties ● Noise Level: moderate ● Website: https://www.sweetlyscooped.com/ 

  After hearing about the crazy milkshake place, I scheduled to try it on Valentine’s Day with some friends, which was perfect as the shop wasn’t too busy around six on a Wednesday night (however, as dinnertime passed, more and more people showed up by the time we left at 8:00.) The establishment itself was small, and would probably not support more than twenty to thirty people, but its location provided plenty of space to walk around outside. Inside the place, it was decorated to be an ideal ice cream shop, with light pink walls and fluorescent lighting to make the entire room seem bright and shiny. Continued on p. 19 

19

Continued from Sweetly Scooped p.18 There were toys in the back for kids, a rainbow lollipop stand, and a long display of decorated ice cream cones on the counter. A sugary smell hung in the air, and the atmosphere itself was jubilant and sweet.   Since it was Valentine’s Day, there was a specialty gourmet milkshake designed for the holiday, but I ordered a Brownie & Bear milkshake that came fully equipped with ice cream, a brownie, gummy bear candies, and a plate decorated with candies and whipped cream. As expected, since I saw pictures of the dessert beforehand, it was extremely big and I highly recommend sharing or splitting with another friend unless you are positive you can consume that much sugar in one sitting. Despite my prior knowledge of this, I was sick and decided it would be better not to share. I bought one all for myself.  

  The milkshake took about seven to ten minutes to make, which seems like too long for a drink, but once it came out, the time seemed appropriate. It was a plate and mason jar filled with a chocolate milkshake and topped with a thick, square brownie as the lid. Along the rim of the jar was creamy vanilla frosting, where gummy bears and candies were stuck for edible decor. Placed on top of the brownie was a scoop of cookies n’ cream icing finished with a swirl of whipped cream and drizzles of chocolate syrup. Along the base of the jar were more dollops of whipped cream and candies to decorate the plate. It was a marvelous assortment of ice cream and candy, nearly overwhelming.   

I started with the brownie, eating a quarter of it before realizing how quickly filling it was and moving on. It was rich and sweet like any homemade brownie, and it was delicious. Despite it only being needed for a single type of milkshake, this store puts an appreciative amount of effort into making every detail of their desserts perfect; you will see it with everything I describe. After trying the brownie, I moved on to the actual milkshake, which was your average creamy, chocolate milkshake. Also, very good, and was probably my favorite part of the dish. The ice cream tasted like any boxed cookies n’ cream ice cream (still delicious, obviously), and the frosting and candies were perfect touches top of the shake.  My friends either bought the Brownie & Bear milkshake or one called the Cookie Monster, which was a vanilla milkshake with a mammoth chocolate chip cookie and obscene amounts of cookie dough to accompany it. Everyone could agree--the store was extremely impressive for the work they put into each milkshake. Every touch they added to the dish made it more fun, creative, and delicious. I recommend this place to anyone who has an extreme sweet tooth and appreciates unique or imaginative dishes. I would love to go again, maybe during another holiday or special time as every few months they change up their milkshakes. I’m excited to try another insane gourmet shake from Sweetly Scooped. 

 

20

 

Vincent’s Pizza  By Matthew Schick 

 ● Vincent’s Pizza (Providing: Pizza, 

Stromboli, Hoagies, Steaks, Burgers, Wings, Salads, Italian Ice and Much More!) 412 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, PA, 19046 

● (215) 663-9963 ● Hours 

○ Monday- Saturday: 10:30am- 10pm 

○ Sunday: Closed ● Prices: Pizzas $11- $20; Stromboli $15- 

$20;Salads $5- $10; Appetizers $3.50- $9; Steaks $6.50- $16.00; $6.15- $13.50; Hoagies $6.75- $13.50; Hot Sandwiches $6.50- $15.00; Dinners $9.00- $13.00; Buffalo Wings $5.50- $46.50; Drinks $0.90- $4.00 

● No reservation  ● No delivery ● Usually busy  

  The first time I had Vincent’s Pizza was a Friday; I remembered this because my younger brother started complaining that because it was Friday it would be so busy that we would never get our order. My dad ordered the pizza with french fries, I would believe it to be around eight o’clock. After my dad got off the phone and the order was placed he said that the pizza would be ready in about thirty minutes. After about twenty minutes my mom and dad left to go get the pizza and they arrived a short time later. When they walked in my brothers and I were ready to eat.  At the kitchen table my family each got a piece of pizza and french fries. The pizza with the right out of the oven, heat coming off the pizza. The fresh dough, the cheese, the pepperoni all mixing to make the smell of a great pizza. The aroma of cliche Italian delight filled the kitchen, the plates clattering and my family talking. The pizza was very fresh and delicious; with every mouthful of pizza the taste got better and better. The fries had a perfect crisp without them being completely  

  

dry, or covered in grease. I knew that the next time we ordered, I wanted to go.  

  As I walked into Vincent’s Pizza, on Huntingdon Pike, with a open window view, the store smelled of fresh pizza and ingredients, which hit my face. The beautiful mural of a Italian scene with the woodwork around the store, happy people eating and laughing. My family would get Vincent’s Pizza when we were busy, or we just wanted pizza. When you think of a Italian pizza restaurant, Vincent’s is the standard. You can see the cooks flipping the dough, putting on the ingredients, and putting your pizza in a giant pizza oven.  The atmosphere at Vincent’s Pizza is always happy with a family feel. Friends and families are sitting throughout the restaurant, talking, laughing about an infinite array of topics. Most of the workers are part of the owner’s family, which made the restaurant even that much more family- friendly. The workers seemed happy to be working where they were and always had smiles on their faces.   Overall, I would give Vincent’s pizza an A. The service was great, with very fast cooking and the cheerful atmosphere. The food was delicious, the ingredients were fresh, the pizza was hot and never premade. The restaurant made you feel like you were eating in a Italian restaurant.    

21

Another Delicious Ooka Experience by Adrianna Licari 

Ooka Japanese Sushi and Hibachi Restaurant, 1109 Easton Road, Willow Grove, PA 1909 

● L&D Monday-Friday: 11AM-3PM, 4:30-10PM; Saturday: 12-3PM, 4:30-11PM; Sunday: 12-3PM, 4:30-10PM 

● Prices: $$ ● Reservations: Required for any size party; request hibachi, 

sushi bar, or dining room ● Noise Level: Moderate ● Web Site: www.ookasushi.com 

  American cuisine tends to consist of hamburgers, mac and cheese, and other comfort foods; however, many people want to try something different. Sushi is one of those foods that are different and may appeal to people who are wanting to try something different. My experiences at Ooka, offering hibachi, sushi and other Japanese cuisine, have never let me down . On Saturday evening, my family and I entered Ooka, hungry and ready for a delicious meal. We entered the building, climbed up the steps that led to the dining area and were greeted by the staff who waited for customers. To the left was the hibachi area where we hear people cheering on the chefs and saw some of the tricks going on. To the right was the sushi bar where the chefs prepared the sushi. Along the wall closest to the parking lot were where the chairs and tables were set up for those who did not want to have hibachi or watch the sushi being prepared. The staff seated us quickly, even though we arrived a little earlier than our reservation, at one of the booths. In the center of a table was a candle, and some sauces to top the food. We took in the calm colors, the dark browns and pale colors, as we sat. We then began to take a look at the fancy menu for drink and food options. It did not take long before our server took our drink order: three waters and a Coke.   Upon her return with our drinks, she kindly took our appetizer order: Barbeque Squid and Tempura Fried Shrimp. The Barbeque Squid, though different had a sweet barbeque sauce over a perfectly cooked piece of squid. The Tempura Fried Shrimp was similar to the American butterfly shrimp, but it had a lighter breading. Along with the shrimp came some vegetables in the same type of breading: broccoli, eggplant, mushrooms, and onion rings.   After we enjoyed out appetizers, we took our orders. I ordered the spider roll, a favorite of mine. The sticky rice and seaweed wrapped around the perfectly cooked soft shell crab, cucumber and all the other ingredients. Together, it allowed for a fresh crunch along with the soft fish. This was a cooked sushi dish; however, my dad ordered several uncooked rolls. He ordered the Spicy Salmon Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, the Alaska Roll, the Out of Control Roll, and the Ooka Roll. “It was excellent!”  My younger sister ordered a cooked sushi dish: the New York roll, with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and crunchy apple wrapped in a sticky rice blanket, holding the components of the roll together. My mom ordered the Shrimp and Baked Sea Scallop Roll. Though it took a while to come out, “it was worth the wait”. There were several great flavors that worked together very well from the fish, to the spicy jalapeno to the squash.  After a great dinner, we ordered our dessert. My sister ordered the “Garden in a Glass”, her favorite option. In fact this dessert is so popular that if you get there on a crowded day, late, you have to reserve one! My mom and I both ordered the Chocolate Torte. The coconut ice cream that sat on top added a great tropical and light flavor to the decadent flourless chocolate cake. My dad ordered the Fried Banana which was a banana fried with the light tempura coating, with a side of vanilla ice cream.   All in all, this experience was great and there were no complaints of either me or my family on the service, food, or the environment. A+ 

22

 

The Cheesecake Factory  by Nilah Swan 

 2500 W Moreland Rd, Willow Grove, PA 19090, 215-659-0270 

● Hours: Mon-Thu, 11:30am- 11:00pm; Fri, 11:30am-12:30 am; Sat, 10:00am-12:30am; Sun, 10:00am-11:00pm  

● Prices: Appetizers: $8.95-$13.95, Entrees: $8.95-$29.95, Dessert: $8.95-$6.95 

● Reservations: Don’t do reservations on evenings, weekends, and/or holidays. 

● Noise Level: Moderate volume , quieter times such as weekday afternoons (3-5pm and after 9 pm) 

● Web site: thecheesecakefactory.com   There have been many occasions where I’ve been to the Cheesecake Factory, but the most memorable time was on my birthday May 26, 2017. As I approached the big, bright sign “Cheesecake Factory”, my eyes opened wide and I became as excited as a kid in a candy store and I ran to that big metal door just waiting to see what type of food I would endure that night.  As I walked into that restaurant I started to feel overwhelmed with emotions most of them being happy and excited. The music was soft and very welcoming. My family and I walked over to the hostess and told her that we had a reservation for 6:15 under the name Swan and she told us to wait one minute in a soothing voice that reassured us that our dining visit was going to be very nice. That minute felt like hours as I dreamt of what I was going to get on the menu…  As she called, “Swans, your table is ready.” At that moment I ran right behind her and couldn’t wait to see our table. We got to our table and it was a booth! We sat down on the comfortable cushion and as we got comfortable she gave us our menus and I almosted snatched the menu right out of her hand. As I saw all the options I almosted sunk into the cushion about to dream of all the things on this menu I could get. There was everything: salads, mexican food, burgers, fish, chicken entrees they had it all.   It felt like days when our waitress came, she asked what we wanted and I spoke first I asked for the BLT with sweet potato fries. My parents and I talked and waited for our food to come for about 10 min. When the food came everything else in the room went silent and became blurry as I made eye contact with my BLT and sweet potato fries and the slow steam that poard out of them. The square plate was hot and the sweet potato fries were in a silver cup that was also hot next to a little cup filled with crayola red ketchup.   The BLT was between lightly toasted golden brown white bread on the inside smothered on both pieces with the lightest layering of sweet mayo. Then the lettuce was packed on like kids on a school bus. Then to layer it, three strips of greasy bacon was layered on top. Lastly was the cheese and tomato; the cheese was so gooey and melted the tomato and the cheese collided in perfect harmony.   I went for the fries first. The hotness of the fries made me drop it and I picked it up once more blew on it and dunked into the thick red ketchup. The salt, grease, ketchup, and sweet potato mushed together that brought me to a place I never wanted to go out of. And when I thought it was over, it wasn’t. There was salt left on my fingers that I licked off like a lollipop.  I went for the BLT, I had my first bite the grilled bread with those tomatoes making it a little soggy, but the crunch from the lettuce bring it back and the grease from the bacon took you home with the cheese and the mayo sweetened your pallet. It all wrapped up together like a great big hug from your grandma. It was $14.95, the perfect price, and if I lived even closer than I did, I would be even more broke than I am now.  

23

 

 

Senor Salsa by Caitlyn McCrork 

 1301 Old York Rd, 215-887-9600 

● Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.- 10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.- 11 p.m.  

● Prices: Starters, $1.50-$17.95; Entrees, $2.75-$23.95; Desserts, $2.95-$5.99 ● Noise Level: Loud  ● Website: www.senorsalsapa.com ● Takeout: Catering and online order ● Food Type: Mexican 

  The first time walking into the new location just around the corner from my house was like walking into a packed sports stadium. The restaurant was overflowing with what felt like hundreds of hungry monsters, all anxiously waiting for to try the new location that is Senor Salsa.   As soon as I entered the new building located just across the street from the hospital, I smelled the delicious scent of Mexican food. The aroma of freshly baked chips and meat filled the air.   My family and I were seated at a small, square table with a unique and colourful pattern. The restaurant was crowded and loud, but I was still overjoyed with the idea of having a new Mexican restaurant in town that the noise level did not faze me.   Soon after being seated a young waitress came to our table with a basket of warm chips and a little dish with salsa. The first bite I took of the chips with salsa was like an explosion of flavor The sensation of the fresh chips dipped in the flavourful salsa was extraordinary.   The waitress took our order and within ten minutes our plates of food arrived. I had ordered a cheese quesadilla, a bean burrito, and a beef taquito. The food smelled delicious.   I first tried the bean burrito. The taste of the seasoned beans with cheese filled my mouth. It was unlike any burrito I had ever tried. The burrito was warm and heavenly. Next, I took a bite of the crunchy taquito full of shredded beef. The beef was warm, like it came right out from being cooked. It was tasty, but not as enjoyable as the burrito that I had just eaten. Lastly, I tried the cheese quesadilla. I was especially excited to try the quesadilla because cheese quesadillas are my favourite food. I picked up the small taco shell that was overflowing with warm, gooey cheese. With the first bite i took the cheese oozed out of the sides. I was disappointed with the size of the tiny quesadilla, yet it was still was scrumptious.   Although the food is amazing the noise level gets very loud. The whole time I chowed down on my dinner, there was a group seated behind my family cheering, “GO EAGLES!!!” continuously.   Overall, my experience at Senor Salsa was positive. After every trip to the restaurant my stomach is always full of amazing food. If you get the chance and you like Mexican food, you should visit Senor Salsa soon!