“News for the coolest cats!” Issue 1 February 2021 The 2020-2021 HMS Newspaper Club
published this newspaper with their own created title, “Mighty Mountain Lions.” This issue was written by fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders. The club is generously funded by the North Haledon PTO. The PTO’s sponsorship created this opportunity for our club members and for our readers. Thank you PTO!
TEACHER INTERVIEW: MRS. ROUGH
By: Olivia Kucera, Isabella Salerno and Tabitha Salerno, Gr. 6
1. Describe yourself in 3 words. Silly, loving, hard-working.
2. How long have you been teaching English Language Arts (ELA)? This is my fifth year teaching English Language Arts.
3. What other subjects have you taught? I have taught all subjects in grades 2, 3, 4, and 5. I have taught science and social studies in grade 5. I have also taught Gifted and Talented and BSI.
4. What grade is your favorite grade to teach?
I don’t have a favorite. I love certain things about each grade!
5. What is your favorite book? My favorite children’s book is Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix by J.K Rowling. My favorite adult book series is The Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson.
6. What is your favorite holiday and why?
My favorite holiday is Halloween. I love to dress up and make people laugh at what I wear.
7. What is your favorite movie? There are so many! I do love The Mummy (1990) and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
8. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would love to visit the United Kingdom.
9. What is your Hogwarts House? Hufflepuff is my Hogwarts house! 10. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Cookie dough. Definitely cookie dough.
NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY
By: Luca LaCognata, Gr. 5
High Mountain School began their chapter in the National Junior Honor Society this fall. Select students were invited and had to meet certain criteria in order to be accepted and eventually inducted. Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 received letters from the HMS honor society co-advisors, Mrs. Conover and Ms. Bouma.
The students that received letters had to be in good academic standing with a 95 or better overall grade point average, be involved in activities in and out of
school, and also volunteer. In order to achieve membership, selected students were then asked to complete a form, obtain a letter of recommendation, and write an essay. The essay had to be based on how each student exhibits scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. Selected students completed the application packet and their application was scored using a rubric. Students were notified in October if they were accepted.
On October 28th, 2020, Mrs. Conover and Ms. Bouma, along with our HMS Principal Mrs. Lind, inducted the following members: 1. Katelyn Boonstra 2. Emma Checinski 3. Isabelle DellaCerra 4. Zoe Dunwoody 5. Amelia Faucera 6. Francesco Febbo 7. Gabriella Gaccione 8. Haley Girgenti 9. Demiana Gorga 10.Evangeline House 11.Joseph Huntington 12.Angelo LaCognata 13.Briella Longo 14.Gabrielle Mannino 15.Nadine Mari 16.Chloé Muller 17.Daniel Nashed 18.Matteo Ormezzano 19.Katelyn Pierce 20.John Raineri 21.Daniela Scrofani 22.Ryan Scudieri
23.Christmas Noelle Holly Spaccarotella
24.Lawrence Spagnola 25.Frederick Stansfield 26.Ava Rae Tumminia 27.Gianna Tumminia 28.Kaitlyn Vanzile 29.Laira Vega 30.Rose Valenti 31.Alexa Zimmerman
The induction ceremony was held at 7pm on a Google Meet. The National Junior Honor Society holds monthly meetings on certain Fridays of each month. Congratulations to all the new inductees!
BOOK REVIEW:
THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH
By: Gabriella Gaccione, Gr. 8
During this rather interesting point in time, we could all use some escapism. Reading is one of the best ways to escape from your problems; especially by reading fantasy books. These
incredible stories about faraway lands with magical creatures and characters off on exciting adventures are some of the best.
That is why one of my favorite fantasy books is The Phantom Tollbooth written by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Feiffer. This book tells the story of Milo, who is bored by the world around him. Then one day, a mysterious package arrives for him when he gets home from school. All the box contains is a
tollbooth, and a map marked “The Lands Beyond.” Milo goes through the tollbooth and starts driving in a
mechanical toy car set for Dictionopolis. This starts Milo on an adventurous journey around “The Lands Beyond” with a pressing question: Which is better? Numbers or words? The beautiful storytelling and fun illustrations put together a wonderfully magical story about how precious creativity and life are. I hope that you take the time to read The Phantom Tollbooth and discover the greatness of this wonderful little story for yourself.
NETFLIX SHOW REVIEW: JULIE AND THE PHANTOMS
By: Olivia Kucera, Gr. 6
Julie and the Phantoms is a 2020 TV show/musical on Netflix. It is about a girl named Julie who meets three teenage ghosts who died in 1995 from a
poisoned hot dog. They decided to form a band. The show stars Madison Reyes as Julie, Charlie Gillespie as Luke, Owen Patrick Joyner as Alex, and Jeremy Shada as Reggie. In 1995, Luke, Alex, and Reggie were in a band called “Sunset Curve.” They were about to play at the Orpheum, but an hour before they were about to perform with their bandmate Bobby, they died of food poisoning from hot dogs.
Julie is a 16 year old girl who has lost her connection to music when her mom passed away. Twenty-five years later when they meet, the characters’ lives (or after lives) change forever.
In the 9 episodes of Julie and the Phantoms, there are many amazing songs in the show. “Now or Never,” “Edge of Great,” “The Other Side of Hollywood,” “Perfect Harmony,” “All Eyes on Me,” and “Stand Tall” are some of the amazing songs on the
soundtrack.
This show is heartfelt, exciting,
heartwarming, and funny. I would 100% recommend watching this show.
MOVIE REVIEW: THE LABYRINTH
By: Gabriella Gaccione, Gr. 8
The Labyrinth is a fantasy movie starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly about a girl whose baby brother is stolen into a world of the goblins. She has 24 hours to get through the labyrinth, a huge, weaving maze filled with puzzles and challenges, to get to the Goblin Castle and save her brother. David Bowie’s character,
Jareth, is the Goblin King, and tries everything to stop Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) from taking her brother back. This is because the goblin population is kept up by stolen human children. Made in 1986, The Labyrinth’s beautifully detailed and intricate sets were made entirely by hand, and all of the goblin characters were puppets; this was all done without any special effects and manned by Jim Henson, the master creator and puppeteer behind Sesame Street. This, combined with a
soundtrack composed by the legendary David Bowie, gives the movie a magical and otherworldly feeling that is very
difficult not to love. Have fun escaping the melancholy of Earth and leap into an adventure in goblin world with Sarah and the friends she makes along the way while watching The Labyrinth.
MOVIE REVIEW: SPIDERMAN INTO THE
SPIDER-VERSE
By: Joseph Febbo, Gr. 5
I would like to start off by saying this movie is awesome! It is a great
animated movie. At the beginning of the movie, Miles Morales starts off going to high school. His parents rush him out the door. While walking to school, he notices some of his friends. Miles is busy stamping stickers all around. Miles was stamping another sicker until he fell. His dad, a police officer, was patrolling at this time and stopped to help his son up. They went past signs and his dad said, “This spiderman guy he’s just doing all of the police's job.” Miles said, “Yeah, dad,” in an annoyed pitch tone. The movie goes on and he figures out he is Spider-Man. During this
adventure he beats King Pen, the top criminal in the city. In conclusion, this movie is a really good one and you should watch it!
MOVIE REVIEW: THOR RAGNAROK
By: Francesco Febbo, Gr. 8
Pros: The story was great and the actors fit their characters perfectly. CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) was good with a great balance of comedy and action.
Cons: There were a few scenes that I thought were very low effort. An example is when a character named Skurge was attacked by Hela, one of the main characters. In this scene, Hela throws a sword at Skurge, but it immediately is cut off to a shot of the sword in his chest.
Overall, it is a very good movie. I wouldn’t change anything in particular besides the things I have listed in the cons. Overall Rating: 8/10
DESTINATION: AUSTRALIA: ALL ABOUT KOALAS
By: Laura Castaneda, Gr. 5
Have you ever wondered what koalas are? This article is all about them! Keep reading to learn all you need to know about these cute and cuddly creatures. Koalas live in the forests of eastern Australia. They live where there is fertile soil and of course, eucalyptus trees. They usually have grey or brown colored fur with a white colored chest, inner arms, ears, and bottom. They also have strong clawed feet, which they use to help them cling onto trees. Their giant ears and big black nose makes them even cuter. Despite their big and fluffy ears, their best physical trait is their nose because of their keen sense of smell. Koalas can measure from about 60 cm to 85 cm long. They weigh about 30 pounds.
Baby koalas are called joeys. They develop inside their mothers’ pouches for about six months. When they are born, they are blind and earless. Once their frail bodies become strong enough, they start riding on their mothers’ back and only depend on the pouch to feed.
Did you know that newborn koalas are the size of jelly beans?
You might have heard people refer to koalas as koala bears. Even though these cute animals are furry, they are not bears. They are marsupials. Marsupials are a type of mammal that have pouches where their offspring develop.
Where do you like to spend your time? Koalas like to spend theirs in eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees are very
important to koalas. They depend on it for their food and shelter.
Koalas favorite food is eucalyptus leaves. Koalas rarely have to drink water because the leaves provide them with enough moisture. They can eat up to 2 pounds of eucalyptus leaves a day! Although eucalyptus leaves might sound delicious, it is actually very tough and super poisonous. It is not harmful to koalas because they have a special digestive organ called a cecum, which allows them to digest the leaves safely. Koalas love to sleep. When they are not gorging leaves, they like to spend their time sleeping peacefully on the
branches of eucalyptus trees. Did you know that koalas can sleep up to 18 hours a day?
I hope you learned a lot about this fascinating creature. Obviously, koalas are amazing animals.
DESTINATION: BUDAPEST:
THE PEARL OF THE DANUBE
By: Chloé Muller, Gr. 7
What starts black and ends black, but is blue? The Danube of course! This 1,771-mile long river begins in the Black Forest, Germany, and ends in the Black Sea. However, nestled in the center of its waters is the antique city of
Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. With its old Neo-Romanesque buildings blended in with modern technology, Budapest truly is a city like no other. As I have traveled there every year since birth, and with my mom’s extensive knowledge of both the landmarks and its history, I decided to show you the
capital of my favorite country that I’ve traveled to so far.
Starting off, I’d like to show you The Fisherman’s Bastion, which is one of the more noticeable landmarks. The
Fisherman’s Bastion is known for its high towers and the gorgeous view of the Danube. It was used as a
fortification during Hungary’s first dynasty and built on Castle Hill. It gained an important role for protection during Matthias Corvinus’s (Matthias I) reign. King Matthias is a very important figure in Hungarian history, and during my time in Hungarian School, I learned a lot about him. He is often said to be the greatest Hungarian king because of his kindness and selflessness towards the people he served.
You may be wondering how the Fisherman’s Bastion came to have its name. Well, for a very long time, the bastion was owned and cared for by the fishermen of Buda, hence the name “Fisherman’s Bastion”. Since the towers were connected to the Buda Castle’s (the King’s residency) walls, it was a strategic point for defense and therefore used to protect the castle and its
inhabitants. However, during Turkish occupation and the wars leading up to it, the Fisherman’s Bastion was severely damaged and left to ruin. And although the Austrians did try to repair and fix what they could, true progress was made in the early 1900s, as it went hand-in-hand with the renovation of Matthais Church, before it was turned over to the government in 1905. The most notable features of this stunning piece of architecture are the stairs, the statue of St. Stephen, and North and South corridors. The stairs are very simple, made of granite and brick, but the walls surrounding them showcase Árpád (the first Hungarian chieftain) Era warriors, ready to fight
and defend on command. Each tower of the fortress houses one of the seven chiefs who led the Hungarians into the Carpathian Basin around 896 A.D. In the southern yard sits the statue of St. Stephen, Hungary’s first king. St.
Stephen is considered to be the founder of the Hungarian state, and on August 20th, Hungarians all over the world celebrate Hungary’s founding. Close to my grandparent’s house in Hungary is a very tall cliff. We’d usually walk up to this cliff and watch the fireworks together.
Another landmark I’d like to show you, is the Heroes’ Square, a landmark that is both a solemn place of remembrance and a sign of pride and patriotism. Construction of this monument began in 1896, exactly 1000 years after the event it was made to commemorate, which was the anniversary of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin. The project was originally started while Hungary was still a part of the
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, and so five spaces were left for important members of the Habsburg family.
After World War II, the monument was severely damaged and these statues were replaced with more current figures. The monument has two main parts which are surrounded by a semicircle of statues. There is a cenotaph, or an empty tomb, which was built “To the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of our people and our national independence.”
Unfortunately, the cenotaph was removed by the Communist Regime in 1951 because its purpose did not align with the beliefs at the time. Thankfully, it was put back five years later. The
second part of the monument is simply known as “The Column.” At the very top of the large pillar is a statue of the archangel Gabriel holding the Holy Crown of St. Stephen in his right hand and a two-barred apostolic cross in his left. At the base of the column are seven statues that represent the Magyar
(Hungarian) chieftains who led the Huns into modern-day Hungary. Árpád stands in front, followed by six others. There isn’t much known about these important figures, so their clothing is most likely not historically accurate, but it is very pretty to look at. In addition to these statues, there are various other statues on the outer ring of the semi-circle representing Wealth, Labor, War,
Peace, Knowledge, and Glory. Although I won’t go into it, on both sides of the monument are two museums, the Museum of Fine Arts and the National Art Gallery. Further down is the
Vadahunyad Castle with a giant boating
lake that functions as an open-air ice rink during the winter months. My mom skated on it during weekends when she was my age.
After so much walking, how about we take a relaxing break to Europe’s biggest thermal spa? The Széchenyi Thermal Bath and Spa is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Hungary is well known for its medicinal baths and healing waters all over the world, and this bath is the most famous. However, if you’re not into soaking in its
mineral-rich waters, you can learn about its history instead. While its design was being planned during the 1880s,
Széchenyi Bath was actually referred to as “Artesian Spa”. This changed after it was built in 1913, and it was named after Stephen Széchenyi, aka the
Greatest Hungarian. He earned this title for a number of reasons and this isn’t the first building dedicated to him. During its first year open, nearly
200,000 bathers visited and in 1919 this number nearly quintupled!
One of my favorite features of this spa is the mosaic and the paintings that run
along the walls and ceilings. They add bright splashes of color and the detailed designs catch your eye as you sink into the thermal waters. My favorite of these is called “Beauty” and it is on the Czigler Wing’s Wall. It almost looks like the women in the picture are mermaids or sirens, and the gold bits draw you in. Going back to the Greatest Hungarian, Stephen Széchenyi built a bridge that still unites both sides of Budapest. This bridge, coincidentally called Széchenyi Lánchíd, or Széchenyi Chain Bridge, was the first-ever bridge built across the Danube, so construction was no easy task. The bridge was designed by English engineer William Tierney Clark and was built by Adam Clark. It opened in 1849 after 10 years of construction. Before the Chain Bridge was built, the only way to access the other side of the city was using a boat, which most people couldn’t afford. By uniting Buda and Pest, Széchenyi helped unify Hungary and create a more efficient economy.
After the Revolution of 1848, a civic revolution by the Hungarian people in an attempt to free themselves from
Austrian rule, the bridge officially became the first permanent bridge in Hungary’s capital. The Chain Bridge was severely damaged after World War II as the Germans attempted to cause damage while retreating. The towers still remained, even after the horrific
bombing, and the stone lions that guard
both sides of the bridge stood tall (or rather laid).
Every year on August 20th, the bridge is closed and you can walk around it. I usually go with my mom and friends, and we enjoy the sunlight glinting off of the Danube’s waters. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is still a symbol of unity for the citizens of Budapest today.
Last but definitely not least, is the
Hungarian Parliament Building, which is the House of the Country. It was ranked as one of the Top 10 World Landmarks in 2020 and is one of the most popular
tourist attractions in all of Hungary. There’s a big chance you’ve seen it in travel commercials, and it was also featured in Katy Perry’s music video for Firework. It is located on the left bank of the Danube on the Pest side of the city. Unfortunately, the architect, Imre Steindl passed away just a week before
construction was completed. His health was already in terrible shape though he was only around 60 years old, and his failing eyes kept him from viewing the masterpiece he’d spent 20 years of his life building. The Parliament was opened in 1902, though construction wasn’t completed fully until two years after in 1904. Recognized as a World Heritage Site, it is also the world’s third-largest parliament building. A few years ago, my mom had the opportunity to organize a visit. This is pretty significant because it has the same importance as the Capitolium has here in the U.S. This large building stretches across 18,000 meters and contains 691 rooms, 28 entrances, 29 staircases, and 10 courtyards. Half a million precious stones and nearly 40 kilograms of gold were used to decorate the building’s ceilings and walls, the gold consisting of both the incredibly rare gold leaf and 22 to 23 karat pure gold. It also holds the more than
1,000-year-old Holy Crown of Hungary and the Hungarian Crown Jewels, which were spirited out to a U.S. safekeeping facility during World War II. However, the crown wasn’t returned until January 6, 1978, due to an order by President Jimmy Carter after verifying its
authenticity. It was very interesting to see the guards switch shifts while guarding these priceless treasures. Today the Parliament is used to hold meetings for Congress and politicians. The National Assembly gathers in the lower part of the building, while the upper part is mainly used for meetings and conferences. Even though it is surrounded by many important monuments, the Parliament is still an amazing example of Renaissance and Gothic Revival architecture.
Budapest is a perfect representation of the Hungarian peoples’ struggles, victories, hardships, and sacrifices. Each monument represents a moment in history that changed the course of Hungary forever. Although this journey began in black and blue, it ends in red, white, and green. Viszlát!
DESTINATION: JERSEY SHORE: WATER PARK REVIEW
By: Kailey Hunt, Gr. 6
Did you know the Jersey Shore is a great place to hang out with friends, family, and just have a good time? Well, if you didn’t know that, then you are going to learn today!
The Jersey Shore is a place where you can visit the beach, arcades,
waterparks, and other amazing places. The review for the BreakWater beach is a 4.6 star rating, which is pretty good for a water park. The people that have had the experience to visit the waterpark have written some amazing and cool reviews! Some people say that when we were in the pandemic, the staff
members wore their masks at all times and they also kept in touch with people to make sure they were all okay and safe. Majority of the people who have been at BreakWater beach, have had such an amazing time!
The water slides are very safe and fun, you could have a bunch of fun when on the water slides, but also be safe at the same time. BreakWater beach was built
in 2004 and was never destroyed! Did you know that people spend over 2.5 hours at the waterpark?! BreakWater beach is open to 10AM-6PM everyday. BreakWater beach is located at 800 Ocean Terr, Seaside Heights, NJ. I have also been to the BreakWater beach before! It is so amazing and they also serve great food! I recommend going there! I hope you could go to
BreakWater beach because it's like a dream! Hope you enjoy.
SPORTS: MY BIG DAY
By: Samantha Battaglia, Gr. 5
This Halloween was like no other, it was very special, because it was the day of my softball championship. I got up that morning and it was Halloween! I jumped up and down ready to eat lots of candy. Then I remembered, I had my
championship softball game today. I started to get ready. When I was already I jumped in the car ready to win. My team was ready to play against Butler Gold. The only bad thing was we have never played this team before. As
we arrived at the field, I jumped out of the car, put on my glove, and started warming up. Soon we were in the field and the umpire said, “Let’s play ball!” As the umpire said it, I knew it was going to be a long game. The first inning started very slow with only a couple of hits, but still, no one had scored a run. The game went on like this until the fifth inning. Butler Gold scored the first run. It was already the sixth inning when all hope of us winning was lost, our team hit a run home! Everyone on our team was cheering, but we had not won yet. We went back on the field and Butler Gold had scored another run! Then it was our turn to bat. We scored another run! The score was tied 2-2 in the seventh inning. The game was tense as each team scored another run and it all came down to the ninth inning. The score was 3-3! Butler Gold was up at bat, but they didn't score a run! We had a chance to win! Our team was up to bat and it was our chance to win. My teammate, Lyla, was up at bat with Madi on second. Lyla got a hit and everyone was cheering with joy. The umpire yells, “She's safe at first!” Butler Gold tried to get Lyla out at first and Madi went to third. The umpire called out, “She’s safe at third!”
Everyone was screaming! Then Lyla did something very unexpected, she was on her way to second! As she slid into second base Madi was on her way to Home! Then the umpire yelled, “They are both safe!” Everyone was
screaming! I can't believe we won! This Halloween was one I will never forget.
STUDENT INTERVIEW: MADISON MCMURRAY SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
By: Tabitha Salerno, Gr. 6
1. How many years have you been playing softball for?
I have been playing for six years. 2. Do you play for another team?
Yes, I play for the Morris County Belles. 3. What is your favorite position to play? My favorite position is pitcher.
4. What position do you play? The position I play is pitcher. 5. When you started the softball championship game, how were you feeling?
I was nervous, because I knew they were older than us.
6. When you first started playing, did you think your team was going to win? Yeah!
7. What was your best play that game? My best play was when I struck out three people in a row after someone hit a triple.
8. How were you feeling when pitching in the 9th inning?
I was terrified!
9. What was your favorite memory from that game?
My favorite memory is when Lyla hit the ball and I ran home and scored the winning run.
10. What coach do you think was the most nervous?
Mrs. Debbie or Mrs. Colleen.
11. What were your thoughts when we won?
After we won, I was looking forward to going to the after party.
12. Since you love Gatorade, what flavor were you drinking?
During the game I was drinking Citrus Cooler.
13. Do you plan to play in the future? Yeah!
14. If you have one, what is your favorite softball team?
My favorite team is Florida State Seminoles.
15. When you are older, do you want to be involved in the game like a coach or an umpire?
I want to be a coach, because I want to help people get better.
SPORTS: ALL ABOUT THE NEW YORK RANGERS
By: Luca LaCognata, Gr. 5
HISTORY:
The New York Rangers have been a National Hockey League (NHL) team since 1926 and are part of the original 6 teams that started the NHL. They have won 4 Stanley Cups in 1928, 1933, 1940, and 1994 and have won 3 presidents trophies in 1991, 1994, and 2014. The Rangers have had 62 people go into the Hall of Fame. The Rangers are in the Metropolitan Division which is the toughest division in the NHL.
NOW:
The New York Rangers play at Madison Square Garden, the most famous arena in the Northeast. The Rangers are rivals with a lot of teams like the New York
Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers and a few more. The Rangers are currently going through a rebuilding process by getting young players and getting the team in shape. The rebuild has been a huge success so far with the incomes of Mika Zibanejad, free agency pickup Artemi Panarin, second overall pick Kappo Kakko, and first overall pick Alexis Lafrenière. Even though the Rangers have been in their rebuild only two years they still made it to the
playoffs last year which has been one of the fastest rebuilds in history. That is just how good they are.
MUSICAL ARTIST: 24GOLDN
By: Samantha Battaglia, Gr. 5
24kGoldn is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and former child actor. 24kGoldn`s full name is Golden Landis Von Jones. Golden was born on
November 13, 2000 in San Francisco, California. Golden grew up with a sister named Sage. Golden`s parents KJ Landis and Torino Jones were fashion models. Golden sang in the choir in middle school and high school, and, with that, the importance of music in his life
grew. As a child, Golden acted in commercials. Golden attended Lowell High School where he graduated in 2018. Golden then went to college at University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Later, Golden took a leave of absence for college to pursue his rapping career. Golden didn’t drop out of college
because he loved the feeling of being on campus, and that being a student kept him grounded. Then, Golden rose to fame with his 2019 single "Valentino," which peaked at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. In July 2020, Golden released the single "Mood," featuring Puerto Rican-American rapper Iann Dior, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became the highest charting song of his career. Today, you can see 24kGoldn at concerts, on Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok and more.
RECIPE:
VIENNESE MARZIPAN BARS
By: Isabella Salerno, Gr. 6
Ingredients:
● 1 cup all-purpose flour ● ½ teaspoon baking powder ● ⅓ cup unsalted butter
● ½ cup granulated sugar plus another ⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
● 2 eggs, divided ● 1 tablespoon milk
● ¾ cup blanched almonds ● ¼ teaspoon salt
● 1 teaspoon vanilla, divided ● few drops food coloring of your
choice, optional
● ½ cup apricot preserves, lightly warmed
● ½ ounce unsweetened chocolate ● 1 tablespoon unsalted butter ● ½ cup powdered sugar ● 1 tablespoon boiling water ● sprinkles, if desired
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking dish with foil, and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift the flour and baking powder
together to cream the butter. Add ½ cup sugar and beat well. Add 1 egg yolk and milk and beat until the mixture begins to hold together. Move the mixture to a prepared baking dish and press firmly to form a smooth bottom layer. Put in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
While the bottom crust is baking, make the filling: In the bowl of a food
processor, grind almonds to a fine powder. Add salt and the remaining ⅔ cup sugar and pulse until combined. Add the remaining egg and egg white, ½ teaspoon of vanilla and a few drops of
food coloring, if using. Pulse until combined.
Spread the apricot preserves over the hot crust, then top with filling. Return to the oven and bake 25 minutes, or until the top of the cookies spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip. Do not overbake. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
While the cookies are cooling, make the glaze: In a 1 cup glass measuring cup, combine chocolate and butter and heat in a microwave in 20-second increments until the chocolate begins to melt.
Remove from the microwave and stir until completely melted. Stir in powdered sugar, water and the remaining ½
teaspoon of vanilla and stir until
completely smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooling cookies and spread evenly. If using sprinkles, add now.
Let them stand until completely cool; overnight is fine. Remove from the baking sheet, peel off the foil and cut into 16 bars.
Makes: 16
Per bar: 220 calories (percent of calories from fat, 37), 3 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 9 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 35 milligrams cholesterol, 57 milligrams sodium.
RECIPE:
CHERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIE BARS
By: Isabella Salerno, Gr. 6
Ingredients:
● 1 package (4 ounces) HERSHEY’S Unsweetened Chocolate Premium Baking Bar, broken into pieces
● 1 cup (2 sticks) butter ● 2 ½ cups sugar, divided ● 4 eggs
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ● 2 cups of all- purpose flour ● 1 package (8 ounces) cream
cheese, softened
● 1 ¾ cups(10-ounce package) HERSHEY’S MINI KISSES brand Milk Chocolates divided
● ½ cup chopped red or green maraschino cherries
● ½ teaspoon almond extract ● Few drops red food coloring
(optional)
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
2. Place unsweetened chocolate and butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 2 to 2 ½ minutes, stirring after each
minute, until mixture is melted. Beat in 2 cups sugar, 3 eggs and vanilla until blended. Stir in flour; spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Beat cream cheese, remaining ½ cup sugar and remaining 1 egg; stir in 1 ¼ cups chocolate pieces, cherries, almond extract and red food color, if desired. Drop by spoonfuls over the top of the chocolate mixture in the pan. 4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or just until
set. Remove from the oven; immediately sprinkle remaining ½ cup chocolates over top. Cool completely in a pan on a wire rack; cut into bars. Cover; refrigerate leftovers bars.
RECIPE:
HERSHEY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
By: Isabella Salerno, Gr. 6
● 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour ● 1 teaspoon baking soda ● 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
● 1 cup butter, softened ● 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
● 3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ● 2 large eggs
● 1 (12 ounce) package Hershey semi-sweet chocolate chips ● 1 cup chopped nuts
(optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Stir together; flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer until creamy; add eggs, beat well, gradually add flour mixture, mixing well. 4 Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if desired, drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy.
RECIPE:
APPLESAUCE SPICE CAKE
By: Isabella Salerno, Gr. 6
CAKE
● 2 cups all-purpose flour ● 2 cups sugar
● 1 1/2 cups applesauce ● 1/2 cup butter, softened ● 2 large eggs
● 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda ● 1 1/2 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ● 1/2 teaspoon baking powder ● 1/2 teaspoon salt
● 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice ● 3/4 cup golden raisins or raisins ● 1/2 cup chopped pecans
FROSTING
● 1/3 cup butter
● 3 cups powdered sugar
● 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract ● 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
● 1/4 cup chopped pecans
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9 inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Combine all cake ingredients except raisins and pecans in a bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until ingredients are moistened. Beat at high speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Stir in raisins and 1/2 cup
pecans.
3. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch and edges
begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely. 4. Melt 1/3 cup butter in 1-quart
saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring
constantly and watching closely, 4-6 minutes or until butter just starts to turn golden. (Butter will get foamy and bubble.) Remove from heat. Cool completely. 5. Combine browned butter,
powdered sugar and 1 1/2
teaspoons vanilla in a bowl. Beat at medium speed, gradually adding milk and scraping bowl often, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Frost cooled cake. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans.
WOULD YOU RATHER?
By: Olivia Kucera, Gr. 6
1. Would you rather be covered in fur or covered in scales? 2. Would you rather always be 10
minutes late or 20 minutes early?
3. Would you rather have no air conditioning or no heating? 4. Would you rather eat your
favorite meal every day for the rest of your life or never eat it again?
5. Would you rather have bad breath all the time or body odor all the time?
6. Would you rather be invisible or be able to fly?
7. Would you rather live 100 years in the past or 100 years in the future?
8. Would you rather be able to talk to animals or speak all foreign languages?
9. Would you rather always say everything on your mind or never speak again?
10.Would you rather explore space or the ocean?
RIDDLES
By: Gabriella Gaccione, Gr. 8
1. Mike’s mom has 3 kids: Penny, Nicole and ?
2. If you don’t keep me I’ll break. What am I?
3. I have a tail and a head but no body. What am I?
4. What are two things you can’t eat for breakfast?
5. It belongs to you, but others use it more. What is it?
6. You’ll find me in Mercury, Earth, Mars, and Jupiter, but not Venus and Neptune. What am I?
7. Where is the only place where today comes before yesterday? 8. What goes away as soon as you
talk about it?
9. What fruit can never cheer you up?
10.It has keys, but no locks. It has space, but no room. You can enter, but you can’t go inside. What is it?
WORD SEARCH
Riddle Answers: 1. Mike 2. A promise 3. A coin
4. Lunch and dinner 5. Your name 6. The letter “r” 7. A dictionary 8. Silence 9. A blueberry 10.A keyboard
This issue’s newspaper title and graphic design by: Laura Castaneda, Gr. 5
