The Panther Pride May 24, 2016 Issue Three

Happy 452nd Birthday Shakespeare!

By Anya Michalewski

On April 23, 1564, a great writer was born. In order to celebrate William

Shakespeare’s special day, the 8th grade put on special performances! Each 8th

grade student had to choose between six to eight lines to memorize from Romeo

and Juliet. Then we had to recite and act out the part we chose.

As audience members, we had to pay attention to each person’s reenact-

ment and feed lines to those that needed help. The performances helped us to

understand Romeo and Juliet better. Ms. Kudlacik commented, “plays are writ-

ten to be performed, not read,” after we all had our turns. We were graded on

how well we could remember and interpret our lines. It sounds like it shouldn’t

have been difficult, but it wasn’t easy to talk like the people did in 1597. It almost

sounded like a different language!

We also learned about how important Shakespeare still is. Shakespeare’s

works still impact artistic endeavors today, such as: movies, books, and art piec-

es. The movies Gnomeo and Juliet, The Fault in Our Stars (also available as a

novel), and West Side Story were all inspired by Shakespeare. Many famous art-

ists have also painted pictures of Shakespeare’s characters. Millais painted a very

famous picture called Ophelia (the girl in love from Hamlet). Even though he was

born 452 years ago, William Shakespeare is still a man who is known by all and,

in the future, will still be remembered and honored.

Let’s Clean Up our Act!

By Anya Michalewski

To celebrate Earth Day on April 22, Mrs. Giammarino and Mrs. McLaughlin had some

activities prepared. The first project, headed by Mrs. Giammarino, was to have the Middle

Schoolers make paper mache representations of the Earth. Once the globes were adorned

with continents and oceans, each student created two original sayings to compliment his/her

Earth. Some interesting sayings included: “Cut down pollution, not trees,” and, “Cleaner is

greener!” All the Earths were hung like ornaments in our main lobby, reminding us about this

special day!

Another Earth-friendly activity planned for our school involved the 8th graders

“buddying—up” with the Kindergarten in order to clean up the blacktop. This worthwhile activity

helped to make Saint Pius X School a cleaner place for everyone!

While we all enjoyed celebrating Earth Day, it isn’t necessary to wait for April 22nd to

clean up our environment and pay attention to how we treat this planet!

Girls Basketball Will Bounce Back!

By Elizabeth Burkly

“I never lose. Either I win or I learn.”

The 5th and 4th grade girl’s basketball team at SPX may

not be the best, but we still have won one game against St.

Joseph’s School. Each game, our team improves with

communication and teamwork, and after a lot of practice,

we will improve. Our two coaches are Mr. Voit and Mr.

Friedlien. Every girl on the team has at least one family

member cheering for them. Our family and coaches help

us feel how important we are to our school and each other.

GO PANTHERS!

8th Grade STREAM Challenge at DePaul High School By Selena Nasch and Sophia Amello

On Wednesday, April 20th, three of the seventh grade girls competed at a STREAM night event. Teams from all Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of Paterson were invited to compete in an exciting STREAM Challenge. The Seventh Grade Aca-demic Challenge Team included Sophia Amello, Selena Nasch, and Disha Patil. De-Paul High School graciously hosted the STREAM competition for the sixteenth time. We were all excited to visit their new Science wing and meet students from other schools.

There was a challenge to build a structure that held a regular tennis ball using a lim-ited amount of materials. However, the three students had to use all the materials. These materials consisted of 4 straws, scissors, tape, four popsicle sticks, string, and four coffee straws. This challenge required us to consider stability and the best use of the materials on hand.

Each of the three girls was awarded with a certificate for participation. The highest

structure was 36 cm. All the teams did a good job of working together, in regards to

both communicating their ideas and planning their structures. Selena, Disha, and

Sophia made an excellent team. They managed to make this structure in a limited

amount of time. This was an amazing experience for all the girls involved. Good luck

to next year’s 7th Grade Academic Challenge Team!

The Morris Catholic Science Expo By Disha Patil

Recently, Morris Catholic hosted a science expo of projects for everyone

to see. Students from various schools and volunteered to build projects as

well as display scientific ideas. The projects ranged from a homemade

lava lamp to edible water bottles. From St. Pius, five girls volunteered to

make projects: Disha Patil, Kayla Norvis, Maya Ruderman, Selena

Nasch, and Sophia Amello. We made two pumping models of the heart

along with a poster board full of information on how to eat right and live

healthy lives. One of the hearts was a healthy heart with a fully function-

ing pump that showed the flow of blood through the heart. The second

heart model showed a damaged heart with blockage in the veins. Overall,

the expo was an amazing opportunity and a great display of different sci-

ence projects.

Once Upon a Time By Disha Patil “There is a town in Maine, where every storybook character you’ve ever known is trapped between two worlds, victims of a powerful curse, that can only be broken by one person…” Once Upon a Time is a riveting TV show for almost all ages. The story centers around a young woman named Emma Swan with a trou-bled past who is mysteriously drawn to a strange town in Maine. No one ages in this town and the stories that she believed only existed in books and movies seem to be walking out of their realms and into real life. As the future of two worlds rests on Emma Swan’s shoulders, she will have to find her powers, accept her destiny, and save the people she loves before it is too late.

Each season focuses on a new story that has come alive with new heroes and villains. This show has something for everyone including: mystery, suspense, action, adventure, romance, and humor. The shows is currently in its fifth season and has been renewed for a sixth. If you would like to see previous episodes, they are available on both the ABC application from ITunes and also from the “on demand” fea-tures of your cable television system.

The season finale of the fifth season recently aired on ABC. There were new villains and heroes and some fan favorites as well.

With everything on the line, the heroes must unite and fight the ghosts of their past to defeat the greatest villain who ever lived once and for all.

Batman vs. Superman, Dawn of Justice Movie Review

By Brandon Dicang and Jonas Patriarca

DC Comics newest film, directed by Zack Snyder's Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, seems to be bringing in equal amounts of money and rotten reviews from worldwide critics. The 151 minute film was a big hit at the box office and brought in about 700 million dollars. The original setting is the city of Metropolis, but then flip-flops between Metropolis and Gotham for the duration of the movie. Unclear subplots and so-called “serious dialogue” are the main problems that audi-ences and critics alike have had with this movie. The movie makes you wait through unnecessary dialogue and jumping between subplots for the duration of two hours until the big moment - the fight. This was the only interesting part of this highly disappointing film. Zack Snyder tries too hard to set up a new DC Comics’ universe and winds up making viewers confused. Movie watchers are forced to remember all of it, so that they can understand the next movie. The very steep sixty-nine percent drop from the opening weekend to the second weekend shows how much people don’t like this movie. Many left their heads shaking in disapproval as they walked out of the theater. Rating: 2 out of 5 stars!

Springing into SPX Track Club By Sophia Amello

It was another rainy and gloomy day, but the track team

was still determined to run! SPX Track Club is a great way to

exercise and enjoy being outside. The team warms up be-

fore they start to run. They run up and down hills, train to

be faster, and encourage each other to do better. Encour-

agement is a great benefit of joining the club. Kids are al-

ways encouraging each other to push harder and try their

best. Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered for

this great afterschool activity. Ian Hislop is the coach of the

SPX Track Club. “Running is a great way to exercise and is a

fun activity to enjoy with your friends,” said Cormac and

Cathal’s father . Participation in the track club is a great way

to enjoy the spring weather and get fit.

By Selena Nasch and Disha Patil

The musical Ragtime is set in early 20th century and the era is represented by the music

of Scott Joplin. It deals with the struggles faced by three very different groups of peo-

ple living in New York. The residents of Harlem (African Americans), New Rochelle

(Upper Class Americans), and Manhattan (Jewish Immigrants) sing the story of their

dreams, struggles, and triumphs. Sadly, this drama deals with our unfortunate inclination to segregate ourselves. The feelings and hopes of

each group are expressed in both song and dance, with intersecting story lines.

On April 27th, the seventh grade students were fortunate enough to see the dress rehearsal of Morris Catholic High School’s pro-

duction. It was full of upbeat music, amazing lighting, and magnificent actors and actresses. The singing was beyond belief as well as the

acting. There is no better place to see the musical performed. Ms. Kudlacik said, “What a wonderful opportunity to hear a full orchestra

play!” It is no wonder that the high school is known for their exceptional theatre program. This was truly an amazing play that appealed to

a large audience.

SPX alumni, Anna Nelson and Christine Johnson take to the stage!

Happiness Hops to the Hospital

Sister June Morrissey is a member of the St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center Foundation which supports

the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. This foundation’s mission is to raise funds and promote the mission of

their healthcare system. With SPX family donations and the helping hands of Mrs. Vigorito, food services coordinator,

our school has been able to bring smiles to hospitalized children at Easter. Mrs. Vigorito has been creating spectacular

Easter baskets, filled with coloring books, crayons, small toys, and games, for about four years. This year, the 6th grad-

ers helped load a truck-full of Easter baskets. Our newspaper staff would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to our SPX

families and the talented Mrs. Vigorito.

“Bigs” and “Littles” Rise to Rachel’s Challenge

By Samantha Rizzo

During the Easter season, it is our job to follow Rachel’s Challenge. We try to look for the best in others. We treat others the way we wish to be treated and choose to be a positive influence to others. In order to follow the example of Rachel Joy Scott, the members of Rachel’s Challenge set up activities to create positive interac-tions in our school community. All of the buddies came together on April 1st to cele-brate the Easter season and grow as a school. Some of the activities that we did to-gether were the following: stained glass window crafts, Easter Hot Potato, Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Bunny, a ring toss, a sack race, and an egg toss. All of these events helped us to work together better and grow a permanent bond with our buddies. Eve-ryone is excited for the next fun experience together.

Q. Why didn’t anyone pick Cinderella to be on their team? A: Because she was always running after the ball.

8th Grade Memories

By Anna Rehberg

In less than a few short weeks, the time will come to say goodbye to our beloved eighth graders.

Whether they were here for one year or eleven, each student can comment on the wonderful time they had

here and the memories they’ve made. From tea parties to our laughs in all of our classes, everyone has their

own favorite story to share. “In The View from Saturday tea party, I liked when we were eating all the

food and everyone went crazy for Amanda’s crumb cake and the boys stole it from us,” says Alyssa Benzija,

a member of St. Pius since third grade. “My favorite memory has to be when Ms..Kudlacik did my hair for

graduation in the back of her classroom,” explains Caitlin Rohrbach, a student at SPX since kindergarten.

Ariana Swain says that her favorite memory was from her time with Mrs. Gaven - “the second grade Holy

Communion party.” Another favorite memory was on the afternoon before the concert when almost all the

eighth grade was singing and dancing to songs together. Another favorite memory was on the afternoon

before the concert when almost all the eighth grade was singing and dancing to songs together. Although

the eighth graders are excited for their first days of high school, many are going to miss SPX greatly. “I'm

going to miss being in school with the same people I've known for years. I'm going to miss seeing such famil-

Q. Why did the golfer wear two pairs of pants?

A. He was afraid to get a hole in one!

Tanglewood Marionettes

By Zola Barbarito

On April 19, the Tanglewood Marionettes company came to our school

to perform the show “Hansel and Gretel.” Grades K-3 went to the perfor-

mance. Third grader Veronica Kawiecki has told me a few things about the

puppet show. “The coolest part was when Gretel fell through the trapdoor on

stage,’’ says Veronica. In the beginning, the puppet master told the students

about different puppets. There are hand puppets, mouth puppets, and marion-

ettes, which come to life by moving strings. There was also a giant book that

had the backdrops and settings for all the scenes. In addition to the book, the

puppet masters also added props, such as trees and jewels that came out of an

oven, after the witch was cooked. The puppet show was entertaining and suc-

cessful.

Wonder, written by R.J. Palacio

Article By: Zola Barbarito

August “Auggie” Pullman has a craniofacial abnormality that deforms his facial appear-ance. August has been homeschooled his whole life due to his deformity. At age ten, his parents decide to send him to a public school called Beecher Prep. Once he arrives at Beecher Prep, he realizes that everyone sees him differently than his family does. Some of the kids treat Auggie disrespectfully, be-cause he looks different from themselves. So, Auggie must prove to them that he is just like everyone else on the inside. This is a hilarious, touching novel that will forever change the way you see other peo-ple.

Annual 8th Grade Field Trip

By Anna Rehberg

On June 6th, our upcoming graduates will be taking a trip to Woodloch Pines in Hawley, Pennsylvania. Our St. Pius

faculty and students have heard a lot of great things about the resort. Students can go zip lining, go-karting, archery, and

more. We asked some of our 8th graders, “What will you be looking forward to the most?”

“I’m looking forward to spending the day with my class, having fun with friends I’m never going to see again,” says

Anya Michalewski.

“I’m really looking forward to spending time together as a class,” mentions Sophia Zangari.

“I’m looking forward to looking forward.” explains Nick Spinnler.

This year will be the first time that an 8th grade will venture out to the Poconos for a class trip. The class grade is real-

ly looking forward to spending some quality time with friends. There should be plenty of activities for everyone. The class

thinks it should be fun, but are sad that this is their last trip together. The 8th grade trip will be a bittersweet event for all the

students participating.

He shoots, He scores! By Samantha Rizzo

Sean Rizzo, in the 3rd grade, has been working really hard to achieve the ultimate hockey goal,

making it to the big leagues. Even though that’s the goal of all hockey players, he has a different

one, to win the National Championship with his triple A team. The main reason he wants to play

and why he has these goals is because he wants to have fun and challenge himself. He has been

dedicated to making this goal come true for three whole years. He truly does love hockey, espe-

cially since he practices, three days a week and has a hockey game on Saturday and Sunday.

Also, he practices at home to achieve his goals with the support of his dad. When he is at home

he practices shooting with speed and perfecting his techniques in skating. He is striving to com-

pete in more games this season. So let's give him a, ”Hurrah!” as he goes out on the ice to shoot

his next goal!

Art Club Mermaids By Miranda Kawiecki

In April, students from grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 participated in the Art Club mer-

maid project. Veronica Kawiecki from 3rd grade said, “The art club mermaids

were a creative and enjoyable project.” These majestic mermaids were created

from a flower pot, water bottles, cardboard, paper mache, and seashells. First, we

taped a small plastic bottle to the pot to resemble the body, and a small styrofoam

egg was taped onto the top of the bottle for the head. After, this we placed half of

a water bottle to the side of the pot and the small bottle to model a tail, and we

taped the end of the tail, which was made of cardboard, onto the bottle. Next, we

used paper mache to cover the mermaid and model facial features, arms, and

hair. Finally, we painted our mermaids. We finished our projects, by decorating

our mermaids with seashells and glitter. Overall, this was a great project!

4th Grade Dashes to Learn About Morse Code

This past March, the 4th graders were given a presentation about Morse

Code , it’s humble beginnings and it’s important uses. Madaline Turula’s father, Vin-

cent Turula, a hobbyist, brought in a Morse Code machine and explained just how it

worked. The students were excited to learn that this system of electronic communica-

tion uses dots, dashes, and spaces to represent letters and symbols. These symbols

were arranged to spell out a message. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “A

machine called a telegraph converts the symbols into electrical impulses and sends

them across a wire to their destination. The signals are then converted back into the

message by the telegraph on the other end of the message.”

Mr. Turula told the students that this type of communication was first invent-

ed by Mr. Samuel Morse, who sent his first electronic message in 1844. Many years

later when the famous Titanic steamship sunk in 1912, Morse Code would save more

than 700 lives. Telegraphs alerted other ships to come save the surviving passengers

who were abandoned at sea. In modern times, there is an application for the IPhone

that converts someone’s voice to a telegraph message. Mr. Turula was thrilled to share

what he has learned about this kind of communication.

Which One? By Nicholas Spinnler

“I feel like Pablo when I'm workin' on my shoes, I feel like Pablo when I see me on the news, I feel like Pablo when I'm working' on my house, Tell 'em party's in here, we don't need to go out.” In Kanye West’s seventh solo album, titled The Life of Pablo, he intro-duced a question to us - who exactly is Pablo?

Could it be the legendary painter Pablo Picasso, the infamous kingpin Pablo Escobar, or the greatest influencer on the Chris-tian faith, Apostle Paul?

Evidence Towards Pablo Picasso

Kanye West has once stated that, "My goal, if I was going to do art, fine art, would have been to become [Pablo] Picasso or greater," Additional evidence pointing towards Pablo Picasso would be Mr. West saying he is the greatest artist of this generation. Pablo Picasso is usually referred to as the greatest artist of the 20th century. Is he is telling us he is a modern-day Picasso?

Evidence Towards Kingpin Pablo Escobar

In the song “No More Parties in L.A.”, the Chicago M.C. raps, “I feel like Pablo when I’m working on my house, tell em’ party’s in here we don’t need to go out.” One thing Pablo Escobar is famous for is constructing his own “jail” to be imprisoned in.Essentially, Pablo Escobar needed to create a fortress to keep the law and his enemies at bay. Kanye West is comparing this to the construction of his Bel-Air mansion.

Evidence Towards Apostle Paul

Paul in Spanish is “Pablo.” Kanye West has tweeted that The Life of Pablo is “a gospel album” and references to his reli-gious life appears throughout the album. He has also praised Paul in his tweets for being the “most powerful messenger of the first century.”

Summary

Although you could make a case for all three “Pablos,” Panther Pride believes it could be all three, as Kanye West has never been one to match a label. Perhaps The Life of Pablo is a representation of all three, a combination of art, the quality of the final product, and the overall message of the final product.

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