Signing off

Most students couldn't wait for this day to come; I don't mean the last day of school (though they couldn't wait for that either), but the final day they had to turn in a blog. Nearly everyone in the class had never heard of this thing caled a "blog." I can still remember the looks on their faces when I described just what a weblog was (where is the camera when you need it?). For many of them, writing weekly blogs was nothing more than a regular assignment, a chore. But for me, it was a chance to get to know them better, to learn what made them tick. It was also a chance for them to do something they are rarely asked to do in school: express themselves. I thought many of the entries were thoughtful and thought-provoking. We read everything from poetry to personal thoughts to their opinions on politics, and of course, school. I learned a lot about each blogger, and I learned many things from them. I hope you, our visitors, did, too.

Thanks for stopping by! See you in September!

Ms. Hoffler

No Boredom in the Call of Duty

This is one of the best games in a long time. It has a everything you can ever desire in a game. You can interact with others online do team battles, free-for-alls, or even do old school and have to walk around and pick up guns. This game has it all. It is rated a ten out ten stars in both XBOX 360 magazine and PS3 magazine. How much more can you want? I have had this game for about two in a half moths or more. I still am nowhere near bored or tired of it. If I need something to do I just pop in call of duty and call it a day. This game is going to be around for a while until a summer game comes out that changes everyone's minds. The hit game GTA has not even changed my mind. I will always and forever be a die hard Call of Duty fan, even though I always look the other way when asked am I going to enlist.

By Paul Hart

Summer Anticipation

I have recently found out some very interesting plans for my summer. My Aunt Joyce just moved to Florida and bought a house. She is coming up for my graduation in June and after which I am flying to Florida for five weeks. My Aunt has already set up a job for me when I get down there to afford me the opportunity to make some money before college. I can’t wait to go; I am so excited! On April 8, 2008 I took my driving test so that when I get down there I can borrow my uncle’s car to get to work! Finally some independence....well at least a little! Woot woot! It would be a nice change to see some different family before I go off to college; I haven’t seen them in over a year! When my Aunt and Uncle used to live in Virginia I would vacation there all of the time, it will be nice to spend some time together!

By Paul Maiellano

Greenback and forth

Money is said to come and go just like that. That couldn't be any more truthful. This senior year was so focused on money it's crazy. You turn left and right and another hand is held out for you to pay them. The biggest robbers are the schools. We have to pay so much money for dues, prom, class trip, and etc. I'm not just talkin' about our school. Oh no, there are bigger robbers out there and it is called higher education.

For example, Penn State's engineering program offers a Master's degree for six years of learning. It sounds awesome. Good environment, big campus, excellent education, and yet you are in so much debt after this good life. It is estimated that I will have to spend $20,000 a year. Im not rich so that means I'll need loans. Count that up: $20,000 times six years means I will be in debt almost $120,000 dollars, give or take grants and scholarships. Why do you have to pay so much to make your life better?

By Paul Hart

Without Friends

Do you know what the relationship
is between your eyes?
They blink together,
They move together,
They cry together,
They see things together
and they sleep together,
BUT THEY NEVER SEE EACH OTHER
... that's what friendship is.
Your aspiration is your motivation,
your motivation is your belief, Your belief is your peace,
your peace is your target,
Your target is heaven,
and life is like hell without FRIENDS.

By Tresurea Nelson

Plebe Days

My trip to the United States Naval Academy was so much fun. We did everything from drill to seatrails. You have to look up their website. The third and fourth day we did two of their physical tests to get into the school. I want to go back. My sqaud leaders were so cool; they told stories about the year that just finished. They are now second classmen; they just finished their plebe year, the worst year for anybody. I know this is short but it was a great time. For the rest you would have to talk to me in person.

By Sara Watson

Love everlasting

Friends come and go
Why be upset and stress
yourself with other peoples problems?
I mean I have my own problems
to deal with
But family
Family is a different twist
No matter what your family does
you love them regardless
Mom for instance
All it seems she does is fuss and complain
In your eyes it's a pain in the ---
In her eyes its called looking out
Just because of the fact that she loves you
When life comes at you with different obstacles
All mom can do is tell, hope and pray
that her baby is alright
A friend's love is temporary
But a family's love is everlasting
People say once you loose your grandma
You lost the best friend you can ever have
Grandma loves you and has your back no matter
what the circumstance

By Tresurea Nelson

Chewing in Stride

This is another consumer report blog, but this time not about deodorant. This time it is my preference of chewing gum. Many of years ago gum used to be a sugary stick of rubbery candy that a kid could chew on for hours on end. Now, the stick of chewing gum has evolved as much as mankind its self. In today’s chewing gum society there are very different kinds of chewing gum. Some gum is the same sugary goodness that many of our parents remember as kids, others promise to whiten teeth or give an individual a boost of energy throughout a dreary day. Even some gums target bad habits such as smoking or overeating. My favorite gum is new on the market and its name is STRIDE. Its flavor lasts forever and it never gets hard from over chewing. It doesn’t cure bad habits or whiten my teeth. Nope, it just tastes good and freshens my breath after a boring class or at the conclusion of my mid day feast. It’s not fancy in any way, nor does it come in a fancy case like a metallic tin or individually wrapped tinfoil casings. Just wrapped in paper and put in a paper case. Thank the heavens for STRIDE, the ridiculously long lasting gum!

By Paul Maiellano

21 is low enough

Should the drinking age be lowered?The answer to that question is HELL NO! The drinking age is 21 for a reason! Children are not responsible enough to drink at a low age. They might think it's "cool" to get drunk but really they are hurting themselves. Some teenagers say that the drinking age should be lowered! But I don't think so. An example is... in Journalism class I read an article about two teen boys and one teen girl who cut school and were drinking and ultimately the girl was found dead in the one boy's house. The boys had left, and the girl died from alcohol poisoning. I think the consequenses of underage drinking should be much higher, especially because the main reason kids do it is because they know that the consequenses are little to nothing! If a child who is not 18 and is caught drinking alcoholic beverages I think that their parents should not be held accountable and only the child should if the child was aware that what they were doing was wrong.

By Glenda Barnett

Friends make it all better

Going out with your friends is the most fun thing ever. It’s that one thing that I can always do and always be satisfied after the day is over. The worst thing could happen to me while I’m out with them, but it doesn’t bother me because I’m with them. I can always be myself around them and that’s the best part.

I’m known for acting silly around my friends. I’m usually the one making everyone else laugh. It’s not the fact that I’m really funny, it’s just people really put themselves out there to be played. Now, I’m not saying I make fun of other people; I am still funny without doing that. All right, here’s what happened my friends and I went to the Gallery. While we were there we got something to eat and bumped into a few people from our school.

I know it was pretty boring in the beginning, but then we decided to go to the movies so we went to Manayunk. We got on the train back up to Olney and on the way up there we realized that North Philly’s stop looked the worst. It just lets you know that it’s North Philly. The name isn’t even posted on the wall and it’s been like that for almost a year. It seriously looks like an unfinished project. If someone got off there they would probably get scared and run back on the train. Then we got on the bus and this girl got on with this hoody that was chopped up into little pieces. Why would you wear that? Why? Then this lady sat in the seat next to me that was clearly too small for her to sit in. She basically was putting pressure on my rib cage the entire ride. It was crazy.

Anyway, we saw the movie; it was a waste of ten dollars and predictable, but the important part is I had fun with my friends on the way and laughed every chance I got.

By Cierra Porter

Prom night

No, I'm not talking about the movie, which was good, but this is about the real thing. Please tell me why parents always scramble to get everything together at the last minute when they knew for eighteen years that this day was coming??? Shouldn't parents already be set and ready to pay for our stuff? It is amazing how everything is then blamed on us for waiting on the last minute. Then we have the quick draw out parents. The ones who wait for the moment we mess up on something to pull out on the prom. I mean as soon as it happens "Uh oh, it looks like I don't have to pay no more"--parents are so cruel. But we have our ways around that with the sensible parent who realized the game the other parent was playing and made them pay for it. 100 cool points goes to the parent congrats now keep on scoring. Parents go for the high score...

By Paul Hart

Bonding through blitzes and bruises

I miss football so much. The season has been over for a long time now, and I still reminisce about all of the fun things I experienced on the team. Although it was not always fun, I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world. We used to practice from three o’clock to at least nine at night. Running drills and plays until we knew our blocking assignment and everyone else’s, just in case they forgot; which they never did. During the summer we would have two-a-days, causing many players to have heat-related injuries. I can remember regurgitating at almost every morning practice. It was always so hot during the mornings. The night practices were our only solace, apart from the twenty second water breaks and concussions brought on by the bone crushing hits of Shahid Bundy and Raymond Holiday.

There is something about sweating and hitting that bonds a player to another that no one else can understand. There were many instances where we would pick up for each other. One in particular, I fractured a rib and had a concussion because of an interception that I tried to rectify on the behalf of my quarterback. There was just something about the team that I couldn’t let them down. They were my family, and I will love them forever. Many of us still stay in touch, but we all have changed. One thing that hasn’t changed was our love for the game and for the team.

By Paul Maiellano