t h g i l t o p S HOOL
KWAY SC R A P L A R T N E C D 6Q GRAN
PS 19
Magazine
Spring 2019
Gwen Rosenstein, 501
The Wonderful World of PS196
Spot Light Magazine EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Lauren Timmons, Yvonne Venezia COMMITTEE MEMBER Julie Clapperton ART DIRECTOR Stacey Shackford ADVERTISING Tracy Abohalima Dina Halili Paul Hellman COVER ART Gwen Rosenstein, 501 (front) Veronica Bajraktair, 401 (back)
l’s
Principa
Note
It is with great pride that I welcome you to our 2019 edition of
Spotlight Magazine! PS196 is a community where we celebrate inclusion, equity, respect and understanding. I'm proud of every student who contributed their amazing work to make our magazine a literary masterpiece. From sharing poetry, self-portraits, travelogues, family histories and yummy recipes, it was a delight to read about our school's diverse cultures and uniqueness. We are thankful for our students, families and staff who have made us truly the "School With a Heart". Enjoy!! - Susan Migliano
DEAR PARENTS
PUBLISHED BY PARENTS ASSOCIATION OF PS 196Q
PRESIDENTS: Stephanie Cooper Meredith Kaback VICE PRESIDENTS: Deepali Patel-Sagar Shelly Shalom Yvonne Venezia TREASURERS: Tita Jimmo Sangita Ramchandani SECRETARIES: Dina Halili Marcy Keltai PRINTER Major Graphics 1 Bay Club Dr., Suite 17X Bayside, NY 11360 646-263-7192
Visit us online at: http://www.pa196.org/spotlight.html Spotlight is an annual magazine published by the Parents Association of P.S. 196Q. All rights are reserved.
1 Spotlight Magazine
We are so excited to shine a spotlight on our incredibly talented children by bringing back our beloved magazine. Greetings from the PS 196Q Parents Association Thanks to all who have taken part in our activities so far this year, and to the wonderful volunteer staff and contributors to the Spotlight magazine. From Family Fitness Fun Days to fundraisers, we had an incredibly successful 2018, and a great start to 2019. The Parents Association is you. Please consider getting involved. We hope you and your family enjoy the magazine. And don't forget to thank our advertisers and their commitment to our school. Enjoy!
PS196
BY MISHEEL CHINZORIG, 304 BY KRISHVEE PRASAD, 1XX
S C H O O L
chool with a heart
hinese, American, Mongolian, everyone is welcome. omework can be really fun, just believe in yourself!
h, and how amazing are the teachers! ustanding principal with a strong heart!
oyal students!
SPOTLIGHT is welcoming volunteers & contributions for its next edition. Interested?
Please email
spotlightmagazine196@gmail.com
Widening Our World Lucy Yang, 231
Krishvee Prasad, 106
Ronghe Guo, 431 Madelyn Yunatanov, 303
DIVERSITY
BY: RUBY ABOHALIMA, 502
What does diverse mean? Diverse means being different from one another. At my school PS196 there are many different cultures. For example, I personally have friends from different cultures. From Japanese to Mexican people, everybody is unique. We all have our niches and differences but in a way, everybody can connect to one another. People from all over the world from North America to Asia have things that make them unique, so they can connect to other people. If everybody was the same, people wouldn’t be close because you wouldn’t want to be friends with someone that is exactly like you; you want to have friends that are unique and one of a kind.
Spotlight Magazine 2
INTERNATIONAL NIGHT
D
o you remember which event took place on the 29th of April last year? It was International Night! Nearly 350 people attended that day, says Deepali Patel-Sagar, the parent organizer of the event. Sixteen countries participated in the event: Albania, Antigua, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States. This year, (2018, or the year of the dog, as China calls it) a new initiative was introduced: International paper dolls. There were dozens of them hung on the walls in the hallway leading to the gymnasium, each one representing a different country. The paper dolls were designed by students of all grades from our school and transformed our hallways into one colorful united world. At the gymnasium, you could learn all about the countries and their cultures. At the Israeli stand, you could participate in Israel’s 70 birthday party with a photo booth, face painting, Israeli music, and a seven-story birthday cake, with each layer representing a decade of the country’s inventions, accomplishments, and Israeli life.
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At the Taiwanese stand, we played games of ring toss and won cool prizes, while at the Brazilian stand we tried on traditional masks, and at the U.S stand there were dolls of Sesame Street characters and superhero action figures. At the China stand, there were chopsticks and drums to play with, and at the Japan stand there was a cool photo prop with traditional costumes to take pictures with. Brian from class 502 said it was “a fun learning experience to be taught the customs and traditions of each country” and Elad from class 303 said that he “liked learning the traditions and cultures at the event.” I agree with them. In the cafeteria, delicious dishes were served—unique to each country. Bangladesh had chicken biryani, a South Asian mixed rice dish, and Brazil offered chocolate balls with condensed milk. India gave out bhujia (chickpea flour crunchy noodles) and rice chicken tandoori, while Japan handed out green tea cake and chocolate chip cookies. Israel served pita bread with a choice of chocolate spread or hummus and pickles, Bissli and Red Bamba snacks, and chocolate
By rir, 503 f a s T r be Eilon Bo
balls, and Taiwan spread out its meatballs. Russia brought crêpes which was an excellent dessert to the roasted corn served by Mexico. You could quench your thirst with China’s bubble tea alongside Albania’s sweet cookies and meat and cheese pastries. All of the countries were amazing to experience. The exposure to different and unique cultures and traditions was fun and educational. No one country is the same as the other and bringing them together was a celebration of our diversity and captured the distinctive yet inclusive spirit of P.S. 196!
RUBY ABOHALIMA, 502
KYLIE SOTO, 503
KALIKA TADIPATRI, 404 Spotlight Magazine 4
China
A restaurant to remember There is a restaurant in Hami, Xinjiang, China, which I remember deeply. That evening, my father, his friend and I went to dinner together, to a restaurant called “special lamb steamed cake.” We ordered three dishes, one of which was called “tiger dish,” with a lot of chili and chili oil. There were 2cm of thick chili, which I didn't dare to eat. My father’s friend said, “Take a bite of the chili and try it.” So I did. For a moment, half of my tongue was burning, and my ears were very uncomfortable. My voice was like a fire. Spicy, I drank more than 20 cups of water at a time to slow down. This kind of spicy feeling will make me remember my whole life. Shuo Gao, 502
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Beijing is China’s massive capital, known for its modern architecture. Its most famous sites are the Great Wall and the grand Forbidden City. I got to know them from my parents’ descriptions, books, and TV, and I really want to visit them in the future. The Great Wall is 573km long, the biggest man-made structure on Earth. It was constructed from stone, brick, tamped earth, wood and lots of other materials that I don’t know. It was built by slaves and criminals, and there were guards on site making sure they were doing it correctly. The entire wall took hundreds of years to complete. It is amazing that the ancient Chinese could create this wall without the help of heavy lifting machines. The Great Wall was built to protect Chinese citizens from intruders. Other purposes included border control and allowing the imposition of duties on goods on the Silk Road, which was used to deliver silk to foreign countries.
By Eric Chen, 531 The Forbidden City was the former Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty (14201912), the last feudal dynasty in China. It served as the home of emperors, as well as the top political symbol of ancient China. The palace houses were very well constructed, reflecting the highest architecture technique during the ancient times. The complex consists of 980 buildings and covers over 180 acres. In 1925, it was turned into the Palace Museum, housing thousands of invaluable pieces of imperial artworks and artifacts. It is one of the five most important palaces in the world. Every year it hosts 14 million visitors, 80,000 per day! I have never been to Beijing, but on my way to China I saw the Great Wall from the airplane. It was a panoramic view from 10,000 ft. and it was a breathtaking moment that I will never forget. I hope I can visit it soon!
THE STOLEN PANDA
T
wo years ago, I went to my parents' hometown of Fuzhou, a city in southeast China. There lived a panda named Doodoo in the Fuzhou Panda Reserve. Doodoo was a very cute and famous panda, and everybody wanted him as a pet. As he got older, everybody tried to touch him. The boss of the reserve thought he should write a human-free sign in the reserve, so he told everyone that they need to go. Everyone got out but one person stayed inside and waited until midnight. He planned to steal Doodoo. That night, when all the security cameras were off, he grabbed Doodoo and ran off quickly. The hour after that happened, the boss was shocked to find out that Doodoo was missing! He contacted the police immediately, so they could know that Doodoo was stolen. The police asked, “That famous panda at your reserve?!” “Yes!!” the boss said. The police said, “I will go and look for the robber!”
T
he police quickly found out who it was, and his name was Benny. The police went to call Brayden, the detective, and he was at the Heron Ledge, four blocks away from the police station, so he drove there right away. When he got to the police station, the police told him what Benny looked like and the detective went to find him. He went to check the security camera tapes of the reserve, but he didn’t find anything. Just then, he saw Benny’s truck on the road and he chased it. I guess the robber saw him, so he fled to the closest highway.
R
obber Benny went to Fuzhou International Airport and took a Xiamen Airline flight for USA. The plane arrived in a day. Detective Brayden was not sure if he should go to USA too. But the flight attendant told him that they knew Benny was in
BY AUSTIN CHEN, 232
USA right now, and he took Doodoo with him. Brayden crossed his fingers, hoping he could find the panda this time. He flew to the USA to search for the robber. When he got there, he went to airport customs, trying to get some clues. Benny was right there with Doodoo. He immediately took the panda away from Benny and arrested him. Brayden asked the customs employee why Benny was there. She said, “he does not have his visa and he did not even pay for his trip!” Brayden said, “Ok. Please put him in one of the USA’s jails and I will go back to Fuzhou!”
B
rayden met the boss of the panda reserve and returned Doodoo. Doodoo looked healthy and didn’t get hurt. The boss was very happy, and he even donated $1,000 to the police station. The police gave it all to Brayden as a reward because he did the hard work. They had a party and gave Doodoo a lot bamboo and he ate all of them. He was very excited to be back!
Amber Zhou, 102
We come from traditional country China Our history is more than 5000 years Rich recipe is one of our famous cultures Let’s learn using chopsticks Dumplings are waiting for you to taste Thomas Ma, 404 Spotlight Magazine 6
Taiwan By Hazel Rubenstein, 231 This summer, me and my mom went to Taiwan to visit my mom’s family. Taiwan is very different than Queens. One reason Taiwan is different from Queens is that when it is summer there it is much hotter than Queens. Another difference is in Taiwan there are no sidewalks so you need to walk on the road with the cars. The last difference is that in Taiwan you speak Chinese or Mandarin and in Queens you speak English. How are Taiwan and Queens the same? They are both very pretty places. Another reason why Taiwan and Queens are the same is that they both have the same activities. The last similarity is that a lot of people live in both Taiwan and Queens. Overall, I like Taiwan better than Queens because I go there for summer vacation so I have more time to play or go shopping!
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By Jordan Tsao, 402 We visited Taiwan for a few reasons. First, my dad was born and raised in Taiwan. Second, I have been learning Mandarin, Taiwan's official language, from my dad and from Saturday Chinese school. Lastly, we have family and friends in Taiwan. While I was visiting I noticed a few similarities and differences between Taipei, Taiwan and my hometown Queens, NY. Taipei is very similar to Queens in that they are both part of a big city except Taipei is more like Manhattan with its tall skyscrapers. In Taipei, they don’t have single family houses like we do here in Queens. There is more traffic and there are motor scooters everywhere you go. The weather in Taipei and Queens are similar, too. It is warm in the summer and cool in the winter. But Taiwan's summers are a lot more humid and hot than Queens. Also, their winters are not as cold and it does not snow in Taipei like it does here in Queens. In Taipei, there are a lot of Asians who speak Mandarin or Taiwanese. Here in Queens, I have friends from many different backgrounds who mainly speak English but some can also speak other languages, too, like Hebrew, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Tagalog, Hindi, and many more. These are just a few similarities and differences between Taipei, Taiwan and Queens, NY. Some things I like about Taiwan is the variety of the food. Some are juicy and super sweet and the others are spicy and salty. No matter how spicy, salty, sweet or juicy, they all taste delicious. Some of my favorite foods in Taiwan are shaved mango ice and beef noodle soup. Some other things I like are the Gondolas rides. Gondolas are cable cars that hold up to four passengers. They bring you to and from a mountain. They are super fun and sometimes they can be scary when they have a glass floor. Taiwan also has spectacular sightseeing places.
For example, in Taipei there is Taipei 101, the third tallest building in the world. It has 101 floors and the world's fastest elevator. It travels from the 5th floor to the 89th floor in 37 seconds. If you go to the top, you can see almost all of Taipei. I love Queens. It is my home. It is where most of my family and friends live. In Queens I can walk everywhere - to school, to the library, to the park, to a concert at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. I can easily ride the train to Manhattan to see a Broadway Show or go visit Times Square. Taipei, Taiwan and Queens, NY have similarities and differences. They are both great places to visit and live. Spotlight Magazine 8
Japan Illustration by: Julie Aihara-Weis, 502 Words by: Victoria Lin, 232 I took off at JFK airport at 1:00am. The flight was more than 14 hours! I was so excited to land. This is my first time in Japan. I’ve heard so much about the reindeers that bow, I wanted to see it for myself. The Silka deer are considered sacred because of their significance in the ancient Shinto religion. They are considered messengers of God. They are also a symbol of luck, and are allowed to roam the street. The Silka deer are also known as the spotted deer or the Japanese deer. Nara Park was established in 1880. I saw deers all over the park, old and young. Some of the older deers lost the hair on their backs. My mom gave me deer crackers to feed them. One deer bowed at my mom, begging for food. Stay tuned for my next trip visiting the pandas in Maucau!
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Mongolia Since I left Mongolia and came to the USA when I was 6, I don’t remember much about Mongolia. When I arrived at Mongolia for the first time in four years, I didn’t recognize a single thing besides the airport I came to, which was the same one that I used to get to America. On the ride to my grandparent's apartment, I was really excited to see
By: Telmuun Chinzorig, 531 it, because that’s where we were staying for the next two months. When I stepped inside, the first thing I noticed was that it was a really big two-story apartment. No one had told me this, so I was really excited to stay there. I sat down on the leather couch and pulled out my phone and asked for the wi-fi password. A couple of
minutes later I was playing Pet Simulator on Roblox. But I soon had to put down my phone because my relatives were arriving. The first people to come were my grandparents, then my dad’s sister and her husband. After I met with them we had dinner, then I went to bed because I was really tired.
Israel By: Joshua Halili, 303
I S R A E L
s very beautiful o much history aining barely wonderful and holy place
very day sunny
ove this country
Leah Halili, 106
Spotlight Magazine 10
France By: Sloane Cooper, 403 As far back as I can remember, I’ve always dreamed of going to Paris. Can you imagine how I felt when my parents told me that they were going to Paris without me for their 10th anniversary? When they came back and shared all of their pictures, stories and experiences with me, somehow I needed to convince them to take me to Paris in the future. My dream became a reality on April 18, 2018 as my parents and I boarded the plane to Paris. I remember trying to learn some French words so I could communicate with the Parisians. I researched and made a list of places I wanted to go to. I brought my favorite clothes, all of course decorated with the Eiffel Tower on them. We arrived early in the morning tired but determined to meet the city of Paris. What an amazing adventure—from bike tours, chocolate croissants, The Jewish Quarter, Notre Dame, fancy French dinners, The Louvre and of course the Eiffel Tower. I will never forget climbing the Eiffel Tower to the very top. The view was breathtaking! I fell in love with Paris at that moment. For the rest of my life, I will be visiting Paris in my mind. I told my parents that I want to go to college in Paris. I even know that one day I will get married in Paris. I left a very special lock on the gate next to Notre Dame and it has my name on it. I chose to leave it there because it is the center of the city of Paris. Let me not forget to tell you about the amazing shopping in Paris. I was so impressed by all the different kind of stores there are. I especially loved window shopping! This trip was very special to me. I learned a lot about Paris. Most of all, I learned how another country can be similar to ours in many ways. I appreciated the differences that I experienced. Visiting Europe was truly a dream come true. I look forward every day to my next adventure. My suitcase is already packed! 11 Spotlight Magazine
P A R I S
arisian ttractions
emarkable
want to go back pecial trip
Illustration by: Adeline Chiu, 403
Italy By: Benjamin Rubenstein, 102
By: Noah Rubenstein, 303
I went to Venice in August for the summer vacation. There is a big flow of water through the canals. I thought, "Uh oh! I don't want to step into the street because I will get wet." There is lots of walking like Queens, but it is easy to get lost because Venice has a lot of dead ends. Venice does not have a lot of trains or buses. Venice has pizza and pasta just like Queens. It is hard to order food because they speak a different language. It was a fun trip!
I went to Venice, Italy during summer vacation. In Venice there are tons of waterways, but streets are only in a very small area. Canals are everywhere. I enjoyed Venice because there are many small fish and big fish in all the canals. Venice has way more boats then New York City. Venice has buildings that have flat roofs. The roofs have antennas just like New York City. Also, the roofs are mostly red and not other colors. Venice also has many small bridges. The most famous bridge in Venice is the Bridge of Sighs. The bridges in New York City are bigger because they are built to hold cars. If you’re wondering what foods there are, well, there are foods you can find right here in New York City. Venice has pasta and pizza. They eat lots of it every year. It’s also really busy in Venice just like New York City. The boats are nearly always full during the day. People also walk around alot. I think it’s fun to go to Venice. You can see a lot of things you don’t see in New York City, like hundreds of gondolas.
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Brazil Words by: Alex Roman, 402 Illustration by: Elly Roman, 232
B R
razil's the best place on Earth because it's so warm and fun over there.
eally, it's awesome in Brazil because there are so many beaches and the water is always the perfect temperature.
A
nd there is even soccer over there, which is amazing because their soccer team won the World Cup five times.
Z I L
illions of people live in Brazil because everyone loves Brazil.
nto the world of Brazil and out of the cold weather of New York. aughs are only available at the magical world of Brazil.
Sofia Vieira, 106
Maya Roberts, 403 13 14 Spotlight Spotlight Magazine Magazine
Colombia
By Mercy Trujillo, 404
Last year I visited another country for my Abuelo’s 80th birthday. I went to Colombia! It was so beautiful there. We celebrated his birthday in a finca (which is a farm in Spanish). There was a rooster that would wake everyone up each morning. It was amazing! During my visit I stayed in two different places. Neiva and Bogota. In Neiva, I went to the Tatacoa
desert. It was spectacular! It was spectacular because there was so much dry land and I had never seen a desert before. Neiva is very different from Queens. First, it’s warm all year round. Second, I didn’t have to make a playdate to meet my friends, we all just went outside and played. Hide and seek was my favorite game. The next place was Bogota, the capital of
Colombia. It was very busy there, the restaurants and the stores reminded me of Austin Street. The weather in Bogota was cold, very similar to the weather in Queens during winter. Colombia was a very beautiful place! I hope to go and visit my family and other places I haven’t been before, like the beach in Cartagena.
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G N I P E E K H T R O W D L A WOR
Chloe Wong, 302
PEOPLE FILL THE STREETS... WITH TRASH!
T
BY ILAN LATTKE, 591
his is a major problem in New York City, and our planet. If people don’t stop littering, the world will just become one giant landfill! Some people think it’s OKAY to litter. I can’t tell if they are either too lazy to wait until they reach a trash can, or if they don’t accept G-d’s creation. No offense, but you people who litter don’t understand that soon you’ll be breathing air that is way filthier than the grossest scent ever. This also affects my bath time, when all the water turns yellow and disgusting. Litter pollutes the same way that some cars and buses do. We must work together to stop littering
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by making speeches about why it’s bad for our planet. Little by little, people will stop littering and think about pollution, why it’s bad, and why it makes people ill. In India, there is very unhealthy air quality, and this just keeps going when more people litter. In the future, if all the plants in the country that’s next to Nepal and Bhutan can’t beat the carbon monoxide die, then no more human life in India, and this could spread to another country, and even worse, the whole world. That’s why we need to think before throwing stuff on the ground or in the drain.
ILLUSTRATION BY SCARLETT METZ, 403
Olivia Lojewski, 431
Isabella Jimmo, 404
Jacob Haidatov, 402
Michael Solomon, 431
Spotlight Magazine 16
Matthew Chan, 204
HOME SWEET
HOME
Jenna Weiss, 304 Ezra Wolf, 104
Madeline Hellman, 102
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Nikki Ranabhat, 501 Misheel Chinzorig, 304
Mayar Farrag, 301
Siyu Zou, 502 Spotlight Magazine 18
Let's Celebrate! There are so many different cultures represented at PS196, and they have special days that they mark in special ways. Here are just a few of the ways some of our families are celebrating in 2019. YOUR TURN: Find out the origin and activities associated with the other holidays below.
ew N y p p a H Year!
1/1 2/5 By Ellie Aihara-Weiss, 203
Lunar New Year Indian New Year
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Holi
3/20
3/20
4/21
Purim
Easter Anna Akhobadze. 501 Eggs and scavenger hunts. the Easter bunny Races on the grass.
Eid al-Fitr
6/3 Ashley Go, 203 Spotlight Magazine 2021 Spotlight Magazine
10/27
9/13
Diwali By Mia Ramchandani, 301
Mid-Autumn Festival
By Katherine Cao, 502
In
an interview with my Grandma, I learned interesting things about a Chinese festival called Mid-Autumn Festival. It is a celebration where the family gets together. They play a dice game. There are six dice and players take turns rolling. They will get different numbers and win prizes if lucky. For example, if you get red numbers in all 6 dice, you will win the first prize. My Grandma also told me about how the game came to be. A long time ago, a war was fought in China. The soldiers were homesick and lonely. They wanted to go back and get together with their families. So, in the mid-autumn, the general thought they can celebrate the day by getting together and playing this game. The game is so interesting that it spread quickly and passed down generations and generations. It became a tradition for the mid-autumn celebration. I find this traditional festival and how people celebrate it to be very interesting. It is important to the Chinese culture. It is a time when the whole family gathers together and has fun. It is important because most of the time, the family members are all busy with their own work or study. This festival lets them have fun together as a family re-union. Also, of course, I enjoy the game and the holiday.
Rosh Hashanah
9/29
Rosh Hashanah is known as the New Year in the Jewish calendar. It is a time of family gatherings, special meals and sweet foods. Many Jewish people celebrate Rosh Hashanah by eating challah bread and apples dipped in honey.
SpotlightMagazine Magazine 2221 Spotlight
By Magen Shalom, 106 & David Shalom, 404
25 12/
Final
festiv
ities
11/28
12/22
Thanksgiving
12/26
Kwanzaa Hanukkah Christmas
Spotlight SpotlightMagazine Magazine 22 23
Family Traditions CHRISTMAS AT THE PORCIELLOS
By Rachel Uraydov, 502
Mrs. Porciello is the teacher of class 502. She has many Christmas traditions. Mrs. Porciello has been celebrating Christmas Eve with her family her whole life. There is always too much food and desserts, and before Christmas, all the women and children bake at least 10 different varieties of Christmas cookies! Mrs. Porciello's favorite variety is peanut butter cookies with a Hershey kiss in the middle. Her family also celebrates Christmas by making seven fish dishes, which is considered good luck. The kids get to open one present during Christmas Eve, which is always a new Christmas book and pajamas. These are some of Mrs. Porciello's family traditions.
A GIRL BY ANY OTHER NAME... By Annabelle Lilah Yunatanov 503
My name is Annabelle Lilah Yunatanov. The meaning of my name is very unique, Anna means gracious, Belle means beautiful and Lilah means flower. I love the meaning of my name, and I love that I have a very unique name. I am unique in many ways because the culture and background that my family and I have is very different from many of the people I know and go to school with. My family is Bukharian, and we are Jewish. Bukharian people are from Central Asia and speak Bukharian and Russian. My family immigrated here from Uzbekistan over 30 years ago. They came here to America to be able to give their kids a better future. I love my family because we have a very close bond. A big reason for this is because we celebrate lots
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of holidays and traditions together. We dance and sing and say prayers for every celebration. My favorite tradition that we celebrate is Shabbat every week on Friday and Saturday. We sit together with my great grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters for dinner. We light candles, say the bracha (which is a prayer), sing songs to welcome the Sabbath, say blessings for wine and bread, and then we eat a lot of food. It is a great tradition because it brings the family close together. The kids get to play together and prepare creative skits that we perform during tea time after dinner and the adults get to talk and enjoy themselves. I love my family and I love what makes us unique.
TEACHERS HAVE TRADITIONS TOO! WHERE DID YOUR ANCESTORS LIVE? Ms. Rivieccio: Italy. Mrs. Valeo: Italy, England and Germany. DID YOU EVER LIVE SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT FROM NY? Ms. Rivieccio: I’ve lived in New York my entire life.
By Cleo Timmons,
232
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MOVIE THAT TAKES PLACE IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY? Ms. Rivieccio: Love Actually Mrs. Valeo: The Polar Express WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?
Mrs. Valeo: Me too.
Ms. Rivieccio: Christmas. I like it because I enjoy being with my family and giving to others.
WHAT COUNTRY WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT?
Mrs. Valeo: Same here! Christmas is very festive and decorative. It brings a lot of happy feelings and joy to me.
Ms. Rivieccio: Italy. Mrs. Valeo: Germany.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FAMILY TRADITION?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? Ms. Rivieccio: Disney World! There are rides, characters, good treats and bakeries.
Ms. Rivieccio: When Santa went up the chimney, something always fell out of Santa’s sack and was left for us.
Mrs. Valeo: I agree! Disney World makes me feel like a kid again.
Mrs. Valeo: Setting up the Christmas tree with my family. I love looking at the ornaments and talking about the meaning behind them as we hang them on the tree.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FOOD FROM A DIFFERENT COUNTRY?
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PRESENT WHEN YOU WERE A KID?
Ms. Rivieccio: I really love tacos!
Ms. Rivieccio: A Trapper Keeper binder.
Mrs. Valeo: Marzipan, which is a treat that comes from Germany.
Mrs. Valeo: A trip to Disney World.
MRS. VALEO MS. RIVIECCIO
Spotlight Magazine 24
MEET MY MOM (IR
ENE RAEVSKY)
By Kristina Raevsky, 302 WHAT WAS YOUR HOME COUNTRY? I was born in the Soviet Union but it later separated into different countries and mine became known as the Ukraine. HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU MOVED TO THE U.S.? I was 12 years old. WHY DID YOUR FAMILY MOVE TO THE U.S.? We moved to the U.S. because we wanted a better life, more opportunities, and we didn’t like to be treated differently based on who we are. WHY WERE YOU TREATED DIFFERENTLY? Most of my family was Jewish and we were not treated the same for that reason. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT LIVING IN THE U.S.? I like the freedom to do anything you want (as long as you don’t break the law) and the capitalist society that rewards hard work. WHAT IS YOUR JOB HERE IN THE U.S.? I am a lawyer and I work at the NYC Administrative Court where I manage other lawyers. ARE YOU HAPPY THAT YOU MOVED HERE? Absolutely, this was the best decision my family could ever make and I am proud to call the U.S. my home. DO YOU MISS ANYTHING ABOUT THE UKRAINE? No, nothing!
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My Italian Grandma By Sophia Venezia, 402 My grandma was born in Italy. She was really quite silly. She liked to sing And loved to dance And spoke Italian fluently! She hated to cook But loved what was made At all the Las Vegas buffets. She loved pretty red dresses Wore them all of the time And she had very curly hair just like mine. I love you Grandma and I miss you.
Macrame By Julia Gurdak, 103 I learned to make macrame from my mom. She learned to make it many years ago in Poland when she was a girl. First it was hard for me to do macrame. I took breaks often to rest my fingers. Next I took time to make it perfect. I did mistakes often. Then I kept getting better and better making my first work of art. I will give it to my grandmom on Thanksgiving.
My Great Granddad Joe By Finn Timmons, 231 My great granddad Joe lived in a small town in West Virginia. He joined the army at 21. My great granddad Joe was a pilot. He trained every day. In World War 2, he flew to North Africa. He had to drop bombs on Italy. He had to fly over the Mediterranean Sea. Then his plane got shot from flak. The name of his plane was Sweater Girl. He jumped out of his plane with a parachute. He landed close to the shore. He got rescued by soldiers in the army. Since he got flak in his leg, he got a medal called a Purple Heart. This makes me feel proud. Spotlight Magazine 26
BAPU
By Layla Sagar, 403 Mahatma Gandhi, also known to the people of India as Bapu (father) is someone I like to ask my family about. Ever since I found out that my grandfather saw him as a little boy I became more curious to learn about him. My grandfather said that when he was about 4 years old, his grandmother put him on her shoulders and took him to the center of their village, Anklav (Gujarat, India), to hear Gandhi speak. One memory he had was Gandhi having his goat with him so he could always have fresh milk. He spoke to the people of my grandfather’s village for a few minutes and then he left. I think that this was a very important memory for my grandfather. I wish I could have met Gandhi.
In the summer of 2017, I got to go to India. While we were traveling, my family and I went to a place called Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi. There I got to see the place Gandhi called home in his final days and where he was killed while giving a prayer service. Learning about him in the country he called home was very cool.
Like my grandfather and the people of India, Mahatma Gandhi was a very important person. He fought for India’s freedom from the British Empire because he believed in a free India. Gandhi felt that the British were treating the Indians unfairly. He would even protest for India’s freedom peacefully but it would land him in jail every time.
I am a very proud Indian, even more because a great man like Mahatma Gandhi fought for equality and freedom for India. Also, he influenced other great leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. to fight for equal rights. He is a real inspiration to me. One day I want to be as brave as him and fight for equal rights.
Exact spot where Gandhi was assassinated. 27 Spotlight Magazine
Me & my cousin visiting his last home.
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Yidoen Tenzin, 103 Friends By Marisa Varadi, 403 friends are super kind friends make you super happy friends are important
Nina Machabeli, 401 29 30 Spotlight Spotlight Magazine Magazine
Elva Wong, 304
Katelyn Wong, 105 Anna Yu, 101
Rania Hammami, 531
Sabrina Slavin, K012 Spotlight Magazine 30
FAR-FLUNG FLAVORS Vegetable Biryani: A Family Recipe I Learned From My Mother By Ananya Kothari, 431 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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Red Onion (1) Bell Pepper (1) Tomatoes (2) Potato (1) Small Green Chillies (2) Coriander Leaves (Handful) Cinnamon Stick (1) Cloves (4) Large Cardamom (1) Fennel Seeds (10) Cumin Seeds (10) Bay Leaf (1) Salt (2 tsp) Turmeric (1/2 tsp) Red Chilli Powder (1 tsp) Dry Mango Seed Powder (1 tsp) Garam Masala (1 tsp) Asafoetida Powder (Pinch) White Basmati Rice (2 cups) Olive Oil (4 tbsp) Water (1 cup)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Pour olive oil into a large pan Add a pinch of asafoetida powder Add cumin seeds When cumin seeds gradually turn brown, add fennel seeds Add cinnamon stick, cardamom, and bay leaf Sautee together for 10-20 seconds Add finely chopped onion and sautee until golden brown Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, dry mango seed powder, and garam masala. Mix well Add finely chopped bell pepper, chopped green chillies, diced tomatoes, and peeled and diced potatoes, mix well again Pour mixture into a pressure cooker or slow cooker Add one cup of water and two cups of washed rice Cook until rice is cooked (not too soft) Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves Serve hot Enjoy with a cup of cool, plain yogurt
Cuban Picadillo Amelia Rivero, 501
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1 lb. ground beef or turkey 1 cup diced yellow onion ½ cup diced green bell pepper 3 garlic cloves, finely minced 2 small Yukon gold potatoes peeled & diced 1/3 cup of red or dry white wine ¼ cup of green olives w/ pimentos ¼ cup raisins 8 oz can tomato sauce 1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste 1 pinch of oregano ¾ tablespoon cumin Goya Adobo allpurpose seasoning ½ cup of beef or chicken broth Olive oil
1. Brown meat in a medium sized frying pan adding Goya Adobo, salt and pepper to taste (set aside) 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the frying pan and add onions, green pepper and garlic. Sauté until soft 3. Add tomato paste and stir making sure not to burn 4. Add cumin and stir quickly 5. Add wine and stir until it is reduced by half 6. Add broth and tomato sauce 7. Add brown ground beef and let simmer for about 20 minutes 8. Add potatoes and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until potatoes are soft 9. Add olives and raisins and cook for 3-5 minutes Picadillo should be moist but not too saucy. Add water if it is too dry or if too saucy simmer it uncovered until the sauce reduces. Enjoy with or without rice. We like ours with rice!
Winter Warmer By Nika Petrova, 301 Crunch! Crunch! Footsteps on snow! Punch! Punch! Snowballs flying high and low! Slush! Slush! We are wet from head to toe! Mom calls to drink hot cocoa, We are ready to go! Munch! Munch! We eat cookies from chocolate dough!
Hot Cocoa
• • • • •
cup spoon cane sugar milk cocoa powder
Gabriella Chow, 404 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Boil hot water Pour cocoa powder in cup Pour hot water in cup Pour milk and mix Add cane sugar Drink up and enjoy!
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Chinese Oxtail Stew By Timothy Louie, 501
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Gateau Basque Louisa Amestoy, 204
2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
8 servings
1/4 cup sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3/4-1 cup cherry jam or vanilla pastry cream 1 egg beaten w/ a splash of water, for glaze
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. 2. With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add the egg and beat another 2 minutes or so. The mixture may look curdled, but that's okay. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in two or three additions, mixing only until they're fully incorporated into the dough. 3. Place a large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper on your work surface and put half of the dough in the center. Cover with another piece of plastic or wax paper, then roll the dough into a circle just a little larger than 8 inches in diameter. Repeat with the other half of the dough. 4. Put the dough on a cutting board or baking sheet and refrigerate for about 3 hours. 5. When you're ready to assemble & bake the gateau, preheat the oven to 350F. Butter an 8in round cake pan. 6. Remove the layers from the refrigerator and let them rest on the counter for a couple of minutes before peeling away the plastic or paper. Fit one layer into the pan. Spoon some of the jam or pastry cream onto the dough, starting in the center of the cake and leaving one inch of dough bare around the border. 7. Moisten the bare ring of dough with a little water and then top with the second piece of dough, pressing down around the edges to seal it. And, no matter, some of the filling usually leaks out. It still tastes good! 8. Brush the top of the dough with the egg glaze and use the tips of the tines of a fork to etch a cross-hatch pattern across the top. 9. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let it rest for 5 minutes before carefully running a blunt knife around the edges. Turn over onto a cooling rack and then quickly and carefully invert it onto another rack so that it can cool to room temperature right side up.
Pastry Cream 2 cups milk Âź cup white sugar 2 egg yolks 1 egg
Âź cup cornstarch 1/3 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch, then stir them into the egg until smooth. When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don' t curdle or scorch on the bottom. When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. Pour into a heatproof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled.
A Gateau Basque is a type of cake from the Basque Country in the southwest part of France. My grandfather is from the Basque Country. I went last summer. There are big mountains and the ocean and lots of little towns. No matter where you go, people eat Gateau Basque. They like it so much that they eat it almost every day. It is buttery, crumbly and sweet. The filling can be either cherry jam or pastry cream. My favorite filling is pastry cream but my mom likes the jam. It’s good to try both!
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DISCOVERING NEW WORLDS...IN BOOKS The Haunted Dinosaur fur #9) (Creepella von Cackle Geronimo Stiltonk for kindergarten through second grade.
at boo The Haunted Dinosaur is a gre . In this story, eone named Geronimo Stilton som by is t tex the y, ingl Surpris a dinosaur to go ur klef nd Creepella von Cac Geronimo Stilton and his frie rus comes sau oko spo the of n leto tion, the ske ding and exhibit but the main attrac rea t tha ause it will teach students ton book, to life. This is a great book bec Stil mo oni Ger a nd ond grade when I fou sec e sinc r Eve . fun is ting wri ur 5 stars. why I give The Haunted Dinosa I’ve loved the series. That’s Rachel Uraydov, 502
Wonder R. S. Palacio This book is about a boy who does not have a normal face. His face is deformed. This boy gets bullied a lot because of that. He usually is homeschooled, but now he is starting real school. This book is about how he gets through middle school, with only two real friends. Students should read this book because Wonder really makes you anxious to find out what comes next. In this story, there is a little twist in events and that really hooks the reader into the book.
Wonder also teaches students about inclusivity. It teaches students to not judge a book by its cover. Wonder shows you that you shouldn’t judge a person by their looks, but by their personality. Overall, this book is great to read. Esther Borukhova, 531
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The Word Co llector Peter H. Rey nolds
This book is ab out a long ones and sh boy who loves to collect words . He collects ort he realizes he ha ones, happy ones and sad on es. One day s too much and he does somet Students shou hing ld read this book because they ca magical. inclusivity. This n learn about teaches studen ts about how its unique. Studen ok to be ts should also re ad this book be students will re cause I think ally enjoy the bo ok. All in all, The is a very good bo Word Collector ok. Esther Borukhov a,
rn Grows Where the Red Fe Wilson Rawls wants y named Billy who really This book is about a bo The f. sel him m the y bu d to dogs. He works very har his dogs y's long journey to get bo the s ibe scr de ok bo he has nts me mo memorable and the many amazing, happy. with them, both sad and es book because it teach s thi d Readers should rea lly rea you t tha l goa a you have students about how if an e do it. If students lov want to achieve, you can d uld read Where the Re sho y adventure book, the ok bo s thi nd me om I would rec Fern Grows - although not uld wo s kid r nge you se for 5th grade only becau ce and ion. (and there is violen uat sit the and rst de un curses included.) Esther Borukhova, 531
531
Big Nate (series ) Lincoln Peirce
You may have read many books, some interesting and some very boring. But I as sure you, you will very mu ch like Big Nate. I, Amina, short for Am inakhon Kurbanova from class 531, wo uld like to introduce you to Big Nate. These bo oks are a series ab out a boy named Nate wh o goes through ever yday kid’s life. Nate solve s his problem with many funny solutions and even jokes. For exam ple, one time in the bo ok Big Nate Reveng e of the Cream Puffs, Na te and his friends se e Mrs. Czerwick and ot her grown-ups readin g romantic novels. Th ey thought they co uld make fourtunes for sellin g novels too. I would totally recom mend these books, especially for kids who are new to the English language to get a go od start. Really hope you like it! Amina Kurbanova, 53
1
GIVE US MORE MO!
Winterhouse Ben Guterson Hi, my name is Rania Hammami, a class 531 library ambassador. I would recommend the book "Winterhouse" by Ben Guterson. It is a book that is half mystery and half fantasy. It is about how a curious girl named Elizabeth goes to a hotel and discovers things about her life with a new friend named Freddy. I recommend this book because it teaches you that being curious isn't a bad thing. You can learn so much more than you think you can!
Rania Hammami, 531
LY LISTEN, SLOW
The Thank You Book Mo Willems
Knuffle Bunny Mo Willems
Throughout The Thank You Book Piggie goes to everyone who is important in her life saying "thank you" for all the good things they have done for her. For example, she says to the squirrels: “Thank you for your great ideas!” “Aww!” “Shucks.” Piggie does that to everyone important in her life.
Trixie and her daddy go on an errand to the Laundromat. When Trixie and her dad leave the Laundromat, Trixie realizes something. She had left something at the Laundromat. Trixie and her dad ran back to the Laundromat to go find Knuffle Bunny.
Why I think students K-2 should read this book is because it teaches children to be kind and to have manners by saying thank you. It can give children adult skills to be kind to others when growing up. In the book , when Piggie says "thank you" she makes others feel good.
I think students should read Knuffle Bunny because it is a very cute and funny book for kids in grades K-2. Also, it teaches kids loyalty, because when Trixie realized that she had left Knuffle Bunny at the Laundromat, she went back and got it. This shows how much she loves her stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny.
- Natalia Calle, 501
- Abby Chase, 501
BY THANHHÁ LAI
In this book, Mai is visiting her home country, Vietnam, because her Grandma wants to find out what really happened to Mai’s Grandpa during the Vietnam War. In the beginning, Mai doesn’t want to go to Vietnam. But by the end, Mai starts to like her home country. She made a friend, Uť. Mai thinks that Uť is stubborn and a lot like her. From this book, you can see and learn about the Vietnam culture. For example, when Mai first looked out at the crowd, she saw that all of them looked a lot like each other, and her. All of them had black hair and their skin was kind of yellow. The text says, “…the three red stripes on the old flag stood for Vietnamese in the North, Central and South, and the yellow background stood for their united skin.” Also, you can see that they like to use natural herbs to heal stuff. In the book they use fruits, vegetables, and herbs to heal the sicknesses. Those are just some of the interesting things about their culture that I learned.
Listen, Slowly is an interesting book. I learned about the Vietnamese culture from it. - Katherine Cao, 502 Rania Hammami, 531 Spotlight Magazine 36
E F I L Y M Y TR
Written and illustrated by Xiwen Zhang, 503
S
he yawned. “Mom? Dad? Is breakfast ready?” Jenny mumbled as she pushed herself up. “I feel so… dizzy. Wait a minute!” She had already caught sight of her surroundings. “This isn’t my bedroom!” Jenny shrieked and ran to the bathroom, although it took her a while to find it. Looking in the mirror, she saw that she had short black hair, and black eyes. In fact, she looked Asian! She looked exactly like Charlotte, the girl she bullies for being Chinese! “Oooh no,” Jenny groaned. An Asian man and woman rushed in and hugged Jenny. “Are you having nightmares about that horrible Jenny again?” Jenny hesitantly answered, “No… Er, how about we eat breakfast, uh, mom and dad?” The adults sighed. “Of course. But if anything else happens, you just tell us, okay?” They walked off, muttering to themselves about how “that principal never listens to poor Charlotte” and how “that awful Jenny just won’t leave their daughter alone.” Jenny breathed a sigh of relief and headed over to the closet. “What is this?!” But she already knew. These were the clothes she had made fun of from kindergarten to fifth grade. Jenny had no choice. Reluctantly, she pulled on a red sweater with a rabbit stitched onto it. Hey, this is actually pretty comfortable! “Breakfast’s ready!” “Coming!” she called as she raced out the bedroom door. 37 Spotlight Magazine
“Now where is that dining room?” Jenny wondered out loud.
“You heard me! GET OFF!” Jenny shoved Jenny/Charlotte to the floor.
Charlotte’s parents heard her, and said, “What dining room? We don’t use any dining room.”
“Oh… okay.” Charlotte scrambled into the seat in front of Jenny’s.
“UM, OKAYSUREWHERESTHEFOOD?” Soon, she was sitting at a small coffee table with a plate full of steaming dumplings set in front of her. I think I need to use the chopsticks, she thought. After fumbling with the chopsticks for a few seconds, Jenny slowly raised a dumpling to her mouth. “Oh my gosh! This tastes amazing!” She chomped down the rest of the dumplings, grabbed Charlotte’s backpack, and raced out the door before her parents could object. By the time she got to school, Jenny/Charlotte had it all figured out. If I’m Charlotte, then she has to be me, right? She thought as she sat down in her seat. The figure of Jenny walked into the classroom. “Why are you sitting in my seat, you jerk?!” she sneered. Charlotte/Jenny couldn’t reply. She was in shock. Am I really that terrible?
“Okay, class. Turn to page 41 in your science textbooks…” “Argh!” Jenny pulled Charlotte’s chair, making her fall to the floor. “Charlotte!” the teacher snapped. “Detention for causing disruption in the class!” “But… but…” “DOUBLE DETENTION!” Charlotte fell silent. She knew it would be no use arguing. From behind her, Charlotte could hear Jenny and her friends snickering quietly. These are supposed to be my friends! She fumed. All she could do was wait until lunch…When she finally reached lunchtime, Jenny checked her backpack. Sure enough, there was a large pack of mantous and baozis. Yes! She thought. Charlotte was just about to head to her table with her friends when she remembered that they weren’t her friends. With a sigh, Charlotte sat
at an empty table and silently started eating her lunch until… “Hey Charlotte!” “Huh?!” Charlotte turned around to see Jenny and her friends, waving her down to their table. “Come sit with us!” Charlotte was confused. Well, it couldn’t hurt, can it? So, carrying her lunch, she walked over and... SQUISH! Charlotte had sat down on something soft and brown. “Melted chocolate?!” Jenny and her friends couldn’t control themselves anymore. They burst out laughing, with snorts and giggles. I am really that bad! Charlotte realized. When school finally ended, Charlotte slumped home gloomily. Her parents were working late, and there was nobody else. She checked her watch. 3:15. Oh! My dad says that they’ll come home at 3:30 for… Chinese New Year! Charlotte nearly jumped up with surprise at the memory. Wait a minute, that must’ve happened yesterday, before I became Charlotte! Gosh, I’m starting to
get Charlotte’s memories! When Charlotte’s parents came home, they headed off to the Chinese New Year Festival. Words could not describe how amazing this was. There was so much to take in! Fireworks of every color were booming in the sky above them. Floats in the shapes of every animal in the Chinese Zodiac were opening and closing their gigantic mouths, blasting candy and treats into the crowd. There was food, decorations, and music, but best of all, the long dragon that twirled and writhed in the street was coming their way! The dancers underneath were doing a complicated dance with their legs, and a single dancer dancing in front of the dragon was holding a red ball, as if taunting the dragon to try and eat it. Charlotte clapped her hands in glee, and rushed off to make some lanterns with the other kids. That night, Charlotte lay in bed thinking about everything that had happened. Memories of the festival, the food, and the dragon swirled around in her mind. Well, I guess I have to accept the fact that I’m Charlotte now. If I ever go back to being Jenny, maybe I should be a little nicer to Charlotte… She thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Jenny/Charlotte stretched and sat up. “Wurrgn?!” Jenny had just caught sight of her room. Her room! Jenny gasped. Could it be? There was only one way to fine out. Jenny ran into the familiar bathroom and looked into the mirror. She gasped again. A sleek face with blue eyes and blonde hair gaped back at her. She pumped the air with her fist. Yes! At school, Jenny sat in her usual seat, talking with her usual friends. The real Charlotte seemed to shrink as she slowly walked into the room. The period went by quickly. At last, lunch came. However, there was one thing that was different. “Hey Charlotte! Over here!” Jenny’s friends stared at her in shock. Charlotte hesitated. Jenny laughed. Not a mean laugh, but a nice, tinkling laugh. “Come!” She patted the empty seat next to her. “Oh… okay!” Charlotte walked over. From that day on, Charlotte joined Jenny’s group of friends. And nobody switched bodies for a long, long time…
Spotlight Magazine 38
By Margaret Wang castiglia, 401 39 Spotlight 40 Spotlight Magazine Magazine
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T R A ' d S T C E J OB
Emma Machabeli, 202
Wulan Zhang, K014
41 Spotlight Magazine
Adelyn Shum, K016
Ethan Yu, 102
Odelia Pinkhasov, 204
Liam Ben Zeev Salopek, 301
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?
Where in the World?
Island Paradise There are only 210 days in my calendar Ice here is quality controlled by the local government. There are active volcanoes that still make their presence felt with occasional gassy belches. Beaches and streets are closed to all – including tourists - on one holy day each year. You're expected to honk your horn if you drive past a cemetery, to scare spirits away
Can you guess these mysterious places? Answers online at: www.pa196.org/spotlight.html
Big Deal Toilet paper was invented here in 1857. Oysters were so popular here in the 19th century that the shells were used to pave some streets and as lime for the masonry of city churches.
I have the most skyscrapers of any city in the world.
Albert Einstein’s brain and eyeballs are kept in a safe box in the city.
My residents have the highest average intelligence quotient in the world.
I am home to the most billionaires in the world.
I house the third Disney theme park to be opened outside the United States.
I have more hot springs than any other city
I house the largest gold storage in the world, in a vault 80 feet below street level.
I host the largest number of tourists per year, and the largest rugby tournament in the world
I am home to the third largest Parliament building in the world and the second largest synagogue in the world.
More than 800 languages are spoken here.
My airport is among the top ten busiest in the world, handling more than 59 million passengers every day
I am the northernmost holy place of Islam.
1 in every 38 people in the United States call this city home
I am made up of more than 200 islands.
We have drinking taps on our fire hydrants.
I get 15 times as much snow as the South Pole.
The must-try local dish is suckling pig. I am located in The Coral Triangle,
WHERE AM I?
Hot Stuff
WHERE AM I?
WHERE AM I?
Flag Challenge Ronghe Guo from 431 illustrated a selection of world flags that can be found throughout the magazine. Can you find them all and identify the countries they belong to?
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Fragrance Harbor
Locals believe that eating noodles on your birthday is a sure way to boost long life and blessings.
WHERE AM I?
Math Challenge By Ruby H. T. Macklin, 303
Elise Yu, 204 FRIENDSHIP BY EMILY ZHANG, 304
F R I E N D S H I P
eeling glad with friends all around
evealing true friends all above those others ntroducing friends all one of a kind lecting people nice and fair o tear or watery eye, everyone is happy all around efending friends from bullying kids haring supplies along with the others elping others when it is needed
ncluding happy faces that's about to laugh laying fun games and having a blast
ade r G d r i h T Madelyn Lea Y unatanov, 303 Test year Hard work Important Reading D.E.A.R (drop everything & read) Group work R.A.C.E.S (restate, answer, cite, explain, sum-up) Arithmetic Dance Bollywood Eager to Learn
Siddhartha Sun, K013 Spotlight 44 Spotlight Magazine Magazine 45
47 Spotlight Magazine
Paul Hellman, CFP® 917-774-2498 paul.hellman.cfp@gmail.com CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ .... and PS 196Q DAD
Life Insurance • Disability Insurance • College Funding • Retirement Planning
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Veronica Bajraktair, 401