Panther's Print: Issue 3

PANT H ER'S PRI NT SCHECHTER'S CREATIVE STUDENT MAGAZINE

Table of Contents

Now m ore t han ever, it 's im port ant t o appreciat e nat ure. It can be difficult t o see t he bright side of sit uat ions, but w it h nat ure, w e can calm dow n and see t he w orld from a new point of view . We chose t o focus on nat ure in t his issue t o help bright en up your m ood during t hese dark t im es. Enjoy!

- The Panther's Print Team

Welcome to a New World W el com e Ar t Poet : Sophie Schlosm an

Sw aying m y arm t ow ards t he eart hy brow n sket ch book I effort lessly grab m y black w orn -dow n pencil

W el com e Ten n i s Poet : Aviv Wassner All det erm inat ion and perspirat ion, In m y w et face dripping w it h effort .

Let t ing it flow t hrough t he bare pages

A snow y w hit e sm oot h grip

Creat ing a sim ple scrap of m agnificent art .

on m y sw eat soaked hand,

I close t he book and hear t he click of t he lock

A fam iliar sensat ion, a ready racket ,

Then soft ly place m y pencil back in m y draw er.

brushing t he bouncy ball,

And carefully close t he sket chbook

An abrupt vibrat ion

Lying it dow n like a baby lying t aking a nap.

ripples dow n m y aching arm .

Gleam ing gray t ennis shoes, Shuffling t o t he bounding ball, Sm acking it t o t he ot her side of t he concret e court .

W el com e I ce Cr eam Poet :

Zoe Rabinovit ch

W el com e Fl at Pr et zel s Poet : Shaked Perez

` Cream y classic caram el ice cream Clack! Clack! Rust le! Crunch!

Freezing frigid frost y flavors of scrum pt ious deliciousness!

When near I hear t he cold cream y colorful ice cream calling out t o m e That beam ing boast ful banana colored ice cream cream y classic caram el dissolves on m y surprisingly super pink t ongue Sw eet , cream y, and oh so dream y!

I lend m y ear t o t hat click, clack, crackle Of m y peachy fine pret zels Savory, sat isfying flavor Like peanut but t er and jelly on Warm t oast ed bread

Opi ni on Area opin ion pieces / w r it in g

What does it mean to be an American? by: Michal Z. I don't know, what does it mean? For everyone it's different, for me it is believing in

Henry Goldstein

After the Election

During the Election

The year is 2020.

doing the right thing, making people heard, and talking about my views on politics.

I like being heard, but people out there aren't heard, because of racism, sexsim, anti semitcs, ect. When people tell me I should be proud of America, it makes me

The year is 2020.

think about all the bad stuff America has done, and the people in America do daily, The Day has passed, Before.

the steaming ceased, Ages before.

Days stretch out into years, years into lifetimes,

smiles stretch out freed from verge of catastrophe

lifetimes into Hellscapes.

it doesn't make me proud.

I am not a proud American, yes we have some good stuff we have done in three hundred years, but the rest is just bad. And some people just overlook that. I don't mind getting yelled at, and I don't mind being berated, it means someone is

We sing and dance

listening to me, not the right person but at least they listen. I will be a proud

Wicked cauldron of tension

?neath the shining stars

American when America gets better, when people have the right to speak out.

brewing and steaming,

screaming Build Back Better

That's when we should be proud, not now.

broiling and bubbling,

for better off we are

scalding water leaping out and burning a million souls.

Four years ago, we cried Hush, hush, we say, and the bubbling and hissing slows,

traumatized, in pain, weeping rigged! and fake!

as the entire world holds its breath.

and now, hush, hush, we won! we say.

Calm in presence, frantic in spirit, we laugh with our friends as we?re chained down by fear.

For down by the river stand a group of ten men weeping, weeping, for four years, endless defence.

We are desperate for truth, but the truth is

Now they are left

that there is none,

to fend for themselves,

so we are left dissatisfied,

so they weep and weep

searching once more.

in the depths of the fen

Poet's Corner For get t i n g

Today, I feel like t he ?shift ? key.

I am useless w it hout t he effort of anot her key.

I am m erely an enhancer.

It ?s as t hough I need you.

I?m unable t o do anyt hing by m yself.

Do you ever forget ?

In fact , using m e on m y ow n w ill do not hing.

You just can't seem t o rem em ber it ,

Or m aybe,

The m ost im port ant t hing you w ant ed t o know .

It ?ll get st uck in your head, and t hen it 's gone.

M aybe it 's som et hing so im port ant , or som et hing so t errifying.

Som et im es it 's som et hing you w ould like t o forget ; it just can't leave your m ind.

It ?s t he opposit e.

M aybe, you need m e.

M aybe I capit alize, and com m and, and redirect , and redo, w it h t he help of anot her key for a reason.

Today, I feel like t he ?shift ? key.

Today, I am useful.

Today, I help t he ot her keys.

Today, I am not alone, I am never alone.

I m ake one?s act ion bold or different from anot her.

It 's gone som ew here; far int o space, w here no one can find it .

I am not just an enhancer,

I am like t he Sun. I give so m uch t o so m any, Yet The Eart h is m ore appreciat ed t han t he sun.

Why? Why is a key on your keyboard not as appreciat ed as t he ot hers?

Today, I feel like t he Sun

Snow Pow dering t he rooft ops

But frozen

Sprinkling t he law ns

Welcom ing w int er

Snow com es, and leaves

As w e look out side

As it pleases

And see t he snow

It coat s t he Eart h

Falling,

And m elt s on t ongues

Racing,

Of lit t le children w ho play

Slidiing

In t he snow

Skating,

At 32 degrees Fahrenheit

The snow tumbles down to the ground

Snow covers t he ground Like a blanket On a cold w int er day

As we sip hot cocoa With marshmallows White as snow.

And snow m en arise From t heir hiding place To play and sleep In t he snow As birds m igrat e sout h As bears hibernat e The snow falls Soft ly t o t he ground Like lit t le raindrops

The Den of Zen W el com e For est By: David Com m ander

When I ent er t he grand grove of t rem endous t rees I feel t he gaze of curious creat ures

?I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.?

I can hear t he babbling of t he brook like a w at er w heel going on forever I sm ell t he m ust y, dust y scent Of rot t en w ood drift ing on t he w ind

? Joh n Bur r ough s

Beaut iful bat t ered boughs bust ling w it h vibrant life M arvelous w oods m agically creat e a palace free of m alice t he m ost sacred sensat ions of nat ure live here

Designed by brgfx / Freepik

41 Relaxin g Th in gs Book s:

Son gs/ Ar t ist s:

The Roar by Emma Clayton

(sequel: The Whisper)

Beacan Street Girls -By Annie Bryant

The Trials of Apollo By , Rick Riiordan

? ?You m i ss 10 0 % of t h e sh ot s you don ?t t ak e" - W ayn e Gr et zk y

Percy Jackson By, Rick Riordan

The Time of the Fireflies by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Echo by Pam MuĂąoz Ryan

Pick

The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins

Keeper of the Lost Cities (series) by Shannon Messenger

" Th er e ar e peopl e i n your l i f e w h om you un k n ow i n gl y i n spi r e si m pl y by bei n g you"

-

Meditating Bubble Bath Bathing Gratefulness Writing Time Machine Making Knitting Bracelet Tying Tea Drinking Sleeping Swimming Soap Opera Interpreting Reading Poetry Writing Shower Singing Song Learning Recorder Playing Santa Claus Catching Self-Portrait Drawing Netflix Binging Nature Walking Best Life Living Candy Making Slime Making Eating Breathing Journal Writing Quote Reading Crossword Doing Comic Book Making Couch Potatoing Sewing Costume Making Water Drinking Frog Pretending Kinetkic Sand Using Amazon Over-Using ASMR Listening Yoga Doing Stretching Paper Ripping Yodeling Yoda Speaking Like

- qu ot es -

" Ever yday h as t h e pot en t ial t o be t h e gr eat est day of you r lif e."

?Kin d w or ds can be sh or t an d easy t o speak bu t t h eir ech oes ar e t r u ly en dless?

- qu ot es-

(M ot h er Ter esa)

-Lin M an u el M ir an da (CREATOR OF HAM ILTON)

If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

-Frederick Douglass

Take a breath Inhale peace Exhale happiness With a mask

"We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated." -Maya Angelou

"true simplicity is elegant." - E. L. Konigsburg

Ever y lit t le t h in gs gon n a be alr igh t -Bob M ar ley

Every flow er is a soul blossom ing in nat ure -Gerald De Nerval

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. ? John Burroughs

The Last One Laughing By: Ethan Bracha When you hear t he w ord ?Arena?, w hat do you t hink of? M aybe a st adium , a w rest ling pit , m aybe a video gam e, but you probably don?t t hink of a fold out t able w it h chairs on eit her side.

Slipping t hem t hrough her fingers like it w as a gam e she played w it h herself. A gam e she played against all of us. A suspenseful gam e t hat only she enjoyed.

The Shuffler t hen placed four, faced dow n cards, in front of m e, and four in front of Bo. ?Let t he m at ch...? t he Narrat or st art ed. ?Begin! ? The Narrat or w asn?t allow ed t o speak for t he rest of t he m at ch in order not t o give aw ay som et hing one of t he players hadn?t not iced.

Bo and I quickly t ook t he cards from t he opposing side and held t hem so only w e could see t hem for ourselves.

I had one king, one duke, one lucky 13, and one sad clow n. I was dealt a bad hand. Bo had t he gong card.

If you don?t underst and w hat ?s happening, here?s a basic rule in t he gam e. There are t hree of each t ype of card ex cept for t he gong w hich t here?s only one of. When t he Shuffler shuffles, she has t o decide bet w een put t ing t he gong card at t he t op of t he deck, or placing it on one of t he dealt hands.

If you haven?t connect ed t he dot s yet , t he arena is t he fold out t able. I w as on one side and Bo w as on t he ot her. I w as sm all, m y feet barely reached t he ground w hile I sat on t he folding chair. Bo w as m uch t aller and m ade m e look like a dw arf. Luckily, I had t he skill t o clim b all t he w ay up t o second place. Right behind Bo.

I knew t hat t he gong w asn?t in m ine, and at t he beginning of t he gam e, I had t he chance t o st eal a card from t he t op. So t hat ?s ex act ly w hat I did.

The Shuffler brought out a large plat e t hat Bo and I each put our m oney int o.

I grabbed t he t op card right before Bo?s hand hit t he deck and he grabbed t he t op card.

?Ladies and gent lem en, boys and girls,? said t he Narrat or of t he gam e. ?Welcom e t o t he final cham pionship.? The Narrat or w as on m y left and t he Shuffler w as on m y right .

If t he Shuffler had cheat ed and placed t he gong under t he t op card on t he deck,

Gat hered around t he t able, w at ching, w ere about t en people w ho had eit her been defeat ed by Bo, or m e. ?Bo against Avery. Who w ill w in?

A good st rat egist w ould know t hat if t hey had t he gong, t hey?d t ry t o st eal t he t op card t o m ake it look like t hey didn?t have it . I actually didn?t have it .

she w ould lose her role and never be able t o play t he gam e again.

The Shuffler eit her cheat ed and m ade a huge sacrifice, gave t he gong t o Bo, or put t he gong on t op.

?Shuffler! Shuffle.? The Narrat or passed t he Shuffler a new deck of cards, st ill in order.

The Shuffler w as ex perienced. She knew w here each card w ent and could feel how m any cards w ere in her fingers w it hout having t o look at t hem . Unfort unat ely, t he Shuffler w as biased t ow ards Bo, so he w as m ore likely t o get a bet t er hand. Luckily, I w as dealt bad hands m y ent ire life and I m ade it here. I w asn?t sure w here ?here? w as ex act ly, but it w as in som eone?s basem ent , playing cards w it h a supposed brainiac.

I put t he card int o m y hand and saw anot her sad clow n. Bo had t he gong.

The Shuffler t ook t he deck out of t he Narrat or?s hand and w it hout opening her eyes, gent ly shuffled t he cards.

?Trio,? I said. Usually, t he opposing player w ould grow l at m e or give m e a vex ed glare, but Bo just grinned.

Because I had picked t he t op card first , I had t he first t urn. I placed m y duke card nex t t o t he pile on t he t able, t hen t ook a card from Bo?s hand.

Sad clow n.

I t ook m y sad clow ns and put t hem face up on t he t able.

He w as up t o som et hing. I drew a card from t he pile and w ait ed for Bo t o play.

I had draw n an unlucky 12. I had t o get rid of eit her it , or t he lucky 13 or I w ould lose t he gam e.

Bo placed an unlucky 12 on t op of m y duke and t ook t he lucky t hirt een from m y hand.

He t hen t ook anot her card from his hand and placed it dow n along w it h t he lucky 13. ?Duo,? he said. He w ant ed m e t o st eal. He w ant ed m e t o place m y king on t op. I didn?t .

Or m aybe, he knew I w ouldn?t st eal and planned for it . I didn?t end up st ealing.

We w ent back and fort h like t his unt il w e had each had seven t urns. Before show ing our hand, w e had a chance t o discard one card if w e w ant ed t o.

Bo had 5 t rios and 1 duo. I had 5 duos and 1 t rio. I w as w inning.

I discarded a fruit salad card and Bo placed a gong on m y 14 duo. ?Trio,? he said, and brought his now -t rio t o his side. I had com plet ely forgot t en about t he gong. He now had 6 t rios and 1 duo. He had w on. ?Hahaha! How did you not see t hat com ing?? Bo cackled. He w as about t o w in all t he m oney I had put in t he dish.

Second place sounds like it w ould be som et hing good. Like you did a great job and you gave it your all. But t here is no prize for not being t he best and I learned t hat t he hard w ay.

One day, I w ould get t he gong and I w ould st eal a duo. One day, I?d show all of t hem t hat I w as bet t er, t hat I w as a w inner, t hat I w asn?t a quit t er, t hat I w ould be t he last one laughing.

Letters Letter to Donald Trump From: Sarah Out of My Mind Book Group Letter From: Liat Book Group Letter From: Sarah Letter to Gary Paulson From: Sarah Letter to Thanhha Lai From: Henry

Dear President Donald Trum p, I just w at ched you debat ing w it h Vice President Biden about opening schools. I respect your opinion about opening schools right now like a norm al year, but I t hink t hat if w e just reopen right now , Covid w ill break out all over t he place and w e w ill have t o close again. I also t hink t hat even t hough t he t ransm ission t o t eachers is very sm all, children can see high-risk fam ily m em bers aft er t ouching t heir classm at es, and endanger t hem . How ever, I do t hink t hat w e should t ry t o open schools, but w e m ust t ake t he correct safet y precaut ions.

M y school opened in-person t his year, but w e have t o w ear m asks, and social dist ance.

I t hink t hat it is very healt hy for kids t o see t heir friends. How ever, if w e are going t o st op Covid, w e m ust do so carefully and slow ly. We have slow ly st art ed t o reopen t hings, but if w e st op being careful now , t hen w e w ill go back t o square one. I t hink t hat our econom y isn?t going t o be dam aged t oo badly, because people are st ill going t o w ork, even if it is online, and people st ill have t o get resources.

Vice President Biden doesn?t w ant t o open schools if w e can?t get m ore t eachers, pods, and resources. But how are w e going t o get all t he m oney for t his? I w ould not like t o raise t ax es, but t hat m ight be t he only choice. Luckily, people can now go int o w ork, just w it h m asks and ot her precaut ions. Opening carefully can ensure t hat w e can st ill be t oget her, just 6 feet apart . Now , m ore t han ever, w e need m oney, and w e don?t have t hat m oney. But if w e raise t ax es, w ouldn?t t hat be against t he Republican t ax idea? Also, people w ho are poorer could suffer even m ore t han t hey already are w it h new t ax raises. We also need m ore m oney t o hire m ore people. We need m ore t eachers, and a lot of people got let go w hen Covid st art ed.

I not iced t hat you m ent ioned your son get t ing Covid, and you said it w ent aw ay quickly. He m ight have had a pret t y good im m une syst em , but older people and ot hers t hat have m edical condit ions m ight not . Therefore, I t hink t hat w e should prot ect t hose people.

LETTER TO DONALD TRUM P

Schools m ight not reopen because t hat st at e has m ore Covid cases, but in st at es t hat have less, I agree w it h you t hat w e should open schools in-person. I just w as t o keep in m ind t hat w e m ust st ill be safe. I also disagree w it h you t hat Vice President Biden w ould close if one person in t he governm ent got Covid. I t hink t hat Vice President Biden w ould t ake t he necessary precaut ions, and I t hink t hat everyone should do t hat . How ever, Vice President Biden also said t hat w e shouldn't open schools unt il w e have Covid under cont rol. I t hink t hat Covid is in cont rol in som e st at es, and w e should open schools carefully t here.

How ever, in st at es like Florida, schools should be closed because of spikes in Covid cases. I agree w it h you t hat w e should prot ect m ent al healt h, and m aybe doing so can help people cont ain Covid. Good luck on your cam paign. Thank you so m uch for your t im e!

Sincerely, Sarah Singer

From: Sarah Singer

Dear M elody,

Ou t of M y M in d Book Gr ou p Let t er From: Liat Skolnick From the point of view of Melody's friend, Rose

I have realized t hat you?re having problem s w it h Claire and M olly. I have seen and heard how t hey t ease you and never let you have a break. They keep saying how you're so w eird, and are not capable of anyt hing . Som et im es t hey?re even jealous of you! They t hink you're cheat ing w hen you?re not , and don?t like you because you?re sm art er and bet t er t hen t hem . You're such a good person and friend even w it h your lim it at ions. I know it ?s hard t o live t hrough your life w it h som e people looking at you like you?re not one of t hem , so congrat ulat ions on finding your voice! It m ust be very ex cit ing t o get your M edi Talker and finally be able t o ex press your feelings. People m ight alw ays have t heir opinions and m ight alw ays look dow n on you. You m ight have a w heelchair w it h useful t hings connect ed t o t he arm rest s and a m achine t o t alk, but you are st ill a person!

Anyw ay you are, it ?s not your fault you have lim it at ions. You have an am azing t alent but you'll never get t o show anyone. Claire and M olly t ease you because t hey can?t see t hrough t o your t alent .

As your friend, I w ould like t o help you deal w it h Claire and M olly. Being on t he receiving end of t easing is hard t o deal w it h and som et im es you don?t know w hat t o do.

You don?t w ant t o hurt anybody's feelings but you need t o m ake t he bullying st op.

Obviously Claire and M olly are already on som e of t he t eachers' bad sides. If t hey t ry t o sabot age you or your chair by t urning it over or breaking it , you m ight really have t o t ell a t eacher. First t hough, you should t ry t o st and up t o t hem . If t hey?re t easing you, you should act calm and confident no m at t er how m uch t heir w ords hurt . They w ant t o em barrass you. You should eit her t alk t o t hem confident ly and ex pose t hem , or t ell t hem how you feel. If t hey are w hispering loudly from afar, you should go up t o t hem and t alk t o t hem really polit ely about som et hing com plet ely random . That m ight cat ch t hem off guard and you can roll aw ay sm iling. They w ill st ill t ry t o m ake fun of t he voice of your M edi Talker because t hat w ould be rude. You m ight have t o just say how you don?t care and you t hink it ?s nice. I like how you're alw ays so happy and posit ive now w it h your M edi Talker, and I t hink you chose a nice voice for it .

If you decide t o t ell a t eacher first , t ry not t o sound like you?re com plaining because t hen t hey'll be proud and happy for you. You should t ell t he t eacher not t o m ake t he punishm ent t oo harsh, but you w ant it t o st op. You never know w hat Claire and M olly m ight do so be careful. I t hink you?re am azing, and a nice person. I w ill alw ays be happy t o be your friend no m at t er w hat .

Sincerely, Rose

Dear Eleanor, Your son has not ified m e t hat lat ely you have not been get t ing credit for t hings t hat you have done for King Henry ( your husband) . Geoffrey has also not iced t hat Thom as Becket has been rew arded for t he deeds t hat you did. Becket has been t aking up all of your king?s at t ent ion, as I?m sure you know . Geoffrey said t hat Henry?s first t hought is alw ays Thom as. Henry also nam ed him his Archbishop and chancellor. Becket got credit for t hinking of t he idea of engaging your son t o Louis?s new daught er, even t hough it w as your idea. The last ex am ple t hat he gave m e w as t hat Thom as got t he Vex in back, and got credit , but you gave birt h t o t he son t hat had t he Vex in in t he first place. All of t hese ex am ples show t hat Thom as is get t ing m uch m ore t han he deserves, and I?m sure t hat you can com e up w it h m any m ore. Thom as has been t reat ed m ore like royalt y t han you, t he queen. How unfair!

As an abbot , I w ould like t o provide ideas for handling t his sit uat ion.

You should t alk t o King Henry. Tell him how you feel. Ask him t o m eet you for dinner for his favorit e food( s) and ask him if m aybe he can find m ore t im e for you. Rem em ber, you can alw ays t ry again. Even if you don?t like Thom as, t ry t o find som et hing in com m on w it h him .

Book Gr ou p Let t er From: Sarah Singer

Anot her solut ion could be t hat Henry could dem ot e him t o just chancellor. Then, you can be his advisor and spend m ore t im e w it h Henry, even on royal dut ies. M aybe you can prove t o Henry t hat you can do a job just as w ell as Thom as, m aybe even bet t er. If he doesn?t agree w it h you, just st art doing sm all t hings like get t ing him som e w at er or greet ing guest s at a part y, and event ually show him t hat you can do m ajor t hings like be an advisor or engage t w o young children. You are a queen.

Alt hough t hese solut ions are accept able and pract ical, I?d like t o provide t w o m ore solut ions: 1. You can com e t o church and let m e help you out . I w ould be delight ed t o assist m y king and queen. How ever, you M UST keep it a secret from Abbot Bernard. He found ?cousins? in t his m arriage. He does not approve of it , as he did not of you and Louis. Look how you and Louis t urned out . I refuse t o issue a divorce, but m aybe you can t ake som e t im e aw ay from one anot her and Thom as.

2. I just w ant t o let you know t hat I have been t hrough t he sam e sit uat ion. Before I becam e an abbot , I w as m arried t o a w onderful w om an. Or so I t hought . She m et a lady and she becam e m y w ife?s advisor. M y w ife spent days w it h her, but w it hout m e. I couldn?t underst and how som eone could be cont ent t o see t heir part ner so upset . So I w ent and found a friend. He w as nice, and I spent so m uch t im e w it h him . How ever, I soon realized t hat I w as st ill not cont ent w it hout m y w ife?s com pany. Short ly aft er m y w ife?s advisor w ent t o Aust ralia for a royal t rip, I t alked t o m y w ife. It t urns out t hat she didn?t know how I felt about it . We m oved t o m y new ly conquered land, and set t led dow n. We ruled t here and gave our friends our ot her lands. Everyone w as happy. I am not saying you should do all of t his. It w ould probably be best t o just t alk t o him . M aybe he has no idea how you are feeling. I hope t his has helped.

Sincerely, Abbot Suger