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Vol. 26 No.4 December 2009
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aSSlC Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11367
Backpack drive brings holiday gifts by Tracey Wang Amnesty International collected backpacks to send to low-income children all over New York City as part of the
so much, and it's always nice to share the love," said sophomore Gina Chun. Amnesty International participated in the drive
Claus, started to scream with excitement and then proceeded to dance," he said. "It was amazing to see how such a small gift can impact a
Threatened budget cuts spur letter-writing campaign
by Rebecca Seidel adjusted for the spring. The Student Union is In a press release on gearing up fora letter-writing December 13, Mr. Paterson campaign to protest budget announced that he would cuts anticipated for next year, reduce scheduled December and possibly for this spring as payments for school aid at the well. district level by 10 percent. Although the Department This payment reduction of Education hasn't informed is part of a plan to prevent schools of any changes in the New York's .General Fund budget for the current school from ending the month with a year, it has indicated a spring negative cash balance. term cut is likely. The statement went on to Governor Paterson's say that "as sufficient revenue . propo sed Executive Budget becomes available, the State for 20 I0 wou ld reduce School will potentially pay the Aid by 3.3 percent from 2009. amounts that were delayed." However, the state 's budget "I am proceeding as allocation for education is only planned ," Prin cipal Kenneth a fraction of the big picture . Bonamo said, regarding the l's budget is The schoo spring term. "We cannot act on Boxes of toys and backpacks for the Letters to Santa campaign pile up in the Student Union room. derived from many variables broad pronouncements from incorporating funding on the governor." post office's Letters to Santa last year, when they got life in such a great way." federal, state, and city levels , campaign this December. In the meantime, Mr. the opportunity to meet the He continued, "We made so it is still uncertain whether ~" " The club asked for toys families . However, due to their holidays, and they in turn Bonamo said the poss ibili nt-budge~......;l1- t _ and clothing, as well as an incident involving a sex made ours." • backpacks. The president of offende r last year, Amnesty International, junior the post office will Aquib Yacoob, said, "We not be releasing r" 1I urge participants to contribute the adckesses Franco Scard ino, social anything that they feel a child the writers . this .1 I, .: "~ I\'0mt" studies teacher, and sopholiving in New,York City would year. mores Donna Chung, Tyler "In s t e a d ," need this winter or would like Najac and Joshua Solomon Aquib said, "each the holiday season." organized the second annua l Amnesty International letter is given a I lJer tt'c;r= tot fundraiser for this cause . also accepted monetary code and the post "Knowing that I made such donations that were used to office uses the I I'w-e ttl. n a large difference in someone's cover the cost of shipping, as code in place of life, and maybe even saved it, ~ well as to purchase more items the address. This I .. f.Y:C'J~:Z ~""\1'.~~.~' _..l.::tl, ltI~ _tA makes the who le fundraiser for the drive , which ended on takes away from worth it," said Tyler. [the] personal ~t Monday, December 21. Sophomores · circulated Many families affected by connec tion, for ~I~ .. .5c< Ie . around the cafeteria informing . . I the current economic recess ion we never get to students of their cause and socannot buy presents for their phys ically meet liciting donations. children. Tohelp these families , the families." "We're helping children OneofAquib's Amnesty International read in Nepal, and at the same time letters that children have sent most memorable 1 IJlJ L~ we're also socializing and doto Santa (which go to the mome nts from ing something productive with James A. Farley Post Office on the drive last year our lunch bands," said Donna. 8th Avenue) and personalize a wlas wdhe thde ~:5hG J oad h@boak=1 '.'1 am satisfied with the backpack with the gifts they c bu elIvere . . . . . . I . .1. outco me this year, but we can a backpack to asked for. hopefully do even better next Junior Jane Lee, who a girl's home year," noted Joshua. Spanish donated to the drive, said that in Mr. Scardino called the it "will make the children Harlem. participants "the most ephebic "Upon happy as well as the parents of youngsters." the who would really want to see opening Donors are honored on the StQu~L'iJ ' -'her their children smile in these door, wall of the main lobby, where I 1 ··. . elk, .' : ' Q " . mother, who was tough financial times." all of their names are listed on "We have been given dressed as Mrs. This was one of the letter s Amnesty International maps of Nepal. received as part of the Letters for Santa campaign.
Sophomores save 3 girls I==P ' s ~' ._- _._----;;--I-v-J..--J-... from indentured servitude of~a
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Healthy Holiday Eating pg.3
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Top Ten Songs and Movies of
This Year in Review pgs.4-5 T
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MLIT pg.7
2009 pg. 6 I
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