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Blizzard bags. Some people like Blizzard Bags but for others it’s a cold subject. Some people enjoy Blizzard Bags because if there is a cancellation day you don't have to make it up at the end of the year. With a Blizzard Bag you know the exact date when you get out of school so you can make plans for the summer. Some people think Blizzard bags are a bad solution to snow days because if less than eighty-percent of the school doesn't do them, then they might not count. According to the New Hampshire Conway Daily Sun , it costs them $600,000 dollars. That is not the price for all schools but it is very expensive. There are claims that it's good and bad, but that is your opinion. 
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By: Peter Kay Every kid wants an extra day to relax, why not give it to them? Having a three day weekend would give students more time to relax from the stress from school. And, to make up for the lost time, they would have extra homework on school days and 15-30 more minutes on school days. Also, at home, kids will have more free time at home to exercise and relax (as long as they don’t play Fortnite!) Lastly, kids will have better attendance with an extra day to miss. Fingering the crunchy leaves Apple & pumpkin pie Leaves in red, orange & yellow Leaving the house to trick or treat on Halloween.  “I believe that no hardship is too severe to limit your ability to live life to its fullest.” One phone call is all it takes to dispirit a life. In 2004, my parents received a phone call letting them know that my brother has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, also known as DMD. At the time the alarming words of doctors whirled around my parents, and created a storm of confusion. All they could focus on was the fact that their beloved four year old son was cursed with a disease that left them with no hope of a long, healthy life for their son. Duchenne is 100% fatal, and threatens death by the age of 25. It is an evil intruder that disintegrates muscles and demolishes the body’s functions. These stark facts struck like destructive lightning. Once the uproar passed, my parents had a epiphany. They decided to use their frustration as fuel to build a powerful engine that would conquer DMD. At first my parents were devastated when they were dealt one of life’s most depressing hardships, the notion that they would loose a child. However, they turned this privation into incentive to live their life with no regrets. The severe nature of Duchenne has the power to wreck my brothers life. His ability to play sports, run around, even open open the car door or walk a few steps has been robbed from him. Although this illness has created countless opportunities for Charley to sit in his room and cry “woe is me”, he defies these expected grievances. Every day, Charley lives life like there is no tomorrow and there was no yesterday. He continues to find ways to pursue his passions in life and shatter all stereotypes. At Charley’s recent high school graduation he walked across the stage to receive his diploma, a moment that warmed the hearts of everyone watching. In the upcoming fall Charley will be attending NYU, his dream school that he put countless hours of effort and dedication into. The living conditions of my parents and my brother may not be prime, but they still continue to amaze me everyday with their inspiring efforts to live life to its fullest. You don’t have to be struck with an illness to be put down. Some hardships are more severe than others, but everyone faces obstacles that can get in the way of living life to its fullest. Some little things like a bad grade on a math test, letting in a goal during a PK shoot out, flubbing your only solo during the band concert, or getting in a massive fight with your parents, can be disheartening. These life hurdles can leave you with a desire to do nothing but lay in bed and pout. But -- take it from Charley, who put DMD in its place -- this one bad grade, this one mess up, this one fight does not define who you are, and it certainty does not put a limit on your ability to live life.  Here are a few other I Believe statements... RB: I believe family and friends are important things to have in life. IF: I believe that even through hardships, anything is possible. SG: I believe in equality for everyone. KW: I believe we should have gender-neutral bathrooms. AA: I believe those who face adversity come out the other end stronger. HL: I believe everyone has a purpose.  We are Monument Valley Regional Middle School seventh and eighth graders who are making hats to donate to babies who will benefit from having the warmth of the caps. This is our second year doing this community service project where students got to pick from 15 different options. Our group picked caps for kids. We thought about making hats for these babies and giving them to Fairview hospital and the Berkshire baby box. What caps for kids means to us is...: Caps for kids means for me is that we can provide a warm hat for babies in the hospital or for babies that don't have a hat. Caps for kids means to me that giving back helps show compassion for younger generations. Caps for Kids means to me that helping families and babies get things that they need. Caps for Kids means to me that giving service to the community. Caps for Kids means to me that babies will have a good hat. Caps for Kids means to me that helping out babies to ensure that they are warm. And it's a good deed. Caps for Kids means to me that babies will be warm and comfy with their new hat. The first day we made 75 baby hats to give to Hinda Bodinger from Berkshire Baby Box and to Fairview Hospital that was just the first of what we made. When Hinda from Berkshire Baby Box came in, she had told us that she had given away 1,200 baby boxes in 3 years starting in 2016! She then showed us what came in the cardboard bassinet. They had Halo Sleep Sack, Cap, Bib, Burp Cloth, Extra Fitted Sheet, Baby Supplies: 2 Baby Books Baby Body Wash Washcloth Diapers Baby Wipes Diaper Rash Ointment Washable Breast Pads Maternity Sanitary Pads Condoms And Donated by the KIWANIS: One box of Outlet Plug Covers One Safety Bath (Water Temperature Gauge) Rubber Ducky 17 Piece Deluxe Baby Healthcare & Grooming Kit: Nasal aspirator, digital thermometer with case, soft-tip medicine dispenser, comfort tip medicine spoon with cap, brush, comb, scissors, nail clipper, fingertip toothbrush, and emery boards Includes a baby care wellness and safety guide. With all of this, she has to get grants to be able to put all of these supplies in the boxes and these are necessities for the box even if they are on the pricier side. All of this is run from inside her Egremont home with many types of shelving units. We have all learned a lot from this experience and feel like we have contributed a little to help out our community. We thank Hinda for all she has done for the community by providing these boxes for becoming mothers and fathers. All you have to do is go to one of her seminars to receive a box. We also thank our teachers Mrs. Rueger, Mrs. Lavoie, Mrs. Tarnawa, and our paraprofessionals. Sincerely, MVM YES PROGRAM CAPS FOR KIDS  Just over one month ago, my peers and I packed our bags and left for Peru. Giddy with nervousness and excitement, we boarded the plane and began our journey. Twenty hours later, we arrived in Cusco. A bus was waiting for us at the airport to take us to Amauta School where we would meet our host families. Sitting on the bus, just seeing the city of Cusco for the first time, was surreal. Cusco was like no other place I have traveled to before. The bright crowded buses, bustle of people, and street vendors nestled in the gorgeous mountains blew my breath away. Amauta School is located in the older and more historic district of Cusco. It’s where you’ll find the cobble sidewalks and narrow streets with countless historic landmarks. We walked into the school on the first day where we met our host families. Lily DeMovellan and I stayed with a 30 something- single mom named Melisa and her 4-year-old son, Fabian. The first day we met her, we used the formal greeting ‘usted’ to greet her. “No,” she said, “Use tu. For the next two weeks, we are going to be friends.” And that’s exactly how I would describe our relationship with our host mother. She was kind and fun, but treated us like adults. We played games with her and Fabian, and we helped to cook and clean the dishes while we made conversation. Every weekday, we headed to the school where we took Spanish classes. Over the course of the two weeks, we completed 40 hours of classes. In the classes, we learned a lot of grammar and practiced applications in conversations with the amazing teachers at Amauta. And on the weekends we went on excursions. One of these was Machu Picchu. It was incredibly breathtaking. The view was amazing and to think an advanced civilization was standing in the same soil where we stood was mind blowing. But the most unforgettable part of the whole trip was volunteering. Lily and I worked with the project San Nicolas Urraca. Everyday, around 20 to 30 kids would come to play with the other kids. One kid told me about fruit he sold on the street that day, another about baskets she made with her mother, and many about the school days they had come from. But when the kids came together it was all pure laughter and happiness. When we first walked in and introduced ourselves, the kids were very warm. They gave us hugs and included us in their games. A lot of times, we walked outside and drew on the sidewalk and played hopscotch. Other times we played cards or puzzles inside. Their favorite activity was to go to the park, where we went once a week. They rode tall slides and jumped on the trampolines. Other times, we gave them piggy back rides or played tag. Over the two weeks, we bonded with all the kids. We learned about their families, their friends, and their favorite colors and activities. At the end of the day, they always gave us hugs and asked when we’d see them again. Seeing the kids have so much joy over things that we, in the states take for granted, was eye-opening. It was an experience that I’ll never forget. At the end of the two weeks, Machi, the woman who ran the project, spoke with us in Spanish. “You must remember to be grateful for what you have,” she said. “Be grateful to have opportunities in the States that many others do not have. You have been privileged. But in the end, remember that we are all still children. We all have hearts that beat, lungs that breathe and cuts that bleed.” The trip to Peru was an incredible experience. While my Spanish improved immensely, I learned much more than just the language. I learned about different people, a different culture, and different ways of life. I cannot thank everyone who made this trip possible enough. Thank you for giving me an experience I’ll never forget. Cusco, until we meet again.  The city of Cusco is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and the views from any balcony are spectacular. The cobblestone streets are packed, cars speeding around, pedestrians running across intersections, horns beeping constantly. Shouts of rapidfire Spanish fill the air. The open storefronts display colorful artwork and clothing, beaded jewelry, and all kinds of souvenirs. Music blares from open car windows and shops. People bargain for tamales, fruit, and crackers. The city just has the feeling of being alive. In Cusco, we saw people living in abject poverty, children selling things on the streets. The water was undrinkable, bathrooms did not have toilet seats or toilet paper. The streets were scattered with dog poop and garbage. But soon we didn’t notice any of it. Instead, we saw people who were proud of their heritage, honoring their ancestors with monuments and museums. We saw parades and many traditional religious practices. We saw incredible architecture and art, and a city full of history. Their culture was very different from our own, but every bit as meaningful. With our host family, we were able to experience Cusco in an entirely different way. We went to local markets and restaurants and bought food on the streets. When we ate at home, we would have bread, rice, chicken, beans, or pasta. We would buy sweet popcorn and quail eggs on the street. My favorite food was the picarones we bought every night after volunteering. My favorite part of the trip was not taking classes or going to Machu Picchu, it was working at the project with the kids. When we arrived, the kids would race down the sidewalk to meet us, and drag us off to play, chattering away. We never really knew what to expect. We could play card games, make puzzles, draw flowers and mermaids on the sidewalk, play catch or hopscotch. The kids had incredible enthusiasm about everything we did. On days we went to the park, we could spend hours on the same slide or swing, making up games. Dayra, the little girl I spent most of my time with, loved coloring and piggyback rides and Spot It. At the end of the day, they would give us a hug or a kiss on the cheek and say, “Hasta mañana, Profe!” Saying goodbye to them was heartbreaking. The trip was an amazing opportunity to experience such a different way of life, and I learned so much during my time there.    Being rewarded for something you did is always a good feeling. Whether it’s a simple acknowledgement from a teacher for scoring a 100 on a test or a first place trophy for winning the championships soccer tournament, it is nice to know that you have succeeded. However, I truly believe the most rewardful item isn’t materialistic. A little over a month ago, I went to Cusco, Peru. I spent two weeks living with a host family, taking language courses, volunteering, visiting historical sites, and immersing myself into the Peruvian culture. The experience was rewarding in ways that I will never be able to pay back to the people that helped create this magical feeling. My life is forever impacted, because of Cusco. While in peru, I roomed with Stella Brex. We lived with a local family who has been hosting foreigners for over two decades. They were extraordinarily welcoming, loving, and kind. The inevitable awkwardness was gone within moments, and from then on we were treated like family. We all ate meals together, told stories and laughed with one another, and created lifelong bonds with our Peruvian parents. Mami and Papi, our parents, created an environment for us to feel safe and comfortable in after a long hard day out on the town. Part of our language immersion trip was to take classes. We spent 40 hours of our trip in the Spanish classes. Four hours a day, five days a week. The classes were mainly focused on improving our grammatical Spanish. However, we also spent some time focusing on conversational Spanish. In the classroom we were taught through worksheets, games, flash cards, and movies. Outside of the classroom, we would have opportunities to practice our oral and auditory understanding of the language. We would go on trips to the main plaza (Plaza Del Armas), museums (chocolate museum, textile museum, coca museum), markets (El mercado San Pedro), and other places where we could fully dive into Spanish speaking communities. Spanish classes were very helpful in the developmental process of becoming bilingual. The company that provided us with spanish classes, also organized our volunteer projects. Stella and I worked with the project Colibri. Colibri is a program for children who have parents that sell items on the street. The kids can go to Colibri after school to work on their homework, watch television, play games, interact with one another, and have a snack. Working with these kids was more than just “community service”. We created such strong connections with all the children, it was truly heartbreaking to leave them. The kids didn’t view us as strangers or as their “teachers”, but rather they viewed us as their friends, brothers, sisters, and role models. We were able to make a difference in the kids lives. This difference became apparent when their smile would grow wide when we brought balls or bubble for them to pay with, when we would sit and talk and braid each others hair, when we would paint together, when we figured out the really hard math problem and could finally take a break, when we would high five after someone scored a goal, when we would hug a million times before leaving for the day. Ever since my last day working with the Colibri kids, not a second has gone by that I haven’t thought of them. The feeling I left Peru with, was like no other. I had felt proud to have made such a difference in the lives of the kids I worked with. I was astonished to see how my Spanish improved by leaps and bounds. But most of all, I was eternally grateful. I was grateful for my family, my teachers, maria, flor, leo, and carlos from Colibri. I was grateful for the numerous ways Cusco has allowed me to grow as a young adult and as a Spanish student. I was grateful for the memories I created. I was grateful for the beautiful sunrises, and chilly night trips to an ice cream parlor. Cusco 2019, an unforgettable trip. Unlike any other. It will be missed.   by Stella B Perú fue una experiencia increíble, y me abrió los ojos a una cultura completamente nueva. Mi familia peruano fue muy simpáticos. Maisy y yo tuvimos habitaciones súper bonitas! La madre de la familia era muy buena cocinera y siempre cocinaba algo delicioso. El papá era muy divertido y nos encantaba hablar con él. La gente del Cusco es muy religiosa, y Maisy y yo podríamos ir a una iglesia en la Plaza de Armas. La Plaza de Armas es un lugar grande con una catedral y muchas tiendas. Había mucha gente en la iglesia, especialmente porque era La Semana Santa. Después de dos días, comenzamos las clases y el voluntariado. Las clases fueron de ocho hasta doce y media con una pausa de veinte minutos en el medio. Aprendí mucho de las clases y los profesores eran muy buenos. A las tres a seis, fuimos a nuestros proyectos de voluntariado. Maisy, Calvin, Kyle y yo tuvimos el Proyecto Colibrí. Es un proyecto que ofrece una oportunidad para los niños con padres que venden cosas en las calles. Los niños pueden jugar o hacer tareas. Inmediatamente me enamoré de los niños. Mostraron mucho afecto y estuvieron más que felices de jugar con nosotros. Los extraño mucho. Ser voluntario allí definitivamente me cambió, ahora yo se que es importante en la vida. Esos niños no tienen mucho, pero ellos estaban riendo mucho. Una cosa que yo voy a recordar por el resto de mi vida es ver a Machu Picchu. Era increíblemente hermoso, pero había mucha gente. Personalmente, disfruté el Huayna Picchu más porque había menos gente y no teníamos una guía. La vista también era increíble de Huayna Picchu. Con la familias y en restaurantes podriamos probar mucha comida diferente. ¡La comida de Perú! Probamos la bebida Chicha Morada. Chicha Morada es una bebida de maíz. En nuestro último día probamos cuy. El cuy es un plato muy tradicional en el Perú. Personalmente, no me gustó el cuy. Pero, algunas personas les gustó. Perú fue un viaje tan increíble, y aprendí y crecí mucho. Peru was an amazing experience, and it opened my eyes up to a whole new culture. My host family was incredibly nice and welcoming. They provided Maisy and I with very nice rooms and delicious food. The mom of the family was a very good cook and always fed us great dishes. The dad was very funny and we loved to talk with him. The people of Cusco are very religious, and on our second day, Maisy and I were able to attend a mass at a church in the Plaza De Armas. The Plaza De Armas is a town plaza with a cathedral and many shops. There were so many people at the church especially since it was Semana Santa ( week of the saints.) After two days, we started classes and volunteering. The classes were from eight to twelve-thirty with a twenty minute break in the middle. Our Spanish teachers were very enthusiastic and they taught us so much. At three, we went to our volunteering projects which ended around six. Maisy, Calvin, Kyle, and I had Project Colibrí. It is a project that offers an opportunity for kids with parents that sell items on the streets for a living. The kids are able to come and play around or do homework. That way, the kids aren’t on the streets selling things as well. Immediately, I had such a tight bond with all of the kids, they melted my heart. They showed so much affection and they were beyond happy to play with us. I miss them so much. Volunteering there definitely changed me, as I have realized what’s really important in life. Those kids don’t have much but they were still laughing, smiling, and having a good time. One thing that I will remember for the rest of my life is seeing Machu Picchu. It was insanely beautiful, but at the same time it was full of tourists, which was to be expected. Personally, I enjoyed hiking Huayna Picchu the most because there was less people and we didn’t have a guide. The view was also stunning at the top of Huayna Picchu. With our host families and at restaurants we got to try many different foods that are common in Peru. We tried Chicha Morada which is a drink mainly of purple corn and sugar. On our last day we tried guinea pig. Guinea pig is a very traditional dish in Peru. Personally, I did not like the guinea pig. However, some of my peers did. Peru was such an incredible trip, and I learned and grew from it so much.  In April of 2019, 15 nervous Spanish students and five tired chaperones arrived in the dry, warm air of Lima, Peru. They spent the night in a comfortable B&B, then continued on their long airplane journey to Cusco. After traveling for over a day total, the students arrived, exhausted, in Cusco. I was one of those students. We spent Saturday resting and getting to know our host families. We would be spending the next two weeks living with a Peruvian family and our chosen roommate. Sunday was visiting Cusco, and resting more, hoping that we wouldn’t get altitude sickness.
On Monday, we started our classes and volunteering. After being separated into groups of five or six at the Spanish school, we began learning tricky Spanish word forms, such as the imperative tense. After two classes with different teachers and one snack break to explore the streets, we set off to eat lunch with our host families. Then we continued on to volunteering. The kids at my project, San Nicolas Urraca, were loving and playful. They enjoyed American games such as Spot It, and also enjoyed teaching us games such as Plic-Plac, the Peruvian version of Hopscotch. Twice, we enjoyed going to a nearby playground, where the kids would enjoy colorful slides from dizzying heights, and bouncing around on the trampolines. The following weekend, we visited Machu Picchu, and hiked the nearby summit Huayna Picchu. Machu Picchu was fascinating, filled with interesting ruins and misty fog. Later, we started to climb Huayna Picchu. It was a much shorter hike than i thought, only an hour each way, but dangerously slippery and steep. At one point, we had to crawl up a set of stone steps! Fortunately, we also arrived safely at the top, which presented an amazing view of the Urubamba River and Machu Picchu. After stumbling back down, we checked out of our Aguascalientes hotel and headed back on the train to Ollantaytambo. It was exhausting, but it was worth it! The rest of the week whipped by with Spanish school, volunteering, and HOMEWORK!!! Soon, we were saying goodbye to kids at the project for the last time. After assuring them that we would definitely return in the future, we said our final goodbyes and left them with heavy hearts. We flew back to the US full of new Spanish vocabulary, pictures from the kids at the project, and new appreciation for our privileged lives in America. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience In April of 2019, 15 nervous Spanish students and five tired chaperones arrived in the dry, warm air of Lima, Peru. They spent the night in a comfortable B&B, then continued on their long airplane journey to Cusco. After traveling for over a day total, the students arrived, exhausted, in Cusco. I was one of those students. We spent Saturday resting and getting to know our host families. We would be spending the next two weeks living with a Peruvian family and our chosen roommate. Sunday was visiting Cusco, and resting more, hoping that we wouldn’t get altitude sickness. On Monday, we started our classes and volunteering. After being separated into groups of five or six at the Spanish school, we began learning tricky Spanish word forms, such as the imperative tense. After two classes with different teachers and one snack break to explore the streets, we set off to eat lunch with our host families. Then we continued on to volunteering. The kids at my project, San Nicolas Urraca, were loving and playful. They enjoyed American games such as Spot It, and also enjoyed teaching us games such as Plic-Plac, the Peruvian version of Hopscotch. Twice, we enjoyed going to a nearby playground, where the kids would enjoy colorful slides from dizzying heights, and bouncing around on the trampolines. The following weekend, we visited Machu Picchu, and hiked the nearby summit Huayna Picchu. Machu Picchu was fascinating, filled with interesting ruins and misty fog. Later, we started to climb Huayna Picchu. It was a much shorter hike than i thought, only an hour each way, but dangerously slippery and steep. At one point, we had to crawl up a set of stone steps! Fortunately, we also arrived safely at the top, which presented an amazing view of the Urubamba River and Machu Picchu. After stumbling back down, we checked out of our Aguascalientes hotel and headed back on the train to Ollantaytambo. It was exhausting, but it was worth it! The rest of the week whipped by with Spanish school, volunteering, and HOMEWORK!!! Soon, we were saying goodbye to kids at the project for the last time. After assuring them that we would definitely return in the future, we said our final goodbyes and left them with heavy hearts. We flew back to the US full of new Spanish vocabulary, pictures from the kids at the project, and new appreciation for our privileged lives in America. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience In April of 2019, 15 nervous Spanish students and five tired chaperones arrived in the dry, warm air of Lima, Peru. They spent the night in a comfortable B&B, then continued on their long airplane journey to Cusco. After traveling for over a day total, the students arrived, exhausted, in Cusco. I was one of those students. We spent Saturday resting and getting to know our host families. We would be spending the next two weeks living with a Peruvian family and our chosen roommate. Sunday was visiting Cusco, and resting more, hoping that we wouldn’t get altitude sickness. On Monday, we started our classes and volunteering. After being separated into groups of five or six at the Spanish school, we began learning tricky Spanish word forms, such as the imperative tense. After two classes with different teachers and one snack break to explore the streets, we set off to eat lunch with our host families. Then we continued on to volunteering. The kids at my project, San Nicolas Urraca, were loving and playful. They enjoyed American games such as Spot It, and also enjoyed teaching us games such as Plic-Plac, the Peruvian version of Hopscotch. Twice, we enjoyed going to a nearby playground, where the kids would enjoy colorful slides from dizzying heights, and bouncing around on the trampolines. The following weekend, we visited Machu Picchu, and hiked the nearby summit Huayna Picchu. Machu Picchu was fascinating, filled with interesting ruins and misty fog. Later, we started to climb Huayna Picchu. It was a much shorter hike than i thought, only an hour each way, but dangerously slippery and steep. At one point, we had to crawl up a set of stone steps! Fortunately, we also arrived safely at the top, which presented an amazing view of the Urubamba River and Machu Picchu. After stumbling back down, we checked out of our Aguascalientes hotel and headed back on the train to Ollantaytambo. It was exhausting, but it was worth it! The rest of the week whipped by with Spanish school, volunteering, and HOMEWORK!!! Soon, we were saying goodbye to kids at the project for the last time. After assuring them that we would definitely return in the future, we said our final goodbyes and left them with heavy hearts. We flew back to the US full of new Spanish vocabulary, pictures from the kids at the project, and new appreciation for our privileged lives in America. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience |
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