On October 29th, 1971, a baby girl was born in Sassello, Italy to an older couple who had prayed for years to have a child. They named her Chiara, meaning bright and luminous. Growing up, Chiara seemed to be just an ordinary girl; she enjoyed playing tennis, hiking, dancing, skating, and spending time with her friends. But inside of this everyday girl was a heart that beat for others. She frequently spent time with the elderly, visited her sick classmates, gave her possessions to the poor, and was known for being a great listener. She lived her life in peace and with love, and even in her struggles she tried to always persevere and find the good. 

However, during the summer of 1988, tragedy struck. At only 17 years old, Chiara was diagnosed with bone cancer and would only live for another 2 years. Although initially devastated Chiara made the best of her situation and found joy through pouring love onto others. While in the hospital, Chiara frequently took walks with a teenage patient suffering from depression. Knowing these walks were beneficial for her friend, Chiara pushed herself to take them, even though they caused her immense pain. People who visited Chiara remarked that they would visit her in order to cheer her up but found themselves returning, not for Chiara, but because they needed her to lift their spirits. Chiara’s quoted in saying, “I have nothing left, but I still have my heart and with that, I can always love,” and she did until she died at 19 years of age. 

Chiara could have given into despair, knowing that her life was cut short and her dreams were crushed. Most people, including myself, would find it completely understandable for someone in her position to lose hope. But Chiara chose differently. She took what life threw at her with a smile, persevering through her turmoil and never forgetting the people around her amidst her suffering. She knew that even in her pain, her life still had purpose and could still help change the world for the better. 

Chiara’s simple, yet extraordinary life is a testament to every teenager. She shows us that we should never despair; that no matter our past, present, or predicted future, our lives have meaning and can affect the people around us—for better or worse. We may be young, but we can impact the world if we choose. We can decide whether we live lives of love or give into the cynicism of today’s world. As Chiara says, “Young people are the future. I can’t run anymore, but I’d like to pass the torch on to them…They have only one life, and it is well worth living.” We don’t know how long we’ll be on this Earth, so let’s not waste our lives, but let’s live them in loving our fellow neighbor.

The Used’s self-titled album was their first album released in 2002 on June 25th. The album mainly consists of genres like post-hardcore, emo, alternative rock, and pop-punk. The lyricism of the album was primarily written by Bert McCracken, the lead singer of the band. The album is profound and the composure is excellent. It is 47 minutes and 16 seconds long, and consists of 12 songs. Aside from releasing “Demos From The Basement” in 2001, this is their first official album. Most of the album is about Bert McCracken’s past struggle with dealing with depression and heartbreak, along with his addiction. 

The album starts off with “Maybe Memories'' which is a revolutionary track that sets the mood for the rest of the album. The song speaks about the lead singer and frontman’s drug addiction and how he managed to recover after realizing how horribly it had been affecting him. The second song is “The Taste Of Ink” which is an extremely memorable song with a great beat. The song is about his frustration from working late writing songs, chewing his pen until it breaks, and ink spills in his mouth. The next track is “Bulimic” which is likely a song about one of Bert McCracken’s past partners. The fourth song is “Say Days Ago,” a great song that is yet again about Bert’s past drug addiction and how it has been a year since he had given up. The next track is “Poetic Tragedy” which is amazingly produced and written. The song is about Bert’s past, how he grew up in a Mormon family, and how he rebelled as a teenager against his family and his town, which did unfortunately eventually lead him down the path of drugs. The sixth song, ‘Buried Myself Alive,” is an amazing song about an abusive relationship Bert had been in, and how he had gotten himself out of the situation. The seventh song “A Box Full Of Sharp Objects” is about how much better he feels now that he is no longer an addict, how much better his life has gotten since he’s stopped using, and how he feels stronger now that he is sober. The song is extremely beautiful and could be interpreted with multiple different meanings. The next song is “Blue and Yellow” which is the 8th song on the album, and although the song has been dedicated to multiple people, the song is about a girl Bert had met at a friend's house in Santa Barbara. It is an amazing song in which you can hear the emotions conveyed through his words. The ninth track is “Greener with the Scenery” which is likely about a failed relationship that Bert was in, after which he felt hurt and as though he needed to change to be better. The repetition in this song makes it almost melodic in a sense. The next song is “Noise and Kisses” which I believe is about someone who was unwilling to share their feelings, hence destroying their relationship; it slowly started to fall apart as there was no proper communication. The song is slower than most on the album, likely as they're setting up for the closing on the album. It is an outstanding song. The 11th song on the album is “On My Own.” This song conveys the feeling of loneliness, a feeling of being lost and unaware of what to do next. It is the only acoustic song on the album and I believe that is meant to show how isolated Bert felt at the time. The last song in the album is “Pieces Mended” which is the longest song on the album, 11 minutes, but also featuring what would have been a 13th song “Choke Me.” The song is about having been lied to in a relationship with someone who told you they would change, yet never did.

Overall, it is a great album and I would definitely recommend listening to it if you are interested in this type of music

Before school resumed following spring break, many of us were fortunate enough to witness a solar eclipse! Some people even traveled into the path of totality to catch a glimpse of nature’s spectacular show. In New York State, totality occurred in places such as the Finger Lakes, Buffalo to the west of Amsterdam, and Lake Placid and Plattsburgh to the north of Amsterdam. 

 According to NASA, “A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk.” Even though I was not in the path of totality, I watched the sun slowly be eaten up by a large black orb, until only a sliver of the orangish, shadowy sun remained.

Although I did not travel into the path of totality, I was able to get good pictures of the eclipse from my backyard! This was an experience that I will not soon forget.

Since the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States is not expected until August 23, 2024, most Amsterdammers may not get to see an eclipse like this for a very long time, so I am glad that many got to view it!

April Fools Day is considered a minor holiday for most people however, there are a great deal of people who celebrate this holiday just like the major holidays (Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc.). April Fool’s Day is a day full where many practical jokers target their friends or family members. This gives people an excuse to bring laughter into people's lives, hopefully  without getting into too much trouble. 

Jokesters often use this as a once a year excuse to trick their friends and family in hopes for a good laugh. On April 1 every year, this tradition of hoaxes is celebrated, even though it is not certain where its precise origins came from. Some historians believe that this came from when France switched their calendar to Gregorian Calendar, which is what the United States uses, but it is still unclear where its exact origins came from. Even though people do not know with certainty where this holiday came from, that does not change the fact that this holiday is celebrated throughout various countries. This is primarily celebrated in most European towns, even though people anywhere can celebrate this international hoax day. 

While some people may get carried away with some more extreme pranks, seeing the joy in people's faces is something that is always worth acknowledging. This is an especially beneficial holiday as it could relieve tensions of the past with laughter. After all, laughter is the best medicine! While most down-play this holiday, it is seemingly beneficial to celebrate as it is a holiday that makes people feel happy when they previously may not have been. There is no question that this holiday can make people feel elated, so there is no reason not to commemorate this pun-filled day. 

In my heart, when I think of them, there’s a flourish

Familiar blooming warmth, the likes I’d never have imagined I could feel for a person

Kinship. The only word to describe it

The light feel of the heart, the fluttering of lungs against the ribs as I relish in the time spent together

A family chosen, a brother forged from scattered pieces of we two but yet unbroken

Comradery. The blood of the covenant has always been thicker than the water of the womb

When I think of you, I think of us, I think of all you mean to me

Family. The likes I’ve never experienced, an experience brought forth with you

A brother. Truly and wholly. 

From you my silence is broken and my nights of solitude ended, shattered by booming laughs and gentle fists

Touch has never burned so comfortably as when I hold you in my arms, sheltering you from a long weeks work to lull you with the soft sounds of my heartbeat

When I protect you, never once is it an obligation

It is a choice, and that makes our love all the stronger

To you, my kin, my family, my brother

Thank you, Ice.

Heartbreak, a relentless storm 

That crashes through the window of my soul, leaving a trail of shattered dreams behind.

In its wake, I am left broken, lost, and cold.

Like delicate petals torn from a fragile flower,

My heart trembles in agony and despair.

Each beat a reminder of the love that once bloomed,

Now withered and faded, beyond repair.

With every tear that falls I mourn what was lost,

The night once filled with whispered confessions

with her ethereal beauty that haunts my essence.

Ever since the day a small window appeared in my heart, I've been entranced by you

Now my heart has come to understand you, what a shame a window appeared rather than a door

I try catching your attention all the time, but it seems the glass is one-sided

Even so, I watch you grow just as I do

And we don't grow further apart, but we don't get closer either

I've seen you gracefully rise like vines on cobblestone

And seen you fall like the setting sun giving in to night

I could stay here forever

But then nothing would change

One day I'll find a door and break through to you

If I promised you my heart, would you break it?

If I gave you my love, would you toss it away?

But even that might seem beautiful to me

Am I nothing more than a confused fool?

I'm so terrified of loving you, but yet it's all I can do

When the sun finally sinks behind the horizon, will I have found you in time?

Who will the moon see in your arms?

What will it see in your eyes?

If I'm still standing alone on the other side of the world

I hope the stars tell you how many times I wished for you

I hope the wind whispers in your ear and tells you how far it's come to see you

I hope the oceans sing you a lullaby and the tides beckon you somewhere that feels like dejá vù

I hope the sunrise greets you with a brighter glow each morning

If I am unable to tell you myself how I love you, the universe surely finds another way

I am with you, even on the cloudiest day

Even on the darkest night 

Even if it's only through a window in my heart.

As we locked eyes yours was like a nebula of majestic beauty.

As our hands connected I felt the spark of a million stars exploding.

As our lips collided I felt my universe end and begin anew.

If I were to die in each lifetime once I placed my eyes upon you,

I would still search for you in each one, for I am not truly living without you by my side.

And when this cycle ends, let the gods put us beside each other so the world may see love at its purest form.

In the 20th century, we have began marking sections of generations into categories based between years: The Greatest Generation (1901 - 1927), The Silent Generation (1928 - 1945), Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964), Generation X (1965 - 1980), Generation Y or Millennials (1981 - 1996), Generation Z or iGen (1997 - 2010), and finally, as of now, Generation Alpha (2010 - 2024). This occurrence isn’t limited to the west either; practically every nation has some version of these generational markers. 

I personally have qualms with my generation. For a generation so insistent on freedom and liberty, we’ve completely stripped ourselves of the ability to hold empathy and patience to everyone but ourselves. When did we lose our ability to function amongst each other? To promote community? Our world is on life support and everyone is attempting to pull the plug in order to charge their phones. 

The world we’ve created for each other feels no different from the world of the women in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692. Maybe I’m on the internet too much, but then again, we all are. “Chronically online” is a term I’ve learned recently; this defines a person who has absorbed so much of the internet that they regurgitate every nuanced opinion and common phrase they hear. Aren’t we tired? Mass hysteria spreads as easily as water now. 

The state of our world has forced everyone to become hostile, we’ve lost sight of what progression and peace mean for others, and only focus on what it means for ourselves. It’s forced us to regress in such a manner that in 500 years, we’ll still have A.I. technology and a messy political climate, but we’ll be walking on all fours, drumming our chests to get our points across. But I can’t simply blame my generation because in reality every single person is spewing their favorite pieces of information at any random passerby.

After all, where do you think we learned it from?

Do you feel like you have never written anything good? Then come down to the writing center for help with all your writing needs! Our amazing tutors can assist you with anything you need: punctuation, writing comprehension, structuring, and diction. The students of the writing center, located in B3, have been hard at work setting up systems and learning how to best tutor anyone who needs it. Since we opened on February 1st, the writing center has been accepting people to come in and get help with their writing assignments.

Here at the writing center we have a process when people come in. First, you can come in to be greeted by our wonderful greeters. A tutor will then be assigned to you and you will be able to consult with them about what you would like to work on. In this process, we hope to provide a comfortable and positive experience that encourages students to come back and receive more help on whatever writing assignments they may have. 

We strive to give valuable knowledge and create better writers. During the session, tutors will help guide you through the writing process while providing helpful comments and suggestions. We at the center have put all of our energy into learning new writing techniques and strengthening what we already know so we can properly share our knowledge with those who need it. 

If you need help with any writing assignments, come down to the writing center to get all 

the help you need. We are open Monday through Friday, 3rd period to lunch C. If you have any questions at all, feel free to stop by B3 to speak to us, or you can always connect with us through our Instagram page: @writingramshtq

As the end of the school approaches, Regents and AP exams become the center of attention within our classrooms. Most students are aware of the Regents examinations; however, not many understand the true reasoning behind them. Late in 1865, the very first distribution of this exam was administered to 8th grade students, as a way to provide a basis for the distribution of state funds which would theoretically encourage academic education. After 1865, Regents exams soon became standardized as an achievement test aligned with New York State’s learning standards. Regents exams provide schools with a basis for evaluating the quality of instruction and learning that have taken place. The examination also provides administrators and counselors with a clearer objective of the designated placement of a student for the following school year.  This may lead to a transition to general education classes or advanced placement classes. 

If a student takes AP (Advanced Placement) classes, then they also take the AP exams, which are college level exams given to students who have excelled in their core subjects:  English, Maths, Sciences, and Social Studies. AP examinations are a slight variation of the Regents examinations in that they are standardized and standards-based, but they are also known to be extremely challenging and taken in an unreasonable time span. The AP is used for a multitude of objectives including that it shows college admissions that you are a student who is capable of managing college level material and willing to challenge yourself. It also increases your chances for merit based scholarships, and helps you earn college credit. 

Ultimately, I wish every student, whether preparing to sit for the Regents and/or AP exams, the best of luck and a great rest of the school year!

Sometimes, high school boys wonder if a girl really likes them.  If this fits your description, then you are reading the right article! Here are ten signs that your crush may be crushing on you, too.

1. She tries to be physically close to you all the time, and she randomly hugs you.

2. She makes eye contact with you when you are talking to her.

3. She pays you attention all the time: she is interested in what you say, do, think, and feel. 

4. She will sometimes copy you. Imitation is a form of flattery!

5. She plays with her hair when she speaks with you.

6. Sometimes, she will act nervous, shy, or fidgety when you are together.

7. She will smile around you all the time because she is happy in your presence.

8. She giggles or laughs around you most of the time because she enjoys your company.

9. She will talk to you softly or quietly so that you have to lean in to hear what she says.

10. She will bump into you when you're walking together. Sometimes her hand will skim your hand.

It’s finally that time of year when the sun starts to come out and the grass gets a little greener. That not only means summer is right around the corner, but spring sports are in full gear! This spring, Amsterdam has teams in many different sports, such as track, lacrosse, and baseball and softball. April is an exciting month because games and meets start lining up quickly. Many athletes are competing two to three times per week. Amsterdam has always had support from students, as they often fill up the stands at basketball and football games. Now is not the time to forget about supporting each other in competition, whether that is going to a baseball game or a track meet to support your friends. 

Check out Instagram for our school athletics page @gasd_athletics!

This year a new Instagram account was started by the school in order to keep students more involved and aware of what is going on. Don’t forget to follow and like the posts! 

Here are some of the home meets and games you may have caught! 

Track : 

Tuesday April 23, 4:30 pm vs Johnstown (@AHS track) 

Tuesday April 30, 4:30 pm vs Glens Falls (@AHS track) 

Baseball : 

Monday April 22, 4:30 pm vs Cohoes (Shuttleworth Park) 

Tuesday April 23, 4:30 pm vs Lake George (Shuttleworth Park) 

Wednesday April 24, 4:30 pm vs Johnstown (Shuttleworth Park) 

Monday April 29, 4:30 pm vs Broadalbin Perth (Shuttleworth Park) 

Friday May 3, 4:30 pm vs Scotia Glenville (Shuttleworth Park)

Softball: 

Friday April 26, 4:30 pm vs Hudson Falls (Shuttleworth Park)

Tuesday April 30, 4:30 pm vs Duansburg (Shuttleworth Park)

Wednesday May 1, 4:30 pm vs Broadalbin Perth (Shuttleworth Park)

Monday May 6, 4:30 pm vs Scotia Glenville (Shuttleworth Park)

Girls Lacrosse: 

Wednesday April 24, 4:30 pm vs Schuylerville (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)

Thursday April 25, 4:30 pm vs Schenectady (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)

Friday April 26, 4:30 pm vs South Glens Falls (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)

Tuesday April 30, 4:30 pm vs Albany (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)

Wednesday May 1, 4:30 pm vs Scotia Glenville (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)

Boys Lacrosse: 

Saturday April 27, 1:00 pm vs Hudson Falls (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)

Thursday May 2, 4:30 pm vs South Glens Falls (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)

Tuesday May 14, 7:00 pm vs Johnstown (Turf Field - Lynch Middle School)