Knightly Chronicles

Should We Add Another Week Long Break to the School Year?

By  Dylan Bernstein

Spring Break recently happened. Lots of people get upset because there are no days off in March, 1 day off in May, 22.5 days in October, 0.5 days off in September, you get the idea. But is it really worth it to get an extra week off in the school year? This doesn’t mean a week less in school. School would end a week later. This is a problem for lots of people because of things like camp starting, vacation, and even the 4th of July. It would be nice to have the week off, but is it worth it for all the things that it interferes with? Would it be worth it to miss your first week of camp? People would typically say “I want the break”, but think about it. When the school year extends, you may want your old schedule back. Let’s see what some people say about the topic:

Dylan: No, it’s not worth it. Adding a week to the end of the year would mean school on my birthday and missing the first week of camp. While it would be nice to have more days off in the school year, it’s not worth it to me.

Sophia: So-so. I really want to see my friends, but I also really want to wake up late.

Aislyn: No, because I don’t want more school at the end of the year. It already goes far enough into June. 

Ariana: Yes, because with all the testing that’s going on they should add another break so kids can relax after the test and during the test.

Elaine: No

Lina: No 

Liam: Yes

Jordan: No

Mr. Johnson: No. In fact, I would give up February Break to have more time off at the end. If it’s going to be cold, I’d rather be in school

Jungwoo: No. I think it shouldn’t be changed. It doesn’t really become a good break if you know there will be more days at the end.

Soohwan: No

Dr. Polizotto: No. I like having a long break at the end of June for summer vacation. 

How would you like to have our breaks scheduled?

NFL Draft Preview

By  Jordan Lee

The NFL Draft is right around the corner and there are many questions about which player is going number 1 overall and where other star prospects will end up going. There are 4 players that are in contention for the number 1 pick.  Cam Ward, Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, and Shedeur Sanders.  Here is my mock draft for the first ten picks in the NFL Draft.

#1: Tennessee Titans:  Cam Ward (QB, Miami)

      I believe Cam Ward is the best player in this draft class.  Titans are searching for a quarterback, and this is their franchise quarterback. 

#2: Cleveland Browns:  Travis Hunter (WR/CB, Colorado)

If Cleveland selects Sanders, they probably still won’t be in postseason contention.  Travis Hunter is an elite 2 for 1 player.

#3: New York Giants: Abdul Carter (Edge, Penn State)

The Giants aren’t in a huge need for a QB, and adding a key piece to their defense would be huge for the Giants.

#4: New England Patriots:Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Arizona)

The Pats although have a weak Offensive Line, they still need weapons for Drake Maye.  This would be great for them and would boost up the offense.

#5: Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Campbell (OT, LSU)

The Jags don’t have an amazing Offensive Line, and they need a good OL to get Trevor Lawrence to his potential.

#6: Las Vegas Raiders:  Ashton Jeanty: (RB, Boise St)

This would be an amazing weapon for the Raiders as they have Geno Smith at QB and would have an unstoppable RB in Ashton Jeanty.

#7: New York Jets: Armand Membou (OT, Missouri)

Back to back years drafting an OT sets up New York for long-term success.

#8: Carolina Panthers: Tyler Warren (TE, Penn State)

Although this is a long shot, the Panthers need some offense, and a TE would help Carolina’s offense.

#9: New Orleans Saints: Jalon Walker (EDGE Georgia)

He is a top defensive player and the Saints could add a piece to their  great defense.

#10: Chicago Bears: Shemar Steweart (EDGE, Texas A&M)

The Bears could take a shot at him and he has got many talents no one else can match.  

Would you be happy with this outcome?  Who do you think your team will take in the 2025 NFL?

NJSLA Has Returned

By  Ariana Rampersad

Spring Break is finished and the weather is getting warmer. It’s now time for NJSLA! (Yay!) (Boo!)

NJSLA stands for New Jersey Student Learning Assessment. Each grade has to take math and language arts tests, while only 5th and 8th graders have to take the science NJSLA. NJSLA-Science is from April 29th-May 2nd. NJSLA-ELA and math are from May 8th to May 14th. 

In school for the next few weeks, your teachers will prepare you with material that will help you succeed on the assessment. There are also practice tests available online.

For the test you will need…

A fully charged Chromebook

Pencils(With erasers)

Wired Earbuds

Some tips for test taking are…

Getting a good amount of sleep (8-10 hours)

Eating a good breakfast

Hydrate

Some helpful strategies on the test are to…

Read the question and follow directions

Skip hard questions and come back to it at the end

Check your work

NJSLA occurs in the morning, so your schedule will change. If the schedule stayed the same, you would be missing important classes. The solution is to rotate the order. For example, on one day your 4th-period class might be 1st and the next, your 2nd-period class might be 7th.  Best of luck to all students with state testing.

Principal of the Day Recap

By  Jungwoo Seo

On April 7th, Grade 5 student Lazarus Haney was selected to be the CDW Principal of the Day. First, he started his day off by going to the OTBN studio and took his place by reading out loud the weather announcement. Then, he checked in with some of the students and staff members, and even surprised his classmates with a movie assembly.   The movie that was selected was called, "Over the Moon"  Safe to say, many of hte 5th graders that got to watch it were "over the moon" to skip their classes for that period.  He visited an accelerated Pre-Algebra class, and then watched a lesson from a guest teacher in 6th-grade Language Arts. Finally, he ended the day with a game in the Rossi gym with his friends/peers. Hope he had fun with the job! 

           Brainrot Dictionary: Volume 1

By  Jungwoo Seo

Kids these days use slang terms known as brainrot. Why brainrot? Brainrot terms don't have a real meaning, worsens children’s use of literature, and are VERY contagious. Although brainrot terms don’t have a denotation (literal definition), they still have a meaning for humorous reasons. “6, 7,” “Massive” and “Low taper fade,” “Cooked,” “Crashout,” “I’ve played these games before,” and “Mid” are some recent brainrot terms kids have been using. 

“6,7”: “Six Seven~” is just a reference to a basketball player’s height and the beat of a song. 

Personal Rating: 3/10

Really weird term and is so meaningless. 3 points only because of the beat. 

“Crashout”: when someone is getting really mad and frustrated for any reason whatsoever.

Personal rating: 8/10

You can actually use this word when someone is “crashing out” and it’s pretty funny as well.

“Cooked” or “Cooking”: a reference to being doomed (cooked) or defeating someone else overwhelmingly (cooking). For example, if you’re cooked, you're dominating, and if you’re cooking, you’re dominating. 

Personal rating: 9/10

You can use this term when you’re doomed (ex.) of not doing homework last night or when you are dominating against your opponents during a game. 

“I’ve Played These Games Before!”: In Squid Game Season 2, Seong Gi-hun yells this when he realizes that he’s been brought back to the squid games again. He warns the other contestants about the dangerous and violent challenges the game brought upon. 

Personal rating: 7/10

You can use it when you and your friends are playing a video game that they haven’t played yet, and it’s pretty funny. You can’t really use it at other times though. 

“Massive” and “Low taper fade”: Ninja, a gaming youtuber, was one day talking about how the low taper fade haircut was still “massive,” which means big in popularity and fame. Well, actually, no one really knows if he said it. The idea of Ninja protecting the low taper fade was good enough. Now, when kids hear the word “massive,” they start saying, “Massive? You know what else is massive? The low taper fade~” 

Personal rating: 6/10

Actually kind of funny, catchy, and iconic. No exact meaning, however. Not that useful. 

“Mid”: when something is “mid,” it is the same as saying it’s normal. It’s not too good, but it’s not too bad either. 

10/10

Very useful for saying something is ordinary, and is a good word to use especially near your friends. 

Brainrot words can be very weird and illogical, but some can actually be very useful. 

NCAA March Madness Recap

By  Jordan Lee

March Madness is almost complete with four teams remaining. This year, the final four teams were a huge surprise, 4 one seeds making it all the way to the final four. The four one seeds are the Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, and the Houston Cougars. Unfortunately, there were no Cinderella runs this year, with just a 10 seed making it to the Sweet 16.  That one team was the Arkansas Razorbacks, who destroyed many peoples’ brackets since St.John’s was a popular championship pick. St.John’s is a local team and there was tons of hype about how far they would go this year in March Madness. It was ironic how St.John’s lost after two games played and how teams like Princton, St.Peters, and FDU won a game or two even though they weren’t that good heading into the tournament. 

In spite of no upsets from the 13-16 seeds, there were some surprises in the first round, with teams like the McNeese Cowboys getting their first NCAA Tournament win ever, and the Drake Bulldogs beating the Missouri Tigers.  This year, the final four is in San Antonio, Texas.  The final four starts on April 5, with the Florida Gators playing the Auburn Tigers at 6:09 P.M.  Then, the Houston Cougars play the Duke Blue Devils about 20 minutes later than the scheduled time at 8:49 because of fans clearing out and the players entering the stadium.  The National Championship will take place on April 7.  This will be one of the most exciting last three games to determine this year’s National Champion!

CANCELLED: Students VS. Police Volleyball Tournament

By  Jungwoo Seo

UPDATE: This event has been cancelled.  It will be rescheduled for next school year.

On April 10th, the Old Tappan Police Department will be hosting a Badges (police) vs. Backpacks (CDW students) volleyball tournament to collect goods for the local food pantry.   It will take place in the CDW Rossi Gym.  To register, use this link.  It is open to students in 5th through 8th grade.  It will take place on Thursday, April 10th from 7:30pm until 9:00pm. It costs no money to attend, but instead of paying an admission fee, everyone attending is asked to participate in the collection/donation of non-perishable goods for our local food pantry, which will be done by Old Tappan Police Officers.  Hope to see you there!

Ranking The Best Months of School Year

By  Katelyn Pulickal

The new 2025-26 school year schedule is out! This got us thinking, what are the best months of the school year?  Obviously we all love July and August, but if they were excluded, let’s take a look and rank the school year months from worst to best.

10. March

March is the worst month of the school year. We have no breaks and absolutely no time off. March also has 22 days of school which is going to feel like forever. 

 9. May

Although it is very close to the end of the school year, May has 20 days of school. We only have one day off which is Memorial Day. May also has state testing which is everyone’s least favorite part of school.

 8. October

October has 22 days of school but it is also at the beginning of the year where everything is quite easy. In October, we have no school on Yom Kippur and we have a half day of school for Columbus Day.

7. January

January has 19 days of school containing only three days off. We have no school the first two days for the holiday break. We also have off on January 19 for Martin Luther King Jr.

6. September

September is a very frustrating month because it is full of introductions and is quite boring. Although the schoolwork is quite easy this early in the school year, it gets pretty boring. There is one half day on the first day of school and one day off for Rosh Hashanah.

5. February

February has a week off but it is still quite cold out. This makes everyone have to stay indoors during the chilly season. It is a nice break from the never ending stress from school.

4. April

April is a pretty fun month that passes by very quickly. It is really close to summer, has a lot of sunshine, but many people get allergies making others feel very sick. 

3. November

November is a pretty difficult month but we have a lot of days off and half days for things like Parent-Teacher Conferences, Teachers Convention, and Thanksgiving. 

2. December

December is one of the best months of the year, although it is quite controversial, we don’t have a lot of difficult work and everyone is in the holiday season! We have a 8 day break from school leaving a lot of time for an awesome holiday break.

1. June

June is by far the best month of the 2025-2026 school year. It is the easiest time where we do the least amount of real work all day. It is so close to summer and very exciting.

What month is YOUR favorite of the school year?

Spring Has Sprung, So Are You Excited?

By  Ariana Rampersad

Spring starts on March 20th this year which is already happening TOMORROW! Spring represents new beginnings, growth, and renewal. During this time the flowers start blooming and it gets warmer as the days get longer. Some people like this season and others don’t, so I took the time to ask my fellow classmates their opinion on Spring.

Katelyn- I love how the weather is getting warmer but I don’t like that everyone’s getting sick because it’s like a sick season. 

Liam-It’s mid

Jungwoo- It’s bad because of all the allergies. 

Mr. Johnson-I really like spring because it gives us great relief from the relentless cold of winter but buys us time before the relentless heat of summer.

Jordan- It’s ok, I don’t like pollen because my eyes get itchy.

Soohwan- I like it and it is my favorite season.

Dylan- I don’t like allergies although I like how the weather is getting warmer. It’s not the best or worst season.

Aislyn-I love spring because it is not too cold or too hot. It gets closer to summer and I get to wear shorts. It’s my favorite season.

I hope you are excited for Spring!

Is It Time to Dump Daylight Savings?

By  Dylan Bernstein and Aislyn Lovrich

Do you know that a law was passed to get rid of Daylight Savings Time, but nothing happened? It turns out that even though the law passed in the House of Representatives, it never actually became officially a law in the United States.  Therefore the time for Daylight Savings Time recently happened and we (sadly) lost an hour of sleep. This caused sleepiness and grumpiness for pretty much everyone. However, in the beginning of November, we get an extra hour of sleep, which causes a happier environment.  We also gained more sunlight later in the day, so the sun sets at a later time. Do you think that the extra hour of sleep is worth the sleepiness now or would you rather keep our clocks the same all year round?

Aislyn: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Dylan: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Mr. Johnson: Can’t decide 

Katelyn: Get rid of Daylight Savings 

Ariana: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Liam: Get rid Daylight Savings

Jungwoo: Keep Daylight Savings

Soohwan: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Jordan: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Ms. Osbahr: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Mrs. Rodriguez: Keep Daylight Savings

Ms. Perez: Keep Daylight Savings

Mrs. Kirchner: Keep Daylight Savings

Mrs. Bambach: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Dr. Polizato: Get rid of Daylight Savings

Mrs. Reiser: Get rid of Daylight Savings

We recently just "Sprung Ahead" one hour, and later this year we will "Fall back" one hour, so long as Daylight Savings Time is a thing.  For how long will it stay that way?

Time Management? Who's Got the Time?

By Soohwan Cho

A majority of students in the school have very poor time management.  Some students finish their homework very late at night because they don’t focus on their work throughout the day. Students often get distracted by their chromebook or other devices. What are some things that students can do to improve their time management?  Here are some ideas:

1) Schedule a time just for work

Students should set a time for themselves dedicated to work only on their homework.  The rest of the time can be dedicated to other hobbies or interests.

2) Turn on “do not disturb” on your device

Turning on “do not disturb” on students’ devices could help them focus on their work and not get tempted to look at their notifications.  You won't know someone sent you a text or message on social media if the notification never reaches you.

3) Minimize distractions

Distractions are things that carry people off task while they are doing something important. For example it could be toys, electronics, and food.   Maybe tell your little sibling or your parents that you want time to focus on homework so that no one can come in and talk to you during this quiet time.

Hopefully by using some of these tips, you can manage your time a little bit better.  You can get your work done but also have time for other activities.

March Mammal Madness 2025

By Ariana Rampersad

It’s March! I’m sure everyone is somewhat familiar with March Madness. But if you’re not that’s ok too, to be concise it is a basketball tournament which takes place in March. Our school also does March Madness with the teacher’s which is very fun to watch. However, today that is not what I am talking about. 

March Mammal Madness is a competition against different organisms. The fun part about it is that it is crazy. In this game some things are not completely logical. For example a marine animal could go through a portal in order to "fight" a land animal.  Animals don't have to fight.  They could run away, and then they lose.

Last year (The first year that CDW participated in March Mammal Madness, or MMM) only the 6th grade was allowed to participate but now it is open to both the 6th and 7th grades! Right now I am in the 7th grade and I LOVED it last year. We got to watch videos of animals fighting each other and sometimes there were big upsets! I can’t wait to start watching.

The 6th and 7th graders filled out a Google form to pick who they thought would win March Mammal Madness. Starting tomorrow Tuesday, March 11th Arizona State University will post its first video of a battle between the Flying Frog and the Northern Flying Squirrel (the two wild cards).

Even if you might not like or want to watch March Mammal Madness or partake in it, you should learn something valuable. If you win, you might even get a prize from your teacher! Enjoy your March Madness season!

The Box Office is OPEN!

By Jungwoo Seo

The box office is finally open for Guys and Dolls Jr! Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door on the day of the show. If you buy tickets ahead of time, you will save $5. The sale ($10 price) will close on Friday at 6:30 P.M. You can use this link: 

http://cdms.booktix.com/ 

Booster/ads for the playbill are also available for Guys and Dolls Jr.! The program relies on income from the ticket sales, playbill, and apparel sale to fund their program each year, so it is very appreciated. The information is here, and the form for submission is here. 

Apparels are also present for the show. The shopping cart will close at midnight on the tenth of March, a Monday. All cast and crew members are expected to get at least one item as they will be performing in their show apparels at the school preview. Crew members additionally need at least one item in black that they will wear backstage. 

Don’t forget to support Guys and Dolls Jr. and good luck to those in the show

2025 Movie Hype Meter

By Liam Rampersad

Are you ready for 2025? It is going to be filled with lots of amazing things. One of these fantastic things are the many movies going to be released. Some of these exciting movies are fan favorites such as Incredibles 3, Mission Impossible, Zootopia 2, Captain America, Superman, Avatar 3, Jurassic World, and many more! In this article, I am going to be rating these movies based on my excitement for them, and if you should watch it or not!

The Fantastic Four First Steps

10/10 (July 25th, 2025)

I am personally VERY hyped for this 2025 release because I watched the 4 ones that were previously released, and they were amazing. I loved every part of the those movies, so I think I would definitely like this one.

Incredibles 3

7/10 (Unknown)

I am not the right person to be judging this release because I have not watched the 2 previously released Incredibles movies. However, I am pretty sure that other people such as my classmates would be very thrilled to see this release. 

Karate Kid Legends

9/10 (May 30th)

I am excited to watch this movie because I watched the first Karate Kid and liked it. I think this one would also be a good watch since the first one was amazing.

Dog Man

10/10 (January 31st)

I am definitely going to watch this movie because I have read every dog man book, and loved the read. The books have had a good plot, characters, and conflict. Since the movie has already came out, I am encouraging my dad to watch it with me this Saturday

Minecraft Movie

6/10 (April 4th)

I rate this movie in the lower range because based off of the trailer, the acting is not very that good. However, it is not horribly terrible because there is actually some apparent conflict which would make the overall movie better. 

Avatar 3

10/10 (December 19th)

I would certainly watch this release because the two previous Avatar movies were very good. Since I watched two of the previous Avatar movies in one day, this is proof that I will love Avatr 3

Superman Legacy

9/10 (July 11th)

I will watch this movie when it comes out in July because I have watched numerous DC films and I love the hero plot. It is like Marvel movies, and because I like Marvel movies, then I like DC films. In my opinion, Superman is my favorite character of the DC team, so I will be overjoyed to see this new movie

Jurrasic Park Rebirth

8/10 (July 2nd)

I might watch this movie because I like dinosaurs, and I have watched the previous one si the series with my cousin. Since he loves Jurrasic Park (dinosaurs more so), he has convinced us all to watch it. The adventure and thrill might gravitate me to watch this

Spongebob Movie

6/10 (December 19th)

I would not watch this movie because I have never really followed “the spongebob that lives under the sea”. It must be funny, but it does not seem interesting. Also, the front page for the movie is not very attractive, therefore leading me to skipping this one. 

Lilo and Stitch

10/10 (May 23rd)

I would watch this movie because Stitch is so cute, and I just want to see what adventures they will go on together. They live out in the jungle, and lots of exhilarating things happen their. Due to all of this, I guarantee that I will watch this movie (and probably with my family).

Zootopia 2

7/10 (November 26th)

I will probably not watch this release because I never watched the first one, and I don’t know what will occur. However, some of my friends said that the first one is good. If I end up having nothing to watch on a Friday night, I might watch Zootopia 2. 

Captain America: Brave New World 

9/10 (February 14th)

Since this movie already came out, and I watched it, I recommend watching it because it was not so bad. I thought it would have been worse, but it wasn’t bad for the trajectory that Marvel is going on right now. I feel as though the MCU upcoming movies will be much better. 

Hope you enjoy some of the many movies coming out in 2025!

New Movie: ROBOT TEACHER

By Dylan Bernstein

A new movie from the Digital Filmmaking Club has recently come out. It is called: Robot Teacher

Overview

The short film is a comedy, so there are many funny parts. The main plot is how students use AI to build a robot, and it becomes their teacher. The students then have to put an end to the robot’s rule because they are learning too much! I play one of the students. I really enjoyed watching how this movie came out. It’s very funny and enjoyable. There are references to past movies as well, such as The Stanley Ransom, CDW Scares, and of course, The Evil Teacher. Go to the OTBN YouTube page and watch Robot Teacher!

Production

This was a challenging process to make the film. It took 4 weeks to film after 2 weeks of planning. We had an 8-page script. The movie is about 8 and a half minutes long. The acting was only half of it, though. The video needed editing. This took a lot of time and effort to make, so we hope you enjoy it!

Reception

The day after it came out, there was a showing during lunch for fifth and sixth graders. It was very well interpreted. Way more students were there than expected- the entire room was full! Everyone was laughing and talking about the movie. Alivia in 5th grade said, “I liked how you guys thought of like a robot teacher and how you guys could plan all of this out and not get frustrated with each other.” Ask around to hear more about the all-new movie!

Top 5 Worst Vegetables The World

By Jungwoo Seo

There are many vegetables in the world that are healthy and great for you, but it’s not a go-to for most people in the world. One stereotype that exists is that children don’t eat vegetables. Although that is false, I am one of those people who despise them. I loathe them so much that I am going to rank the worst vegetables in my opinion.  #1 is the very worst, and #5 is the fifth-worst.  I'll start with the one I like the best out of these terrible 5, but still hate.

5. Lotus Roots

To start off, they look like they would taste like wood. It’s especially bad before surgeries, as they could interfere with blood sugar control. The crunchy texture and flavorless characteristic gives this vegetable 5th place. 

4. Cauliflower

If I eat them, I wouldn’t like the soft texture;  the visual of the vegetables is not favorable, either. Since cauliflowers are high in fiber, they can cause bloating, gas, and discomfort. 

3. Celery

I hate the lively(?) taste of the vegetable and the crunchy sound it makes. The dirty water flavor and bitter taste worsens it as well. 

2. Peppers

First of all, the smell ruins it all, and once you eat it, the bad taste of the juice fills your tongue. Certain peppers can also water your eyes, which are the worst for cooks. 

1. Broccoli

This one I’ve actually eaten multiple times before, and every single time, it was the worst. The bitter taste of the hard part, the soft and crunchy combo from the top part makes my stomach want to spit it out. Of course, that’s not what I did, but I wanted to. 

Lotus roots, cauliflowers, celery, peppers, and broccoli are my top 5 worst vegetables in my opinion.  Do you agree?

A&D's Awesome Advice! TOPIC: Winter Break

By Aislyn & Dylan

Q: February break is coming up. My family doesn’t have any plans. What at-home activities do you recommend?-

From: So Bored

Dear So Bored, 

There are so many fun things to do at home during break! You can do crafts, play games (board games AND digital games!), hang out with family or other friends at home during the break, play outside, catch up on your favorite TV show, have a scavenger hunt, take a family walk, do a puzzle, and so much more! Talk to your family about activities near your house. Go shopping, hang out at Stone Point Park, find a family-friendly activity in Old Tappan. The possibilities are endless! Maybe if you tell your parents how you’re feeling, they can help you find something you love to do during the break. Express your feelings. Hopefully, by the summer, you’ll have found something to do- and by then, you might have an epic vacation planned! 

From: A&D

Super Bowl LIX RECAP!

By Jordan Lee

The Super Bowl ended yesterday, and the game was very lopsided until the end.  The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. 

First Quarter

Jalen Hurts sneaks it in for a touchdown after both teams punted once.  The Chiefs punt, which leads to the end of the First Quarter. 

Second Quarter

 Hurts throws an interception, and the Chiefs punt once again. After, the Eagles score a field goal, making the score 10-0.  An interception returned for a touchdown by Cooper DeJean makes the score 17-0.  The Chiefs punt, the Eagles punt, and then Zach Baun makes a diving catch to pick off Mahomes. The Eagles scored a touchdown, making the score 24-0.  A punt and a quick run by Barkley will end the first half.  

Halftime

The halftime show was fine.  Kendrick Lamar and SZA performed.  I just wanted the game to start again.

Third Quarter

Chiefs punt, then the Chiefs score a field goal, making the score 27-0.  Chiefs turnover on downs, and then the Eagles score a touchdown to Devonta Smith for 46 yards. Chiefs score a touchdown to retaliate, making the score 34-6.  This is the end of the third quarter.  

Fourth Quarter

The Eagles scored a field goal, making the score 37-6.  Chiefs fumble the ball and the Eagles take advantage by scoring a field goal, making the score 40-6.  The Chiefs scored a huge touchdown, making the score 40-14.  Eagles somehow turn it over on downs, then on one play the Chiefs score a huge touchdown.  The game is finally over, with the final score 40-22.  The Eagles won their second Super Bowl in 8 years, heavily carried by the defense on Sunday.

Two More Author Visits

By Jungwoo Seo

The OTPTO are proud to announce two more great authors that are visiting CDW this year! Jen Calonita, the New York Times Bestselling Author of Disney's "Twisted Tales," and Tommy Greenwald, a famed author of "Game Changers" and the "Charlie Joe Jackson" series. The lineup above will be a guide to those who are interested in buying a copy of any of the books; the books will be delivered to CDW, signed and handed out during the author visits. Reach out to Mrs. Melilo for any questions.

Super Bowl LIX Preview

By Jordan Lee

The NFL Championship games have ended, and now we know who is playing in Super Bowl LIX (59).  The Kansas City Chiefs are playing the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of Super Bowl 57.  A lot of people are sick of Kansas City winning so much.  Some of them are claiming that The Chiefs are always getting preferential treatment from the referees.  Some are going as far as to say that the NFL is rigged to get the outcome that they want.  However, the Chiefs have won a lot of games over the years, so there is a good chance they are just a really good team.  

On the other hand, there are a lot of local New York Giants fans who really don’t want their rival, the Eagles, to win it all.  There are a lot of casual fans of the NFL who are rooting for the Chiefs because Travis Kelce, the tight end, is dating pop superstar Taylor Swift.  

The “almighty” Patrick Mahomes will attempt a historic three-peat against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles.  The two running backs, Isiah Pacheco and Saquan Barkley will try to power through the other team’s defense.  The Eagles will try to win their first Super Bowl since Nick Foles won it in 2017.  After the whole school took a poll on who he or she wanted to win it all, I can say that the Eagles won the poll.  61 out of 110 students voted for the Philadelphia Eagles, with a percentage of 55%. The game will take place on February 9, 2025, at 6:30 P.M in Caesar's Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Will you be watching?

New Teacher Profile: Mr. Ghotok

By Ariana Rampersad, Katelyn Pulickal and Jamie Kwon

As we all know Mr. DiMinno, the previous gym teacher who took over for Mrs. Henriquez while she is out on maternity leave, has left the school.  We wish him the best of luck as he is not working at another r school. If you have had gym already then you know the new teacher is named Mr. Ghotok. We interviewed him to get to know him a little better.

What subjects and grades do you currently teach?

Just PE and grades 5-8, so I basically have the entire school. :)

What are you looking forward to this school year?

I’m looking forward to getting to know all of my students and learning their names. 

What advice do you have for students to be able to succeed in your class?

They should have a positive attitude and like to give effort and try.

Did you teach anywhere before coming here?

I used to teach at Dwight Morrow High School.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve outside of school is loud crying babies and my biggest pet peeve inside of school is students that don’t wear their sneakers to class. 

What do you expect from students?

I expect my students to be positive and come prepared to class. 

The next time you see him in the hallways, go talk to Mr. Ghotok!

Restaurant Review: Ramen Factory in Bi-State!

By Ethan Ko

Fairly Recently, a new restaurant was opened in the Bistate Plaza. The name of this new restaurant is “Ramen Factory”. Judging by the name, you can tell it serves ramen. This restaurant has much more to offer than just its great ramen. This place also serves chicken and many other side dishes. This restaurant is a very nice and organized restaurant with amazing food. The ramen includes many different ingredients and is a Japanese type of ramen place. There are different types of ramen but one example is miso ramen. The general things every ramen in this place includes are dried seaweed, bamboo chutes, scallions, and soup. The food here is very tasty and served fresh. There are also seats by where they make the ramen like Japanese ramen places. The lighting here is great for pictures and would leave a great memory in your mind. If you haven't had ramen before, this is a great place to start. Getting a few pieces of chicken on the side would also really add to the taste. If you ever pass by this place, I would recommend getting some food. 

From my experience, the food was great. It was very organized and the food tasted amazing. I got the miso ramen with 4 pieces of chicken. Tip, don’t put the lime on the chicken while eating the ramen. The workers here are very respectful and create a very peaceful environment. Making ramen is a process in which you heat noodles until a desired texture and color, then make a soup, and then put in extra ingredients like the ingredients listed earlier. I would rate this place a 9/10. It has great food, a well-designed interior, and a welcoming environment, but the restaurant is still new so there is still more to find out.

L.E.A.P. Invengineering Expo

By Dylan Bernstein and Aislyn Lovrich

On Wednesday, January 29th, 2025, there will be a competition for L.E.A.P. students in grades 5 & 6. Students have to build a tower, create and perform a skit, and create a trifold display. The expo will be at Englewood Cliffs Upper School at about 8:30 and go until lunch. The tower will be challenged seeing how much pressure it can hold. There are three teams that will be competing, two from 6th grade and one from 5th. There were many preparation assignments that the students had to take before even designing the tower. First, we had to take a pre-assessment and learn building/tower terms. Then, we had to design an efficient tower by ourselves. After that, we got together to design the tower. We built it out of balsa wood. Finally, we created a skit and trifold. Overall, this project took a lot of time and effort. If you see anyone who you know is in Leap, ask them about the expo!

CDW Author Visit

by Jungwoo Seo

The CDW Media Center will hold an all-grades author visit on March 3, 2025. The author will do presentations for all the grades. The author will also offer an optional workshop for students who are artists, authors, etc. If students want to purchase one of the books, they must hand in their form and and money to Mrs. Melilo. This is due by February 6th, 2025. These forms were handed out during homeroom, but you can also print it out. Portions of the proceeds from every book sold will go to the OTPTO. Final reminder, turn in your form and money to Mrs. Melilo ASAP. 

Midterm Schedule

by Liam Rampersad

Are you ready for the multiple midterms coming up this February month? Well, we have already overcome the science midterm, but we still have the Language Arts one, Math, and Social Studies. Some of the midterms consist of about 70 points, but the math midterm is 25 percent of our grade. The math one is on Wednesday 1/29th and the Social Studies test is on Friday, 1/31. We study for about a week in class, and then we take a midterm on everything that we have learned since September. 

This assessment is necessary because it allows us to retain knowledge from everything we learn. Re-studying all of the learnings makes sure we don’t just forget, and that we are actually benefiting from classes. So far, the science midterm was actually not that hard with only 25 questions! Some advice for acing this test would be to study, look back at previously written notes, go to extra help sessions, and get a good night’s rest before the day of the test. If you follow these guidelines, you should be set to ace these midterms!

The CDW Spelling Bee

by Dylan Bernstein and Aislyn Lovrich

 The C.D.W. spelling bees took place on Thursday, January 9th. It was split into sections, 5th and 6th, and 7th and 8th. Shockingly, a 5th grader and a 7th grader made it to the top- the youngest from each section! Katelyn Pulickal, Grade 7, and Jeremy "JT" Steinglass, Grade 5 won the spelling bees. They will be moving on to Regionals.  The spelling bee was split in rounds. Each round, the students got a harder word. Everyone did so well that the judges (Ms. Watters, Ms. Osbahr, Mrs. Melillo) had to give hard words that weren’t on the four page list that we had to study. The 7th/8th grade spelling bee lasted 3 ½ periods, and the 5th/6th spelling bee went from 6th period all the way to the end of the day, going overtime. A popular favorite word on the list was “chlorofluorocarbon”, which was so long that everyone studied it until they could spell it by heart, yet the word didn’t appear in either spelling bee!         

Personal Experience

Aislyn Lovrich: Honestly the hardest part of  the entire thing was preparing for it beforehand. The anxiety and pressure, that nagging feeling that there was something I should be doing when I was relaxing. If I’m going to be completely honest, I’m just happy it’s over. At first I wasn’t sure if I should do it but I decided worst comes to worst I just faint on stage (Just kidding 😜) And now that it’s over and I pushed through I’m happy I did it. Let’s hear from Dylan, another 5th grade participant. 

Dylan Bernstein: I was super excited to be in the spelling bee. When I saw the word list, I began to panic.  Especially seeing chlorofluorocarbon. I studied a lot, taking online quizzes. When the big day finally came, it felt like a million butterflies were in my stomach. I kept repeating the spelling of some hard words, though I already memorized chlorofluorocarbon. When I got up on stage  (as the FIRST PERSON!!!) I was terrified. At first, I got easy words, like “midair” and “foist”. I almost messed up spelling “gargoyles”, but I caught myself. During round 8, I got the word “reticule”.. That was one of the harder words for me, so I thought. I wanted to go with my gut, so I said “r-e-t-e-c-u-l-e”. I got out, but that was ok. I was better off not being in the hardest round. 

NFL Playoff Overview

by Jordan Lee

Most of the Wild Card round of the NFL has come to an end and we have an idea of who is left in the playoffs.  On Saturday, The Houston Texas soundly defeated the L.A Chargers 32-12 in Houston.  The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-14 in Baltimore.  The Buffalo Bills defeated the Denver Broncos 31-7 in Buffalo.  The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-10 in Philadelphia.  Last night, in a thriller in Tampa, the Buccaneers lost to the Washington Commanders 23-20.  Most of these games were lopsided.  

Now that the Divisional Round is around the corner, we now know the contenders and the pretenders. The Vikings and Rams have yet to play.  They are playing in Arizona, not L.A because of the L.A fires. Besides that game, the Divisional Round is set.  The Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday at 4:00.  Patrick Mahomes will try to not get embarrassed at home against the Texans and CJ Stroud.   The Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions on Saturday at 8:00.  Jayden Daniels and the Commanders will try to upset Jared Goff and the Lions.  I have a feeling the Commanders will win.  On Sunday, the Rams/Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles is at 3:00.  The Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills is at 6:30.  The best game of all, with two star quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson for the Ravens and  Josh Allen for the BIlls and  many elite receivers.  Who do you want to win the Super Bowl this year?

How Delayed Openings Work

by Jungwoo Seo

Delayed openings can occur many times throughout the school year, whether it is because of weather or more complicated circumstances. Delayed openings are special openings where school is delayed till a later time. For CDW, it is pushed back to arrival at 9:40 A.M. and homeroom at 10:00 A.M. Delayed openings usually occur because of bad weather or mechanical breakdowns. After 10:00 A.M., students are required to enter through the front door. Students will attend each class but at a shorter period of time, kind of like a half day. What’s really important is that students still get lunch periods. What’s also important is that the day still counts as a full day!  Snow days are also great, but nobody wants to make up a snow day at the end of the year.  A delayed opening fixes that problem nicely.

College Football National Championship Preview

by Jordan Lee

Now that the semifinals ended on Friday.  We now know the CFP National Championship matchup.  The Ohio State Buckeyes are playing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Atlanta, Georgia.  The Buckeyes with their heavily carried receivers are trying to have an all-star game against the Irish.  Ryan Howard will need to play better however.  He did throw for 289 yards, but was throwing a ton of incompletions.  On the other hand, Ryan Lenord will need to throw the ball a lot better than he did last game before injuring himself.  He will need to rely on his legs to put together an amazing game on Monday.  The Buckeyes are 8.5 point favorites.  Will Ryan Howard and his offense produce big time, or will Ryan Leonard and the Irish pull off a huge upset in Atlanta?

Guys and Dolls Jr.

by Ariana Rampersad

Each year CDW does a play. The Theather is run by Ms. Osbahr and Ms. Watters. This year the play is Guys and Dolls Jr and the auditions are on January 6th and 7th. According to broadway.com for those that do not know Guys and Dolls is Set in Depression-era Times Square, Guys and Dolls is about a couple of big city gamblers and the women who love them. It tells the overlapping stories of high-roller Sky Masterson, who falls in love with mission worker Sarah Brown, and lovable rapscallion Nathan Detroit, engaged for 14 years to Miss Adelaide, a headliner at the Hot Box Club. Nathan runs a famous floating crap game, and an ongoing plot line involves his quest for a safe place for the game as Adelaide continues her quest to convince him to marry her. Meanwhile, Sarah, mistakenly believing that Sky set up an illegal game at the mission, tries to fight her affection for the charismatic crapshooter.

Mr. Johnson has posted on the OTBN Google Classroom the CDW musical toolkit. On the website, you can find the audition dates, the songs, the dance, the character list, and more. If you want to be in the play, you don’t need to sing, dance, or act. You can be part of the stage crew run by Ms. Watters. Some characters to look forward to are Nathan Detriot, Miss Adelaide, Sky Masterson, Sarah Brown, and the Mission Band members. You can also find the rehearsal schedule on the musical website. Most rehearsals will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays after school until 5 pm. When the performances are closer there will be practice on Saturdays from 10 am - 3 pm.

I hope that you decide to join the play this year because it is such a great opportunity!

CDW's Favorite Songs

by Soohwan Cho

There are many songs in the world and it is sometimes very hard to pick your favorite.  I went around and asked a few people about what their favorite songs are. Here is what they said! What is your favorite song?

7th grade Liam Rampersad: “Thick of it” by, KSI

Thick of it

5th grade Dylan Bernstein: “You belong with me” by, Taylor Swift

You belong with me

7th grade Ariana Rampersad: “Castle on the hill” by Ed Sheeran

Castle on the Hill

7th Grade Jamie Kwon: “Magic Shop” by BTS

Magic Shop

7th grade Lina Kim: “When I’m with you” NCT dream

When I'm with you

Teacher Mr. Johnson: “Black parade” by My Chemical Romance

Black Parade

7th grade Soohwan Cho: “before I close my eyes” by XXXTENTACION 

Before I close my eyes

7th grade Jungwoo “Happy” by Pharrell Williams

Happy

8th grade Amily “Hot N Cold” Katy Perry

Hot N Cold

7th Grade Elaine “Alice” Kandis

Alice

5th grade Aislyn “Espresso” Sabrina Carpenter

Espresso

So what is YOUR favorite song???

Juan Soto to New York!

by Jordan Lee

Juan Soto just agreed to sign with the New York Mets Sunday Night.  The contract is a 15 year, 765 million dollar deal.  At just 26 years old, he was already a free agent.  Most players do not hit the free agent market until they are in their thirties.  However, Juan Soto could opt out after the first 5 years of his contract if the Mets don’t increase the amount of money being paid to Soto from 51 million to 55 million dollars for the final 10 years.   This contract is the biggest in sports history.  Although Shohei Othani’s contract is getting more money in fewer years, he will get most of the money once he retires.  This is done on purpose because the Dodgers can have money now to win more World Series titles earlier.  This applies to most players on the team. The next closest offer to the Mets offer was the Yankees 16 year, 760 million dollar deal to Soto. Sorry Yankee fans.  However, many Yankees fans are very excited for the next year as well.  In fact, when CDW students were polled, 48 students said Yankees would do better, and 31 students picked the Mets.   We will see Yankee fans, we will see. Either way, both teams should be looking to go all the way in the playoffs and hopefully NOT both lose to the Dodgers when they get there.  That is something both Yankees and Mets fans can finally agree on!

Christmas Tree Debate: Real or Fake?

by Liam Rampersad

Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but if you do, you can either purchase fake or real ones. Christmas trees are a huge part of Christmas. You would either purchase a real one or set up a fake one that you would later decorate. Decorating a tree consists of adding ornaments that you can purchase at various stores such as Disney, Target, Michaels, and many other retail stores. Since it is such a big holiday festivity, many stores sell them for good business. You also set up your chosen tree with Christmas lights, which can be colored consisting of rainbow, white and gold. Now, which is the best tree for Christmas? Well, let's first talk about the upsides of fake trees. 

Fake trees save you the cost of buying a new tree each year, which can cost you $80-100 yearly for a real one opposed to $100-300 artificial trees in a one-time cost. You can continue to reuse this fake one for years onward. The cumulative price of the real ones would then add up as the years go by, surpassing the price of buying a fake one. Fake trees are also easy to assemble and disassemble, saving you the hassle of trying to transport a real one into your house. Fake ones are hypoallergenic, meaning people with allergies to specific Christmas trees would still be able to enjoy this festivity. Lastly, fake trees have no messy cleanup compared to a real one, which will save you a lot of time having to brush up fallen pine needles. 

Opposing fake Christmas trees, real ones support life in your home by absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting fresh oxygen. Also, real trees are fun to pick out the best one to suit you and your family. It adds to the Christmas spirit! Lastly, real trees support the local economy for shopping and help to continue other tree  businesses. Overall, Christmas trees are a fun part of this holiday that brings happiness and merriment. 

I have interviewed some of my peers below to see their opinions on what type of tree is better:

Jungwoo: Fake trees are better

Jordan: Real trees 

Ariana: Fake trees

Mr. Johnson: Fake trees because I am lazy and don't want to buy new ones each year (My wife disagrees)

Soohwan: Real trees

Jamie: Fake trees

Amily: Fake trees

Door Decoration Contest Results

by Jungwoo Seo

The Door Decorating Contest finally ended with its result being unexpectedly shocking! All classes absolutely “sleighed” in decorating their door. There were many candidates that were expected to be on the leaderboard yet did not make it! Now onto the leaderboards, where the top 3 classes will be listed: 

3rd Place: Tied in third place is Mr. Gagliano’s room and Ms. Huster’s room. 

2nd Place: In 2nd place is Mrs. Rodriguez’s Room. (Woo hoo, it’s my homeroom!) 

1st Place: Finally, the best of them all (according to Ms. Watters and some other teachers) was Mr. Ferrara’s room!

Wow, to the Victors go the Spirit Stick.  Better luck next time, and great job to all who participated!

CDW Holiday Shop

by Dylan Bernstein

This year, CDW is in for a treat at the annual holiday shop! More than ever is left over from T.B.D. The holiday shop will take place in the Lynch gym, during language arts (for grades 5 and 6) and lunch (grades 7 and 8). Remember to bring in money on Tuesday, December 16th. You can buy things for parents, grandparents, cousins, siblings, aunts, uncles, teachers, and friends. There are also items for the upcoming Spirit Days, like light-up hats. If you have extra money, buy something for yourself! December is a time of gift-giving, so even if you don’t purchase items at the holiday shop, give gifts to your family and friends- even if you can’t hold them!

What Gifts Are Good For Your Parents?

by Amily Miranda

Christmas is right around the corner. Parents are trying their best to find what to get for their kids. But what will the parents get? Do they get any gifts for Christmas? Are you getting them a gift? If your answer is yes, good job, kid! You’re doing great! If your answer is no, what are you doing?

Parents have always gotten their kids gifts. It’ll always be what the parent thinks the kid wants or what the kid actually wants. But this year, parents are getting the gifts too.

• No, we are not giving them socks for Christmas. We are also not giving them a World’s Best Parent mug. We are giving them:

• A homemade object made from the heart

• Something tiny that you know they’ll love

• Something bigger, but affordable, that they’ll love

• Kitchen Supplies if your parent loves to cook

• Something to protect themselves if they get hurt easily

• A simple picture of you and your siblings actually hanging out with each other(trust me, parents would love this more than you think)

• A gift that shows how much you care for them

• A new pen that they desperately need.

• Something they have been wanting for months but haven’t been able to get

• Something from the CDW Holiday GIFT SHOP! (More info in another article below!)

These are just a few of the multitude of gifts you can give your parents. The final question is, what are you getting for your parents this Christmas?

Holiday Cup Contest

by Amily Miranda

It’s that time of year. Snowy out, a nice fire, and marshmallows in a nice cup of hot chocolate…Or is it a coffee…Or maybe it’s egg nog or coquito(the non-alcoholic kind, of course). It could also be tea. What about the cup? Is it a bland cup or a festive one? What about a World’s Best Mom cup?

It’s time for the third annual Holiday Cup Decorating Contest! Starting on the 10th and going till the 18th of December. You can go see Mrs. Melillo or Ms. Watters for a blank cup and a holiday recipe card.

What to do:

Get a cup and recipe card

Think of themes for your cup

Decorate your cup

Pick an appropriate drink

Write down your recipe for that drink.

After you’ve done all that, give your cup and recipe to Mrs. Melillo in the Media Center. Winners of the contest will be announced on OTBN two days later on the 20th of December. Winners will win a…Starbucks gift card!

Now some people might have a hard time think of cup ideas. So, here are some ideas:

• Snowmans

• Snowflakes

• Santa and his reindeer

• Frosty the Snowman

• Summer Christmas(Like in Australia)

Recipes could be whatever you wish. They could be a simple hot chocolate or a family recipe. It’s all according to your creativity.  Best of luck on your holiday cups!

Homeroom Holiday Door Decorating Week

by Jungwoo Seo

The student council is sponsoring another great contest called the Homeroom Holiday Door Decorating Week. It is a winter-themed contest where students decorate their homeroom doors with winter decorations! Students should bring their own materials, and is not allowed to ask Ms. Watters for any materials whatsoever (unless they offer them). 

All door decorations must be completed by the end of the first period on Monday, December 16th. The judge will obviously be Ms. Watters. The winner will earn the bragging rights to the CDW spirit stick! If there are any questions, please see Mrs. DeSciora in room 210. Four homeroom spirit stick competitions will occur throughout the year, and the next one will be at the beginning of February. Stay tuned to find out more information about how to participate in these fun events!

Debate Recap

by Ariana Rampersad and Katelyn Pulickal

CDW debate is a novice academic team for 6,7, and 8th graders which runs from September through March. Ms. Fischer runs the debate team. The team meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-4 after school in room 308. The middle school team follows the same high school debate resolution each year. This year the 24-25 debate topic is The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks. All plans have 2 affirmatives: the first and the second. At a debate there are rounds. In each classroom, there are two teams that debate against each other. One side is known as the affirmative while the other is known as the negative. The affirmative goes first and states their plan for five minutes. Then there is a cross-examination. The 1st affirmative speaker will answer the questions about their plan. Afterwards the negative states their piece against the affirmative side plan. There are many tournaments throughout the year. 

The Old Tappan debate team had their second debate on Wednesday, November 13th at NVOT High School. They went against many teams including Tenafly, Northvale, Demerast, Cresskill, Haworth, and Harrington Park. Teams that participated were Katie Jung and Ayein Yoo, Katelyn Pulickal and Mirna Abdi, Lois Kwon and Chloe Kim, Joseph Jin and Liam Rampersad, Teyla Ngyuen and Elaine Lee, and Ariana Rampersad and Ella Mor. Huge shout-out to Katie and Ayein for winning both their Affirmative and Negative rounds! Our next upcoming debate will be on January 15 at Tenafly. If you are interested in debate, you can contact Ms.Fischer at fischere@nvnet.org. 

Brain Busters Time!

by Lina Kim and Jamie Kwon

You’ve probably heard about Brain Busters before, but what really is Brain Busters? Maybe you've heard about it before from OTBN or Ms. Santa’s newsletter. “Brain Busters” is a competitive trivia team in our school. Our school allows students to train for the trivia competition and sends 8 people to a competition to compete against different schools. The teacher, Mrs. Hwang, is the LEAP teacher but she reminds everyone that all students in the seventh and eighth grades are eligible to join. 

The first meet of the year was held at Northvale. In the first meet, the three teams including one OT member each made it to the finals. Jamie Kwon, Archer Ring, Ain Yang, Ryan Ham, Amy Choe, Sophie Bergulson, Kareem Khan, and Owen Anderson. Archer Ring made it to first place, Ain Yang made it to second place, and Jamie Kwon made it to third place. 

The second meet was at Norwood. Joseph Jin, Katie Jung, Lina Kim, Lydia Kim, Jordan Lee, Ryo Malhotra, and Justin Shin went to the second meet. Joseph, who was the captain of his team, made it to the final round and came in second place overall.

On December, 9, Owen Anderson, Brody Brooke, Amy Choe, Kareem Khan, Justin Lee, Emma Park, Archer Ring, and Michael Tang participated in the third meet which was at right here, CDW. Archer Ring went to the second place, and Old Tappan came in second place overall in a nail-biting final round. Good job to all of the members including Matthew Krohn and Ryo Malhotra, who helped keep score.

The next meeting is at Demarest on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Good luck to all the members in all future meets!

What's Happening With NJHS?

by Amily Miranda

The National Junior Honors Society is back in business. This society focuses on being kind and helping others.  All members of it can help out by volunteering at all sorts of events. Most if not all of the volunteering events are posted on the NJHS Google Classroom. 

One thing that happens every year is Buddy Ball. Buddy Ball lets kids work with kids who have certain disabilities. Kids learn how to help others who may not get to interact with kids otherwise. 

Kids are making a difference in all sorts of ways. By the end of the year, if you have all 16 volunteer hours, you get a Gold Sash to wear when you graduate. Other requirements are needed to get the sash, but volunteer hours are the most important thing.

The classroom also posts when meetings will be held. Below is a list of the meetings.

Thursday, September 26th (7:50 AM) (Passed)

Thursday, October 24th (Passed)

Wednesday, November 13th (3-4 PM in the Art Room for Thanksgiving Cards) (Passed)

Tuesday, December 3rd (3-4 in the Art Room for Holiday Cards) (Passed)

Thursday, February 6th

Thursday, March 27th

Thursday, May 1st

Most meetings will be in the Media Center. Others will be in the art room to make cards or other mini-projects. These cards are then sent out to people in the community in need. These dates and times can be changed. More dates can be added if needed.

The Changemakers project is the most important thing in NJHS. The Changemakers project is a project made by members to make a difference in the community.

Past Changemakers Projects:

Project 1 - Troopons and Operation Gratitude Letter Writing

Project 2 - Operation Gratitude Paracord Lanyard

Project 3- Operation Gratitude Crochet and Knit

Project 4 - Kindness Rocks Project

These are not the only projects members can do. They can do anything that gets approved by Ms. Santa and Ms. Egan. Groups can be up to 8 people.  If you are interested in joining the honorable Society of extraordinary students, pay attention to the information and requirements for next year!

Movie Time in Westwood!

by Jungwoo Seo

The PTO is hosting two upcoming movie premieres at Westwood Cinemas: Moana 2 and Mufasa. It is $20 per person for a ticket, popcorn, and beverage. It isn’t a bad deal, as sometimes tickets, popcorn, and beverages can be really expensive, easily $20 for just a ticket! It’s a drop-off event for grades 5~8, but grades 4 or lower need supervision from adults.  The fundraiser event for Moana 2 will be on Wednesday, November 27th at 1:30 PM. The fundraiser event for Mufasa, however, won't be until December 20th at 1:30 PM. They are both rated PG, and seem like a great family event and way to spend an afternoon!

What's the Best Thanksgiving Food?

by Jordan Lee

Thanksgiving foods are always good. Which food is the best?  This question is very controversial and there is going to be a variety of answers. I asked some people about their opinions on what Thanksgiving dish he or she likes the best.

Jordan: Stuffing

Jungwoo: Turkey

Soohwan: Mashed potatoes

Amily: Turkey

Katelyn: Apple Pie

Jamie: Yam with marshmallow

Lina: Mashed potatoes

Elaine:  Butter Cookies

Aislyn: Yam with marshmallows

Dylan: Yam with marshmallows

Mr. Johnson: Butterscotch Cream Pie

There are also many other types of Thanksgiving dishes that weren’t mentioned like cornbread, cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts, and green beans.  Some people don’t have turkey and have duck or ham or roasted beef.  Have a safe and awesome Thanksgiving, regardless of what you put on your plate!

Why Do We Celebrate Thanksgiving?

by Dylan Bernstein and Aislyn Lovrich

Likely, you’ve heard of Thanksgiving. But why is it celebrated? Is this just a holiday to celebrate eating turkey and stuffing? No! So, why is this a holiday, then?

THE STORY OF THE FIRST THANKSGIVING

This story starts all the way back in the 1600s. That’s a long time ago, before your parents were born! It all started when somebody named Christopher Columbus came to the Americas. That’s the guy that we have a holiday for. There were people called the Pilgrims who lived in England at the time. You know, the place with tea and queens. These people had a boat called the Mayflower. They sailed to the Americas and when they got there they got sick and about half of them died. When the spring came they met a Native American named Abenaki. He introduced them to another Native American named Squanto. Eventually, the Pilgrims and the Native Americans had a feast together, better known as the First Thanksgiving. 403 years later, we still celebrate Thanksgiving. For more information on the story, try to remember the Thanksgiving play in first grade!

CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING! 

In America, there are so many ways to celebrate Thanksgiving! You celebrate by having a big dinner with your family, and saying what you’re thankful for. Most Americans celebrate, but everyone has different traditions. What we call “Thanksgiving” is an American holiday, but many other countries celebrate similar holidays. What are some traditions?

CANADA: Canadians celebrate a version of thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, their menu is similar to ours aside from a few places like Newfoundand where they have a Jiggs dinner and Ontario where they have flaky butter tarts for dessert. 

BRAZIL: In Brazil Thanksgiving is called Dia de Acao de Gracas, it is on the fourth Thursday of November. Brazillians have a parade that ends with a carnival and they also have a church service that gives thanks to the almighty precedes the Carnival type celebration. 

GERMANY, AUSTRIA, AND SWITZERLAND: People in these countries celebrate Erntedankfest, a holiday about religion and harvest. People don’t really celebrate with family, it’s more celebrated in rural areas. 

THE NETHERLANDS: The Pilgrims stopped in Leiden, an area in the Netherlands. Because of this, people in Leiden still celebrate Thanksgiving like the Americans do. However, it’s a little more religious. People there focus less on the food, and more on praying in church. 

GRENADA: Grenada only started celebrating their Thanksgiving-like holiday in the year 1983. That means that some of your parents were born before this became a holiday! This holiday is much like American Thanksgiving. It began when they surprised soldiers with a full-on American Thanksgiving feast. 

CHINA: People in China celebrate something called the Moon Festival. This is a three-day celebration with family get-togethers and harvests. 

JAPAN: Japanese people celebrate “Kinrõ Kansha no Hi”, or Labor Thanksgiving Day. Kids make crafts to celebrate workers, more like Labor Day than Thanksgiving. 

LIBERIA: Liberia is the only other country to celebrate Thanksgiving in the way that Americans do. They eat Thanksgiving foods, have family gatherings, and sometimes go to church.

SOUTH INDIA: People from South India celebrate the Sun god, nature, and agriculture. This is a 4 day festival of harvest, prayer, dancing, and giving thanks. 

GHANA: These people celebrate a holiday called the Homowo Festival. This is to celebrate rain and not being hungry. 

No matter where you are in the world, or however you celebrate, (or even if you don't celebrate at all) we hope it is a happy and healthy time with your family!

American Education Week

by Jungwoo Seo and Jordan Lee

Dress Like a Teacher/Student Day

“Dress Up Like A Teacher/Dress Up Like A Student” day is on Wednesday, November 20. Students can dress up like their teachers while the teachers can dress up like students. Mr. Johnson can definitely be an easy choice to dress up, since all you have to do is wear a tie. Ms. Watters can also be a great choice, especially for girls.  Mr. Ro is probably one of the best options since he mostly wears a CDW Middle School Band Shirt. Many people have them.

College Celebration Day

“College Celebration” day is on Thursday, November 21, where students wear college gear while the teachers promote the college they went to. Students can support colleges like Rutgers, Ramapo, Suny Cortland, Columbia University, Scranton, and Barnard. The most popular colleges in the U.S are UCLA, Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Duke. Those are some colleges to support with your gear in case you have some gear to support them.

World Kindness Day

by Dylan Bernstein

WHAT IS WORLD KINDNESS DAY?

World Kindness Day is celebrated every November 13th. Many schools celebrate it, including CDW! People all across the globe use this day to celebrate kindness to all. After all, kindness is an important part of our everyday lives. 

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO CELEBRATE WORLD KINDNESS DAY?

People can celebrate by being kind! There are many ways to do this, and fun projects as well. Students of CDW made ‘Kindness Vegetables’ which were then put on a banner. You can see this banner right by the Lynch Gym and the vending machines. Kind acts are written anonymously on the vegetable. Let’s see a few examples of the acts of kindness written on the vegetables! 

•  Someone gave me a compliment during my soccer game

• I lost my pencil in 7th period so in 8th, Scarlet gave me a pencil

• This person always helps me when my locker gets jammed. They always help me at my locker. The person is Eva Shim.

• Someone helped me with my homework

• Sophie B is really nice and she is easy to talk to. She talks to me a lot and she helps me when I am having trouble. She helped me talk with others a bit more. 

• Sawyer helps me in social studies

• I didn’t understand my math homework, so someone helped me with it. 

• Alexa Susino in 5th grade always said hello and good morning. Also when I asked her to move her backpack that is in front of the lockers she always said sorry and moved her backpack.

• Hello, Mrs Watters. Hi! I just wanted to let you know you are a great art teacher! Keep doing what you love! 

• Jacob opened the door for me

• To: Mrs. Mellilo, Thank you for always being so nice and understanding. Also, making your classes so fun!

• Calla always helps me find my lunch

• To Mrs. Woo. Mrs. Woo is kind for me. She gives answers when I ask a question. She also speaks English slowly for students, and she explains homework to us. Mrs. Woo is always a kind teacher. I want to say thank you!

Thank you to all the students and teachers for participating in this fun activity! And thank you to all the students and teachers who were kind! 

Recap of Fall Frenzy Week

by Jungwoo Seo and Kareem Khan

In the week of October 28 - November 1, there was be a student council event called Fall Frenzy Week where each day has a special and different occasion.  Here is the schedule of the week:

Monday: Fall Sports Jersey Day - Students wore jerseys of different sports teams. We saw people wear their own basketball jerseys, soccer jerseys, baseball jerseys, football jerseys, and more. 

Tuesday: Pajama Pants Day -  Students wore pajama pants and were very cozy. It was hard not to fall asleep during class, but at least we were comfortable.

Wednesday: “On Wednesdays, we wear PINK” to Support Breast Cancer Day - Many students wore pink and bought bracelets at a fundraiser during lunch.

Thursday: Halloween Costume Contest Day - Students wore their Halloween costumes, and participated in a contest during lunch. Winners included Buzz Lightyear and the “Mr. Clark” group.

Friday: Anything but a Backpack Day -  Students carried their supplies in things like buckets, purses, and shopping bags. There were many creative ideas that students used.

Although not all students participated, the students that did had fun. Keep an eye out for more Spirit Days!

Welcome to Middle School, 5th Grade!

by Dylan Bernstein and Aislyn Lovrich

(aka, two current 5th graders)

Dylan: Welcome, 5th grade! We are two fifth graders talking about our middle school experiences so far. So Aislyn, are you enjoying middle school? 

Aislyn: Hi Dylan, and yes I am enjoying most of middle school. I like it better than TBD because we have more freedom, lockers and more teachers. But I miss TBD’s long lunches/recesses and teachers. How about you?

Dylan: Well, yes. Middle school is pretty awesome. Like you, I love all the freedom, and my locker. I also love being with a ton of my friends, instead of just one or two. But fifth grade can be challenging. All the homework, studying, tests and switching classes can be stressful. Of course, there’s also the issue of less lunch/recess time. So Aislyn, how do you feel about switching classes? 

Aislyn: I like switching classes because I see different people and friends in each class but it can be stressful too. Like when I have to get from broadcasting to science or from anything to science. How about you?

Dylan: Well, it depends. Some things, like getting from Social Studies to LA is simple, but like you said, getting to science is a challenge. 

Aislyn: How do you feel about lockers?

Dylan: They’re ok. I don’t love having a locker- it frustrates me to open it when I’m one little number off! Still, I like having something to keep stuff in during lunch/recess time. My back hurts SO much all the time- I can’t imagine another half hour with that heavy backpack on! Whatever happened to backpacks being for your lunchbox, and your lunch box only? 

Aislyn: Yes, my back hurts so much, wait one question, is it normal for 5th graders to get back pains? 

Dylan: I’m really not sure. I hope so! :)

Aislyn & Dylan: Time to get the word from a few other 5th Grade students! 

Aislyn: Hi! What do you think is the most difficult/challenging part of middle school?

Klesta: Gym

Olga: Keeping my locker organized 

Emma: The hardest part is probably switching from science to LA and gym because some of my teammates are unfair.

Dylan: What is the best part of middle school?

Emma: The lockers and how nice the teachers are

Klesta: I love all the subjects and classes. 

Olga: The ice cream and the vending machines. 

Aislyn & Dylan: Thanks guys! We agree with all of you about everything, Best of luck to all 5th graders as they continue to get adjusted to Middle School.  Bye!

Fright Night Preview!

by Emilia Healy

Another CDW Fright Night is happening this week. Scary costumes, music, haunted movies, and so much more!

PHOTO BOOTH

You usually take pictures with  your phone, right? Well, do you want to take a picture at the photobooth in the gym! You just have to wait in a line, but it’s SO WORTH IT! Just take a picture or grab a prop and put on your best eerie grin. The photobooth is one of the key highlights of the scariest night in CDW!

DJ AND DANCES

Do you like music? If you do, then stay in the gym and have fun! There is a DJ that puts on popular music for you to sing and dance to. Even while you're at the photobooth, you can listen to it! CDW wants you to have a great night where you have some of the best times (for 5th graders, you’ll love it)!

SCARY MOVIES

Would you like to experience the fright in Fright Night, then go to one of the classrooms to see blood-curdling chills that will keep you up at night, but of course, the movies are appropriate (taking the fun out of it). In the classrooms the movies are on the boards. If you don’t want to watch them anymore, you could just leave and go do something else.

FOOD 🤤

In case you didn’t eat, or you ate and you’re starting to feel hungry again, just go to another classroom and eat some food. Last year, they had pizza, cupcakes, and some other desserts (I think they might have the same again this year). There are parent volunteers that help out in the classroom, in case you need some help. There’s some water in there too (in case you feel thirsty or dehydrated) in cups.

GAMES

If you want to play some games and win prizes, you’d really like to hear this. You can play some games like bingo and win prizes such as gift cards. You just have to get there right before they start, or else you would have to wait A LONG TIME, and possibly not play! There is also a GA-GA pit in the Rossi Gym and possibly a volleyball net in there too.

I hope if you’re going, you’ll experience all the fun things in store!

 New Teacher Profile: Mr. Soltys

by Jungwoo Seo and Kareem Khan

Mr. Soltys is one of the new teachers this year. We asked him some questions about his class.

What subjects and grades do you currently teach?

Mr. Soltys: I teach 6th and 7th grade Social Studies.

Did you teach anywhere before coming to Old Tappan?

Mr. Soltys: I taught in Florida for four years.

What are you looking forward to this school year?

Mr. Soltys: I am looking forward to experiencing a new environment of teaching and enjoying time at CDW. 

What advice do you have for students to succeed in your class?

Mr. Soltys: Have fun, pay attention, and enjoy it.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Mr. Soltys: My biggest pet peeves are yelling out of order and students interrupting over conversations. 

Mr. Soltys seems like a great social studies teacher for the year! Don’t interrupt him and you will have a good year with him! 

The World Series in Our Back Yard!

by Jordan Lee and Liam Rampersad

Do you have any interest in going to the city to see the World Series?  Well, it’ll just cost you a price of about $1,000. The two teams that are playing are the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers won the first two games at home, and now the series shifts to the Bronx tonight, tomorrow night, and Wednesday night. There are multiple superstars on each team, including Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. 

This series could’ve been a subway series between the Mets and Yankees. This means that it would’ve been the battle of the two New York teams.   However, the Mets lost a close series in the National League Championship Series to the Dodgers. The last time there was a World Series in New York was the Mets and Kansas City Royals in 2015. 

In the first game of the current series, Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning, breaking a 2 run tie between the two hopeful teams. Game 2 was not much different, with the Dodgers winning 4 to 2. The Dodgers hit 3 home runs while the Yankees hit 1 homerun. 

The last time the Yankees made it to the World Series was 2009.  The last time the Dodgers made it was 2020.  You can watch the World Series on Fox, as other streaming services may have additional fees to watch. This series could get wild!  Who do YOU want to win?

New Teacher Profile: Ms. Egan

by Lina Kim and Jamie Kwon

Ms. Egan just started recently at Charles DeWolf.  We interviewed her to get to know her a little bit better!

What subjects and grades do you currently teach?

I currently teach sixth, seventh and eighth grade language arts.

Did you teach anywhere before you came here?

I did I taught I used to teach in Glen Rock and taught sixth grade reading writing and social studies.

What are you looking forward to this school year?

I am looking forward to making CDW home and getting to know all of my students. 

What advice do you have for students to succeed in your class?

I think the best advice is to try your best and ask for help when you need it.  Also, just be yourself, work hard, and do the right thing. 

What do you expect from your students and what is your biggest pet peeve? 

My biggest pet peeve is when people talk over each other and I expect them to try their best. 

Make sure you say hello to Ms. Egan if you see her!

New Teacher Profile: Mr. DiMinno

by Jordan Lee

There is a new teacher at CDW this year, It’s Mr. DiMinno.  For Knightly Chronicles, we asked questions for Mr. Diminno to answer about being the new teacher.  

Jordan: What subjects and grades do you currently teach?

Mr. DiMinno: I teach Physical Education for all grades.

Jordan: Did you teach anywhere before coming to Old Tappan?

Mr. DiMinno:  I taught at Fair Lawn, Memorial Middle School.

Jordan: What are you looking forward to this year?

Mr. DiMinno: I’m looking forward to getting to know every student in the school and making this year a great year

Jordan: What advice do you have for students to succeed in your class?

Mr. DiMinno: My advice is to listen, respect one another and follow my rule "if you're cool, I'm cool" which means as long as you show respect, listen and have fun, this will be the best year yet!

Jordan: What is your biggest pet peeve?

Mr. DiMinno:  My biggest pet peeve is when students are constantly talking over me, which means class is delayed.

Mr. DiMinno sounds like a good teacher for this new school year!  Just don’t talk over him when he’s speaking, and you'll be well on your way to a great year!