JHS 194 Bulldog Times

Newspaper Club

by Marissa Filippi

The Newspaper club is a great club to join! If you love writing stories, the newspaper club is for you! The newspaper club meets on Tuesdays from 2:30 - 3:30 in room 225. Run by Ms. Jun and Ms. Brown, students work on interesting articles and talk about ideas with each other.

In the newspaper club, as we write the articles, we are able to write about different things. There are different sections in our school newspaper, which is called the Bulldog Times. The different sections are 194 News, Features, Opinion, Clubs, Sports, Bulldog Spotlight, Fun and Games, Literary Highlights and Notable Art. We also have a section called Bulldog Staff, where we add a profile picture of anything that is school appropriate above our names.

Now the Bulldog Times is open for anyone to read. You can check out articles with recent new 194 news, opinions on video games or the Yondr pouches, fun and games, and so much more!

Newspaper club is also a club where you can get volunteer work done, and students can earn ARISTA hours too! When members are done with their articles, they show Ms. Jun or Ms. Brown and the editors put it up. You can collaborate with other people on articles, or work on one on your own.

I interviewed a few students about what they think of the newspaper club.

Elenna said “ I think the newspaper club has talent. You can use your imagination.”
Lily said, “ I think that the newspaper club is a great way to expand your knowledge and you can make many friends.”
Annie said “I think it is really fun and it can really help you think of a lot of ideas and really help people.”

I also interviewed Ms. Jun and Ms. Brown, our newspaper club teachers. Ms. Brown said “ I think the newspaper club is great because we are sharing all of the interesting and the amazing things that are happening at 194.” Ms. Jun said “ I think that I feel so proud of you guys and it highlights all the interests that you have with the school and it is an outlet for creativity.”

The newspaper club is a great club if you just want to have fun with your friends and write about interesting articles. Overall, it is a fun club for you to join and 6th and 7th graders should consider joining next year.

Showcase from last year's art show.

Art Club

Published by Farrah Zhou & Ella Patel

The art club, run by our school art teacher, Ms. Cabrera, is open to all students in any grade. It is held in Room 305. This club acts as a creative outlet for students to freely express themselves. In art club, students work on various projects. Each student experiments with different art forms and techniques. Many of the students feel that the art club is a place where they can relax and have time to themselves. Students are currently working on paintings, drawings, and sketches to help them develop in areas they want to improve. This year, the club is going to help the school by making the set for the musical 13 Jr. Art club meets on Tuesdays after school from 2:30–3:30.

“Why did you choose to join art club?”

Emi: Art is fun and calming.

Leah: I chose to join the art club because I like art, and I think it’s fun. Art is also a way for people to build connections, and it allows people to relate to each other, so it builds community.

Jazelle: I find art interesting because I enjoy art, and it gives me a calm moment in my day.

Art club is not only a place where people can have fun, but also a place where they can decompress from a chaotic school day. Students feel at ease as they draw, whether it’s for fun or to improve their art skills. Come check it out!

Philanthropy Club

Contributed by Farrah Zhou

Philanthropy is a club where students help promote different causes and support people in need. Members create posters, come up with ideas, and research causes that our school can contribute to. For example, our school is currently holding a hygiene drive to collect toiletries for people in need in Jamaica. Students help by making posters and visiting different homeroom classes to make announcements, promote the drive, and encourage others to donate what they can.

Philanthropy Club meets on Wednesdays after school from 2:30–3:30. The club also gives students opportunities to do volunteer work, and members can earn Arista hours. In addition, Philanthropy organizes educational trips that allow students to learn new things and gain meaningful experiences.

In past years, the club has taken several educational trips. One example is a visit to the Tenement Museum, where students learned about the difficult living conditions many immigrants faced just to get by. Another trip involved visiting a nursing home, where students volunteered and gained insight into the experiences of elderly individuals.

Student Council

By Marissa F.

The student council is back at it! Run by Ms. Soderlund, the student council was recently discussing what they should spend the budget on to help the school. For example, the student council is currently deciding on spending money for bathroom renovations.

In order to be a part of the student council, you write a speech. Sixth grade student council member Madison says, “You have to say that speech with confidence and you are in control about how you say the speech.” To join the council, class members vote on a slip of paper, and then Ms. Soderlund counts the votes and whoever gets the most votes wins.

Besides writing a speech and saying it in front of the whole class, if you are chosen to be on the student council, you might compete against students from other classes for a specific job. After one person in every class is chosen for the student council, they have to meet once a month during lunch. Eventually, everyone in the grade votes for who should be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. You get to vote on your grade google classroom for who you think should have this position. After the last day to vote, the people that won are announced over the loudspeaker during morning announcements. The people who won this year are:

President: Despina A.

Vice President: Leah R.

Secretary: Brandon C.

Treasurer: Amy L.

Overall, the student council is a great idea if you want to share ideas to make the school better or even if you just want to improve your speaking skills. You should try to run for student council!

Friends of Rachel

by Jacqueline Chen

Introduction

The Friends of Rachel club meets every Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., focusing on promoting compassion and support among peers. By fostering kindness within the community, the club aims to create a friendly and welcoming environment. Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles, contributing to the club's mission of inclusivity.

Club Goals

Ms. Rachel, the club adviser, emphasized the importance of these initiatives: “Through introducing ‘No Place for Hate’ and ‘Friends of Rachel’ to our school, we have realized just how much students want to feel comfortable and included within our community. The mission of this combined club is to minimize hateful actions and language and encourage community, support, and allyship. This is a place for all students to feel safe and supported.”

Historical Background

Friends of Rachel is part of a nationwide initiative named after Rachel Joy Scott, who was tragically killed in the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. After her death, her parents discovered she left behind a legacy of compassion through her life, her writings, and the people she touched. Her family realized that Rachel’s story could change how students relate to each other and improve self-worth and mental health.

Community Activities

Friends of Rachel participates in various activities that promote kindness and friendship, such as organizing events, helping those in need, and spreading positive messages around the school. These efforts strive to make everyone feel included and valued.

Learning Empathy

Being part of Friends of Rachel teaches students the importance of empathy and understanding. They learn that small acts of kindness can make a significant difference in someone’s day, helping to build a more caring community. A club member expressed, "I like participating because it is very enjoyable and fun, and at the same time, it is being kind and helpful to our community."

Planned Activities

This year, club members will engage in community service projects, workshops on effective communication, and social gatherings that allow members to connect on a deeper level. Through these experiences, participants learn the significance of supporting one another and the impact small gestures of kindness can have.

Mission Statement: The important mission of Rachel's Friends is to be a vibrant community dedicated to spreading kindness, compassion, and support among its members. Our mission is to create a nurturing environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to make a positive impact in each other's lives and the wider community.

Rachel Joy Scott

JHS 194 Debate Team

by Annie Wang

Are you a competitive person? Do you like being heard by others? Or do you just want to improve your speaking skills? If you said yes to any of those three questions, then you will love the debate team.

There are currently 36 sixth, seventh and eighth graders in debate. The debate team coaches are Mrs. Brown and Mr. Fiscina. The captains are seniors Nia, Mia and Shuey.

The debate team is part of the American Debate League. Members learn about the pros and cons of subjects like artificial intelligence or genetically modified food. For our December 13th debate against other schools in Queens, the topic is presidential executive orders.

The debate team is subdivided into teams of two to three people. The first speaker for each team introduces three reasons their side is pro or con. The second speaker responds to the team they are arguing against. The third speaker responds to the second speaker.

Each person also questions the other side and responds to the question. That is the part of the debate called the crossfire.

Teams do not know if they are pro or con until they arrive at the debate. There are several rounds at each debate, so teams have to be prepared to argue both sides.

Beginner debaters have a packet with research that they use, novice debaters also have a packet of information, but it is over 200 pages long.

Meetings are held on Tuesday mornings at 7:15 a.m. and after school until 3:30 on Thursdays.

There are many different reasons why people join the debate club. Most people on the team are competitive, while some just want to improve their speaking skills and make new friends. Overall, debate club is a great club to help with speaking skills and boosts your confidence!