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Credits to Mrs. Ong for crafting these beautiful lanterns
The Spring Festival
The Spring Festival
Written by Jodie Huang
Written by Jodie Huang
Originating over 3,500 years ago, the Lunar New Year holiday emerged in Ancient China. What started as a time for farmers to rest and celebrate the harvest slowly evolved into a global holiday observed by families all over the world. Celebrated from January 21st to February 20th, is a time when families come together to celebrate their ancestors and heritage. As we bid farewell to 2025, the year of the snake, we welcome 2026, the year of the horse, a symbol of vibrant energy and spirit of adventure.
Millions of people celebrate Lunar New Year every year, but not many people know the origins. The origins of Lunar New Year can be traced back to two old folktales, The Great Race, and Monster Nian. Both folktales influenced different traditions such as the zodiac cycle and red envelopes.
How Students Celebrate Chinese New Year:
Farrah Zhou: “We do family gatherings and eat hotpot together. I look forward to the food and getting my red envelopes the most.”
Angela Zhang: “We usually decorate our house with red lanterns, and make it according to the zodiac animal of the year. We have to eat mooncakes.”
Grace Zheng: “We wait for all my family to arrive home from work to eat together. Right before Lunar New Year we get haircuts to get a fresh start, and we clean the house to sweep out the bad luck. We talk on the phone with relatives who live in another country.
The Great Race:
The Great Race was held by the Jade Emperor, ruler of Heaven, as a method to measure time.animals, the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (or Goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig, all participated in the great race, and formed the zodiac cycle.
Each animal represents different traits and characteristics, which are believed to influence the personalities of individuals born in respective years. For example, the rat is associated with intelligence and strategy because, despite its small size, the rat was able to secure first place by jumping on the ox’s back.
2026 is known as the year of the horse, which placed 7th in the Great Race. While the Jade Emperor was distracted, the snake managed to wrap itself around the horse's leg and finish the race before the horse. Unlike the snake, which was clever and cautious, the horse embodies speed and fierceness.
Monster Nian:
Chinese New Year is a part of Lunar New Year, and although it is the oldest traditional festival in China, few people know its origins. Many popular traditions and activities of the festival can be linked back to the story of monster Nian.
According to ancient Chinese Culture, a ferocious beast named Nian, would go onshore by the end of the lunar year and haunt people and livestock. Due to this many villagers escape to a remote mountain right before the end of the lunar year.
However, one lunar year when the villagers were going to take refuge in the remote mountains, a strange old beggar entered the village. No one cared for the newcomer, except an old lady, who tried to convince him to escape the village with the rest of the villagers. However, the strange old man declined, and just requested to stay one night at the old lady’s house. He promised to expel the beast, and that he did.
At midnight, when the Nian broke into the village, he found that all the doors and windows were pasted with red papers and many candles were lit inside homes. There was a loud sound made by bamboo burning cracking, and the old man stepped out of the house, wearing a red robe, making Nian flee into the dark night.
Once, the villagers learned about how the old man scared away Nian, they created a tradition that would evolve into what we have today. Today, people paste spring couplets, light candles, burn bamboo, set off fireworks, and hand out red envelopes to ward off bad spirits from following them into the new year.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
by Marissa Filippi and Lily Kocsis
by Marissa Filippi and Lily Kocsis
Valentine's Day is a fun time to celebrate! You can do fun activities with your friends, make heart shaped treats, or wear red or pink to school. Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th.
Fun activities with your friends is a great idea to celebrate. You could make valentines cards to give to your friends, or you could do a Valentines Day party with your friends and make Valentines day cookies, or make the dress code for the party “wear red or pink” or you could just pass out Valentines Day necklaces.
Valentine’s Day is a day for friends and family too, also known as Galentines Day. Getting tasty treats on Valentine's Day is one of the great things about Valentine's Day. Some stores or places to eat have special treats for the holiday. At Dunkin Donuts, they are doing a limited time heart shaped donut with brownie batter in the middle.
If you aren’t sure what to do on Valentine’s Day, there is plenty to do! You can bake heart shaped treats, make a fun dinner at home, or you can make creative collages for your family. Even spreading an act of kindness on Valentines Day is something you can do!
I interviewed a few students about what they think on Valentine's Day. Here's wha they said:
Madison said “I don’t like Valentine’s Day because I feel that it is made to exploit women and make them feel bad about themselves.”
Caleesi said, “I like it a lot. It is a very fun holiday that you get to celebrate with your family and friends.”
Talia said “I’m not a huge fan of Valentine's day but it is ok. You get to spend time with your family and friends.”
Valentine's Day is a great way to spend time with your family, friends, or even pets! This is why I think Valentine’s Day is a great day!
Tis’ the season for fun!
Tis’ the season for fun!
By Alex Lam
By Alex Lam
During this cold winter season, you may be thinking about what you can do during the most boring months, January and February. But there are some family-friendly activities you can partake in!
During Broadway’s 2-for-1 week, you can enjoy shows such as Hamilton, Death Becomes Her, Harry Potter: The Cursed Child, Wicked, and even Aladdin!. Seize the moment right now! Another deal may not appear until next year!
Annual NYC celebrations like MLK and Black History Month concerts occur all over Manhattan. If you are planning to celebrate heritage with your family, now is the perfect time to do so.
There are NYC events that can also cater to the wants of bookworms. A Winter Reading Festival is occurring in the Starvos Niarchos Foundation Library, located in Manhattan at the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 40th Street in Midtown, it will occur on January 31st, 6:30 - 9:00 PM.
Now, getting back to more adventurous and engaging events that will pique your curiosity; the MTA has announced that it is hosting a NYC Transit Holiday Festival through February 2026. You can explore holiday versions of the classic MTA train with the addition of festive decorations.
Christmas artwork is shown across the inside of the train, creating a nice cozy atmosphere. The train will be open from 10:00 AM - 7:30 PM from Monday through Friday and from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. The model trains are located at the Grand Central Terminal and are completely free to explore.
February brings an even more jolly feeling than the month before, with Lunar New Year occurring February 17th. The year of the horse welcomes all with roaring music and the beat of the drum pushing against your temples.
Various parades will take place in Chinatowns in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens in towns such as Flushing, Queens; Forest Hills, Queens; Chinatown, Manhattan; Elmhurst, Queens; and Sunset Park, Brooklyn. These parades begin on the 17th of February as mentioned before but will stretch on for 16 days and end on March 3rd; despite this, NYC’s lantern festival will take place on March 1st, 1:00 PM on Mott street in Manhattan Chinatown where it will end at grand street. Don’t fret, activities like crafting workshops and cultural performances are also available beginning at 11:30 AM.
Additionally, you are able to celebrate the new year with food such as longevity noodles (Changshou Mian, 长寿面) and Coin dumplings (Jiaozi 饺子) even be able to get a red envelope filled to the brim with money, bringing fortune and luck for the new year. It will be a long way till '27.
Out of the Way Metrocard; Next Up, Omny!
Out of the Way Metrocard; Next Up, Omny!
By Talia Fan
By Talia Fan
As of December 31st 2025, New York City has replaced the Metrocard with the OMNY Card. You can’t buy a new Metrocard or add money to it anymore; however if you already have a Metrocard that has money on it, you can still use it through 2026. So, grab your cards, Metro or OMNY, and let's dive deeper.
You might be wondering: why did NYC replace the MetroCard with OMNY? NYC wanted better technology in the subways. It was time to move on from the past! OMNY is a tap-to-pay mechanism, so no more swiping. This makes passing through the turnstiles much, much faster. In addition,it is supposed to cut down on traffic in the turnstiles, because it’s more efficient and there’s a lower chance of malfunction compared to the Metrocard. Also, OMNY cards are supposed to reduce fare-evasion.
According to sixth grader Marissa F, “I feel pretty neutral about it. Let’s just see how OMNY works out. But I don’t find anything bad about OMNY or MetroCard.”
Some of the benefits of OMNY are there is an app where you can fill your card online, or pay directly if you have a credit card. If you are a student, you can get a free one through your school. If you don’t have the OMNY app or a student card there are vending machines where you can get an OMNY card and refill it. These vending machines can be found in every subway station throughout the city, and their use isn’t just limited to trains, you can also use them on buses as well.
Jacqueline, a seventh grader, said, “I feel that it is neutral because I just started using OMNY ever since the Metro card retired so let's see how it turns out!”
If you have any old MetroCards lying around, make sure to put them in a safe place! Keep them as a souvenir and a memory of how we used to move through our city in the past.
“I feel like the OMNY card is an excellent replacement for the MetroCard,” Jodie, an eighth grader, said. “It allows citizens to pay online without having to go outside, so it is way more convenient.”
Why Black History Month Matters
Why Black History Month Matters
Contributed By Caleesi Tusinean
Contributed By Caleesi Tusinean
Black History Month is a time to celebrate African Americans and their achievements throughout history. Black History Month was created by Carter G. Woodson who had a Ph.D from Harvard and wanted to show the significance of overlooked African-Americans.
According to the website Library of Congress Research Guides, “Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This organization is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History External (ASALH). Through this organization, Dr. Woodson initiated the first Negro History Week in February 1926.”
Woodson believed everybody should be treated equally even if they have different physical traits.
This year the theme for Black History Month is A Century of Black History Commemorations. Every year, there is a different theme.
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Some Important African Americans who are commemorated during Black History Month are Jackie Robinson, the first African-American baseball player. He played on the Brooklyn Dodgers and his achievements were being Rookie of the Year (1947), MVP (1949), World Series champion, and Hall of Fame inductee. Robinson's induction recognized not only his incredible athleticism, but also his historic role in breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier.
Earl Lloyd
Earl Lloyd
Another famous African American who is celebrated was Earl Lloyd, who was the first African American to play on a basketball team. His team was the Washington Capitals. Because of Earl Lloyd and others like him, the NBA changed into the diverse, global league it is today.
George W. Johnson
George W. Johnson
George W. Johnson was mostly known For his outstanding Vocals and performed the song “The Laughing Song,” which was his biggest hit. He accomplished his dream of becoming a musician. It was his one wish. He started his music career when he was in his late twenties and ended his career around 1910.
One way to celebrate Black History Month is to read about African Americans who have been overlooked and learn more about them. Black History Month is also celebrated with events in schools, museums, and communities featuring art, performances, and discussions to honor African American achievements, culture, and history.
You can read more about Black History Month here: https://www.blackhistorymonth.gov/
The Realities of the Regents Courses
The Realities of the Regents Courses
Interested in taking a Regents course in eighth grade? Here’s some firsthand accounts of what it’s truly like taking one of these advanced high school courses!
by Shuey Shiau & Jodie Huang
by Shuey Shiau & Jodie Huang
On behalf of class 806, Jodie and I know how grueling these courses can be. They train your ability to divide and manage different subjects with daily and weekly assignments for algebra, U.S. history, and biology; not to mention taking the Spanish Language Proficiency exam at the end of the year as well as the other regents examinations. We have been managing our grades according to our standards, with consistent averages over 90 and some higher than 95 in certain cases. But our experiences don’t represent the entire eighth grade, and they certainly don’t represent all of the classes taking the regents courses and how they may be excelling or struggling. We asked individuals in a variety of classes their take on the regents classes, and collected the responses located below.
We received responses from 7 people (we got replies and consent from everyone), including William Calica in 801, Queena Lin in 802, Vincent Zhang in 803, Dean Zubcic in 804, Leonardo Kuo in 805, Cecilia Zhao in 806, and Una Lin in 834. Some people didn’t answer all of the questions, so their initials aren’t included.
Interviews with various regents students
How many/what regents are you taking?
WILLIAM CALICA, 801 (W.C.): “I take Algebra, Biology, and U.S. History.”
QUEENA LIN, 802 (Q.L.): “I take [U.S.] history and algebra.”
VINCENT ZHANG, 803 (V.Z.): “I am currently taking three Regents courses: Biology, Spanish, and U.S. History.”
DEAN ZUBCIC, 804 (D.Z.): “I’m taking 3 regents classes.” (algebra, U.S. history, biology)
LEONARDO KUO, 805 (L.K.): “I take U.S. History, Algebra, and Biology regents.”
CECILIA ZHAO, 806 (C.Z.): “Algebra, biology, U.S. history, and Spanish if it counts.”
UNA LIN, 834 (U.L.): “I’m taking one regents class which is bio.” (biology)
Why did you choose to take the regents courses?
Q.L: “I decided to take regents because I want to be able to take harder classes in 9th grade.”
V.Z.: “I chose to enroll in these classes because I wanted to challenge myself academically and begin preparing early for the expectations of high school–level coursework.”
L.K.: “I take regents so I can take Advanced Placement classes once I'm in high school ahead of when I'm supposed to.”
C.Z.: “Because I was following what my friends chose and wanted to be in the same class as them.”
U.L.: “I chose to take regents classes for the high school credits.”
What do you feel is the hardest regents class you’re taking?
Q.L.: “The hardest regents class is history because it requires memory and a lot of work. No I’m not struggling, it's not easy but not hard.”
V.Z.: “Out of the three, I find Biology to be the most difficult, mainly because of the amount of information that needs to be memorized and applied.”
D.Z.: “I think the hardest regent I’m taking is algebra.”
Do you feel like regents are significantly harder than your seventh grade classes?
W.C.: “I don't. They're relatively easy and I can maintain a 75+ average for all of them.”
V.Z.: “Compared to my seventh grade classes, the Regents courses are definitely more rigorous. The workload, pacing, and depth of understanding required are all higher, but I feel that I have been adjusting well and managing the expectations.”
D.Z.: “No, I don't think it’s more difficult than my 7th grade classes.”
U.L.: “Indeed, this academic year has been noticeably more demanding, marked by a heavier workload and more complex expectations than the previous one.”
Do you think you’re doing well in all of your regents classes? Are you excelling in a specific course?
W.C.: “I'm currently excelling the most in Biology, with a 93 last MP.”
Q.L.: “I’m doing decently in Algebra, not good or bad.”
V.Z.: “In some classes I perform more confidently than others, but overall, I believe I am doing well and making steady progress.”
D.Z.: “Yeah, I think I’m doing well, I have 90s in everything except bio.”
L.K.: “I'm doing average in regents but bad in US history.”
C.Z.: “I’m doing really well in algebra right now, and for the others, I’m doing okay. Currently, I’m not really struggling with my classes.”
Do you feel that taking the regents courses now is better than taking them in high school? Are they beneficial to your learning?
W.C.: “I think they're beneficial especially in middle school because they can ease the transition from middle school to high school. Because the Regents classes are high school level, students who take the regents will have an easier time in high school due to their background knowledge and prior information gained from middle school.”
Q.L.: “[yes] Because you get to learn things earlier than most people and you’ll be able to take more advanced classes faster.”
V.Z.: “I also feel that taking Regents courses now is beneficial. Starting them earlier allows me to build strong study habits, get comfortable with the structure of Regents exams, and reduce the pressure I might face later in high school. Overall, taking these classes at this time has been helpful for my learning and growth.”
D.Z.: “I took them now in middle school so I can get high school credits and potentially graduate high school early, also it’ll better prepare me for high school. I'll know some of the information I’m learning already.” (similar to the second question)
L.K.: “I had an opportunity to do it earlier so I took it.” (as in he had an opportunity to take high school classes earlier)
C.Z.: “I decided to take regents in middle school as I don’t think I would want to go through more pressure later on in high school since I think there would be more work to do.”
U.L.: “Yes, I believe taking regents is better now than later. Due to the amount of information we’re able to use for future use, and extra credits.”
As an 8th grader taking multiple regents, I personally believe if you learn how to not procrastinate over doing your assignments, you should be able to excel in most of your classes and not stress over them. Shuey and I have learned how to productively use our time and not procrastinate, along with learning how to study both efficiently and effectively.
If you are willing to take on the challenge of multiple assignments a day and a multitude of tests, then take regents. However, if you know you are not able to commit to completing your tasks on time, or get overwhelmed with a lot of assignments, I suggest that you take regents in high school or only 1 or 2 regents. Taking regents in middle school is a privilege that you need to earn by doing well in your classes in 6th and 7th grade, so don’t take it for granted. Regents can teach you real world skills, such as completing assignments before the deadline, and how to balance your work/school life and social life. Don’t be afraid to take regents--it has been a wonderful experience so far for Shuey and I and multiple other individuals.
Highschool Applications and Results
Highschool Applications and Results
Shortened version of a past article.
On Thursday, March 5th, 2026, high school results will come out for eighth graders. This will be a nerve-wracking time for all. For more statistics and high school application results in the future, click the link below.
This page holds NYC high school results from the fall of 2025 to the fall of 2022. SHSAT and discovery program statistics are also available.
Websites if you want to join the amazing skiing experience:
https://www.windhammountainclub.com/
Have you gone skiing?:
Nature's Gym: How Skiing Improves Fitness & Mood
Nature's Gym: How Skiing Improves Fitness & Mood
Written by Meghan To & Jacqueline Chen
Written by Meghan To & Jacqueline Chen
Who doesn’t like to have fun in the snow? Skiing is one of many ways to enjoy your mid-winter break, which takes place from February 16-20. It offers freedom, stunning scenery, and a fun way to exercise. Although it feels like an independent sport, you can still enjoy skiing with your friends and family.
Megan from class 721 says that even though skiing is very hard at first, as you practice more, you can get better and conquer your fears.
I used to be terrified of getting off lifts because I thought you could fall off the mountain, but once you learn the basics properly, you can get so much better and even start going on intermediate trails. Skiing is an awesome sport to relax and have fun. The more people there are, the more fun there is.
Besides having fun, there are also lots of benefits to your body, social skills, and even your academics. Skiing can enhance your focus and in group skiing, you can even build communication and social skills.
Jacqueline from class 723 said,“After I got better at skiing and moved on to more advanced trails, every time I went skiing, I felt as if my stress left my body as I zoomed down the mountain.”
Physically, there are various benefits ranging from better sleep to a full body exercise. It engages your legs, core, and upper body, strengthening muscles and improving tone. Also it could teach you resilience and perseverance which is a valuable trait for academic challenges. For example learning to fall and get back up teaches perseverance. It is fun and could bring various benefits to you.
Jacqueline added, “Every time I complete a complicated trail I feel very proud and all my supportive friends and family congratulate me. Skiing could bring confidence which is great for people who don't socialize much."
If you ever start to think about starting your skiing journey, here are some nearby mountains: Hunter Mountain, Windham mountain, Belleayre and Gore mountain.
Megan from 721 suggested Catamount and Mountain Creek for beginners. Nonetheless, Megan said “I do not recommend ski lessons for first timers because it can be very discouraging and unmotivating for someone to start skiing with a strict trainer with no experience. I think you should always learn from a close friend or your parents.”
Justin from class 721 suggested that you should go to Mountain Creek for the first time because the mountain offers beginner to advanced terrain so it is not hard to find the trail that fits your level the most.
Can Cell Phones Rewire Your Brain?
Can Cell Phones Rewire Your Brain?
Why are we so addicted to our phones, and what makes us feel pleasure?
By Alex Lam
By Alex Lam
Have you ever been stuck in a seemingly infinite loop of doing the same things over and over again because it entertains you? Many of the things we do on our phones often feel like they have a rewarding effect on us or make us feel a certain happiness. Using a phone is entertaining but it also has consequences. A phone can cause adolescents to hyperfixate on the device and its games, which can interfere with the things they were doing before, like school work.
An Addictive Chemical Signal
Your reward system is the main reason you feel proud or happy when you finish an activity. Your reward system uses both electrical signals and chemicals to inhibit an emotional response. It also releases chemicals like dopamine and serotonin when your brain thinks you have engaged in rewarding behavior like winning a competition or playing on your phone. Your reward system organizes activities in an order of entertainment, normally, your brain puts chores and doing homework at the bottom of the entertainment scale and phones at the top of the entertainment scale.
As you use your phone more, your reward system normalizes phone use, which decreases its place on the entertainment scale; however, this brings down every other activity proportionally, making doing homework and chores even more unfavorable to you. Eventually, it will get to a point where you can have withdrawals or a loss of happiness when you lose access to a device. When using a phone, so much dopamine floods your brain, the nervous system compensates by formulating glutamate, made by glial cells, which counteracts dopamine.
However, this process may backfire, making you more miserable than you were before, as glial cells may overcompensate, disrupting chemical homeostasis. All of this information comes back to the reasons why you may procrastinate on your phone. Many people need to stop playing on their phones or play a little less, in order to combat the rising addiction to electronic devices.
The Danger of Cellphones
Studies have shown that cellphones can stunt academic growth and increase procrastination. The National Institute of Health or NIH has conducted an experiment focusing on the connection between cellphones and school work. A survey of medical students showed that the people who used phones for an extended period every day often procrastinated as well.
What can we do?
Despite these dangers, we can still lead better lives by restricting our screen time and talking with friends outside. Another study by the Calvin Growth group explains that lower screen time leads to sharper minds and improved mental health. In addition, you can build a habit to not bring your devices to the dining table or bathroom. You can also turn off notifications to minimize distraction.
And maybe, after reading this, you won’t grab your phone and watch videos for hours on end.
The Importance of Gratitude and Coping with Stress
The Importance of Gratitude and Coping with Stress
by Saara Hussainansari
by Saara Hussainansari
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; and readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. As simple as it seems, this quality is constantly dismissed and it has become normalized to do so. Gratitude is much more meaningful than you'd think, but understanding the importance of appreciation and validation for others is a quality many don't share. A simple compliment or taking notice of someone’s hard work can go a long way.
We are all humans and have good and bad times, understanding people and validating those emotions can help far more than you would think.
School work is without a doubt stressful and sometimes unbearable. When stress levels increase, productivity and enjoyable activities can drop tremendously. Hushing this stress is sometimes hard. Here are some ways to calm your mind and maintain a balance between school and your personal life.
Tips to Deal with Stress
Take time to take walks. Fresh air is similar to a refreshment and can help when feeling overwhelmed.
Expressing your emotions. Whether it's through the notes on your iPhone or to a person you're comfortable with, bundling up extreme emotions is severely unhealthy and can lead to a great number of problems.
Take time to enjoy your hobbies. Hobbies are much more complex stress relief than you think; having the time to do something you value can brighten your day immediately.
Listen to music. Sometimes appreciating the beats of songs can calm your nerves, and allow your mind to sink into the song lyrics.
Artwork Provided By Joy Shin
Microplastics: More Harmful Than You Think
Microplastics: More Harmful Than You Think
by Amelie Hernandez
by Amelie Hernandez
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 is Earth Day! Earth Day is the day where people come together to protect and help the environment. As a part of Earth Day, people commit to recycling (paper, plastic, cardboard, aluminum, etc.). However, microplastics have become a huge problem, as well. Microplastics are fragments of plastic that are less than 5 millimeters large. So, how could something so small be so problematic?
Microplastics manage to find their way into everything: our food, bodies of water and our drinking water, the land, and even humans themselves! In fact, studies show that humans contain up to a spoon's worth of microplastics in their brains! How do the microplastics even end up in all of these places in the first place? Well, very little of the plastics we recycle actually end up being recycled. Most of the plastic ends up in a landfill and degrades (this takes about 1,000 years) which causes toxic substances to leak into the ground and soil. Many microplastics also end up in the bodies of water through polluted waterways.
As for our food, animals (especially sea life) are also significantly affected by microplastics. Plastics that end up in the sea or on the land are ingested by wildlife every day. For example: the humpback whale. It is estimated that humpback whales that typically eat fish ingest a total of 200,000 microplastics per day, and the ones that typically eat krill ingest about 3 million to 10 million microplastics per day. This is a lot of microplastics!
Recycling is a huge part of reducing microplastics. Putting recyclable items in the recycling instead of just throwing them out in the garbage can still make a huge difference. However, many people, including the students of our school, don’t throw things out in the proper bins. The blue bin is meant for recycling things. When you throw out your recycling in that bin, you’re contributing to the reduction of microplastics and helping our planet. A word of advice from one of our science teachers, Mrs. Heitner, is to use reusable items, recycle, and use/buy less plastic materials.
As the years go by, more and more microplastics pollute the Earth. There are ways that we can stop this, such as reducing the usage of single-use plastics like bottles of water, but more people need to help and be informed on what’s happening. Spread the word about microplastics. Let’s reduce the amount of microplastics polluting our planet. Happy Earth Day everyone!
What Does YOUR Name Mean?
What Does YOUR Name Mean?
By Emily Xiang
By Emily Xiang
Everyday, no matter where you are, your name is said. Whether you’re at school, or at home, it happens. But what does your name mean? Your name isn’t just a mere name tag or what you are called. Your name holds your identity, history and culture. Your name might mean “wisdom” or “bright and radiant” Or, your name may simply just mean “shine”. Either way, names represent who we are, our personalities, and our characteristics.
Why do names matter?
Your teacher starts the first day at school by making everyone introduce themselves, playing the game, “name game” with the class, or creating name tags. These introductions are for an important purpose. Our names tell our background, or story, and reveal your character. It could be connected to your family culture or your personal story.
Click on the link below to explore what your name means!
What Does My Name Mean? The Meaning Of Names
How to Respect Others’ Names
Whenever people introduce themselves, use that name
(Don’t shorten or change their name to something else.)
Pronounce their name correctly.
(Ask them to repeat it, if you’re not able to pronounce it correctly)
Don’t make fun of their name.
(Don’t tease or bully others just because what they are called)
Accept their name.
(Respect who they are)
Correct yourself whenever you make a mistake.
(Whenever you mispronounce someone’s name, put effort into saying it right.)
Hoodie Ban
Hoodie Ban
Many students think the dress code at JHS 194 is unfair and limiting, even though it was implemented for a reason.
by Kevin Li and Leonardo Kuo
by Kevin Li and Leonardo Kuo
Students are against the hoodie ban and don’t like having their hoodie confiscated. "We think it's limiting, and we want the freedom to wear what we want to stay warm," says Leo.
"Hoodies are more accessible and practical as well since stores sell a wider selection of hoodies than non-hooded sweatshirts," says Kevin.
Interestingly, JHS 194 “no hoodie” rule is not a citywide policy. Currently, there is no information about the number of schools with a hoodie policy like ours. We interviewed Mr. Dilallo to find out why JHS 194 prioritizes this dress code, and the main reason is to ensure students’ safety. “Dress code is important for students' safety.” Since students can put their cell phones in their hoodie pockets and hide them to use during class or in the school restroom, Mr. Dilallo and administrators believe it is a safety issue.
Mr. Dilallo tells us “The primary responsibility of the school is safety, without safety, learning cannot take place.” Hoodies can also be a safety hazard due to kids putting their hoods over their heads. If a student does something bad with their hoodie up, it will be difficult to find out their identity. We, as students, understand this, but it seems unfair for students that follow that aren’t doing something bad.
The school allows 194 hoodies, which essentially have the same problems as a regular hoodie, you can conceal your identity and conceal phones. This makes students wonder why 194 hoodies are allowed but regular hoodies are prohibited. To this, administrators say that they can identify our students as opposed to students from students outside the building.
Ultimately, Mr. Dilallo says “The hoodie policy can be re-addressed or refuted in one to two years time depending on the circumstances and if there will be any incidents in that time period.” This gives students that do not like the hoodie policy hope that in the future they can wear what they want.
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