February 2019 Issue

"The Great Kindness Challenge"

By: Katie Guerra

Alanton Elementary School started celebrating "The Great Kindness Challenge" three years ago when our counselor, Ms. Aladj, introduced us to this great event! The program itself all started back in 2006 when an honor high school student and a former elementary school teacher created Kids for Peace", which gathered children from around the neighborhood to come up with ideas on how to make the world a better place! In 2011, a local school from California asked "Kids for Peace" to create a more positive, unified, and respectful school environment. Then, "The Great Kindness Challenge" was born! Today, it is internationally recognized by over one hundred and ten countries and over twenty four thousand schools, and this year alone over thirteen million students participated in over six hundred fifty million acts of kindness. Now that is a lot of love!

Ms. Aladj shared that this nationwide and international initiative is celebrated to empower students to create a culture of kindness because kindness is strength! Students can participate by submitting Kindness Kudos to recognize classmates for their deeds, doing the Daily Challenges announced on ANN, and focusing on kindness in morning meetings. "The Great Kindness Challenge" is celebrated in January, but our teachers have decided to celebrate it in February along with Reading month. This year AES students read Kathryn Otoshi’s books "Zero", "One", and "Two" as a school – all having kindness themes at their core.

Mrs. Thomas also thought that the challenge and Reading Month have great ideas that will make this a longer and more fun event! She supports the Kindness Challenge because everyone can spread kindness all around and know that words are powerful! That is how the kindness challenge and reading month are connected. Alanton’s students can participate in many fun activities, such as MakerSpace activities in the library, kindness links, making friendship bracelets, build a bridge game, making kindness kudos Google slides displayed in the cafeteria, buddy reading, and ANN mystery readers!

"The Great Kindness Challenge" is definitely making schools, communities and the world a kinder and more compassionate place for all. At Alanton Elementary, we continue to work together to prove that kindness matters!

For more information about this challenge, be sure to visit https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/

Astro Artists - Peyton Julian

By: Katie Guerra

The Astro Artist for this month is 5th-grader and athlete Peyton Julian. She is a gymnast at Ocean Tumblers Gymnastics, where she practices over ten hours a week. She also averages one competition a month during the season. This is her third year competing for Ocean Tumblers! Her favorite part of being a gymnast is competing in competitions, and her favorite jump is the flutter. She enjoys exercising and some of her hobbies are making slime and inventing gadgets. Peyton said she would love to be a school counselor when she grows up!

Peyton has participated in many competitions and has won seven!

Did You Know? - "Valentine's Day"

By: Sherlene Song

    • 1,000,000,000 Valentines are sent all over the world and most are for teachers.
    • 1,000,000 boxes of chocolate are given each year for Valentine’s Day.
    • In England, King Henry VII officially declared February 14th the holiday of St. Valentine’s Day.
    • 73% of men and 27% of women buy flowers on this day.
    • 15% of the women who buy flowers actually buy them for themselves.
    • Roses are the most popular flowers.

~ These facts are courtesy of 22 Facts. ~

Fashion Trends - "Kyrie Shoes"

By: Isaiah Haire and Ollie Konig

Kyrie Andrew Irving was born March 23, 1992 in Australia to American parents. He is a professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. He is a six-time NBA All-Star player.

There are five type of Kyrie shoes, which are a part of the Nike brand. Each type has different colors.

  • Kyrie I are medium berry, hot lava, black, metallic, and silver “Easter”.
  • Kyrie II are multicolored, sail black effect.
  • Kyrie III are black and white.
  • Kyrie IV are black and white with cofetti.
  • Kyrie V are black-white magic and metallic silver.

Now, should you buy these shoes?

  • Pros: vibrant colors, excellent traction, almost every player thinks the shoes are comfortable, durable, perfectly sized, light on your feet and good for moving around, and good cushion. Nike II seems to be the most comfortable.
  • Cons: very expensive, the tip is too narrow for some users, lots disagree the cushioning is good enough, some people say the shoes run small, and some say their ankles hurt after they play.

Historical Happenings - "February 14, 1876"

By: Madison Velasco

What do we use most TODAY? Well, your opinion may be different, but I say we use phones most. Have you ever wondered who invented the first telephone? This day in history was really important because this was the first day anybody was able to communicate by phone. Alexander Graham Bell was an inventor. Alexander invented many inventions: Metal Detector, Photophone, Hydrofoil, Audiometer, HD-4, Tetrahedral kite. Alexander Graham Bell also founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885 (AT&T).

Alexander’s mother and wife were both deaf. They seemed to have a major influence on his work. He liked the idea for the deaf of electronic speech. We actually use the word “Hello” today because Alexander Graham Bell invented that telephone. We say “Hello” today because Thomas Jefferson told Alexander that it was polite to say “Hello” when answering the phone. Alexander disagreed and thought the better word was ahoy. If Alexander had not invented this telephone, there may not have been one today. So take some time to thank Alexander.

- These facts are courtesy of Duckster. -

Jester Jokes - "Animal Edition"

By: Norah Everhart


Q: What do you get when you cross a tiger with a snowman?

A: Frostbite


Q: Why did the golfer bring an extra pair of pants?

A: In case he got a hole in one


Q: Where does a lizard keep his groceries?

A: In the refriger - gator


Q: What happened to the mouse when he fell in the bathtub?

A: It became squeaky clean


Q: What does a monkey drink for breakfast?

A: Ape juice

- These jokes are courtesy of "The Big Book of Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids". -

Poetry Planet - "The Great Kindness Challenge"

By: Sherlene Song

In our school, we have been doing the Kindness Challenge.

Kindness is now everywhere since February,

Now everybody is trying to be nice

In the hallways, everyone is saying good morning with a marvelous smile!


Now in the classroom,

Everyone is trying to do the Kindness Challenge.

Everybody is trying to bring people to their bright side

To bring another person to their joyful sides.


Now that everyone is trying to making someone to their bright sides,

Everyone is cheerful and joyful.

Teachers are influencing students to do the Kindness Challenge.

Now that I assume people will now be joyful until Jun!

Stellar Student Survey

Poll Question: What is your favorite Valentine treat?

  • Candy Conversational Hearts
  • Chocolate Hearts
  • Cupcakes
  • Fun Dip
  • Kinder Joy Eggs
  • Reese's

Supernova Sports - "Superbowl LIII"

By: Isaiah Haire

The fifty-third Superbowl took place in Atlanta, Georgia. The two teams this year were the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. On February 3rd, the kickoff started things off at 6:30 pm. The final score was 13 - 3, making it the sixth win for the Patriots!

The half-time Pepsi performance featured Maroon 5 with Travis Scott and Big Boy. They performed on a lighted M-shaped stage with great visuals. They gave it a good shot and tried their hardest.

Teacher Feature - The Vastas

By: Marina Potamianos

Technology Tools - "Apple Watch"

By: Norah Everhart

Apple has made a new product, the Apple Watch. There are three different models - the actual Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Sport, and the Apple Watch Edition. The Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Edition, both have a screen made from a sapphire crystal. The Apple Watch Sport is featured with an Ion-X glass display. When the Apple Watch is fully charged, the battery can hold up to eighteen hours. There are two buttons on the Apple Watch. For the Apple Watch to have internet, you need to hook it up to an iPhone.

Each model comes in two different colors. The Apple Watch colors are stainless steel and black stainless steel. The Apple Watch Sports colors are silver aluminum and gray aluminum. The Apple Watch Edition colors are eighteen carat yellow gold and eighteen carat rose gold.

There are six different types of bands you can use. First, you can use a metal band with a traditional clasp. Two, a rubber sport band. Third, a magnetic leather band. Fourth, a classic buckle on a leather band. Fifth, a modern buckle on a leather band. Sixth, a flexible, metal, magnetic band. Those are some facts about the Apple Watch.

~ To read more about Apple products, go to https://www.apple.com/.