Walk to School Day
Walk to School Day
Directed by Jack Hutton
Starring: Christian Yoo
Showing posts with label Features. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Features. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Walk to School Day
by John Harrison and Christian YooBronxville, along with eight other high schools in Westchester, is participating in “Westchester Walks” on Thursday May 21st. (Save the date: May 21st) We’re teaming up with the high schools of Ardsley, Eastchester, Edgemont, Irvington, Mamaroneck, Rye, Scarsdale, and White Plains. Our objective: to have as many kids as possible from each school walk to school for the sake of the environment. We take so many things for granted, such as our rides to school. Many people casually recognize, but do not really understand the damage that carbon dioxide emissions from our cars are causing our home’s – Earth’s – atmosphere.
In a step to make this cause clear, the Environmental Club has represented Bronxville in a coalition of nine high schools across Westchester County set on improving our relationship with our environment. This coalition, Westchester SAFE, or the Westchester Student Association For the Environment in full, was created for the purpose of sponsoring this countywide Walk-to-School Day on May 21st.
Well, why shouldn’t we drive and burn fossil fuels? Answers, both environmental and economic, abound. In 2004, the U.S. emitted 6,049,435,000 metric tons of CO2. Just guess how many Chihuahuas you would need to weigh that much. That’s a lot of CO2 if you didn’t understand the Chihuahuas analogy. In order to make the connection clearer, that’s a lot of harmful gas added to our atmosphere. Also, people can save money by not driving. During the past few years, gas prices have been skyrocketing. In Europe, the price rose up to about 10 Euros per gallon, a cost equivalent to roughly 13 dollars.
So wouldn’t it be nice if we could learn to live our lives more independently from our cars?
Walking to school is one of the easiest things to do in Bronxville. It is only an eight-minute or less walk for many. (Source: Snapple bottle cap) Just think: approximately no one here lives over a mile away from the school, while up in Bedford, just a half hour away, the walk for some kids is three miles. Moreover, some schools in Connecticut and Massachusetts are initiating “Healthy Wednesdays” and “Walking School Bus” programs. Groups of kids will get together, the younger students accompanied by volunteer parents, and walk to school. If they can make the effort, why can’t we?
So, remember the date: May 21st. Please walk to school that day. There will be a petition at the Pondfield and Meadow entrances for those lucky walkers to sign. We, the Environmental Club, encourage you – yes you – to walk to school and to wear a green shirt on May 21st for the heretofore-specified reasons.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Earth Day and You: Making a Difference for the Future
by John HarrisonOn April 22, 1970, a man by the name of Gaylord Nelson wanted to help protect the earth from the gas-guzzling automobiles that were harming the environment without notice. Through his efforts, Earth Day was started. On its first celebration, 20 million Americans protested for a more environmentally friendly world. What started out as a localized activist holiday has grown significantly over the years, largely due to near-unanimous feeling that the environment needs to be improved. “Earth Day 2000” had 5,000 environmental groups all over the world reaching out to hundreds of millions of people in a record 184 countries. Each year, this initiative sets its goals higher and tries to have more people become aware of our environment. This year, our own school is taking a step to help this project.
Earth Day Network, the group that manages Earth Day, was founded on the premise that “all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment.” The organization currently works with 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. Earth Day has over 1 billion participants, making it the largest secular event in the world.
The Earth Day Network works on many environmental issues that affect the daily lives of others, one of which is the “Water for Life Project.” As a result of a rapidly growing population and aging infrastructure, water is becoming less abundant in the places that so desperately need it. The Global Water Network, which is a campaign operated through the Earth Day Network, tries to raise funds to buy goods and services for underprivileged communities, ranging from a community’s first well to toilets and hand-washing facilities, all amenities which we take for granted.
As you can see on the school’s website, the school wants to help the village’s grassroots efforts by encouraging all students to walk to school in an effort to have less emission fumes. Even though it would be nice if everyone walked to school, there are a tremendous amount of other easy steps we can take to have a greener environment. For example, turning off all appliances before leaving a room, using appliances that have the Energy Star tag next to them (you know, the ones that say energy and then have a star next to it), and switching to fluorescent bulbs (which burn brighter and last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs) would all help to make Bronxville a greener community. Other ways that the Earth Day Network wants people to help involve water conservation. For instance, turn the water off while you are brushing your teeth and make sure there is a full load in the washing machine before you press start. In addition, there is the well known “reduce/reuse/recycle” campaign, examples of which include trying not to buy disposable items, reusing boxes and grocery bags, and recycling paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans.
With 1 billion people participating on Earth Day the Wednesday, April 22, please do not forget to do your part. Walk to school, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, do something. This event will continue to prosper every year because of people like you who care about the environment, so please take part in it and help to make our planet green.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
BHS Students Serve Society
by Jack HuttonThe average night for a Bronxville High School Student normally consists of homework, family dinner, and relaxation. For seniors Max Goldberg and Brad Taylor, however, a normal night is spent at the Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corps headquarters, waiting for a call at any second.
Just this past New Year’s Eve, a night normally reserved for celebration, Max recalls speeding down the highway in an ambulance, all the while taking deep breaths as he and his partner prepared for what they knew was going to be a life or death situation. A vehicle traveling at 80mph had slid on a patch of ice, spun and rolled across three lanes of traffic, collided with the guard rail, and then proceeded to travel 70 feet in the air before hittinng a patch of trees head on. As Max counted down the miles left to go, already through the radio screamed the words, “EXPEDITE, EXPEDITE, two patients are in traumatic arrest!” When he arrived at the scene, Max saw a sea of emergency vehicles surrounding the crash site and, putting all his emotions aside, knew it was time to work.
Since January 2008, Max and Brad have worked for the Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corps, commonly referred to as EVAC. An EVAC team that responds to an emergency call is comprised of a driver, a paramedic, and an EMT. Both seniors are now certified EMTs and ambulance drivers. During night shifts, on average, the group will receive three calls but during the day they could receive anywhere from eight to eighteen. Each works two to three shifts a week. This week alone, Max will work two twelve-hour shifts in addition to a shift that starts on Friday at three pm and ends on Saturday at five pm.
Before Max and Brad joined EVAC, the last Bronxville student to work for the organization was Max’s older brother, Dave Goldberg, a member of the class of 2002. When asked if this family connection inspired him to join EVAC, Max replied “Certainly. I’ve always been interested in helping others so following in my brother’s footsteps made sense.” Brad became interested in the EMS system through a family friend who worked for EVAC. At first, these two high school friends did not realize the other’s intention of joining and only found out after each had already signed up.
To gain their certifications, the young men attended three-hour classes two nights a week at Westchester Community College during a three-month period. There they learned all the necessary information about cardiac, neurological, respiratory, and other emergencies. Brad adds, “We even learned how to deliver a baby, although I hope I'll never have to do that in the field.” At the completion of these classes, the two had to take a certification test that was comprised of a one-hundred-twenty multiple choice test and ten unique hands-on stations. These stations included the performing of a medical assessment, CPR, and mobilization, the process of moving a victim from the scene of the accident. Although they already had some experience from serving EVAC as “ride-alongs” (volunteers who help with bandaging and learn from first hand observation), after passing the test Max and Brad were finally able to perform the duties they had anticipated.
Surely this is not a job for the weak of heart. When asked about how nervous he was when starting out, Max commented, “Oh, definitely. I bugged out at first with all the screaming and stuff like that. But, over time, you get over your anxieties and remain focused on the task at hand.” Brad elaborated, “Calmness and confidence on the job has definitely come with experience.”
In spite of the hardships that come with this line of work, Max and Brad have enjoyed their experiences immensely. They have bonded with their co-EVAC members and feel that their efforts are making a real difference. Brad concluded, “Everything we do in the field is very serious, but when the job is over it’s important to forget about it and move on with your own life, knowing that you've done a great job in taking care of someone else's.”
On the Money: School Board Presents the Proposed 2009-2010 Budget
by Annie MassaThese days almost every printed article, advertisement, and news program begins with the same phrase: “In these troubled economic times…”
It doesn’t really matter what the article is actually about, or what product they’re peddling, or what news story the anchor is about to discuss. The five-word preface is always the same. This article is no different.
In these troubled economic times, it seems that there’s not a metaphorical belt in the country that can afford to go without some tightening. And as the Bronxville Board of Education goes through the process of drawing up the budget for 2009-2010, our school will certainly not prove to be an exception. In a meeting on Thursday, March 19th the School Board presented the draft of the budget that it will in all likelihood adopt next month, and pass on to a village vote in May. The total comes out to $44,227,561, a 1.4% spending increase from this year—and one of the school’s lowest budget-to-budget increases of the last decade. In an e-mail message to The Echo, School Board President Rick Rugani assured us that from a high school student’s perspective, the change will barely be noticeable. Nonetheless, the Board has had to begin a long-term tweaking process, taking a serious look at where cuts can be made. For example, the schools that Bronxville athletic teams play against next year could get switched around slightly in an effort to save on transportation. School superintendent David Quattrone and high school principal Terrence Barton both predicted that it may be necessary to remove some low-enrollment electives (see “Number One in the Class” for more on those) from the high school’s list of offerings, increasing the size of other classes by a small margin. A few cost-reducing changes to the Elementary, Middle School and central offices will be made as well.
The other consideration School Board trustees have in creating the budget is what new upgrades and program add-ons must be put on hold. At one point there were stirrings that a new non-western language might be offered in the high school. For those of you who were looking forward to such a program, it would appear that the most advisable course of action now is not to hold your breath, and maybe to invest instead in that Rosetta Stone software they sell in the middle of the mall. Likewise, anyone who had hopes of seeing a new Olympic-sized indoor pool, fully staffed barn and stable, nuclear energy research facility or astronomical observatory installed on school grounds will have to remain patient in coming years.
Speaking of the future, you may wonder what sort of budget-related change our school will be seeing on a more long-term scale. Dr. Quattrone forecasts that the school’s budget problems will probably continue in the coming years. If this is true and more dramatic cuts become necessary, it will be essential for the school to assess what programs its students value most so that the best courses are kept intact. But it’s hard as of now to determine if we’ve weathered most of this storm, or whether the worst is yet to come. Said Mr. Rugani, “It's important to keep in mind that if our national economic crisis continues, we may face even more difficult financial decisions in the 2010-2011 school year and beyond. Despite these challenges, the Board is committed to maintaining excellence in all our schools and providing all our students with a first-class education.”
So regardless of car insurance, it looks like we’re in good hands.
Read more...
The other consideration School Board trustees have in creating the budget is what new upgrades and program add-ons must be put on hold. At one point there were stirrings that a new non-western language might be offered in the high school. For those of you who were looking forward to such a program, it would appear that the most advisable course of action now is not to hold your breath, and maybe to invest instead in that Rosetta Stone software they sell in the middle of the mall. Likewise, anyone who had hopes of seeing a new Olympic-sized indoor pool, fully staffed barn and stable, nuclear energy research facility or astronomical observatory installed on school grounds will have to remain patient in coming years.
Speaking of the future, you may wonder what sort of budget-related change our school will be seeing on a more long-term scale. Dr. Quattrone forecasts that the school’s budget problems will probably continue in the coming years. If this is true and more dramatic cuts become necessary, it will be essential for the school to assess what programs its students value most so that the best courses are kept intact. But it’s hard as of now to determine if we’ve weathered most of this storm, or whether the worst is yet to come. Said Mr. Rugani, “It's important to keep in mind that if our national economic crisis continues, we may face even more difficult financial decisions in the 2010-2011 school year and beyond. Despite these challenges, the Board is committed to maintaining excellence in all our schools and providing all our students with a first-class education.”
So regardless of car insurance, it looks like we’re in good hands.
New Trinket Store Replaces Old
by Nina GoldmanIt’s been three weeks since a brand new store arrived in Bronxville. This store sells fun gift items, personalized stationary, greeting cards, and more! Sound familiar? Well, it’s not Blue Tulip, if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s Swoozie’s!
“Is [this store] Blue Tulip, or has it changed?” asked one confused shopper the other day who had schlepped all the way from Yonkers to browse Swoozie’s merchandise. She had every right to be confused; the similarities between the shop that once occupied the same space and the new one that has come in to replace it are obvious.
Like her, many who once shopped Blue Tulip are unaware of the change. Though sales associates at Swoozie’s claim the store has “entirely different management… owners, system, everything”, many shoppers were hard pressed to find the difference.
“They used to give away lollipops, but now they sell them and give away cookies,” explained a Bronxville mother whose children, all ages eight or younger, had dragged her to the store. She also called Swoozie’s a “little more whimsical” than Blue Tulip had been. However, the biggest change she saw appeared to be the lollipop-cookie situation.
Another shopper, a man from Crestwood, concurred that Swoozie’s “has more fun things.” He seemed excited by the brightly colored knickknacks and trinkets that the store had to offer. Previous shoppers of Blue Tulip, such as White Plains resident Phyllis W., say they always enjoyed being able to get something a “little unusual” there. In this area, Swoozie’s seems to have outdone itself, showing so much different merchandise that one visit wasn’t enough to fully appreciate all of their colorful selection.
A particularly perceptive seven-year-old, John Dominick of Bronxville, who was in the process of buying a stuffed monkey, said “I think it’s the same as Blue Tulip. It just has a different name.” However, the different name seems to be lost on many shoppers. John could and did correctly name the store when asked, but his grandfather, who was accompanying him, could not. Neither could many Bronxville students when questioned about it.
According to the sales associates, “our prices are more competitive [than Blue Tulip’s].” But what does that really mean? “It’s less classy… the prices are lower,” as an anonymous BHS sophomore put it, “They sell more plastic things.” However, in this new, very competitive economy, perhaps that’s a good thing.
Monday, March 23, 2009
SFL Fireside Reading
Photo courtesy of Cara McGonnigle
A report on the activities of the SFL by Vice President Brooke Gogel:
The SFL has been very busy lately. With the dance behind us (where we made thirty-five hundred dollars!) the SFL is now focusing on new issues.
SFL DAY—As of now we are hoping for SFL Day to be held in late May. SFL Day has always been a tradition at Bronxville. For the past two years, SFL Day has not occurred due to the flood and other holdups, but this year the SFL is working really hard to make sure this day happens! With our funds from the dance we hope to make the day enjoyable and memorable. If anyone has suggestions for SFL Day, please come to our meetings, which are held weekly on Thursdays.
MESSAGE BOARD—Will McGough and the technology department have installed a message board in the atrium. It has daily schedules, the weather, highlight tapes, and more! Will is now working on possible WIFI hotspots within the school with the money we earned from the dance.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL—The SFL is helping district wide. Recently, Mr. Wilson, the Elementary School Principal, came to our meeting and asked for help from SFL students—a committee of SFL members are now helping Mr. Wilson determine co-curricular activities for Elementary School students.
HONOR CODE—The SFL spent most of the fall drafting an honor code. Passed by the students, faculty, and administration, the Honor Code was brought before the School Board on March 19th. The Bronxville High School Honor Code was well received and will officially go into effect next fall.
Read more...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Fitness Made Marino
Watch as Mr. Marino helps you get in shape with this mind-blowing new segment, Fitness Made Marino. (Click "Read More" to watch.)
SFL Fireside Reading
by Justice KibbeHey everyone!
I couldn't do a fireside chat this week because I lost my voice, but it's coming back so expect one for next week. Instead, I thought I would just fill you in through the reading thing instead of the viewing thing. Okay? Okay.
That's all I have to say for you all today. See you next week.
- Justice
St. Patrick's Day, or Leprechaun Conspiracy?
by Tim DelaneySilently lurking behind the facade of daily life across America, there is a truth, bound in absolute secrecy, of which none dare speak. The conspiracy of this hidden reality runs deeper than many can comprehend, and it has lasted since its beginning, hidden deep in the mists of history. With every new development that has propelled mankind forward, the hand of this furtive organization has guided each step, imperceptibly moving mankind as a whole towards an unidentifiable purpose. Isolated from the real world, members of this fraternity of manipulators show themselves only one day every year, just long enough to reinforce their dominance of mankind before fading once more into the shadows. That one day, named for the one who first laid down their maddeningly complex master plan, is today, and while the festivities rage on St. Patrick’s Day, the Leprechauns will once again rise and bend mankind to their will.
Scholars have oft sought evidence that this long-rumored society exists at all, but those who have gotten too close to the truth have either disappeared or gone insane. As time has passed, their existence has faded into myth, and the Leprechauns have cultivated this status to their advantage. Those who speak of the threat they pose to society today are laughed at, and those who know of their existence are believed to be mad. The secrecy of the Leprechauns has paid off, and mankind’s only interest in them now is as a fairy tale, a story for young children and festive occasions. There now remains no source anywhere that could lead an investigator to them, save one.
Years, perhaps centuries, in the past, a member of the Delaney clan saved the life of a Leprechaun, sheltering it from its pursuers and giving it time to recuperate before returning it to its people. In that time, my ancestor found amongst the injured creature’s belongings a journal, scrawled in a barely discernable language that, while unknown in that portion of Ireland, would lead to the heart of the Leprechaun secret. Much like Nicholas Cage in National Treasure, I have spent my life following the clues this ancestor left behind in the hopes that through my courage and dashing good looks I might uncover this dark and terrible secret, saving mankind from whatever devilish machinations the Leprechauns have planned.
Like the rest of the world, I didn’t believe a word of the ramblings of this forgotten Delaney when I first found his diary in a trunk full of old family possessions. I mentioned the conspiracy the diary spoke of to only a few friends, merely remarking on its oddity and the obvious insanity that had possessed my ancestor. Apparently, those simple exchanges with people I trusted were enough for the Leprechauns to hear of this leak in their security, and they sent an agent to tighten my loose lips. The agent found me on Sunday, April 15, 2007, and we fought to the death on the first floor of the Bronxville school. By sheer luck and the virtue of my Irish blood, my link to the nation that once stood as the only barrier between the world and the devouring maw of the Leprechaun plot, I was able to prevail over this assassin. The next day, however, I returned to school to find the building close off. They said it was a flood. They said that it was unsafe for people to go downstairs, to the very stage of my battle with the Leprechaun agent. No one suspected the cover-up, blindly accepting that our school had been the victim of a disastrous flood, and in the wake of this fabrication my suspicions solidified into the certainty that the conspiracy was real, and it had to be stopped.
I have searched long and furiously for the any hint of Leprechaun involvement in modern society, hoping against mad hope that I would find the one slip up, the one mistake that I could exploit to reveal their entire organization. With the aid of an immense fortune, my overly proper butler, and my spunky sidekick, I have traveled the globe, hunting through back alleys and questioning those in positions of power. From the back alleys I have been given only the sensation of failure and the aroma of compost, and more often than not the intensity of my questioning has led my hosts to call for security. Only one man I spoke to could look me in the eye and tell me, without hesitating, that he had seen the Leprechauns operate once and since has been unable to forget them. His mind was shattered from long years spent in longer wars, and his speech was broken by the fear that seized his body, but his message only confirmed what I already knew: the Leprechaun threat was alive and well, and they were always watching.
I have not yet cracked this insane plot, but I share it with you, dear reader, in the hopes that you might carry this knowledge forward as a flag of resistance against the growing shadow. I fear my time may be short, and the Leprechaun noose may soon find its way to my neck, but now eliminating me now would be a hollow victory. If you are reading this, you have a choice. You can go back to your everyday life, ignoring the dagger that softly prepares to strike, or you can stand with me against the Leprechauns and strike against them in their moment of triumph, today, their holy day, St. Patrick’s Day.
Dress to Kill: Thursday Night Fever
On Thursday, March 17th, the Student-Faculty Legislature will host a Disco Dance in the "Blue" gym.
But you knew that.
You, like the many people who have come up to me this week, are asking: "What should I wear?"
Well, no worries: Dress to Kill is back for its first print installment: Thursday Night Fever. (A new video episode will be coming soon.)
So when you think of the Disco, the first thing that comes to
mind is Saturday Night Fever, the legendary John Travolta movie.
Men's Look 1: The Mod
Women's Look 1: The RetroIf you're not feeling like a brightly colored dress, opt for the less-mainstream retro skirt and leggings look. What you wear as a top does not really matter, but it is best if it is dark, to contrast your skirt. Your skirt should be bright, and have some volume (bounce) to it. (In other words, you don't want to wear a slim skirt as you would in Look 1.) You should aim to find a skirt which is brightly colored, maybe with a few eye-popping colors. Your leggings should also be brightly colored (match the skirt for bonus points), and should be capped off by pumps or slippers. If you want to be a bit more adventurous, try layering a short skirt on top of a longer one - this might work, but be careful that you don't embarrass yourself - it should look pretty natural (like in the picture on the right).
Men's Look 2: The Hipster
If you don't have a light-colored jacket, or perhaps you want to have a bit more fun, you might want to change it up a bit with The Hipster. The most important component of this look is the shirt - you should be able to find some sort of sparkling shirt from a party/costume shop. After that, all you need are some dark jeans and maybe a wig. (The pants and shirt should both be pretty baggy to create a nice effect when you are dancing.)
Women's Look 2: Flower Child
Now don't get confused: this is the 70's, not the 60's, but flowers were still in for women. Unfortunately, women's fashion in the disco scene can only be described by one word: ghastly. You probably want to find a dress with loose sleeves, on the shorter side with a bright color print (which does not have to be flowers; the important thing is the somewhat gaudy clash of bright colors). A very important component of the look is the long boot. You want to find a slim leather boot, preferably in either white or red that goes up to about your knees. Do not wear leggings as this will ruin the effect. If you do not have a dress like the one described above, you can always create the same effect if you can find a bright print skirt and top. (Again, try to find a top with billowy sleeves like the dress at the right to accentuate the look.)
Last Resort for Men:
If you can't find what you want in Look 1 or Look 2, try wearing dark pants, a black leather jacket, and a brightly colored collared shirt. (Again, press the collar out outside the jacket.)
Last Resort for Women:
If you want to be more versatile and not worry about wearing a dress/skirt, you can wear some slim black pants with a flower-print top over them. Leather pants would be best.
Hair:
The Hair in the 70's was somewhat big. That doesn't mean that everyone had a 'fro, but it did mean that it wasn't as sleek as the styles today. For girls, you probably want to add some wave near the ends. For guys, take comb and comb your hair back. As long as you do this when your hair is dry and you don't put any product in, this should create what I would call, a "Big Hair" look.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
SFL Weekly Fireside Chat: Episode 2
A brief video message from our president, Justice Kibbe. Click "Read More" to watch:
Monday, March 2, 2009
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