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6 • Student Life The Bulldog January 2011 Street Jungle Gym By Adam Kirschner Parkour is an activity that many people around the world take part in, either for fun or competition. By definition, it’s getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible, without letting anything stand in your way. Doing this activity is chal- lenging for both the mind and the body, and it will give you a rush of adrenaline when you are climb- ing, running, jumping, rolling and vaulting. This activity takes place in the outside world anywhere with walls, buildings, trees or any place with vast amounts of obstacles. It’s usually a better experience when done in an urban area, where you can enjoy scaling walls and jump- ing buildings. There are a lot of variations in the activity, and many are not considered to be part of the sport. To make parkour more fun, one may add tricks such as flips and spins to their inventory. It’s not in the definition, but it makes for a greater experience and adds looks to the effect. The trick part of the activity goes more along the line of free running, which has no destination. Both free running and parkour have their similarities, for both the body and mind have to be highly disciplined. They are normally completed in the same general area: anywhere with obstacles. Lastly, they are both made up of the same building blocks; running, jumping, and vaulting. The possibilities are endless. It can be done anywhere, using dif- ferent tricks and techniques. There are many precautions one should take before entering the dangers of this activity. It involves a lot of practice, skill, and dedication, but when completing a self-made task in these activities, there is no better feeling. Although tough, parkour and free running are whole new ex- periences that many would enjoy. It can be learned at any gym that offers it, by watching YouTube videos or from a friend that has already learned it. There’s only one gym around here that offers parkour called 5 Star in East Rockaway. Parkour and free running are like no other activities, and everybody looking for fun and challenges should be out on the street attempting it. Parkour participants take risky, exhilerating jumps from one building to another. In Island Trees High School Peer Leaders is one specific group that influences students in a positive way. It has been in the works for over 20 years and continues to focus on providing good role models for younger students. Peer Leaders teach these students to fight against peer pressure, cyber bullying, drugs, and alcohol; they also touch on internet safety and help kids to build self esteem. The Peer Leaders aspire to help younger students in grades six through nine make healthy choices. “Having Peer Leaders in high school is so important because older students become role mod- els to younger ones. We want to show them that life gets hard and to know that it matters… that they matter,” advisor Mrs. Lyons commented. Peer Leaders have to get these younger students to trust them, and by doing so they have to be genuine and set a calm, trusting environment. They let the younger students know that everything they say is confiden- tial, that everything they share doesn’t leave the room. To become a Peer Leader students have to fill out an ap- plication. There are all different types of questions that help assess how much of a leader they are. The future eleventh and twelfth grade students who are applying have to be well rounded, out going, motivated students. Once the Peer Leaders are chosen, there are all different types of training they have to go through before they are ready to reach out to younger students. First, there is a field trip to Project Adventure. This is where these Peer Leaders learn team building and trusting each other while also learning to trust themselves. After this field trip, Peer Leaders then go through several training methods to get their presentation together for the younger students. Once every- thing is prepared they have one last training.The groups share their presentations with the rest of the Peer Leaders which will show if they are ready or not. Next on the schedule for Peer Leaders is visiting grade nine in March. They also help with the eighth graders’ orientation in April. Finally, in May, it will be time to fill out applications for next year. “It’s hard work to become a Peer Leader; you have to care and go outside your comfort zone. It takes a lot of courage and there are hard topics that you have to discuss. You have to be open to change and find out new ways to reach these students,” Mrs. Lyons pointed out. Peer Leaders are a group of students who want to help make a difference. They want to make society a better place. Students can change the way people act and help get kids to make posi- tive decisions. Peer Leaders By Ashley Kornstein collection in only 20 years, which is incredible. Sabers and swords were both part of Dr. Blauvelt’s collection and even though they look similar, they are different. The sabers have more of a curve and were used more as slicing weapons while the swords were straighter because they were used for jabbing. The juniors were delighted to get out of the classroom and learn a little bit of history first hand. On Thursday, March 4, the eleventh graders were treated to an in-school field trip back in time to the Civil War. The students went to the auditorium fourth period where Dr. Blauvelt recited war stories and disoplayed guns that were actually used from the Civil War. According to Dr. Blauvelt, the soldiers would carry two guns in battle, a rifle and a pistol. It would take the more ex- perienced sol- diers around one minute to reload the rifle and for the less experienced, up to five minutes. Dr. Blauvelt had an assortment of guns that were used in battle, some short combat and some long. He had an Enfield that was worth $3000 as well as rifles, pistols and swords. He put together this Trip to the Civil War By Steven Tsakanikas Eleventh graders pose with Dr. Blauvelt and his civil war battle weapons.
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Page 1: 6 • Student Life Student Life • 7 Street Jungle Gym • Student Life Student Life • 7 The Bulldog • January 2011 Street Jungle Gym By Adam Kirschner Parkour is an activity

StudentLife•76•StudentLife

The

Bul

ldog

• J

anua

ry 2

011

StudentLife•76•StudentLife

Street Jungle GymBy Adam Kirschner

Parkour is an activity that many people around the world take part in, either for fun or competition. By definition, it’s getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible, without letting anything stand in your way.

Doing this activity is chal-lenging for both the mind and the body, and it will give you a rush of adrenaline when you are climb-ing, running, jumping, rolling and vaulting.

This activity takes place in the outside world anywhere with walls, buildings, trees or any place with vast amounts of obstacles. It’s usually a better experience when done in an urban area, where you can enjoy scaling walls and jump-ing buildings. There are a lot of variations in the activity, and many

are not considered to be part of the sport.

To make parkour more fun, one may add tricks such as flips and spins to their inventory. It’s not in the definition, but it makes for a greater experience and adds looks to the effect. The trick part of the activity goes more along the line of free running, which has no destination.

Both free running and parkour have their similarities, for both the body and mind have to be highly disciplined. They are normally completed in the same general area: anywhere with obstacles. Lastly, they are both made up of the same building blocks; running, jumping, and vaulting.

The possibilities are endless. It can be done anywhere, using dif-

ferent tricks and techniques. There are many precautions one should take before entering the dangers of this activity. It involves a lot of practice, skill, and dedication, but when completing a self-made task in these activities, there is no better feeling.

Although tough, parkour and free running are whole new ex-periences that many would enjoy. It can be learned at any gym that offers it, by watching YouTube videos or from a friend that has already learned it.

There’s only one gym around here that offers parkour called 5 Star in East Rockaway. Parkour and free running are like no other activities, and everybody looking for fun and challenges should be out on the street attempting it.

Parkour participants take risky, exhilerating jumps from one building to another.

In Island Trees High School Peer Leaders is one specific group that influences students in a positive way. It has been in the works for over 20 years and continues to focus on providing good role models for younger students.

Peer Leaders teach these students to fight against peer pressure, cyber bullying, drugs, and alcohol; they also touch on internet safety and help kids to build self esteem. The Peer Leaders aspire to help younger students in grades six through nine make healthy choices.

“Having Peer Leaders in high school is so important because older students become role mod-els to younger ones. We want to show them that life gets hard and to know that it matters… that they matter,” advisor Mrs. Lyons commented.

Peer Leaders have to get these younger students to trust them, and by doing so they have to be genuine and set a calm, trusting environment. They let the younger students know that everything they say is confiden-tial, that everything they share doesn’t leave the room.

To become a Peer Leader students have to fill out an ap-plication. There are all different types of questions that help assess how much of a leader they are. The future eleventh and twelfth grade students who are applying have to be well rounded, out going, motivated students.

Once the Peer Leaders are chosen, there are all different types of training they have to go through before they are ready to reach out to younger students. First, there is a field trip to Project Adventure. This is where these Peer Leaders learn team building and trusting each other while also learning to trust themselves.

After this field trip, Peer Leaders then go through several training methods to get their presentation together for the younger students. Once every-thing is prepared they have one last training.The groups share their presentations with the rest of the Peer Leaders which will show if they are ready or not.

Next on the schedule for Peer Leaders is visiting grade nine in March. They also help with the eighth graders’ orientation in April. Finally, in May, it will be time to fill out applications for next year.

“It’s hard work to become a Peer Leader; you have to care and go outside your comfort zone. It takes a lot of courage and there are hard topics that you have to discuss. You have to be open to change and find out new ways to reach these students,” Mrs. Lyons pointed out.

Peer Leaders are a group of students who want to help make a difference. They want to make society a better place. Students can change the way people act and help get kids to make posi-tive decisions.

Peer Leaders By Ashley Kornstein

collection in only 20 years, which is incredible.

Sabers and swords were both part of Dr. Blauvelt’s collection and even though they look similar, they are different. The sabers have more of a curve and were used more as

slicing weapons while the swords were straighter because they were used for jabbing.

The juniors were delighted to get out of the classroom and learn a little bit of history first hand.

On Thursday, March 4, the eleventh graders were treated to an in-school field trip back in time to the Civil War. The students went to the auditorium fourth period where Dr. Blauvelt recited war stories and disoplayed guns that were actually used from the Civil War.

According to Dr. Blauvelt, the soldiers would carry two guns in battle, a rifle and a pistol. It would take the more ex-perienced sol-diers around one minute to reload the rifle and for the less experienced,

up to five minutes. Dr. Blauvelt had an assortment

of guns that were used in battle, some short combat and some long. He had an Enfield that was worth $3000 as well as rifles, pistols and swords. He put together this

Trip to the Civil WarBy Steven Tsakanikas

Eleventh graders pose with Dr. Blauvelt and his civil war battle weapons.

Page 2: 6 • Student Life Student Life • 7 Street Jungle Gym • Student Life Student Life • 7 The Bulldog • January 2011 Street Jungle Gym By Adam Kirschner Parkour is an activity

StudentLife•76•StudentLife StudentLife•76•StudentLife

The B

ulldog • January 2011

Jump and Hoops for Heart By Jasmine Parmar

Sam Vero and Raychel Buda Hula Hoop their way through the event.

The High School Physical Education staff helped to keep things running smoothly.

Participants stayed active jumping rope and shooting hoops!

It has been clearly noted that students who actively participate in the Island Trees music department become friends with students who they otherwise would not have had the chance to socialize with.

Whether you’re in the school band, orchestra, chorus, or even music theory, naturally you make friends with the people in the same music class as you and sometimes these friendships turn into un-breakable bonds.

The rise and creation of the up-and-coming Island Trees band Bleeker tells the story of how stu-dents can come together to create music thanks to the school’s music

department. The band consists of Kina

Higgins, Victoria Pontillo, and Victoria Mulligan on vocals, Col-ton Murray on bass, and, myself, Melissa Rorech on vocals and guitar. We’ve also worked with both Colleen Sheehy and Tom Diognardi on drums.

It all started in May of 2010, when Kina Higgins came up to me during chorus and said she wrote a song. After hearing it, we went to the music theory room and I wrote the guitar part to the song.

Mr. Hansen heard us work-ing and told us we definitely had something good going. Since the

The Island Trees Music Department Brings Students TogetherBy Melissa Rorech

school’s Creative Arts Fair was approaching, we decided we were going to perform the song there.

We rounded up Victoria Pontillo and Victoria Mulligan to sing the song too and got to work. Since there were only a few days before the fair, everyday during lunch we went to the music theory room to work on the song.

For just that one performance, David Mannlein played an im-promptu violin part that sounded fantastic. Though the song was only violin, acoustic guitar, and vocals, it definitely had potential; we did as well.

We received so much sup-

port and admiration from fellow students and faculty who saw us perform there that we thought to make this act into an actual band. It also helped that Kina, David, Victoria Mulligan, Colleen, and Tom were all in the same music theory class and that Victoria Pontillo, Colton, Kina, and I are in the same chorus class.

Being in these music and performing arts classes together formed a connection between us that stuck. When school started again in September, we realized we wanted to perform for the talent show when it came around. With much support from the school’s

music department and much determination from us, Bleeker made its public debut as a serious band at this year’s talent show, performing two originals. We all got so much positive feedback it was overwhelming and quite unbelievable.

To think, all of us were just random students who barely knew each other only 10 months ago and now, we’ve formed such a tight, unbreakable bond as not only close friends, but as bandmates. We have the encouragement of the Island Trees music department to thank.

Year after year, there is a con-tinuously large turnout of high school students that attend Hoops For Heart, an event created by the American Heart Association.

Over a decade ago Mrs. Price, a physical education teacher who intimately knows the dangers of heart disease, started Hoops For Heart and it has, and continues to be, a huge success.

Hoops For Heart is a fun and easy way to raise donations that will go to the American Heart Association. You simply fill out a form, collect money in an enve-lope, both of which are provided by Mrs. Price, and hand them in!

Then comes the fun part: you stay after school for one hour and can participate in a variety of fun games; you can play basketball, jump rope, do the limbo and more!

While you’re having fun play-ing with friends you can even win prizes, and just for participating in the event you automatically get one get-out-of-gym pass, and a coupon for Subway. Participants also clock three hours of community service. Yes, that’s right, you get three hours just for participating in this one hour long event!

Let’s not forget the main rea-son we, as students, should all be attending this event though! Besides the fun and prizes, you’re contribution can greatly help those with Heart Disease. The American Heart Association uses the money raised to help pay for new medi-cines for kids with special hearts and to help doctors discover new medicines and treatments. Your donation of one hour and a few dollars can help to save a persons life! Isn’t that worth it?