CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL_DONE! The work of 15 High School student artists from Jenna McElroy’s Drawing & Painting and AP Art classes was part of SUNY Orange’s recent and annual “An Artist’s Response to Human Rights” exhibition.
Seniors Jenna Bartels, Audrey DeFazio-Schultz, Melanie Jans, and Madisyn Nunez-Troy; juniors Sadie Lambro, Zoey Wagner, and Josephine Witherow; and sophomores Vitalia Carlucci, Sabrina Listwon, Gianna Miller-Bianchi, Addison Sacco, Ava Schoenleber, Zoe Schultz, Elsa Suen, and Mia Whiting had work on display at SUNY Orange’s Orange Hall Gallery from Dec. 3 through 15.
Students were challenged to create a work of art that illustrates, educates, or raises awareness about one of the articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations in 1948 that lists the basic rights and freedoms every person should have, such as the right to life, freedom of speech, education, and fair treatment. It applies to everyone, everywhere, and is meant to guide countries in treating people with dignity and equality.
The document’s basic rights and freedoms include:
• Right to life, liberty, and security
• Freedom from slavery and torture
• Right to equality before the law
• Right to a fair trial
• Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion
• Freedom of opinion and expression
• Freedom of peaceful assembly and association
• Right to privacy
• Right to nationality
• Right to marry and have a family
• Right to education
• Right to work and fair wages
• Right to rest and leisure
• Right to an adequate standard of living (food, housing, healthcare)
• Right to participate in cultural and public life
Team results:
Minisink vs. Shaker 39–25
Minisink vs. Granville/Whitehall 47–17
Minisink vs. General Brown 41–21
Minisink vs. Utica Proctor 66–5
Minisink vs. Coxsackie 54–5
Minisink vs Glens Falls 49–16
Individual highlights:
MOW: Keira Filip, 6–0
Sara Pauls, 6–0
Avery Wingen, 5–0
Jaida Macaluso, 5–0
Kenzie Welch, 5–0
Amelia Patzelt, 4–0
Olivia Miller,4–0
Cait McIlroy, 4–0
Treven Costello, 4-0
Poetic imagery is language that appeals to the senses and helps students understand how a poet creates mood and tone, why a poem conveys meaning beyond its literal statements and why poetry may feel different from prose.
Like all district fifth-graders, Alexa Covais’ IS fifth-graders are in the midst of their Amplify CKLA poetry unit. One of their discussions includes the imagery a poem may invoke. In a seasonal connection, students read a poem called “My Sweater Tells a Story.” They were tasked with highlighting the poem’s imagery and in an art component to the lesson, created the sweater based on what they pictured when finding the imagery in the poem.
Fifth graders learn about poetic imagery because it helps them understand how poems create meaning and emotion, not just what the poem says on the surface. This helps students with abstract thinking, reading, writing and future literary analysis skills. Take a look at their sweater creations and how they align with the poem’s imagery!
The three alumni returned to the high school during their semester break to speak to interested students in a question and answer format about their college experiences. Students submitted questions in advance and later were part of an open discussion with the panelists. The three college students answered questions regarding initial homesickness; how easy or difficult it was to make new friends and take advantage of all that their schools offered; how they “found” their roommates; and if they were transfer students, how was their transfer experience, among other important topics.
Ms. Hauck attended SUNY Orange, transferred and now attends SUNY New Paltz; Ms. Rodriguez attends SUNY Ulster; and Ms. Guido attends the University of Connecticut.
“All the panelists all have very different college backgrounds so they all provided unique insights,” said counselor Bryana Sewell. “We're hoping this will be a yearly event.”
•Gingerbread houses are associated with Victorian houses because of a mix of architectural style, decoration habits and 19th-century culture.
•In the Grimm Brothers’ “Hansel and Gretel,” the children discover a house made of bread, cake, and sugar, with windows of clear sugar. The story never explicitly says “gingerbread,” but it does describe an edible house made of baked goods and sweets. Over time, people naturally imagined this as gingerbread, because it was one of the few sturdy sweet breads that could realistically form walls and roofs.
YUM! It was Gingerbread Day for Cynthia Muccari’s Otisville second and third-graders yesterday, Dec. 18…and the day did not disappoint!
To begin the day, students created their own Gingerbread houses with milk cartons, frosting and all kinds of candy with the help of trusty, little milk cartons.
Later, students colored their own Gingerbread man to represent Germany, which is part of their “Holidays around the World” Social Studies unit. As part of this, they were tasked with writing some things they learned about Germany.
Lastly, students joined in on Third-Grade Teacher Bryon Imbarrato's “Gingerbread Math Mystery,” where everyone had to figure out who took Acting Principal Nikachi Griffin's batches of Gingerbread cookies! They watched testimonies of special area teachers and Principal Julia Downey and listened for clues to try and solve the case. Added in was special math fun which included arrays, number bonds, and tape diagrams of Gingerbread men to represent batches. Students had to use their multiplication or repeated addition skills throughout the activity. What a fun, seasonal and tasty way to reinforce important math and social studies work!
Brendan McGann’s College Biology and College Forensic Science students did just that in their recent gel electrophoresis lab. The separated (by size) DNA fragments allowed students to analyze genetic differences, which is useful to track evolutionary ties and observe genetic similarities for a variety of reasons.
Students prepared an agarose gel, carefully pipetted their DNA samples into wells and applied an electric current across the gel. Because DNA carries a negative charge, the fragments migrate toward the positive end, smaller pieces move faster and farther, while larger pieces lag behind. After the run, the students viewed the separated fragments as distinct bands, each telling a piece of the DNA story.
Not only did students see how DNA can be separated by size, they had the opportunity to practice scientific skills such as micro measuring, pipetting and preparing reagents; apply biology concepts; and have a better understanding of real-world biotechnology tools. These gains in experience allow them to grow from learners into capable young scientists in the fields of genetics, forensics, biotechnology and microbiology research!
Jessica Kahn’s and AnnMarie Guido's Otisville kindergarteners recently gathered for a wonderful afternoon learning about Hannukah, the Festival of Lights! Roberta Kahn, Mrs. Kahn’s mother-in-law, visited and read Chris Barash’s "Is It Hanukkah Yet?" to these little students. After the read-aloud, the students shared what they learned about Hanukkah and asked questions.
The elder Mrs. Kahn also demonstrated how to play the dreidel game and students were partnered to play it. Dreidel is a Hanukkah game where players spin a four-sided top, with each Hebrew letter (Nun, Gimel, Hey, Shin) dictating actions with a central pot of tokens (gelt, nuts, etc.). Players start with equal pieces, add one to the pot to start. Nun (Nothing) means do nothing; Gimel (All) means take the whole pot; Hey (Half) means take half; Shin (Put in) means add one piece to the pot. The last player with pieces wins.
Later, students sang Hanukkah songs and snacked on homemade latkes with sour cream or applesauce. Latkes are traditional Jewish potato pancakes, crispy on the outside and tender inside, made from grated potatoes, onions, eggs, and flour or matzo meal, pan-fried in oil until golden brown. They’re a staple food during Hanukkah.
“These activities provided a wonderful opportunity for the students to come together, learn, and appreciate different holiday traditions,” the younger Mrs. Kahn said.
No one could say to him: “You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch” because his heart had already grown three sizes!
Do you remember what the associative property in math is? We’ll help: The associative property in math is a rule about how you group numbers when adding or multiplying. It says that the way numbers are grouped doesn’t change the result. The associative property is all about grouping (parentheses), not about the order of the numbers. And as these (and ALL) third-graders know, you always solve what’s in the parentheses first!
In math, properties are rules or characteristics that remain true for numbers and operations, providing a consistent and reliable framework for solving problems. These fundamental rules, like the commutative, associative, and distributive properties, allow for the rearrangement of equations without changing the outcome, and they apply across various mathematical fields.
KUDOS to the Intermediate School “Route 6” K-Kids and Otisville K-Kids clubs, who joined forces in November in a service project supporting Wreaths Across America at the Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Goshen with a collective donation!
The mission of Wreaths Across America is to “remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach future generations the value of freedom.”
Students from both clubs raised $1,842 and sponsored a total of 107 wreaths! Along with community members, they volunteered to honor every veteran by helping to place over 4,000 Remembrance Wreaths on the grave sites of local veterans. THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to the success of this initiative.
K-Kids is a global student-led program that provides members with learning and experiences to build character, improve communities and gain leadership skills through service. We appreciate the ongoing support of our Minisink Kiwanis partners to work with our students.
Cliff Loretto’s ES kindergarten music students have been working on a song called “Going on a Sleigh Ride Today.”
Students first warmed up with a snowflake vocal-exploration activity, following a line drawn on the Promethean Board. They matched the contour of the line by using their voices to show how it moved from high to low. Cool stuff, right?
Students also experienced the form of the song by adding body movements to each section. Later, these little ones added jingle bells and listened for musical cues to know when to play and how to position the jingle bell in relation to their bodies.
Vocal-exploration activities are important in kindergarten music classes because they build the foundational skills for students to become confident singers. They’re learning how their voices work and ear-training skills to know specific notes. Plus, they’re building listening and concentration skills in a creative and imaginative way!
“And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say
That the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.”
The High School's Youth Against Cancer (YAC) and ES PTO's "Kids Night Out" fundraiser, held this past Friday was a huge success! Everyone had a wonderful time, which included an opportunity to meet The Grinch! Thank you to all who worked hard to make a memorable night for attendees and for supporting the good work of both organizations.
As part of their work, students worked in groups, focusing on their chosen tribe, and created a slide presentation and diorama to show their knowledge about their research work. The details each group presented include the tribe’s location, the area’s climate, types of homes, transportation, food, clothing art, government as well as the role of men and women.
Studying the Erie, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, Mohican, and Lenape is important for New York fourth-graders because these nations are a central part of the New York’s history, geography, and cultural identity. These tribes lived in what is now New York long before European settlers arrived. Learning about them helps students understand who was here first and how the land and resources were used and cared for.
Two important byproducts of Mrs. Eichwald’s students recent work were they worked in groups – so there were opportunities to share ideas, listen to others, compromise, respect different opinions and solve problems together—skills they will need in school and future jobs. Presenting their work to their peers allowed students to gain more experience in sharing ideas clearly and presenting their information to others while building confidence. WELL-DONE, everyone!
If so, THANK YOU for your support of the group’s mission to support community organizations caring for cancer patients and cancer patients through their fundraising efforts. YAC sold 151 wreaths, raising $1,109 which will be earmarked for their important work!
Sixteen schools from all over New York State competed in the tournament, which was hosted by the Girls Varsity Wrestling Team.
“When the dust settled, our girls walked away as team champions with 327 team points,” said Head Coach Dan Gallo. “Shenendehowa and Middletown came in second and third respectively.”
Seniors Keira Filip (120-pound weight class) and Jaida Macaluso (165-pound weight class) earned Most Outstanding Wrestling (MOW) honors. At 120 pounds was senior Keira Filip and at 165 pounds was senior Jaida Macaluso.
“Every single Minisink wrestler won a match,” added Coach Gallo. “That’s pretty cool.”
Champions
Calista Vargas, 100-pound weight class
Aubrey Weed 138-pound weight class
Treven Costello, 165-pound weight class
Olivia Carroll, 185- pound weight class
Keira Filip, 120-pound weight class
Sara Pauls, 132-pound weight class
Jaida Macaluso, 165-pound weight class
Finalists
Kolbie Furman, 107-pound weight class
Kensi Nigro, 132- pound weight class
Kenzie Welch, 145-pound weight class
3/4th
Zoe Ford, 94-pound weight class
Mady Thorpe, 126-pound weight class
Avery Wingen 138-pound weight class
Joanna Wodzinski, 152-pound weight class
Amaris Miklwood, 165-pound weight class
“Keeping the beat” is an important foundational skill which paves the way later for rhythm and tempo. Before students can read rhythms, clap patterns, or play instruments accurately, they need to feel a steady beat. This activity also supports coordination and body control. And, this activity helps strengthens the connection between hearing something and physically responding to it in addition to enhancing listen and focusing skills.
As part of their work, students were faced with the challenge of creating a bow and arrow with limited resources. They had to create the technology while making sure it functioned. Each group created its own variation of a bow and arrow and tested it by trying to knock down cups.
The group with the best results would be most likely to survive during the Paleolithic Period, which is the earliest and longest phase of human prehistory, lasting from about 2.6 million years ago to roughly 10,000 BCE.
Bows and arrows were important in the Paleolithic Period because they made hunting more efficient and safer. Hunters could then attack from a distance, reducing the risk of injury or death. Hunting success also increased because of the ability to aim and strike animals quickly, which meant more reliable food supplies and better survival for groups. Arrows were perfect for catching animals that were hard to catch with spears. Bow and arrows were not only lightweight and portable, they also represented a major innovation, which also demonstrated growing intelligence, planning, tool-making skill, and the understanding of physics.
BRAVO to the students and staff who participated in the Middle School's Operation Giveback yesterday, Dec. 11!
Scarves were made for local veterans organizations; Christmas tree ornaments were made for nursing home residents; bird feeder garlands, made up Cheerios and berries, were made for their bird friends at home; and bags for use for future breakfast bag use for the local warming station in Middletown were created.
And as a special treat for their very kind work and thoughtfulness, everyone got to decorate (and, of course, eat) fresh, homemade gingerbread cookies baked by FACS teacher Victoria Ingrassia.!
KINDNESS MATTERS! Thank you to all who participated and to those who organized this gathering.
