The Laker Ledger

By Julian Scannell

Memorial Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the last Monday of May. Many people only see this holiday as a day off from school or work, or a day for mattress sales (for some reason). Memorial Day is much more. Memorial Day honors the fallen soldiers who gave their lives defending our country. Unlike Veterans Day, which honors all military veterans, Memorial Day specifically remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their nation.

Originally known as Decoration Day after the American Civil War, people traditionally place American flags and flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. The holiday quickly evolved into barbeques, parties, and the holiday we know today. Americans are also encouraged to join in a unified minute of silence at 3:00 PM to reflect on their sacrifices. Memorial Day, in American culture, also symbolizes the beginning of summer, as well as being tied to races such as the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

Memorial Day celebrations date all the way back to the late 1800s! The first Memorial Day was observed on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina. It was organized by formerly enslaved Black Americans who gave union soldiers a proper burial, followed by a parade of around 10,000 people. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll know Memorial Day is much more than just a celebration; it is a day of remembrance and new beginnings.

Dear Laker Families,

As we close another remarkable school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on all that we have accomplished together and celebrate the many successes of our students, staff, and families.

This year has been filled with learning, growth, achievement, and memorable experiences. From academic accomplishments and classroom projects to athletic competitions, concerts, performances, clubs, service activities, and special events, our students have demonstrated resilience, dedication, and school pride. They have challenged themselves, supported one another, and continued to grow as learners and leaders.

I am incredibly proud of the way our students embody the values that make our school community so special. Through their leadership, acceptance, kindness, empathy, respect, and responsibility, they have helped create a positive and welcoming environment where everyone can succeed.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to our teachers, support staff, coaches, advisors, and families. Your commitment, encouragement, and partnership play a vital role in the success of our students and our school. Together, we have created opportunities that have enriched the middle school experience and helped our students thrive.

To our eighth-grade students, congratulations as you prepare for the next chapter of your educational journey. We are proud of your accomplishments and know you will continue to do great things in high school and beyond. Remember to carry forward the lessons, friendships, and values you have developed during your time here.

As summer begins, I encourage all of our students to take time to relax, enjoy family and friends, stay active, and continue exploring new interests. Most importantly, continue reading, learning, and finding ways to grow each day.

Thank you for making this school year one to remember. On behalf of the entire staff, I wish you and your families a safe, healthy, and enjoyable summer. We look forward to welcoming our students back in the fall for another outstanding year.

Congratulations to Riel Norman, who has won the NJHS's Outstanding Achievement Award two years in a row! Read here for all the details on this spectacular achievement:

Brick Student Earns National Honor 2 Years In A Row

By Emmalee Delaney

Do you have a job? Do you have insurance or a savings account? If you don’t, do you know where to find these financial tools? This is exactly what the financial literacy fair is for! On April 20th, Mr. Kidney launched the first-ever financial literacy fair! In this amazing fair, so many impressive and interesting companies came right to our school to help people in the community fix their financial problems! There were so many different companies all there for the benefit of the community. And when nobody thought it could get any better, there were also students helping out at childcare, so parents had somewhere to put their kids while browsing the fair! The students played with the kids in the gym, played board games, and more. The students who were volunteered got extra credit in Mr. Kidney's class, and they got to pick if they wanted to ambassador the companies or to watch the kids. It was truly an amazing event, and I do not doubt that it will be a success for many more years to come!

By Yadhira Garcia Ramirez

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a teacher? That's exactly what Student Leadership Day is all about! Student leadership day allows students to pick what school staff they want to be for a day through a selective process. The process is This includes special teachers, academic teachers, gym teachers, and administrators. Student Leadership Day allows students to see the responsibilities of teachers and the hard work they face every day.

By Izzy Torres

Baseball

The LRMS baseball team won its division with an undefeated score of 9-2. They played the All-Star Game on June 2 at Central Regional. They played for the Northern Ocean County team, and they won 7-1. Coach Hughes coached with the other coaches. His players, Jacob Booker, Daniel MacInnes, and Benjamin Burkhart, played more than half the game.

Softball

The girls' softball team won the White Division with an undefeated record of 8-3. They had a successful night at the All-Star game, getting multiple hits, and they helped lead the Northern Ocean County All-Stars. They won with the help of their coach, Mr. Puglisi. The score was 13-0! The LRMS softball players who played in the All-Star game were Lily Majors, Riley Sheridan, and Bristol Baracia.

Track & Field

The track team had awesome success this year with the score of 7-0 for girls and 5-2 for boys! At the Meet of Champions, the girls finished in 3rd place overall. There were 2 first-place medal winners: Joanna Laskay in the long jump and Misa Abel in the 100-meter. The second place winners were as follows: Campbell Matos in the long jump; Misa Abel in the 200 meter; and in the 4 x100 relay - Briana Vides, Saiorse Connolly, Katie Oliver, and Kendall Impellizeri. The boys' team all made their personal best times. John Bolen received a medal in the discus.

Congratulations, coaches and athletes!

By Lizbeth Rojas Ramirez

In Mrs. Reck's 8th-grade class, we read the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, which is set during the Holocaust at the concentration camp, Auschwitz, during WWII. The Holocaust is one of the most tragic events in history. Books about the Holocaust tell us real stories about what people went through and how their lives were affected. Reading these stories helps students understand the pain, fear, and struggles people faced during that time.

Students also go to the library for a lesson on Historical Fiction featuring Holocaust novels. Holocaust literature teaches us important lessons about hatred, discrimination, and treating others with respect. Instead of only just reading facts from a textbook, these books help readers connect with people’s personal experiences. They remind us why kindness and standing up for others are important. Mrs. Kerwin then highlights the historical fiction books we have in our library if students are interested in learning more about this topic.

Learning about the Holocaust helps make sure history is not forgotten. It teaches future generations to learn from the past so similar events do not happen again.

By Julian Scannell

This month, we had the honor of learning from a Holocaust survivor: Eva Wiener. Mrs. Wiener visited LRMS to share her story:

After her father was arrested during Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass) in Germany and ordered to leave the country, the family joined many other Jewish refugees on the luxury cruise ship, the MS St. Louis, in May 1939. Mrs. Weiner was just 10 months old. All 900 passengers had visas to settle in Cuba. But when they arrived, the president of Cuba turned them away. The captain then tried to gain passage in the United States and Canada, but was turned away again. After being forced back to Europe, the family escaped death only because her father chose to live in the United Kingdom instead of Belgium, France, or the Netherlands (the other choices). While many of their fellow passengers who landed in continental Europe ultimately died in the Holocaust, Eva and her parents survived in British bomb shelters before legally immigrating to the United States in 1946.

After receiving many formal apologies from the countries that turned her down, Eva began traveling all over New Jersey, speaking with schools and teaching them about her story and the injustice she faced. Her courageous story continues to inspire generations to speak up when faced with bigotry and injustice.

By Skylar Ricco

On June 12, Lakers participated in the annual Relay For Life event in Point Pleasant. What is Relay? Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature, community-based fundraising event. People take turns running or walking around a designated track/path, symbolizing that cancer NEVER sleeps. It is a super awesome society. Did you know that cancer survivors who are running or walking take the first lap around the track to celebrate and symbolize their victory?

Since Relay For Life started, it has grown to incorporate over 35 countries. It has also raised over $6.9 billion globally. Our school raised over $250 this year to the cause!

Relay For Life is a very important and great organization for people all around the world. This is to celebrate survivors, honor loved ones lost, and take action against cancer... It’s worth the run.

By Lily Tate

This year's spring band and chorus concert was held on Tuesday, May 19th. The performance was wonderful. The junior band, the senior band, and the LMRS chorus performed, joined by the Brick Township High School Chorus. The junior band, the senior band, and the Lake Riviera Middle School Chorus performed multiple beautiful selections. The concert was held in the Lake Riviera Middle School auditorium. I would like to thank Mr. Murdock and Ms. Perednia for putting together this wonderful performance.

BY Jazziah Dingle

On April 12, there was a district choir day where our very own Voices of the Lake went to Brick Township High School to perform for the three other schools that came: Brick Township High School, Veterans Memorial Middle School, and Brick Memorial High School. We all performed the songs that we worked on for the spring concerts. Also, all of the schools came together for one special song that we learned together that day, and then we all performed it in unison. Our school did a great job, so congratulations to the Voices from the Lake choir for their amazing performance.

By Holly Dafeldecker

On May 15th, the LRMS Junior and Senior bands went to Six Flags Great Adventure for the annual PAC for a Day! This event is coordinated each year by our band teacher, Mr. Murdock.

First, the junior band played Character and Armory. The senior band played Snowscape and Vavelocity. After the performance, we had a workshop where the judges gave us tips to help us improve the songs. The junior band also played a game where we played our instruments minus the drums, and we had to keep on beat and play at the right times. It was really hard to do because everyone kept playing early or late! Both bands played very well in the contest, earning GOLD ratings! After the contest, everyone got a few hours of ride time. The weather on Friday was beautiful. It was a great day to celebrate music!

By Abigail Arenth and Andrew Velcheck

This year's Green and White Night was an enjoyable night for all students and their families. Our area 5th graders were also invited to check out the school and all the fun clubs we have! There was so much to do. Green and White Night started with a welcome table and snack stand when you entered the front door. They didn’t have any bad options, and the profits help fund all of our wonderful clubs. The entrance also had face painting and tattoo stations! When you turned into the gym, there were a bunch of games like relay races, free throws, and we even had "life-sized" Hungry, Hungry Hippos. In the MPR, the Student Council had quite a display of entertaining games to play, and the Green Team was making recycled egg carton animals. Sigma Math had popcorn, and they hosted board games. The science club was also making DIY paper rocket ships to land a marshmallow! Room 120 had BINGO, and outside, NJHS had loads of yard activities.

That night, Reporter Andrew interviewed some 5th graders and asked a very important question: “Are you excited to attend Lake Riviera next year? One 5th grader said, “Yes, because all of the new and interesting teachers I will get to meet.”

Lake Riviera middle schoolers have an abundance of clubs and activities that anyone interested can join. I know I enjoy as many clubs as possible!

By Michelle Canadero

Ms. Lane recognizes students who have good attendance at the end of each month with an important award. The attendance awards are given to the students who arrive at school and are ready for learning every day. These students receive a certificate from the school for their excellence. Then, their names are written down on a wheel for a chance to win a Great Attendance Giveaway prize. Ms. Lane spins the wheel for up to five students at each grade level. Prizes include snacks like chips or granola bars, or a choice prize from the Laker Loot chest.

Lastly, I have an important question to ask all Lakers: what prizes would YOU like to win from the Lakers Loot chest? If you do have an idea, please email Ms. Lane or Mrs. Bucco!

3-2-1- BLASTOFF! In the most recent science club, students engineered a shock-absorbent device to safely land two astronauts (marshmallows) on the moon (pictured above)!

By Julia Aduchijeff

“Oh my goodness! I got into NJHS!”

The squeals of joy from different students bring smiles to Mrs. Prince’s face. Now, you might be wondering, what is NJHS exactly? The National Junior Honor Society is a national organization that recognizes service, leadership, citizenship, character, and scholarship, advised by Ms. Prince. Students at LRMS can apply each year to be accepted into the society. If you have all your service hours for the NJHS application, you are on the right track! If you have distinguished honor roll or honor roll, you are also on the right track! You also have to write a 5-paragraph essay (I know this sounds like a lot, but it’s worthwhile in the end!) These are the necessary components you need to apply for NJHS. Then, a panel reviews the applications and decides on this year's new members.

This year's Induction Ceremony for new members took place on Wednesday, May 20th. The ceremony formally welcomes those candidates into the National Junior Honor Society and also recognizes those current members with exemplary hours of community service. At this ceremony, the 2026 You Touched Our Lives Award was presented to Mrs. Altobello. Good luck to all of Lake Rivera’s future candidates running for NJJHS officers and applying for NJHS!

By Emmalee Delaney

As it is finally the end of the year, everybody is getting ready to leave school, enjoy their summer, hang out with friends, go swimming every day, hang out at the beach, and so much more. However, even with the excitement of summer, there is one part of the end of the school year that many dread: the graduation of the eighth graders. While it is so exciting that the eighth graders get to graduate, it is hard for many of the seventh and sixth graders who may not see them for a while, or for the eighth graders who are going to different schools. However, even though there is a mix of excitement

and sadness, there is no doubt that the eighth graders have worked very hard during their middle school years, and through changing, memories, and new experiences are ready to make their mark on high school. This is something that everyone is very proud of the eighth graders for, and something that is wanted to be celebrated.

In our school’s National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), there was an ice cream tribute for these eighth graders not only to recognize their graduation but also to recognize the time and effort they put into the school’s NJHS. Everyone got to have ice cream and enjoy themselves, right after the induction of the new NJHS officers for next year and the recognition of the eighth-grade officers who put so much time and effort into the NJHS program. Both the ceremony and the tribute were amazing, and what makes it even better? The eighth graders didn’t have to pay! All in all, the tribute and the ceremony were really great ways to honor the eighth graders and induct the new officers.

Hot off the presses: the sequel to Scary Stories to Tell in the Library - MORE Scary Stories to Tell in the Library! This is a book of scary, suspensfull stories written and illustrated by LRMS students that Mrs. Kerwin puts together as a book each year! Copies are available to check out from the LRMS library. Readers beware, you're in for a scare!

By Jazziah Dingle

On April 4th, some of our very own teachers stepped behind the counters and served students ice cream and Italian ice with a RITA'S Takeover! Students got to see some of their teachers and have a sweet treat at the same time. This event helped raise money for the PTA in a fun way. This was a successful and happy day where students and teachers had lots of fun and enjoyed the hot evening with cool, sweet treats. Thanks to everyone who came and volunteered!

By Amara Tyler
April 23rd was National Take Your Child to Work Day. The holiday originally started as Take Your Daughters to Work Day to increase the number of women in the workplace, then expanded in 2003 to include sons, too.

Teachers and staff took their children here to see what it is like to work at a middle school. There were activities planned all day. Kids painted “Kindness Rocks,” went on a nature walk, and had time to play in our gym. They also went to the library for a turtle-themed activity with story time and a turtle scavenger hunt. After, the kids went into the courtyard to feed LRMS's resident turtles. It was such a wonderful experience meeting everyone’s kids!

By Elizabeth Dautrich

Our trees give so much to our environment, so why not celebrate that? Well, we do thankfully, and that holiday is called Arbor Day. Arbor Day is a holiday dedicated to planting, preserving, and honoring trees. This holiday started in 19th-century Nebraska and is now celebrated in all 50 U. S states and many countries worldwide! Some Arbor Day traditions include tree planting events in public spaces, tree dedications in memory of some loved ones, educational activities, community clean-ups, and volunteering with local tree-planting businesses.

Our own LRMS celebrated Arbor Day by having some teachers in their classes teach us about how much our trees help not only our lives but the lives of our ecosystems too. Also, on Monday, May 6, a dedication was held for our cherished custodian, Mr. Hubert, in recognition of his years of service to Lake Riviera Middle School. A tree was planted as a symbol of all that he has done for students, staff, and administration. Thank you to the Shade Tree Commission for donating Mr. Hubert's tree. It is a symbol for all of our future Lakers to look at and admire.

You too can help celebrate this Arbor Day by planting a tree, learning more about trees, visiting local parks/ nature areas, supporting tree-planting initiatives, and sharing the message about why we should help keep our trees instead of continuing to cause deforestation on our lands. So, make sure you celebrate this Arbor Day and the rest to come, because trees are important parts of our lives too!

By Tia Ryberg & Emma Murphy

Every year on April 22, Earth Day is celebrated, and it's a special day to show love for our planet! It started in 1970 because people were worried about pollution and how we were hurting the Earth. Now, it’s celebrated all around the world!

On Earth Day, lots of people do different activities to help the environment. Schools might have fun events like planting trees, cleaning up parks, or learning about how to recycle. As a matter of fact, that day Mrs. Picchierri's 7th-grade classes planted trees in our courtyard! As Mrs. Picchierri stated, "Hopefully, when the students graduate next year, they will be able to see how much they’ve grown when they take their pictures in the courtyard." So cool!

Each year, Earth Day has a different theme that focuses on important issues, like reducing plastic use or taking care of animals that are in danger. It’s a great reminder for everyone to think about how we affect the Earth and what we can do to help it. So, on April 22, let’s all remember to do something good for our planet! Let's celebrate Earth Day!

By Michelle Canadero

The Green Team club had a lot of accomplishments this spring for the school and the environment. I know this because I spoke directly to the teacher who is the advisor of The Green Team, Mrs. Byrne. For example, this fall, the Green Team collected acorns that fell around the school. Afterwards, a tree conservationist fostered the trees - he picked them up and planted them in a greenhouse. They grew from acorns to seedlings (baby trees!) On May 27th, the club then planted the seedlings on school property!

The Green Team also had a table this spring at the Brick Township Green Fair on May 16th. This was a community-wide event that included crafts and activities.

Lastly, the Green Team helped LRMS win the Sustainable Schools NJ Bronze Award! This is an important award for The Green Team and our school. They have been trying to earn this award for 3 years! Congratulations on your hard work, Green Team!

By Angelina Barone

Summer reading helps prevent kids from forgetting what they learned in school. It keeps their minds active and helps them feel excited, confident, and ready to go back in the fall. Kids can get books from their local library. There is one in Brick across from BTHS on Chambers Bridge Road. They have a lot of great books, audiobooks, and online reading resources that you can access for free. With your library card and the apps, you can even stream movies, shows, music, and podcasts for free using the Hoopla and Kanopy apps. They also offer really fun activities for teens.

Check out their website for library card applications, events, and more here:

The Ocean County Library

By Hadassa Valle

Our area 5th graders visited LRMS the first week in June for an orientation. The first place they went was the library for a presentation. Then, NJHS members gave students a tour around the school. The 5th graders went all over the school, then finally went to the gym to see the locker room. Finally, the tour concluded in the library with a Q & A, then a bus trip back! We are looking forward to having them!

By Elizabeth Dautrich

Let’s talk about one of the most important holidays in our nation, Juneteenth! Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19th to commemorate the end of slavery in the U. S. This holiday reflects on both the struggle for freedom and the resilience of African Americans who celebrated their freedom through community gatherings, church services, and cultural events starting in 1866 in Texas. Over a long period of time, these celebrations spread into the South, eventually becoming nationwide! These celebrations often include music, food, dancing, educational events, and family gatherings. You can celebrate Juneteenth by engaging in cultural expression, attending community gatherings, or supporting African-American-owned businesses. So make sure you celebrate Juneteenth this year because freedom is something everyone in this world should have, no matter who they are.

By Eshae Higgins

Mr. Malpass's two favorite desserts combined into one. A delicious brownie + chocolate chip cookie combination, a rich fudgy brownie with a soft chocolate chip cookie in one decadent dessert bar.

Ingredients

Brownie layer

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp baking powder

Cookie layer

• ½ cup (1stick) unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 350f (175 °C). Grease or line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Make the brownie batter: Melt butter in a bowl. Stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder until smooth. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Make the cookie dough: Cream softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Assemble & bake for 25-40 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

The Laker Ledger

The Student Newspaper of Lake Riviera Middle School

Summer 2026

Advisors: Ms. Lynch & Mrs. Kerwin

Editor: Emmalee Delaney

Assistant Editors: Emily Smith & Elizabeth Dautrich