Berner Beacon

Can you guess which furry family member belongs to which teacher? The answers are at the end of the issue!

Teacher Choices

Mrs. Ogurick

Mr. and Mrs. Einhart

Señora Beitzinger

by Reyna Kataeva

Finals are coming up soon... Teachers are handing out review packets. You study for hours and yet, when you try to remember what you studied, you can’t seem to remember anything at all. This is because you are not studying effectively. Before we begin, remember that everyone’s brain works a little bit differently, so you may not find all of the things in this article helpful. However, these are things that I know many people, including myself, find are the most effective and efficient ways to actually prepare for the biggest tests of the year. Here are some tips that will help you not only feel prepared but actually be prepared.

First, you have to set yourself up for success. Make sure you are studying in a place where you will be focused, such as the library or at your desk at home. I recommend using the library, which is open during most lunch periods and after school from 3:00 to 3:40. By studying in a space designed focusing, you will find yourself less prone to distractions. However, if you do choose to study at home, I strongly recommend putting your phone and other possible distractions in another room, or even with a parent or sibling. This ensures that you aren’t constantly battling the urge to grab your phone and scroll on TikTok or play a game. Instead, you can actually sit down and focus on your work. There’s one last thing before you begin. Although this may not be the case for everyone, I find it really hard to study in a messy or disorganized environment, so consider cleaning up your workspace before you begin.

Okay, so you’ve cleaned up your workspace, put away distractions and figured out where you are studying, but now what? Despite what many people believe, just re-reading notes or going through a slideshow probably isn’t the best use of your time, as it has been proven that it isn’t very effective. Instead, I always recommend starting with the resources your teacher provides you. Many teachers will post SO MANY study resources to their Schoology page. All you have to do is look. Blooket, Quizlet, Wayground, Kahoot, and Gimkit are all fun and easy ways to study. Another way you can study is by using flashcards. Flashcards work really well for vocabulary words in science and social studies. It can also be helpful in math if you are struggling with remembering words such as pi or radius. Flashcards will be most helpful in your World Language, because it will help you build your vocabulary.

Although flashcards are extremely useful for vocab, using them for multiple choice and short answer questions becomes more difficult and less effective. Most teachers will hand out review packets with tons of multiple choice and maybe even some short answer questions for you to study. When using a review packet, the most effective way to study is to do a couple of questions each day and check the answer key if it is available. If not, I suggest checking in with a teacher or a friend to make sure that what you are studying is the correct information.

If your teacher does not provide a review packet that is completely okay. You, a friend, sibling, or parent can easily create questions based on notes and/or classwork and homework. Speaking of homework, don’t think that doing your homework doesn’t count as studying. Since you are still answering questions and reinforcing your knowledge of that subject, homework 1000% counts. If you really don’t want to create your own questions, AI can actually be a very useful tool for this. Although AI should never be used for schoolwork or homework, uploading your notes to ChatGPT or Google Gemini and asking it to create practice questions can be really helpful, as you are not spending time making questions yourself.

What about short answer questions? The best way to prepare for short answer questions is to have a template of what to write ready for a couple of different questions. For example, a short answer question in Social Studies would be something like “What is the purpose of Document 2?” An example of a template answer would be something like “The purpose of document 2 is…” By using a template for questions that appear often in tests and quizzes, you are already prepared to answer the question and just have to insert information. I remember my go-to template answers, but you can write them down if you need. Just remember that you can’t use your notes on any assessments, just what you know. To find questions that you should create template answers for, I suggest looking back on old assessments and seeing what type of questions repeat.

Speaking of old tests, looking back at assessments that you didn’t do well on is a great way to figure out where most of your studying should go towards. I also suggest looking at what you did do well on, that way you don’t waste time putting efforts in the wrong place.

You may be wondering, what actually makes these methods more effective compared to passively re-reading notes or reviewing slideshows? The difference is these methods force your brain to recall what you learned, rather than just letting the information go into short-term memory. As the name suggests, info in short- term memory will only be able to be remembered for a short amount of time. The process of forcing your brain to recall information is called active recall. Active recall will almost all of the time be the most effective way to study. This is because when your brain is forced to remember and recall something every day, it will eventually move that information into long-term memory storage, meaning you will remember it for longer. And unlike your phone storage, your brain will always have room to add more information, which means you can always learn something new.

Last but not least, create a study schedule and consider starting a study group or studying with a friend. This keeps you accountable and will help you actually have time to study. To create a study schedule, make sure you are aware of your personal and school schedule so you know when you have time to study. When you do see that you have time, make sure to calendar a study session or write it down somewhere that way that time will not become filled with other commitments.

There are sooooo many more tips and methods for studying effectively, so if you really want more information, there are tons of websites and videos that go into more depth about studying efficiently. I hope you learned how to study effectively and efficiently from this article. Good luck on your finals and have a great summer!

by Juliana Clossick and Emma Vertescher

There are so many clubs at Berner and all of them are a key aspect to our school, but there is one club that has such a big positive impact on our school and community. That club is Best Buddies! This club is a great opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.

When you get there you get to play games with people you don’t know because it's all about meeting new people and having a lot of fun. Some of the events that Best Buddies does is the Empire Games, Best Buddies friendship walk, and in the winter they perform in a concert. You get to talk to anyone in any grade but 6th and 7th grade have their own meeting date while 8th grade gets their own.

My personal favorite event that Best Buddies does is the Empire Games. It is a great opportunity to meet new people because everyone there works together to play games and have fun! Some activities at the Empire Games include: beanbag toss, obstacle courses, 40, 50, or 100 meter races, and so much more! This year I (Juliana Clossick) was lucky enough to attend the Empire Games and I can say personally that it is a truly amazing day to have fun and help the buddies who are in the CCC program. The amount of work that goes into this event to make it a special day is incredible and it is so much fun to be there. At the Empire Games you are able to get ice cream or snacks, and our buddies get a chance to win special prizes.

Best Buddies also has their annual friendship walk and they perform in the winter concert. In the winter, this club holds rehearsals to make sure that everyone is ready for the big day! The friendship walk is held at Marjorie R. Post Community Park and there they have an opening ceremony, food trucks, obstacle courses, live music, the main walk, and so much more!

As you can see this club gives so much and is an amazing club. So even though in the beginning we said that there are so many clubs at Berner, you should definitely check out Best Buddies next school year!

by Ashiyana Gosalia

Imagine wandering around New York City, not knowing what sight to see, or what activities to do next. You may have been to NYC a lot, and you may not go often. If you go there a lot, there still may be sights that you haven’t been able to see yet. I’ll help you with your next big adventure in New York City, where there’s a chance of illusions, fun, and satisfaction! There’s a place in New York where-no doubt- it will catch your eye right away! It’s a museum called the Balloon Museum.

The Balloon Museum is full of illusion and mainly, It has all sorts of activities and it was almost like taking a visit into your imagination! It's a place where you don’t have to worry about your parents taking a picture every second! There are opportunities where you’d actually want to take pictures in driven, balloon art rooms! My favorite part, though, is falling into massive, glowing ball pits!

Experience walking through bubbles in the dark, and throw and bounce an inflatable sphere that is 10 times your size, yet weigh 10 times less! Soon you’ll encounter VR experiences in a world of virtual reality! The illusions are also really cool with mirror mazes where you might get lost in by seeing yourself everywhere you look! I would never be bored going here no matter how many times I go!

Here are some reviews of other people's experiences where you can find on Balloon Museum - Let’s Fly New York if you would like to read other reviews:

Review #1:

“The Balloon museum was great. It was a walk through interactive experience that is great for children and adults alike. First off you experience the outdoor waiting area which has large bouncy balls and blow-up shelters almost with inflatable chairs to sit in. Then when you enter, you go through a bunch of immersive experiences such as a ball pit, balloon show, VR experience, bubble room and glow mirror maze. You can even buy food there! I highly recommend it!”

Review #2:

“A really fun and unique experience. The kids had a blast (8, 6 and 3), and the adults did too. You should plan to buy a timed entry ticket in advance. They let waves of people in on 15 min increments. We entered at the back half of ours, which I think helped as the first rush was ahead of us. The exhibits are fully interactive, and visually stunning, very Instagram worthy. There are food, restrooms, and baby changing rooms toward the end. You can take your time as you go through, but some exhibits are run as shows, the ball pit is about 10 min from when you enter to when they move you on. The VR is about 3 min. Definitely worth checking out!”

I definitely recommend the Balloon Museum in New York City if you would like some fun time with your family and friends, where you can’t get bored!

by Eva Meyers

The Activities Are Insane

First of all, the camp has this awesome Wild West theme, so everything feels like an adventure. We have a brand new ninja warrior course, an inflatable trampoline-style attraction, we get to go on a zipline, and we even do archery! When it's super hot outside, we get to go to the pool twice a day. Once for swimming lessons (until going into grade 5) where we actually learn strokes, and once just to splash around with our friends on the slides. They have a celebrity athlete come every year, too! From the years I have been there, they have had the American Ninja Warriors come, Zach Wilson a former Jets quarterback, Shaquille O' Neal, a former Lakers Player, Jalen Brunson from the NY Knicks, Juan Soto from the NY Mets, and this year they are welcoming a gymnast, Livvy Dunne.

If you like sports, the fields are massive. They even have lights like a real-life pro stadium! But honestly, everyone's favorite thing to play is GaGa. If you win the GaGa tournament, you get on the legendary "Wall of Fame". I haven't made it there yet, but I'm trying really hard!

The Food and Friends

At noon, we all get to hang out during "club time." We also get a really good barbecue lunch with an ice cream cart before we leave! Everyone gets put into small groups with counselors, and they are always super nice and hype us up to try new things.

When You Get Older...

The best part about going there for a long time is that the camp grows with you. When you get to the older divisions (like the 49ers), you even get to go on awesome weekly day trips to water parks, theme parks, fishing and more! I am also a 49er.

If you want to have the best summer, make sure you check out the Coleman Country Day Camp website with your parents. Happy Trails!! I'll add some pictures of the camp down below.

by Reyna Kataeva

Everyone knows about the popular Wordle puzzle game. But have you ever wondered how Wordle got so popular? And who created it anyways? Why the name Wordle? Read on to find out some amazing facts about The New York Times most popular game.

In 2021, Josh Wardle, a Welsh software engineer, wanted to give his partner, Palak Shah, a creative and personal gift that she would cherish. He came up with Wordle due to his and his partner’s love for crossword puzzles. Being a software engineer, Wardle designed the game himself and named it after himself, with a little twist. But it wasn’t always open for the public to play.

At first, Wordle was a unique and cherished game shared between Wardle and Shah. They then showed friends and family, and they became hooked. Wardle and Shah’s friends and family loved the game. They loved it so much that in October 2021, Wardle released the game to the public.

By early 2022, Wordle had millions of people playing daily. In January 2022, Josh Wardle sold Wordle to The New York Times Company for an undisclosed amount of money. So now you know how Wordle was invented, but have you ever wondered who creates all those puzzles?

Will Shortz is the editor of The New York Times Crossword, a position he has held since 1993. He is widely known as the world's only cruciverbalist (an expert in puzzles) with a college degree in enigmatology (the study of puzzles).

Shortz doesn't actually write the daily crossword himself. Instead, a bunch of different puzzle makers mail or submit their original crossword to the New York Times. Shortz and his editing team review thousands of entries, select the best ones, and heavily edit the clues to make sure the difficulty increases perfectly from an easy Monday to a challenging Saturday.

Joel Fagliano is the Senior Puzzles Editor at the New York Times. He started as an intern under Will Shortz while studying at Pomona College and went on to pitch and launch The Mini Crossword in 2014.

Unlike the main crossword, Fagliano manually writes and constructs the 5-by-grid very single day. He is inspired by current pop culture, everyday puns, and breaking news. He starts by picking a single anchor word (like a trending celebrity name) and patterns the rest of the grid around it.

Tracy Bennett took over as the full-time dedicated editor of Wordle in late 2022. Before joining the New York Times, she spent 30 years as a copy editor for mathematical journals and was a competitive crossword maker.

Bennett’s job consists of filtering the pre-existing Wordle word bank, created by the original owner and creator of the game, Josh Wardle.

In conclusion, Wordle is a fun game with an interesting backstory. There are many people involved in the creation of the fun, interactive games millions of people play daily. Have a great summer, and maybe try and create your own game, just like Josh Wardle did. You never know. You might just come up with the perfect game.

by Emma Vertescher

Would you rather have a ice cream or a popsicle?

Would you rather go to the ocean or the pool?

Would you rather read a book or scroll on TikTok?

Would you rather listen to music or have noise canceling headphones on?

Would you rather dance in front of everyone or sing in front of everyone?

Would you rather be super hot or super cold?

Would you rather you rather have no teeth for $1 million dollars or have no toes for a $1 million dollars?

Would you rather fly a kite or ride a boat?

Would you rather go to an amusement park or a waterpark?

Would you rather stay home or go vacation?

Would you rather go to dinner or make something?

Would you rather hang out with friends or hang out with family?

Would you rather get a dog or a cat?

Would you rather go to a museum or to a park?

Would you rather play inside or outside?

Would you rather be in school until August and end in May or September until June?

Would you rather play games or watch a movie?

Would you rather have a job decided for you or go to school for 5 years to interview for your dream job?

Would you rather only watch musical movies or only watch black and white movies?

Would you rather have a slow car or a fast bike?

Would you rather be stuck in school for hours or the airport for hours?

Would you rather go on a cruise or go on an airplane?

by Caitlin Cepregi

When trying to write an entertaining and interesting story, a lot of the time people have trouble writing compelling characters that readers can relate to. A lot of famous stories are made memorable and impactful by the cast of characters that lead the story. If you are having trouble with your characters’ personalities, here are some questions to think about to help develop them!

Basics/Appearance

1. What is your character’s full name?

2. Does your character have a nickname? If so, what is it?

3. How old are they?

4. What is their date of birth?

5. What is their race/ethnicity?

6. How tall are they?

7. How much do they weigh?

8. What is their hair color?

9. What is their eye color?

10. Do they have any other distinctive features?

11. What kind of clothing do they wear?

12. Do they wear jewelry? If so, what kind?

Personality

1. How would your character describe themselves in one word?

2. What do they want more than anything?

3. How do others see them?

4. How do they see themselves?

5. What is their greatest strength?

6. What is their greatest weakness?

7. What is their greatest fear?

8. What sort of people are they attracted to?

9. Have they ever been in love?

10. Are they more of an optimist or a pessimist?

11. Are they more of an introvert or an extrovert?

12. If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?

13. What are some of their hobbies/interests?

14. How do they handle conflict?

Relationships/Backstory

1. How many people are in their family?

2. Are they currently in a relationship?

3. Do they have any siblings? If so, how many? Are they older or younger?

4. What is their relationship with their siblings/parents/family members like?

5. Where did they grow up?

6. Who is their best friend, and what are they like?

7. What were they like as a child?

8. What is their happiest memory?

9. What is their worst memory?

10. What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved?

11. What advice would they give their younger self?

12. Did they have an imaginary friend in childhood?

Favorites

What is their favorite:

Color?

Food?

Animal?

Place?

Person?

Book?

Song?

1. What is their favorite day of the week? Why?

2. Do they have a favorite saying or phrase? If so, what is it and why?

I hope this questionnaire helped you with your character development! Thank you for reading!

by Mrs. Cangiano

You’ve seen the photos, you’ve read the stories, and you’ve scrolled through the social media posts. But have you ever wondered who’s behind it all? This issue we turn the spotlight on the man behind the camera: the photographer, storyteller, and social media expert who helps share our district’s biggest moments with the community, Mr. Andrew Hackmack.

1. What is the “formal” title of your job?

Senior Account Executive with Syntax Communications, the public relations firm used by the Massapequa School District.

2. Describe what a day or week looks like for you.

A typical week includes multiple visits to schools to gather content, including notes for stories and photos. I also have to ensure time each week to write stories, select and edit photos, create social media posts, prepare website content, answer emails and schedule future school visits.

3. How long have you been in this role?

This is my 10th year.

4. Have you always had a passion for this field of work?

I have been interested in journalism since middle school, and then I worked on both my high school and college newspapers. The first 12 years of my career were spent working for weekly newspapers before switching to public relations. It was a natural progression because of the similar skill set. I have always enjoyed writing about education which is why I went to work for a public relations firm that supports public school districts.

5. What is your favorite part of this job?

The interactions I have day to day in the schools with administrators, teachers and students. It’s important to get to know people on a more personal level because building strong relationships is key to success.

6. What are some of your favorite hobbies?

Bike riding, watching the New York Mets and Islanders, taking care of my cat and spending time with friends.

7. What is an accomplishment you’re proud of?

Winning an award from the National School Public Relations Association for a video I did to promote the launch of the new Massapequa School District website. Another accomplishment is increasing the number of “reels” – short videos – on the Massapequa Facebook and Instagram pages to add more engaging content.

by Isabella Tiscione

What's pink, stands on one foot, and lives in water? A flamingo! You may recognize them for their pink feathers but it really isn't all pink. They have black feathers at the end of the wings that you can only see if they are flying. They are also not pink when they are born they are actually white and gray it takes about 2 full years for them to turn pink. Another fun fact about flamingos is they eat upside down. When it is time for them to eat their food they put their heads completely under the water and use their beaks to suck up the mud to find shrimp and algae. Another thing that you see them doing a lot is standing on one leg. They do this to keep them warm. Did you know that their ankles are actually their knees?! When you see them on 1 leg the joint that makes their leg bend is actually their ankle. If you ever saw a flamingo nest you would know that it looks like a mini volcano. They make this volcano/nest by using mud. If a flamingo is 5ft tall you would probably think it would be heavy but even if they are 5ft tall they weigh only about 4-8 pounds. If you have ever seen a flamingo's eyes you would think they are really tiny but it is really bigger than its own brain! They have been around for 40 to 50 million years! You can find fossils of them from all the way back to 528 B.C.E. If you go against a flamingo to see who can drink the spiciest drink they will win. They can drink boiling hot water and not even react! If you look up at night and see a pink feathery thing in the air that's probably a flamingo. Flamingos like to fly at night time to avoid all the creatures that can kill them. You may not see them in the air at night a lot but that's their favorite time to go out and fly. So, the next time you see a flamingo, remember that they are much more than just a pretty pink bird.

by Taylor O’Toole

Happy 250 years! This Fourth of July, or Independence Day, will be 250 years of America! So let's do a recap. Where do the Fourth of July traditions come from? What are fun facts about the Fourth of July? If you're asking those questions then you are in the right place!

Let's start with a fun fact, three very important people that (sadly) died on Independence Day. Do you guys remember John Adams, or maybe Thomas Jefferson, what about the fifth president Monroe? They all died on the Fourth of July. Enough on death, did you know the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, was born on the Fourth of July?! Have you ever had a barbecue on the Fourth of July? Have you ever wondered why people do barbeques on the Fourth of July? Well, it's more simple than you may think. Barbecues would be held at political rallies, especially in the South where they were held on Independence Day. Speaking of barbecues, Americans eat 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day alone! Many think that the Fourth of July was celebrated for the first time on July 4, 1776, but it was actually celebrated for the first time four days later on July 8, 1776.

This year when you celebrate the 250th year anniversary of Independence Day remember these fun facts and maybe surprise your loved ones! And next time you play trivial pursuit remember Calvin Coolidge's birthday, so you can win!

by Emma Vertescher

Juneteenth is a national federal holiday created to celebrate the ending of slavery. Juneteenth got it's name from a blend of "June" and "nineteenth." It became the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Though President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it took 2 years until it reached Galveston, Texas.

In the Emancipation Proclamation it stated that all slaves of The Confederacy were free. Even though the Union didn’t have power over The Confederacy they still made the proclamation so slaves who escaped from the South would fight in the war for the Union. Even though slavery wasn’t really over until the 13th amendment wasn’t ratified until December 6, 1865, we still celebrate Juneteenth as the end of slavery. Another hint: ratified means approved.

In the early days African Americans were still treated unfairly due to segregation laws. Since they were treated unfairly, they could not use public places. So they had the celebration in their churches or by water. These events had included big meals, nice clothing and many formerly enslaved people would go back to celebrate. Nowadays red food and drinks are very popular because red represents strength and happiness. Also, a lot of people focus on learning about African-American history and culture.

In 2021, June 17th Juneteenth became a federal holiday. After many years of fighting for it to become a federal holiday, the Senate and the House of Representatives voted. On June 17th President Joe Biden signed the bill into a law. That made Juneteenth the 11th federal holiday in the U.S. Now about 28-30 states give their employees off for Juneteenth. This is an important reminder that there is an important meaning behind the federal holiday and it's historic roots.

by Eva Meyers

• Aquaventure Water Park: A 141-acre park with high-speed slides like the "Leap of Faith," a mile-long lazy river with waves, and 14 pools.

• Marine Habitats: Explore open-air marine habitats featuring sharks, rays, barracuda, and exotic fish, including snorkeling the Ruins Lagoon.

• Dolphin Cay: Interact with dolphins and sea lions at one of the world's largest marine rescue facilities. 2 Fun facts Dolphin Cay first got the first dolphins the rescued from Hurricane Katrina and also Dolphin Cay is Pronounced Dolphin “Coy”

• Beaches: Relax on white sand at Cove Beach, Paradise Beach, or the calmer Paradise Lagoon.

• Mandara Spa: A luxury spa combining Balinese and European technique

• Marina Village: Shopping, dining, and live entertainment located near the marina.

• Complimentary Activities: Enjoy free nightly movies at the Atlantis Theatre, use the library, or play on the basketball courts.

• Nightlife: Enjoy cocktails at various bars, including the Dragon's Ultra Lounge.

Unique Experiences

• Private Cabanas: Rent a private poolside or beach cabana for a luxurious, relaxing experience but also for an insane amount of money.

• Snorkel the Ruins: Snorkel through a man-made, underwater, Mayan-themed city filled with sharks.

• Golf: Play at the 18-hole, par-72 Ocean Club Golf Course.

• Mini Golf: Have a fun night golfing at Good Lies Mini Golf Course from 3pm to 10pm!

• If you are a girl I recommend getting your hair braided.

Tips for Your Trip

• Reservations: Book dinner reservations 90 days in advance.

• Transportation: Use the free shuttle to travel between the different lodging towers and attractions.

• Timing: The popular AquaVenture Closes at 7:pm and slides close at 5:00 p.m.

• As you can see, there are activities for everybody

I'll add my favorite trip photo from the sunset behind the Mayan temple leap of faith slide and the Royal Resort (The one I stayed in) on a beautiful sunny day!

by Juliana Clossick

If you're looking for a new sport to play this summer I would definitely recommend tennis! If you have ever played pickleball and enjoyed it then this is similar. It is a great summer sport and it is great to play with your friends! The game is also pretty simple to learn, although the rules do change a little bit depending on whether you are playing on teams of two (doubles) or one against one (singles).

What are some great things about tennis? For starters, it doesn’t take a lot of equipment. All you need is a racket and maybe a few tennis balls. You don’t need to have your own tennis net because you can find free tennis courts in parks or they have indoor ones which you might have to rent to use. Another thing is that although most middle schools don’t offer tennis as a sport, the high schools do! A downside to tennis is that the rackets can cost a lot of money but if you are just starting and if you take classes they will let you borrow one so I personally wouldn’t buy a racket unless it's something you know you want to do. Tennis courts have two different boundary lines. The outermost one is for doubles and the inner one next to the doubles line is singles! I know it’s a bit confusing but when looking at a court it should start to make sense. Lastly, when holding your racket you are supposed to hold it towards the bottom with your dominant hand, there is a backhand and forehand swing. When hitting the ball try to aim for getting the ball to hit the middle of your racket, think of it as a trampoline! If you really want to learn tennis I recommend going to classes or practicing with someone who knows how to play.

Tennis is a really good sport and it's great for the summer. It is such a fun sport, it keeps you active and you can have fun picking your racket that is your favorite color or pattern!

Hopefully I was able to teach you enough about tennis to get you to want to try it over this summer!

by Karina Gawrych

Have you ever looked at old stories and thought “man, that was such a boring and predictable ending”? Well, one story is like that is Romeo and Juliet. The story is so boring. Until they made it into a fun comedy musical that has the BEST ending and twist EVER. Also I love how they wrote the script then picked a bunch of fun pop songs to go with it!

The & Juliet casting is amazing so lets go over it to get an idea of the amazing cast we are working with! First Juliet is played by Gianna Harris who has also been Ali in Hell’s Kitchen. Next, the character Lance is played by James Monroe Iglehart. Alison Luff who plays Anne who is Shakespeare's wife. And Shakespeare himself is played by Drew Gehling.

I love the special effects that went on during the performance. The lighting and set design during the performance. My favorite song "Confident" light effects are fast flashing lights. I love the beginning scene where all the letters of Romeo's name are scattered around the stage And It’s just so creative the way they did it. It’s just the chef's kiss!

I think that the plot line is so clever! Juliet is featured as a 20 year old girl and Romeo is just a boyfriend so the plot is why end it all over one guy! That's probably my favorite. If you make one mistake it’s not the end of the world!

I had an amazing time at & Juliet. It was one of the best days of my life! Let's highlight the food for a minute! I went to this amazing dinner called Parker & Quinn. I had this delicious burger! The aesthetics there are just SO amazing!

Thank you for reading!

by Alexis Cepregi

Neoni: This sister duo creates music with a high-energy, alt-pop/electronic sound. They recently released a new album called How To Kill a Fairytale that explores themes of love, pressure, and mental health. They had 2 songs become TikTok famous (DARKSIDE and Royalty), and they recently announced a tour spanning 2 months.

Renee Christine: She is a folk/pop singer and activist who also plays the cello! Many of her songs address current issues in today’s society. Originally from Pennsylvania, she is currently on tour; many of her songs feature the places where she grew up. She is a great artist to listen to if you want a song that sounds like protest and strings.

Abi Carter: She is a pop singer from California. I actually went to a concert of hers with my friend, and it was amazing. She previously won American Idol, and for good reason. My favorite song of hers is "Burned" (the high notes are unbelievable). She reminds me of if Taylor Swift was a sad fairy. Her songs are amazing, and I think they definitely deserve more recognition!

Bonus: Carter Rubin! He was the opener for Abi Carter’s concert, and he was such a good singer. I love his song "Ready When Ur Not" - which I heard before its official release - and I also got to meet him and get a photo with him. He is truly so kind and such an amazing singer.

Alexis Cepregi is an 8th grader at BMS and enjoys finding underrated and unique music artists!

by AJ Karavis

Before (Anticipation)

I am a big Star Wars fan, and I am excited that we are finally getting another movie. The movie comes out on May 22, 2026. Today is May 7, 2026. There has been a lot revealed about this movie, including the characters and setting. Some characters that will be in the movie besides the Mandalorian and Grogu are Zeb from Star Wars Rebels, Rotta the Hutt from the Clone Wars show, and Embo the bounty hunter. The setting will be after The Mandalorian: Season 3. Overall, I am very excited for this movie. There are also many more Star Wars movies to be released in the near future like Star Wars: Starfighter, New Jedi Order, Dawn of the Jedi, and even a se-sequel trilogy of films. Also, on Monday, a new Star Wars show called Maul: Shadow Lord finished its premiere(all the episodes are now out). So there is much Star Wars to come.

After (Review)

I thought the movie was pretty good. I saw it twice: May 23 with my friends and May 25 with my family. I liked it because it is entertaining and fun. It has a simple plot, which is nice. There was good action, especially the final battle in the Hutt's Palace. The main thing I want to talk about is the characters. There was some good character development of Mando, but I didn’t find that anything really happened with Grogu. The only thing he really did on his own was steal some old guy’s fish, which wasn’t important to the plot. It was cool to see Embo prove himself by beating Mando in a fistfight. The Anzellans will always give you a cheap laugh. Zeb was awesome and funny in his live-action debut, but my favorite side character was Rotta the Hutt because I like how he was Independence Day his family’s personality didn’t shape his personality. My only criticism based on side characters is that none of the side characters from the Mandalorian show were in the movie: Greef Karga and Cara Dune from season 1, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand from season 2, and Bo-Katan from season 3. The only side character from the show we got was Carson Teva for a short time. My other criticisms are that this movie does not matter whatsoever in the grand scheme of things in Star Wars and that there are a bunch of times during the movie that you think it’s going to end. After careful consideration, my official rating of this movie is 3 of 5 stars.

by Samuel Aarseth

There are many things you must know about Pokémon TCG in order to play. The first and most important is that your deck must have exactly sixty cards, no more no less. Another and much less known rule is that the small letter on the bottom left corner of the card must match the current regulation mark, as of the 2026 tournament season any card with a mark after G is legal, this means cards regulated as H, I, and J are tournament legal. Other important rules are that the first player to go cannot attack or play a card classified as a “Supporter” and neither player can evolve a Pokémon on their first turn unless a card says otherwise. A player also cannot evolve a Pokémon on the same turn it comes into play unless a card says otherwise.

Trainer cards are cards that have different effects, when you play them simply follow the instructions on the card. You can play as many trainers as you want on your turn however only one supporter may be played every turn. To set up the game both players shuffle their decks and draw seven cards for their hand they then select a ”Basic” Pokémon from these cards and place it in the active spot (If the player has any more basic Pokémon they may place them on their bench as soon as they get them as long as there are less they keep than six Pokémon on the bench at a time.) if there are no basics in the players hand they must shuffle their hand into their deck and draw seven new cards. This is called a "Mulligan," for every mulligan the player goes through the other player draws a card from their deck and adds it to their hand. The last step for setup is placing six prize cards face down on the side of the board and flipping a coin to decide who goes first. On a player's turn they must draw a card from their draw pile, add Pokémon to their bench and play trainer cards. A player may also attach energy from their hand to a Pokémon, the energy needed to use a specific attack is shown next to the attack; the white circles are called “Colorless” and can use any energy type. To win one of three things must happen, one: if a player claims all of their prize cards by knocking out the required amount of opposing cards (when knocked out the knocked out card and all attached cards are put in the discard pile). Two: the opposing player runs out of cards in their deck, and three: the opposing player has no remaining Pokémon in play. (Even if they still have prize cards left.)

These are the basic rules you need to follow in order to play the Pokémon TCG game.

by Thomas Augustine

Day 1

I currently live… I don’t exactly know where I live. The grass is a bright, kind of neon, brown, which I guess might be normal here? I have not seen any trees or any elevation for that matter, and there are some bushes but they have no leaves, yet they sprout fruit. It is a blue fruit and to me, it doesn’t look safe to eat, but what else is here? Also, one other thing, there are some sort of creatures levitating in the sky, and they kind of resemble whales, so I’ll call them skywhales. Despite them looking like whales, there isn’t a drop of water around here. I don’t know how I'm going to survive.

Day 2

I did it. I ate one of the fruits. It was basically really watery, but the taste was horrible! It was extremely bitter, and full of seeds, each one packed with even more bitterness. I guess I’ll have to survive on them though, because other than the skywhales (which I have no chance of taking down) there is no food other than the berries, which I am calling bitterberries. Speaking of the skywhales, one of them landed near me, but when I went to check it out, it groaned and sucked in air, which I was assuming at the time that it was trying to eat me, but then it blew all the air out of its mouth, jetting it into the air.

Day 3

Something is chasing me. I caught a glimpse of it while picking bitterberries. It was red, and it had a gleaming black tail. It then dove underground before I could take a good look at it. I have no idea what it was, but I can’t exactly trust anything right now. Also, while I was having, what I can’t even call dinner (seriously those things taste FOUL) I saw a sharp thin beak like a bird that stole one of the berries, and it quickly scurried underground.

Day 4

I saw its full body today. Its eye was orange, and its beak was as long as its body. Its front feet were clawed, with three toes, its tail was skinny, and it had no back legs. Before I could look at it any longer, it scurried underground again. I will call them… birdmoles? I guess that's a fine name. Also, I saw a baby skywhale today. It approached me, before floating away. That was the first time I saw a juvenile. Today was pretty exciting.

Day 5

New creature alert! It almost looks like a chicken, but slightly bigger and instead of wings it has clawed arms and teeth. The claws and teeth are serrated, which means it's definitely a predator. I’ll try to keep my distance. Their name will be… kotodont, which vaguely means toothed chicken in Greek. Haha! I’m naming things like a scientist now!

Day 6

Today was… a lot. A birdmole took another one of my fruits, but before it could scurry back underground, a kotodont grabbed it by the tail with its long arms, and threw it to the ground. The birdmole dropped the bitterberry it had, and then it scurried underground. The kotodont then grabbed the bitterberry that the birdmole had, and took a bite out of it. After it swallowed, it picked up the berry and ran off. That should have been the end of it, but a whole pack of kotodont’s came over to me and started eating all of the berries near me! I tried to scare them off, but they started chasing me. I thought it was over until a skywhale came and sucked up a korodont with its huge mouth. This scared off the rest of them. I was lucky to even have survived.

Day 7

I am officially moving. Since the kotodonts ate all my bitterberries, I need to find somewhere else to settle. I think I’ll try to find a sea, or anything that has water, and food, or a farmable creature. This is a pretty short entry, but Dang it! I spilled ink all over the pages! Well… I hope you can understand what I wrote.

Day 8

It was in the evening when I was traveling, and I came across something slightly creepy and slightly amazing. A spaceship. It was way past the repair point, I mean, this thing was TOTALED… but on a piece of scrap metal I saw a logo. The NASA logo. Inside there was a birdmole scurrying around, eating a bit of the leftover food. I scared it off and saw what the food was. There was an astronaut ice cream thing, and a few leftover tomatoes that looked like they could explode, and an entire crate of some green things that I couldn’t make out. I took a bite of one of the green things and oh god, it was brussel sprouts. I HATE brussel sprouts, but I guess I’ll have to eat them to survive. Also, when I kept trekking, I found a sea. It was full of fresh water too! Also there were bitterberries around if I really wanted to eat them but I think I can rely on… brussel sprouts.

Day 9

The sea is… dangerous. I tried swimming in it, but I saw glowing eyes from below. I got out of the water as quickly as I could. When I ran back I saw a huge eel thingy jetted out of the water and snapped its jaws in midair before gravity took it down in a huge splash. I will call them… gloweels, no, spotted eels, no, goliath eels, yes! As scary as they are, I think they’re really cool.

Day 10

I saw a spaceship today, which was cool. I tried to wave them down but they didn’t see me. I also saw a pod of skywhales but that was it. Pretty uneventful day.

Day 11

MAJOR PREDATOR ALERT. I saw a skywhale skeleton, but the creepy part was that the entire lower jaw was missing. Something must have taken a chomp out of it. It couldn’t have been a goliath eel because it wasn’t near the sea, it couldn’t have been a kotodont because they are too small. I think there could be a huge apex predator lurking about.

Day 12

I saw the huge apex predator. It looks like a skywhale but it is bright red, and much faster. I think I’ll call them red skywhales. I know they are the apex predator because I saw one attacking a normal skywhale, but luckily it got away.

Day 13

Today is the last day I will write in my journal. The red skywhale charged towards a regular skywhale, knocking it down, out of the sky. It hit the ground, unearthing the plants beneath it. It then groaned and flew back up into the air. It then charged back at the red skywhale, knocking it back, but not out of the sky. The red skywhale charged towards the other one but the other one dodged its attack and started flying away towards the sea. Above the sea they battled for a bit, until I realized what was going to happen. A goliath eel jumped out of the water, clamping its jaws onto the red skywhale, bringing it underwater to its demise. About 3 hours later, I saw another spaceship in the sky, but this time it saw me and landed. The guy in the spaceship introduced himself as Andrew and asked how I got there. I said I didn’t know and then he said that he would take me back to Earth. I am currently writing this from inside the spaceship. I glanced one more time at the planet before it came out of view.

Day ???

I am currently back on Earth! Life is great, I got a job as a scientist, and told my fellow scientists that I had found other creatures on another planet. They said that the planet I was describing was only visited by the spaceship I had come back on and one more mission that unfortunately crashed. Andrew said that he didn’t see any creatures on the planet, but they sent more people back to check, so for now, I am doing great!

by Ryder Domina, author of Matcha Girl

“Yeon-doo, remember what you told me a while ago? If you like someone, then you can’t sleep at night. The food you eat becomes tasteless, and you start crying when you listen to music. Actually, I sleep fine at night. And food tastes even better. And I feel like dancing when I listen to music….If this is love, if this is what it feels like, then I think I’m in love.”- said by Na-Bo-Ra in the K-Drama 20th Century Girl on Netflix.

Part 3: Anton

Going Backwards Part 2…(Chapter 6)

Not the end…
Goodnight, and see you next time…
(..,)
I hope you feel complete satisfaction after this and I have fulfilled your desire.

You Know What’s Going On... (Chapter 7)

“But whatever you do, Anton, don’t tell her the truth. If she finds out, it would ruin her.”

It might ruin me? Everything was unclear. I should’ve never come downstairs.

Suddenly, the worst thing possible happened that made this drastic situation so much worse. I tripped over my shoe as I was listening, and I fell into the kitchen with a loud thud, which eerily reminded me of the vampire hunters. All eyes were turned to me. Anton and his parents stopped talking and looked shocked and on edge. I could see Anton’s eye twitching unnaturally. I froze where I was, then stood up slowly. I started to step back slowly out of the kitchen. For some weird, strange reason, I wanted to run away. Was I really safe here? Ominously, Anton and his parents put their hands out and started walking towards me. They opened their mouths slowly.
“Alexandra, you don’t understand. It’s not what you think,” Anton warned.
I shook my head slowly. I continued stepping out of the kitchen slowly. And then I made a choice based purely on instinct. I turned around and ran out the front door in a flash.
Again.
I felt like I heard them following me, but what did it matter? I opened the front door and ran constantly, never looking back. The colors and the scenery started turning blurry and moving all around. I felt dizzy. Everything was swirling all around. I couldn’t see anything clearly anymore. I wanted to run. Just run. I had no idea what else to do anyway.

Wake up.
Wake up.
WAKE UP!

I jolted forward, with a simple hypnic jerk causing me to jolt awake. I froze and looked around. Immediate realization rushed through my head. Thank goodness. Anton was right next to my coffin and had a worried expression on his face. The cedar smell brought me back to life fully. We were quiet for a couple seconds, as my eyes peered around the room and then directed back to Anton. He looked at me, “Alexandra, are you okay?”
I rubbed my eyes and blinked a couple times. “....I think so?...”

Dramatic…(Chapter 8)

“Oh, nothing quite particular, just a pretty vampire girl sitting square in the moonlight next to me.”
I rolled my eyes. It was sweet and also a bit cringey, but I wanted a real answer. “No, but really, what did you dream about?”
His smile kind of faded. “Oh…erm…I don’t really remember.”
“I guess our dreams just slip our minds whenever we think back on them.”
I nodded. We were silent for a moment. I decided to say something. “You seem too perfect for words, Anton.”
“That is not true. Nobody is perfect.”
“I beg to differ. What’s not perfect about you?”
“Well…my personality isn’t perfect. Sometimes I make mistakes and say the wrong things, or I do something without even thinking about it. And I do act kind of dramatically, like everything’s wrong with the world. I do have flaws.”
“Yeah, I do, too,” I agreed. I paused for a moment. “It’s hard, you know, being alone and threatened and unloved when the world turns your back on you. Everyone sees you for who you are on the outside, not on the inside.”
“Everywhere you go, you’re just seen as a monster and a nuisance.”
“Exactly. We can’t help that we were born this way.”
“Maybe we just have to hope for the better.”
“I’ve spent so much of life hoping and waiting and wishing, Alexandra. It’s time to make a change. I can’t continue on like this."
His words were deep. The words just poured out of his soul and when they left his mouth, you could feel the raw emotion and anguish in his voice. It was pure magic.
He paused, realizing what he just said, looking kind of embarrassed but then continued, “I guess maybe I’m dramatic, but something has to be done.” He stood up. “We should do something.”
I was now in wonder. “As in what matters?” I asked, looking up at him.
“That I don’t know. But we can figure something out.”
“I’d rather discuss this later,” I said, getting up from my coffin, still tired and not wanting to think about this. Even though I was possibly in danger, I wanted to enjoy what I have right now. You never know when it’s gone.
And for some strange reason, I wanted to talk to his parents again.

The Book of Rules…(Chapter 9)

I just obeyed, like I always did. But looking back now, I still think the same things. Why is the world so dangerous? Why is everything like this? An extra burden is added to your shoulders for being a vampire. I think differences seem to have no value or place in this world. You are judged for every flaw and seemingly incorrect aspect of your personality.

Nobody ever said it was easy.

Reality Break…(Chapter 10 Pt. 1)

I did smile. I hardly ever played board games. I only knew how to play one. “I think I have time,” I answered, “Do you know how to play chess?” Chess was a game for intelligent, knowledgeable people. My father told me it teaches people a lot about real life, about anticipation and calculation. Sometimes you have to be one step ahead.

He looked slightly embarrassed again for a second when I mentioned it. I felt bad now that I saw his reaction. “No…, but maybe you can teach me?”
“You would like that?”
“Most certainly.”
I smiled, laughing to myself a bit. And that’s where something started to bloom.
I have said too much, and I need some time to think and reflect before I continue telling my story. But this is not the end. There will be more.
Once again, goodnight and see you next time.
(...)

Author’s Note:
Hi readers! I will be writing beyond these walls part 4: reality break and beyond these walls part 5: the beginning of the end over summer vacation. They will be released in next year’s Winter and Spring editions of the Berner Beacon, concluding the short story series. Happy summer and stay tuned!

Yield: 18 servings

A fun and festive 4th of July Fruit Tray, made with blueberries, strawberries, white chocolate covered pretzels, and mini marshmallows!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pt. blueberries
• 2 lb. strawberries, tops removed and quartered
• 7.5 oz. white chocolate covered pretzels
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Instructions

1. To a tray or board, add the large star cookie cutter and fill with blueberries.
2. Add a red stripe of strawberries across the top, making sure to fill in around the cookie cutter as you go.
3. Next, add the pretzels and mini marshmallows to make a white stripe.
4. Across the whole board, add another red stripe of strawberries.
5. Then, add another white stripe of marshmallows and pretzels.
6. Add a final red stripe of strawberries to the bottom.
7. Continue to fill in, and add any final touches. Serve & enjoy!

This no-bake cheesecake tastes like a giant chocolate-covered marshmallow -- and we can't think of many things more delightful than that. The filling is fluffy with marshmallow creme, and torching the mini marshmallows on top makes for the ultimate s'more-lover's dessert.

Level: Easy Total: 7 hr 35 min (includes chilling time)

Active: 45 min

10 to 12 servings

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
• 2 heaping tablespoons sugar
• 7 ounces graham crackers (about 14 sheets)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• One 1/4-ounce package unflavored powdered gelatin (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• Two 16-ounce containers marshmallow creme Kosher salt
• Three 1.55-ounce milk chocolate bars
• 3 cups (about 4 1/2 ounces) miniature marshmallows

Directions:

Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine the sugar and 6 ounces (12 sheets) graham crackers to a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Drizzle in the butter and pulse until the crumbs are completely coated and moistened. Firmly press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.

Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water in a small microwave-safe bowl and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Microwave the gelatin in 15-second intervals, stirring or whisking vigorously in between each, until the mixture is very hot and the gelatin has completely dissolved, about 45 seconds total. Allow to cool completely to room temperature.

Combine the cream cheese, marshmallow creme and a pinch of salt to a large bowl, then use an electric mixer to blend until completely smooth. Add the cooled gelatin mixture and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared crust, smoothing out the top with a rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

Remove the plastic wrap and place the cheesecake on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Run a small offset spatula or paring knife around the edges of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan, then open the pan's clasp and remove the outer ring. Use the off-set spatula or the back of the paring knife to smooth out the sides of the cheesecake.

Break 2 chocolate bars into small pieces and add to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted, about 1 minute total. Drizzle the chocolate back and forth over the top of the cheesecake with a spoon, then place back in the refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened, about 20 minutes.

Pile the marshmallows on top of the cheesecake. Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows, then break up the remaining graham crackers and chocolate bar into large pieces and stand the pieces up in the marshmallows.

Allow the cheesecake to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes (so the marshmallows aren't super gooey when you cut into it), then slice and serve immediately.

Recipe by Television Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (100 g.) granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, room temperature
• 4 to 6 ice cream cones (optional)
• Rainbow sprinkles, for serving (optional)

Directions

Yields: 4 - 6 serving(s)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Step 1: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook cream, sugar, and salt, stirring frequently, just until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. (Do not boil.) Stir in vanilla.

Step 2: Transfer cream mixture to a freezer-safe container (preferably plastic). Freeze until cold but not frozen, 1 to 2 hours.

Step 3: Using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream until stiff peaks form (this will take 7 to 10 minutes). Drizzle with sweetened condensed milk and fold until combined.

Step 4: Return soft serve to freezer and freeze until firm, 2 to 4 hours more.

Step 5: Transfer soft serve to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (if desired) and pipe into cones. Top with sprinkles (if using).

1. Señora Beitzinger

2. Mrs. Ogurick

3. Mr. and Mrs. Einhart

Huge thank you to all of the journalists who worked tirelessly to produce such thought provoking articles, beautiful creative writing, and reviews of movies and more! We continue to be amazed by your tenacious attitudes and commitment even during these unusual times! We look forward to working with you again next year! Wishing all 8th graders the best of luck moving on to Ames! We will miss you!

Best wishes,

Mrs. Cangiano and Ms. Waterman