Hootie's Herald
The Official Newspaper of the Lawrence Intermediate School
Student Council Updates
The LIS Student Council has had a busy start to the year, providing many great opportunities for students.
Some successes of the PAST few months include the following:
Pumpkin Painting Event - This event was in October. Students came back to school in the evening to paint a pumpkin to take home.
Breast Cancer Awareness - In October, the Student Council sold pins and ribbons as a fundraiser for Breast Cancer. The money was donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation!
Thanksgiving Food Baskets - Homerooms collected food and student council members put together baskets to hand out to LIS family members.
CURRENT Student Council Activities include the following:
Holiday Food Drive - We are collecting food for holiday baskets. Each homeroom was provided a basket they could fill with non-perishable goods to be given out to LIS families in need before the holiday break.
Toy Collection for Homefront - The Student Council is collecting gently used toys (with all the pieces) to be donated to Homefront.
Spirit Week - Holiday Spirit Week is 12/16-12/20. Compete against other LIS homerooms to see who has the most spirit!
LIS Pantry donations - Collection is ongoing for items to be donated. The LIS Pantry is located in the school's vestibule. Donations can be left in the guidance office!
The Student Council has many FUTURE activities planned. Be sure to listen to the morning announcements to hear what is happening. As of now, the following is planned for after winter break...
LIS Movie Night - February 6, 2025. Movie to be announced.
Super Bowl of Caring - Can collection in January leading up to the Super Bowl in February.
Giselle M.
Staff Writer
Creative Ways To Customize Your School Computer
Have you ever wanted to customize your school laptop but have no ideas? Here are some suggestions for customizations that will not get you in trouble.
Keyboard Covers/Skins: A keyboard cover is like a case but for your keyboard! It is made out of silicone so it doesn't slip easily unless you open your computer upside down. You can easily put them back on because they don't have glue or adhesive on them. I have one myself, and they make your computer more colorful. You can get them on Amazon, Shein, Temu, and Etsy. Before you buy them, make sure all the keys match up with the ones on your computer and double-check that it's compatible with an Acer 11 Chromebook. These come in many designs and colors so you will have many options!
Coloring: Color your computer's name tag. This is the easiest way, and I've seen almost everyone do it. Your nametag is located on the case of your laptop and is easy to take out by opening your laptop and slipping off the bottom part of your case where you should see a little opening. From there, you can slip out your nametag and draw on it. Make sure you do not cover any parts of your name or the number that's displayed under your name.
Pictures: Want the inside of your computer to be even more unique? Well, an easy way is to add a picture(s) inside your case! You can put them on the inside of the straps under your keyboard that hold your computer in its case. This is an easy way to customize your computer. You can either print your pictures or have them printed for you at Staples or Shutterfly. Make sure you crop the images, so they can fit. Just make sure you don't use any tape or adhesive to stick it on, the straps will hold it perfectly.
I hope to see your laptop customizations around the halls and classrooms of LIS!
Dahlia P.
Staff Writer
LIS Glow Dance
Have you ever been to an LIS school dance? If you haven't you should go because they are so much fun. The LIS PTO sponsored the Glow Dance for 6th graders on November 14. At the dance, you got to see your friends, listen to music and participate in fun activities. This year's school dance had a photo booth as well as arts and crafts. It was magical! There was a cotton candy machine and there were pretzels. They played a lot of songs that you could sing and dance to with your friends. Some songs that people crowded the dance floor for were "Thick of it,” “California Girls,” and “Hot To Go.” Students were given glow sticks, and balloons filled the cafeteria and gymnasium. The dance was a blast and we would highly recommend attending the next one!
Colette V. & Teagyn F.
Staff Writers
A review of Out of My Mind
Looking for a good book to dive into? You should check out the book Out of My Mind by Shannon M. Draper. This book is suitable for anyone in grades 5-6 with a Lexile of 700+ and for anyone who loves realistic fiction! The book is about a ten-year-old girl named Melody who has cerebral palsy. She can’t walk or talk, but she is smart and has a photographic memory. She often gets upset because she can’t tell people how she is feeling. Melody lives off the characters in the movies she watches and dreams to be them. She gets a device that will talk for her. Melody has so much in her head, but not everybody is ready to hear it… I love this book so much because I think it’s inspirational. People don’t usually have the strength or courage to do what Melody does in this book. Some things Melody does are things I can’t do myself! For example, Melody can memorize hundreds of words on sight! Next time you are at the library, check out the book Out of My Mind by Shannon M. Draper. If you have Disney +, you should watch the movie which came out on November 22nd. If you have already read this book, check out the other 2 books in the series, Out of My Heart and Out of My Dreams, in a store near you!
Maira B.
Staff Writer
Disney's Finding Nemo JR.
"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming." Have you seen the film Finding Nemo? If not, you're in luck and you’ll get the bonus of seeing this as a musical! Finding Nemo JR. is coming to LIS this spring. The story centers on a clownfish named Nemo. Nemo becomes separated from his dad, Marlin, and gets put into a fish tank at the dentist’s office. Marlin, with the help of the optimistic Dory, sets off to find Nemo. Along the way, they meet Bruce and a few sharks who do not eat them. It’s an adventure all audiences will enjoy! Nemo will be played by Rebecca E., Marlin by Benjamin G., and Dory by Xyreen V. Many more amazing student actors will take the stage to round out the cast, ensembles, and crew. The show is being directed by Ms. Ploener, Ms. Petronis, and Ms.Leta. Thanks to them LIS gets to put on this musical! We hope you can come out and support our young student actors who are dedicated to making this their best performance yet!
Teagan F. & Colette V.
Staff Writers
Apple Pie
This recipe makes 7 to 11 pie servings
To make the filling you have to peel 2 medium apples and core the apples. After that cut the apples into half-inch thick slices. When you are doing that you want to have 2 cups of sugar and 3 cups of water on medium-high heat cooking for 2 minutes before adding the apple slices.
Once the sugar and water have been bubbling for 2 minutes you add the apple slices and crush them up with a potato masher until they are in small pieces(the size of pennies). Allow the crushed apples to sit in the apple and sugar solution for 2 minutes. Then add one teaspoon of cinnamon, a quarter cup of brown sugar, and one teaspoon of vanilla. Put a lid on it and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Once you've let it simmer for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes until cool. Once cool, put it in a mason jar. Put a lid on the mason jar and place it in the fridge for at least 5 hours, though it's better if you let it sit for 24 hours.
To make the pie you have to get two normal-sized crescent roll containers from the grocery store. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. First, put the crescent rolls on the biggest cutting board you have right on top of each other. On top of the crescent rolls, put a layer of white rice flour. Roll it with a rolling pin until about a quarter inch thick. Next, flip it over on itself 5 times. Then roll it out again until it's about a sixth inch thick.
Cut the crescent rolls into about a 5-inch big circle. Oil the cupcake pan you will be using with a spray bottle of oil. Slowly add the circles that you cut out of the crescent roll into the cupcake pan. Push each of the crescent rolls down to make sure it fits perfectly and there are no air bubbles underneath.
Add about a tablespoon and a half of the filling you made earlier to the crescent roll. Use the excess crescent roll that you did not end up using in the cupcake pan to make it into a rectangle that is about a quarter inch thick. Then take the rectangles that you rolled out earlier, and cut them into about 2 cm thick rectangles length-wise.
Once you're done cutting those rectangles out, cut them into thirds. Grab one of the thirds, roll it out, then place it lengthwise on the pie. Continue doing this with the remaining pieces. Now put the pies in for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
They are best served right out of the oven or with ice cream served on top. If you want to eat it later, you can warm it up in the microwave for 30 seconds covered with a damp paper towel. These apple pies are delicious as a snack or a dessert!
Julia H.
Staff Writer
The Hungry Critic: Pizzeria Razza
If you're planning a trip to Jersey City and are looking for a bite to eat, Pizzeria Razza is the place for you! Opened by chef Dan Richer, this small pizzeria has some of the best pizza I have ever tasted. It is so good that in 2017, The New York Times featured an article about Razza and the title was “Is New York's best pizza in New Jersey?” The menu changes seasonally, but I usually get the Margherita pie. They also have other menu items like your plain old classic pepperoni or cheese pizza. I would recommend going there for dinner as they are open in the evening. Taking the PATH train to the Grove Street station (you can take NJ Transit or Amtrak to Newark Penn Station and transfer to PATH) and walking to 275-277 Grove St, Jersey City, NJ 07302 is your best bet for getting there. You should also wear dressier attire when going to Razza, the vibes are very nice. To review, if you're going to Jersey City and looking for some very good pizza, go to Pizzeria Razza!
Luke M.
Staff Writer
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Looking for a superior chocolate chip cookie recipe? Look no further! I made this chocolate chip cookie recipe myself and all my family say it's one of the best chocolate chip cookies they have ever had!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 or 3 eggs
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup M & Ms (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir in flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until incorporated, add in the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Gradually blend the dry mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in milk chocolate chips (and M&Ms if you choose). Roll into preferred-sized balls on a baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!!
Luke M.
Staff Writer
Mystery Celebrity
Can you guess the secret celebrity? Here are some hints to help you find your answer. Are you ready to take on the challenge and GUESS THE MYSTERY CELEBRITY?
He used to work in a vacuum cleaning company.
His younger brother took over his company once he died.
A famous saying from him is, “It’s fun to do the impossible.”
He holds the record for the most Academy Awards.
He played Peter Pan in a school play.
He died on December 15, 1966.
Were you able to guess the MYSTERY CELEBRITY? (Check your answer further down in this issue).
Grace Y. & Maira B.
Staff Writers
Earthbound Review
EarthBound is a truly unique JRPG about…well, it’s about nothing, really. The plot is sort of weak, and that’s a good thing. EarthBound wants more than anything, for you to feel free.
Then, the game takes that carefreeness…
And crushes it under its overwhelming difficulty.
This game is infuriating in the best possible way. It wants you to feel satisfaction when you beat the final boss. It wants you to scream in anger when an enemy one-shots you.
But most of all, it wants you to have fun with the characters.
In the game, you play as Ness, a child with psychic powers, destined to defeat an evil alien entity, Gigyas. Ness must overcome rabid police officers, an evil scientist, and a robot who just wants to eat a good ol’ bologna sandwich.
The game’s final boss, Gigyas, is on CBR’s Top 50 Hardest Video Game Bosses of All Time list, and Gigyas’s theme is thought to be one of the creepiest in video game history.
So, if you like games, and if you like hard, I mean hard, games, then go check out EarthBound!*
*Game playable on SNES app for Nintendo Switch Online.
VERDICT
Score: 8.8/10
Pros:
Great sense of humor
Unique experience, none like I have ever played before
Great writing
Cons:
Unengaging combat
Weird difficulty curve*
Mildly thin plot
A certain area is physically impossible
*This means that the game is unbalanced at times. Ex: Enemy with ridiculous attack power in the first area.
Johnny O.
Staff Writer
Matilda
Have you ever heard of a book called Matilda? It’s a great book and an easy read. The Lexile level is 840. Written by Roald Dahl, the book is filled with magic and adventure. The main character, a little girl named Matilda, has parents that never pay any attention to her. She is a gifted child who learns to read at age three and a half, but her parents ignore her abilities. Matilda finds comfort in books and plays pranks on her parents to avoid frustration. Matilda enrolls in school, where she befriends the kind and caring Miss Honey who sees her brilliance. The headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, tries to hold Matilda back, but not without a fight from Matilda. If you read this book, you will understand what it's like to have a heart full of magic. This novel was also adapted into a movie and a musical. You should check it out sometime!
Kavya S.
Staff Writer
Amalfi's Restaurant Review
Amalfi’s Restaurant and Bar is a great American-Italian restaurant, probably the best in the area. While it’s not the most unique restaurant you’ll ever try, it's good nonetheless.
The pizza is decent, but not great. You can get much better pizza at Delorenzo’s; however, it is twenty minutes away (look for that restaurant review in the next issue).
When you go to Amalfi’s the smart choice is to order the burger.* It is great. The burger comes topped with lettuce, cheese, onions, tomato, and a pickle. It’s a double patty made with Angus beef. This is the best burger in the area, by far. This burger is amazing, and very juicy. The portion size is big, too.
As for appetizers, there is nothing much to write home about. The fried mozzarella is good, and the chopped antipasto salad is solid too.
The service was very good, and all the waiters were nice. They gave some bread to start, with some delicious oil for dipping.
Many of the meals are served with a delicious side of house fries.
VERDICT
Amalfi’s Restaurant and Bar is a great place to eat. The food is consistently good, and the vibe is nice. While it doesn’t have the best pizza around here, it’s still tasty and a local spot. The burger is good, the appetizers are okay.
Overall, I would recommend this restaurant.
8.8/10 stars
*Comes with fries.
Johnny O.
Staff Writer
Hootie's Herald
Staff Advisors: Mrs. Amanda Boyce & Mrs. Alison Ciesla
Location: 66 Eggerts Crossing Road, Lawrence Township, NJ, USA