Stay Musical, Biotech!

Imagine the ingenuity of a duet sung by two scientific geniuses. Yes, the rumor was that Mr. Pinkus and Mr. Fusco would grace the Biotech community with their musical prowess. 

The rumor was wrong.

Still, the whimsical hidden talents of Biotech students have been uncovered yet again in the Music Club Benefit Concert, which took place Thursday, December 5, 2013. At 6:30 pm, all that could be heard coming from the number one science high school in New Jersey was not the sounds of chemicals bubbling. There was a melodious multitude of instruments, ranging from guitars to boomwhackers, to a tuba, with some more classic instruments as well. The wide variety of genres was also fantastic, from country, rock, and even some original songs written by Biotech’s own students!

New to the Music Club this year was Biotech’s own sound system, generously donated by the PSFA. It was student operated and the sound quality was better than ever! With the help of Mr. Herceck, the sound system was up and running in no time. Mrs. Laczny and Ms. Lampinen also showed their support, as well as Dr. Eno who is always keeping enthusiasm about the arts alive at Biotech.

“We had a very enthusiastic audience of families and friends who witnessed the exceptional musical talent of BTHS students across all four years. Thanks to the generosity of the PSFA, the concert was also the debut of the new BTHS Music Club sound system, which greatly enhanced the experience. We raised almost $500 for a charitable contribution with SOS to benefit the victims of Typhoon Hayain in the Philippines. Our next concert will be a Coffee House in the spring. Thanks to all who participated and contributed to our success,” said Mr. Dannen, the faculty advisor for the music club.  

By Emma Mueller

History of Thanksgiving

Many of us know Thanksgiving as a day to spend time with family, eat turkey, and watch football.  However, Thanksgiving has a rich history that began when the Mayflower left England in September of 1620.  A group of 102 religious separatists from England left their homes, with hopes of finding religious freedom in the new world.  The Pilgrims landed in modern-day Massachusetts, which was very far off from their intended destination of Jamestown.  During their first winter in America, the Pilgrims suffered from disease and starvation.  Less than half of the original Pilgrims survived this harsh winter.

After that difficult winter, the remaining colonists needed to find a way to survive and grow food.  In March of 1621, Squanto, a Patuxent Native American, greeted the Pilgrims.  Squanto knew how to speak English because in 1614 he was kidnapped by an English explorer and brought to Spain as a slave.  He managed to escape, and returned home in 1619.  Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to catch fish (including eels and lobsters), he taught them how to grow corn, as well as how to fertilize the soil and work the land.  Additionally, Massasoit, the Wampanoag chief, signed an agreement with the colonists and helped to provide them with food for a few years.

In November of 1621, the Pilgrims had a successful harvest.  Their governor William Bradford organized a feast to celebrate.  Some members of the Wampanoag tribe and Squanto joined the Pilgrims for what became known as the first Thanksgiving.  The feast lasted for three days.  Although the original menu was never documented, there is evidence that the colonists and Native Americans ate venison, goose, fish, turkey, and corn.

Many years later, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.  In 1863, during a difficult time in the civil war, Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday of every November would be celebrated as a day of Thanksgiving. The president urged Americans to be thankful and to “praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

So, this Thanksgiving, remember the struggles that the early Americans faced.  Be thankful for everything that we have, and all of the opportunities that lay ahead.  Happy Thanksgiving, Biotech!

Written by Rachel Weinstein

Photo from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/The_First_Thanksgiving_cph.3g04961.jpg

Students Change Hunger!

This year the Students of Service (SOS), led by Mr. Brown, held a school- wide food drive to collect food for the less fortunate in our community. This food drive, named Students Change Hunger, collected over 400 pounds of food! The food items collected included canned foods and boxes of macaroni and cheese.

 

Originally, the food drive was just a SOS-run event, but it was decided that it could become a competition between the grades over which could donate the most food! This would help the grades earn points for Battle of the Classes, which will be held the week before Winter Break.

 

SOS also teamed up with the Friends of Animals Club, led by Mrs. MacLean, to collect pet supplies and food. Examples of supplies included toys, dog leashes, water bottles, beds, and dog and cat treats.

 

Overall over 400 pounds of food were donated to local communities. That's a lot of food! The seniors donated the most, followed by the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.  All of these donations will help the less fortunate in our communities in the coming holiday season.

Written by Emily Lau

Photo from: http://mgms.lexington1.net:8043/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/food-drive.jpg

How To: Black Friday

In a matter of just a few days, Thanksgiving will be upon us. That means lots of extra helpings of mashed potatoes and turkey and cranberry sauce. For some, it also means Black Friday Eve. Black Friday is a huge event where lots of stores open up early and have a ton of huge sales. Some people go crazy over this and wake up really early in the morning and just spend the entire day shopping at the mall.

Black Friday has earned the reputation of being a nightmare. There are huge lines and tons of people and chaos everywhere. Yet there are ways to avoid this and have a successful day. With just a few tips, you can have a great experience shopping on Black Friday and actually accomplish a lot of holiday shopping.

#1 Plan Ahead

Make sure that you have an explicit list of items that you would like to buy. Know in advance what size clothing you need and how much you expect it to cost. There are many apps that you can use to keep track of your shopping list, as well as apps to keep track of any coupons you may have. The night before, make sure to set your alarm and have your clothing and bags laid out.

#2 The Early Bird Catches the Worm

Go to the mall (or wherever it is that you are going shopping) at least a half an hour before stores open. This ensures that you will get a parking spot and have plenty of time to shop. 

#3 No Small Children or Strollers

Black Friday is going to be hectic, whether or not you are fully prepared for it. There will be long, tight lines and people everywhere. Bringing strollers and little kids into the mix will not end up well. So leave them at home with a baby sitter. 

#4 Be Polite

There is absolutely no need to fight someone for a cute pair of shoes or a shiny new toy. The store will be re-stocked soon enough and you can come back and get it later, even if it isn’t for the same great price. Also, being nice to the workers is really helpful because they have spent a lot of time preparing for this day and trying to keep everyone and everything in order. Just overall, be a nice person. 

#5 Keep Calm and Carry On

The last, most important tip is to stay calm. Black Friday is a crazy day and at times, you will feel very stressed. The key is to keep your cool. Under no circumstances should you ever be fighting with other customers or the workers. Stay in your line, follow the rules, and you should be fine. Remember that this is just one day out of the year where they have huge sales. There will be more sale days and more time for you to shop for gifts for the holidays. 

Have a happy, and safe, Black Friday!

Written by Erin Hampton

Image from: http://www.airpadrekiteboarding.com/site_images/news/black-friday-sale.jpg

The Dangers of Drinking and Driving

In the United States alone 500,000 people are injured each year as a result of drunk driving and an additional 17,000 people are killed (“Drinking and Driving Key facts and Issues,” 2013). Unfortunately, drunk driving is especially prevalent on prom night. Therefore, as prom night approaches it is important to be aware of the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving. While driving a drivers performance can be hampered by a blood alcohol content (BAC) as low as .2 g/l (“Effects of Alcohol Consumption,” 2005). Additionally, drinking reduces people’s reaction times, which may cause a car to not stop quickly enough and crash into the car in front of it. This begins to occur at a BAC of .6 g/l and reaction times continue to worsen at higher concentrations of alcohol.

Moreover, drinking and driving can have legal repercussions even if it does not result in an accident. For adults it is illegal to have a BAC over 0.08, but for minors it is illegal to have any alcohol in your blood while driving. Being caught drinking while intoxicated can result in having to pay fines, license suspension, and in some cases even jail time (“DUI: Driving Under the Influence,” 2011). Thus, while prom should be enjoyable night it is important to not drink and especially to not drink and drive.

By: Andrew Mulderrig

Resources:

• (2013). Drinking and driving key facts and issues. International Center for alcohol policies. Retrieved from http://www.icap.org/PolicyIssues/DrinkingandDriving/KeyFactsandIssues/tabid/132/Default.aspx

• (2005). Effects of alcohol consumption. European commision. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/alcohol/effects_of_alcohol_consumption/effects_on_driver_capabilities.htm

• (2011). DUI: Driving Under the Influence. State of new jersey motor vehicle commission. http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Violations/dui.htm