Panther Paws, Jr.The official newspaper of the Midland Park Middle School

Issue Number Two

January 2010

Volume 1, Issue 1

by Staff Writers

Last year, RepublicanChris Christie, DemocratJon Corzine andIndependent ChrisDaggett were all hopingto be New Jersey’s nextgovernor.

During the campaign,each candidateexpressed their ownopinions on how to fixthe biggest problems inour state, such as: taxes,education, and healthcare.

The election washeld on November 3,2009 and Chris Christiewas elected as thegovernor of New Jersey.

New Jersey’s New Governor

Winter Olympics Are Coming Our Way!by Kathryn A.

This years’ WinterOlympics will be held inVancouver, Canada. Theywill begin with theOpening Ceremony onFebruary 12th hosted byGovernor GeneralMichaelle Jean. Themotto for this year isWith Glowing Hearts.Over the course of thegames, there will be 86events with

In this issue:

• Winter Band andChorus Concerts

• The Battle of theBooks

• TV and Movies:What’s hot and what’snot!

• Top 10 Apps• Movies, Music and TV• Middle School Sports

Top 10 Songs – Winter 2010Compiled by

Caitlin S.

Elected alongside Mr.Christie is New Jersey’sfirst LieutenantGovernor. Her name isKim Guadagno. NewJersey has never had aLieutenant Governorbefore but a recentchange in the lawcreated the position.

On Tuesday of thisweek (January 19, 2010),Mr. Christie and Ms.Guadagno wereinaugurated.

The morning beganwith a Mass at theCathedral Basilica of theSacred Heart in Newark.Then at 12 noon, theactual inauguration tookplace. The inauguration

is the process wherethey both formallybecome the Governorand the LieutenantGovernor. After theinauguration, there was abig party that had foodfrom all over the GardenState. It was called a“Taste of New Jersey.”

Mr. Christie will be thegovernor until the nextelection, which will takeplace in 2013.

approximately 5,000athletes participating.Some of the eventsinclude: Alpine andCross-Country Skiing,Bobsleigh, Luge, Speed,Freestyle, and FigureSkating, Snowboarding,Ice Hockey, and Curling.The entire event costsabout $1.76 billion. The2010 Winter Olympicslogo (pictured at right)is named Ilanaaq, which

means Friend. Thisyear’s Winter Olympicsshould be really fun towatch so be sure towatch it on NBC Channel4!

by Kathryn A.

This year’s MiddleSchool Winter ChoralConcert was held onDecember 16th, 2009.The chorus is under thedirection of Mrs. DonnaHalliwell. Mrs. TerryAlnor was this show’saccompanist. Theaudience was treated tomany holiday songs

Middle School Winter Choral Concert

by Caitlin S.

The Middle School and HighSchool Bands presented theirWinter Band concert last night,January 21st, 2010. There were four parts to theconcert: Middle School Band,High School Band, CombinedBand and Percussion Ensemble. The Middle School workedhard in both lessons and in classto wow the audience with foursongs: Mythos, Band at theOpera, Shenandoah, andDrummin’ Surf Ari. The High School playedSuspended Animation, SouthernHymn, Sedona, Solo Pomposo,and Unnamed March. In the combined concertthey played Lincoln Celebration,selections from Pixar's Up,Schindler’s List and Disney’s

Middle School Band Performs in Annual Concert

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MPHS MiddleSchool Shows oftheir Talents at

Concerts!!

including: AdesteFideles, Once Upon aDecember, HanukahNight, The Principals ofKwanza, Hark the HeraldAngels Sing, and Lullabyon the Wind. The soloistin Hark the HeraldAngles Sing was 8th

grader Marco B. In OnceUpon a December it wasLogan M., and in AdesteFideles it was Leanna A.

and Stefanie R. They allsounded great! Aninformal poll of theChorus members showedthat the favorite songwas Once Upon aDecember. After theshow, there were manycomplements and peoplecould be heard sayingthat they couldn’t waituntil the Spring Concert.

Magic Kingdom. The Percussion Ensembleplayed two selections under thedirection of Mr. Steve Bartosik.

Mr. Marks is the Director ofBands and conducted all of theseband selections.

MPHS Middle Schools Students Involved in the Arts

by Kaytlynn K.

Title: Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs.EvilRelease Date: January 15, 2010Details: Red Riding Hood istraining in a distant land with amysterious covert group calledthe Sister Hoods. Hood and theBig Bad Wolf investigate thedisappearance of Hansel andGrettel.

Title: To Save a LifeRelease Date: January 22, 2010Details: Jake Taylor has all hewants in life until his childhoodbest friend kills himself becausehe didn’t fit in and was alwayslonely. Jake is distressed by whathis friend did and feels like hemust reach out to other kids inthe fringe.

Title: Valentine's DayRelease Date: February 12, 2010Details: 10 people and how theymeet on Valentines Day.

Title: Letters to JulietRelease Date: May 7, 2010Details: When a young Americangirl travels to the city of Verona,she joins a group of volunteerswho respond to letters to Julietseeking advice about love. Afteranswering one letter dated 1951,she inspires its author to travel toItaly in search of her long-lostlove and sets off a chain of eventsthat will bring a love into boththeir lives unlike anything theyever imagined.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You…

Panther Paws, Jr. Page 3 of 8

Title: Shrek ForeverRelease Date: May 21, 2010Details: Shrek feels over-domesticated in this movie. He haslost his roar, which usually scaresaway villagers, but now they comeand ask him to sign theirpitchforks and torches. To regainhis ogre mojo he makes a deal withRumplestiltskin and gets to seewhat life would be like if Shreknever existed.

Title: Toy Story 3Release Date: June 18, 2010Details: Andy is all grown up andheading to college and Buzz,Woody and the rest of the gangof toys are scared about what isgoing to happen to them.

Title: EclipseRelease Date: June 30 ,2010Details: Bella is once again put indanger and she also is forced tochoose between her love forEdward and her friendship withJacob. She is confronted with themost important decision of herlife.

by Dan L.

The 2009-2010 Season is comingto a close, and it has been quite aseason for TV! Dozens of newshows have aired for the firsttime, like The Middle (ABC) andGlee! (FOX). Some of these showshave survived for the season, andothers were cut only weeks intothe season, like Three Rivers(CBS) and Eastwick (ABC). Someof the hottest NEW shows thisyear include:

Modern Family (ABC)Community (NBC)FlashFoward (ABC)

While some of the dead shows thisyear include:The Beautiful Life (CW)Hank (ABC)Eastwick (ABC)

And what you all have been waitingfor. THE ABSOLUTE HOTTESTSHOWS OF THE YEAR ARE: (Thefollowing ranks are from multiplesources and polls. No ranks areofficial.)

Pushing Daisies (ABC)Private Practice (ABC)Chuck (NBC)

Mac or PC? Middle School Preferences

MacPC

TAP: Giving Back to the Community

by Rachel A.

The first Mac computer cameout in 1984. Since then, it hasgotten more popular as theyears have gone on. Microsofthas come out with new programssuch as Windows 7 to try tocompete with Macs. WithWindows 7, you can get quickeraccess to all of your stuff, itsfast; it has better compatibility,shares files and printers withother PCs and much more! Butstill a lot of people love Mac andhave switched over to a Macfrom a PC. Which one do you likebetter? The graph on the rightshows what Middle Schoolersthink!

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“TAP is all abouthelping people andgiving back to thecommunity in aunique and fun

way!”

by Dan L.

It’s a well-known factthat there are a lot ofclubs here in the MidlandPark Middle School.However, it’s not as wellknown what each club isup to! Let me indulge youon some insider detailson a very active andproductive club: TAP(Teens Assisting People).No, not like tap dancing,but helping people andgiving back to thecommunity in a uniqueand fun way! Recently, TAPparticipated in astatewide organization

called “Toys for Tots.”The TAP members all gotthe rare opportunity togo shopping for toys!That’s right, the clubleft from Miss. Audino’sroom and headed out toToys R Us on Rt. 17.There, they spent over$200 on toys, whichwere then donated tocharity. The United StatesMarine Corp. arrangedfor a train to comethrough several BergenCounty Towns and pickup the toys. Onboard thetrain were Santa and hiselves, along withMarines. It was a true

honor to meet some ofthe men who risk theirlives to protect ourcountry. Thanks to thesemen, Christmas waspossible for thousandsof children nationwide. Don’t worry, you’re notmissing out on all thefun! TAP is a very busy,yet fun club. However, itcan always use moremembers. They meetevery other Thursday inroom 21. Miss Audino andMr. Gangi are theadvisors. TAP is planningon hosting many otherevents in the future, sokeep an eye on The DailyBulletin.

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Panther Paws, Jr. Page 5 of 8

We all are Middle School students.We are all taught by Middle Schoolteachers. Have you ever wonderedwhat your Middle School teacherswere like when they were MiddleSchool students? Dan L. found out!

Miss Audino, who currently teachesEnglish to the 7th grade, graduatedfrom Lincoln Middle School inHawthorne in 1999 where she was onthe Highest Honor Roll (A's andsome B's).

What was your favorite subject inMiddle School? Least FavoriteReading. Reading was my favoritesubject because it enabled me todiscover new things. My leastfavorite was definitely Math. It justnever made sense to me. I wouldhave to study hours for a tenquestion math test, while I could acean English test with minimal studytime.

Any extra-curricular activities?Yes. I'd have to say I was in theweirdest club ever! It was Tai Chi orsomething like that. And basically allit was is slow karate. I didn't meanto join. My friend was joining, and Ifelt bad because she was going to beall alone. But it was deficiently theweirdest thing I have ever done inmy whole life. Also, I was inNetwork, which was basically agifted program. I also played manysports like basketball and softballand I was a cheerleader for theHawthorne Cubs football team. Were you a popular student?

In a way. But a good one.Everyone knew who I was and allthe good things I liked to do. Ihad a small group of outgoingfriends. Our favorite thing to dowas rollerblading. We also didanything local and that wasavailable to us. I rememberTasty's Pizza was alwayssomewhere we hung out. And, tobe honest, I always had troubleopening up to new people, that'swhy I just had my little setgroup of friends. Once in awhile,rumors were spread about me.However I was a very upfrontand honest person. So when Ifound out who started therumor, I would confront theperson.

What was your favoritememory from Middle School?During the basketball season,my team was down by 2 points,and there were almost 5seconds left on the clock, andthe ball was in my hands!! Ithappened just like it does in themovies. I took the shot, and theball went straight through thenet when the buzzer went off.The crowds went wild!! I hadtied the game up! At the end ofthe tie-breaker, my team won!That was something.

What inspired you to become ateacher? Why English?I always liked to be able to helpothers, and share my wealth ofknowledge. I also always had

very inspirational Englishteachers throughout my life. Soit seemed as everything wasmeant to be.

Why did you choose to teachMiddle School?I am certified to teach grades 6through 12, however I did bothof my student teachingexperiences in middle schools,and I really enjoyed workingwith the students, so I chooseMiddle School because I knew Iwould enjoy it.

Which was your favorite:Grade School, Middle School,High School, or Collage?High School was definitely myfavorite because I was in theband(s)-- jazz, concert, andmarching. I played Alto Sax, andwas a Drum Major my senioryear. During my years in theband, I became part of the BandFamily and it was a truly amazingexperience. I think if I weren’tin the band, high school wouldhave so different.

Miss Audino as a Middle Schooler

Tiny Teachers: What Were Your Teachers Like In Middle School?

Tiny Teachers: What Were Your Teachers Like In Middle School?

Page 6 of 8 Panther Paws, Jr.

Miss Langenfeld is our 8th GradeEnglish teacher … but before shetaught middle school - she went tomiddle school! Miss Langelfeld graduated fromBloomfield Middle School in 1999. During her middle school days,Miss Langenfeld was in honorsclasses, maintaining all A's and B's.Here are excerpts of herconversation with Dan L.

What was your favorite subject inMiddle School? Art. I enjoyed artvery much because it allowed me toget creative and express myself

Least favorite subject? My leastfavorite subject was Science. It wasjust a hard subject for me.

Did you ever ask your teachersfor help? Speak to them outsideof class? No, not at all. Growing up,I had this great regard forteachers. I viewed them as superiorhuman beings. I believed thatteachers were not approachable. Ina sense, I was almost scared ofteachers. However, now that I am ateacher myself, I have a verydifferent perspective. Now I realizeteachers are 100% approachable, Ihope, and are there to talk with thestudents. I also realize thatteachers aren't that much betterthan everyone else. We're all human!

Did you spend lots of timestudying, or did you just make themark. How did that work out?

To be honest, I spent minimal timestudying for tests, and I did verywell on those tests.

Any extra-curricular activities?Yes, quite a few. I was part of aclub called Builders' Club, whichwas basically a volunteer group(like TAP and Interact). Inaddition, I took dance lessons. Bythe time I was in Middle School, Iwas an assistant dance instructorat the dance studio I attended. Ialso played softball.

Were you a popular student?No, not at all! I was extremely shyas a kid growing up. However, inMiddle School I started to comeinto my own and by High School, Ifelt included because I had my setgroup of friends. By the time Iwas in college, I came out of myshell.

What inspired you to become ateacher? Why English?I felt I was always meant tobecome a teacher. However, mytrue desire to become a teachercame to me when I was in 12thgrade, and I had this really coolteacher. Also, one of my highschool English teachers trulyinspired my to become a teacher.Why English? It was always mystrong subject.

Why did you choose to teachMiddle School?“I never wanted to teach Middle

School, to be honest.However I am certified toteach 7-12, so when I gotthis job, I decided to give ita shot. Now that I haveexperience at this level, Inever want to stop teachingMiddle School!

Miss Langenfeld as a MiddleSchooler

The Pep Club is sellingMidland Park apparel nowthrough February 11th. Allitems are on display in thedisplay case across from thesenior lounge. The clothingcomes in adult sizes (Small -2X) and youth sizes (S-L)and all are hunter green withblack and white writing. If you have any questions,please contact Miss Gordon! Orders are due no laterthan Thursday, February 11th. Get your MP Gear and be aProud Panther!

MP Gear On Sale!

Middle School Wrestling

Panther Paws, Jr. Page 7 of 8

by: Rachel A.

This winter starts theseason of Middle SchoolGirls and Boysbasketball! The coachfor the girls is Mr.Hershberger and thecoach for the boys is Mr.DeFeo. So far this season, thegirls have won all five oftheir games, and theboys have won two andlost one. Here is the scheduleover the next week:Friday, January 22 -4:00 PM-Boys @Elmwood Park

Have PantherPride! Supportyour teams!

by Rachel B.

There are nine peopleon the Middle Schoolwrestling team, and theirhard work is paying off. Their overall score isthree to one. The person coachingthis winning team isHighland School gymteacher, Mr. Grasso. Here are the statsfor some of the team:Jeff B. - 4-0, Seth Z. -5-1. Kollin S's standingsare 2-3, Joe M. is 1-3,and Richard B. is 1-4. To

Monday, January 25 -4:00 PM-Girls @ GlenRockMonday, January 25 -4:00 PM- Boys vs. GlenRockWednesday, January 27- 4:00 PM- Boys @ LodiThursday, January 28 -4:00 PM Girls vs. Lodi

Good luck to both theBoys and Girls teams thisseason! Go Panthers!

end the standings GuageB. is 3-1 and Gem A. is 0-5. So far the team haswrestled in fourmatches.The wrestling team isdoing very well! Get tothe gym and go to thematches and show yourMidland Parksupport.

Panther Football WINS!by Paul M.

Two years ago, a group of sixth graders on theRecreation football team made it to the Super Bowl,only to be crushed by the Northern Valley footballteam 13-7. They left the field that night beat up anddemoralized. Revenge was brewing within the MidlandPark Panthers. Two years later the same team rose up to power onceagain, but this time they were bigger, stronger, andmore determined. Led by their coach, Mr. DouglasHildebrandt, they entered the Super Bowl with arecord of 8-1, and would prevail over their rival,Northern Valley 21-14. Throughout the game, the Panthers pushed theNorthern Valley Eagles down the field whenever theyhad the football, resulting in total domination. The Panthers did not get to the Super Bowl easily. Inthe playoffs they had to overcome The Ho-Ho-KusIndians, the only team to have beaten them in theregular season. The graduating class of football players, who will begoing on to high school level football include: Paul M.,Jeffrey B., Joseph M., Joseph P., William L., GeoffreyH., Hunter L., Jack H., Adrian M., Evan P., Kyle F.,Christopher F., Seth Z., and Matthew W..

Middle School Basketball

We’re on the Web!

See us at:

midlandparkschools.schoolwires.com

Panther Paws, Jr.by Rachel B.

The heat is on! MPHSBattle of the Books letsstudents show theircompetitive side throughreading. A small schoolcompetition will be heldin the gymnasium, andout of those teams twowill be crownedchampions. Those two teams will goon to the Upper SaddleRiver competition and

Battle of the Books

by Saida K.

The iPod touch oriPhone is practically nofun without any fun oruseful applications on it. So, you lucky MidlandParkians have asked,“What are the top tenapplications for myiPod/iPhone?” then hereare your answers! Coming in first isShazam. Who sings thatsong you love to hear onthe radio? Find out byShazaming it. This makesit easier to buy songsand enjoy them on youiPod. Here are some othersthat are on the top tenlist.

Touchgrind – Skateboardor fingerboard on youriPod

Top 10 Apps for iPhone and iTouch

Staff Writers:Kathryn A.Rachel A.Rachel B.Saida K.

Kaytlynn K.Dan L.Paul M.

Caitlin S.

Faculty Advisor:Brian Ersalesi

So, Whadja Get??

We all like to make lists andcheck them twice so we aresure to receive the perfectgift. Let’s see how thatworked out! (Names havebeen omitted so we don’tmake Santa mad!)

WANTED: A new cell phoneRECEIVED: A note fromSanta saying, "We ran out.Love, Santa"

WANTED: A LaptopRECEIVED: Fuzzy pinkbunny slippers

WANTED: iPod TouchRECEIVED: Penguin stuffedanimal that when yousqueeze it says RAWR!

WANTED: Skate BoardRampRECEIVED: Handy MannyTool Box (to build one)

WANTED: Modern WarfareRECEIVED: Dora theExplorer: Journey to thePurple Planet

compete with other schoolsto be Bergen County Battleof the Books Champions. Each team must consist offive seventh or eighthgraders. Teams areresponsible for reading apre-determined list of booksand keeping notes on each ofthem. The competition willconsist of questions andanswers relating to thebooks that were read. Miss Kelley is themoderator of Battle of theBooks.

We are keeping ourfingers crossed forMidland Park in thiscompetition!

Galcon-Galcon – Anawesome high-pacedgalactic action-strategygame.

Line Rider iRide – Createa track and sendyourself traveling overlakes, hills and rivers.

iBlackout – This cool appturns the screen of youriPhone or iPod touchbright white, effectivelytransforming it into aflashlight to find things.

Real Soccer 2009 – Playsoccer and view tips onhow to play. Alsoavailable in football andbaseball.

Tap-Tap Revenge 3 –Listen to music whiletrying to keep the beatby tapping!

Frenzic – A fast and funpuzzle to solve in aminute.

FlightTrack Pro – Anawesome way to track anairplane flight.

Mock draft – It allowsyou to scout players andcheck their records.