The howler march, 2011 Fifth Edition

By Allison, Andy, Scott, and Jocelyn (7^th)

Presently all students at EPE have contributed by creating a picture for the garden mural. Soon they will actually assemble the mosaic with help from the staff and parents. Teachers are encouraged to bring students from the building and teach in the garden classrooms. This allows the class to enjoy fresh air and beautiful scenery.

The Green Paws Community Garden will have phenomenal plants such as a variety of vegetables and flowers. It will be even greener with the new compost planned for the garden. Planting this garden is just one more step toward a greener Edison Park Elementary. During the summer there will be a sign up sheet to adopt the garden for a week. One family will take care of it by watering, weeding, and feeding the plants. Mrs. Grossman, the head of the garden committee said, “The garden won’t be completed until late May.” Although the garden will not be in full bloom this year, it will keep the community looking at the effects of all the hard work necessary to get it started. There will be experience with nature, making the community a brighter place, and creating another great addition to this school.

If students, parents, or teachers have any suggestions, please express them to Mrs. Grossman.

By Tierney, Phillip, Eric, and Ben (7^th)

The body walk was a hands-on experience that had kids visit the brain, lungs, muscles, intestines, and more. In the mouth, kids learned to brush their teeth correctly, and in the muscles, seventh grader Phillip dominated in arm wrestling, but lost his crown to teachers Mr. Murphy and Mr. Kennedy.

In preparation for the body walk, the seventh grade (who hosted the walk) worked for several weeks creating posters, and writing scripts to present their part of the body. Mats, parachutes, and risers were set up in the gym to represent the different organs.

Mr. Kennedy, the new teacher and the arm wrestling champ, said that the body walk was presented well. “It was nice to see how each of you [seventh graders] used different strategies to get the kids’ attention.”

The overall goal was to teach kids how to choose smarter and healthier decisions, which many teachers and students will agree, was accomplished. Next year, hopefully, the tradition will be passed on. For now, however, the seventh grade put on a hearty performance!

100 Days of Awesomeness

By Colette, Trey, Robyn, and Rocco (6^th)

The Howler interviewed teachers Mrs. Gallo and Mrs. Sanders, as well as students Kevin, Lauren, Jonathan, and Emily from Room 109, about their hundredth day experience.

The festivities included many sets of 100. They all made a “snack mix,” exclusive to this day, by having each student bring in 100 pieces of any peanut-free snack, that was shared by all the students. The kids rotated around the 1^st floor, making it perfect for primary. Other events included making a banner that is now displayed in the hall near Mrs. Gallo’s room. Stacking 100 cups in Mrs. Gehrig’s room, putting 100 Froot-Loops on a string in Mrs. Sanders’ room and poetry/exercise in Mrs. Graf’s room were some of the activities shared by all.

This commotion may sound like a hassle for the teachers, but Mrs. Gallo commented, “All the children were surprisingly well behaved.”

Now this sounds like a 100^th day.

This Month in Chicago History

By Jordan, Rachel, Deiterich (8^th)

The emerald green dye was originally put in the river by a plumber who wanted to solve the problems with waste in the river. The pipes emptied into the Chicago River but no one knew exactly where. Dye was put in the pipes so they could see where the waste was.

This ceremony takes place the day of the St. Patrick’s Day parade, which was scheduled for the Saturday before March 17th. Many stories have been passed down from generation to generation about the pastime, but who would have guessed that the dying of The Chicago River all started because of one plumber trying to solve a sewage problem. Let’s just leave it at that.

Outside These Walls




Tragedy in Japan

By Anjanie, Cassidy, Johnny, and Tom (8^th)

Following the earthquake, an intimidating tsunami hit Japan. Cars, ships, and buildings were swept away by a wall of water after the immense tremor. Strong waves hit Japan’s Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures (Japanese counties) damaging dozens of coastal communities. A massive surge of debris filled water rushed over the landscapes.

The Japan tsunami and earthquake caused major devastation in nearby nuclear power plants. There are power cuts called rolling blackouts, because of the energy wasted from the plants. Cooling system are needed to prevent higher radiation

Signs of high levels of uranium are in the fuel rods at the Fukushima, Daiichi nuclear power plant. Helicopters and police vans sprayed water on the storage pools in the plants, in an attempt to cool them. Michael Friedlander a former nuclear power plant operator stated that even though the water in the pools has stopped circulating, it takes days for them to evaporate. The stainless steel should hold the escaping water but if that fails, the extra concrete layer should hold it because there is no other place for the water to go. However, the water that has already drained out of the pools has been exposed into the air and oceans. This devastating event left many people in a state of shock. Many loved ones will be missed dearly.

Travel Chicago

By Sareena, Patrycja, Angie, and Nicole (6^th)

The medieval art exhibit was created in Europe over a time period of 500 years. It includes paintings, sculptures, metalwork, stained glass, textiles, and manuscript illuminations. It also houses a lot of arms, armor, jewelry, ceramics, and tapestries. Most of the art was made in France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. People who like medieval times or novels about that time period would like this exhibit.

Throne miniatures are both inch and one foot tall. The mini rooms were a gift from Mrs. James Ward Throne. She donated the miniature furniture to the Art Institute which began the collection. The miniature rooms were constructed between 1932 and 1940. People who like miniature art would like to see it.

The textiles in the Art Institute are very inspiring because they are from many different nationalities. There are 13,000 to 66,000 textiles in the museum. When looking at them, they have different shapes, sizes and colors. They have different pictures included in the shapes. Textiles are shapes of tiles. Different nationalities that want to see what art is from their nationality can go to this exhibit.

The African art collection includes more than 400 works of art. The work shows expressions of the South of the Sahara, and the traditions of west and central Africa. The collection includes many rare African pieces of art. Some of the art includes masks, figural wooden sculptures, beadwork, furniture, regalia and textiles from other countries. The Art Institute has the largest collection of African ceramics in any American art museum. Anybody who is interested in African culture will like to see this art.

So go to the Art Institute of Chicago for a fun family trip, to see these awesome exhibits. For more information go to www.artic.edu.

Shout-Out to Staff

By Eddie, Liz, Sam, and Ian (6^th)

Ms. Shapiro, enough said.

Ms.Shaprio is a thoughtful teacher who is dedicated to her job and students. She teaches 4^th and 5^th grade in room 203. Read on to get to know her better.

“At school, my favorite subject is reading because I enjoy literature and talking about books. I am currently attending graduate school to become a Reading Specialist.” This will enhance her teaching experience.

Outside of school, she loves to hang out with her friends, play with her nephews, and take her dog, Lexie, for a walk.

Now, onto her favorites. She likes to watch American Idol, Glee, and Criminal Minds on TV. Traveling is top on her list. She has been to at least 13 countries outside of the United States. She prefers vampires over werewolves, adores chocolate and drinking raspberry ice tea. The Notebook is her favorite movie of choice. Her favorite music of choice is Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, and Mumford and Sons.

These are some sides of Ms. Shapiro. Thank goodness she is here at Edison Park Elementary.

By Marcos, Doug, Adam, and Nick (8^th)

Ms. Ivette attended Shurz High School in Chicago and currently works at Edison Park. On top of coming into work every morning and staying late, to clean the first floor, she is training to become an engineer. She is of Puerto Rican decent and speaks both English and Spanish. If she could live anywhere, she would remain in Chicago as she has her whole life. She is very happy here. After all, her favorite part of working at Edison Park is feeling like she is treated like family by all of the teachers.

So, the next time you see Ms. Ivette, be sure to give her a big hello and thank her for all her hard work.

8^th Grader Profile

By Jackie, Kendra, Eddie, Marcello, and Johnny (7^th)

“I really want to go to Notre Dame because they have a really good team there,” Nick answered with excitement, when The Howler asked where he was going to high school.

Football is his favorite sport. His brother, Joe, inspired him to play the game. He loves to play wide receiver. “I think the most inspirational athlete to me is Chad Ochocinco (also known as Chad Johnson).”

The Howler asked him where he sees himself in five years. Nick began to daydream. “I see myself in college, playing wide receiver for my football team.”

Going to college and playing football caused The Howler to wonder how Nick dealt with stress. He answered, “I don’t get stress. I just go with the flow.” That explains it.

So who is the inspiration for this athletic student? “My dad. He inspires everyday decisions. He also inspires me to do well in school.” Nick replied with a smile on his face.

It was great taking the time to interview Nick. Good luck at Notre Dame.

By Natalia, Eva, Joey, and Brandon (6^th)

The eighth graders at Edison Park Elementary are all great, but each of them have different personalities. The readers of The Howler got free backstage passes to the life of Michelle.

Drum roll please. The secret is uncovered. Michelle's favorite color is proven to be…RED! “It’s my favorite color but I am not sure why it is my favorite.”

Michelle is not Chinese, however she loves Chinese food. She is an animal lover that owns two dogs, two cats, and two fish. The fish have not yet received a name. "There’s no point in naming them. Too many names," she states. Triple twos in pets seems like a lot of work, but Michelle can handle the job with her can-do attitude.

Michelle can not only handle six pets but can also participate in two

sports, soccer and cross country. Soccer

had just started and Michelle is very excited to start kicking. She is also excited to run the road of success and victory.

This student is sadly leaving Edison Park Elementary for a higher grade level, the important level of life, high school. The schools she is still deciding between are Regina Dominican and Taft.

Now the readers of The Howler have seen the behind the scenes look on the one and only…Michelle.

By Sienna, Sarah, Victor, Eli, and Abbey (7^th)

Playing basketball and wearing a Taft sweatshirt, Jonathon is introduced as a fascinating 8^th grader that The Howler interviewed.

Jonathon is planning on going to Taft High School because that is where his sister goes. He told us, “I cannot wait until I graduate.”

He explained that Gym is his favorite subject but quickly changed to Science, unsure if Gym was a real subject. He loves science because it is “interesting, exciting, and fun.”

Spring is his favorite season because, “It’s warm and you can play sports outside.” He enjoys playing basketball out in the warm weather.

Due to all the exciting conflicts, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of his favorite books. The 8^th grade read this in class with Ms. McMahon.

Of course, when asked his favorite sport he replied basketball. He was a star on the basketball team this school year. He likes to play it with friends after school.

Jonathon and his basketball will be in high school next year, so make sure to say goodbye to this wolf who possesses immense personality and will not be at our school next year!

Editorial

By Megan and Michelle (8^th)

To put this into perspective, a surgeon in the same city, with five to nine years experience, makes, on average, $329,229 annually.

The surgeon makes less than two percent of Michael Vick’s salary. Kobe Bryant, a professional basketball player, makes the average teacher’s yearly salary for every basket he makes. Not to mention, the president of the United States, voted into office to make positive decisions for the country, only makes $400,000 annually. How can one compare pure entertainment to a doctor, who saves lives?

Is it fair that someone that plays a game all day makes substantially more money than people who lead the U.S.A. or help the generations that will also, someday, help lead? It is time to face the facts, professional sports players are way overpaid.

By Ivan and Jonathan (8^th)

Just because there are a handful of athletes who are All-Stars that get paid over $20 million a season, there are millions of athletes who do not nearly get paid as much.

According to salary.com an average of all of athletes’ salaries ranges from $18,000 to $41,000 a year.

The latter is even considered underpaid to the average middle class American. Therefore, unless specific athletes are named, to argue that they are overpaid, would be just absurd.

Song Review
Gee: The Asian Rhythm

By Ava, Emily, Val and Andzelika (6^th)

Most music fans know some very famous artists such as Ke$ha, Lady Gaga, Paramore and many more. All these examples thrive in America, but what about music from other countries, like Korea?

Gee is a Korean song that is popular all over Asia, including Japan. Today, The Howler dedicates this song to the people of Japan after what happened to their loving lives, families, homes, and citiy.

The song “Gee” is about a school girl’s crush expressed through catchy lyrics. It is sung by the Girls Generation, Tae Yeon, Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Ye Ri, Soo Young, YoonA, and Seo Hyun.

Ava- Personally I think this song is okay. I kind of get tired of how all the songs these days are about love. However, it actually has a catchy beat and it talks about her feelings, not just a boy. So I would give this song 3 paws.

Emily- I give the song 4 paws, for it captivates with its cute dance and poppy beat. However, the melody was a bit repetitive at times. It still is sure to get people dancing, or at least bobbing some heads along with the beat.

Andzelika- I’m in the middle. Gee in Japanese is unique but in English I can understand it a LOT better. I would give this song 4 paws.

Val –I like this song because it has a nice beat. I love different languages because it sounds so amazing.

Everybody should try listing to foreign songs. Sometimes the outcome may be surprising.

Movie Review

By Michaela, Austin, and Daniel (7^th)

“Three are dead. Six are left. I am Number Four.” This is one of the many great quotes from the movie. The movie was very different in the fact that the main character was not a human. He was trying to stay alive because he was scheduled to die soon.

He was actually an alien from the planet Lorien, who now lives on Earth. He and six other aliens are being chased down by hunters from a different planet. Number Four needs to defend himself or they all could be killed.

“I Am Number Four, the most awesome movie ever, is now my favorite movie. It was filled with action, comedy, and romance. The story was fabulous, but so was the special effects and makeup. Alex Pettyfer did an awesome job playing as the main character. Two Paws Up.” ~Daniel

“It was very thrilling, action packed movie. Although it was cool, I thought it was too similar to the movie Twilight, which is a movie I hate. It was like Twilight because a girl falls in love with a mythical creature. Other than that, it had a great plot filled with explosions, and amazing fight scenes. One Paw Up.” ~Michaela

“I Am Number Four was a movie with tons of action, with an amazing story. I loved this movie because it had weird alien technology and monsters. Overall, this movie was awesome, and very action packed. Two Paws Up.” ~Austin

Book Review

By Sarah, Rachel, Tommy, Peter (7^th)

-Rachel (Two Paws Up)

The Hunger Games is a fantastic adventure. It’s like being in the games, just through Katniss’ eyes. You wish that you were there to help her win. You can understand how she feels throughout the story because of the vivid descriptions. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves action, drama, and romance.

-Sarah A. (Two Paws Up) I love how Suzanne Collins mixed action with romance because you want to continue reading. There is a lot of suspense that made this book excellent. I would have never touched this book due to the title. However, it was assigned in reading class and I was shocked and definitely proven wrong. Never judge a book by its cover.

-Tommy (Two Paws Up)

This is a great book for readers that enjoy action with a splash of romance. The Hunger Games is a must read. I loved to read about all the challenges Katniss had to defeat. I enjoyed it and I think everyone else would, too. Don’t forget to read the other two books in this book trilogy!

-Peter (One Paw Up)

I didn’t really like this book. There’s just too much romance. The only part I like in the book is when the tributes fought to the death. I take pleasure in seeing the intensity rise from fields of love. I also appreciate how Suzanne Collins described in detail how some tributes felt during the games, especially Katniss and Peeta.

Sports
On your mark, get set, Run!

By Kirk, Rose, Katie, and Alyssa (6^th)

Spring is here! That means it is time to go outside and play some sports. Many students choose the exciting sport, track and field, because they get fit and have fun. It requires speed, agility, coordination, effort, encouragement, and coaching. Those requirements help when doing the 100 meter, 200 meter, 400 meter, 800 meter dashes, and relay races. The seventh and eighth graders can also do 1,600 meters. For people who despise these events there are alternatives such as long jump and shot put.

Edison Park’s track and field season started March 29, 2011, with practice giving people time to see which event is best for them before meets start in May. This will also give Edison Park School a chance to meet the new coaches.

So now it is time for the big the question. Who will be assisting Ms. Lushniak since Ms. Diggings left? Initially The Howler was told Mr. C would be taking the empty spot. Later on it was explained Ms. Lushniak that she will also be giving up her spot. Therefore the coaches are Mr. C and Mr. Kennedy.

So, if track and field sounds like an amazing sport, contact the office and sign up today.