PV Pride

One of the most interesting things about Pascack Valley is how the school spirit separates it from all other schools, especially the middle schools. School-colored and screened T-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants are in vogue at school, and are worn by almost half of the school population every day. Even the interior of the school is spirited, just like the clothes are. With the white walls, green lockers, and flyers posted all over the walls, the colors voice the spirit of the school, just as the teenage argot fills the halls. From the football games to the dance competitions to the robotics competitions, PV pride shines through unfailingly. Although the students range from the freshman to the seniors, the support is the same at any age. One of my favorite things is going to the Ridge Diner after football games, because the diner is literally filled with the entire school. As a common meeting place after the games, I love being able to see all of my friends at a continuation of the game. No matter what the event is, PV Pride shines through stronger than any other school.

Friendship Circle

Many people do community service because they need the hours for college, to win some type of award, or to qualify for a program such as National Honor Society. For me, the hours you spend in the community helping others is so much more than writing down your hours on a time table. Because helping others is my passion and is simply the right thing to do, I became a member and volunteer for The Friendship Circle. One of the little boys that I baby-sit for is autistic, and although he is only three years old, I see how it affects him everyday. I also baby-sit his twin sister, and even from their appearances you can see that he just appears younger. This boy’s autism is not extremely high on the spectrum, but it still affects his brain and takes him more time to think when we play and when I talk to him. This child inspired me so much that I decided to join The Friendship Circle with one of my friends. The Friendship Circle is an organization where two teenagers are partnered with a child with autism, and once a week you go to their house and just play with them, and let them know that they have a friend and role model that they can turn to. Many times the children have a hard time communicating with their peers, and by playing with older and educated teenagers, they feel like they finally have a real friend. Every Tuesday, my friend and I go to a child’s house (who happens to be the cousin of the other boy I baby-sit), and play with him. His sister is a year younger, and even though she is not autistic, she joins in to play with us also for that one hour every week, because she is only four and needs just as much attention. It has only been a little over a month, but already, I have been able to see this little boy burgeon in his socialization skills from our time together. When we first started coming, he would barely look us in the eye, or call us by our names. Today, he and his sister wait at the door for us to come, and he addresses us by our names when he wants our attention. The week before Christmas, we tried to have him draw a Christmas picture, just to get him to focus. Even though it was ephemeral, the fact that he listened to us for that short time showed a salient improvement.
His sister who is a year younger stays with us for the hour and plays as well, because as a little girl, all she wants is attention and to play. Her excitement beguiles us, because she always acts innocent and giggles at everything we say, but she really plans ruses to play on us. They have a zip line in their basement, and so every week we pick them up to put them on the step stool, and they ride the zip line from wall to wall. Sometimes, she hides in the mini toy closet, and calls our names, until we succumb to her demands and go look for her.
Playing with these children has made me more empathetic to children and adults who have autism and their family members, because I have a new awareness about the obstacles they have to overcome daily, even if those obstacles are as small as looking someone in the eye.

Winter Ball or Bust?

It is officially four days away from Winter Ball, and the junior and senior classes are garrulously talking about the event. As juniors, we have never attended a formal event at school before, and so it is the number one priority on most people’s minds. I have always loved big events where I am able to get my hair done, buy a pretty dress, and attend a party with all of my friends. And as head of the junior prom, I should be especially excited for this night. However, as much as I do love the decoration and planning aspect, for once in my life, I am not as excited to attend this dance. I think it may be how excessively the dance is talked about, which is allaying the importance for me, but this is just one event that I find myself on a different beat from the rest of the grade. It is not that I am trying to deride the event, because usually I am head-over-heels for these types of things.
The reason I believe that I am so apathetic is because of the fact that it is winter. This is lame, but winter makes me want to curl up in a ball and sit at my fireplace or couch and knit, and watch television or read a good book. Winter always means soup and relaxing (besides the fact that we are in school and have actual schoolwork), and I just don’t think I am in the mood to walk outside feel the frigid wind bite at my ankles and nip at my toes. Anyway, I will try to waive the negativity, and try to enjoy Friday as much as possible, because after all, it is supposed to be a cheerful time, and the opportunity is only offered two times a year to get this dressed up.

Who's in Control?

This morning was just like all of the others, except for the capricious behaviors of my family members. Everyone is stressed out about school and work and life, and needs this break more desperately than ever before. Carly has been excoriating my mom for weeks now, and finally my mom gave her a well-deserved punishment – taking away the Macbook. Now one may ask, why in the world does an 8th grader have a Macbook? She isn’t in high school or even college for that matter, and does barely any work as a middle schooler. Well, since my uncle bought me a computer (not a Mac), for my bat mitzvah, he felt it was only right to do the same for her. My mom and I both agreed from the start that this was a tawdry decision on behalf of my dad and uncle. Carly seems to think that it is the nadir of all possible torture to have her computer taken away. G-d forbid anyone go a week without Facebook…how could we survive? I just cannot believe that it took me having to put my mom under duress, just for her to take away a piece of technology! Come on. No offense to my mother, but as much as life in America is not a hierarchy, you are the parent, and therefore should have utter control of your daughter, be able to abrogate her unappreciative mood, and be able take away the luxuries that she possesses.