Tower Times - Poly Prep Country Day School

Tower Times
April - May 2006, Vol. XI, No. 6
Clean Sweep: A Teenager’s Guide to Spring Cleaning
Wow! Can you believe it? The 2005-2006 school year is about to end. Among our middle school
ranks, a lot of “men” and “women” are emerging. But for a lot of these new “adults,” the night often
ends with them curling up on dinosaur sheets with a stuffed purple Barney nearby. C’mon guys,
you know who you are!
How’s this for a summer project: make your room reflect
who you are now, not what your parents thought was cute
when you were in pre-school.
Start by weeding through all the piles in your room, including
what’s in drawers, shelves, and closets. Be ruthless!
You need room for all those new gadgets, musical stuff,
and clothes that will mark your departure from little kid
kingdom. Do you really need that pop-up alphabet book
where half the letters refuse to pop? No!
Now here’s where you do the good deed: separate your
exit pile into two groupings: charity and “true garbage.”
You know those weird tie-dye pajamas that your hippie
uncle gave you on your seventh birthday? It may be psychedelic,
but some poor kid could use it – so put it in the
charity stack. If you have a hard time distinguishing good
from bad, just put all the broken, stained, and missingpieces
stuff into “true garbage.”
Don’t forget to include your furniture in this round up.
Stools and furniture shaped like animals don’t belong in a
middle schooler’s domain. Scrutinize your curtains and
your sheets as well. Banish those cartoon characters of
your youth. Look over your posters or other decorations as
well.
Now step back. Are you happy with the overall color? Or
is baby pink or blue not your thing anymore? Does the
graffiti you did to your wall when you were five embarrass
you? If so, trot to the paint store and get some paint chips
to stick on your wall while you deliberate on the colors you
want in your life. Be creative. Walls, ceilings and floors
don’t have to be the same color – but they have to be in
combination that you can live with for a while.
After you’ve painted, you may want to hit the mall or surf
the web for cool sheets and furnishings. If you’re on a
budget, try the Salvation Army or some other thrift stores.
Don’t be afraid of stuff that may not look exactly the way
you like it. You can always fix it up, paint or cover it up.
Look for stuff that can have many uses. A good example is
a footlocker. It’s not just for camp, but it can be used for
storage and additional seating. Also, don’t be afraid to use
things for purposes other than they were intended for. A
small beach pail may make a handy pen/pencil container.
Bulletin boards are good things to have, especially if you
live in an apartment. Get a few and turn them into your
revolving gallery. Interesting pictures from magazines or
the net, postcards, photos, those fake Hawaiian leis that
you get at that last party – there’s a home for them.
By the time September rolls around, you’ll have a new castle
to share with your pals. See you then!
- Jacob Barnett

Dear Poly,
I don’t know what it’s going
to be like switching from one
grade to the next. How am I
supposed to be prepared?
What can I do?
Whether you are going to a
new school, a new building, or just a different
grade, it is very stressful. I hope you realize
that it doesn’t have to be too stressful, though.
You may wonder what the teachers are going
to be like, what the building’s going to be like,
or even what the kids are going to be like, so
here are some tips:
For fourth graders, going to Middle School
will be exciting. You will have a lot, more responsibility,
no recess, and more homework.
The responsibility may seem like its building up
on you at first, but don’t let that get to you!
You should always keep your head out of the
clouds and think about school, not your best
friend’s party. If you study, pay attention and
follow the rules you will be just fine.
If you are going to a new school it may be
scary. Not only are your friends not going to
be there, but also the building is new and the
teachers are too. Keep in touch with your old
friends. Make new ones. More friends can distract
you, but they can also provide a balance
between social life and school.
If you are only moving up a grade, then I
wouldn’t sweat it. You’ll get to see your old
teachers and you’ve already seen the new
teachers. You’ll just get a different supply list
and different topics to study. You’ll be just fine.
In the end, no matter what you are doing,
moving up isn’t that scary. Just follow my tips,
and things will turn out just fine. - Emily Giurleo
Horoscope
Aquarius (January 28 – February 18)
You are faithful, quiet and patient. This month you will be
appreciated for your kindness. Famous stars: Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart, Wayne Gretzky, Oprah Winfrey.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
You are forgiving, affectionate, and honest. This month you
will make a new friend. Famous stars: Albert Einstein,
George Washington.
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
You are confident, enthusiastic, and a natural born leader.
You have been working hard and getting a lot done. This
month it is time to relax and reward yourself for a job well
done. Famous stars: Thomas Jefferson, Sandra Day
O’Connor.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
You are reliable, trustworthy and organized. With Earth
Day coming, now is a good time for spring cleaning. Famous
stars: Harry Truman, Queen Elizabeth II, Jerry Seinfeld.
Gemini (May 21 – June 21)
You are clever, loving, and curious. Study hard and you
will be rewarded with good grades. Famous stars: John F.
Kennedy, Nicole Kidman, Paul McCartney.
Cancer (June 22 – July 22)
You are talkative, sympathetic, and have a good memory.
Your good memory will come in handy with the upcoming
tests. Famous stars: Princess Diana, Ringo Starr.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
You are happy, outgoing, and daring. The warm weather is
the perfect time for you to get outside and get energized.
Famous stars: Neil Armstrong, Coco Chanel.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
You are sensitive, kind, and intelligent. Spring is a great
time to join a club or team and meet new people. Famous
stars: William Howard Taft, Leonard Bernstein.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)
You are sympathetic, a good listener, and love music and
art. This month is a good time to listen to new music. Famous
stars: John Adams, Barbara Walters.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
You are humorous, hardworking, and determined. You
have worked hard all year and now it is time to have fun.
Famous stars: Pablo Picasso, Julia Roberts, Indira Gandhi.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
You are generous, loyal, and sentimental. You will be rewarded
for being such a good friend. Famous stars: Brad
Pitt, Frank Sinatra, Diego Rivera.
Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
You are mature, serious, and ambitious. Your friends will
listen to you and look up to you as a leader. Famous stars:
Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King, Elvis Presley.
- Sarah White
The 2006 New York
Auto Show
I went to
the New
York Auto
Show. As
soon as I
walked in I
saw the new Lamborghini, and a
Lotus that had doors that opened
upwards. Then when I went a little
farther, I saw the Toyotas. The
Toyota concept car was incredible;
it had doors that opened upwards
too, but it was much bigger than
the Lotus and had seats all around
the inside. A concept car is a car
that hasn’t come out yet for purchase
but might in a few years. I
then went to the BMWs; they
didn’t have a concept car. They
did have a lot of new cars, though.
They also had a miniature game
show every twenty minutes with
about seven people each. The
winner got a BMW t-shirt. I didn’t
have time to try though, since I
only had an hour. I saw the Hondas;
not much new. Then I visited
the Hummers where they had all
three: the H1, H2, and H3. The H1
was the best, then came the H2,
and the H3 was really not very
good. It was just a smaller version
of the H2, but it still had the same
terrible game mileage. Last came
the Fords. It didn’t have many new
cars, but it had the Ford GT. The
Ford GT has a story: In the sixties,
Henry Ford made it to race, but
the roof was so low they had to cut
a hole in the top for the driver.
Ever since then, Ford has been
perfecting it. When I left I passed
by the Mazda concept car which
had small sliding doors and leather
seats. Someone brought in an NBA
car to show off. It had NBA sign
all over it. All in all, it was fun, but
not as good as last year.
- contributed by Jim Lambert
Book Review:
Gypsy Girl
by Rumer Godden
Gypsy Girl is a book about a
young girl named Kizzy Lovell,
growing up in a wagon. She
lives with her grandma and with
her horse, Joe. But one deathly night, Kizzy’s
wagon burns, crushing her only hopes for survival.
She soon learns that may be put in a foster
home and have to adapt to a whole new
life. Besides dealing with that and her grandmother’s
death, Kizzy is always being teased
in school. She is usually called, “rags and
tags, clothes pegs, and diddakoi,” all hurtful
names for a “traveler.” Kizzy’s only friend is
Clem Oliver, a boy a bit older than her. Follow
Kizzy’s adventures in this amazing book.
- Mikaela Morgan Chant
Jersey Boys
Theater Review
The Middle
School performance
of the
Music Man
made me think
of a play I saw
with my family during Spring Break
called Jersey Boys. This musical is a
“must see” for everybody of all ages.
At first, I didn’t think I would like it
much. I didn’t know much about the
story of Frankie Valli and the Four
Seasons. This musical play is very
funny and has a good story. I didn’t
think I knew many of the songs –
“Sherri”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry,”
“Dawn” – but that wasn’t the case,
and I sang along. So, if you can get
your parents to take you to a play, this
is the one I give thumbs up to. Perhaps
in a couple of years, Poly can present
Jersey Boys and we can all see the
cast of the Music Man sing, “Oh What
a Night.” ! !
- Hunter Marciano

MS Musical:
The Music Man
The Music Man is the story of a
conman who goes by the name of
Harold Hill (played by Hayward
Leach). Harold Hill travels from town
to town posing as a bandleader. He
sells each town overpriced uniforms
and equipment with the promise that
he will conduct the band. However,
he always skips town after he gets
his money. Upon arriving in a small
town in Iowa, Harold Hill is the center
of suspicion. Mayor Shinn (Josh
Gotoy) and the librarian (Ashley
Bryan), as well as others, have their
doubts. He faces a challenge as he
tries to gain the trust of all the
townspeople
and uses it to
his advantage,
while trying to
not get too attached
to the
town or the
townspeople.
This production, put on by the Middle
School, under the direction of
Ms. Flory, Ms. Shumway, and Ms.
Costello was a surefire hit! It was
performed on the afternoon of May
4 th , again on May 5 th at 8 pm, and
on May 6 th at 2 pm. Many seventh
and eighth graders have put in a
tremendous amount of effort and
dedication into this performance and
for that we are all grateful!
- Christina Larkin
Madame Tussaud’s
Wax Museum
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum
is a great way to spend a day
during the summer break. It is full
of wax figures of famous actors,
musicians, athletes and politicians.
All of the figures look quite
real. Throughout the museum
there are interactive activities.
You can get up on an American
Idol stage and sing, be interviewed
like a star, and pedal a
bicycle next
to Lance
Armstrong.
Though the
wax figures
are the
main highlight
of the
museum,
there is also
a haunted house (based on one
of the latest horror films), a real
game show, and a film about
New York. The museum includes
a café and gift shop where you
can get your own personalized
wax hand or foot and don’t miss
the great view from the glass elevator.
Remember to bring your
camera so you can take pictures
of yourself
with the
stars! Madame
Tussaud’s
is
located in
Manhattan
at 234
West 42 nd Street. It costs $23.00
for kids ages 4 to 12 and $29.00
for adults ages 13 to 59.
- Sarah White
Dylan’s Candy Bar
Welcome to the biggest
candy store in NYC located in
the chic Upper East Side on
60 th Street and Lexington
Avenue. You enter in front of
a colossal plastic bear, then
you pass by the cold ice
cream bar. Go down the
candy stairs to find a wonderful
buffet of candies from
candy iPods and many colored
M&Ms. Besides selling
candy, they also sell cool apparel,
even candy-like cosmetics.
Also, did you know the
owner of the candy store is
Dylan, Ralph Lauren’s daughter?
This candy department
store is amazing, and its
worth a trip! - Mark Leone

The Story That Came
and Went
It all happened one morning at
5:30 A.M. My mom had gotten
up to watch the news and do her
usual morning exercises. She turned
on the T.V. and went to the MSNBC
channel when she heard that Karl
Rove and Ari Fleischer were linked to
the leaking of the C.I.A agent and
were to be indicted. Later that day
my mom had told me about the news
she heard in the morning but no one else heard about it.
None of the news stations covered it, not even 1190 Air
America radio, such a left wing democratic radio station.
It was as if the story had vanished from this world.
My idea about what happened
to this news was that
our president had heard
about what was to happen
and he bribed or threatened
all channels and stations that
if this was to go public they
would not get something or
they were to have something
bad happen to them. This is
sort of like the book The
Giver in which something
odd happens and before you know it, it’s all gone. It’s
like our government can stop all threats to itself and even
if they break the laws they still do it so no one hates
them. It shows you how desperate the Republican party
is to have everyone on their side. Karl Rove is basically
the brains of the Republican Party; without him, even
more things would go wrong. That’s not to say that nothing
bad has happen already under this party. It really
shows how much the government controls us and how
quickly they can change things. This is a very bad sign
considering where we are now. - contributed by Aaron Katz
City Harvest Interview
Tower Times decided to as Jason Kliot, a
Poly Prep parent, about City Harvest, a nonprofit
organization he co-founded.
TT: What exactly is City Harvest?
JF: City Harvest is a food rescue organization.
It collects food that would normally be wasted
and redistributes it to food pantries, soup kitchens,
and other organizations that feed people
who are in need of food.
TT: Where is it located?
JK: While the trucks of City Harvest are constantly moving
throughout the five boroughs, the command center and headquarters
are located on 8 th Avenue and 38 th Street in Manhattan.
Recently, the organization rented an overnight depot site in
Brooklyn. This site is used to store food that was not relocated
during the same business day.
TT: How old were you and how did think of the idea?
JK: I was 18 years old. A friend of mine worked in a sandwich
shop and all day long homeless people would come in and ask
for free food. When she would ask her manager to see if she
could give them a sandwich, he would say no – they could
both get fired.
One night, she took all the leftover sandwiches and handed
them out – over a hundred of them! All in just a little over an
hour.
That same night, I ran into her, and she told me her story. She
was upset. I told her that there was an organization that redistributed
that kind of food. I told
her that I would call her in the
morning with the number.
TT: What happened?
JK: I spent two weeks looking
for it! It didn’t exist! I had made
it up in my mind, thinking it had
to exist! When I realized it didn’t, I began to create it. I was
very lucky with the help of many people, all within two months,
City Harvest was born.
TT: Are you still involved in City Harvest today?
JK: Yes, I am now on the Board of Directors, and I help organize
two benefits every year that raise money for the organization.
TT: Is there anything we can do to help City Harvest?
JK: Absolutely. You can donate money or (even better) ask
your parents to! You can also organize a school Canned Food
Drive, which gathers canned food from the school to donate to
City Harvest and distributed to hungry New Yorkers throughout
the five boroughs.
TT: Thank you for your time in this interview!
JK: Thank you. - Hannah Kliot