GLOBAL GAZETTE October, 2014

~Contents~

Sightseeing

P.1

Christian the Lion

P.2

Café Talk

P.3

Faculty profile

P.4

Faculty

P.5-6

Some New Faces

P.7

Culture Pot

P.8

Ping Pong Rankings

P.9

Homestays

P.10

Student profiles

P.11-14

Int’l Book Review

P.15

Conservation Science

P.16

Foods from Abroad

P.17

World Mysteries

P.18

Int’l Trivia Teasers

P.19

The Traveling Translator

P.20

Hillside’s

Cool Facts about Rio de Janeiro

“Rio de Janeiro” means “River of January” in Portuguese

There are over 200 Samba schools in Rio

Rio will be hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics

Rio de Janeiro

Samba dancing festival

Sightseeing

Page.1 Global Gazette Hillside School

Sightseeing

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro was host to the

2014 World Cup. Viewers may

remember majestic TV shots of Rio

from above, nestled in between the

mountains and the ocean. The city

from the sky is a site to behold with

its spectacular landscapes, rising

mountains, sprawling beaches, and

city high rises. Its most iconic

image is that of the Christ the

Redeemer statue watching over the

city atop Corcovado Mountain.

Discover this marvelous city rich

in culture and filled with surprises

around every corner. Rio is home

to so much. It is home to world

renowned beaches of Copacabana

and Ipanema. It has the winding

streets of beautiful Santa Teresa,

the Lapa Arches, countless historic

theatres, acclaimed museums and

art galleries and of course, the

mighty Maracanã Stadium, home of

the World Cup and the 2016

Summer Olympic Games. The

excitement of the Carioca spirit is

infectious and there is no better

time to experience this than during

the miraculous and memorable

festival called the Rio Carnival.

Get swept up into the electrifying

energy of the Sambadrome, the

official home of the Rio Carnival,

as the elite Samba Schools of Rio

compete in a spectacular

performance of rhythm and

dancing, dazzling costumes, and

colossal floats. Experience the

mystifying celebration of New

Year’s Eve in Rio de Janeiro,

dedicated to Lemanja, Goddess of

the Sea and culminating in one of

the best fireworks displays in the

world over Copacabana Beach.

Treat yourself to the flavors and

traditions of Brazilian cuisine,

including rodízio-style

Churrascaria restaurants, feijoada

(the national dish), and much,

much more! You won’t be

disappointed if you ever decide to

travel to this gem of a city.

Page.2 Global Gazette Hillside School

International Animal Stories

Once in a while, something remarkable, beautiful, sad, and inspiring

touches our collective hearts. This is one such story. It begins in 1969 in

London. Two young Australians named John Rendall and Ace Bourke

moved to the English capital and, while shopping at Harrod’s (a famous

department store in London renowned for its reputation to sell anything),

saw a lion cub in a small cage. On an “impractical impulse” they decided to

buy the lion and call him Christian. What developed was pure magic.

Although Christian was an obvious handful, John and Ace raised this

magnificent creature on King’s Road in Chelsea. Christian was known for

his great affection and charismatic personality. He was playful, loving, and

born a 5th

generation zoo animal. As the cat grew bigger, the two realized

that there were challenges to having a maturing lion in a metropolis. On a

chance meeting in London with two actors from the movie Born Free, John

and Ace decided that the best thing for Christian would be to return to the

wild in Kenya. Famed animal conservationist George Adamson agreed to

take in Christian and prepare him for reintegration into the African wild.

Although John and Ace were heartbroken because they loved Christian

dearly, they knew this was best. The dangers were formidable; a

domesticated animal being reintegrated into the wild would put Christian in

an exceedingly vulnerable position. Adamson decided to create a pride

using other similar lions so that Christian could have a chance. Christian

had to be introduced to the dominant male named Boy. Boy was 5 times

the size of Christian and could easily kill him. He didn’t. At first, they

jostled then became inseparable friends. Tragically, Boy later died.

Christian and three other females were on their own. They survived with

Adamson’s help. A year later, in 1973, Rendall and Bourke returned to the

wildlife preserve in Kenya. In one of the most touching reunions you’ll

ever want to see, Christian saw John and Ace, hesitated, then broke into a

trot as he recognized them. He then jumped up and hugged them

repeatedly. Although now a wild lion, Christian never forgot the two men

who had raised him and whom he loved so dearly. Then sadly, yet

inevitably, Christian slipped back into the wild. After 1974, he was never

seen again. The story has received over 10 million hits on YouTube.

Christian: London’s Amazing Lion

Christian the Lion with owners John Rendall (left) & Ace Bourke (right)

Christian reunited with John & Ace in Kenya

Hanging out together in London

Christian as a cub in a London apartment

Page.3 Global Gazette Hillside School

David Siciliano’s Italian Cafe

Café Talk

A Taste of Italy David Siciliano and his

grandmother’s secret family recipe of Italian

pasta with meatballs and sausages hit it out

of the park. The line was long to get into

this Café and the food did not disappoint.

David led the discussion on Italy.

Little India Syan Maity wanted to bring

some Indian flavors to the Café. It was

highly appreciated as the boys snacked on

delicious samosas, tandoori chicken &

shrimp. Syan hosted brilliantly.

Caribbean Café Coach Delahoz’s

grandmother cooked a mean pot of Arroz

Con Leche as we celebrated the Caribbean.

Coach D. discussed life in the Dominican.

October’s International Café

Syan Maty rocked the house

Grandma Delahoz

Cool Facts about Mrs. Greener

Former baton twirler (8 years)

Last year’s female ping pong champion at Hillside

Went to the University of South Carolina

Lee Greener in her Admission office

Husband Ryan and Jameson

Page.4 Global Gazette Hillside School

Faculty Profile

Lee Greener can be seen guiding

prospective Hillside families around

campus, or being engrossed in a

notepad and pen in an Admission’s

Team meeting or walking her dog

Jameson around campus. She

dresses smartly, looks professional,

and takes pride in being good at

what she does. Along with being

the Assistant Director of

Admission, she is media savvy, the

creator of our Hillside Facebook

posts, and has made a blog on our

school home page. She’s excellent

at her job and has a good eye for

detail. On numerous occasions I

have been impressed by her

preparation when talking to parents

about the school and our

international program after coming

into my room. Sometimes I

think: “Wow, she knows my

program better than I do.” She’s

informed and meticulous at what

she does.

Mrs. Greener was born in

Springfield, Massachusetts. She has

an older brother Mark and her

mother, Jill, works in the prep

school world. Her husband Ryan

was her high school sweetheart and

his friendly face can be seen often

around Bulldog campus BBQ-ing

or taking a dip in the pool. Mr. and

Mrs. Greener lived in Michigan for

a year or two before they decided to

move back east to avoid those long,

hard mid-western winters. Mrs.

Greener was intrigued by the idea

of working in a boarding school.

So, she applied to Hillside, got the

Mrs. Greener

job in the summer of 2012, and

“just loves it.”

In her free time, Mrs. Greener

enjoys photography, traveling,

hiking, camping, Ultimate Frisbee,

and dogs. She’s also an avid reader

and always in the running for

faculty reading rewards. She’s an

impressive young lady with a

myriad of interests. Despite her

youthful appearance, she carries

herself with a maturity and

confidence that belie her years.

Ultimately, she wants to travel to

Turkey, get a PhD, and “be happy.”

Well, Hillside is “happy” to have

Mrs. Greener and these goals

should be a cinch for such an

ambitious and talented young lady.

Cool Facts about old photos

• Photography has been around since 1826.

• George Eastman named his company “Kodak” after

the sound he thought the camera shutter made.

• We used to think Kodak instant cameras were cool.

World’s 1st photograph 1826

Figuring Out the Faculty

#3. Who is this mystery

faculty person?

Figuring Out the Faculty

#5. Who is this mystery

faculty person?

#1. Who is this mystery

faculty person?

#2. Who is this mystery

faculty person?

#4. Who is this mystery

faculty person?

Answers

On

Next

Page!!

Page.5 Global Gazette Hillside School

You’ve played Hillside’s

“Stump the Staff”, now how

about a rousing rendition of

Figuring out the Faculty?

Match these early childhood

photos with one of the

faculty or staff.

Faculty-Answers

ANSWERS

#1.

Ms. Dalane

#2.

Ms.

Buzard

#3.

Mrs.

Sims

#4.

Mr.

MacDonald

#5.

Mr. Ribeiro

Page.6 Global Gazette Hillside School

New Faculty

Miss Baez is our friendly new Spanish

teacher. She has 6 years of teaching

experience that includes spending 3

months teaching in Honduras. Miss Baez

came to Hillside to share her love of the

Spanish language and culture. Currently,

she lives in Sudbury with her Yorkshire

Terrier named Cupcake.

Mr. Moulton is our experienced new

science teacher. He grew up in Boston and

has been in the field of education for over

20 years. Mr. Moulton was Chairman of the

Science Department at Eaglebrook and is

renowned for his excellence in the

classroom. He lives in Williams and coaches

3rds soccer and wrestling.

Some New Faces Around

Hillside

Page.7 Global Gazette Hillside School

Mr. MacDonald is our popular new

grade 7 & 8 history teacher. He hails from

New Haven, Connecticut where he had

been teaching for 5 years. He came to

Hillside to spread his love of history, Ultimate

Frisbee, and “obscure music.” Mr.

MacDonald lives on campus in Drinkwater

Hall and is a dorm parent in Maher House.

Mrs. Carberry is our talented new

Learning Specialist working in Tutorials. She

comes from New York and has 5 years of

teaching experience. She came to Hillside

because it offers a small structured and

supportive learning environment. Currently,

Mrs. Carberry lives in Natick with her

husband and Golden Retriever Molly.

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Culture Pot

Crocodile River Music Comes to

Hillside by staff reporter Patti Sims

Did you notice the amazing African art in the

display cases of the ATL? These pieces are

on loan from the Gallery of African Art in

Clinton, Massachusetts. Through a grant

program with African Arts in Education,

Hillside was able to borrow a collection of art

work from the gallery, and students were

treated to the sounds of Africa with a daylong

residency program that featured the

Crocodile River Music group on October

10th. Throughout the day, all Hillside

students, in groups of thirty, met with

professional musicians from Crocodile River

Music for a 35 minute hands on lesson in

African drumming. At the end of the day, the

Tracey Gym rocked with the musical

program: Trinidad to Timbuktu! Sounds of

djembe, dundun, steel drums, and balophon

accompanied by a bass guitar filled the air as

students learned about the influence of

African music throughout the world. It was a

spectacular day!

African Drummers

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Page.8 Global Gazette Hillside School

Ping Pong Rankings

October Ping Pong Rankings

Page.9 Global Gazette Hillside School

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Top 5 at Hillside “THE BEASTS”

1. Andranick Armstrong 2. Cam Ray 3. Lucas Adam 4. Amir Thomas 5. Brendan O’Donnell

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Top 5 Rising Stars

1. Anuar Esteban 2. Tyler Anastasi 3. Ryan Lovett 4. Ji Ho Kim 5. Connor Guyette

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Homestays

Weekend Homestays: A Valuable

Asset for our Hillside Community

Imagine being a young teen and

leaving your family to go to a

boarding school. Now, think about

going to a boarding school in

another country with a long

weekend coming up and everyone

you know is leaving campus. You

may feel a little lonely. This is why

having our Bulldog parents to lean

on in the crunch is a tremendous

resource for us and something that

makes our community special.

When a Hillside family takes in an

international student for the

weekend, our whole community

benefits. It’s something we and the

kids appreciate immensely. Not only

do our boys have a chance to enjoy a

weekend with you, but they also get

a chance to feel welcome and share

in American culture. Thank you

parents for all you do. If you’re

interested in hosting a student,

please contact Monica Lucey at

mlucey@hillsideschool.net

Page.10 Global Gazette Hillside School

FOR INFORMATION ON HOSTING HILLSIDE STUDENTS, PLEASE CONTACT MONICA LUCEY AT mlucey@hillsideschool.net

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Mexico City

Spotlight…Student Profiles

Arturo & Mauricio

Mauricio Chavez

Page.11 Global Gazette Hillside School

can bring them up through the ranks

and have them eventually act as

student leaders. It’s our easiest sales

pitch for future generations of

students. Hey families, see this kid

Mauricio, this is the kind of student

we have and want here at the

Hillside School. Give us your eager

young men like him, and we’ll give

you back a finished product that

looks somewhat like his brother,

Arturo, a gentlemen and a scholar

of epic proportions. After all, those

are the kind of characteristics

someone would need in order to be

Mauricio’s role model, right?

Mauricio’s hobbies include video

games and swimming. When he’s

older he wants to be a mechanical

engineer. “Not just an engineer Mr.

Brown, I want to be a musician and

a magician as well.”

“Hold on, you want three jobs?” I

asked.

“Yes!” he states matter-of-factly.

OK, fair enough. Ah, to be twelve

years old again. What a great age;

undaunted by what some call

“realism”, and unfettered by the

limitations of the adult mind with

its narrow possibilities. It’s great to

have you here Mau. Keep being

positive and happy.

young Mauricio declares “Arturo!”

Do you mean Arturo the President

of the International Café?

“Yes! He’s my brother and he’s

awesome! He always protects me!”

Wow, such high praise from a little

brother. I don’t ever remember

declaring this opinion for my older

brother when I was younger. I just

remember fighting a lot. This is not

the case with these two. Arturo

looks after his little brother with

diligence and care. He takes his role

seriously and this guidance has not

been lost on the younger sibling.

Mauricio just adores Arturo and it’s

obvious when you see the two

interact.

So, little guy, why did you come

to Hillside? The ever upbeat

“Mau”, (that’s his nickname) who

often speaks in superlatives,

declares “for the great experience!”

And what has been the best thing

about your experience so far Mau?

“It’s the connection with the

teachers,” he declares. Would you

expect anything else from this

positive young man? This is

precisely the type of student we

covet: young, vibrant, curious, and

here to soak up the boarding school

experience. We like to get these

types of students early so that we

If you ever walked into my grade

5 ESL class, you’d certainly notice

a young enthusiastic Mexican

national raising his hand on every

single question. He’s the one who

is nearly jumping out of his seat

with enthusiasm to participate. He

devours information like a starving

hyena in the African Serengeti.

This kid is hungry for knowledge.

His brain is like a sponge that

soaks up everything he is told, but

he’s not just a regurgitation

machine; he has an active

imagination and enjoys using his

mind for critical thinking. When

we landed Mauricio, we got a

gem.

Mauricio Chavez Sendra was

born as the youngest boy in a

family of six in Mexico City. He

has three older brothers: Kike (21),

Juan Jose (18), and Arturo (15).

His father, Enrique, is in the

plastic fabric business and his

mother, Veronica, has been seen

here on Bulldog campus dropping

off and picking up her sons. It’s a

close family. When asked who his

role model is, without hesitation,

Mauricio Chavez Sendra

Lusaka, Zambia

Spotlight… Student Profiles

Lionel Messi

Page.12 Global Gazette Hillside School

Museba Mwape

and his friends are privy to some

inside joke that they just cracked.

On the other hand, maybe not; this

guy just likes to smile. He has one

of those great big, wide, fun-loving

grins that is accompanied by a shy

darting glance downward. It’s one

of his most appealing

characteristics and, if I remember

correctly, must run in the family as

his brother Mutaya had a great

smile as well.

1.

Museba’s idol is Lionel Messi.

Messi is the international superstar

footballer who helped take his

home country of Argentina to the

World Cup Final against Germany

last summer. If you watch Museba

play soccer, he is not unlike his

hero. He has an uncanny ability to

control the ball in a crowd. You

think to yourself, he’ll lose it in the

heap. Then, he emerges from the

bigger bodies and legs, dribbling

the ball down the sideline. It’s

something to see.

Ultimately, Museba wants to be a

civil engineer. A civil engineer,

according to Webster’s Online

Dictionary ,is a job that “designs,

constructs, supervises, and

maintains infrastructure.” I’m not

really sure what that means, but I

am sure that whatever Museba

chooses to do, he’ll be good at!

renowned for its rapid growth and

solid infrastructure. Also, in case

you were wondering how and why

Museba speaks such flawless

English, it’s because it’s the official

language of Lusaka. But don’t just

think this international student is

monolingual like most of us

Americans; he also speaks Nyanga

and Bemba which are languages of

the African Bentu Family.

Museba’s the baby in a family of

five people that includes his three

siblings: Sharon (20), Mutaya (17),

and Mpengo (16). He came to

Hillside because he heard that it is

“a great school and the academics

are good.” Well, thank you

Museba, that’s always nice to know

and especially encouraging to see

that our little middle school here in

New England has a good reputation

even in Lusaka, Zambia. Not only

is the school excellent, Museba

continues, “but the teachers are

supportive and my friends are

great.” Well, we’re pretty pleased to

have you too, Museba.

In his spare time Museba enjoys

“reading books and having fun.”

One can get that sense just by

looking at this young man. He’s

always wearing a big grin when

seen with his friends. It’s as if he

Two years ago, a student named

Mwape came to Hillside from

Zambia, Africa. We heard that this

guy played “a little soccer”, so

everybody was curious to see if

this Mutaya Mwape measured up.

He was small, so there were some

reservations about how good he

would be. Those reservations were

quickly dismissed when this

diminutive rocket took the soccer

pitch and wowed everyone with

his enormous talent. So, then we

hear his little brother Museba was

coming to Hillside this year, and

the first question on everybody’s

mind was “Is he as good as

Mutaya?” And the answer might

be “probably not, but who cares.”

We have a terrific young man who

is not only highly skilled at soccer,

but a wonderful addition to our

community.

Young Museba grew up in

Lusaka, Zambia. Lusaka is the

capital and largest city in Zambia.

It is the center for both commerce

and government in Zambia and is

Museba Mwape

Xi’an, China

Spotlight… Student Profiles

Kevin Durant

Page.13 Global Gazette Hillside School

Songtai Liu

is making quite the impression on

teachers as his early quiz scores

have all been high. Mr. Bryant

called me into his class the other

day to report with glee that Songtai,

our new international student and

second language learner, scored a

98 on his quiz which was the

highest score in the class. I then

relayed to Mr. Bryant that Songtai

did the same on his ESL quiz. My

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guess is that his other subjects are

no different. This kid takes pride in

his schoolwork and it shows.

Songtai declares that the best thing

about Hillside is “the teachers and

friends.” He loves music, reading,

playing the piano, and basketball.

However, he qualifies basketball by

saying modestly that “I am not

really good at it.” No need to be

good at it Songtai. Basketball is a

game that anyone can play and

enjoy. Even if you never achieve

the athletic feats of your role model,

Kevin Durant, basketball is a game

that you can have fun at for the rest

of your life.

When Songtai is older he wants to

be a doctor. With his attitude and

grades, what’s stopping him?

You’ve come a long way since the

summer Songtai, keep up the good

work. You’re making mom and dad

proud. Maybe now, they’re crying!

to meet. And, he knows his parents

love him and care about his

education.

Songtai was born in Xi’an, China.

Xi’an is located roughly in the

middle of the country and is the

capital of Xhanxi Province. It is a

city renowned for its rich and

culturally significant history. In

fact, it is considered one of the Four

Great Ancient Capitals of China. It

is here that young Sontai grew up.

He is the youngest in a family of

four that includes his father,

Yunfeng, mother, Jin Ding, and

older sister, Xiao (20) who studies

at the University of Birmingham in

England.

Songtai claims to have come to

Hillside because it has the “best

basketball team.” I’m going to go

out on a limb here and assert that

this is an example of the young

man’s delightful sense of humor.

No doubt our basketball team is

good, but I highly doubt that Mr.

and Mrs. Liu considered basketball

when they had their options of

preparatory schools on the table.

But lucky for us, Hillside was their

choice because it seems that we

have a young superstar student in

the making. Although new to the

North American classroom, Songtai

During the Hillside summer

JumpStart program, a certain young

Chinese national had looked a little

off after our first class. When we

got to the hall and had time to be

alone, young Songtai Liu burst into

tears. “What’s wrong I asked?”

“Why did my mom and dad leave

me? They haven’t even called yet?”

he replied. Although I certainly felt

for Songtai, I couldn’t help think

how cute this situation appeared.

“Haven’t called yet?” I responded,

“but it has only been about 10 hours

since they left.” But don’t tell that

to a young man who adores his

parents and has been separated from

them for the first time, no matter if

that time period has been less than

half a day. So, we walked back to

the dorm, made a phone call to the

Liu’s, and Songtai was beaming.

Since this initial period of sadness

and homesickness, he has been in

high spirits and has made a mark

here at Hillside. He’s one of the

friendliest, most positive, and

refreshing boys you will ever want

Songtai Liu

Rostock, Germany

Spotlight… Student Profiles

Niklas Backstrom

Page.14 Global Gazette Hillside School

Andranick Armstrong

So, I’m taking a walk around the

track in the summer and see this

loud gang of four approaching.

They have the moxie and

confidence of grizzled Hillside

veterans, so I immediately thought

they were alumni. When I asked,

the boys laughed and said, “No,

we’re going here next year.” Uh-oh,

I thought, friendly kids but these

guys are going to be a handful. The

boys mentioned that they are

hockey players and in town for a

tournament. There were two kids

from Florida, one from

Massachusetts, and this sturdy

looking kid from Virginia. The

latter laughed quite a bit and after

we had finished introducing

ourselves and talking, we said some

pleasantries and parted. “See ya in

September guys!”

Upon checking in new Maher

House residents, I noticed that the

boy who lived in Virginia was in

my dorm. After talking to him, it

became obvious that he likes sports:

soccer, hockey, ping pong, football,

and more. Not only does he enjoy

athletics, but he’s darn good at

everything he plays. On the soccer

pitch he’s one of the best players on

the varsity squad. When he returned

to Maher House late one night from

a hockey tournament, I asked him

how he did. “I scored a few goals

Mr. Brown.” Hold on, didn’t you

score 3 goals in soccer earlier in the

day? And then you went to hockey

and scored 2 goals there? That’s 5

goals in one day.”

“Yeah, Mr. Brown, but my

teammates did well too.” That’s the

kind of kid this Andranick

Armstrong is; he’s talented and

humble.

Well, I decided to give this

“humble” and pleasant Maher

House resident a lesson in humility

by annihilating him on the ping

pong table. Welcome to MY world

Mr. Armstrong. I was chomping at

the bit to give this guy a whooping,

especially at a sport that a middle-

aged guy couldn’t embarrass

himself in. After all, last year

Headmaster Beecher specifically

named one of the tables after ME.

This should be a cinch. No go!

Young Andranick beat me easily

and put whatever inkling I had of

making an athletic comeback in the

latter years on hold. OK young

man, so you’re good at everything.

Anything you don’t do so well?

Well, he does start to brush his

teeth at 9:58 PM, just two minutes

before bedtime, but that’s about all

I can dig up on this guy. He’s been

a delight to have around here and is

a highly respected member of our

community.

Andranick was born in Rostock,

Germany. His father, Ward, is a

statistician. His mother, Tracy, is a

sociologist. Andranick also has an

older brother, Isis (21), who attends

the University of Maryland where

he plays soccer. His younger sister,

Gillian (9), does figure skating, and

his youngest brother, Robert (6),

loves hockey. This is quite the

athletic family and it is no wonder

that Andranick wants to be a

hockey player just like his idol,

Minnesota Wild goalie, Niklas

Bäckström.

However, playing in the NHL is

not all that Andranick wants in life.

He also aspires to be a lawyer.

Well, if his legal skills are anything

like his social and athletic skills, I

pity the attorney that has to go up

against him in court. As Robert

Frost once said, “A jury consists of

12 persons chosen to decide who

has the best lawyer.” I’ll put my

money on Andranick. This kid

doesn’t know how to lose!

join the Band of German Girls and Hitler Youth

respectively, but Liesel makes a home for herself in spite

of this.

At school, Liesel is made fun of because she can’t read

well. Hans sits up with her at night to help her learn to

read. Liesel begins stealing books, to practice reading

and as an act of rebellion. Reading anything but books

that support Nazism is seen as a subversive activity in

Nazi Germany and book burnings occur regularly. The

Nazis implement a campaign to suppress other

perspectives and ideas, so they burn books. Liesel

understands the power words hold and begins to collect

and cherish books.

The story takes a tragic turn, as you might expect from a

book set in World War II, Germany. But, if you want to

find out what that “tragic turn is,” you’re going to have to

read the book. It is a heartrendingly powerful story about

the connections between people, the absurdity of war, and

the power of words.

The Book Thief was School Library Journal’s Best Book

of the Year in 2006. It received many other honors and

was on the New York Times Best Seller List for more than

230 weeks. It was made into a movie, which was

released November, 2013.

So, what are you waiting for? Come see Ms. Dalane in

the library to check out The Book Thief! You won’t regret

it!

International

Book Review By Ms. Dalane

The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

Setting: 1939, Germany

Liesel is a young girl living in Nazi Germany. Her

mother is taken away and Liesel witnesses her

brother die as they ride a train to their new foster

family’s house. Death, the narrator of the story, sees

Liesel for the first time on the train as he takes her

brother. Death tells her story as compassionately as

he can.

Liesel arrives at her foster family’s house and forms

deep connections with her foster father, Hans, and

her foster mother, Rosa. She also learns to love one

of her schoolmates, Rudy. Max is a Jewish man that

her foster family hides in the basement. The

atmosphere is tense: Liesel and Rudy are forced to

join the Band of German Girls and Hitler Youth respectively, but Liesel makes a home for herself in spite of this.

At school, Liesel is made fun of because she can’t read well. Hans sits up with her at night to help her learn to read. Liesel begins stealing books, to practice reading and as an act of rebellion. Reading anything but books that support Nazism is seen a subversive activity in Nazi Germany and book burnings occur regularly. The Nazis want to suppress other perspectives and ideas, and so they burn books. Liesel understands the power words hold

Cool Facts about Zusak • Born in Sydney, Australia

• It took him 7 years to get his first book published

• Enjoys surfing and playing soccer in his free time

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Page.15 Global Gazette Hillside School

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International Book Review

Science Page

The Wonderful World

of Science: Global Conservation

By staff reporter

Henry Bryant

Local Awareness: The Blanding’s Turtle

If you have stopped by Room 4 recently, you would have noticed that

some things have changed. Of course many of the students are new,

and there has been some rearranging, but did you notice the new

tanks? This year Room 4 has become home to many new baby

guppies, a red-tailed shark, a banded leporinus, and two baby

Blanding’s Turtles.

If you looked at our two new turtle friends, Franklin and Squirtle, you

may think they’re really cute. But did you know that Blanding’s

Turtles are an endangered species in Massachusetts? It’s true! In fact,

there are an estimated 2,000 or fewer turtles left in the Massachusetts’

population. They inhabit wetlands around the state and, like the

orangutans mentioned in our last issue, have been victim to habitat

destruction. Another cause of their loss in population size is habitat

fragmentation. Due to the construction of roads and other structures,

the Blanding’s Turtles have been separated from one another. Often

times they will attempt to cross these obstructions and end up being

killed by cars.

So why do we have two of the turtles? Well we are taking part in a

program run by the Grassroots Wildlife Conservation. The program is

called the Blanding’s Turtles Headstart Program and focuses on

raising baby turtles from their infancy until 9 months of age. At this

point, they are released into a local conservation or wildlife refuge

where they will live the rest of their lives. Throughout their time with

us the turtles can grow from 10 grams to almost 200 grams in

weight! That is the size of a 4 year old wild Blanding’s Turtle. Pretty

impressive!

This year the 5th and 6th graders have been charged with the task of

raising these turtles. They feed them and track their weight and the

length of their shells to see how they are growing. Feel free to ask any

of them about the turtles and the work that they are doing or about how

you can get involved. Also, look for their website in the coming

weeks. It will go live soon at HSBlandingsTurtles.weebly.com.

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Page.16

Foods from Abroad

Kati Rolls

Panzenella

Chicken Posole

Zongzi

Page.17 Global Gazette Hillside School

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Kati Roll is a tasty traditional Indian street food that is popular

all across the country and abroad as well. Vendors wrap kebabs,

eggs, and exotic spices into a piece of flatbread or what the

Indians refer to as “paratha” (baked layered dough). Kati rolls are

also commonly made from leftovers in Indian homes nationwide.

The taste is outrageous and kati rolls provide a nice little

appetizer for many Indian people. So, the next time you happen to

be in Delhi or standing on a dusty street corner in Mumbai, be

sure to order a kati roll. They’re cheap and you’ll surely be glad

that you did.

From India

From Italy Panzenella is a delicious Tuscan bread salad. There are a variety

of ways to make it, but the two ingredients that consistently

remain in all Italian recipes are tomatoes and bread. Unlike an

American salad which is leafy, panzenella contains lots of

vegetable chunks. It’s delicious and healthy and something you

must try should you ever find yourself in Italy. Imagine sitting

down for dinner in beautiful Tuscany as the sun sets and being

treated to a bowl of panzenella.

From Mexico Chicken Posole is essentially a unique and delicious chicken

stew meal. It is also a great traditional Christmas dish eaten

during the colder months, as it is warm and comforting. Chicken

Posole is a popular dish in Mexican households everywhere and

a favorite of tourists visiting our neighbor to the south. The dish

includes chicken, thinly sliced radishes, shredded lettuce, finely

chopped onions, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. If you’re

ever in Mexico on a relatively cool winter day, order some

Chicken Posole. You won’t regret it!

From China Zongzi is a delicious Chinese treat. It is a traditional sticky

dumpling that is made of rice with different fillings that could

include vegetables, meat, eggs, and fish. It is wrapped in

bamboo, reed, or other large flat leaves. The leaves keep the

flavors locked in while the ingredients are steamed in a wok.

Traditionally, this meal is eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival,

but it can be eaten during any season.

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World Mysteries

The Bouvet Island Lifeboat Mystery

The year was 1900 and the place was the little known Scottish island of Eilean

More. The only living human souls on the island were three grizzled lighthouse

keepers. The men had manned the lighthouse for years and must’ve felt a sense of

isolation living there. One day, a supply ship arrived on the island. To the crew’s

astonishment, no one was there to greet them as they docked. They then blew the

ship’s horn and sent up a flare. Still, there was no response. A replacement lighthouse keeper named Joseph Moore was eventually sent to investigate. As he climbed the narrow, rocky

stairs leading up to the lighthouse, he was struck with a strong sense of fear and dread. As he neared the

door, he saw that it was unlocked. Stepping carefully inside, he first noticed that two of the three rain

jackets, usually kept in the hall, were missing. Upon reaching the lighthouse kitchen, he found what was left

of a meal and a chair lying on the floor. The clock in the kitchen had stopped working and the lighthouse

operators were nowhere in sight. After investigating the scene and looking into the lighthouse log book,

there were some disturbing entries. The entry on December 12th

was written by Thomas Marshall. Despite

reports of good weather in the area, Marshall had stated that the island had been struck by “severe storms”

for three days, worse than anything he had ever experienced and the men felt a sense of “impending doom.”

The log also noted that notoriously tough mariner and tavern brawler, William McArthur, had “been

crying.” What on Earth caused these men such fear and to leave their posts never to be seen again?

on Bouvet Island. The first known expedition to ever arrive on the island

was from South Africa in 1964. They actually had to use a helicopter to get

onto it as entering by boat through the lagoon appeared too dangerous.

From the air they spotted something in the distance. As they drew closer the

group was shocked to discover a small abandoned lifeboat on the shore of

the island. Not far from the boat were oars, wood, a drum, and a copper

tank. Somebody had obviously placed them there; but who? The bizarre

part about the story is that there were no reports of ships or boats in the

area. In fact, there were no trade routes within a thousand miles.

no trace of any passengers. The boat had no identifiable marks on it and

therefore could not be traced back to any nation or shipping company.

Even more strangely, when another expedition was sent to Bouvet Island

two years later, the lifeboat had vanished. All of the other objects found

Dedicated to

Unsolved

Mysteries Lover

Mr. Yixin Huang

The Eilean More Lighthouse Mystery

On a second expedition to Bouvet Island by the same team, the boat and other items had disappeared. To

this date, no one knows how the boat originally got there, what happened to it, or where the people had gone.

The Bouvet Island Lifeboat Mystery remains one of the strangest mysteries of all time. How likely is it that

any shipwrecked sailors would have made it to Bouvet Island? Of course it’s possible, but so mind-boggling

to consider especially without any signs of human activity nearby.

Somewhere deep in the South Atlantic Ocean lies an obscure and uninhabited chunk of rock and ice named

Bouvet Island. This barren and desolate place has been described as one of the most isolated places on

Earth. It is in such a remote region of the world that very few people have ever seen it. The closest land

mass is Antarctica located over 1,000 miles to the south. Only a few brave explorers have set foot

has been described as among the most isolated places on Earth. The nearest land mass is Antarctica, more

than 1,700 kilometers (1,100 mi) further south. No has ever inhabited the island and since plant life is

unsustainable there, it is likely that no one ever will. Yet when a British

Page.18

Int’l Trivia Teasers

1) What is the capital of Ukraine?

a) Kiev b) Vilnius c) Minsk

2) Which female gymnast has the most Olympic gold medals (9)?

a) Larisa Latynina (USSR) b) Nadia Comaneci (Romania) c) Olga Korbut (USSR)

3) Which food is authentically American?

a) pizza b) gumbo C) hamburger

4) What is the 2nd largest city in New England?

a) Providence, R.I. b) Worcester, MA c) Hartford, CT

5) If you were paid in “rupee”, you’d likely be in this country?

a) Pakistan b) Vietnam c) India

6) Which city has the most skyscrapers (over 150 meters high)?

a) Hong Kong b) New York c) Dubai

7) Which country does the Danube River NOT flow through?

a) Hungary b) Romania c) Czech Republic

8) Which African country has the largest GDP and is considered the richest?

a) South Africa b) Egypt c) Nigeria

9) Which is the largest European city by population?

a) London b) Moscow c) Istanbul

10) What is South America’s highest peak?

a) Aconcagua b) Ojos del Salado c) Monte Pissis

Answers: 1) a 2) a 3) b 4) b 5) c 6) a 7) c 8) a 9) c 10) a

Page.19 Global Gazette Hillside School

The Traveling Translator

Page.20 Global Gazette Hillside School

Halloween from around the world

English - “Halloween”

Spanish - “Halloween”

Korean - “할로윈”

Japanese - “Haroin” -ハロウィン

Hindi - “Helovina” - हेलोवीन

Malay -“Halloween”

Chinese - “Wanshengjie” - 万圣节

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