Boo! It’s that time of year again: Halloween! Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year. It’s a lot of fun to dress up, eat candy and have fun with your friends. This year, I’ll be dressing up as Sophie Foster from Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. What about you?
Photo by The Old Farmers Almanac
Halloween has an incredible history. It all started with a Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced Sah-win). The Celtics believed that at the end of Summer (when Samhain happened), the ghosts of the dead came back to Earth.
Scared of the haunting spirits, the Celtics would dress up in scary costumes to ward off the ghosts. They would light bonfires, and wear costumes for protection. In the 700s (8th Century AD), All Saints Day was declared by Pope Gregory lll. On November 1st, everyone would honor saints.
The day before All Saints’ Day was called All Hallows Eve. This name was chosen, because All Saints Day was also known as All Hallows Day. The night before, or the “eve” before, was called All Hallows Eve.
Photo by Crystal Canvas Art Designs
Nowadays, kids dress up in all kinds of fun costumes and go from door to door, shouting “Trick-or-Treat!” all night long. This Halloween, let’s all get ready to have some fun.
May the 4th be with you! Today, May 4th, is the official, annual Star Wars day! Star Wars is a popular movie series, and, personally, one of my favorites. There are three movie trilogies: The original, the prequel and the sequel.
Here are synopses of the three trilogies:
1. The Original Trilogy
The original trilogy follows the story of young Luke Skywalker, his twin, Leia Organa, and a scoundrel, Han Solo. Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Master, tells Luke about his destiny. Luke and Leia’s father, Darth Vader, became an evil Sith Lord when he was drawn to the dark side of the force. The trilogy is about how Luke finds his place, and finding out that Leia is his twin, telling her she was gifted with the force.
2. The Prequel Trilogy
The prequel trilogy is set before the original trilogy, even though it was released after. It is the tale of how Darth Vader, who was once Anakin Skywalker, became evil. Anakin’s wife, Padme, dies while giving birth to Luke and Leia, and Anakin is blinded by grief. He turns to the whisper of the dark side, trying to keep Padme with him.
3. The Sequel Trilogy
The sequel trilogy takes place after the prequel and original trilogies. Years after the events of the original trilogy, Luke goes into hiding, for he blames himself for Leia and Han’s son Ben, also known as Kylo Ren, turning to the dark side. Rey, a scavenger and the main character, ends up with the Resistance, a small force trying to defend against the First Order, a dark group with evil intentions.
This Star Wars Day, there are many fun things you can do to celebrate all things Star Wars! Here is a short list:
1. STAR WARS MOVIE MARATHON!
Why don’t you take the time to relax with your family, and have a Star Wars movie marathon! You can sit back and relax on the couch, all while enjoying the Star Wars movies!
2. MAKE SOMETHING!
Whether you make, bake or create it, a fun craft goes a long way. Try making a Star Wars Cake or a paper banner. You could even make a diorama and recreate your favorite scenes!
3. DRESS UP!
Third and final, you can simply dress up! No matter if it’s already made or DIY, costumes help to show your spirit. Try doing your hair like a character, or using a black sheet as Darth Vader’s cape!
These are all great options for celebrating Star Wars Day! I hope you take some of these suggestions to make your day amazing! Remember, you don’t have to be a certain age to love these movies, because they’re for everyone! Happy Star Wars Day, and May the 4th be With You. Always!
We are already halfway through spring! There are so many colorful flowers in bloom. In fact, there are so many flowers in bloom that this spring was officially announced to be a Super Bloom, the first Super Bloom since 2019. So many flowers! It is starting to feel a little bit like summer already! Before we fully get into summer though, it is predicted that we are still going to get a few more “spring showers” in the near future. All the better for the flowers! Speaking of flowers…
Two months ago we gave you a spring themed art challenge! The challenge was to draw, paint, sketch, etc. a flower of your choosing. We received (3) submissions! (Also a few from our staff). Here they are:
Jordan Olson, age 6
Won the title: The Happiest
Won the title: Most Creative
Maria K., age 10
Won the title: Most Colorful
Thank you all for sharing such wonderful artwork with us! We really appreciate you and your talent.
Here is some art made by a few people on our staff:
by Olive Pea
by Liam Pea
by Meru S.
by Lydia I. Matinov
This is the last official publishing of the Lighthouse, although we will be covering two future events that land just out of our last publication. These events are the Teen Formal (May 6th) and the Promotion and Graduation Ceremony (May 24th). Even though we do not publish through the summer, you can still reach out to us thelighthousetve@gmail.com if you are interested in joining our team. You can also ask us questions right from the home page.
It’s finally time for Summer vacation! It’s that time of year when most families go on a fun vacation. Whether it is by car, boat, train or plane. Getting to the destination takes a while, especially when there’s nothing to do. I would know, because I have traveled many times. Once, I was sitting in my plane seat, staring out the window in boredom, until my mom gave me a sticker book. I spent a lot of time using it, and the time flew faster than the plane.
Printouts
Printouts are very easy to transport, and very fun to use. From mazes to crafts, printouts include a variety of fun activities to do. Another great thing about them is that you only need to print them out instead of rushing to the store and spending lots of money on toys, or expensive things that take up lots of space, and are probably only going to be used once.
If you have a younger sibling about 2 to 6 years old, then I recommend Sago Mini printouts at
Mad Libs is a favorite for everyone. A great thing about it is that it is portable, and easy to travel with. It’s also fun for the whole family. Mad Libs is a book, and each page has a story where the players have to take turns filling in the blanks. Once all the blanks are filled in, one player reads the story aloud. Usually, the outcome is hilarious. After the trip, kids can play Mad Libs with their friends. Another excellent thing about Mad Libs is that it is the perfect way to practice grammar skills. It’s easier to remember what an adjective is when you have fun learning about it. Mad Libs is also good for hours of laughter. For example, the Little Red Riding Hood probably didn’t have a chair as a hat.
A very popular choice would be this Mad Libs:
If a larger one is preferred, then this one is best:
Photo courtesy of Mad Libs
Movies!
An incredibly popular travel activity is to watch a nice, long movie. Many people keep “Movies to-watch” lists, and traveling is the perfect time to utilize them. Downloading some movies on an iPad, or phone through Netflix, Disney+, or other “on demand movie” apps is a good way to plan your movie-watching ahead of time.
If you need assistance on deciding which movies you would like to watch, I wrote an article in the past with 12 ideas:
Table Topics are cards that come in a small box. Each card has a question on it to ask your family. For example, “What was your all time favorite vacation?”. This is a great bonding experience that gets family members to share interesting facts about themselves. Most people believe that they know everything there is to know about their family, but this game can prove those people wrong. An awesome thing about Table Topics is that they come in packs for specific events. There is a Table Topics pack for dinner parties, road trips, family time, and more.
Sticker books are great for children who need a fun activity, and they help little ones improve motor skills. Older kids can have fun with them too. Sticker books can be very cheap, and they come in travel packs. The best part about sticker books is that there are so many varieties. There are “Paint by Sticker” books, jelly sticker books, character dress up books, and more!
If there’s a toddler in your family, I recommend Reusable Jelly sticker books:
Before you read this, here is a glossary of Arabic words:
It’s time for Ramadan! This is the holiest month for Muslims because it is a time to reflect and be conscious of our actions through fasting, prayer, charity, and remembrance of Allah (Arabic for God). My family does so many things around this time of year. Fasting, or sawm, is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are mandatory actions that Muslims must follow. You can see more about fasting below. The word Ramadan means “The Holy Month” in Arabic. Muslims follow the Lunar calendar which does not align with the Gregorian calendar. Because of this, Ramadan does not start on on the same day every year, but instead slips back ten days every year. Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days, depending on the year, and at the end of it, we have a huge celebration called Eid-ul-Fitr (Festival of Breaking Fast)! Here are some of the things we do:
1. During the holy month of Ramadan, we fast during the day.
Basically, we have a pre-dawn meal, called suhoor, before the sun comes up. This year, we wake up around 4:30am. After our meal, we perform the first prayer of the day, the morning prayers, and then we go back to sleep. To us, sawm means no food OR water during the day, and it helps us learn self-control. When the sun goes down, around 7:30pm, we break our fast with a date, water and a meal. Afterwards, we pray the fourth prayer of the day, the sunset prayer. Fasting helps us connect with Allah and by not worrying about meals, we can reflect on those that are less fortunate than us, as well as gratefulness for what we do have.
2. We do special nightly prayers, called Taraweeh.
One of the five pillars of Islam is praying five times a day, but during Ramadan, there is a special evening prayer performed every single night, called Taraweeh which starts around 9:30pm and lasts about two hours! This is not obligatory, but we gain so much reward from Allah for performing them. They are held at the mosque (our holy place of worship), and hundreds, if not thousands, of worshippers congregate and pray together. Last year I was able to pray with my friend, and this year I was able to join my mom and sister!
3. We decorate!
Photo Courtesy of Aleena Haimor
You know how they always bring out trees and lights for Christmas? Well, we do similar things for Ramadan and Eid! We set up lots of pretty lights, and put out our favorite Islamic story books. We bring out a garland that says ‘Ramadan’ and change it out to one that says ‘Eid Mubarak’ when the time comes. Adults gift children money, called Eidi. My family personally decorates not just for Eid, but for Ramadan, too!
4. Good Deeds and Charity.
Photo Courtesy of Aleena Haimor
In Ramadan, we gain more rewards for all of the good deeds and charity that we do. Some examples of good deeds are volunteering, picking up litter, visiting the sick, being generous, feeding others, being kind to others, even smiling at someone else is considered a good deed! Charity falls under good deeds as well. We are asked to give whatever we can to the poor and needy. For Eid, each Muslim family must give Zakat-ul-Fitr, about $15 for each member of your immediate family. Zakat-up-Fitr goes to help the poor and the needy, to give them the ability to buy necessities they need to survive.
Ramadan began during the time of our last Prophet, Muhammad. The Quran (our holy book) was revealed to him during this month. We believe that through the angel Jibreel (Gabriel), Allah commanded that Muhammad and his followers fast for the entire month of Ramadan. It was revealed in Makkah and Medina. Over 23 years, 114 surahs, or 6,348 ayat, were revealed.
Photo Courtesy of Said Haimor, my Jidu
Did you know that there are actually two Eids? One is at the end of Ramadan (Eid-ul-Fitr), and the other is later in the year (Eid-ul-Adha). Eid-ul-Fitr usually takes place at a mosque, and after prayers, we play games and have fun!
Ramadan Kareem, and Eid Mubarak!!!
Here’s my Teta’s recipe for a special treat, Ka’ak. It’s a cookie that we make often during Ramadan!
Spring is right around the corner! The days are getting longer, and the sun is shining brighter. The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, and everything is becoming more vibrant and alive! One of the most exciting parts of spring is watching the flowers bloom. They come in such a variety of thrilling colors and shapes, that you could never find two that look alike! Flowers bring joy and interest to a landscape or garden that has been asleep for the winter. Sometimes it looks as though a giant has spilled its paint all over the green foliage. For this colorful time of year, the Lighthouse has put together a drawing challenge for you! You can probably guess what the theme is by now… flowers!
ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
The flowers that you will be drawing can be drawn with any medium of your choosing! Pencils, paint, oils or charcoal, just to name a few. You can draw any type of flower you want! Some common spring flowers include Tulips, Daffodils, Daisies, and Roses. You can even draw a flower that you came up with yourself! You can get as creative as you like. This is a non-competitive challenge, and all art submissions will be included in the next publishing in the Arts and Culture section.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ART
All art should be submitted byMay 1st, and you will see your artwork when articles are published on May 5th. We accept kids of all ages, and ask that you please give us your age and first name. You may include your last name, or last initial. We value your privacy! You can submit your art to us by taking a picture and emailing it to us at thelighthousetve@gmail.com.
We hope to see your artwork! Remember, you can get as creative as you like.
The story follows Mark Watney, a member of NASA’s team sent to explore Mars. After a martian sandstorm leaves him stranded and injured, he is cut off from human communication and left to face the overwhelming challenges of surviving Mars. So ultimately, this book chronicles the story of Mark versus Mars. The main character’s bone-dry humor as he records his mission logs is both clever and entertaining. Another big strength of the book is the author’s attention to scientific detail and accuracy, while still managing to make the reader laugh. The author authenticated as much as possible the science behind the story. This was shown especially with application of physics on atmospheric pressure and the mathematics and chemistry behind the protagonist’s attempted solutions to problems that arise. I recommend this book for ten year old kids through adult, but the language is very explicit, so there is “Classroom Edition” for youth. This book is definitely worth your time if you are a sci-fi fan. There is a movie based off the book that I also recommend, but be sure to read the book first!
First off, Happy New Year everyone! Our Staff hopes all of you had a wonderful holiday season. Now that a new year has started we should all look back to see how far we have come and give ourselves a high-five for all we have accomplished! Don’t just look back, look to the future! The new year hosts many great and exciting opportunities for all of us. This article contains three poems that were submitted for our poetry challenge, so read on!
About the poetry challenge
Last month, our Staff posted a non-competitive poetry challenge. Submissions were to be sent to us by the 20th of December, and we got three fantastic poems! The submitted poems were to be posted in this very article, and never fear, we will not disappoint you!
Here are the three poems that were submitted by three kids from the TVE community! It’s not just poems that were submitted, actually, some art was submitted as well!
Christmastime
By Livi Skikos – 14 years old
Ornaments on every tree, some homemade of clay
People shovel snowy paths while candles light the way
Christmas cheer floods the homes of every girl and boy
Writing letters to the one who’ll bring them a new toy
Families gather ‘round to place a star on the tree
Children sled through the snow, feeling bright and free
Candy canes and silver bells remind you of the day
When Christmastime will come again, with Santa on his sleigh
HOPE
by Aleena Haimor
Hope is the bright flame
Like sunshine in the shadows
That I long to touch
Made by Max Yang
Sunfish
by Max Yang – 8 years old
Sunfish, sunfish,
you remind me of a wish.
You are like the sun drifting away.
You remind me of the sun on most sunny days.
Oh oh, sunfish,
In my dreams,
you keep me company.
In the Monterey Bay Aquarium,
you wait for me.
Congratulations to all three of you! Give yourself a nice pat on the back for your hard work. These three poems are a joy to read!
These poems were read by our Staff, and were given these titles in the following categories:
Christmastime – Best Rhymes and Most Joyful
Hope – Best Topic
Sunfish – Brightest and Most Creative
We hope that all those who read these poems enjoyed them as much as we did. And a big virtual high-five to the participants. Once again, Happy New Year!
Time for a poetry challenge! The staff of The Lighthouse (TVE’s own student-led newspaper) invites one and all to take part in our first ever poetry competition! Don’t be afraid to let your creative ideas run wild and why not show them off? We look forward to reading your submissions and getting inspired by your beautiful words! You could even share your poems with your parkday friends. Here are the rules. First off, YOUR POETRY MUST COME OUT OF YOUR OWN CREATIVE MIND. No quoting Edger Allen Poe, people! Second off, NO EXPLICIT LANGUAGE OR CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS. We will not accept any foul poetry submissions. Third off, WE ACCEPT ALL TYPES OF POETRY! We don’t hold grudges against haikus or anything.
POETRY IS TO BE SUBMITTED BY THE 20th OF DECEMBER.
You can SUBMIT YOUR POEM AT: thelighthousetve@gmail.com
Our staff will decide who wins in each category, then we will email everyone to congratulate them for their hard work and receive an online certificate! ALL SUBMISSIONS WILL BE POSTED IN THE LIGHTHOUSE NEWSPAPER ON THE 5th OF JANUARY. (Unless you instruct us not to.)
It’s finally December! You know what that means. Christmas is coming! I’m sure you are all ecstatic for Santa to come down your chimney and put out your presents. He is sure to admire these 5 jolly Christmas crafts when he stops by.
Paper Chain Garland
This craft is my personal favorite, and I use it every year. It is really simple and super fun. It also looks really good, because you can add all kinds of neat designs!
Every good artist has their art supplies prepared and ready to go. So, make sure you have a pencil, colored markers (if you want), and a stack of colored (or regular) paper.
All photos by Lydia M.
Now, cut each paper lengthwise into about 8 pieces, using scissors. You can use a pencil and ruler to draw straight lines before cutting your strands. I recommend making strands that are approximately 1 inch wide and 11 inches long. Then, decorate them if you want.
Next, take one strip of sticky tape and attach the top of the paper strand to the bottom, forming a circle.
Now, run a new strip of paper through the previous one, and attach the top to the bottom to create a new circle. This will create the shape of a chain, and if you want, you can even make patterns on your chain using different colored paper.
Continue this process until the chain reaches the desired length of your garland. When you’re finished, hang it up for all to see!
Paper Plate Christmas Tree
Here is another beautiful, quick and easy craft. I find it very convenient, because it looks great, it’s simple and can be hung from the ceiling.
You will need string (for hanging the finished project up), scissors, colored pencils, markers, paints, stickers, or other decorating tools.
Now, you can begin by drawing a spiral on the back of the paper plate using a decorating tool, such as a marker, pen, pencil, or paint. Then, draw or paint some patterns along the spiral line. This makes your paper plate Christmas tree really pop.
After that, cut along the spiral line, so that the paper plate looks like a swirly Christmas tree when you hold it by the top. Make a tiny hole on the tip, so that you are able to run a string through, and tie a knot underneath.
Tape it to the ceiling. Now, you have a fabulous decoration for the holidays!
Bead Candy Cane Ornament
This is a very fun, simple craft that you can hang on your Christmas tree. DIY ornaments show lots of creativity, and are distinct.
You will need a pipe cleaner and plastic jewelry beads.
Twist the bottom of the pipe cleaner, so that the beads cannot fall off. Next, slide the beads onto the pipe cleaner. I recommend making patterns. While you are sliding the beads on, make sure you have room to twist the top of the pipe cleaner, to make sure that the beads will not fall off.
Then, curve your candy cane ornament into a candy cane shape. Now, your ornament is ready! Hang it up on your Christmas tree, and if you want to, make some more!
Countdown Till Christmas
This craft is like creating your own advent calendar. It is super cool, and you can hang it up in your room and change it every morning.
First, you need a paper plate, scissors, glue (or tape), paper and markers, paint, pens, pencils or other decorating tools.
Cut a square in the middle of the paper plate that is about an inch long, and an inch wide. On the back of the plate (inside), glue or tape a thin strip of paper to the back of the square.
Next, cut out a piece of paper that is 11 inches long, and 1 inch wide. On one side, write numbers 1 through 12 with your decorating tools from top to bottom, and 13 through 24 on the other side. Then, decorate your paper plate on the outside. When you are done, flip the plate over to the back, and weave the paper with numbers through the strip attached to the plate.
When you flip the plate over, there should be a number in the square. Starting on December 1st, move the paper by one number each day. Start at 1, then 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on. When you get to 12, flip the strip of paper to continue. Congrats! You have made your own advent calendar.
Paper Snowflake
Paper snowflakes are stunning, and you can decorate your house with lots of them. They are easy to make, and the items you need are very easy to come by.
First, you need to grab paper, a pencil, and scissors.
Make sure your paper is in a portrait format (or longways), and fold the top, right corner down, along the left edge of the paper.
Then, cut the paper under the triangle off. Unfold the triangle, and now you have a perfect square. Fold the bottom edge up to the top edge, and then the right edge to the left edge. You should now have a smaller square.
Draw a design on the square, but remember that the bottom right corner will be the middle of your snowflake. You are welcome to use my design or come up with your own. No two snowflakes in nature are alike, after all.
Then, cut along the design you drew, and unfold. Check out your wonderful paper snowflake!
I really hope you enjoyed making these 5 jolly Christmas crafts. Santa will be very impressed!
The Lighthouse 