News – Page 4 – The Lighthouse

A Teen Tropical Paradise – Formal 2023 –

July 1, 2023September 19, 2023 thelighthousetve

On a slightly breezy Saturday (May 6th to be precise), this year’s Teen Formal occurred. It started at 7:00, and ended at 10:00 at the San Ramon Community Center.

There were many large, round tables shrouded in black tablecloths located within the center of the room. They were surrounded by black folding chairs. At the entrance of the room, there were colorful leis that you could take on your way in. On one side of the room, there was a photo booth. It had a blue and white balloon arch over the top, and the backdrop was a picture of a beach on a tropical island. The backdrop was of a beautiful beach, completed with a blue and white balloon arch over the top. In front of the photo booth there was a ring light you could use for lighting when taking your photo.

There was a snack bar with snack items such as goldfish crackers, chocolate chip cookies, sandwich rolls, and more! Next to the snack bar, there was another table laid with drinks, such as lemonade, fruit punch, and various sodas. On the drink table there were tropical leaf and flower stickers to put on your cup, along with some fun straws that had paper sun umbrellas on them!

On the far side of the room, behind the dance floor, they hung navy blue curtains with lights streaming down in front of them, giving the area a soft glow. Above the dance floor, lots of jellyfish-lights lit up the ceiling. There were also colorful lights that illuminated the walls placed all around the room. Behind the DJ booth, three tiki totem poles stood in front of a blue and white silk curtain backdrop. Opposite of the DJ booth was a table filled with little card games.

Once everything had been set up and the guests arrived, the music started. Some teens grabbed games and played with their friends at the tables, some grabbed snacks, and some danced on the dance floor. After a few songs, there was an air guitar solo competition. For each team, the DJ played a different thirty-second guitar solo. Whoever received the loudest round of applause won a trophy and a party sized bag of skittles!

Overall the Teen Formal was very tropical, colorful, and most importantly, super fun!

All photos courtesy of S. & T.

Arts and Culture, News, Student Life

May The 4th Be With You!

May 4, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Aleena Haimor

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!

Arts and Culture, News, Student Life

Springtime Art Challenge – Results! –

May 4, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Olive Pea

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

Maria K., age 10

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:

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.

News, Student Life

Upcoming Teen Formal 2023 – Tropical Paradise

April 6, 2023April 6, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Ava Salado

It’s that time of year again! Prom season! A very common misconception about homeschoolers is that we don’t have proms or formals, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every year, TVE hosts its annual Teen Formal! If you are a homeschool student, aged 12 to 19, then you are formally, cordially, and sincerely invited to this year’s event. If desired, each student may invite a homeschooled or non-homeschooled guest. But this event is unlike your other ‘proms’, students do not need to come with a ‘special someone’. Many guests will be coming alone or with a group of friends. This is not a ‘date night,’ but instead, a celebration of friendship, the school year, and our homeschool community! (But, of course, if there is a ‘special someone’ we do not discourage shooting your shot) and welcome guests.

The Event Planning Committee is proud to announce that this year’s theme is Tropical Paradise.

We ask that you “Dress to Impress” with fancy attire or your best threads, but dressing to the theme is not required. (No bathing suits, trunks, snorkel gear, etc.) Clothing should be appropriately fitted and modest. This is your chance to ‘strut your style’. Although these are the comfiest options, no jeans, shorts, sweats, or t-shirts.

Got a favorite jam? Awesome, (we do too) you may request up to two dance songs. Please include song title and artist. This doesn’t guarantee placement on the playlist, but we will try to accommodate all requests. But don’t worry, the absolute, classic dance-tunes will always make their way onto TVEs playlist. You can submit your song(s) request on the ‘Registration Form‘ of the Formal. No explicit lyrics, please.

Here are all the details:

Date: May 6, 2023

Time: 7pm – 10pm

Location: San Ramon, CA. (full location and address can be found on the TVE facebook page.)

Age: 12-19

$40 per teen

Refunds:

100% before April 7th,

50% between April 7th and April 21st.

No refunds after April 21st.

Fun time: Assured

Smiles: Required

The guest must be registered to attend and purchase their own ticket. Go to the TVE Facebook page for the registration form and for more information. Make sure you read the form carefully with your teen(s) and any guest.

You can contact TVE Leadership with any questions here: tve.membership@gmail.com

We hope to see you in Tropical Paradise!

Home, News, Student Life

TVE’s Annual Knowledge Fair – 2023

April 6, 2023September 19, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Lydia I. Marinov

Gaining knowledge is fun! Especially at the TVE annual Knowledge Fair! From real birds, to a heart model, to coding and digital art, the 2023 Knowledge Fair had a lot of amazing facts and presentations demonstrated. People began to arrive and set up at 10:00am on March 29th inside the Danville Grange. The attendance was so great that projects were set up not just on the tradeshow-style tables, but also on benches and the stage.

There were so many wonderful presentations. It would be impossible to fit all of them into one article, so here are some great highlights. One project called “Birds as Pets and Friends” was especially popular. The presenter brought her 3 pet birds from home! 2 cockatiels, Daisy and Dominic, attracted a lot of attention from the attendees, so did their feathered friend, Anna, who is a parakeet. Another very popular display was “Volcanoes”. It included a huge model of a volcano. It had fake lava too. The project was very fun to watch, because the lava in the volcano erupted.

Our own Student Life editor, Olive Pea, put together a very informative presentation called “Cat Behavior”. In her presentation, she talked about understanding cat actions to figure out what they are trying to say, based on their body language. If you are interested in learning about cat behavior, be sure to see the article that Olive wrote about her presentation. The newest addition to The Lighthouse, Aleena, made a very nice presentation about plants. Her presentation featured fun facts, and real plants and seeds.

Another interesting project included the history of green screens. The presenter brought a green screen and a camera to take pictures of visitors with different backgrounds. A presentation called “Coding With Kids” was also very popular, because it included a computer with a game that the presenter coded himself. As visitors and presenters entered the building, they were met by Ava Salado with her display of The Lighthouse Newspaper. Ava showed pictures of our journalists and some of the highlights of their work.

Some presenters even wore costumes in theme with their projects. Our youngest presenter, at the age of 2, wore pajamas with letters all over them. This adorable outfit made his project, “ABCs” stand out even more. For the “Butterfly Life Cycle” display, the presenter wore big, orange butterfly wings. Another participant, doing a presentation on dogs, had a beautiful puppy outfit on.

At the end of the Knowledge Fair, everybody received a certificate award and a round of applause for their excellent presentations.

Here are all of the project names:

Netherland Dwarf Rabbit

Medieval Castles

Cat Behavior

Solar System

Vincent Van Gogh

All About the Moon

Butterfly Life Cycle

Taekwondo

Bees

Green Screens/ Special effects

Osiris – REx Project

Bird Watching

Rainbows

Dogs

ABC’s

Elizabeth Blackwell

Acid Rain

Exotic Flowers

Cheetahs

Wolves

White Friday WW1

Tennis Ball Machine

Pokémon

Spiders

Volcanoes

Reflection and Refraction

Golden Retrievers

Playing with Colors

Anime and Manga

Human Heart

Social Emotional Skills

Birds as Pets and Friends

Digital Art and Animation

The Mathematics

Mystery of Amelia Earhart

Plants

Horses

Aloxotls

Archie Comics

Coding for Kids

Wool Crafts

Magnets

Art

First Aid

The Lighthouse

Congratulations to everybody who participated! Everyone did an absolutely amazing job.

Arts and Culture, Home, News, Student Life

Ramadan and Eid-Ul-Fitr

April 6, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Aleena Haimor

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!

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.

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.

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!

Arts and Culture, News, Student Life

Springtime Art Challenge!

March 2, 2023April 19, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Olive Pea

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 by May 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.

News, Science

5 California Wildflowers to Look Forward to this Season

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Ava Salado

Spring has almost sprung. And you know what that means… wildflowers! Yes, it also means debilitating allergies for some lucky folks but the beauty is worth it. Soon we will see oceans of lovely colors floating above our bay area fields. In fact, the northern California area has some very unique wildflowers. The bay area is very fortunate and special to have so many native plants still growing in such a metropolitan space. It seems everywhere you look you might be able to find a sprout reaching for life, like on the side of the highway, crack in the road, anywhere! The usual season for most wildflowers is the end of February and typically lasts until early May. So what wonderful varieties do we have to expect?

Lupine

The lupine is a beautiful looking and smelling, herbaceous (and partly woody) wildflower that loves to pop up anywhere, even clay soils. If you live in the bay area you are bound to have seen one of these bluish-purple flowers sprouting about. They are a very versatile variety with over 200 different species. With their love of Mediterranean climates you know when you see them first pop up that warm, sunny, spring skies are ahead.

Franciscan Wallflower or San Francisco Wallflower

The Franciscan Wallflower or San Francisco Wallflower (or if you would like to be fancy the Erysimum franciscanum) is a biennial that is commonly found from the hills of Sonoma to the beaches of Santa Cruz going wherever it wishes. This flower is in the mustard family and can be seen from the end of winter to late spring.

Photo by California Native Plant Society

Douglas Iris

The Douglas Iris (or Iris Douglasiana) is a purple flower that can be found mostly in the coastal regions of California–or wherever has a lower elevation–but, if you are lucky, can sometimes be found at heights of up to 1,000 meters (3,300 ft). It can occasionally be considered a noxious weed in pastures because of its tendency to form clumps that hinder other vegetation, but when not found pasture it is regarded with fond looks and smiles for being an absolutely beautiful iris.

Puget Sound Gumweed (Grindelia Integrifolia)

If you find yourself walking around the beaches of the San Francisco bay in late spring/summer you might stumble upon the gorgeous Puget Sound Gumweed (Grindelia Integrifolia). A strong and rugged plant, being resistant to almost all diseases and pests and being delightful while doing it. Commonly found in meadows, marshes, beaches (anywhere that is wetter in climate) this flowering plant is sure to bring the pollinators–and the cameras–close.

California Poppy

And finally, we must end with a classic…the California Poppy! If you have lived in the golden state for a while, you’re lying if you say you haven’t seen one of these pretty, deep orange flowers at least once. Once spring hits, they are everywhere! Some fighters even pop up in early-winter. The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is a California state-protected poppy field found in northern Los Angeles County. It is extremely popular for expert and amateur photographers alike. But please, if you are going to go there for the breath-taking sights, don’t step on the flowers! Mother nature, park rangers–and the plants themselves–work very hard to grow and stay healthy and plentiful for generations, and the bottoms of your shoes aren’t helping. So please, admire at a safe distance. But most of all…enjoy! Take some allergy medicine and get out into nature. Wildflowers wait for no one so enjoy them while you can!

Take a hike such as:

Mount Burdell

Mount Diablo State Park

Coyote Ridge

And, if you are feeling rather inspired, create a picture of your favorite flower and submit it to The Lighthouse’s “competition” exhibition! Learn more here: Springtime Art Challenge!

News, Science, Student Life

Let’s have a Conversation about Conservation!

March 2, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Meru S.

My local 4-H club recently invited a guest speaker from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to talk about water conservation. He spoke about the most common ways water is wasted in everyday life, and how we can use less water to conserve it. Even with the rain that we have been having during the past two to three months, we still need to continue to use water with awareness of the drought.

Here are some ways in which we can conserve water:

Fix water leaks. Leaks can waste up to two hundred gallons of water a day.

Take shorter showers. A ten-minute shower uses about twenty-five gallons.

Use the dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand. Most dishwashers use only about six gallons per load.

Irrigate lawns efficiently or install a drip irrigation system. Many sprinklers spray water not only on the lawn but also on the sidewalks or driveways, which wastes a lot. Drip irrigation sends water directly to the roots and does not waste or overwater.

Plant drought-tolerant plants that require less water.

Make sure to turn off hoses and faucets when not in use.

We removed our lawn and replaced it with Kurapia, a water-wise alternative to grass. We have also planted California natives, which, once established, do not need as much water. Collecting rinsing or cooking water is something we have been doing for the past few months. We keep a watering can in the kitchen and pour the extra water from foods (such as pasta or soaked grains) into it. Then we later use it to water our plants.

March 22nd is World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day has a different theme. This year, the theme is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. The general goal of this celebration is to ensure that people worldwide have access to clean and safe water. The first World Water Day was held in 1993 and was created by the United Nations. East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is celebrating World Water Day with a Day by the Water at Lake Del Valle in Livermore. With games and activities, you can learn more about water conservation and the different ways in which water is beneficial to us and wildlife.

News, Student Life

Valentine’s Day, Parkday, All in One!

February 2, 2023 thelighthousetve

by Olive Pea

Wow! It’s already February! We are officially a whole month into the new year. I’m still trying to break the old habit of writing 2022 whenever I write down the date. Since a whole new year has started, this means that the cycle of TVE’s holiday events is starting over! Actually, the first holiday event of 2023 is coming up in the very near future. TVE’s Valentines Exchange will be held at two different Park Days. The first one takes place at Larkey Park Day, Thursday, February 9th. The second one takes place at Boone Acres Park Day, Friday, February 10th.

WHAT TO EXPECT

TVE’s annual Valentines exchange gives the kids of our homeschool community the opportunity to exchange Valentines with their Park Day friends! Once the exchange starts, everybody who brought Valentines should have them ready. While the kids are getting their Valentines ready, everybody should begin preparing the tables and set up Valentine boxes (or bags) for each participant. Once everything is set up, then kids who brought cards can start to drop them into other people’s boxes. Once everyone has put their Valentines in their friend’s Valentine boxes, the kids can start looking through the Valentines that they received.

THINGS TO BRING

In order to participate, you must bring these necessities:

A box (or bag) with your name written in large letters on the front. This will be used for others to easily find where to put their Valentine to you.

Note:

Bags for you to decorate will be provided at the Boone Acres Park Day along with markers and stickers.

Kid friendly Valentine cards, either pre made or handmade to give to your Park Day friends. Goodies can be included, but they are optional. Food is not allowed, to make sure those with food allergies are also included.

In past events, there were many Valentines received, and many smiling faces. Last year at Boone Acres Park Day the amount of children was underestimated and there was said to be double the amount on Exchange participants! At the Larkey Park Day, there were bouncy balls that everyone had a lot of fun playing with.

We hope to see you at this wonderful event, and hope you get lots of Valentines!

For more information, visit the TVE Park Day pages on Facebook to find out who will be at your Park Day!