by Lucas
Octobers Comic
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What is El Día de los Muertos?
by Ava Salado
What is the Day of the Dead? We have probably all heard of it once or twice, especially around Halloween. Well, it’s actually a traditionally Mexican holiday where families welcome back the spirits of their deceased relatives for a short reunion. The festivities can include food, drinks, partying and celebration, singing, dancing, and much more
The Day of the Dead or el Día de los Muertos celebrations, usually held in modern-day Mexico and among people of Mexican origin in the United States and other countries, has its roots in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica (which dates back around 3,000 years.) The Nahua people who lived in what is now central Mexico–including the Aztecs–had a, one might say, unique outlook of the world and the cosmos. They considered death as a necessary and constant aspect of existence. It was believed that after death a person traveled to Chicunamictlán, the land of the dead. Only after nine difficult levels and stages, and a journey lasting several years, could the human soul finally reach Mictlán, its final resting place. The occasion is observed every year from October 31 to November 2. It incorporates Spanish culture, European religion, and Mesoamerican ritual. While Halloween occurs on October 31, November 2 is All Souls Day or, in other words, The Day of the Dead. According to ancient tradition, the gates of heaven will open up at exactly midnight on October 31 and the spirits of niños (children) can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults, like abuelas, abuelos, tías, tíos, or really anyone can do the same on November 2. (Abuela and abuelo are grandma and grandpa. Tía and tío are aunt and uncle.)
To help spirits return to their loved ones, people first construct an altar illuminated by candles or outside of their houses. Additionally, some of the deceased’s favorite foods are placed on the altar in case they grow hungry. On the altar, families also put things that were significant to the ancestors while they were living, such as a cherished book, musical instrument, heirloom, or even a child’s toy.
A huge party is then held in the cemetery. Families bring a substantial meal to consume as they sing songs, polish and repair tombstones, and communicate with their ancestors.
Even grandparents who have passed away before a baby was born could be introduced to the newborn by their parents.
You may have seen festive photos of people dressed up in colorful dresses, suits, and make up. This is a very sacred tradition. You can get el Día de los Muertos-themed jewelry, clothes, leggings, make-up, decor, t-shirts, flower crowns and sugar skulls at basically any big box store. But however, let’s make one thing clear: el Día de los Muertos is not “Mexicans version of Halloween.” Rather, it seems to have been absorbed into the retail Halloween fixation and obsession, and has been reduced to an ‘aesthetic’ instead of a sacred Mexican cultural celebration. It should be respected as something that has been celebrated for many, many years and has so much cultural significance and importance to thousands of people (and ancestors). While the trademark colorful dresses and accessories can appear to be flamboyant fashion statements, in reality they are parts of habits and practices that date back to the time of the Aztecs over 3,000 years ago. Now, that’s not to say you should not celebrate and honor el Día de los Muertos, anyone can! But if you are wanting to buy and decorate your home with themed-decor this season, I would suggest buying from a family or personal-owned store. You can find these wonderful, authentic businesses on sites like Etsy or even at your local farmers market.
So, from me and my ancestors to you and yours, happy el Día de los Muertos!
The Legion of Honor
Do you love art? Well be sure to visit the Legion of Honor museum in San Francisco, CA. It is filled with stunning pieces of art that are sure to catch your eye.
Artists in need of inspiration can treat themselves, and their families, to a field trip at the Legion of Honor. From paintings to sculptures, and even Faberge eggs, this stunning museum is a place to remember. Each gallery includes beautiful artwork with distinct techniques.
Some of the most beautiful artworks in the Legion of Honor are tapestries. They are huge, woven pictures. One example is the Triumph of Justice from the Triumph of the Seven Virtues series. It is woven from wool.
Photo by Lydia Matinov
Another stunning piece of art to look out for if you visit is “The Russian Bride’s Attire”.
It was painted by Konstantin Makovsky in the late 1800’s. The painting depicts a woman getting ready for her wedding, and is unhappy about it. She knows that it will end up a loveless marriage, and the man she will marry is significantly older. This true masterpiece shows great emotion. If you find yourself at the Legion of Honor, be sure to just sit down for a few minutes, and take a nice long look at “The Russian Bride’s Attire” to take in the wonderful detail.
Photo by Lydia Martinov
Right in front of the Legion is the “Holocaust Memorial”. If you are driving by, then make sure you check it out. It is a sculpture of a concentration camp from the Holocaust. It is free to look at, and very interesting to see.
The Legion of Honor actually has a pretty cool history. It was founded (or for those of you who love fancy words: established) by Alma de Bretteville Spreckels and her husband, Adolph B. Spreckels in 1924. That was 99 years ago. 2024 will be the 100th birthday of the Legion! That will be quite a grand event. Anyways, all those years ago, this incredible museum was a gift to San Francisco. That is a pretty big gift. Today, it’s one of the greatest treasures in San Francisco. For Alma de Bretteville and Adolph B. Spreckels, that is a very cool way to be remembered. The Legion of Honor’s “grand opening” was on November 11, 1924 (Armistice day). It was dedicated to the Californians of World War I.
The Legion of Honor is an incredibly fascinating place. For those who want to see the unusual artwork, and be flabbergasted by the Legion’s beauty, it is encouraged that they visit.
Photo by Lydia Martinov
All About Tigers
by guest author Mila Martinov
I decided to write about tigers because they are so cool. There are many awesome facts about them. Most important thing I can say is, “Don’t adopt a tiger!”!
Tigers can jump really high, as high as an elephant’s head. That is 16 feet high! They are predators and are carnivores. They eat many kinds of animals, including deer, wild pigs, even people! They hunt by sneaking up on animals they want to catch. They often hunt when it’s dark, so that the animal they are hunting can’t see them. Tigers have orange, black and white stripes to help them blend in with plants and shadows.
Tigers are very fierce. Watch out if you see a tiger nearby! Tigers are very good climbers. They have super sharp claws and teeth. A tiger’s biggest teeth are longer than human fingers! Tigers keep their claws safe inside their paws, but they push them out when they dig, fight or scratch (just like my cat).
Tigers live in parts of Asia. They like to find a home that has lots of hiding places. They spend a large part of the day resting and sleeping. This seems lazy, but they need to rest to get ready for hunting. A tiger’s home is called their territory (territory means a homey place, where the tiger lives and hunts). There needs to be a lake or river nearby, so that the tiger can cool off and drink. There also must be plenty of animals for the tiger to eat. Tigers are very good swimmers, but they like to keep their head above the water. This fact might surprise you – tigers are a type of a cat. They belong to the cat family (fancy name Felidae). I know what you are thinking right now, “Cats don’t like water! How can tigers swim if they are a type of a cat?!” I know my cat doesn’t. I did not drop her in the bathtub, but I did check with the encyclopedia. So, no showers for her.
There used to be lots of tigers living in the wild. Now there are a lot fewer, because people hunted them and destroyed their territories. Today there are less than 4,000 tigers living in the wild worldwide. People are trying to protect them by creating safe territories, where they can live out of harm’s way. Go tigers!!!
Bibliography:
National Geographic Kids: Little Kids First Big Book of Animals by Catherine D. Hughes
Tigers by James Maclaine
Tiger Photo by National Geographic Kids
My cat Katya Photo by my mom Olga M.
The Not Back to School Year Picnic -2023-
by Olive Pea
This year’s Not Back to the School Year picnic was full of friends, family, and back to school fun! The event was held at Athen Downs park in San Ramon, and began at 1:00 o’clock on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. A majority of the adults made conversation at the picnic tables in the shade, while the kids ran around on the playground or played board games. at the picnic tables.
At one of the tables, families were signing their children up to receive student ID cards. Nearby, kids were waiting in line to get their pictures taken for the IDs. Each student held a white board with their name written down, then posed for the picture. At around 2:00, a group photo took place. Everyone was summoned to a spot on the big lawn with a short hill that stood under some trees giving dappled shade. All the participants stood together and posed for the picture. A few extra pictures were taken to insure we got the best one.
Next to the ID table, there were two sale tables with many cool purchasable items such as books, school supplies, and even a chocolate fountain! Our Lighthouse members got the chance to interview 3 of the participants during the event! Here they are:
Interviews:
Emmet Moala, 11
Q: Is this your first time at a TVE picnic?
A: No
Q: Which picnic(s) have you attended?
A: I don’t remember
Q: What was your favorite part of today?
A: Playing with my friend
Q: What’s your favorite TVE event?
A: Park Day
Q: Which Park Days do you take part in?
A: Fridays in San Ramon
Amelie
Q: Is this your first time at a TVE picnic?
A: No
Q: Which picnic(s) have you attended?
A: Both
Q: What was your favorite part of today?
A: Hanging out
Q: What’s your favorite TVE event?
A: The Harvest dance
Q: Which Park Days do you take part in?
A: We used to take part in Park Days a lot more when we were younger, and we plan to start coming again.
Isabella
Q. Is this your first time at a TVE picnic?
A: No
Q: Which picnic(s) have you attended?
A: Both
Q: What was your favorite part of today?
A: Hanging out with friends
Q: What’s your favorite TVE event?
A: The Harvest Dance
Q: Which Park Days do you take part in?
A: We used to come a lot more, but we stopped.
Thank all interview participants for those lovely interviews! This event was a great way for kids and adults alike to get back together with friends and meet new ones after the summer holidays, and is a great way to kick off the school year! And special thanks to all the parents who contributed to this community by purchasing student ID cards. Every dollar makes a difference. The Lighthouse hopes you all have a wonderful school year that’s full of learning and fun!
The History of Halloween
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?
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.
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.
Happy Halloween!
Another Year, Another Promotion – 2023 –
by Olive Pea
This year’s Graduation and Promotion Ceremony took place at the Rustle Room at Rancho Amador, San Ramon. It started at 3:30. The graduates arrived at 2:45 for rehearsal. After rehearsal, the graduate’s families and friends arrived to watch. The MC, Nicole Pate, made an opening speech. After the opening speech, “Pomp and Circumstance” was played while all of the graduates walked down the aisle. The MC called their name and the graduate would walk up onto the stage.
The MC said something new that each graduate had accomplished this year, then the graduate was handed a certificate. The graduate would pose for their picture, and then sit back down in their chair. Then for our one and only Senior, a video was played that had pictures of his coming of age. Then our Senior walked up onto the stage with his family, and his parents each made a separate speech. Then he was handed his certificate, had his photo taken, and the turning of the tassel was performed. Next was the tossing of the cap, followed by more photos being taken.
Here are the names of this year’s graduates!
Pre-Kindergarten:
Elowen M.
Kaylee R.
Kindergarten:
Elijah M.
Jordan M.
Scott P.
1st grade:
Silas L.
Mila M.
Maya T.
5th grade:
Jesse C.
Ella C.
Heidi H.
Lillian K.
Genesis M.
Emmett M.
Liam M.
Ananda S.
Zackaria T.
8th grade:
Hadassah M.
Olivia S.
Seniors:
Charlie P.
Congratulations graduates! We hope that you have an awesome summer, and a school year packed with knowledge and fun! We are so proud of all of you.
Special thanks to our TVE Leaders for making this wonderful event possible, and to our AV Tech for the visuals and sounds, and to the photographers, who have captured these moments in time for us to remember. And of course, thanks to all the graduates and their families for participating in the ceremony.
All photos courtesy of S. & T.
A Teen Tropical Paradise – Formal 2023 –
by Olive Pea
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.
May The 4th Be With You!
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!
Five Awesome Whales
by Guest Author – Mila Martinov
I wrote this article because, as you know, I love sea creatures. They are so cool! I hope you like this article and enjoy the fun learning. Last time, I wrote about jellyfish. Today, I want to tell you about the coolest mammals in the sea.
1. Blue whale (prettiest of them all)
This whale is the biggest animal ever. A Blue Whale is about the length of a medium-sized airplane. Despite its size, the whale eats tiny krill (krill is a small shrimp-like animal that is incredibly tiny). A Blue Whale eats millions of them per day. To catch its food, the Blue Whale goes through a large group of krill with its mouth open. The krill flows into it. As the whale closes it’s mouth, the water flows back out to the sea through the gills, but the krill stays inside.
2. Beluga whale (my personal favorite)
Beluga calves (babies) are born gray in color. Belugas don’t turn white until they are a few years old. Beluga whales live in the Arctic (the coldest place on earth). Large pods of beluga whales travel south until they find open water. Since Belugas are mammals, and breathe air, they swim to the surface to take a breath. They can’t stay under the ice for too long, or they will drown. The Beluga whale is the length of two twin beds. They eat fish, crabs, squid, octopus and mussels.
3. Narwhal (the unicorn of the sea)
A Narwhal sucks its food into its mouth. Since the narwhal has only two teeth, it can’t chew. One of those teeth is a long tusk that sticks out of the upper lip. It looks like a unicorn horn. A female narwhal can grow a tusk, but it is not very long. A male’s tusk is as long as three baseball bats put together. Two male narwhals sometimes use their tusks to “sword fight”. Some scientists think this helps narwhals find out who is the strongest.
4. Sperm whale (the funny looking one)
Sperm whales live everywhere, except the freezing north and south poles. They are 65 feet long. With their very large teeth, sperm whales eat squid, sharks, and fish. They have very wrinkled skin too. Sperm whales can swim up to 9,800 feet deep below sea-level to find food. In fact, their habitat is located in deep water. A male sperm whale is longer than a female, and they have huge heads shaped like squares.
5. Humpback whale (the bumpy one)
Humpback whales do not have teeth. They have baleen instead (baleen are little fluffy things that hang over the whale’s mouth). A humpback whale opens it’s mouth and small creatures flow in with the water. When the whale closes it’s mouth, Baleen blocks the exit. The humpback whale uses its tongue to push water out through the baleen. The baleen pulls the water out and the food stays inside. Then, the whale swallows.
I love sea creatures, and am very happy to have shared these facts with you. I hope you enjoyed reading this. You should go whale watching someday. It’s very fun.
Sources:
“Ocean. The Definitive Visual Guide”, Fabien Cousteau, Rob Dunn, Isobel Comley
“National Geographic Kids: First Big Book of the Ocean”, Catherine D. Hughes
“National Geographic Kids: Little Kids First Big Book of Animals”, Catering D. Hughes
The Lighthouse 