by Ava Salado
Do you want to publish one of your papers, essays, or creative writing but don’t have time to join The Lighthouse, no problem at all! Just become a guest writer! Email us at: thelighthousetve@gmail.com with your completed work, and we can publish it on our website. As you might have noticed, we have two (yes two!) guest authors this month. And we invite you to become one too!
by Olive Pea
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
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!
Winter time? Check! Cars? Check! Hot Cocoa? Check! Thousands of lights? Check! With holiday decorations inside and out, the Train of Lights is ready to choo-choo down the tracks. The antique coaches are quite a sight, especially in the open cars which feature wonderful views of the train. This one and a half hour ride is a truly fun activity, surrounded by a mesmerizing holiday atmosphere. The journey offers a “rare opportunity to experience a train ride through Niles Canyon at night,” as described on the Niles Canyon Railway website. It goes round trip through the Niles Canyon. With Santa Claus hitching a ride too, children of all ages can enjoy his company and the beautiful sights. The Train of Lights comes every year to take people on a Christmas-approved journey during November and December evenings.
The tickets to the train sell out very quickly, so it is recommended to purchase them months in advance. They go on sale on the Niles Canyon Railway website on October 1st, and sell out within the first couple of hours on the same day. First class tickets are sold at a higher price, and sell out even faster. These tickets come with extra perks, such as unlimited free hot chocolate, cookies, other snacks, and access to the exclusive first class cars. After the tickets are purchased, people arrive at the Niles Canyon Railway at the appointed time. The crew on the Train of Lights is made up of very knowledgeable and kind volunteers. Once everybody gets on and takes their seats, the conductor starts the train. You can walk through all the cars, which include the gift shop, a snack car (with snacks for purchase), a couple of open-air cars and uniquely decorated coach cars. Maybe, while you walk through the cars, you’ll find Santa Claus! You can take a picture with him, or ask him a question.
I took a ride on the Train of Lights to take pictures for you to see. As one of my fellow passengers said, “The beauty of the train doesn’t show as well through photos, as it would in person.” Here are some of them:
The train turning past a train crossing through the dome car window:
Inside of one of the cars:
Some fun Christmas decor
Enjoying the view in an open car:
Beautifully decorated open car:
Some of the cars get pretty busy:
The outside of the train:
According to Jaqcuez Verdier, a first-class Dome car volunteer, “There are over a million Christmas lights on the train.” The reason it is called the Train of Lights is because each car is decorated by many lights, which in turn, are powered by 2 generators.
When Santa came to the car we were in, my sister asked what he would like for Christmas. He said “I would like for all of the boys and girls to get what they wanted for Christmas this year.”
Santa!!!:
The Train of Lights is a truly magical thing. Maybe you can take a ride someday, and see Santa in person. Don’t forget to have a cup of hot cocoa, and ask the volunteers about the train. They are very knowledgeable. Have a wonderful 2023!
More information at:
Train of Lights
by Cy Bernardi
The New Year is here! With it, there are another twelve months of activities and adventures to look forward to, as well as a whole new list of New Year’s Resolutions. Although each individual has their own unique goals that they work towards, 38% of New Year’s Resolutions are fitness related. While “fitness” is a broad topic that can range from weight loss to building muscle to running a marathon. There are several activities that are not only fun but also have a mix of strength and cardio that can help you to achieve a wide range of health goals. Parkour, indoor rock climbing, and ultimate frisbee are some of the best activities to participate in during the New Year because, unlike other sports such as basketball, soccer, baseball, etc. (which takes years of commitment on a team) you can jump in for the first time at any age or fitness level and have an enjoyable experience.
Parkour is one of the best activities to build strength and fitness for multiple reasons. First, since there are so many different skills within the sport such as vaults, climbing, swinging, flips, and more, beginners can start by learning basic moves that build endurance and open the door to more difficult skills later on. In this way, you never stop learning and can perform some impressive tricks after only a small amount of time taking classes. Second, parkour itself has a unique blend of aerobic and strength-related challenges that can help you achieve your fitness goals no matter what they are. The fast-paced nature of the sport builds endurance while the skills themselves can help to build muscle, making you stronger. The parkour gym MVMNTM is located in Concord, CA and offers classes for a variety of skill levels, the link to their website is below:
Another activity that has many of the same attributes as parkour is indoor rock climbing. It builds strength and endurance in the same ways, but has some key differences. Rock climbing is mostly self-taught as opposed to being taught in classes, and there are dozens of different routes in every gym that range from beginner to advanced. This allows climbers to jump in and get to the top of the wall via an easy route even if they are brand new to the sport. Climbing can also build confidence because the participants will climb to heights of up to fifty five feet, and since ropes are used there is zero risk of getting injured. The largest chain of rock gyms in the San Francisco Bay Area is called Touchstone with eight locations. However, there are many more individual gyms that provide safe fun places to workout too. The link to the Touchstone locations is below:
If you’re looking for a more social way to get in shape, ultimate frisbee (also known as ultimate) is a fun solution. With the recent growth in the sports popularity, almost every city has a youth ultimate frisbee team and adult pickup games are a common sight at parks on the weekends. One of the best parts of ultimate is that the rules are extremely simple. While, as with any sport, there are fancy throws and tricks to learn, you only need rudimentary knowledge of how to throw a frisbee to play. Furthermore, teams pair their players with one another based on their skill level to ensure that a seasoned veteran isn’t guarding against a rookie to make the game more enjoyable. This is one of the unique aspects of ultimate that make it so fun. If you’re interested in joining a team, it’s easy to sign up and it’s likely that your city has one already. If not, starting up a new team with some friends is always a possibility! A link to learn more about ultimate frisbee is below.
Ultimate Frisbee HQ – Everything about Ultimate
With all of the different ways to get in shape in the New Year, it can be hard to find a fun and easy way to start working towards your goal. Parkour, climbing, and ultimate frisbee are some beginner-friendly ways to get started right away and jump in! Hopefully, one of these activities is right for you and helps you to get fit in a fun and enjoyable way.
by The Lighthouse Staff
Hello TVE Kids and Teens!
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.)
HAVE FUN HAIKU
WE WISH YOU GOOD LUCK
HAVE FUN BEING CREATIVE
YOU CREATIVE KIDS!
Sincerely,
-The Lighthouse staff
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.
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!
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!
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!
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 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!
by Cy Bernardi
In 2018, 1.12 billion people held their breath as Croatia went head to head with France in the final match of the FIFA World Cup. A 4-2 French victory marked the conclusion of the tournament for the next four years. The World Cup is held at four-year intervals, with countries from all across the globe competing against one another to bring glory to their nations. Now, it’s time to turn on the TV and get watching once again! The 2022 World Cup is being hosted by Qatar and is looking to be one of the most exciting tournaments in soccer history. As exhilarating as this event is, this one, in particular, has a somber side to it because it’s likely the last World Cup that fan-favorite players such as Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be taking part in. However, on the other hand, the USMNT (United States Men’s National Team) is one of the strongest squads in US history with players such as Christian Pullisic, Weston McKennie, and team captain Tyler Adams. When all of these aspects are put together, the 2022 World Cup is looking to be one of the most exciting tournaments in recent history.
One of the most highly anticipated parts of the World Cup this year is watching how Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, two of the greatest players of all time, respond to the pressure of playing in what is likely their last World Cup. This is both Ronaldo’s fifth time donning the Portuguese national colors and Messi’s fifth for Argentina in a World Cup. Sadly, age gets the best of all of us, and by the time the next World Cup starts in 2026, both of them will more than likely be retired. However, both the Portuguese and Argentine National teams have full rosters of strong players and have good chances of winning the tournament. There has always been competition between these two players for the title of GOAT, or greatest of all time. If one of them manages to pull off a win this year, it could be a deciding factor in who is more worthy of the title. This is one of our last chances to see these soccer legends play against each other, adding to the overall hype of the 2022 World Cup.
It’s a well-known fact that the United States can’t compete with European Nations in soccer. However, this World Cup could be different. With a strong team captained by Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, the US National Team has hope for doing well this year. This is one of the first times in recent memory that America can cheer on their own team with hopes of winning a World Cup.
With all of the excitement surrounding this World Cup and so many streaming options to choose from, it can be hard to decide where to watch it. The best options for paid viewing of live matches are Sling and ESPN+. If you’re looking to watch this event for free, Tubi is a free app that allows you to catch up on games after they end, but unfortunately live viewing isn’t an option. Hopefully, one of these apps will be useful so you can tune in for some World Cup action!
From the end of an era with Messi and Ronaldo finishing up their time playing for their countries to the possibility of the US National Team doing well, the 2022 World Cup is expected to be one of the most exciting in recent memory, and with so many options to choose from for streaming, it’s easier than ever to hop in and start supporting your team.
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The future is here! Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has finally unveiled the Optimus (also known as the Tesla robot). This epic piece of machinery contains AI (Artificial Intelligence), meaning that it can perform tasks that usually require a human mind. The Optimus was unveiled by Elon Musk on September 30th, Tesla’s AI day. The event happened at the Tesla office in Palo Alto, California.
The unveiling started with a screen on stage depicting robot hands making a heart, and once everybody settled in their seats, Elon Musk, along with some of the engineers, who helped make the Optimus, took to the stage. One of the engineers explained that it will be the first time that the Optimus will be “without any support cranes, mechanical mechanisms, no cables, nothing.” With that, the robot’s heart hands opened to reveal the Optimus prototype.
The robot walked out and waved to the crowd, receiving thunderous applause. It performed a simple dance, and one of the engineers pointed out that the robot uses the “self-driving computer that runs in [our] Tesla cars”. The robot walked to the back of the stage, while a video was playing on the screen, showing the prototype connected to wires, and support cranes, performing tasks such as watering plants and bringing in packages. Then, the robot was attached to a small platform, and managed to squat. Optimus must be able to squat in order to pick things up and perform chores.
Believe it or not, programming the robot to walk is not easy. In fact, it’s downright difficult. The engineers had to make sure that the robot is balanced, so that it doesn’t fall flat on its face. The Optimus prototype took its first steps in April 2022. Then, in July, the engineers were able to get its pelvis moving, as it walked. In August, they managed to get the robot’s arms to sway. Lastly, in September, they made the movement of its foot transfer from heel to toe, with every step.
The materials that will be used when these bots are put into production include metal and plastic (less metal and more plastic makes the bot lighter). The battery life on the robot is 4 to 23 hours, and it uses the 2.3 kWh, 52V battery. It can pick up 20 pounds with each hand, and weighs 160 pounds. The Optimus is 5’ 8” tall, and can walk 5 mph (miles per hour). Its eyes are cameras, ears are microphones, and the voice is a speaker. The joints are inspired by the joints of a human.
Optimus is a humanoid, meaning that it is a robot resembling the body of a human in shape. Instead they were powered by a system of levers and pulleys.
It is expected that by 2027, this epic piece of machinery will be on sale for about $20,000. So, you better start saving up! Tesla’s Optimus is a truly magnificent item, and many people are very excited for it to become a selling product. I, for one, can definitely utilize this robot to clean my room.
by Ava Salado
What is a bee hotel? Well, it’s basically a home where solitary bees can lay their eggs, these eggs can hatch into larvae, then emerge to pollinate your garden! Bee hotels are kind of a birdhouse but for bees. Solitary bees need a small, hollow “cave” like place to lay their eggs which will develop into babies. In a natural environment, the mama bee would find this perfect spot in downed trees, reeds, or any hole, nook or cranny a bee can fit in (and is the size to safely house their eggs). This bee hotel provides an “artificial” place to lay. They can also be known as bee condos, bee houses, or even nest blocks. Unfortunately, in today’s modern times and as we talked about in our last article, many of these resources are being taken away. So how can we all help? Make a bee hotel for your backyard. You can make a difference in your local area. Plus, you will bring local pollinators to your garden!
This sounds awesome but how do I make one? Well it is a simple, easy, and rewarding process and you don’t even need that many materials, let me show you.
First you need a frame, you can use anything that is sturdy and waterproof. Such as a square wooden frame which can be easily created with some spare wood, or even (like the wonderful Larky parkday kids used) an empty, clean tin can.
Now you need the insides (the actual place the bees will be staying). Bee hotels are supposed to mimic the natural nesting habitat of the bee, try giving a bundle of hollow reeds or stems, drill 2 mm to 10 mm diameter holes in a wooden block that are about 2 inches to 6 inches long, or even reusable paper straws. Keep in mind, if you choose using paper straws they can easily absorb moisture which is not good for the baby bee. So for their safety, retire the straws after each season once all of the babies have emerged. After that, get new straws for the next mama to find.)
Then simply attach the insides to the frame making sure they are sturdy and will not fall out or shake.
Now you have your own bee hotel. Attach at least 3 feet above the ground so that no crazy creatures get curious. And if you are having trouble with birds swooping in and pecking at the holes, consider putting chicken wire on the outside/entrances of the caves.
Here are some more essential tips:
Have a nice roof so that the entrances to the cave are protected from rain or dew. This is very important because, as I said before, if the cave is exposed to water or mass moisture, it could lead to mold, disease, and many other bad things. So, in the rainy months, I suggest storing it in the garage, patio, dungeon or any other cold dark spot. You don’t have to worry about them emerging until spring.
Make sure your hotel is not swinging or swaying in the wind, this will lead to very uncomfortable baby bees. Keep it in a non-windy and stable place.
Always place your hotel in direct sunlight. Usually south or southeast facing. The babies like it warm in the spring and summertime.
Put your hotel out in early April-ish, that’s when most mamas will be looking for a place to lay. Then, by the following spring, all the babies should have all moved on to the big wide world. After they leave, clean the empty hole with a pipe cleaner or remove and replace the holes entirely.
Other than that, just be generally careful when placing and caring for your little friends. Share the care!
Now we must understand a few things. The answer for how to “Save the Bees” is much bigger and harder than just putting up bee hotels, this problem is much more complicated the world would assume. But don’t fear. By doing this you will be helping the bee population in your area. Especially if you live in a more urban space with few resources for their babies to be born. Plus, the hope that if we put bee hotels in public spaces, we could inspire anyone who sees it. The goal is to spark interest and curiosity, people will say “what is that thing?” This will inspire questions with important answers. The hope is that this fun project will inspire future generations to take further steps to save these wonderful creatures. My ask to whoever is reading this is to create as many bee hotels as possible using only recycled materials or things that you find in your backyard. Make it fun, art inspired, and creative.
My greatest hope is that by having bee hotels spread across the Bay Area, it will both restore the pollinators’ habitat, inspire kids to protect nature and inspire others to support this great cause with action to help them in the future. What steps will you take?
The Lighthouse 