January 2021 Newsletter

 

(see solution to the puzzle below)

Solution to Nine Dots Puzzle on Teen Newsletter

 

Top Ten TV shows to Watch if You Like Magic and Fantasy

10) The Hunger Games - I liked this series a lot because of the suspense and different things that happen, however the message about killing other people to stay alive isn't a great idea for me.

9) Legend of Korra - This is a good spin off to Avatar and has a lot of ideas built up on it after Avatar ends, however it gets a little repetitive and boring near the end.

8) Flash - I really like this show because it is about many superhuman and family kind of mixed together but  by the fourth season, every episode starts to have the same summary.

7) Harry potter - This is an amazing show with a ton of fans and I am happy to be one of them. I dont have any complaints about these movies but there are shows that I tend to enjoy more.

6) TMNT - I love this show because it comes in so many varieties and so many different stories, but it is mainly about family sticking together through it all with a little ninja action as well.

5) Avatar - This is a really good show that is so interesting with a lot of twists and turns and a fun story line so I have no complaints.

4) Lord of the Rings - These 3 movies are a really nice plot packed into 3 separate movies. They have a lot of action and a lot of suspense.

3) Teen Wolf - A lot of people don't like this series but I think it is so cool and a really nice story that just keeps going and its not repetitive and is different from a lot of other shows

2) Merlin  - Merlin is an amazing spin off of the original Merlin movies and stories about how Merlin is young and learning to use his magic with the help of a mentor friend and its just a really good series with a bunch of different stories in it.

1) Supernatural! - I love this show because it is so long and with so many different episodes so you never get bored and it doesn't get that repetitive and it just has new storyline every season and it just gets better and it ended this year at 15 seasons!

Written by "Dragon," grade 11

Why One of the Best Pets are Leopard Geckos

If you are looking for a pet I recommended a Leopard Gecko. Mine is sitting with me right now and is really cute. They are calm and on the smaller side so you don't need a lot of space for them. They are also really cute and fun to play with. They come in different colors however you may have seen them in white, yellow, and black. Mine happens to be brown because he is a different kind but no matter what they are all amazing. They need a 10 gallon tank with a heat lamp that needs to be on during the day and off at night and a heating pad that needs to go under their tank on the bottom. Inside the tank they need sand and objects to hide in. They are nocturnal so they sleep during the day but its nice to play with them a little bit during the day. They need at least 6 crickets every day and you do not need to spray or mist them because they are desert animals. Now you know some information about Leopard Geckos as pets. However!! This is not the only information you need to have a pet, make sure to do your own research and ask questions from people at pet stores before you go and buy a pet.

- Submitted by "Dragon" in grade 11

Southwick Teen's Top Ten Book List

10) Percy Jackson - I didn't complete the whole series because I got a little bored but the first books were good.

9) The School for Good and Evil - Really good suspense and storyline and keeps continuing the story throughout 4 books without being a boring series but the books are really long.

8) A monster calls - Read this book for the library books club and it was actually pretty good but not something I would have picked up myself and it was also really sad

7) Through the Looking Glass - I really liked this book because it was like a spin off of Alice and Wonderland and it was very suspenseful and cool to read.

6) The Giver - I read this book in school and I was amazed by how the author made it a completely different world from ours and made it feel like I was there.

5) The Last Dragon Chronicles - I loved the first few books of the series and I really wanted to be in that world that the author made but after a little while the books got boring but still a really good series if you take the time to read it.

4) The Dreamwalkers Child - I live this books because its about a kid who in transported to another world and has to find his way home. Its really cute and suspenseful and has a good ending to it.

3) Wings of Fire - Love this series. It has so many books and just keeps on going and never get old or boring, every book has a completely different story line but always connects to the other books and is just a great series.

2) The Books of Elsewhere - I absolutely love this series because it just continues to have a better and better plot every book and there are ups and downs but its an amazing series and everything ends up good in the end.

1) Scythe - My absolute favorite series is Scythe, there are 3 books and they just get better and more suspenseful every book and there so many changes and things that go wrong but don't and it's a really amazing series highly recommend 1000 out of 10!

-Submitted by "Dragon" in grade 11

 

Teens Doin' Big Things! Running for State Representative!

 State representative candidate Ethan Flaherty

A 19 year- old ran to represent Westfield! Check out his story. 

Teen Book Review

Mosquitoland by David Arnold

            A memorable, passionate book that shows troubles in a sophisticated yet appropriate way. The main character is a 16 year old girl and faces so many struggles that teenagers  and adults can relate to which makes you want to continue to read.  Without relating to the characters you are still  so involved and intrigued. A truly incredible story from a teenage girls perspective. This book shows real troubles, real emotions that make you question and want to read more. Told in such a unfortunate and unforgettable way this is an amazing read. 

-"AP," Grade 11

"Bullying" -Teen Blog Article

       

          I wanted to write this article because at the Southwick High School we recently talked about bullying. They sent the guidance counselor in to talk about bullying and how to stop it or help. This happens every year, the guidance counselor talks about it and people listen but things don't get better. I wanted to write this so maybe people can understand what it feels like. It's not an article so you will feel bad for me or say oh she has had it rough. It's an article to help show what life is really like for someone who was bullied. When I was young like kindergarten age I wore clothes that didn't match, purple pants with an orange tee shirt… you get the picture. I was 5 I didn't know any better and it was more fun for me to choose my own taste. I remember being left out of groups or just being left out in general and at that point it didn't hurt. 

        Not until you're in 11th grade and finally thinking that purple pants with an orange shirt isn't a great combination. Yes I realize that now. I always thought that I could wear whatever and not care about what people thought because people are just mean. They judge without knowing you. Maybe the kid with the purple pants and orange shirt thought that her parents didn't have enough money to buy her clothes and never asked so she just wore hand me downs from friends. So yes when you wear purple pants and an orange shirt up until you're 16 people leave you out still. They don't give you any more chances. The popular kids or the athletic kids will never let you fit in. They will listen to the guidance counselor and say they will help and that they understand but at the end of the day they won't because it isn't their problem. I don't want to be mean or stereotypical. I do have friends that are nice to me that are also popular. It is just my personal experience. 

    Getting more to the point people these days will walk down the hall and make fun of the kid who gets free lunch because their parents don't have a ton of money to use on lunches. These people will think they don't hurt anyone but they do. Those kids whose parents work day and night just to feed their family get picked on. That kid who always is on their phone, they aren't addicted to it, they are waiting for that call to see if their parent is all right because they got into a car crash. That kid who has a black eye, they didn't get into a fight with a bigger kid and lose, their drunk parent beats them after-school everyday. So I guess the reason I'm writing this is to say that everyone is equal, everyone is human. I wrote this especially because no one should ever bully, because you do not know the backstory of someone else's life.

-"Dragon," Grade 11

Teen Pumpkin Carving Contest- click "Read More" to see all the photos!

 

Teens Doing Big Things!

14 Year Old May Have Discovered Molecule That Could Lead to COVID Cure

Pumpkin Carving Contest

 Click HERE to submit your pumpkin carving photo

Can you win the contest for the best carved pumpkin? Enter for your chance to win a $10 iTunes gift card!

SPL Book Box

Sign up HERE to get your book box, free!

 

Click "read more" below to watch the video.

Financial Literacy Workshop for Teens Coming Up!!

Financial Literacy is one of the most important life skills that is often missed in school curriculum. Get ahead of your financial health as a teen and learn why your youth can be a major advantage for building wealth-IF you know how to use it. Don't miss this important workshop- sign up using the Google Form link below or call 413-569-1221 ext. 3. For students in grades 7-12.

                                                                    Click HERE to sign up!

Spine- Tingling Reads. Beware of what lurks in these pages...

 👀👻💀😱

Choose to make a difference!

5 Teens who changed the world

    Do you have a cause you would like to fight for? A change you would like to see? Check out these resources to help you make them happen! 

  The Animal Lover's Guide to Changing the World

Green Careers: Make Money and Save the Planet

50 ways to save the Earth

Making it Right: Building Peace, Settling Conflict

Can Your Smartphone Change the World?

Not seeing your cause here? 

Search our collection

Author Spotlight: Neil Gaiman

 

Author of "The Graveyard Book"  and "Coraline"  among many others, Neil Gaiman was born in Hampshire, UK, and now lives in the United States near Minneapolis. As a child he discovered his love of books, reading, and stories, devouring the works of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, James Branch Cabell, Edgar Allan Poe, Michael Moorcock, Ursula K. LeGuin, Gene Wolfe, and G.K. Chesterton. 

A self-described "feral child who was raised in libraries," Gaiman credits librarians with fostering a life-long love of reading: "I wouldn't be who I am without libraries. I was the sort of kid who devoured books, and my happiest times as a boy were when I persuaded my parents to drop me off in the local library on their way to work, and I spent the day there. I discovered that librarians actually want to help you: they taught me about interlibrary loans." (an excerpt from his website-click here to read more)

 Quaran-TEEN

"Aiden Tyler, Quaran-teen is a new and original middle grade serial written and read in real time by author Rex Ogle (Free Lunch). Join us every Tuesday as Rex shares Aiden's story that's full of laughs, facts, hearts and farts as he adjusts to his life turned upside down by the Coronavirus." - Junior Library Guild

Click the link above the image to download and read!

 

Virtual Volunteering- Reviewer

 

    Become a Teen Virtual Volunteer- 

Enjoy books, movies, video games and music albums- stuff you like to do anyway!

Then, write an honest review and submit it for volunteer hours.  

You will receive 5 hours for a book, and one hour for all other types of items. 

You must review at least 5 items to receive a volunteer certificate in December. 

Your reviews will be posted on this Teen Blog- you may choose a pen name to write under.  To submit a review click on the Google Form below, and view a few more guidelines at the top of the form. 

                                Interested? Click HERE to submit a review!

 

 Financial literacy is one of the most important life skills that is often missed in school curriculum. Get ahead of your financial health as a teen and learn why your youth can be a major advantage for building wealth- IF you know how to use it. You'll also learn how to analyze a paystub to make sure you get paid properly on your first job, why and how you up a bank account and why your credit score can help or HAUNT you into adulthood. Don't miss this important workshop- sign up using the Google Form link below or call 413-569-1221 ext. 3. For students in grades 7-12.

SIGN UP HERE

 

Join us for an online workshop about getting your license and permit!

SIGN UP HERE

 

Sign up here for October Pickup

Teen Time Capsule Anthology Poem

The Coronavirus Pandemic

Once upon a time

The whole world changed,

With the dynamic of new cases every day.

I miss going to events,

Hugging,

Seeing people 

without having to social distance.

We stay home

To stay safe. 

Sometimes it’s been hard,

Bittersweet, 

But even when we can’t go to as many places, 

I still have fun

Watching movies,

Reading,

Playing games,

Baking,

Going outside

Bike riding,

And swimming,

Spending time together with my family.

These are the things that always make me happy,

Bringing me hope 

That the pandemic can’t change. 

-J.S.

Teen Music Reviews

Teen Music Reviews: 

Hamilton started streaming on Disney+ this month, creating a second surge of popularity and intrigue since the musical came out in 2016. Not only are the camerawork and acting phenomenal, but the soundtrack is great as well. From energetic tunes in the midst of battle such as Right Hand Man; to bittersweet songs such as Satisfied and Quiet Uptown; to a stunning finale with Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story; Hamilton delivers the tale of one of America's forgotten founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, in various styles of music that everyone can enjoy. On your second time listening to the soundtrack (and trust me, you will listen to it more than once) words and phrases such as "Helpless," "Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now," etc. will have a greater impact on you once the anticipation builds. It's parts like these that get twisted from their original meanings towards the end of the story and soundtrack that really toy with your emotions. On your third time listening to the soundtrack, if not sooner, you will have mastered the lyrics to Guns and Ships and The Story of Tonight and will sing along at the top of your lungs whenever they come on (probably to a few stares from the people around you). Maybe it's just the history and theater nerd inside of me talking, but the Hamilton soundtrack easily ranks 7/5 stars, and you should check it out on YouTube (or Disney+) at the first chance you get. -ScholarlyDonut

 

“Really enjoyed the song “Be Happy” by Dixy Demilio”

-       A. H.

Song: “Pretty Much Amazing” by Joanna. It’s an upbeat and catchy song. This beautiful song always makes me happy. The song really is “pretty much amazing!"

- J. S. 

Register for FREE at southwickma.beanstack.org for chances to win these prizes

Beanstack Tutorial

Click here for Beanstack Tutorial

SUMMER EVENTS

RSVP ONLINE BELOW TO THE EVENTS

Digital Haunted Theme Park Escape 

Virtual Southwick Scavenger Hunt

Rigmarole

Trivial Trivia

 

Nature Walk

 

Homebound Book Club

New Young Adult Titles

Photos from Pandemic Prom

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/860652262/feels-very-anticlimatic-seniors-reflect-on-ending-high-school-amid-the-pandemic

Time Capsule Anthology Project

History is rarely seen through the eyes of teens. Yet, everyone has a story to tell about what this unusual time in history means for his or her daily life. How have you been impacted by the recent pandemic? Southwick Public Library is creating an anthology of your experiences surrounding the health situation. Did it impact your friendships, relationships, events you were looking forward to, or maybe not looking forward to? Share your story, poem or even cartoon with us by sending us a letter directed to YA Specialist, or use the google form HERE. Below,  you can check out the YA Librarian’s own high school experience with a certain major event in history, and get prompt ideas to start writing your own story. Your story is a time capsule, be a voice in history.

Students in grades 7-12 may submit anonymously, and we may change names to protect those in your story.  Letters can be sent in the mail to:

Southwick Public Library

 95 Feeding Hills Rd.

Southwick MA 01077

C/O YA Specialist

Write anything you like, but if you would like inspiration, here are some prompt questions:

What do you remember about your last day before school closed?

What does distance learning look like for you? How do you feel about it?

How has this impacted you personally?

How has this impacted the US and the world?

How have relationships changed in your life?

How do you think this will impact the future?

Southwick Public Library is closed due to the current health situation, but we are still hosting some fun programs!



Teen Stay at Home Reading Challenge: Submit your reading hours HERE for the chance to win two Agawam Cinemas tickets and a popcorn popper.



Teen Poetry Competition: Submit your original poem HERE for your chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card.

Due to Coronavirus, we are CLOSED to the public until at least April 7.
You can still check out books if you call us and tell us what you would like, and we'll meet you at the door.
Until then, try our Social Distance Teen Challenge:
Poetry Contest Link

Art Contest: 

                  

Use this link to apply for a volunteer position:   https://forms.gle/1Byj1g5rX6gAjtSQA

Teen Trivia January 22.

Teen Star Billie Eilish Making History!

Read about it HERE!