Chinese New Year

By Kiersten

“Happy new year!’’ they say in America. But, did you know that they don’t say that in China? Chinese new year falls on February 8, 2016. It is also known as the spring festival. The Chinese new year is celebrated at the end of the Chinese calendar.

According to the Chinese zodiac, next year is the year of the monkey. They year of the monkey is characterized by being quick-witted, sharp, and optimistic. Chinese new year is a time to celebrate deities as well as ancestors. Occasionally, it is tradition for family to gather and have reunion dinner.

The Chinese family also cleans the house of ill-fortune, which makes incoming good luck come into the household. Windows and door are decorated in red colored paper. The meaning of red in Chinese is celebration. On the red paper they put “good fortune” or ‘’happiness’’. The families also pop fireworks and they give out money in red envelopes.

They also have a little parade. They have people dressing as dragons and sometimes lions. They have dragons and lions because it is said the colors of the dragon and lion are suppose to scare off the demons.

Happy Chinese New Year and good fortune to all.

 

Mr. Gaffney

By Alexis

Today I had the opportunity to interview one of my favorite teachers. He is my favorite teacher because he made history easy to learn. He is a great teacher that loves his students like they are his kids. Unfortunately, I don’t have him this year but I see him every morning and every day. Sometimes I go out of my way just to visit with him. He teaches Texas History for 7th grade. He also wants to run for president when he 1. Gets enough money to do it and 2. He has to wait till he’s like 35. His name is Mr. Gaffney, and he has been teaching for 5 years. He started teaching because one of his high school teachers was a positive influence on his life. He choose to teach history because he loves to talk about the past. He has an 18 month old daughter named Charlee. If there was one thing he could change about this school, it is to get into the new building faster. Mr. Gaffney would like others to know that he collects avid baseball cards. Mostly, he wants to share his love for Garner, and especially his love for working with his coworkers.

Alone Under the Mistletoe

Another year comes around

I still faithfully wait

He’s coming soon I tell myself

He won’t leave me here

Joy buzzes around me

Couples laugh and enjoy their night

But here I stand

Waiting and waiting

Knowing, hoping, praying he will come

He wouldn’t leave me again

Not another year

And yet here I stand

Under the mistletoe

All alone

By: Jessica H.

(Read backwards)