Israel by Isabel F.

I’m still not quite over the jet lag, but right now I’m awake enough to say that I had an amazing time in Israel. My family and I went over February break to visit family and do all that tourist sightseeing that’s unavoidable but actually really essential when visiting a historically rich country such as Israel. We started off in the quirky town of Rehovot where I have a lot of family, getting acclimated to the Israeli time zone and culture and visiting local checkpoints such as the Weitzmann Institute (Chaim Weitzmann was Israel’s first president), a university a bit like our own MIT with a famously lush and beautiful campus. After spending some laid-back time in Rehovot, we took a day trip to Caesarea. Caesarea is a weathered, ancient city built by Herod thousands of years ago in the Roman style, with an amphitheater, a hippodrome and baths. It was very informative and I had a great experience there from the historic ruins to the relaxing beach where chunks of ancient marble, tiny beads and fragments of buildings mix with the shells!

The next day my family toured Old Jerusalem. We went to the Western Wall, the Armenian Quarter, and saw from close up the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount. It was interesting for the sights usually found on postcards or books to rise up in 3-D glory right in front of you. “Rise up” becomes literal when referencing Masada, an ancient settlement on top of a mountain in the desert, again built by Herod. The view was amazing- we took a cable car all the way to the flat top where we explored the craggy palace and authentic ancient rooms. After sizzling under the blazing sun, we planned to cool off in the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on earth. The water is so full of salt that nothing can sink or survive in it. It took a while to get used to sinking in 3 feet of mud wherever you stepped, but the sensation of floating without the slightest effort in the (fairly) clear water was completely worth it. And I got used to the squishiness in the end.

Over the next few days, we visited more modern sights in cities like Haifa, where we saw the amazingly ornate and gorgeous Baha’i Gardens and the ancient port of Jaffa. We visited an Arab village; a mall exactly like those in America except everything is in Hebrew; drove around the white city of Tel Aviv; realized there was just too much to see in ten days! During all this sightseeing, I also got to enjoy other sides of the rich culture of Israel. Personally, my favorite bit of culture was the delicious food, especially falafel (fried chickpeas in pita with toppings) and the wide ranges of scrumptious spices and sauces. I could go on, but let’s just say I can’t wait to go back!

Camp Happiness by Sam W., Hether S., and Jenna W.

Camp Happiness is a fun and exciting experience in which young adults will build good skills for middle school. Your children can make long time friends, learn teamwork and respect, and all the while have fun. The meals are delicious, nutritious and served with a smile. After dinner, your child will learn how to clean up ketchup and wash dirty dishes. We have nightly cheesy sing-a-longs. The highly trained counselors teach the youngsters valuable skills and tactics for middle school. Safety is a top priority; so it is a rule that you may not run, only walk so that you don’t trip. Our highly trained belayers at the rock wall receive around 5 minutes of intensive training about how to catch a student before falling to their doom and smashing their head open. There is a fun and educational hike in which they will learn about wildlife. On the ledge, where the camper can get a beautiful view of the bordering skyscrapers, they will receive a notification that Camp Happiness was built on top of a possibly active volcano (The counselors will yak on about completely nothing until your little ones fall asleep). This is good because your loved ones will never get any sleep, as annoying fellow campers will keep them wide awake with snoring and endless talk. We encourage them to do this because we want them to make friends in this experience. The bathrooms are custom-made, and your child will be able to experience mildew and millions of flies and spiders. The showers USUALLY work, but we don’t count on it because 9 out of 10 showers come out as cold slime, not the warmish fresh pond water. It builds a lot of character. We have an on duty nurse, which is good because 1 out of 2 children complain of a very painful stomach aches, but we can’t imagine why. The raft building activity will lighten anyone’s spirit. Your child will be steered across uneven terrain guided by an untrustworthy pal while blind folded to pick up heavy logs. Then you will go out on your very own semi-sturdy raft with several paddles that don’t work very well, to go over to a canoe to get some soggy graham crackers. There is no adult on the raft, but don’t worry, they will probably be skilled enough to swim over in time. Another activity of ours is the Whale Watch Balance where your child will be put carelessly onto an unsteady, hard, splintery board. Your Snoogie Poo will be forced to cooperate with the children that they hate to keep the board from toppling over and probably smushing 3 out of 4 other cuties. In conclusion, your child will absolutely LOVE it here at good old Camp Happiness.

Poem by Sophie J.

My family glows brilliantly.
Cheerful smiles radiate on
magnificent love.
Delicious care provides
stunning support.
Warm hugs and kisses enrich
my heart.
Like the sparkling starry sky,
my family shimmers,
with care.

Haiti Books

We all know so much about the devastation that has hit the small island nation, but do we know anything about Haiti itself? On author Mitali Perkins' blog, read this list of books for kids to learn more about this fascinating country.
http://www.mitaliblog.com/2010/01/childrens-and-ya-books-set-in-haiti.html

Public Service Announcements from iMovie Elective Course

Caroline's Public Service Announcement in the iMovie Elective course.