The Patriot News

What were you doing November 3rd at 7:30pm? If you were at John Jay Proscenium's production of Twelve Angry Jurors , then you certainly had a good time. Twelve Angry Jurors is a brilliant production about a teenage boy who is tried for murder. In court, the case has an obvious appearance that the boy is guilty, with many pieces of compelling evidence. In the beginning, the jurors vote to see where they stand, and all of the jurors believe the boy is guilty, except for one. That juror wants the boy to have a fair chance. That forces all the jurors to discuss the case, in which their true personalities are apparent. Each of the twelve jurors carry their own baggage, in which the audience gets to see how factors such as prejudice and personal experiences have drastic consequences in this situation. This production conveys many messages to the audience, but personally I think the idea of standing up for what you believe in is a very important theme. It is important to make your own d...

The John Jay Chapter of FBLA hosted the first of its two biannual blood drives for the 2017-2018 school year on October 19th, and it was very successful. FBLA members gave their free periods to the cause and made sure that the event ran smoothly by signing people in and providing general help to the professionals.The John Jay Community too did not disappoint. Teachers, students and even parents--who drove in just to donate blood--showed up in great numbers to give to those in need. Students are not often given the chance to contribute so directly in the saving of other lives as a blood drive does, but once given the chance, their enthusiasm is unstoppable.Some students hadn’t even signed up prior to the event, but once they saw the drive, they jumped at the chance to give back to their community without a second thought; while younger students had to be turned away if they did not have a registration form, they all excitedly promised to be back for the drive in the spring. The generous...

I recently rewatched the Emmy Award winning episode of the film series Black Mirror titled San Junipero . Set in the late 80’s, San Junipero follows an unlikely couple in a futuristic artificial world used by retirement home residents. Owen Harris’ vision is a beautiful masterpiece that will grab the attention of anybody and everybody watching. No matter what your preference in genres or stories are, the film is so brilliant that you’ll appreciate it for it’s amazing cinematography, likeable characters, and “jamming” soundtrack. In a dystopian future where the elderly are able to plug into an artificial reality that brings them back their youth and back to the time of their youth, two women fall in love in the artificial reality known as San Junipero. Yorkie, whose last name wasn't mentioned, appears in San Junipero for the first time ever where she decides to spend the night at the local popular bar, Tucker’s. As soon as she sees Kelly Booth, she is immediately captivated by ...

Mustaches for Kids is a volunteer-run organization designed to assist cancer ridden children whose parents cannot afford medical care. Since its establishment in Los Angeles in 1999, Mustache for Kids has been a rousing success nationwide, especially here at Jay. The school has been a consistent benefactor to the Mustache for Kids campaign for the past four years. In the first year alone we raised over $800. This year we are expecting to surpass more than $12,000! The top five teachers who assemble the most votes and the top ten earners (students who raise the most money for the charity) visit the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Westchester, where they personally deliver the notoriously large charity check. Each year, all of the teachers who get their beards styled take before and after picks as well as a commemorating group photo. Next Monday, November 20th the participating teachers are shaving their beards having to rock their new half shaven facial hair until Thanksgiving brea...

In the United States, November is recognized as National Diabetes Month. The goal is to spread awareness on how diabetes impacts millions of Americans, with the hope of one day finding a cure. Diabetes occurs from having an imbalance of sugar in the blood. This sugar, known as glucose, comes from the food you eat. In order to be properly used by the body the hormone insulin, created by the pancreas, is used to extract the glucose from the food. Your cells can then use the glucose to carry out daily life functions. Those with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin or they do not properly use the insulin their body does make. Therefore, in order to survive, those impacted must consistently check their blood sugar and supply themselves with usable insulin. If they fail to do so, serious complications can ensue, including organ failure and death. One goal of National Diabetes Month is for the public to understand that there are multiple kinds of diabetes. Most people think only two...

Meh, perfectly describes the Emoji Movie , an uneventful movie with too many plot holes to count. When I watched this kids movie, I wasn’t expecting gold. Actually with all the negative hype, I was expecting it to be worse. So I was quite disappointed to see it was simply just a bad movie and not an atrocious one. Sony Pictures really should have kept a closer eye on this because, in concept, it seemed to have potential. The Emoji Movie is about a meh emoji that wasn’t acting like it should, and his adventure to get reprogrammed. The plot follows Gene, a meh emoji that feels totally out of place, Hi-5 his best friend and loyal companion, and Jailbrake a emo-hacker and tomboy who agrees to help meh out. When it comes to the voice acting, I have no complaints. T.J. Miller, James Corden, and Anna Faris read those horrible lines as well as they could; Only so much could be done with such bland characters. There is so much not to like about the Emoji Movie . First and foremost, ...

The environment is so important to us. We need to work hard to preserve such a peaceful place. If you want to be part of such an important movement, join John Jay’s environmental club. It meets after school every other Wednesday. Contact Ms. Heffler for more information or if you have any questions. Come join to help the bees and butterflies in our garden. Also, if you are an artist interested in participating in a school-wide billboard contest and receiving community service hours, contact Ms. Heffler. By Riva S.