The Patriot News

Hot chocolate, pretzels, marshmallows, wrapping paper and boxes towered feet high; that’s what you would have seen in the cafeteria during the History Honors Society wrapping party. After school, the café was filled with teens getting their volunteering hours while having fun and helping the community. Hundreds of gifts were being wrapped for the children at the Astor Home. Many of the children residing there were not fortunate enough to get gifts from parents or family. The wrapping party exists as a fun activity that helps provide for those who do not have the same as others. If only you could see their faces when they opened the gifts donated by the John Jay Student Body and teachers. Gifts ranged from giant teddy bears to Pokémon cards and comfy clothes, each specially wrapped by students for a great cause. It was really amazing to see how the John Jay community came together to make this happen. I cannot wait until next year to do it again! By Chelsea Co.

Benzoic acid, nicotine, glycerol, propylene, plus added ‘flavors’ for effect. Sometimes extra ‘flavors’ are added, such as marijuana or just some more nicotine for an extra buzz. These are some of the ingredients that can be found in a Juul pod from JUUL Labs. There are many alternatives to smoking in the world. One of these alternatives being the Juul, which is distributed by JUUL Labs. According to JUUL Labs, “JUUL is for adult smokers seeking a satisfying alternative to cigarettes”. Juuls are temperature controlling e-cigs that the user “plugs in” a pod for use. These pods are simply called Juul pods and contain a long list of chemical ingredients some of which are previously stated. JUUL Labs and PAX Labs are two of the major manufacturing companies for this type of item. Both have similar types of items aimed for adult smokers, but their devices can easily fall into the hands of teens and even children. You must be eighteen to purchase tobacco products in the United States...

Security cameras lace malls, cops stalk airports with large loaded guns, and from convention centers to conference halls, security stands amongst the highest priorities. At the same time, society’s future leaders lay vulnerable to various dangers, from bombings to shootings. In the 21st century, metal detectors, screening systems, and a strong police presence arm most public facilities against potential threats while public schools--the “safe haven” of education and dreams for the future--horrifically fail in protecting the hundreds of faculty and students occupying them for over nine months each year. When used incorrectly, technology--especially weaponry--poses threats to people psychologically, emotionally, and physically; such wounds maim relationships and entire communities and may even prove fatal. The “National Center for Education Statistics” states in “Fast Facts” that in the school year of 2013 to 2014, 68 percent of America’s public schools required faculty and staff to...

Seniors. Are you anxious? Are you nervous? Are you excited?! I hope so because in just a few months you will be deciding where your new home is. You will be making pros and cons list, asking many questions, and hopefully finding out what you want to study, (but if not it's always okay to apply undecided). That’s right, it's time to decide where. Let’s talk about who you will meet and where you will live. Odds are you are going to end up in a box shaped room, two to three beds, with some strangers that you think you know because you followed them on Instagram or snapchat once and awhile. Yet, those are the people that you will latch to. It's kind of depressing but for those first few days you have no friends, you’re scared and don’t know what to do. I strongly urge you to keep your door open, say hi to those who walk by, and just be friendly. Explore the floors above or below you, those kids are in the same situation as you are. Make friends that first week and whatever h...

When I was asked to write an article for the John Jay newspaper, I was admittedly a bit hesitant. I didn’t think anyone would really want to hear from me. If I’m honest, despite having incredible friends all throughout high school, I couldn’t help but feel like an outcast. A lot of my time at John Jay was spent trying to avoid people. I always seemed to get stuck with all the people that didn’t like me in one class. I tried to be nice, but then I’d be made fun of. When I was mean and defensive, I was made fun of more. I felt like I couldn’t win. Needless to say, high school was rough for me. At the end of my freshman year, I stopped eating. In the beginning of my sophomore year, I weighed 76 pounds. It took me until the middle of my junior year to make it back up to 93 pounds, and I still struggled to keep the weight on for a long time. During most of my sophomore year, I had anxiety attacks three or four times a week. Sometimes they were so severe that I’d get sick. I hid my insec...

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...

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...

On April 28, the John Jay Chapter of the National Honor Society hosted the much awaited annual John Jay Man. The tickets sold out the day of the show, and previous John Jay Men from years before even came to watch and, in one case, perform. The show began with a hilarious introduction from the show’s hosts: Matt T. and Alex M. Then, it was the opening dance. Involving twerking, classic dance moves, and specific dances catered towards each John Jay man, the show was off to a great start. After that, it was time for each John Jay Man to show his personality and convince the judges that he should win. Each John Jay Man sauntered across the stage, first in his character wear, and then in formal wear, escorted by other members of NHS. This miniature fashion show was then followed by the sketches, which were designed to allow the John Jay Men to portray their personalities in more depth. Acts ranged from the education of the crowd on types of girls and their dateability to dancing and sing...

Students from the John Jay Big Band Perform at the Spaghetti Dinner At night, John Jay tends to be a quiet place, inhabited solely by janitors and the music they use to keep awake, echoing through the empty cinderblock halls. But if you were present on March 9th, a steady swing chart, orchestral ballad, or Broadway show tune may have led you to the cafeteria -- a vibrant atmosphere filled with twinkling Christmas lights, buzzing students preparing for their sets, and, most importantly, the omnipotent aroma of spaghetti sauce and meatballs. This is the Spaghetti Dinner, an annual event held by the John Jay Music Boosters (JJMB) to raise funds, bring the community together, and celebrate music. For a small ticket fee, people of all ages and backgrounds are invited to come to school, serve themselves at a donated all-you-can-eat buffet, and listen to music performed by our own students. Any John Jay student is allowed to put together an ensemble or perform a solo in front of ...

The Robotic Arm event at Science Olympiad. On the night of March 9th, a group of eighteen students and three teachers left John Jay earlier than planned for Syracuse in a successful maneuver to escape the onslaught of snow. They were headed for the New York State competition of Science Olympiad for which they had previously qualified by placing in the top four teams at the Regionals competition. At the competition, they battled other teams from all around New York in their knowledge in scientific topics ranging from biology to physics. Beyond the knowledge events, the team also competed in engineering events with builds that they had painstakingly designed and built in the previous weeks and months. These included events such as Robot Arm, Electric Vehicle, Hovercraft, and Towers. A final adversary would prove to be the weather as the students often had to sacrifice the comfort of their limbs to the freezing cold and snow as they traveled back and forth from building to buildi...

Homecoming is a traditional event that students, families, and administrators look forward to year-round. Our celebration this year included a much-anticipated football game against Fox Lane High School and a lively dance; it was a celebration that certainly did not disappoint. For members of the Freshman Class, these events helped to make John Jay home too.   On Friday, September 30th, our varsity football team played a great game against Fox Lane High School, winning 41-14. It started by honoring the team’s senior players—who will graduate this June—with their families coming out onto the field to congratulate them on their high-school achievements. After this brief ceremony, all of our players swarmed onto the field, but not before bursting through a John Jay poster held by the cheerleaders. The energy never dwindled throughout the game: the countless fans in the stands were loud and energetic, and even the rain could not dampen their spirits. The stands were filled with pe...

Environmental Club has started cleaning up the Butterfly Garden! On October 12th, we began to clean our garden, uprooting weeds and beautifying it in general.  Unfortunately, the ground was very hard, so we will need to continue the cleanup on October 19th before we can plant new flowers. We appreciate all the help we can get. The more people present, the faster and easier it will be to finish the job, and then we can get to the fun part… planting! So, if you are free, please come on out!  And don’t forget to bring a pitch fork and/or hoes! Hope to see you then!

John Jay High School has finally formed an Environmental Club! We are looking for members who are interested in cleaning up our environment and for people who are full of innovative ideas that will help our environment. The club officers are as follows: President- Andrea A. Vice President- Julia S. Treasurer- Tara L. Secretary- Jamie A. District Coordinator- Justin D. Historian- Taylor H. So far this year, we have created our logo (shown above) thanks to Senior Maddie C., and we have started to clean up the Butterfly Garden outside our school. Join us on October 19th for a fun, productive afternoon of planting in the garden! Celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd at the environmental fair! Club meetings are held every other Wednesday in room 253 (Ms. Heffler) after school. We look forward to meeting new members! Next meeting : October 19th

First off, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you on behalf of John Jay High School. It may seem a little intimidating at first, and you have to be careful on Freshman Friday (just kidding, freshman Friday doesn’t exist). However, after you learn to navigate the world of high school, I’m sure you will excel in the next four years of your education. An excellent  way to ease yourself into the school atmosphere is to join clubs, as it is in these that you can make friends with those who have similar interests with you and learn from those who have more experience in the high school realm. Plus, they look good on your resume, which can’t hurt. To start you off in your search for clubs, I would highly recommend Newspaper Club, a club made up of those who share a passion for words and for informing others about the going-ons at John Jay and in the world. With four categories, opinion, life, sport, and Jay news, there’s something there for everyone, whether you want to ...

After competing in the Spring District Meeting of District 3N, the students of the John Jay High School chapter of FBLA began to prepare for the next big competition ahead of them: the State Leadership Conference, which took place April 13th through 15th. This competition included schools from all over New York state, and contained almost a thousand competitors. Presentations were constructed, tests were labored over, and individual performance events were practiced until they could be recited in sleep. Then, on Tuesday, April 12th, it was time. The students brought their luggage in the morning and spent the rest of the school day in a nervous jitter, unable to concentrate on anything except the fact that they would be leaving for Rochester in a mere few hours. Eventually, that time came and, with only a minor fiasco involving the Ketcham competitors, they were off. Five hours later, after a long train ride, they arrived at the Radisson Hotel in Rochester, and had a very late dinner ...

John Jay Man 2016 The crowded auditorium buzzed with excitement as the students and parents waited patiently for the eleventh annual John Jay Man to begin. The show was set up by National Honor Society, and all the money made that night went towards the Grace Smith House. The show opened with the hosts, Jake Karst and Vishnu Adapa. Then, the much anticipated John Jay Men were introduced, first with a “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift parody video, which briefly introduced all 10 of the men. The curtain raised and revealed Michael Flanagan, Joey Smith, Josh Martel, Ryan Schumacher, Eric Wakefield, Matt Benedict, Lorenzo Aviles, Vinny Farina, Kevin Turi, and Dan Fay standing in a line wearing neon colored shirts with corresponding bandanas. They performed a hilarious dance which was choreographed by NHS president Grace Gionta and Anna Difede. Next, each John Jay Man was introduced individually wearing their character wear, which was their outfit of choice that mirrored their personality...

On February 4th, twenty members of the John Jay High School Chapter of FBLA traveled to Carmel High School to compete alongside seven other schools, and over a hundred other students in the 2016 District 3N Spring District Meeting. Here, they would be able to participate in an assortment of competition events, the diversity of which would cater towards a variety of interests, allowing everyone to find something that they enjoy while each event still related back to skills required in business. Examples are Business Calculations for those who enjoy math, and speaking events for people who enjoy performing. Additionally, the competition provided a great opportunity for all of the participants as they would be able to practice skills that they would need later on in life but in a lower risk environment, allowing them to go more freely outside their comfort zones. The morning of the event, the students of our chapter arrived to school already in full business attire, ready, excited, a...

On Saturday, March 12th the John Jay Debate Club hosted their 7th annual Model Congress and it was a great success. A model congress may not seem like the most thrilling thing in the world at first, after all, the actual one appears to move at the pace of a snail, if not slower. However, as a member of the debate club I knew that debates could be extremely fun, and that, added with the promise of extra credit made me decide along with several of my friends that going would be in our best interest. At the event, participants were separated into four committees based on interest: Judiciary which dealt with civil rights issues, Energy and Commerce which was eventually merged with Judiciary, Foreign Relations, and Education and Health. It would be within these committees that people would be debating over bills concerning current political issues such as gun control, health care, the war on terror, and more. At first most people in my committee were quiet as they were still getting...

On March 8th, after school, in honor of Youth Art Month, the art program held “Upstyle Your T” in the library. Designs varied from a skull crop top to a angel with wings. One that stood out was a stormtrooper cut out in the back with the arms and neck cut off of the tee. Ms. Lancer and Mrs. Hooper came up with the idea from Generation T:108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt by Megan Nicolay and Pinterest. Lancer created her own examples and ideas students could get ideas from. Students were given a shirt of their choice, scissors, templates and directions. They were then off in their own world to design whatever and however they wanted while showing off their John Jay Pride. Youth Art Month is to continue all throughout March. Recently the art department carved into yams, making faces, a starry night, and many other designs. This month gave the students a chance to express themselves in work they can call theirs. The “YAM” show is on March 31st at 2pm in the library, showing John Jay’s love...