The Wallkill Wire

Megan Javier, Staff Writer  Whether it be summer or winter, the Olympic games are known to catch the attention of people of all ages and interests. They were originally to take place from July 22, 2020, to August 9, 2020 but were cancelled due to the pandemic. The new and exciting Tokyo Olympic Games are now to be celebrated from July 23through August 8 of 2021. Tokyo is preparing for the 2021 Olympic Games in many ways, and it is quite impressive. In effect of the language barrier between Japan and the rest of the world, Japan has created an education program called "Education First (EF)" to "help the students and other locals learn the English language" and to "help them welcome visitors and talk about the rich cultures of Japan". We can predict that many tourists and people around the globe will be tuning in to their television or traveling as they do every year to watch the Olympic Games, which will allow Japan to take advantage of the attention they w...

Reilley Ciastko, Staff Writer 2020 has been a rough year, and even though it is ending soon, show lovers will never forget what 2020 has brought for many shows that a lot of people have watched since the very beginning. If you love Grey’s Anatomy, Supernatural, or Criminal Minds you know exactly what I am talking about. Grey’s Anatomy is streaming season 17 which is known to be their last, Supernatural ended the show November 19th, 2020, and Criminal Minds ended February 9th, 2020. I am an active lover of all these shows, so seeing them end was sad but also frustrating. I know that many people who have come up to me and said “Wow the ending of …. stunk” or said something like “They could have ended …. so much better”. This is a common thing to hear after a long show has ended. I mention Grey’s Anatomy, Supernatural, and Criminal Minds because they all have 15 or more seasons. While watching the ends of these shows it got me wondering, “It is so hard for writers to end something this lo...

Alanna Martinez, Staff Writer  There is a lot of free time during the holiday season with Christmas break and New Year's. If you are a music lover, but do not know what to watch, I've got the specials for you! Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special, The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday, and My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood are all great picks. If you love Mariah Carey, then the holiday special for you is clear. If you love country with a hint of pop music, then My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood is right for you. If you want a little bit of everything, The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday is the right mix you need to feel the holiday cheer. Every Christmas season, there are a few songs that everyone knows and has heard. By far, the most popular song is "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey. Just in time for the holiday season, she has amazed us again with Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Speci...

Reilley Ciastko, Staff Writer Just imagine the silence when LeBron went to shoot a free-throw or when Matthew Stafford went to throw a game winning touchdown, no fans. No one to keep the players motivated, cheer them on when they make an extraordinary play, and no one to boo them and get them back on their game. Unfortunately, the MLB post season did start out this way, and due to travel restrictions, they had to narrow down their list of 30 stadiums to only 4. No fans were allowed in the stadiums and the players weren’t even allowed to have a team celebration after someone hit a home run. Each player had to get a COVID test before each game, and coaches had to continue to take precautions such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing. It’s hard when you’re a coach to not walk up face-to-face with one of your players and give them the pep talk that they need, or to not run out to home plate after a homerun. These are the things that this global pandemic has taken away from pro...

 Alanna Martinez, Staff Writer Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” Although she recently passed, her legacy as the first Jewish woman to be in the Supreme Court will remain. People deserve to be taken seriously in various workplaces and jobs, regardless of who they are. They deserve to believe that they are capable of amazing things. Why are some people still deprived of opportunities because of their gender? For the longest time, women were meant to clean, cook, reproduce, and keep their husbands happy. In many countries, those things are still expected. According to an Oyez article, Ruth Bader Ginsburg still went to work when she was fighting cancer and went to work on the day of her husband's death. Though women like Ginsburg have made huge strides for women, a Pew Research Study showed 29% of women still stay home. That is 6% more women staying at home than in 1999.  For some time, women were not meant to work. When t...

 Mary Lane, Staff Writer     Finding ways to take care of yourself during a pandemic feels impossible sometimes; it's easy to feel like the world is falling apart in front of us. If you are reading this, though, that means you made it through the last 8 months, and that is so important. Some days it’s hard to realize what’s most important-your homework, chores, or job-but it’s you. How can you do anything you need to do if you haven’t taken care of yourself first? I’ve gathered some little things and some big things that are important for you to stay healthy and keep you in a good headspace during these hard times. They are not in any particular order and just doing one of these things a day can help keep you going. Stay healthy and most importantly stay safe! Drink water Spend some time processing your thoughts, don’t rush things that don’t need to be rushed Make a to-do list to stay focused and organized Create a routine (it doesn’t have to take up the entire day) take ...

 Megan Javier, Staff Writer Hearing of other countries can seem irrelevant to some, however, amid an arising global pandemic, it's important we learn from other nations as much as possible. Every country is handling the pandemic in its own fashion, but aren't you curious about what other countries are experiencing at the same time we are?  Japan's universal healthcare system and culture of considerately wearing masks when one is sick has helped the decline of COVID-19 cases throughout the nation. Scientists are also practicing a "retrospective tracing method" which helps determine how the person affected with the virus may have been infected. By doing so, people will not only be able to know what factors or places caused them to get the virus but how they can avoid them at all costs. A fair amount of people may have contracted the virus from the same place; therefore, retrospective tracing would determine that place as a hotspot to require more restrictions and c...

Reilley Ciastko, Staff Writer  During a normal day in New York City, before March of 2020, you would be surrounded by millions of smells and sights; on a normal day there would be 1,400 people per block in NYC. You’d be surrounded and confined as you walked through the busy streets, bumping into people and rushing to go where you needed to be. Now, in November of 2020, NYC is nothing like that because it has been one of the most populated cities for many years, and now it is one of the major cities that have been most affected by COVID-19. Before the global pandemic that has taken over the world, NYC would have 60 million tourists flooding the subways and crowding the streets (according to Wikipedia). Now, people are encouraged to stay indoors, subways are shut down, and there are over 2000 social distancing ambassadors who work in public areas such as parks and beaches; they are there to remind New Yorkers about the basic state-mandated health and safety requirements, such as wear...

Elisabeth Muller, Staff Writer In today’s world climate change is a huge problem. According to NASA , the planet's average surface temperature has risen about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 degrees Celsius) since the late 19th century. Glaciers have reduced all around the world since the beginning of the industrial in 1760. Global sea levels have risen about 8 inches in the last century. Activists like Greta Thunberg, Ridhima Pandey, and Nina Gualinga have been fighting for solutions and change. This is how our small town of Wallkill, New York is making a difference. I spoke with the chair of the Ulster county Environmental Management Council, Dave Haldeman, about this. He says that the county has officially declared a climate emergency. The Environmental Council's main goal right now is to protect and preserve any land that must be, such as wetlands, diverse forests, and wildlife habitats. The council also wants to enforce composting, rain gardens, LED street l...

Lance Booth, Staff Writer It’s that time of the year again; Battle of the Buildings is here! This is the second year of this event. Last years turnout was amazing, with both teachers playing and the students coming to watch. 2018 Graduate Mackenzie Bunt brought up the idea of staff playing in some sort of sporting event. When she approached administration about her idea, they said to turn it into a fundraiser. The event that came to be is the high school teachers versing the middle school teachers in a softball game. All the money raised goes to the Wallkill Reformed Church Snackin’ Kidz Klub. The Snackin’ Kidz Klub provides weekend meals of healthy breakfast and lunch items, plus snacks and drinks to local kids. When asked about her favorite part about the fundraiser Mrs. Murphy said, “My favorite part is seeing all the students and staff come together as one” Some teacher athletes participating in this year’s event are Mrs. “Banged up Berta from the Bronx” Roberta, Mr. Smith...

Sophia Soler, Editor-in-Chief Wallkill’s Music Department is filled with talented young individuals who have been working incredibly hard to expand their musical education. This March marked Music in Our Schools Month. MIOSM was created by the National Association for Music education ( NAfME ). March 2019 marks the 34 th  Music in Our Schools Month. It is a month dedicated to the celebration and expansion of music in schools around the nation. Music is an important tool in education and New York was the first state to recognize this, celebrating Music in Our Schools Day on March 14, 1973. Every year, Wallkill Senior High School holds concert in March to celebrate Music in Our School's Month where everyone who has received music honors receives awards. The following groups students were selected for music honors this year: All County:   Chorus-Piper B o , Ellie Shuart, Sophia Soler, Victoria Soler, Madison Temper, Hailey Woodruff, Jaden Rosario, Owen Scott, Chase...

Lance Booth, Staff Writer Former Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Machado has signed a 10- year deal worth $300 million with the San Diego Padres. This is the biggest free-agent contract in American sports history. The only other team that offered Machado a deal was the Chicago White Sox; the Sox offered $250 million over 8 years. People believed he would sign with the White Sox because his brother-in-law, Yonder Alonso, and Machado’s good friend, Jon Jay, play for the Sox. According to Ken Rosenthal, the total offer from the White Sox could have reached $350 million if all options were vested and every incentive was reached, but the $350 million wasn’t guaranteed from the Sox; that’s why Machado went with the $300 million guaranteed from San Diego. Other teams like the Yankees and the Phillies were in talks this off-season to make a deal for the gold-gloved third baseman (he also plays shortstop, but won his two Golden-Glove awards at third base...

Cass Sozio, Staff Writer The Wallkill Fire District has proposed a 17,500 square foot site across from John G. Borden Middle School to be used as a more efficient fire service. At the Shawangunk Town Board meeting on December 6, commissioners Michael Croce and Rich Freer explained the tentative plan of the fire house project that may only be implemented if the public vote is concordant with the arrangement. The projected two-story building will add character to the hamlet in accordance from the request of former property owners, the Donner family. It is expected to cost $5,582,469 in borrowed funds to construct. It will be a much needed five-bay firehouse and provide additional overflow parking for events at the middle school. The council voted to extend water and sewer service to the site if it’s eventually built in March. Croce continued to disclose information about the current outdated facility. He described the inadequate truck bays, tight spaces, wate...

Mikayla Bonner, Staff Writer Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...Yes it’s that time of the year again; time for the annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The lighting of the tree is an annual tradition that brings people from all around the world to see it, and even more travel to see it once it’s already lit. This year, the tree picked was close to home...right down the road on Route 32! While it may not have been right in our backyard, it is still cool that a tree we’ve all driven past is now on display for the whole world to see. The trees used are typically Norway spruces that are at least 75 feet tall and 45 feet wide. Norway spruces that naturally grow in the forest usually don’t grow this big, so most trees end up being from the yards of people who planted the tree ornamentally. No compensation is given to the family when their tree is chosen, except the pride in knowing their tree will be seen by millions. Once Rockefeller Center is done with the tree,...

Cass Sozio, Staff Writer We all know the facts; juuls are molesting insides of teens across the nation. There is no doubt that a significant  number of teenagers in the United States  is hooked on nicotine. Unfortunately, this epidemic  reaches every high school throughout the nation; everyone is at risk no matter what. Take a  minute and educate yourself. For the ones who are aware of the harm that juuls bring, but continue to take bathroom breaks for a sweet puff, here’s your wake up call. It’s understood why the juul has become a popular option. It was designed to target the youth , and many have walked straight into the trap. If you wouldn’t  smoke a cigarette, then you might want to take another look at the flavored glycerol in your pod. Making the effort to quit may not be what you want, but it surely doesn’t hurt to try. Even if  you couldn’t care less about the effects, know that others are concerned. Some students who aren...