The journey had its positives and negatives with several misses on some international opportunities which might have led to Obama’s impact being weaker than he expected. The ten day tour has been the longest foreign trip Obama has had as President.

Obama’s first few stops had potential for success.. Strategically,the stops played a major role in forming friendships will local Asian democrats. The victory Diplomats received encouraged Obama, and pursued his ambitions to continue his work.

Obama accomplished making a good deal during his time in India. Obama secured 10 billion dollars in commercial deals by offering to secure a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. With a little help from the first lady Michelle Obama, she educated the Indian people by conducting a dance routine.

“I think it’s a great move for our president to secure deals with other nations. If Obama continues his work and eventually finds ways to heal the economic situation, people might think twice about bad mouthing him,” said junior Dominick Uraga.

This trip produced positive outcomes; although there were negative outcomes as well.When visiting Seoul, South Korea, Obama missed his chance on securing a free trade deal with Korea. Instead of gaining Korea’s support against China’s currency mishaps, several countries went against The U.S. and its beliefs.

Obama went into this trip with several goals. He wanted unity between several countries, and his view on the future isn’t cutting it many believe. Jobs, money, homes, and the people demand for it as soon as possible.

Obama conducted a press conference on the topic of Treasury bonds. President Obama wanted to secure help in terms of unity, but instead went on to talk about the power and wisdom of Federal Reserve’s moments. This brought up the concept that the American dollar is losing its value.

Overall the trip had its memorable moments. Some can say it missed out on great opportunities, but others can note that it did bring about new hope.

“I think it’s a great move for our president to secure deals with other nations. If Obama continues his work and eventually finds ways to heal the economic situation, people might think twice about bad mouthing him,” said junior Dominick Uraga.

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“The disaster affected 16 settlements over an area 14 kilometers long and 50 to1200 meters wide. This area stretches from the northeast corner of the broken dyke to the settlement of Apácatorna, followed by the Torna creek. The total affected area is more than 1000 hectares, which is divided up as follows: 50 hectares of forest, 600 hectares of crop land and 400 hectares of meadows. As a consequence of the disaster, nine persons died and 225 individuals (some in a critical condition) are still being treated with burn injuries in various hospitals,” said Mr. Attila TÓTH Attaché for Agriculture and Environment for the Hungarian Embassy.

The sludge is waste from an aluminum plant, and is highly toxic. If it makes contact with skin, it burns, and if the sludge is swallowed, can result in death.

Immediately after the spill, the Hungarian Government started cleaning up the sludge to prevent it from causing further damage by spilling into the Danube River. The government is working on building stronger dykes to prevent a similar disaster in the future and removing the sludge without further damaging the environment.

The Danube is Europe’s second largest river and it flows through several countries including Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine and Romania. Many people living near the Danube depend on it for drinking water, irrigation, and fish. If the sludge was to spill into the river, it would devastate both the population and environment around it, and would be the second time that the Danube would run red.

“The Hungarian Government immediately declared a state of emergency in the three affected counties (Győr-Moson-Sopron, Veszprém and Vas). The protective measures were aimed at stopping the flow of the red sludge, reinforcing the dyke, and gathering the red sludge and the polluted materials. As regards the protection of the environment, the main objectives were to keep the highly alkaline pollution within the territory of Hungary, to localize it in the Marcal River and to prevent the pollution from reaching the Danube. To that end, specific emergency water-quality monitoring was immediately launched, and the construction of 7 shallow dams (underwater dykes) was started in different sections of the river in order to slow down the current under the instruction of the water management authorities,” said Mr. TÓTH.

Authorities in Croatia, Serbia and Romania have been monitoring the pH levels of the Danube. So far it seems as if the sludge will not be reaching the countries in amounts that would be toxic if accidentally ingested.

While authorities and environmental protection agencies are focusing on making sure that the Danube stays pollution-free, another threat is on the horizon. According to Vladimir Sakharov, Chief of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), on Oct. 9, 2010 the northern wall of the reservoir had further deteriorated, threatening a second spill. A 3-echelon dyke has been constructer to arrest the potential second spill.

Many people argue that the aluminum plant did not secure the sludge as well as they should have. If it was built stronger, this whole disaster would have been avoided. According the thenewyorktimes.com, the managing director of the aluminum plant Zoltan Bakonyi has been arrested and is being charged with criminal negligence leading to a public disaster.

We are given this one planet that we have to live on. We have to protect it, because once it is destroyed, what do we have then?

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Whether it’s shortening our showers or using energy efficient light bulbs (CFLs), we can always make a change. But what if a product being promoted to help us help the Earth is really helping us hurt it?

According to a recent study released by TEI Analytical on November 25, 2010, bags out on the Market made with Non-Woven Poly Propylene (NWPP) contain an unhealthy amount of lead.

Many of these bags claiming to “save the earth” contains more that 100 parts per million (PPM) of toxic heavy metals – violating state laws.

National chains such as Walgreens, Rite-Aid, and Harris Teeter had their bags tested for dangerous content and it was found that all contained some level of toxicity. The worst amongst these companies, however, is the reusable bag produced by CVS Pharmacy. Their line was found to have 500 PPM’s, which is five times the allowed limit.

As the issue is being looked into more thoroughly, others are finding out for themselves why these bags are too toxic to be sold. The Tampa Tribune did an independent study of reusable bags in their community. Their results? The same as TEI’s – unhealthy levels of toxicity.

Upon entering garbage dumps, reusable bags become toxic waste. The Tribune’s results have caused the grocery chain, Publix, to revamp their entire chain of reusable bags.

All of the reusable bags are being made and shipped straight from China. Within the last decade, three billion have been imported and have made their way into the United States. Carelessness and the large demand for reusable bags have allowed toxicity to make its way here.

“I’m surprised and disappointed at this, you think you’re doing something good, and really you turn out not to be. People should be better educated about this,” said wrestling coach and english, technology teacher Mr. Rosario Miano

Regular users of reusable bags should research to find the safest ways to dispose of their bags, and should stop using and purchasing them immediately. People need to begin protesting the production of reusable bags in anyway they can, even if its as simple as refusing to purchase them.

As a planet people must realize the importance of issues such as global warming. Global warming threatens everyone. The existence of iron in reusable bags acts to further threaten our planet.

People must stand united to combat such problems, and protest the production of toxic materials. We need to rally together to come up with more helpful ideas to stay green, not to further pollute our environment.

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The miners were trapped in the San José mine near Copiapó, Chile. It took approximately ten weeks to get the miners.

Before they were rescued, nobody knew that the miners were even alive. After the mine collapsed on Aug. 5, leaving the miners trapped 2,300 feet below the surface.

Rescuers began to search for a sign of life underground by drilling holes in the ground and sending down listening devices. After a week of searching, they spotted a note on one of the probes. On the paper was written, “Estamos bien en el refugio los 33” (We are alright in the shelter, the thirty-three [of us]).

The rescuers drilled a small hole that reached the miners. They made a chute so that the thirty-three miners could receive the necessities that would help them survive in the mine. The men survived on this for the time being until they were rescued.

The San José mine had a history of being unstable. During the final days the miners were in the mine, they heard noise of shifting rocks. Some miners below thought that the mine was going to collapse a second time. Rescuers hurried to retrieve the miners. It wasn’t until Oct. 11, 2010 the capsule that would save the miners would be ready.

Rescuers finally initiated the launch of the capsule Fenix 2. The capsule would go down into the mine and retrieve one man at a time. Oxygen masks, heart monitors, and video cameras were included inside the capsule.

The rescue was streamed live all around the world. Many people sat in front of a television to witness the rescue mission with their own eyes. Friends and families of the miners waited anxiously for them to arrive. In almost a whole day, all of the thirty-three miners were rescued.

“It was so sweet watching the families reunite,” said sophomore Victoria Molinari. “It was like I was there with them rejoicing.”

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In an effort to support breast cancer awareness, the Staten Island chapter of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer held their annual walk on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at Clove Lakes Park. In the end, over $305,000 was raised for cancer research.

Breast cancer is a cancer that affects hundreds of thousands of women and men nationwide. Breast cancer survivors and patients from all over Staten Island attended the walk and contributed by volunteering, walking, and participating. It takes an enormous amount of strength to overcome any cancer, let alone breast cancer.

“I always feel like I did what I had to do to stop the breast cancer, and after the cancer is gone, you say to yourself, ‘How in the world did I do that’,” said eleven year breast cancer survivor, Rita Albergo.

She was one of the many breast cancer survivors that attended the walk to raise hope for the women struggling to overcome breast cancer. “Everyone should be aware that there is hope, no matter what,” said Albergo.

Although breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, there are approximately 2.5 million survivors of breast cancer in the United States living healthy lives. Efforts in states throughout the country have been made to get peoples’ attention about breast cancer.

In Orlando, Florida, radio station 106.7 declared October 15, 2010 “PinkTober Day” encouraging people to wear pink for breast cancer awareness. Another Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk was held on Sunday, October 10, 2010 in Orange County, California which raised over $140,000 for breast cancer research.

Even our school was involved in the fight against breast cancer. Students from the College of Staten Island High School attended the walk to show their support and roses were sold by the Pepe advisory with the proceeds going to breast cancer research.

All of the efforts being made to support breast cancer awareness are saving thousands of lives and bringing hope to all diagnosed breast cancer patients.

“People are joining together, not just watching from the sidelines,” said Lymphoma survivor, Patricia Rizek. “We’re all a family for one day.”

These events are bringing people together and creating a bond that gives patients the support they need to fight breast cancer.

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These past years have been a great experience for each and every senior. Make friends, join a club, play a sport, get into a relationship, and learn something new are just few of many events that have taken place along the road to becoming a senior.

This is Senior year, enjoy it! This is the year that is remembered most throughout life so make it an outstanding one. By this time next year senior will be going to college, working, or just taking a year off. Now is the time to have some fun.

In just one year college rolls around and things will change. Perhaps there won’t be teachers who offer one on one help to their students, students won’t be fooling around in class, and most importantly there won’t be any opportunity to be careless.

This is the year Seniors, so live it up, laugh out loud, smile more, open up to new people, make mistakes, go to parties, discover new things, befriend new people, and give a hand to those in need. Above all, have fun! Whatever happens move forward without regrets.

Most seniors are all looking forward to the senior trip. The buzz around school is that senior council is actually trying to push for a 3-day cruise that leaves from Florida.

A tip to the seniors is to be aware of the senior dues, and plan out how to come up with the money. The cost is $350 not including prom or senior trip.

“I’m looking forward to getting accepted by colleges, laughing over silly moments, capturing every precious senior event, and tearing up tears of happiness,” said senior Jessica Chan.

This year will be extremely fun as long as you save up money and participate in fundraisers, so get a head start. Bring up senior dues to parents and find out exactly how much money is already saved up.

Therefore, start to save up money and think of ways to fundraise money for the senior dues. These ideas should be brought to a member of the senior council’s or Mrs. Lenntini attention.

Also, this year some events seniors can expect are school spirit days, senior pictures, prom, and of course graduation. If any student has an idea for school spirit days bring it to the attention of the members in senior council and/or Mrs. Lenntinni.

This year there will be numerous events so sit back, relax, apply to colleges, think about the future, and have fun every step of the way.

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Now fast forward a year or two, you and your Advisory form a bond and become more than classmates, even more than friends, you become a family. Yes, a family. Just like any other family our advisory had fights, laughs, and experienced much more in the two years we were together.

Where did the time go? We’re now Juniors. Four Advisors later, but no advisory left. Yes, no advisory to our surprise our advisor quit, cause us to be split up. We stuck together through so much, welcomed each and every Advisor and now we are left to form a new bond with our new Advisories, separately.

To everyone else this may seem like nothing, but our Advisory was a place where we were comfortable. We were able to confide in each other and help each other out when it was needed. We no longer have that. Sure, our new Advisories have welcomed us, but we now have to adapt to the changes of our new family.

It was a big change for not only us, but the Advisors welcoming us into there class.

“I welcome all the new students into my Advisory, but it changes the dynamic of the Advisory. I feel as if I’m starting from scratch creating a positive, cohesive advisory culture,” said math teacher and junior Advisor Lilliana Vendra.

So the question remains, what could have been done for us? Something could have been done, after all we have thought up many different scenarios alternatives. Some being splitting up a freshman advisory before they met, finding us a new teacher, and so on, as long as we were together.

Many thoughts and questions run through our heads and we wonder how things could have worked out if we could have stayed together. We all feel things should have and possibly could have been different.

“I feel as if it wasn’t right to split up our advisory. I think they should’ve either hired a teacher that could have stayed with our class, or split up a freshman class and gave us one of there teachers, since they hadn’t even formed a bond yet,” said Junior Justina Konarzewska who was a part of my Advisory.

When we think back, as far as our first day in high school we wonder why we were told about the importance of advisory and how we would stay with each other for four years, if that was not the case with us. My Advisory had different plans, plans to stay a family until we all went our separate ways after graduation, but as of right now that’s not the situation.

Our Advisory was a place we all enjoyed and now we miss it.

“Advisory 007 was the best thing that happened in school. I loved it, the students in our class were amazing and funny. When I came to school to get my schedule and I found that we were broken up and switched I was devastated. Moving to a new advisory changed me, but we all need to learn to move on,” said junior Leorie Beriguete.

Moving on may be hard sometimes, but moving on is our strongest option and perhaps in the long run, our only option.

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This year, a great number of people attended Fashion’s Night Out. Stores all over New York City hosted models, designers, celebrities, shoppers and others from the fashion industry. From Bergdorf Goodman to American Apparel, over 1,000 stores participated in this fashion event. Most stores were open late, so shoppers had a “shop till you drop” sort of mindset. The atmosphere was upbeat and happy. Vogue Editor, Anna Wintour described it as a “huge block party.”

“Stores and designers were able to create opportunities to interact with fans and tempt new customers with unique experiences, celebrity appearances, fashion shows, limited-edition merchandise, artistic collaborations, musical performances and more,” said Christine Olsen from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

According to Olsen, department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel and Barneys New York were extremely popular because of the wealth of designers, celebrities and events that they hosted. Stores like Rag & Bone and 3.1 Phillip Lim had a block party on Mercer Street with an appearance by actress Halle Berry.

Fashion’s Night Out also attracted CSI High School students as well. Seniors Devan LaBarbera and Irmak Karakelle were amongst those who attended the event. The two went to cosmetic store, Sephora to meet celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D.

“Meeting Kat Von D was not only the best part of my night but probably my life. She’s my absolute idol and I never would have had the opportunity to meet her if it wasn’t for Fashion’s Night Out,” said Irmak Karakelle.

Other students looked to Fashion’s Night Out as a learning experience about the industry and fashion itself.

“I chose to attend Fashion’s Night Out to experience the excitement of New York City on one of its memorable nights. I wanted to take the opportunity to not only meet famous people but to enjoy the importance and eye openers of fashion,” said senior Devan LaBarbera.

However, Fashion’s Night Out was not only about fashion. It’s main purpose was also help the community and city that hosted the event.

“It is also important to give back and forty percent of the proceeds from the limited-edition Fashion’s Night Out clothing collection will be donated to New York City Aids Fund in the Community Trust,” said Christine Olsen.

As the biggest fashion party of the year, Fashion’s Night Out definitely conquered the city.

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Spooktacular occurs the weekend before Halloween, October 23 and 24 this year. Workers and volunteers at the zoo participate and help with Spooktacular. Their goal is to entertain people of all ages. The main goal of everybody working at Spooktacular is to make sure that they make at least one person happy.

At Spooktacular, there are many events that visitors can participate in. Each year, the specific events change, but the basic idea stays the same.

This year, there were several short plays, exhibits to look at and walkthrough, costume contests, games, crafts, and characters walking around the zoo. Two of the plays presented were Sweeney Todd and Alice in Wonderland. They are both adapted from their respective books, movies, and previous plays.

Sweeney Todd is about a barber, Sweeney Todd, out for revenge against a judge who wrongly imprisoned him to a life of hard labor. This short play is an excerpt from the play and movie and features one song and a short scene in the middle of the song. During the short scene, there is a bloody scene of a throat being slit and the victim sliding down a hole in the stage. This was very realistic and when it happened, the audience gasped in shock.

Alice in Wonderland was a production with a lot going on. This play follows a girl, Alice, who falls down a rabbit hole and meets an odd assortment of characters including the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Red Queen, and the Caterpillar. This adaptation involved the Red Queen being jealous of Alice because the characters are only celebrating Alice’s birthday, even though it is the Queen’s birthday as well. The whole audience seemed amazed by the setup of the stage with a lot of attention to detail.

“Both Sweeney Todd and Alice in Wonderland were so great! They were both amazing to look at with such attention to detail,” said sophomore Monique Cardenas.

The exhibits that people can walk through and look at are a very big part of the Spooktacular event. This year’s exhibits included an “alien zoo”, a “Harry Potter” section, and a hay maze.

The “alien zoo” included all sorts of “alien animals” that were meant to make people say “huh?” The “Harry Potter” section was mainly just the Tropical Rainforest wing of the zoo with little Harry Potter things added in. It featured different Harry Potter themed items and characters. The hay maze was a little maze made out of small hay bales. Parents can watch their kids find their way out of the maze.

“It’s like a family at the zoo… the people who do Spooktacular are very into it and so enthusiastic about it,” said employee at the zoo and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Alison Walminski.

Every person working at Spooktacular showed a lot of great enthusiasm. It was very obvious that everybody was completely absorbed in what they were doing at the moment. Not one performer showed anything less than their very best.

Based on the way most people were responding to the events, it seemed they were enjoying themselves. The sold out crowd of people in attendance was screaming and laughing all around. Whether the people were laughing hysterically or screaming in terror, one thing stayed the same, they were all having the time of their lives.

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CSIHSIS has taken part in many cultural exchanges with high schools from other countries. These countries include Switzerland, Germany, and France. Besides exchange trips, our school also travels to other countries to learn more about them.

“During my freshman and sophomore year I hosted a French exchange student and went to Japan. I ate new foods, learned different languages and hosted a Switzerland student at my house. I made new friends and I got the experience of a lifetime” said senior Glenn Kugelmen.

As part of an international school, it is important that all students are culturally aware and connected to the world. By traveling to Italy, CSIHSIS students will be able to collaborate with individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

Ms. Pastena, the trip coordinator, has organized trips to places such as Florence, Pompeii, Pisa, and Rome. While visiting these places students plan to expand their educational horizons abroad.“ Coming into this high school, I knew that I wanted to experience an international trip. Whether it be by the student exchange format or visiting another country with the school I was sure that CSIHSIS would allow me this opportunity because they are a school based on international studies” said junior Chris Smart.

The traveling group of students will be using CHA tour services, for touring Italy for most of the nine days. The group will also be arriving in Rome and leaving from Milan to view different cities in Italy.

One place they will be visiting is the partially buried ruins of the city of Pompeii. Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a catastrophic eruption of volcano, Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

As a international school, CSIHSIS has made a difference and impacted several countries by traveling and sharing their views about the world. Students from different countries and students from CSIHSIS have bonded with each other because of the international exchange. When traveling to Italy hopefully CSIHSIS staff and students will make many memories, and learn new things about the world and its diverse people.

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