After leaving Ushuaia, our ship, we started seeing many different species of sea birds. In the Drake Passage, there are many species of birds. Every day during the crossing of the Drake Passage we conducted a bird survey. In the survey we counted not just what species of birds we had seen but also how many. Without seeing the Drake in my own eyes, I probably wouldn’t have believed we had seen dozens of Black Browed Albatross and Giant Petrels. The birds there were flying very close over our head.

The Wandering Albatross, which lives over the waters in the Drake Passage, is the largest bird in the world. Its wing span is 3.5 (11.5 feet) meters long. After a lecture from Santiago about the various species of birds that we were likely to encounter in Antarctica and in the Drake, we saw the Wandering Albatross. It was an impressive sight.

In Antarctica itself there aren’t many species of birds, but the birds that are there are quite unique. Other then penguins, the bird we probably saw the most is the Skua. The Skua was a medium brown bird that feeds on penguin chicks and eggs. It’s one of Antarctica’s most common birds. We saw Skuas in almost every place we went.

Another common bird is the Snowy Sheathbill. The Sheathbill is a small bird that looks really like a white pigeon. The Sheathbill mostly lives on the ground and it scavenges food, usually in penguin colonies. We had seen this bird almost in every colony we went to, and in several other places as well.

But the bird we saw the most, was definitely the Cape Petrel. The Cape Petrel is a fairly small type of Petrel. It’s black and white, and eats fish and krill. The Cape Petrel are so common that they are considered one of the most common seabirds in the southern oceans. Their population is estimated to be about two million birds. We saw them pretty much everywhere.

There were many species of birds we saw in Antarctica. The birds of Antarctica are unique, and it was fascinating to see and learn about them.

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Students on Ice (SOI), which has given Antarctica this title, is an organization that organizes educational expeditions for students each year to the Arctic and Antarctic.

“The expedition’s education program has three main goals. The first goal is to promote learning about polar fundamentals. The second goal is to engage people to consider environmental problems and solutions. The third goal is to encourage everyone to take responsibility, join generation G, and make change,” said Tim Straka, Education Director of SOI.

Our expedition to Antarctica included not only 65 students from around the world, but also a group of 25 SOI staff, veteran Antarctic researchers, journalists, and the ship crew. All of these people were happy to tell the students everything they knew and share their experiences, while the setting of their stories lay right outside the ship’s window.

The first days onboard weren’t too great. When the ship’s lounge was filled with people seasick, napping near trash-cans, moaning, and cursing the ocean, we knew we were crossing the Drake Passage to reach the Antarctic continent. Geologist Fred Roots attempted to distract us by telling us all about the land around us, and the sea that covered it up. He explained that the currents circled Antarctica clockwise and were then squeezed between South America and Antarctica, forming the infamous Drake Passage. Later, the students and staff walked the decks with barf bags in their hands all while pointing to a distant, exclaiming ‘breaching whale, over there!’

“I got the pictures of the humpback whales jumping out of the water all three times, this must be pretty rare. I am lucky I had my camera with me at the right moment,” said Chicago SOI participant Alex Brewer.

The Antarctic ornithologist Santiago Imberti pointed to penguins, discussing their mating habits, life spans, biology, and even the color of their poop. All the while, we were surrounded by thousands of the penguins on a tiny Antarctic Island. Completely unafraid of humans, they wobbled along in a straight line until they reached a cliff to the shore. They stood around for a long while until one impatient penguin shoved another into the dangerous waters. Then, the rest followed.

The polar expert Olle Carlsson explained why the penguins were so hesitant in their dives into the water, the leopard seal. The leopard seal would, if successful in its hunt, play a game of cat- and- mouse with the penguin. We crossed our fingers that no such seal would appear in the water, yet we oooh-ed and aaah-ed when we saw an adorable elephant seal sleeping on shore and scratching its belly and back. This scratching, Carlsson explained, was called molting, the shedding of skin, and we sympathized with the seal. At another island, we even saw seven of them piled between two rocks, portraying their liking for body contact. The cold ice beneath them did not seem to bother them, despite their lack of fur or feathers.

“Isn’t that amazing,” Carlsson always said in his Swedish accent after mentioning a strange fact about Antarctic wildlife.

Explorer David Fletcher planned a hike at 5:30 in the morning to the top of a steep glacier. We took two steps forward and one step back as our rain boots slid on the slippery slope or were stuck in the ice, but we made it to the top feeling a sense of victory and accomplishment. Later, after a good breakfast, we did it over again on another glacier and took ice core samples that have existed for as long as half a century. Fletcher explained just how valuable such research was and how these samples were artifacts of the past, air, weather, and even wildlife.

We took some deep breaths, and then we slid down the glacier. A half hour hike concluded with a 20 second slide. Students didn’t hesitate to climb back up only to slide down one more time. Everyone got to his or her feet slowly after the slides ended, checking for any holes in pants from the slide, and there were plenty to find. This activity was obviously fun, but by sliding down we gathered an understanding of ice texture, glacier steepness, and much more.

“My pant pocket came right off, but I didn’t care. The slide was worth it,” said Palestinian SOI participant Zayne Abudagga.

This type of constructive learning is perhaps one of the most effective ways to relish an education mainly because it involves all of the human senses. Students can truly experience and absorb their learning this way, even if it means sentencing themselves to a distinct penguin smell for weeks. And that is exactly what many of the 65 students admitted happened during the expedition.

We were chosen as ambassadors from Staten Island to experience Antarctica and share our experiences when we returned. We learned many things about penguins, seals, geography, history, and the Poles. We also learned that nothing is as educational as experience itself.

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Three restaurants that are sure to make all couples fall in love are Buddha Lounge, Angelina’s, and Bistro. All located here on Staten Island, these three locations were chosen because of their food, atmosphere and elegance.

Buddha Lounge is filled with romantic and exotic décor. The lighting is dim and the seating is comfortable, but to make it more romantic, there is a balcony for you and your lover to sit under the stars and eat your meals. This Japanese restaurant has a Manhattan feel and a fun atmosphere for everyone.

“The atmosphere was very nice. It was a nice change in pace from what’s normally on Staten Island,” said Mathematics teacher Ms. Lillliana Vendra.

Along with many delicious meals, fresh sushi is one of the top choices on the menu, but this Valentine’s Day there is a special four course meal you are sure to enjoy. Since most entrées start at around $25, if you are looking for a nice fancy, expensive experience this is definitely the restaurant for you. Located at 2945 Veterans Rd. in West Charleston Buddha Lounge has both the atmosphere and food to set the mood.

If you don’t want sushi, Bistro, an Italian style restaurant might be the place. The restaurant sets the mood for couples looking to take a load off their feet and relax. Soft coloring of the walls, a beautiful setting, and a candle light dinner makes this restaurant special and romantic.

“The way we cater is special and romantic. We have dancing, corner tables away from others, and entertainment. We also have a special band playing romantic music for Valentines Day and a special menu,” said owner Anthony Figuccio.

This restaurant is always a full house on Valentine’s Day, and a good reason may be the specialty dish, lobster. With their special A La Carte menu for Valentine’s Day entrée prices usually start at about $21. Located at 2561 Hylan Blvd. this restaurant will be sure to start some sparks.

The third restaurant, Angelina’s, has an extraordinary ambiance, wonderful atmosphere and live music. The most romantic part of this restaurant is that it’s right on the water and is a perfect spot to watch the sunset with your loved one. This vivacious restaurant has a special four course meal Valentine’s Day special which includes veal chop risotto with porcini mushrooms for $59. Angelina’s is located at 399 Ellis Street and is an outstanding spot for you and your date to enjoy some peaceful romance.

“Angelina’s is a fun place infused with exceptional food,” said owner Angelina.

We all want this Valentine’s Day to be special for the ones we love, so why not take them to one of these special places.

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Many debates have been made about this subject—about whether or not it is wise to enforce the use of school uniforms. Students and some schools believe that school uniforms are a way of limiting one’s creativity. Creativity in fashion can easily be expressed during the remaining 16 hours of the day. What many students don’t see are the benefits of having uniforms in school. Having uniforms is time-efficient and money-efficient.

Many students struggle to get up in the morning as it is. And when they get up they spend their time worrying about what they are going to wear. This process is a very time consuming and tedious task. Uniforms are a simple solution to get ready in the morning. Plus, students look much more neat and professional.

Students will focus more on their studies than their clothes. No boys will be distracted from their test when a girl with an ultra short skirt sways into the room. No graffiti-ed T-shirt will ever cause a commotion.

Uniforms are also much more affordable to get than buying a new wardrobe of clothes every year or, for some people, every semester. This is a good way for families on a budget to save money on their children’s clothes.

Fellow uniform advocates also argue that uniforms will decrease the violence in schools due to gangs.

School has now become a popularity contest than about education. Students worry more about having the latest fashion trend or the most modern name brand rather than actually paying attention in the classroom. In this kind of rude awakening, we are forced to raise the question of whether or not the school is doing its part in fixing the situation. Uniforms will water down the cast system the student body has created amongst themselves.

Although the great debate continues to rage on more and more schools are considering changing their schools dress code and enforce uniforms, one thing is for certain—uniforms also illustrate a sense of family and community of the school they represent. And isn’t that what CSI strives for so badly?

AGAINST:Katherine Foote ‘12

What happened to individuality? Why should it be taken away from us? As you can guess, I’m not pro uniform. Uniforms take away our individuality and freedom to express ourselves without the use of words.

The clothing we put on for the day normally reflects our mood, personality, and attitude. They give us the chance to experiment with different styles to see what truly suites us. For some, clothes are just means to improve self-esteem, and develop an identity. I previously attended a Catholic school that required a uniform. At first, I didn’t mind it too much. However, as weeks turned into months, I soon became incredibly bored. There was nothing out of the ordinary; everyone wore the same thing every day! I soon became restless waiting for the next Dress Down Day, Sneaker Day, anything that would add some color and vibrancy to the dull blue uniform.

After high school, people aren’t going to stop judging you. The feeling of self-consciousness will forever be a part of everyday life, but how people handle it makes the difference. Someone who has decided what they were going to wear and is confident with the choice definitely going to have an advantage will have more self esteem and personality than someone with a uniform.

Having uniforms in a school does have its positives. It’s a lot easier in the morning to wake up and put on your uniform instead of searching for something. This saves time that you can use to make sure you’re organized and ready for school. A uniform takes the pressure off of some students that are very self-conscience and can’t stand the thought of being teased for what they decided to wear. If everyone is wearing the same thing, there is less competition and pressure to keep up with the ever changing trends.

Although uniforms have their positives, they have never been my thing. There is no variety and it’s very bland. Some people might say that clothing is too small to have such an effect; however, little things have a tendency to build up causing it to greatly impact life.

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It’s winter. It’s December. So who would jump into freezing cold water?

It was a Saturday morning, foggy and gray, but that didn’t stop some brave souls of Staten Island from plunging into the ice-cold water at Great Kills Beach.

The Polar Plunge is one of the largest fund-raisers for the Special Olympics.

There are many ways to become involved with the Polar Plunge, but the best way to become involved, is by plunging.

The Polar Plunge allows participants to fund raise for the Special Olympics. Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968, the Special Olympics is supported worldwide by high school and college students.

The Polar Plunge is an off-season fundraiser for Special Olympics run by the New York Law Enforcement Torch Run Officers.

Though law enforcement personnel coordinate and run the event, it is open to the public, and anyone willing to support a cause.

According to firstgiving.com, the Polar Plunge is part of the dedication to helping children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families.

“Attending the polar plunge was definitely worth it because it was for a good cause. I would definitely volunteer again, and hope to go to the plunge again next year,” said senior Angela Matrone

December 5th marked the date of this year’s plunge. Our schools team, the CSI Dragons, helped raise money for the plunge and with the minimum of $100, received an official plunge sweatshirt. Registration began at 9:00 AM, and the plunge started at noon.

The Barret and Miano Advisories teamed up to sell Polar Plunge wrist bands, and spread the word about the plunge. Both Barrett and Miano attended the plunge, and jumped into the chilling water.

“I was overwhelmed with joy and excitement when the plunge started. I kept telling myself jumping in the freezing cold water was for a good cause. Unfortunately, my toes were numb for about thirty minutes after,” said Mr. Barrett.

The Polar Bear Plunge is not just for the Special Olympics, but it also benefits participants who earn community service hours while swimming in the icy water.

“Last year’s plunge was so much colder, and I am really thankful it wasn’t as cold this year. Our school had a really great volunteer turnout, and I hope to continue volunteering with the Polar Plunge staff,” said senior Alexandra Crimmins, who first brought the idea of this fund raising event to our school last year.

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Did you know that one gallon of motor oil can contaminate one million gallons of water? How about the fact that each person in the United States uses 3.8 tons of coal each year? Everyday, without even realizing it, people do something that damages the environment, but more importantly, many don’t seem to care.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the burning of coal releases many pollutants into the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and mercury compounds.

The factories that burn coal are responsible for 59 percent of the sulfur dioxide in the air and 50 percent of the particle pollutants in the United States. So, what can you do to help?

Our own National Honor Society is conducting an environment saving project. Members of NHS are going to fundraise in order to buy acres of land that’s marked for deforestation. This act will reduce carbon emissions.

“Doing an environmentally friendly project is good because it not only helps the environment, but also keeps up with the schools mission statement as well as the mission statement of the National Honor Society,” said NHS member junior Paulina Plata.

It will cost them approximately $30 for every acre of land that NHS wants to save. In order to raise funds, the students will be selling wristbands that say “Tree 50” on them for $2 each, in reference to 350, the parts per million of carbon in the air that the United Nations would like to bring the carbon emissions down to because it is safer for the environment.

“We thought it would be a good idea to do something beneficial not just for our community, but for our world also,” said math teacher and NHS advisor Ms. Ho-Ling Lo.

Small, lightweight portable solar powered chargers are another great way to be more eco-friendly. Almost all portable chargers on the market can be used with cell phones, iPods, MP3 players, video game machines and digital cameras.

“While I don’t think something nominal like a cell phone charger is going to end global warming, it’s certainly a good start. I’d be happy to use a cellular charger that was solar powered. It’s a bonus that they can also help bring down the cost of electricity bills. I hope we soon see solar ‘universal chargers’ that can be power sources for several appliances at once, remotes, MP3 players, phones, etc.,” said history teacher Ms. Bridgette Francis.

Whether you’re harnessing the power of the sun to text and tweet your friends or buying an acre of land, there’s no doubt that saving our planet is extremely important, so we should act now if we want to make a difference later.

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The cafeteria smelled strongly of bleach and food, and colorful language came from every direction of the room. A girl in a green Egolism t-shirt and a gray Abercrombie sweater burst out in laughter, and continued for several minutes, until she realized she was being observed. “Oh, no she didn’t. Stop!” she yelled.

Across the room a boy sat quietly eating take-out Japanese food.

In the girls’ bathroom, toilet paper littered the floor, soap and water swam around the sink, and used napkins were spread across the counter. Two girls entered, fixed their make-up and argued with each other on their way out.

Back in the lunchroom a group of students competed with each other to be heard.

“This lunch period’s boring,” said the girl in the green Egolism shirt. “There’s a bunch of freshmen and sophomores who curse for no reason.”

Principal Ms. Aimee Horowitz scolded a boy in a white shirt and light jeans, asking him to pull his pants up and buckle his belt tighter to keep them from falling down. The boy pulled up his pants, but quickly lowered them when she headed back to the office.

Suddenly, a few feet away, a girl tripped and almost fell. She stood straight, looked around, and recomposed herself, hoping no one saw her. Outside, a group of boys played handball with a small blue ball.

By the basketball courts a girl and a boy held their arms around each other and cuddled. On her way out, Ms. Horowitz, noticing the two, shouted to them to keep the PDA (Public Display of Affection) off school grounds.

Lunch near over, Mr. Joseph Canale came outside and blew his whistle, the signal to head to classes.

All in all, our school cafeteria is a place where students eat and mingle comfortably.

“On occasion, students walk across the tables instead of walking around them. Students throw somethings out, and others clap,” said Assistant Principal Joe Canale. “Still so far there’s been no major issues. Student’s are respectful and compliant. They show good citizenship.”

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Along with Japanese teacher Mrs. Natalia Higashide, seventy-seven Japanese students at our school enjoyed a fun-filled day at the Japan ese inspired Mitsuwa Marketplace located at 595 River Road in Edgewater, New Jersey.

The students were exposed to a whole different type of environment in which their skills in Japanese were tested. There Mrs. Higashide expected her Japanese students to learn about Japanese culture and relate it to American culture.

The purpose of the trip was for students to find some cultural features reflected in the market, such as decorations, the setup of the market, greetings, interactions, and how customers in the stores acted.

“Mitsuwa Marketplace is a recreation of what stores in Japan would look like, so it would be good for students to have a sense of what Japan would be like,” said Mrs. Higashide.

The Japanese students would improve their speech by using the Japanese dialect known as Nihongo to interact with the salesmen and women, which includes purchasing lunch at the cafeteria, buying books at the bookstore, and toys in the toy store.

“Also being an international school, students should have this type of exposure to cultures in other countries,” said Mrs. Higashide.

When the students got to the lunch area some were staring in awe at the various menus littered with plastic recreations of rice, noodles, chicken and eggs, shrimp tempura, miso soup, amongst other things.

The food was not only delicious but inexpensive as well. A medium sized bowl of rice with shrimp tempura, a side of miso soup, and a salad goes for around $6.00.

“My friends and I spent like $20 on food, and my favorite place was the supermarket because that was the only place I bought stuff,” said sophomore Destiny Audinett.

“I liked the bookstore, and I think that my Katakana got better” said junior Glenn Kugleman.

The Marketplace has a total of twenty-five stores, a supermarket, a food court, and a specialty plaza.

Besides just the food court ,there is also a Japanese bookstore, Cosmetics store, video store, a table wear store, and a toy store. There is a lot to do when you go to the marketplace.

Some of the freshmen who have never been to Mitsuwa Marketplace were very excited to go for the first time and see what it is like.

“I’m excited to go and walk around,” said freshman Travis Dove.

Dove likes the Japanese culture so much, that he came to our school to take Japanese. He expected to learn about food they eat and the books that they read as well.

“It’s my favorite class,” said Dove.

Many of the Japanese students had fun on the trip and enjoyed walking around and buying things.

“On the Japanese trip I just bought a lot of food and a little stuffed elephant,” said sophomore Emely Funes.

The trip this year was very much enjoyed and students hope to return to Mitsuwa again next year.

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Regarding what may be the Watergate of our time – and how to scoop it – Stephanopoulos challenged student reporters to “Follow the money. Find out what happened to all the money that just evaporated in the financial system last year and why.”

Nicole: What is your perspective on the efficacy of today’s reporting?

Woodward- It will never stop. Have faith.

Will- His [reporting] is efficacious.

Woodward and Will, advising aspiring young journalists, offered “It’s fun!” and “Read”, respectively.

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Part of the United Nations, The International Labor Organization (ILO), deals with all labor conditions from unsafe working conditions, unfair work, child labor, slave labor and more.

Based out of Geneva, Switzerland, the ILO has 183 member countries.

As a member of the ILO, Kevin Cassidy spoke to our students about the work he did and how we, as students, can do something about the labor issues around the world.

The job of the ILO isn’t to cause the problems, but to solve them.

“We work with governments to identify problems and the propose solutions. You can’t just go into any country.  The United Nations isn’t about imposing a will on anyone,” said Mr. Kevin Cassidy.

Global warming is a factor that everyone around the world contributes to. Yet, there isn’t much the ILO or any single person can do to stop global warming.  Since it is a factor that everyone contributes too, it is impossible for anyone to stop it from happening.

Currently, the ILO is trying to help people if their farms are destroyed as a result of global warming.

“Global warming is an international crisis that has taken a drastic effect on polar animals and ice caps. Individuals such as myself can take action by informing political leaders about the current status of the globe and how the temperature of Earth is escalating to a major concern,” commented senior Racquel Wood.

Furthermore, the ILO helps to eliminate child labor in many countries around the world. When a child is working all the time that means they are not being educated, and without an education they will have difficulty finding work.

“Education is an opportunity beyond a family’s situation,” said Cassidy.

So how can you help?

Spread the word. Let friends, relatives, coworkers, and neighbors know what’s happening all over the world.   Also, as students we can become involved in volunteer work. There are many opportunities at our school that allow us to make a difference.

The environmental club is one way of getting involved. Furthermore, by joining  Model United Nations, you can debate topics from child labor to nuclear warfare with other students around the city or country. Moreover, a trick-or-treat for Unicef campaign was initiated in our school. The money donated for this campaign helps Unicef gather and give things such as food, water, education, and medicine to children around the world.

However the main thing that students can do to help with issues around the world is to spread the word. Students can tell people that they know about major issues, and the more people that know problems the more people there are to eliminate them.

“What I liked about Kevin Cassidy’s speech was that he conveyed his passion about what he does. I feel that because he’s passionate, he can inspire students to make a difference and can help students become aware of global issues they are passionate about,” said Principal Ms. Aimee Horowitz.

Whether it’s eliminating land mines or helping child laborers, The International Labor Association and you can make a difference.

“It’s [ILO] a world leader in setting standards.  However, its ability to actually enforce those standards are weak.  When we see institutions that are weak, it’s the member states’ fault, not the institutions,” said guest speaker Simon Tay, professor of International Law at The Singapore Institue of International Affairs.”

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