The Bulldog Chronicles

The Bulldog Chronicles

Third Edition Fall 2022 / Winter 2023

James H. Vernon School

The Oyster Fest is BACK!

By Emma Barbaruolo and Liv Schenker

Stella - The Extraordinary Therapy Dog

By Olivia Mantegari and Victoria Peltzer

The Oyster Fest is one of the most popular festivals on Long Island, and it is held right here on the waterfront in Oyster Bay. For two years, the Oyster Fest was canceled because of Covid, so there were more than 150,000 people this year. There were terrific foods, crafts, bands, vendors, and kid's activities. Everything was local and, for the most part, run by small businesses. If you didn't have a chance to check it out, let me tell you about what you missed, so next year, you make it a point to stop by beautiful Oyster Bay!

Oyster Festival

Stella is a therapy dog in the Oyster Bay James H. Vernon School. I am lucky enough that my teacher Ms. Rogus, a third-grade teacher, is the one who has worked to help Stella be the phenomenal therapy dog that she is. Stella is white as snow with very few black spots. Stella is a mixed breed, and she is always there to cheer up your day. Stella comes in once a month. She does not bite; she likes to walk around the classroom. If she comes near you and you are learning:
1. Do not pet her because you will want to keep petting her.
2. Give Stella a thumb wag. She won't mind!
3. To do a thumb wag, you close all your fingers but the thumb.
4. Pretend your thumb is a tail, and you're wagging your tail.

News & Current Events

Oyster Fest Continued

Food
One of the most popular foods at the Oyster Fest is none other than oysters. In fact, that is the reason why they even call it Oyster Fest. There is even an oyster-eating and shucking contest. The record is 22 oysters shucked in two minutes and 480 oysters eaten in two minutes and five seconds! There is also a lot of other great food like fried clams, soft shell crabs, roasted corn, buffalo chicken sliders, sausage and peppers, french fries, lobster, and clam chowder, just to name a few! Some of the best snack foods are arguably snow cones, funnel cake, fried Oreos, giant hot pretzels, popcorn, cookies, dipped fruit, and so much more. They even have the most fantastic drinks like lemonade with a gummy shark and nerds called the shark bite and a cool soda station.

Stella the Therapy Dog Con't

If you follow these steps, Stella will walk away, and you can stay on track. Stella is a very popular therapy dog. Remember, if there are any scraps or any item or food on the ground, pick it up. Stella will think it's a treat or some dog food. Also, please do not leave any wires or pencils on the floor because Stella can trip or try to eat them. Stella does not like crowds. Only three people can pet her at a time.

Check behind the chair you are sitting in. You want to avoid bonking Stella accidentally. If you want to know where Stella is, she is usually in her gray bed or walking around the classroom. Stella loves all the kids as much as she loves Ms. Rogus. Stop by!

Some fun facts about Stella:

- Stella was a rescue dog and Ms. Rogus adopted her when she was 6 months old.
- Stella is a mixed breed. She is a pointer/terrier mix.
- Stella started training when she was about 2.5 years old.
- Stella LOVES the beach, taking walks, and running in her backyard.
- Stella loves when kids read to her.
- Stella became a therapy dog at age 3, this August!
- Stella loves to give kisses and is a very loving and kind dog!

Behavior In the Classroom
-While we are learning DO NOT call Stella to come over. -Pay attention to the lesson.
-If Stella is walking by you while you are learning you can give her a quick pet hello or “thumb wag wave” and then put your focus back on the lesson.
-Remember not to crowd her- no more than 3 people at a time to pet her.
-NEVER run at or over to Stella.
-Let her rest when she is in her bed.
-Use a quiet indoor voice- Stella does not like yelling.
-Be very careful about any food or items on the floor.
-Never give Stella any food, as she is on a very strict diet!

News & Current Events

Oyster Fest Continued

Rides
The Oyster Fest has a lot of great rides for people of all ages. Some of the most popular rides are the rockstar, alien abduction, cliffhanger, and more. You better be there because the Oyster Fest only lasts two days. There are a lot of toddler rides like the bus, the train, and much more! If you have a young one, I suggest that you don't let them go to the fun house because there are a lot of challenging parts. On the other hand, there are so many rides for your older kids. Some are better than others, and some are more mature than others. My personal favorite older kid ride is the pirate! The pirate goes almost all the way over!! Then comes back down and goes the opposite way and does the same thing on the other side. Make sure to get there early enough so you can get in front of the line. If you want to avoid holding extra stuff, I suggest getting a bracelet over tickets.

Miscellaneous
Every year they have some added fun things to do and see. One year they had a giant rubber duck floating in the bay. This year as you will read later in this paper, the John J. Harvey came to Oyster Bay. There has also been a petting zoo where you can see farm and zoo animals. When I say there is something for everyone at the Oyster Fest, I mean it!

Shopping
Finally, there is a ton of shopping to be done at the Oyster Fest. Everything from crafts and local artisans to hot tubs can be purchased at the Oyster Fest. There are tents set up everywhere from shops all around the New York area. Then all the shops on Main Street in Oyster Bay also have little tents set up outside to showcase all the great local items you can purchase.

Games
The Oyster Fest does not just have rides; it has games too. My favorite games at the Oyster Fest are where people bring out spinning wheels, and wherever it lands, you get. For example, if it lands on a pen, you get a pen. If it lands on slime, you get slime. But there are more than just those types of games, and there are games where you can paint and throw things.

The Oyster Fest is a unique and great festival that our amazing town hosts yearly. If your parents lived in Oyster Bay for a long time, ask them all about it. Everyone that is from Oyster Bay has a memory or two from the Oyster Fest. Hopefully, this article has made you all want to get out and visit it next year! Look for us on the pirate ride!

News & Current Events

Hero Boat

By Lucille Kelly, Emma Jorgensen, Tommie Sedita and Liv Schenker

Why do we honor 9/11?

The John J. Harvey fireboat was first made in 1931. It shoots 18,000 gallons per minute of water for firefighting. As a result, the boat's engines simultaneously pump and propulsion, making her the fastest large fireboat while pumping. The flexibility of the engine room arrangement also makes her a remarkably redundant vessel. Some fires that she fought were the Cunard Pier 54 fire. The Harvey and other fireboats were there battling this fire on May 5, 1932. This was the Harvey's first major fire. Then another big one was in 1942. There was an ammunition boat meant to help during WW2 that caught fire that the Harvey helped put out. Finally, in 1994, the Harvey retired after decades of service and fighting fires. However, On September 11 2001, John J. Harvey was recalled to service by the FDNY to help put out the fires at the twin towers. She pumped water for 80 hours until water mains in lower Manhattan were restored to service. Harvey's action that week was the subject of countless print and video news articles as well as a 2002 Maira Kalman book Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey. The captain told us so much and even signed a paper that detailed the Harvey. If you ever get the chance you can check out where you can see the John J. Harvey, we are hoping that she will return to the Oyster Fest next year!

Olivia Mantegari, Nausheen Khan and Natali Del Valle

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We honor 9/11 because a horrific event happened on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. There were four planes American Airlines flight 11, American Airlines flight 175, American Airlines flight 77, and United Airlines flight 93. One of the planes hit the North Twin Tower at 8:46 A.M. At 9:03 A.M. crashed into the South Twin Tower. The towers were burning very severely. This was called a 10-60 for EMTs and Firefighters. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States military in Arlington County, Virginia. It was also a building that was hit by one of the planes. At 10:03 A.M., the final jet crashed into Shanksville, Pennsylvania. President George W. Bush was in Florida visiting a school when he was informed about what was happening in our country. The towers unfortunately collapsed. A lot of courageous people passed away on this day. A famous quote from former president George W. Bush about 9/11 was, "Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be NO forgetting September 11." It's true, especially in New York. We will never forget the brave men and women from 9/11.

Personal account: My dad (Olivia's) was a volunteer firefighter for Oyster Bay fire department back then and went to help after 9/11.

World News

By Alex Godoy, Joie Guercia and Mackenzie Studick

Remembering Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth sadly passed on September 8, 2022. She was 96, and she was the oldest monarch and longest reigning monarch. She had four children and countless animals. You may have seen Queen Elizabeth at many English events, and she has even been in movies like Paddington.
Queen Elizabeth had a husband named King Charles, who died a year before her. She had dozens of corgis to cuddle her over the many years, and you ask me, "Why do I know that she loves Corgis?" Well, I will tell you." Her father had a Corgi that she loved named Dookie. On her 18th birthday, she was gifted her very own Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy, which she named Susan. She loved Susan so much that she and her husband even took her with them on their honeymoon. Below is a comprehensive overview of who Queen Elizabeth was and the family she hails from.

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II made history by becoming the first British monarch to reign for 70 years. Though millions of words have been written about the world's longest-reigning living monarch, few people knew the woman behind the crown or even her daily duties. You might not know some things about this royal legend, who died on September 8, 2022, at 96 years old. For the first ten years of her life, Princess Elizabeth was a relatively minor royal—her status was akin to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York today—but that all changed with the death of her grandfather, King George V, in 1936.

The next in the line of royal succession was Elizabeth's uncle, Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne less than a year after taking it so that he could marry an American socialite named Wallis Simpson. Edward didn't have any children then, so his brother Albert (Elizabeth's father) ascended to the throne, taking the name George VI and making the then-10-year-old Elizabeth the first in line to become Queen. Just because she didn't attend school doesn't mean that Elizabeth didn't receive an education. She received the bulk of it through her nanny.

Fun facts:
The Queen's first horse was called Peggy.
The Queen has owned over 30 Corgis in total.
The Queen didn't need a license to drive.
The Queen studied constitutional history and law.
The Queen bought her wedding dress with WWII ration coupons.

Local Oyster Bay

For a more extensive list of all local shops in Oyster Bay check out the Main Street Association.

Shops in Oyster Bay

By Olivia Mantegari and Ioanna Kokotos

Oyster Bay Yoga
Classes are in Oyster Bay; instead of going far out to take one. Yoga is important because your body sometimes needs to relax and stretch.

Gone Dancing
Gone Dancing is a fabulous dance club because you can dance and play and learn simultaneously. Plus, it's a place that is for kids only.

Bakeries
These delicious places are fun to go to in Oyster Bay because there is a lot of scrumptious food, such as bread, cupcakes, cake, and more! There are multiple bakeries in Oyster Bay. To name a few, we have Cardinali Bakery & Market, IT BAGEL & PIZZA, Dortoni East Norwich, and Southdown Coffee.

Have you ever needed a last-minute gift? Have your parents talked about wanting to get you or a family member something special? Have you ever seen people always calling attention to shop small or locally? Well, you are in luck if you live near Oyster Bay. There are a plethora of shops in town that truly have something for everyone. Below is a list of just some of the shops that we have in beautiful Oyster Bay that you and your families should definitely check out! Although we didn't have room to share all the shops, please click the link at the top of the page to see what the Main Street Association has created as an online guide.

Here is the list we put together:

Theodores Books
Theodore's Book Store is a really cool store because instead of going to the library and borrowing a book, you can buy a book and keep it for as long as you want.

Jewelry Stores
A jewelry store is excellent for shopping for diamonds, proposal rings, necklaces, watches, gifts, and more. There are several stores like this in Oyster Bay. We have Smith Jewelers, The Jewelry Gallery of Oyster Bay, Dello Bros. Jewelers II, The Pagio Gallery, Chrison & Bellina.

T- Mobile
T- Mobile is a store where you can buy phones, smart watches, AirPods, and any electronics.

Lapash Lapash
This is a hair salon, one of many in Oyster Bay, that does professional hair washes, professional haircuts, and more. It also sells hair supplies.

Taby's Burger House
Tabys isn't a store, but Tabys is a fantastic restaurant. I highly recommend going there for breakfast, brunch, lunch, linner, and dinner. It is one of many restaurants in Oyster Bay. I will talk about some of the others below. But either way, I highly suggest you make sure to check out Tabys!

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Teddy's
This is a restaurant that sells delicious food and drinks for kids and adults. It's named after Theodore Roosevelt.

Authentico
This is a restaurant with a limited menu but good food.

Wild Honey
Wild Honey is also a restaurant but has good food and drinks for kids and adults.

I would go on and on about the countless restaurants in Oyster Bay, but this was just to name a few. Maybe the next time you and your family are discussing where to eat, you can share some of these as a suggestion. In case none of those interest you or your family here is a more extensive list of options you have in our little town, believe it or not.

Local Oyster Bay

For a more extensive list of all local shops in Oyster Bay check out the Main Street Association.

Shops in Oyster Bay Con't

Queen Ann Furniture
This is a fabulous store that is on two levels. It has paint, tools, supplies, and a lot more.

Post Office
The Post Office isn't really a store, but you can buy envelopes and stamps and pick up the packages you bought, and you can also buy gift cards there.

Fortune of War
Fortune of War is a tattoo place that is only for adults and does professional tattoos.

Sunday's Oyster Bay Market
Sunday's Oyster Bay Market is a group of businesses that set up tents, bring stuff from their store, and sell it.

Bonanzas
Bonanzas used to be Chinks, but then they decided to change the name, which is the same type of thing. It sells food and ice and has a back where you can sit and enjoy your food. It's also close to the beach so that you can grab some food and head to the beach or park. If it's a hot day, you MUST try their extraordinary lemon ice.

What's Cooking?
What's Cooking is a place where children can go to make food. But it is so much more than that as they not only learn how to make food, but you are able to have your child's birthday parties there.

Not Just Art
Not Just Art is across from the Oyster Bay firehouse. It is also a place where you can go in and buy stuff, have birthday parties, and during the summer, they have a camp for a whole week.

These are just SOME of the hundreds of businesses in Oyster Bay. There are so many different types of places that you can check out that offer various goods. Make sure to check out Oyster Bay, as they provide so many more things during festivals and holidays.

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Outside of School

USDAN

By George Giorgou

During the summer of 2022, I attended Usdan Summer Camp For the Arts’s beginning 4-week session. There I took Classical Guitar, Yoga, and Digital Photography. Usdan is a summer camp that focuses on the arts in connection with nature. In this summer camp, there are nine departments with different classes to choose from: Art, Chess, Creative Writing, Dance, Discovery (program for younger kids), Music, Nature, Theater, and Recreation.

It sits atop the ancestral home of the Massapequa. According to Usdan’s website, “ We offer this acknowledgment to take a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture. We can honor the living heritage of the Massapequa by aiming to live peacefully and harmoniously with the natural life of these woods. This is a living land acknowledgment, and we will continue to revise and strengthen it in collaboration with community members.”
It is a 140-acre campus and is home to 70 studios and theaters. The buildings in the inner area of the campus have some exciting architectural features. They are built to bring nature into those indoor spaces, such as in the music department, where small, geometric buildings are open to the outside with no doors, almost like treehouses on the ground.

Every day at Usdan, there is a “Festival Performance,” whether one of the music staff playing a song, the Usdan Troupe or even guest performers, right before lunch at the picnic area.

Last year, many Ukrainian refugees came to the camp. The camp even brought in some translators to help them, but some of them spoke a little bit of English. Here is the interview:
https://abc7ny.com/camp-usdan-whealey-heights-ukrainian-refugees-summer/12074831/

Currently, the “Artists in Residence” are the Knights, who play the harp, violin, and string bass. This means artists from outside of Usdan share their music with us. The harpist even came to one of my yoga classes to play for us. It was a very interesting camp, unlike any camp I’ve been to before. I interviewed other kids about their experiences:

T= Theodore Mitchell Z= Zoe Nobel

What was your experience like at USDAN?: T: It was delightful, though I would like shorter terms Z: It was fascinating

What classes did you take: T: musical theater skills, stage combat, yoga, and after care during 4B
Z: Classical Guitar, Yoga, Nature, Ecology, and Design during 4A

What was your opinion on the nature theme of Usdan: T: It was very relaxing, especially during yoga,
but the cicadas were annoying Z: It was a very sheltered feeling like you are in your own world, though at times it’s annoying

What was your favorite class in Usdan: T: Musical theater skills Z: Nature, Ecology, and Design

If you are interested in joining for 2023, click here: Usdan

Travel

Have you ever been to Martha's Vineyard? This fantastic vacation spot is guaranteed to give you an unforgettable vacation experience!

Where would you stay? I've got the answer. There are a different variety of hotels that you can stay at, whether you want to stay somewhere fancy or somewhere more down to earth. There is something for every type of vacationer! For example, the Winnetu, located on 31 Dunes Rd, Edgartown, is an excellent and luxurious oceanside resort. They offer old fashion fire truck rides with some lemonade and cookies for the kids. There are many more hotels to stay at too.

What makes it a fun vacation for everyone? Matha's Vineyard is filled with beautiful beaches. Suppose you're looking for some fun in the sun. Martha's vineyards got it. What you've got in this beautiful place is digging in the sand, swimming, and hearing the waves. We are lucky to live near some gorgeous beaches, but this getaway is different. Suppose you got your fill of enjoying the beach. In that case, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy, like water sports, local shopping, enjoying nature and wildlife preserves, and, coolest of all, you can go to Island Alpaca Company and walk an alpaca!

A Quick Getaway!

By:Kayley Grippo

A Quick Getaway Continued

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The temperatures can vary, much like our summers down here on Long Island. The summer this year saw highs around 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Where winter last year had an average highest of around 46 degrees Fahrenheit. It's the kind of place where you can enjoy a getaway at all times of the year!

How would you get there? You can get there by car, bus, boat, or even plane, depending on where you are coming from. For us here on Long Island, you could drive or take the ferry and then drive!

As you can see, Martha's Vineyard is a beautiful, fun, and fantastic vacation spot! It's not too far from us either! So if you and your family need a getaway, make sure to suggest Martha's Vineyard! Thanks for reading!

Career Spotlight

Some of our journalists interviewed friends and family to learn more about different careers they have

Good Life Divers

By: Zane Rivera

When was your business started?
Good Life Divers was started in 2011.

Were you the original owner of Good Life Divers?
Yes, but I am not the original owner of the building.

Do you have any other jobs?
Yes, paramedic, dive boat captain, and photographer.

What do you do when you dive?
Primarily, I teach others how to scuba dive. But I also go out searching for new shipwrecks. I also take underwater photos.

What do you do at Good Life Divers?
Sell scuba equipment, and teach scuba training.

What is the history of Good Life Divers?
Good Life Divers started in 2011 in the spare bedroom of my apartment. After buying a house, it moved to my garage. Then finally, in 2019, we moved the shop to its current location in Lindenhurst.

What is Good Life Divers?
Good Life Divers is a dive shop in Lindenhurst. The shop sells dive gear. There you can also learn how to scuba dive.

IT Bagel

By: Ioanna Kokotos and Olivia Montegari

GoodLifeDivers.com

It Bagel & Pizza strongly believes in traditional cooking methods, no matter how long they take. Whether that’s the making of their bagel and pizza dough, they always spend time making all the food clean and fresh! They believe that “the most complex flavors cannot be developed in a rush”. That doesn’t mean it takes them a long time to put food on your table. By the time you walk in, everyone greets you and is very friendly towards you. It Bagel & Pizza is an amazing place to hang out and eat food that is very good quality. Also, if your food is delayed that probably means they're making your order at that moment.

Ioanna’s picks: My experience with It Bagel & Pizza was amazing! When you walk in everyone greets you and shows you to your table. When you're ready to order you go to the counter and then they bring the food to you. Some of my favorite dishes from It Bagel & Pizza are “Hot bird” which is a sandwich and as salad “Guacamole Bowl” and as a bagel “Lox Bagel”. Their iced tea with no sweetener is very good, but if you do prefer sweeter drinks I would not recommend this to you. When you leave you bring your plate by the trash and leave it. Don’t forget to say “thank you” when you leave. Check out It Bagel in town!

We interviewed Bella Berrol. Her family and herself own It Bagel & Pizza. These are the questions we asked her.

How do you feel about your family owning It Bagel & Pizza?
In Bella’s own words she says “She loves how her family owns it and feels like It Bagel & Pizza is a part of her heart”!

If you had the choice to choose something to change about It Bagel & Pizza, what would it be?
Bella answered the question saying “I don’t like mushrooms, therefore there is a pizza on the menu from It Bagel & Pizza with mushrooms so I would get rid of the mushroom pizza”.