A.J.F.L. players enjoy 'friday night lights'

By: Iliana Brouillette

On Friday, Oct. 10 many Andover Junior Football League (A.J.F.L.) players and eighth grade league cheerleaders and football players were invited to the Andover High School’s varsity football game for A.J.F.L Night. Once every A.J.F.L. season the high school showcases all the hard work the kids in the A.J.F.L. put in every week and invites them in for no charge.  

The game featured the Andover Warriors verses Billerica Warriors.

Members of the A.J.F.L. include students in the fourth through seventh grades. The 8th grade league is made up of all eighth grade students from all of the Andover middle schools. In the A.J.F.L. there are six teams: the Cowboys, Vikings, Chiefs, Ravens, Panthers, and the Stealers. All the teams were called one-by-one onto the field at half time. The teams were overjoyed when they were called out to the field. 

“A.J.F.L. Night was a blast.” said Katherine Barenboim, a former cheerleader. “The (football) team showed great effort,” added sixth grader Alana Miller. 

Some of the parents had different feelings about the long game. “I'm loving the game, but its very cold,” said Dylan Archambalt, the parent of an A.J.F.L. football player. 

In the end the Andover Warriors won the game 41-17. It was a great victory by Andover and fans are hoping for many more wins this season in all of the leagues.

Joke of the Week

By Vincent Candela

Q. What do Santa’s elves learn in school?
A. The Elfabet

Q: Who says sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me?
A: A guy who has never been hit by a dictionary.

Q: What do you get when you pamper your cow?
A: Spoiled milk!

Q:What type of ticks are on the moon?
A: Lunaticks!

Q: What did venus say when it rained acid all weekend?
A: I didn't plant-et that way

Q: What's the result of a butcher and cattle in space?
A: Cloudy with a chance of meatballs

Q: Teacher, "why are you so late?"
A: Kid, "There was a sign outside that said 'school children: slow.'"

Q: What do boxers eat for dessert?
A: Pound cake

Q: What did Venus say when it rained acid all weekend?
A: I didn't plant-et that way

Q: What are 2 things that you can never have for breakfast?
A: Lunch and dinner

Q: What type of ticks are on the moon?
A: Lunaticks

Are you up for the challenge?

By Abby Chou and Emme Pitts

Destination Imagination (DI) is back! DI is a chance to have some fun with your closest friends and will make you more open-minded while preparing for a variety of challenges and competition. There are seven new challenges this year, which students will tackle using their creative spirit and teamwork. Wood Hill students are participating on a variety of teams this year, including one led by music teacher Mrs. Murray. "I think it is a fun experience socially, you can have imagination and let it out, it's a non-bullying place, and a great thing to do to do with friends, or to make new friends, and it's a creative way to show thinking," says Angelina Robbins, a member of Mrs. Murray's DI team.

The challenge themes are technical, scientific, structural, fine arts, improv, service learning, and an early learning challenge for grades K-2. Each team of 4-7 kids choose one challenge and prepare a solution to present (in an eight minute skit) at the regional competition in March. (regionals is the first competition, if you get 1st at Regionals, you go to States, and if you get 1st there you go to Globals in Tennessee.)

For the technical challenge, named Creature Feature, teams will have to make a fully-functioning creature to complete a series of tasks in the skit. For the fine arts challenge, named Feary Tales, teams will have to create a fairy tale about a character who faces and deals with a phobia. In the improv challenge, named The Improv Games, teams will create three independent two-minute improvisational skits with a one minute planning time and practice incorporating random elements.

Teams will also take part in an Instant Challenge, a 5-10 minute, task or performance-based challenge that stretches your teamwork and creativity to the limits. 

Book Review: The Blood Of Olympus by Rick Riordan

By: Celestine Gonzales

"The Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan is a thrilling, fast-paced adventure story with witty, memorable characters, and an engrossing plot. Riordan puts characters Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank, and Hazel through the ultimate test to fulfill the prophecy that sparked readers' interest since the "The Last Olympian." Riordan doesn't disappoint in the fifth and final installment of the epic Heroes of Olympus series.

A drop-dead performance by Wood Hill Spanish students

By Billy Nicolakakis

Wood Hill Spanish students gave a drop-dead performance during the school’s annual El Dia De Los Muertos production. El Dia De Los Muertos is a holiday celebrated primarily in Spanish countries on November first and second, translating to the day of the dead.

The play, performed by seventh grade students, consisted of Spanish music cover songs, dancing and a story line about the three days of El Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico. Traditionally to celebrate, people dress up in costumes (mostly skeletons) and honor their deceased family members.

The production included a lot of dancing and was very colorful. The play was held second period on Monday, November third in the auditorium and it was open to students, staff and parents.