“From Burlap to Cashmere”
Steven Deloupulos is a musician born in Long Branch, NJ. All his life he has been inspired by music. When he was young, he started writing poems. He turned those poems into songs.
Steven started his career by playing his guitar in the Red Bank area at small coffee houses and clubs. Little by little people started to love his music. At the age of twenty, he started to put his band together. They called themselves “Burlap to Cashmere” which reminds me of rags to riches.
In the last ten years, Steven has written and produced three CD’s. His first CD called “Burlap to Cashmere” sold over 300,000 copies. His second CD, “Me Died Blue” was also a great success. “Straight Jacket”, his third CD is selling over the internet for a download fee of ten dollars.
By: Socrates Gavallas
Emma Havens Young School
Bon Jovi
My article is about John Bon Jovi, who was born in Sayreville, New Jersey. This famous person is known for the songs he creates, his excellent concerts and his great singing. His stage name is “Bon Jovi”. He started playing piano and guitar when he was thirteen. At sixteen, he and his friend, David Bryan, started a band. The band’s name was “Atlantic City Expressway” and was named after a large New Jersey highway.
Bon Jovi had to work hard to be a success. He didn’t get discouraged, he just kept trying. Finally, a radio station played one of the songs he wrote, and that was the beginning of his success. His fans are all over the world. He travels to Europe, Asia and throughout the United States to give his concerts and has received many awards.
By: Maureen Nelson
Herbertsville Elementary School
Batsto Village
Then let’s row some more,
Why does the water look so red,
It must be the iron ore!
These are the words that may be going through your head when you take a trip to Batsto Village. Batsto is the most famous of the bog iron industries. It’s located in Wharton State Forest, in Hammonton, New Jersey. It was founded in 1766, by the ironmaster Charles Reed. The name Batsto comes from the Swedish word “Batstu” which means bathing place. The Lenni-Lenape Indians couldn’t pronounce it correctly, so they called it Batsto.
When I visited Batsto Village last summer, I wondered, “How did they get iron from water?” The answer is interesting. Bog iron is the impure iron deposits that develop in bogs or swamps. Iron that naturally dissolved into the water, eventually collected on organic material at the bottom of the wetlands. Then, the ore was separated by a raking process and carried back to the surface, where it was deposited along rivers and in swamps. It was then mined, melted down and refined in a furnace.
Batsto’s Iron Works became an important supplier to the Continental Army, during the American Revolution. They made ammunition, weapons, wagons and parts for ships. Thousands of Colonial Americans worked day and night at the furnaces that were spread out along the big rivers of South Jersey. The early settlers made Batsto into a thriving iron industry, in what is today, the million acre New Jersey Pinelands, our country’s first National Reserve. It was the first of its kind in the country and was established by Congress in 1978, to protect unique natural and cultural resources found in the Pinelands. Even though the iron business came to a stop by the 1860’s, the Pinelands contribution of iron, had left its mark on the country. We have an awesome reminder of the iron business that thrived in America, over 100 years ago.
Walking around the grounds and seeing the beautiful Batsto Lake on a warm summer day is reason enough for a visit. It’s definitely worth the trip!
By: Olivia Amaro
Osbornville Elementary School
Bass River State Park
Bass River State Park is a beautiful place and a reason to celebrate New Jersey. This gorgeous setting provides a background for activities such as camping, boating, fishing, hunting and swimming. Also, you can see all different kinds of plants and animals that you may not have ever seen before. For example, have you ever been in an Atlantic white cedar bog?
Bass River State Forest was the first forest bought by the state of New Jersey in 1905. The park is meant to serve several purposes. First, it provides an outdoor place for people to enjoy. The park has many trails, where you can go hiking, hunting and bike riding. As you are walking or riding, you will see Lake Absegami. This is a 67 acre lake that is located in the center of the park. At the beach, you can go swimming, play volleyball, or just relax. There are also cabins and a playground.
Another purpose of Bass River State Park is to conserve water and take special care of the animals and plants. Being at the park makes you appreciate nature and think about the impact that humans have on the environment. An interesting fact is that there are no garbage cans in the park. You are responsible to put your garbage in a bag and bring it home with you.
By: Jason Wilkowski
Drum Point Road Elementary School
Are you ready for some football?
Can you imagine that the first college football game was played here in New Jersey! The game was played in New Brunswick, between Queen’s College which is now Rutgers University and Princeton University. Rutgers won six to four on November 6, 1869. That first game was a mixture of soccer and rugby and was played at Rutgers College Field which is now the site of the College Avenue Gymnasium.
Football was different back then, a touchdown counted as a game and ten games finished a contest. Then the teams switched directions and the players hit the ball with their hands, feet, heads and sides. Twenty five players were on the field for each team.
By: Collin Lynch
Herbertsville Elementary School
“Are We There Yet?”
New Jersey Transit will get you there! The New Jersey Transit System is located all around our state. It has a fleet of about 2000 buses, 700 trains and light rail vehicles. New Jersey Transit provides service for nearly 223 million passengers each year.
They have a large staff of proud police officers. Their mission is that all their passengers have safe trips on the trains, buses, or at the station. New Jersey Transit is the third largest provider of buses and trains in the United States, even though our state is one of the smallest in the nation.
By: John Kozak
Emma Havens Young School
Algonquin Arts Theatre
I would like to tell you about the Algonquin Arts Theater. It is a building where all different kinds of music, dancing, singing and movies are shown. The theatre is located on Main Street near Route 71 in Manasquan.
It was opened in 1991 and it is special because they do not try to make a lot of money and many of the people that work there are volunteers. It was made over in 1994 and now has a large 540 seat theatre. There is free parking and in the summer, they show family movies outside for free.
Many children have gone to the theatre on class trips to see the different programs that they show. Right now, they have many plans for different events. I want to see “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Santa’s Enchanted Workshop”. These are a part of their Classic and Family Value Program. My sister went there with her Girl Scout troop and had a good time.
This theater does not have just stage shows. They also show movies and have special events like the Moscow Ballet, different well known dance groups, like the Paul Taylor Dance Company, and musicians and singers.
What is especially nice for the people there is that they have a high school talent show. Children from all over New Jersey are chosen to perform. It will be held on November 28, 2007 and is called “Rising Stars”.
By: Michelle Nelson
Herbertsville Elementary School
Following in the Footsteps of William Paterson
William Paterson was born on December 24, 1745 in the County Antrim, Ireland. In 1747, his family moved to the United States and settled in Princeton, New Jersey. William went to private school as a boy and at age fourteen, he attended Princeton University. He later passed the Bar Exam in 1786 and began practicing law.
At the age of 30, William Paterson began his career in government. He served as secretary of New Jersey Provincial Congress that drafted the State Constitution. During his political career, he was the first Attorney General of New Jersey, head of the New Jersey delegation to the Constitutional Congress, one of the two first senators from New Jersey, Governor of New Jersey and served on the Supreme Court.
While serving in the Constitutional Convention, Paterson developed the “small states” plan to oppose James Madison’s “large state” plan. Paterson’s “small state” plan gave equal legislative power to all states; Madison’s plan gave power based on population. A compromise of both pans was chosen. The Senate gave equal representation to the states and the House was based on population.
By: Matthew Guastaferro
Midstreams Elementary School
Cranberries and Bogs in New Jersey
Before there were Americans in New Jersey, the Lenni-Lenape Indians lived in Southern and Central New Jersey. They were the first people to harvest cranberries in the state. They called cranberries “pakim” which meant “noisy berry”. That was a long time ago. Now “cranberrying” is a major industry in New Jersey. Our state ranks third in the nation behind Massachusetts and Wisconsin.
In 1840, people started growing cranberries in the state. A man named John Webb started a cranberry bog in Ocean County near Cassville. He sold his cranberries for $50.00 a barrel. Ship merchants bout them and sold them to whaling ships. Sailors could eat cranberries and then they would not get scurvy.
By: Spencer Adler
Lanes Mill Elementary School
Count Basie Theatre
Opening as the Carlton Theater in 1926, the Count Basie Theatre was renamed in 1984 to honor jazz great and Red Bank native William “Count” Basie. Through its eighty year history, it has become one of the leading performing arts centers in New Jersey. Hosting performances that include great local plays, world-renowned comedians and musicians, the theater also reaches out to the community through its Cool School program and its new created Basie Awards. The primary mission of the Theatre is to serve the people of Central New Jersey.
In 2005-2006, the Count Basie Theatre hosted 178 wonderful events (nearly half of which were self-presented performances), served 158,282 audience members; provided arts education classes and workshops to 970 students and offered the theater to wonderful charities and other nonprofit arts organizations for over 59 performances. The economic impact of the community of these activates was enormous with more than $9 million dollars collected.
By: Natalie Gazdowicz
Lanes Mill Elementary School
Come See the BlueClaws!
Come see the BlueClaws, a minor league baseball team that plays at First Energy Park in Lakewood. The BlueClaws are a Single A Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They bring excitement and fun to every game!
First Energy Park has over one thousand seats and you can also buy ticket to sit on the grass. At First Energy Park they have a food court, a convention center, arcades, a merchandise store and a party room.
The BlueClaws’ mascot is Buster. He is the team’s biggest fan. He supports his team by dancing and cheering for them and gets the crowd excited. Buster is a 6’6” tall yellow, fuzzy and furry ball of fun.
The BlueClaws released their schedule for the 2008 season. Opening Day will be on April 3, 2008 when they will take on the Lake County Captains. The 140 game season will end on September 1, 2008
By: Chris Kardum
Lanes Mill Elementary School
“Buster, the Blue Claws, and Baseball at the Shore”
Have you ever heard of Buster? He’s that big, yellow, fuzzy thing that baseball fans young and old love to see when they visit Lakewood Blue Claws games. Buster, the Blue Claws mascot, happens to be 6 feet 6 inches tall, is a screaming yellow color, and is furry to the touch. His hobby is tanning at the shore when he is not entertaining the fans.
Did you know that The“Claws” had the fastest two million fans in attendance for their league? They have only been playing in Lakewood since 2001. They are a pretty good team and were #6 in the minor leagues this year. One of their former players, Ryan Howard, even made it to the Major Leagues!
If Blue Claws fans aren’t watching, eating, or walking around the beautiful stadium, you might find them at The Claws Store, where fans can find any team souvenir. When the “Claws” are not playing at home, fans can visit their website at www.blueclaws.com . There can find out facts about the team, baseball and hotdogs!
By: Liam McDermott
Emma Havens Young School
New Jersey’s Zoos News
I chose to write my article about places of interest in New Jersey that are related to science. Some of my favorite places of interest in our state are the New Jersey Zoos. I read about three different New Jersey Zoos, including Cape May County Zoo, Popcorn Park Zoo and Turtle Back Zoo.
The zoo that was most interesting to me was the same zoo that I went to visit. It is the Popcorn Park Zoo. The reason why this is my favorite zoo is because of what the staff does to help the animals. Since 1977 the workers have rescued and helped animals that are ill, injured, handicapped, abused and elderly.
The Popcorn Park Zoo is not only a great place for animals to get help; it is great place for people to enjoy the wondrous animals. For example, there are tigers that came all the way from Texas. They are named Dante, Gina, Caesar and Bengali. There are many other animals at this zoo. Lions, bulls, horses, monkeys, bears, cougars and many more!
By: Jacob Greenberg
Drum Point Road Elementary School
New Jersey’s Way Cool!
Wow, look at these cool things to do in Southwestern New Jersey! One really cool thing to do is go to the Cohanzick Zoo. This is fun for the entire family. It’s a small zoo, one of the last free zoos. It is more than sixty years old! Cohanzick Zoo also features New Jersey’s only walk through aviary. The zoo displays more than one hundred animals.
The Camden Historical Society is a resource for anyone interested in local history. It shows the real 19th century life in the Camden area. If you tour the shops you can see the blacksmiths, carpenters and other things through photos and artifacts. Also at the Camden Historical Society, you can go back in time.
New Jersey’s beautiful State House is in Trenton. Families can visit the nation’s second oldest capital, the first being in Maryland. Throughout the building, works of art hang. They are works painted by some of New Jersey’s greatest artists. If you go, the best days to visit are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
By: Sierra Rochinski
Lanes Mill Elementary School
Milk Delivery to Dairy
In October 1932, Charles Catalana began working a part-time job delivering twenty-four quarts of milk every day. From this humble start, Cumberland Dairy has grown to be one of the nation’s largest producers of specialty dairy products producing over twenty million gallons of products.
Catalana decided to form Cumberland Dairy in 1933 in his garage at his home. He produced 110 quarts of mild each day with only three employees. The dairy survived several challenges. In 1941, a flood destroyed the bridge running over the local river. Mild deliveries had to be made by rowboat. Later, World War II changed Charlie’s plans to purchase a dairy farm.
In the 1970’s, the dairy started making milkshakes for McDonald’s. In March of 1974, Cumberland had the biggest break in their forty-one year history. McDonald’s has a quality problem with their dairy supplier so they asked Cumberland Dairy to produce dairy products for 200 restaurants overnight. They worked seven days a week. Finally McDonald’s offer the dairy as many stores as they could handle. They began by doing sixty-one restaurants.
By: Ed Seaman
Lanes Mill Elementary School
“Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hand!”
Did you ever wonder how M&M’s were started? It all began when Mr. Forrest Mars, Sr. saw soldiers in Spain eating pellets of chocolate in a hard, sugary coating. Inspired, Mr. Mars invented the recipe for M&M’s. Soldiers who were serving their country in warm climates could now enjoy a sweet treat without it melting!
M&M’s were first sold in 1941, and became a favorite of American soldiers during World War II. By the late 1940’s, they were available to the public.
M&M’s were once all brown, but in 1960, red, green and yellow were added. Later, orange was added. Red M&M’s were pulled from the mix in 1976, due to the “red-dye” scare. They eventually came back in 1987.
M&M’s were chosen to be in the food supply of the first space shuttle astronauts and became “The Candy of the New Millennium”. The M&M’s “Global Color Vote” added the color purple for a limited time! Pink and white M&M’s followed with a partnership with the Breast Cancer Foundation.
By: Moorea Cioppa
Emma Havens Young School
John Stevens, New Jersey Inventor
Geniuses come from New Jersey too! This famous New Jerseyan used his genius to change how Americans traveled using steam.
John Stevens was born in New York City in 1749. He was a Colonel in Washington’s army and became Treasurer of New Jersey. In 1784, Stevens bought an estate on the west side of the Hudson River, now known as Hoboken. He bought a ferry service that ran between Hoboken and New York. He wanted to make steam engines work better. He asked Congress to give patents to protect inventors’ ideas from being stolen. In 1792, he received two patents for steam engines.
The Little Juliana was the first steamboat ferry built in 1804. It used a high pressure steam engine and two screw propellers. The Phoenix was a paddle-wheeled steamboat build in 1807. The Phoenix was the first steamship to navigate the ocean.
By: Nicole Berry
Midstreams Elementary School
