MOON’S FAVORITE FLICKS CHRISTMAS EDITION

MOONBEAMS

Volume 2017-2018, Issue 2 December 20, 2017

MOON'S FAVORITE

FLICKS CHRISTMAS EDITION

by Cassandra Yetsick

Over 100 students from Moon chose a list of their top ten Christmas movies. Here are their picks:

10. A Christmas Carol

Over the years, many versions of this story have been created that stem from Charles Dicken's 1843 book, including Mickey's Christmas Carol, the 2009 animated version starring Jim Carrey, the Muppets, or any of the live movies made from 1901 to present day. Its old-timey, yet moral, plot has provided entertainment for over a century.

9. A Charlie Brown Christmas

According to , the movie "... is timeless because its themes ? the corruption of the true spirit of Christmas and battling depression ? are relevant today as they were when it first aired."

8. The Santa Clause

Beginning with a disastrous event where the main character, Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) kills Santa Claus; the rest of the story follows Scott and his son taking over the new position as old St. Nick.

7. The Nightmare Before Christmas

This movie breaks the traditional plot of holiday films and incorporates a cross-over of holidays. According to Ryan J. Downey from movieweb. com, it was designed to criticize the quick transition from Halloween to Christmas seen in stores and was made as a parody of "The Night Before Christmas".

6. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Affectionately known as "Christmas Vacation", this film follows the Griswold family through a classic tale of family Christmas hijinks.

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Although the original and the new Grinch are both popular favorites, the most recent Jim

Carrey version seems to pique people's interests most. Whether it is Carrey's ad-libbed scenes, the not-so-family-friendly references, or just the general ridiculousness of the movie, it is surely a great source of entertainment.

4. Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer

Since its release in 1964, this movie has remained a holiday classic for many families. Similar to A Charlie Brown Christmas, the movie presents themes that are highly relatable to viewers of all ages.

3. The Polar Express & A Christmas Story

(TIED) While both films made it to number three on

the list, they could not be more unique from each other. The Polar Express is a heartwarming tale of belief and holiday spirit, while A Christmas Story is a delightfully quirky comedy about a dysfunctional family and a boy that wants nothing more than a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas.

2. Home Alone

This instant `90s classic broke all records when it was first released and has continued to be a family favorite for over 20 years. Its mix of humor and moral lessons make it a movie that is able to be watched over and over, every year.

1. Elf

It keeps the idea of childhood wonder alive during the holiday season as we grow older," says junior, Mary Blair.

Some other honorable mentions that did not make the list, but are well worth the watch, include A Year Without a Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, It's a Wonderful Life, and even Die Hard.

While these are not the only Christmas movies out there, they are viewed as some of the best holiday films of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Howard Chandler speaks to Moon Area High School about his experience in the Holocaust. Courtesy of MAHS

TV Studio

HOLOCAUST SUrvivor

INSPIRES mahs

by Sam Haberman

On December 7, Moon Area High School received a visit from a surviving victim of the Holocaust. Howard Chandler came to speak to the student body to tell just how intolerable conditions were throughout those dark years.

Originally from Poland, Mr. Chandler grew up in a community without many Jewish people. His life was interesting to learn about and gave students insight into another perspective. Chandler spoke of losing his

family, the train ride to the concentration camp, marching from camp to camp, watching death every day, and, finally, getting out of the camp and being able to share his story.

Mr. Marraway, a history teacher at Moon, invited Mr. Chandler to the high school. Mr. Marraway went on a Classroom Without Borders trip to Poland last summer and knew that hearing Mr. Chandler's story would greatly benefit students and serve as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

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Starbucks holiday cups have changed designs and colors over the years and is a popular topic for controversy. Courtesy of Starbucks Newsroom.

CUP OF NO

by Isabella Mollica

The big rave every holiday season is Starbucks' limited edition red cups. It started out as just a holiday-inspired design on the cup, but each year Starbucks tries to outdo the previous season's cup. The first ever winter-themed cup was in 1997 and it was not even red.

Starbucks Newsroom said that the first cup "was closer to a magenta, and the cup also came in three more colors: sapphire, emerald and amethyst. The design featured swirls and hand-drawn holly leaves that were flecked with coffee beans."

However, in today's society, people are often critical of the way things are said and portrayed. It seems like there is always something being argued about and Starbucks is on the top of the hit list. People have disputed in the past about the cups not respecting a certain religion, such as Christianity. For example, in 2015, Starbucks removed all the designs and kept a simple red cup.

The New York Times said, "the company said it wanted to `create a culture of belonging, inclusion and diversity' and meant the cups as an invitation for `customers to tell their Christmas stories in their own way, with a red cup that mimics a blank canvas.'"

Unfortunately, the plain red cup idea backfired on them. Social media users were angry that the cups did not portray any Christmas designs and a video about boycotting Starbucks went viral.

Obviously, boycotting a worldwide coffee chain for their limited edition holiday cups is

a bit outlandish, but people these days seem to have a problem with everything.

This year's holiday cups feature two holding hands and the slogan is "Give Good." The cup is printed in black and white so people can color their own cups. It seems like a cute and harmless idea right? Wrong. Apparently, some people complained that the cups are promoting a "gay agenda". To some, the pair of hands that are printed on a paper coffee cup is promoting homosexuality. It seems a bit farfetched for a coffee cup. The hands are gender neutral and ambiguous.

However, Jordan Kay, the illustrator of this year's cups, has a more positive and uplifting interpretation of the design.

She said in an interview with E! News, "I like the idea of hands at the center point, a symbol of connection, love and giving joy. Whether it's wrapping presents or decorating a tree, writing cards or enjoying a mug of cocoa.

Along with Kay, many loyal Starbucks customers enjoy the special cups during the holidays.

Sophomore Jessie Murray says, "Personally I like the cups because they are fun and a good way to spread the holiday spirit."

The holiday season is all about loving and giving to others. The cute little designs on the cups only depict cheerful moments that should not be debated on because some people do not like it. Clearly, people need to think about spreading joy, not absurd accusations on social media.

Season of Giving

by Ana Molnar

The Christmas season is a time for gingerbread and sugar cookies, decorative lights, and putting up the Christmas tree. It is also the best time to help the less fortunate by donating to different charities.

The number one charity during the holiday season is Toys for Tots, a non-profit organization run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, who distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947, and since then they have distributed over 530 million toys to over 244 million less fortunate children.

Another big organization in the U.S. is the Make a Wish foundation, an institution that helps make the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions come true. The foundation started when a seven-year-old, Chris Greicius, wanted to `catch bad guys' with police officer Frank Shankwitz. The officer made sure that Chris, who would die from Leukemia, would be able to live his wish for a day. This one story in 1980 started a whole chain of wishes that resulted in the creation of a worldwide foundation.

The Salvation Army is a U.S. charity where donations and financial assistance are provided with dinners, clothing, and toys for families in need. The traditional red kettle outside of stores is an important part of the Christmas scene, with millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families, seniors, and the homeless. Many families receive aid over a period of months after the Christmas season, as well as people struggling with difficult family, emotional, or employment problems.

Other generous charities include The Angel Tree, Trees for Troops, and The Holiday Project. These organizations help families in need. There are also many international establishments making a difference this holiday season. World Vision is a worldwide Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to improve society by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

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Reindeer Games

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Justified JV

by Olivia Estright

For years, Moon Area High School has worked on building and developing their Varsity sports programs. As one sport becomes more popular, the program tends to form a Junior Varsity team, more commonly known as J V.

The JV players are not the main competitors for the sport, but rather the less experienced players that help motivate and build the program while playing their own games as well. JV programs have a tendency to seem less significant than Varsity games or matches. The question being asked is: Are Junior Varsity teams being overlooked, and do they deserve more recognition?

The answers from some of Moon's Varsity and Junior Varsity athletes varied.

According to Angelina Stern, freshman on JV cross country, "I feel the JV [cross country] team was overlooked. We still worked just as hard but were never really given a second thought."

Alex Estright, junior on Varsity cross country, believed that on the cross country team, "JV and Varsity don't exist in my opinion... Everyone is the same. Everyone runs together and we all

run the same race. JV is there to complete the team and push the Varsity runners. In a way, it is like Darwin's theory, survival of the fittest. Once a varsity runner leaves, a JV runner will replace them."

Varsity volleyball player, Matt Gregos, believes that JV should not have more attention because it may take the spotlight away from the Varsity team.

Gregos, a senior, stated, "The point of JV is to train hard to get the privilege of playing Varsity. If you are given spotlight for JV it takes away the reason of J V. "

Freshman Karoline Roettger, JV basketball player and Varsity cross country runner, said, "JV is for people who just haven't had the same amount of experience."

Others, such as sophomore Abby Lescallette, do not see a difference of recognition on the teams.

Lescallette, JV volleyball player, said, "In my opinion, I think everyone [playing volleyball] got recognition. Overall I think it was pretty equal recognition."

All athletes, in the end, are part of the team as a whole. Each and every player learns the importance of motivation and cooperation, no matter JV or Varsity.

Metro Division Collison;

Will Murray Be Back for

Playoffs?

by Maddie Carter

Goaltender for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Matt Murray, has officially been put on injured reserve (IR) after a collision with Flyers forward, Jakub Voracek, on November 27. Voracek unintentionally crashed into Murray, pushing his right leg into the goalpost. Voracek was uninjured, but Murray was obviously in pain. He proceeded to stay on the ice for several minutes before being helped to the bench by two of his teammates. He then went into the back while backup goalie, Tristan Jarry, went into the net. Jarry had helped the Pens carry out a 5-4 win in overtime against the Flyers, and the night ended.

The next day, Penguins' Head Coach, Mike Sullivan, released a statement on Matt Murray's collision. He stated that Murray was put that morning on injured reserve and was "week-to-week"

with a lower-body injury, according to . While Murray was on IR, the Penguins relied on backup goalie, Tristan Jarry.

This season, Murray has played 21 games with an 11-7 win-loss ratio. He has made 559 saves and has a Game Against Average of 2.95. He has only one overtime (OT) loss, and 1,179 minutes played in total this season. Meanwhile, Jarry has played 7 games with a 4-1 winloss ratio. He has made 188 saves and his Goals Against Average is a 2.30. Jarry has two OT losses as well, and 391 minutes played in total this season. Tristan Jarry also has a backup, in case he is injured, as well. The third-strong goalie is Casey DeSmith, who has a total of 12 saves in the 42 minutes he's played this season.

Murray is, as of December 13, recovering well. December 6 and 11 he was skating, and as of December 12, according to , Murray is ready to return after missing the past five games the Pens played. On December 12, Murray was officially activated from IR.

The collision, seconds before Murray realizes he is hurt. Courtesy of Associated Press

Spectacular

Seniors

by Delaney Snyder

Moon Area High School is not only well-k n o w n f o r i t s sharp-witted students in the classroom, but also for its talented athletes on the field. Improving their skills throughout the years, athletes will find themselves attending college while still persuing the sport they love.

From freshman year to now, these seniors have excelled in their respective sports.

From fall to spring, each senior individual finds a way to stand out to benefit their team and the Moon Tigers.

In this past 2017 fall season, the Moon Lady Tigers soccer team (MLTS) was led by senior commits Makenzie Sheldon, Kristi Kania, Lauren Baumgartner and Emily Orr. With a spectacular closing to a high school career, the Tigers finished being undefeated, section, WPIAL, and State Champions.

"I will always remember being a part of MLTS. Having a back to back WPIAL and State championship in the books will always be my favorite memory," says senior, Emily Orr.

In the springtime, Moon Area high school's softball and baseball teams hope to make a successful run, like last year, in the playoffs this upcoming season. Tigers baseball seniors Nick Maue and Anthony Fachet are working to improve to long their winning streak throughout this season.

"Having one year left to make something happen will make us work much harder," said Fachet.

All in all, no matter what sport, the class of 2018 has proven to make a name for themselves. Working hard since middle school for these achievements, Moon seniors hope to finish their athletic careers with a positive ending. Good luck to all the seniors in their future endeavors.

Here are the seniors who are committed and which sport they pursue:

Soccer: Lauren Baumgartner- West Virginia Wesleyan University Kristi Kania- Miami University (OH) Makenzie Sheldon- Clarion University Emily Orr- Allegheny College Jake Plumb- Robert Morris University

Football: Nick Kotok- West Point

Softball: Morgan Toal- Seton Hill University Lauren Niglio- West Virginia Wesleyan University Alyssa Sisko- Fairmont State University

Baseball: Anthony Fachet- Mercyhurst University Nick Maue- University of Dayton Sevin Schoeneweis- Indiana University of Pennsylvania James Diamond- West Minster College

Gymnastics: Carly Kosanovich- Eastern Michigan University Sara Bell- West Chester University

Lacrosse: Cullen Hobbs- Belmont Abbey College Greg Hoover- Hood College

Rugby: Carly Weiss- Youngstown State University Vo l l e y b a l l : Sarah Ellis- Gettysburg College

Congratulations to each of the successful senior athletes from the Moon-

Beams staff!

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Tinsel Tales

MAHS Charms with "Charlie and the

Chocolate Factory"

by Olivia Estright

Pure imagination. This is what went through the audience's minds during Moon High School Drama Club's fall play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

This year, Moon's Drama Club performed their comical take on "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." The kid-friendly performance, directed by English teacher, Mrs. Mitchell and special education teacher, Mr. Michael, included a special "celebrity" appearance, colorful props, and mesmerizing candy scenes.

The play began with narrator, Matt Spangler, introducing each character, their background, and how they found their Golden Tickets. The spoiled children that received the tickets include Augustus Gloop, played by sophomore Noah Oberrath, Veruca Salt, played by senior Alyssa Greenaway, Violet Beauregarde, played by senior Taylor Kanfoush, and Mike Teavee, played by junior Noah Rhoads. It proceeded with Charlie Bucket, played by freshman Kade Anthony, portraying a selfless child that lives in poverty and finds the last Golden Ticket. Willy Wonka, played by senior Garrett Ley, then brings each character into his factory. One by one, each child ends up getting into shenanigans until only Charlie Bucket is left. Charlie ends up winning Wonka's factory. According to senior Julia Puhalla, the show was a success. She stated, "Truly hilarious. It was yet another fabulous show, and I had such a fun time watching it."

For many actors, including freshman Kade Anthony and senior Matt Spangler, it was their first performance in a Moon Fall play. Many had positive reactions to the performers' first time act, including senior Sarah Ellis and sophomore Eliana Bonomo.

Ellis said after the show, "Matt Spangler had an amazing first show performance."

Bonomo said, "The play was amazing. My friend, Kade, was the bomb."

When discussing his first performance, Matt Spangler dedicated his success solely to Mrs. Mitchell and Mr. Michael for "pushing [him] to [his] fullest potential." After each child gave into their temptations and left, the special guest, Mr. Balaski, performed a rap as Grand Master Oompa Loompa surrounded by dancing Oompa Loompas. Children and adults found Mr. Balaski's performance hysterical.

Mr. Balaski said that this performance was his first play since he was in high school. However, he has occasionally put on hypnosis shows with other magic involved as well. He also said that Mrs. Mitchell has wanted him to come perform with the drama club, and this year when he said he would do it, she promised him a "smaller" role. Mr. Balaski also has musical and artistic talent in his genes. He said that his father was a professional dancer and his mother was a professional singer.

When talking about his experience in the play, Mr. Balaski only had positive comments. He said that he is always willing to do silly things for his students. He brought up the idea of respect versus fear. He believes that if a person respects everyone rather than inflicting fear and trying to force them to listen, their supporters would respect them as well.

Mr. Balaski said, "The students [drama club] worked so hard that even though I did not need to come to all the practices, I felt that if I didn't I would have cheated them... I want students to know I care about more than just their grades."

As Willy Wonka said, "Time is a precious thing. Never waste it." The students and adults that helped put on this performance surely made the show worthwhile.

Student Of The Month

by Isabella Mollica

New to Moon this year is the Student of the Month Award sponsored by Bob Evans. Each month, teachers will choose students that excel in all aspects of school. The winners of this award will receive a five-dollar Bob Evans gift card and their picture on a board in the main entrance.

"The Moon Area High School Student of the Month possesses excellent citizenship by displaying exemplar character through his/her compassion, honesty, trustworthiness, responsibility, optimism, hard work, and loyalty in creating a positive school environment," reads the Student of the Month board by the main office.

The past few months, the school has had several students whose positive actions were worth noticing. In September, the Student of the Month winners were Vikranth Mallakarjun, a sophomore, and Jonathan Herrador, a junior. The two winners for the month of October were Patrick Mack, a junior, and Inndocende

Patterson, a freshman. The most recent Student of the Month winners for November were seniors Alexis Butler and Delaney Snyder. Alexis was nominated by Mrs. Ludwig, the child development teacher.

Mrs. Ludwig says, "Alexis is very intuitive and has been a huge help in planning and preparing lessons for the preschoolers. She improves the quality of the classroom atmosphere with her positivity and maturity."

Delaney was nominated by her personal finance teacher, Mr. Bacu.

Mr. Bacu said, "Delaney is a well-rounded high school student. She academically and athletically excels. She also gives back to the community by volunteering at youth activities."

The students chosen for the Student of the Month award can act as an example to others. If everyone in Moon High School possesses these stellar characteristics, then the school would be a much more successful environment to learn and develop as a better person.

The Student Of The Month board in the main lobby. Courtesy of Dan Russo

Top picks for staff crusaders

by Dan Russo

A classic tradition of the dark ages long forgotten by the times. Left in the dust by the likes of indoor plumbing, electricity, and two-day Amazon Prime shipping. Gone are the days of holy wars fought for monarchs so they could become even more powerful than before, continuing to rule over their pathetic serfs with an iron fist. Gone are the days of crusading. However, close your eyes for just a few seconds. Imagine that you were tasked by King Balaski the Third to retrieve a magical jewel from a spooky castle guarded by a fierce, fire-breathing dragon. With this proposition you were allowed to bring four teachers to aid you in your quest for riches and glory. Who would you bring? Let me give you my dream team first to get the ball rolling.

Every team needs a fearless leader. I would choose the legendary Mr. Gahallagher. G has the experience to lead

a team. When he speaks, you cannot help but stop and listen. He can offer wisdom and insight on any problem you might come to him with, and he can always listen to you.

Strength is a key factor when it comes to winning any battle. While not the only factor needed, it is nonetheless an important part. When I think of strength, I think of Mr. Parshall. This man is able to pretty much singlehandedly win a round of tug of war at the pep rally a few years back (He only had to use one arm if I recall correctly.) Not only that, but being a physics teacher would give him the necessary ability to operate the fabled trebuchet, adding some range so we would not have to slay the dragon up close. It'd get pretty messy.

But no team can win from pure strength alone. One still needs to plan their strikes. (This is a fire breathing drag-

on after all.) When I think of a tactician, I think of none other than Heather Mitchell. Her wisdom and foresight stretches to many different topics and ideas. She can analyze all types of literature from about a hundred different angles, so she would probably be able to see every possible way the operation could go awry and plan accordingly. This way we would have a surefire way to vanquish all of the beasts that stand before us.

You can't treasure hunt on an empty stomach. I think you already know who is next. Mr. Cook will be able to keep the hunt going by cooking some famous dark age dishes. Some tasty favorites include comically oversized turkey legs, stew, and hardtack. Hardtack is literally yeast, salt and water, haphazardly combined to make a cracker that doesn't go stale, probably because its stale by nature. Delicious. Also being in a rock band, Mr.

Cook would be able to jam out on his lute for some entertainment after a long day of pillaging.

Now, I believe these teachers to be the most optimal picks. However, these aren't the only teachers students mentioned when questioned about who they would bring.

A common choice for the people asked was Mr. Hathaway. "I'd probably take Mr. Hathaway as my first choice", said Senior James Nierle. "His army experience could provide a real advantage." If you have any ideas or thoughts on who you would bring, you can always shoot us a message at moonbeams.staff@ or @mahsmoonbeams on twitter. I would love to hear your teams!

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WINTERTAINMENT

S t r a n g e r T h i n g s warning-spoilers ahead!

by Chandler Sargent

One of the most well-known and anticipated shows of the year, Stranger Things has turned the world upside down. A Netflix original series, Stranger Things has taken over the past two years with its storyline, its cast, and never before seen faces. The show keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats and eager to keep watching through the entire season. Ask any binge watching Netflix viewer and there is a good chance that one of their favorites is Stranger Things. Warning... this article does include spoilers for both season one and two!

Season one of Stranger Things could not have given a better introduction to show what it is all about. When a young boy, Will, disappears, his mother, the police chief, and his friends, Dustin, Mike, Lucas, embark on terrifying journeys to find him. secret government laboratory, Hawkins National Laboratory, has been doing tests on what appears to be sinister looking monsters. They have also been doing tests on a little girl, Eleven, who escapes the lab and comes across Mike. They become very good friends and Eleven is introduced to Dustin and Lucas as well. Eleven explain to them that she knows where Will is and tells explains the "Upside Down", a parallel universe where a monstrous creature roams around the ghostly version of the town Hawkins. The friend group goes through a series of events to help find out what happened to Will, while the Hawkins Laboratory searches for Eleven and attempts to bring her back. After being chased around the neighborhoods of Hawkins, the friends end up back at Hawkins Middle School where Will's Mom and Chief Hopper meet up with them. They find a way to expand Eleven's powers to help find Will to bring him back. The Hawkins Laboratory Agents find them in the school cornering them. Eleven uses her powers to save them and vanishes without a trace. Will is finally brought back and is reunited with his friends in the hospital.

The Stranger Things friends look over the dark cloud of the "Mind Flayer." Photo Courtesy of .

"Season one was very suspenseful and spooky and the kids are amazingly talented," said Sophomore Olivia Estright.

Since the end of season one last year, fans have been eagerly waiting for season two. Stranger Things 2 came back once again with its storyline taking place one year later. The show starts off again with Will, unable to shake his shadow to the connection of the upside down. He soon finds out he is being targeted by the "Mind Flayer" as Dustin refers to it, a massive smoke like monster that gets closer every time Will falls into his shadow. Eleven's story starts off with her and Chief Hopper in a small cabin like home in the woods. Her story soon flashes back to a scene in the woods where Eleven soon comes across Hopper. After noticing a small box has been opened, Hopper puts out food for Eleven. Before walking away Hopper turns around to notice Eleven. He takes her to his old hunting cabin in the woods where he hides her from the public so she doesn't get caught.

As time goes on, Will falls back into his shadow and the Mind Flayer takes over his body and starts controlling the Upside Down in the real world. In the Hawkins

lab they soon discover there is a portal that connects to the Upside Down directly into the lab. They soon discover that Will is the source of what can be seen in the real world that connects to the Upside Down. They interrogate Will in a shed behind his house that they cover up inside so he does not know where he is. He begins to freak out, but Hopper notices his fingers tapping on the side of his chair and figures out it is Morse code. They translate and Will explains how the Mind Flayer can be defeated from inside the upside down. After battling to save Will and close the portal. Eleven goes down into the upside down and is able to close it off to the real world to save Hawkins.

"Season Two gave a whole new perspective with its change of characters' personalities and new characters. It will be interesting to see where the next season will leave off," said sophomore Alyssa Serbak

Stranger Things concludes its second season with a bang, leaving fans curious to see where season three will lead. With its new characters and cliffhanging storylines, the future of the show will remain unknown.

2017

TRENDS

by Sam Haberman

To start off 2017, people woke up on January 1 to see the first meme of the new year, The Hollyweed Sign. 2017 may be known in the future as the year of fidget spinners, the year for ASMR of all kinds, or the year of the dreaded man bun.

Fidget spinners took the world by storm, eclipsing social media with their simple versatility. People of all ages got in on this trend and found ways to do tricks from spinning it on one finger to spinning it on foreheads. The toy's price ranged from $5 to over $500 depending on the material or make.

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos are coursing through Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Youtube in varying forms. Slime, paint mixing, sand, hydrolic presses, thousand degree knives, and whispers are some of the trends that social media has seen this year. Hundreds of thousands of people watch these homemade distractions that send chills down spines.

Man buns have existed for a long time, dating back to 16th century Asia. This year, "hipsters" have made this trend increasingly popular. Men, from ages 14 to 44, are sporting their long hair on the tops of their heads and refusing to get haircuts. Opinions vary from student to student. Some say the appeal depends on who is wearing it, others just despise them, and some think they are the most attractive hair style today (but that opinion is mostly supported by the people who have them).

Like every other year, 2017 brought new controversies as well as new discoveries. From January to December, people talked, tweeted, called, and snapped about the latest news. At times, the biggest news was a foreign prince proposing. Other times, hurricanes wreaked havoc over thousands of miles.

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The Ultimate ShoppingGuide

by Delaney Snyder

As the temperature starts to drop and the holiday spirits starts to rise, joyful ideas of exclusive gifts become thoughts in mind. However, some hope to seek out help when dealing with holiday shopping. Whether it is getting a gift for a significant other or a family member, here are some tips to the ideal gift that can help one through the holiday season.

FOR MEN

The best way to Christmas shop for guys is to focus on what they think is most important: the cool gadgets, techy gear, and all those sorts of things. If this gift is specifically for a close family member or friend, clothing is always a good way to go. Sweatshirts, long sleeves, or pants are favored among men,

especially during the winter season. Moon Area High School junior, Tyler Schmidt, enjoys the holiday gift he receives every year. "I like getting long sleeves. Vineyard Vines clothing is my favorite, but anything clothing related is good for me," said Schmidt.

On the other hand, being a girlfriend and buying for a significant other, it may seem hard to find that "perfect" gift, but there are plenty of ideas. Most guys tend to lean towards watches, cologne, or a simple clothing accessory, i.e., neck tie, hats, or socks. When clothing is always an easy way to secure satisfaction from a significant other, there are many other routes to take.

Since many gifts can to be luxurious and pricey, having a DIY [do it yourself] type of mind can also fit

into the holiday picture. For example, a personal hand-made craft for your significant other is the type of gift to last a lifetime. No matter how much money spent on this craft, there is a guarantee that this present will be more everlasting than something off the shelves.

FOR WOMEN

One of the main things to focus on when shopping for females is to find out what the biggest trends are for the year. Fragrance trends, clothing trends, and any other social norms arising.

If this guide pertains to a significant other, meaningful jewelry is always a great path to go down. Necklaces, rings, and bracelets that have certain meanings/messages that are included in them are the key to satisfy a girls' need in the holiday season.

According to ,

"Getting a gift for a significant other in the jewelry department will always make a girl's heart happy."

Similar to men, clothing is an idea that will never fail for family members. Especially the warm clothing that they can wear right away, knowing it is the middle of the winter. Also, customizing items that are useable on an everyday basis are very trendy for the holidays. This includes coffee mugs, picture frames, and any other kind of personal items.

The holidays have come to town again, so now it is time to begin thinking of what kinds of gifts to get loved ones. Hopefully this guide will help the festive spirits come out and create enormously big smiles during the holidays. Happy shopping!

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Sleditorial

The Imitation Game

by Connor Perry

It's a crown of creation. It's also a story as old as you or me. There's not a rhyme or reason to do it, it's only a matter of can you do it. And the new toy for those creators is Artificial Intelligence. The implications for new, and often controversial, tech has left many bewildered and anxious about the ethics of it all.

Ever since the first tentative steps for Artificial Intelligence were taken in the 40s and 50s, there has been a push from the scientific community for more advanced and complex technology in the field of robotics. While the movement progressed steadily in the ensuing years, led by pioneers in robotics in Japan, it was not until the 90s that there were significant leaps in their development. Today, there are an incredible amount of jobs that are done by robots, from bomb-diffusers to Roomba vacuum cleaners.

The controversy, however, is not centered on this type of robotics. Rather, the debate lies within the walls of Artificial Intelligence proper, the machines that are now solving complex equations and becoming integrated into society. There are obvious benefits to this technology, of course, some of which are previously mentioned. However, with the rising sophistication of these machines, some in the scientific community and elsewhere are getting slightly concerned. For example, take Hanson Robotics' creation, nicknamed Sophia, who is quite possibly the closest science has come to "conversational artificial intelligence", as Jim Edwards of Business Insider states. She has an extensive vocabulary, facial recognition, and can even express feelings, among oth-

er things, says Zara Stone of Forbes. These are no small feats, especially in light of the fact that even twenty years ago these types of developments were relegated to the realm of science fiction. Almost unbelievably, there is more to her story than just her accomplishments in technology. She was named the first robot-citizen, being granted this title by Saudi Arabia in October of 2017. This Bradbury-esque decision did not come without its detractors. Ali Al-Ahmed, director of the Institute of Gulf Affairs expressed his apprehension about the situation.

As Al-Ahmed states, "Women [in Saudi Arabia] have since committed suicide because they couldn't leave the house, and Sophia is running around [without a male guardian]. Saudi law doesn't allow non-Muslims to get citizenship. Did Sophia convert to Islam? If she applied for citizenship as a human she wouldn't get it."

The Sophia situation is a microcosm for the whole robotics movement as a whole. How far will people allow this to go? Will more AIs become citizens? And if so, will there be any restrictions not allotted to humans? More questions similar to these will continue to lurk in the background until better answers can be had. If one example of Artificial Intelligence can cause so much consternation, then the burgeoning field of robotics may have a rocky road ahead of it.

Sophia, being interviewed by Jimmy Fallon, April 2017.

Courtesy of

Facts About Sophia the Robot

Sophia was activated on April 19, 2015. Sophia's facial features were modeled after actress, Audrey Hepburn. Sophia is a citizen of Saudi Arabia and possesses more rights in that coun-

try than its female citizens. Sophia is the first robot to have a nationality. In October 2017, Sophia was introduced to the United Nations and spoke

with its members. Although Sophia is able to carry on conversation, according to Quartz, she

is better classified as a "chatbot with a face" than true artificial intelligence.

Follow @mahsmoonbeams on Twitter and check out MoonBeams online at mahsmoonbeams.

Squeezing the Truth into a Two Hour Movie

by Cassandra Yetsick

When creating movies, filmmakers enjoy developing stories that are unique and often-times, not factual. With the increasing number of historical and war recounts, the amount of inaccuracies found in these movies is on the rise.

The reasoning behind choosing to produce movies that extend far from the truth can stem from different purposes: to add drama to the plot, to propagandize, or to simply add a unique twist to history. According to Cory Franklin from The New York Times, "The problem comes when filmmakers claim that despite inaccuracies, their films capture historical truth." Movie makers believe that they have the right to create movies in whatever way that they want, whether it is accurate or not. If filmmakers are broadcasting stories and claiming them to be true, audiences may blindly believe the information that is being depicted, since it is captioned as a "historical movie".

Even as children, we have been shown movies that poorly go against all historical reality. In the Disney movie "Pocahontas", the title character was interpreted as a Native American adult that fell in love with

John Smith, one of the settlers that invaded her tribe's land. In truth, she was a twelveyear-old girl that was later forced to convert to Christianity and take up names that the English colonists gave to her. According to history. com, her real name was not even Pocahontas; it was Matoaka. This goes to show that unnecessary drama and comedy is being added to movies in order to create a more "interesting" story to viewers, despite it going against all known facts.

The 2012 movie, "Argo", proved to be quite inaccurate in its portrayal of the American hostage crisis in Iran of 1979. According to , the film primarily revolved around the actions of the Americans attempting to rescue the captured, and they barely mentioned Canada's involvement in the emergency. Even Jimmy Carter, who served as president during the problem, claimed that the movie only recognized the American CIA and did not rightfully give credit to Canada's contributions in creating a strategy. By neglecting details that would have made the movie somewhat accurate to what happened, the director, Ben Affleck, upset many people that played a large role in the potentially disas-

trous event. Audiences also fall prey to movies

that begin with the words "based on a true story", even it only loosely follows what the actual story was about. While the 1974 horror film, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", directed by Tobe Hooper, was publicized as a true story, this statement is quite a reach. According to David Mikkelson from , since the antagonist in the movie was only distantly based off of the notorious serial killer, Ed Gein, whose interests included necrophilia, cannibalism, and murder. At the time, many were unsure of whether or not the statement held any true meaning, and quite honestly, they were possibly too afraid to find out if it was.

Columbia University historian, Mark Carnes, the editor of "Past Imperfect" wrote: "...Viewers should neither accept such claims or dismiss them out of hand, but regard them as an invitation for further exploration."

While filmmakers will continue to create movies "based on a true story", whether they are chalk-full of fact or fiction, it is up to viewers to determine if the movie is accurate or not.

Disney's Pocahontas is one of the many films to take liberties with the true story of its main character. Courtesy of

Page 6

HOLI-DEBATE

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Merry Christmas or

Happy Holidays?

by Olivia Estright and Ana Molnar

Which do you prefer, "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"?

"I am happy with either, as both show an intention of good will." -Mrs. Mitchell

aimed us-no matter the choice of words. To greet joy and goodwill with crabbiness is foolish." -Mrs. Mitchell

Do you think Merry Christmas is too exclusive?

"I prefer Merry Christmas because the holiday is a celebration of the birth of Christ." -Mrs. McPherson

"I don't really care what anyone says. It shouldn't be turned into a political thing. You should be able to say whatever you want to say." -Sophmore Abby Batchelor

"No it does not. It doesn't matter what you say. As long as you acknowledge the season. I prefer the Christmas season."-Junior Peyton Tanner

"It really doesn't matter to me." -Sophmore Melina Krawchick

"I prefer Merry Christmas, but people have the right to say whatever they want." -Junior Connor Ryan

"Of course not. If I go up to you on Valentine's Day, you're going to get mad? No because it's a holiday." -Sophmore Gianna Mamone

"It shows more respect to say happy holidays if you don't know what religion they are." -Melina Krawchick

"No, anyone can celebrate Christmas. There is nothing stopping a Jew from becoming Christian and celebrating Christmas." -Peyton Tanner

Does it matter anymore?

"Since I celebrate Christmas, it doesn't affect me. But, in my opinion, if someone doesn't celebrate Christmas and you don't know if they do or not, then you should just say happy holidays." -Melina Krawchick

What do you think about the people who get offended by Merry Christmas? Do you get offended?

"No. I don't think anyone truly gets offended by Merry Christmas. I think it's more accepting. It shows more respect to say happy holidays because you don't know what religion everybody is." -Sophmore Melina Krawchick

"I think too many people get offended over too many things. Life is short. Choose to be happy and spread cheer. Most people have good intentions and try to make other people's day better in little ways. I think we should be grateful for good will when it is

"If someone doesn't dress up for Halloween and you go up to them and say Happy Halloween, it doesn't matter. Who cares?" -Abby Batchelor

"Merry Christmas is a way of life." -Freshman Sarah Galosi

"No one should get offended. It's not attacking thier holiday or saying its bad. It's just means that person celebrates Christmas and prefers saying it." -Freshman Ria Singh

"You want to be respectful of everyone's views like if you know they don't celebrate Christmas then there is no point in saying it to them." -Connor Ryan

In Tiger Rogative

Hey MoonBeams staff,

You all seem like generally cultured people. What should I do about my favorite movies or TV shows that are made by bad people? For example, I love the movie from earlier this year, Baby Driver, but one of its stars, Kevin Spacey, is now accused of sexual misconduct. Should that change my feelings about the film? Can art still be good if it's made by a bad person?

Sincerely,

Concerned in Coraopolis

If you have a burning question for the MoonBeams staff, please write in to moonbeams.staff@ with the subject line "In-Tiger-rogative." Your question might be featured in the

next issue.

Yes, I think that the art they have made should not be discounted because of personal trouble. Picasso had a troubled personal life, cheating and having several side relationships. Van Gogh was suicidal. And now with all of the allegations against actors and politicians and so on, I think that it's good that it is coming out, but I think separating the actor from the person is important.

-Connor

I'm a huge fan of Kevin Spacey's work as well. Baby Driver is one of my favorite films of 2017, so hearing all of this come out about him made me rather upset. While it's a good thing that all of this stuff comes to light, it's important to realize that Hollywood personas are just personas. For the most part we have no idea how celebrities act off camera, and we're forced to take a lot of things at face value. For all we know there could be more shady characters out there.

? Dan

I think that it's for the best that these accusations are coming out. These people did commit crimes, but it's important to see the actor or whoever's work as different from the actual person.

-Sam

A still from Baby Driver, a well reviewed film that had its reputation marred by allegations concerning Kevin Spacey.

Courtesy of Alley Newspaper

Arctic sidePage7

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Ms. Pollino's Photo 1 Class

Photo Courtesy of Katie Shields

Photo Courtesy of Gavin Cernetic

Photo Courtesy of Taylor Heid

Photo Courtesy of Jordan Bauer

Ms. Inskipt's Digital Imaging 1 Class

Artwork Courtesy of Marissa Simmons

Artwork Courtesy of Bailey Taylor

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The Season of Giving

Holocaust

Page 8

survivor inspires

MAHS

(continued from page 1)

(continued from page 1)

Speaking about his experience at World Vision, junior Zack Wildasin said, "I went there a few times, and we sort tons of clothing into categories so they can be shipped to children in different parts of the world who aren't able to get the clothing they need. I had a lot of fun doing it for such a great cause."

Operation Christmas Child, part of Samaritans Purse, prides itself on taking an ordinary shoe box, filling it with toys and other presents, and creating an extraordinary gift for a child in need of joy and hope. The Christmas boxes are then distributed to millions of children from several countries around the world. Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.

The Red Cross is another well-known association that runs all year round, but still makes a difference during the Christmas season. Vontobel, a financial expert company in Switzerland, has been a founding member of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) Corporate Support Group since 2005. This year, for each Christmas card sent to clients and partners, Vontobel will make a donation to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support humanitarian aid in Syria.

Moon students have donated their time to several charities this Christmas and their goal is to help as many children and families as possible. Give back this Holiday season and remember the less fortunate around the world who could use all the help they can get this season.

"In 11 years of teaching, I have never had a better response from my students. The discussions we had the following days were more meaningful than any I had had in the previous 11 years. I would like to thank the students for the respect they showed Mr. Chandler and I charge them to continue to think about what they can do in the future to make the world a more tolerable place," said Mr. Marraway.

Mr. Chandler's story was thought-provoking and students had varied reactions.

"I really enjoyed hearing him speak and I liked learning more about that time," said sophomore Alexis Petropoulos.

"The assembly was really good and very interesting," remarked sophomore Grace Pleskovich.

Nobody's perfect!

Corrections from October edition: Jon McAllister's name was misspelled. Mr. Firmstone, a science teacher at Moon, was mislabeled as a gym teacher. Our apologies! If you notice other mistakes, please let us know at moonbeams.staff@.

Happy Holidays from the

2017 Trends MOONBEAMS staff !

(continued from page 4)

Movements like #MeToo were popular with women and men everywhere, and the threat of Net Neutrality coming to an end sparked online protest and discomfort. A Netflix original, Stranger Things, took over social media and had people of all ages staying home to binge, and the eclipse had half the world staring at the sun, risking blindness.

There is no way to stuff the highlights of an entire year into a single issue of MoonBeams, but these were of the most notable.

MoonBeams

Staff

delaney snyder..........................................................................................editor-in-chief cassandra Yetsick .........................................................................................COPY EDITOR OLIVIA ESTRIGHT...........................................................................REINDEER GAMES EDITOR SAM HABERMAN...................................................................................TINSEL TALES EDITOR ANA MOLNAR...................................................................................WINTERTAINMENT EDITOR DAN RUSSO............................................................................................slEDITORIALS EDITOR ISABELLA MOLLICA......................................................................holidebate PAGE EDITOR CHANDLER SARGENT....................................................................................ART SIDE EDITOR CONNOR PERRY...................................................................................................STAFF WRITER

MR. DODD..........................................................................................................................ADVISEr

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