Replacement English Students Deliver Teddy Bears and Coats to the IRC

Hi Everyone,

We are excited to update you on our recent field trip on Thursday, December 15th, to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Elizabeth, NJ. After reading about Syrian refugees in our English class, we were able to hand-deliver the bears that we helped label from Knitting Without Borders to the refugee children and families. In addition, we delivered bags of clothing, coats, and household items that were quickly and happily scooped up by the refugees. We were lucky to have the chance to meet many refugee children and families who were at the IRC for their English language classes. We were able to introduce ourselves to the refugees and learn their names and countries of origin. We noticed that there were posters and projects on the walls of the classroom that reminded us of the work we do in our English class. They had even read the book I Am Malala, which we read two years ago in our own English class.

Students and teachers had a wonderful experience doing this project which culminated in our field trip. It was touching and humbling to be able to interact with the refugees first-hand. Bervelie said, "I introduced myself to the Haitians in Creole, and they were surprised and smiled." Quinn noticed, "Mrs. Boccia said the refugees might be sad or crying, but they were actually really happy, smiling and laughing." We learned that the refugees were smiling because they were excited for our visit. Danny said, "The people loved the bears. They appreciated us donating the coats, bears, and other items to the refugees and having us come by. It was a good trip." Jason said, "I learned that the refugees came from everywhere. I liked making them smile and asking their names." Shane said, "One thing I learned from this project is that it is important to support refugees as they find a new homes, jobs, and start a new life in this country." Teachers and students agreed that this trip was a unique opportunity meet and connect with individuals in need of our help, who are really just like us.

We want to thank everyone who donated items for us to deliver to the IRC. Please take a minute to view the pictures from our trip below. If you have further interest in supporting the cause, please click on the link below to the IRC website:

https://www.rescue.org/

Teddy Bears for Refugee Children

As a class, we read a Scholastic Action magazine article about a young Syrian refugee named Dania. She was forced to leave her country due to a civil war that broke out in 2011 and continues today. We learned that she enjoys playing soccer, reading, and playing video games, just like many of us. After some time away from school, Dania was finally able to start school again in Akkar (in Lebanon) and quickly caught up. She aspires to become a doctor someday and would like to service poor people for free. 

In doing outside research, we learned that there are 65 million refugees worldwide (half are children), and 5 million are Syrian refugees. Recently, the United States has pledged to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in our country. We also learned that there is an IRC (International Rescue Committee) in Elizabeth, NJ, that is currently resettling families in our area. 

Di' Jon, a student in our class, wrote, "They are Simply Human, like any of us. Just because they don't live in a proper home and go to the same school as us doesn't make them any less of a human being. They still can feel love, anger, hate, remorse, and or compassion, and all the other feeling a normal human (Person) would feel. I just think (people) down grade refugees as a lost cause, because they have no way of actually relating them to themselves so they lean towards more of a relation towards and animal and not a person."   


We would like to do something to help these families in desperate need. We are going to work with Knitting Without Borders, an organization that knits teddy bears for children who are suffering due to illness, war, or any other cause. We plan to deliver these teddy bears personally to the IRC, along with coats and household goods (listed on the flyer below). 

If you would like to donate, please let us know, or drop off items to room 370. Our tentative deadline for collecting items is the first week in January. 

Thank you for your support! 

We will update you soon on the details of our project.

*We apologize for technical formatting issues with this blog post.

Mystery Unit Final Project

Hi Everyone!

We have something new to share with you. We just wrapped up our Mystery Unit. We read about Amelia Earhart, Sherlock Holmes, the Lochness Monster, the Bermuda Triangle, Optical Illusions, and the Chinese Emperor Shi Huangdi and the terra cotta warriors. In small groups, we created collages representing three mystery stories. We included pictures related to the setting, time period and details of the story.

We learned some new vocabulary related to mystery stories. Mysteries still surround us today in our lives in current events, movies, books, and TV shows. We hope you enjoy our collages. Please comment below! Stay tuned for more posts soon!

Room 370

About The Bloggers, 2016-2017 School Year

Welcome back to the 370 Clubhouse blog for the 2016-2017 school year! We would like to welcome back returning seniors Shane, Chris, Stan, and Danny. We would also like to welcome new senior Di’Jon, and freshmen Bervelie, Devon, Jason, and Quinn. The new students will be a great addition to our blog this year as we kick-off our third year of blogging. Scroll down to read more about the bloggers at Room 370 Clubhouse. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!

CHRIS

Hello, my name is Chris, and I am 18 years old.  I go to high school in New Jersey.  I live with my brother Tony, but right now he goes to Penn State College in Pennsylvania. I really miss him. I also live with my Mom and Dad. I like to visit Seoul, South Korea because I like to go to arcades there. I want to move to South Korea in 2021 because I was born in South Korea and miss living there. I want to live near my grandmother and grandfather. I like to play Super Mario 3D World, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Nintendo DS, and Clash of Clans. Clash of Clans is an App on my iPad. It is a fighting game. This year in school, I am doing a work program. I work at ShopRite and Walgreens. I like to ride on and take pictures of elevators. I take pictures of the button panel, light indicators and the firefighter sign. Have a nice day!

QUINN

Hello, my name is Quinn, and I’m 14 years old. I live in New Jersey. I live with my dad, step-mom, brother and sister.  I’m the oldest child. I like watching TV, especially cartoons, such as “Teen Titans Go!”. I also enjoy music. The Weeknd is one of my favorite musicians. I moved twice in the past two years. I moved in December 2014, then I moved in July of 2016. Signing off, Quinn.

DANNY

Hello once again, as you know my name is Danny. I am 17 years old, and I'm a senior in high school who lives in New Jersey. I live with my parents, my sisters and my brother. I have two older sisters named Katie and Emily, two younger sisters named Caroline and Jane, and a younger brother named Jack. My dad has a job as a lawyer, and my mom does not work. My mom takes care of my family in the house while my dad works. My older sister Katie is grown up and lives in Washington D.C. She has a career in teaching. My other older sister Emily is a sophomore in college at Notre Dame in Indiana. My younger sister Caroline is a sophomore in high school at a private school. My other younger sister Jane is in fourth grade, and my brother Jack is in first grade. I have a program at VoTech. My program is Graphic Design. I like Graphic Design because I am skilled at drawing. I enjoy my program at VoTech. I like playing video games and watching tv and movies. I don't like to be in my house all day on the weekends, because I get bored. Hope you enjoy our blog!

SHANE

Hello Everyone! It is me, Shane, again. I am now 17 years old and I am a Senior in high school. I live with my mother, my father, my sister, and my dog Stella. My mother has a job as a nurse, my father has a job as a lawyer, and my sister goes to elementary school. I have a job training called SLE (Structured Learning Experiences), what I do there is that I work at Walgreens on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and I work at ShopRite on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I like to listen to rock music from the 1960s through the very early 2000s. I like music that involves Metal, Blues,  Alternative, New Wave, Punk, Prog Rock, Glitter Glam, Funk, Hard Rock, Grunge, Ska, old Hip Hop from the late 1980s through the early 1990s. I don’t like to listen to pop music because the voices are too auto tuned, and it plays the same songs over and over. I look forward to more blog posts.

JASON

My name is Jason. I’m 15 and in 9th grade. I live with my mom, dad, and my brother Daniel. I have five fish: Jason Jr., Jason Sr., Jason the 3rd, Jason the 4th and Fatty. I play sports such as basketball, football and lacrosse. My favorite sport is basketball. I play football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and lacrosse in the spring. When I’m not playing sports, I like to be with my friends and play Xbox. My favorite subject in school is science because we do lots of fun labs and experiments. I am really looking forward to an exciting year.

DI'JON

HI! My name is Di’jon, and I live in New Jersey with my mother, father, and brother. I also have a pet Rottweiler named Brooklyn. I am a senior. I am new to this high school so it took me a little time to get used to my surroundings and make new friends. I love to play guitar and piano during my lunch at school and after school. I have made a handful of friends so far but I think I really clicked with this one kid named “Taylor.” He plays guitar like me and is a senior as well. I think we really hit it off because we both had that passion and interest for music and guitar. Music has always been a big part of my life, with helping me through a lot of hardship. When I play, I look to show people that anything is possible, no matter what you go through in or outside of school. One of my main interest is reading novels and books on “Greek and Roman Mythology.” Roman and Greek myth has always fascinated me.

Once I graduate High school, I plan to go to college. I would like to major in “law enforcement” working towards my Law Enforcement Degree. My dream is to work for NYPD as a Homicide detective or work in a specialized unit that only deals with Sexually Oriented Crimes. I know law enforcement is definitely what I want to pursue as a career in the future; but if that doesn't  work out I would like to use my musical talent as a secondary back option by maybe becoming a High School music teacher or Music Therapist (For Teens/adults with Depression).

BERVELIE

My name is Bervelie, and I am currently 16. I will be turning 17 in two months. I have a four year old niece named Adriel. She is my sunshine and my life. Her birthday is also in two months. I love her so much. I also have a nephew named Jayden and he just turned four in July. I have a godson, and his name is Simba. He is a chihuahua. Although Simba may be crazy, I love him. Last but not least, I have two sisters and four girls I call my "sister" because we have been together since we were little. I also have five guys I call my "brothers" because we also grew up together. Some of my hobbies include playing with my niece and nephew, and seeing my brothers when I go to Irvington. Hope you like reading our blog.

DEVON

Hey Everyone, my name is Devon. I am a part of the class 370 clubhouse. I live with my mom and my pug puppy, Buddy. I love to create anything cool. I create monsters or creatures out of paper. I also make little inventions or other creations out of bottles and cardboard. Another hobby is that I write short stories. My stories are about monsters and creatures. For example, my most famous book was Scary Stories: #1 Goo from the Grave. The story was about a group of friends who have to stop a slime monster. In the future, I want to become a teacher. In my free time, I go to an elementary school to show my creations to the kids, and teach them how to make them. The kids that I know there are from first grade to fifth grade. This blog is going to be fun! Stay tuned for more blog info!  

STAN

My name is Stanley, and I’m 17 years old and a 12th grader. I live with my dad. My hobby is art because I like to draw many things like skulls, fire, and red soul eyes. When I’m done with school, I would like to have an art job where I can paint, sketch, and draw. I am currently going to a graphic design program at a vocational school. I also like to listen to any kind of music and play zombie video games on my PS4. I hope that you will enjoy your year and yeah have fun. And stuff.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

We had just enough time left in the year to finish reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

During our last class, we discussed what students can take away from the book:

• Christopher (the main character) had to overcome challenges and confront his fears in order to travel by himself to London. We can be inspired to face the things we may be nervous or afraid to do.

• Christopher learned that he was more capable of doing things independently. He learned he was really smart at math and set goals for himself. He wrote a book too. We learned that we can do more things independently, like taking the train by ourselves. We can learn to live independently and take care of ourselves. We can try new things like going to a new camp or starting at a new job.

• Everyone makes mistakes. Nobody’s perfect. People can earn our forgiveness and trust, and maybe sometimes we need to ask for forgiveness and earn somebody’s trust back.

Overall, we really enjoyed reading the book together and learning about Christopher's journey, and making connections with our own life journey.

The Replacement Math and SLE Hersheypark Overnight Adventure

Hi Everyone! 

We wanted to share this "news article" style blog post with you about our recent trip to Hersheypark:

The Real World Replacement Math Class and SLE (Structured Learning Experience) Program students, along with three peer leaders from the Autism Awareness group, and faculty members from Millburn High School, went on an overnight trip to Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania on April 29th-30th. Kelly Brandt, special education teacher at the high school, obtained a grant from the Education Foundation to fund a portion of the trip, and student fundraising also went toward the trip.

Millburn High School students who attended the trip included Chris Hahn, Stanley Richards, Rachel Gomez, Danny Dufner, Shane Bracken, Linus Hannewald, Erin Moore, Steven Miller, Julian Berg, Ethan Solender, Dolly Ravishankar, Emily Blumstein, Amy Linczyc, and Melanie Albert. Faculty members chaperoning the trip included Kelly Brandt, Robyn Basta, Lynne Woodruff, Stephen Breslow, Roger Askins, Leora Weiner, and Amy Gallagher.

On the bus ride down, students listened to favorite songs compiled by the “Entertainment Organizer,” one of several “jobs” students interviewed for and were assigned for the trip. Students played a game on the bus where they guessed who picked each song for the playlist. When they were “halfway there,” Miss Brandt played Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” 

Upon arrival students checked into the hotel and off to the park they went. At the park, students separated into Replacement Math and SLE groups to complete learning activities around the park with their teachers and classmates. They also went on roller coasters, visited The Chocolate World museum, did a chocolate tasting experience, took a trolley tour, created their own Hershey bar, and purchased souvenirs. They dined at an Italian restaurant for dinner and stayed at a Days Inn hotel. The next morning they had a hot breakfast, took pictures, and headed back home on the bus.

In addition to the grant from the Education Foundation for $2,500, students set a goal to raise $350 to put toward the trip. They exceeded their goal and raised a total of $1,340 through selling boxes of cards and chocolate lollipops for St. Patrick’s day. Students also completed work in their Replacement history, science, and English classes to make this a cross-curricular project.

Last year, the Replacement classes obtained a grant for a trip to Ripley’s Believe it Or Not Museum in New York City. Students and faculty are hoping the trip becomes an annual event! Thank you to Miss Brandt, Mrs. Gallagher, and the Education Foundation for making this trip possible.

Thanks for reading about our awesome trip! 

- Room 370 Clubhouse

Pictures taken by Erin Moore

Book Review of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian was written by the author Sherman Alexie. The main character is Junior, a teenager growing up on an American Indian reservation in Washington state. Junior is too smart for the reservation school, Wellpinit, so he seeks a better education off the reservation, at Reardan High School. Junior faces many challenges including trying to fit in at his new school, widespread poverty and alcoholism on the reservation, and trying to make a better future for himself. Will Junior find love, acceptance, and a better future for himself? You have to read find out! 


We finished the book, and it was awesome! We like the book because it is funny, and it shows courage. We learned about the problems on the reservation, and we see how Junior works to overcome the challenges facing him. As a class, we are going to complete an Action Research project focused on the problems affecting American Indians living on reservations. 


This book has won numerous awards, including the National Book Award Winner for 2007.