Wii Sports

(Video Game Review - By Delani Ennis)

Looking for a game the whole family can enjoy? Well, “Wii Sports” is
the game for you. Its simplistic and easy to learn controls make it a fun game for people of all ages.

Wii Sports is a Nintendo game created for each of their Wii game consoles. The game includes five major sports that you can play in the comfort of your own living room. The sports included are Baseball, Bowling, Boxing, Golf, and Tennis.

Players can even personalize their own “Mii’s” (which are the characters for the game) to resemble themselves. Want to share all the fun? Create a team and play with up to 4 players at a time. Wii sports also includes a fitness test in which you can test your strength, speed, and stamina in a few athletic challenges.

These challenges will determine your “Wii fitness age” which ranges on a scale from 20-80 years old. It has a digital calendar to track your athletic improvement over time. Wii sports is a great way to get motivated and exercise without having to leave your house.

Do you already have Wii sports and are still looking for more? Well, then you're in luck, because three years after the release of Wii Sports, Nintendo released a sequel version of the game titled, “Wii Sports Resort.”

The new game includes, Air Sports, Archery, Basketball, Bowling, Canoeing, Cycling, Frisbee, Golf, Power Cruising, Swordplay, Table Tennis, and Wake-boarding.

Wii sports is top selling Nintendo Wii game. It is ranked the world's third best selling video game and has sold an estimated total of 82.79 million+ copies/paid downloads. So go grab a copy of one of these great games for your next family game night. It is sure to be a time that everyone will enjoy.

Lou Gehrig - ALS

(Speech Review By: Delani Ennis)








On July 4th, 1939 one of the greatest speeches of all time was given. It was a hot muggy day in New York City when a recently retired Yankee first baseman, Lou Gehrig uttered the famous words, “Fans for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got, yet today, I consider myself to be the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

The bad break being referred to is his diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS, which is now better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. A nervous system disease in which nerve cells start to break down, weaken muscles, and impact physical function. The cause is unknown and unfortunately, to this day, is still incurable.

This diagnosis, which forced his retirement, pretty much guaranteed he would have less than two years to live, and yet he considers himself the “luckiest man alive”? Gehrig went on to detail his amazing journey throughout his baseball career, the incredible men that surrounded his success, as well as his personal blessings, and family. In closing, he stated “So, I close in saying, that I may have had a tough break, but I still have an awful lot to live for.”

The strength and dignity needed to put into words his good fortune instead of bitterness and anger at coming demise is not only a testament of Gehrig’s character but proof of what a strong man he is. To this day, his speech is still continuing to touch and inspire many and is capable of bringing a grown man to tears.

An Event Impacting Generations

From Woodstock to Bethel Woods

(By: Delani Enis)

No one could have foreseen the impact that one music festival would have on a sleepy little town in upstate New York.

On August 15th, 16th, and 17th in 1969 the stars aligned and worlds collided creating one of the most known music events of a lifetime, Woodstock. 32 musical acts met up with 400,000 free spirits in an attempt to escape the reality of the Vietnam war.


Decades later, the location of Woodstock was purchased and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts came to be. In keeping the rich history of this historic landmark, this art center has become a premier summer concert location in between the Catskill and Hudson Valley. However, that is only one small aspect of what Bethel Woods has to offer.

Bethel Woods opened a museum inspired by Woodstock and holds multiple festivals throughout the year. From the Beer and Wine Festival to Harvest Fest and Christmas Market, there is a little something for everyone. 

What is most important to me, would have to be the many experiences offered throughout the year by the Education and Outreach Program. Such as, various “Project Identity” music, theater, and art classes. I personally have had the pleasure of taking advantage of several opportunities offered at Bethel Woods which have significantly impacted who I am and where I am headed, all because of one weekend back in 1969.

Battle of the Theme Parks - Orlando, Florida

Walt Disney World vs. Universal Studios

(By: Delani Ennis)

While there are many theme parks located in Orlando, Florida. Two of them stand strong against the rest. They are Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. Both having multiple theme parks, water parks, and shopping locations, making it a great family vacation destination. The true question is, which park is the one for you?

Let's start with Disney World. Disney currently has four theme parks, Magic Kingdom, the original park that is like no other and the one that started it all. It opened in 1971 to the general public. There is just something so magical about walking down Main Street towards the iconic Cinderella Castle. People can’t seem to resist it.

Second came Epcot, which opened in 1982. Here one can travel to the past, present, future, and all around the world all in one day. MGM Studios, now Hollywood Studios came next in 1989 and is all about entertainment, movies, music, and theater. Last but not least, Animal Kingdom, opened on April 22nd, 1998 where you can encounter wildlife on Kilimanjaro Safari's and experience high speed thrills on Expedition Everest.

After the success of the theme parks, Disney added 2 water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. There is also a premier shopping location center, Disney Springs; which name was just recently changed from Downtown Disney after a huge expansion. The Disney Boardwalk is also a beautiful location to go to for shopping and entertainment.

On the other hand, Universal only has 2 theme parks, Universal and Island of Adventure, with a water park opening this May titled Volcano Bay. They, along with Disney, do have a shopping location, City Walk that has a boardwalk type atmosphere just outside of their theme parks. Universal recently added what most would consider their most popular attraction, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Wizarding World consists of two large sections inside of the park that so closely resemble the locations in the movies that visitors are totally immersed in the experience.

While it is hard to say which park is best, both parks offer a large variety of attractions; are constantly expanding and adding additions to make it feel like a whole new experience every time you go, and definitely offer something for everyone to enjoy.

Call of Duty

(Video Game Review By: Priscilla Cassase)

Call of duty is a violent war game where every player is a military character and chooses a gun and perks then sets off to battle. This game might be harsh for some but not too intense for preteens. It has eerie music that sets an interesting mood of suspense and oddly cozy.  Although I played regularly, I never encountered a glitch with the amazing graphics, which are surprisingly detailed.  Although I personally enjoy the narrating comments and fast pace gun matches, it is not for everybody. It can cause family animosity. You can find it at any game store and most online shopping websites. It’s a time waster, but also enjoyable with competitive family and friends. Usually sells between $25.00 and $70.00.

Everything, Everything

(A Book Review By: Delani Ennis)

Could you imagine, never being able to feel the warmth of the sun on a hot summer day? or breathe in the fresh, cool air after it rains in the spring? or the cold of snow in winter? or even the crisp air and seeing the leaves change in autumn? Well, the book “Everything, Everything” tells the story of a young 18-year-old, Madeline Whittier, who has not left the house in over seventeen years and probably never will. She has SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency), which basically means she's allergic to just about everything in the outside world. The only safe place for her, is in her house, with its built in air filters that sterilize the air she breaths. The only people she's ever met are her mother, who is also her Dr. and her nurse,

Carla. Madeline obviously does not love being confined to her home, but she's okay with it. Possibly, because everything else to her is so unknown, but still, she’s seems content. That is, until a boy named Olly and his family move in next door and try to befriend her. Then, all of a sudden Madeline’s acceptance of her rare situation is turned upside down, as she begins taking risks and wanting to learn more about life beyond the sanitized walls of her home. “Everything, Everything” absolutely is everything, everything, you could hope a book could be, and more. It is a powerful, intelligent, unique, romantic, coming of age story that will shatter your heart into a million pieces and leave you absolutely speechless! with an ending that is unexpected and to die for!

Everything, Everything, is the first novel written by author, Nicola Yoon and was released in 2015. After the success of her first book she continued her journey as a writer with her second book titled “The Sun Is Also A Star” which was released in late 2016. Nicola currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband, writer and designer, David Yoon who created all of the illustrations for the book.

Almost two years after its release “Everything, Everything” is still flying off shelves and is soon to be a major motion picture, starring Amanda Stenburg and Nick Robinson and is coming to theaters near you in late May. So go grab of copy of this dazzling book and catch the movie on or after its premier date May 19th 2017. It promises to be emotionally charged and may even make you question, what are you willing to risk for love?

Cloak of the Light

(Book Review By: Aedan Roach)

Cloak of the Light is a fictional book about spiritual warfare. It is the first book of the three book series, the Wars of the Realm. The other two books are called Rise of the Fallen and Light of the Last. 

In the Cloak of the Light, the main character, Drew Carter, loses his father at age 12. He and his mother are then forced for financial reasons to move from town to town, eventually settling in Kansas. His high school years are filled with rough times with school, friends, and just life in general. The only highlight in his life during this time was the relationship he had with his father’s best friend, Jake, who taught him survival skills. 

At the end of high school, he looked forward to graduating and entering college, so as to start a new beginning. While in college, he has an accident, which leaves him blind and unable to return to school. Even though the doctors said he would never see again, he is graced with new abilities. These abilities lead him to be able to fight a spiritual warfare of good vs. evil.

While reading this book, I found myself unable to put it down, looking forward to each new chapter. The action in the book was intense and full of suspense. The author, Chuck Black, provides believers and nonbelievers the ability to comprehend the spiritual warfare that goes on within us every day. 

This book would be a great book for nonbelievers to read because it demonstrates the battle of good vs. evil. It might even spark a seed in nonbelievers allowing Christ to grow. At the end of the book, Chuck Black offers his readers what the Bible specifically says about spiritual warfare. Chuck Black is an excellent author and has had great life experiences. He spent eight years in the Air Force traveling the world as a communications engineer and an F-16 fighter pilot. He is now the author of fifteen books. I would definitely recommend reading this book to all.