Refreshing Recipes

 

Cucumber sandwiches

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 pkg. Italian seasoning

Cucumber slices

Dill weed

Mix cream cheese, chopped up Dill weed, and Italian seasoning. Spread the cheese mix on a slice of white or wheat bread. Place two layers of thinly sliced cucumbers on top. Then cut into quarters. Makes 2-3 dozen.

Frozen Grapes

Place a pack of red seedless grapes in the freezer and you will have little sherbet bites in a couple hours.

Watermelon Blasters

3 cups cubed, seeded watermelon

1 1/2 cups strawberries

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup ice cubes

Sugar, to taste

Put watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, ice, and sugar if desired into the pitcher of a blender, and blend for 15 seconds on high speed. (Always put the top on the container before processing.) Stop machine, and stir ingredients with a long wooden spoon. Blend for 15 seconds more on high speed.

Fruit Flavored Popsicles

Popsicle molds, or any small cup

1 pkg. (3 oz.) Jello, any flavor

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. boiling water

2 c. cold water

1. Dissolve Jello and sugar in boiling wa­ter. Add cold water and keep stirring fre­quently.

2. Pour into the molds or small cups and freeze at least 8 hours. If your containers do not have handles, add sticks when the popsicles are partially frozen. Makes 8 or 9 large pops.

Zesty Summer Lemon Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, spices and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together shortening and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

3. Add in the lemon juice and zest. Gradu­ally blend in the dry ingredients. Spread batter evenly in the prepared baking pan.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly colored on top. Cool in pan on wire rack. May be drizzled with a simple confectioners’ sugar icing. Cut into large or small bars.

Money Makes the World Go ‘Round

 

According to USA Weekend.com, the teens of the 21^st century are by far the rich­est teenagers in history. In a survey done by Reuter News Agency, teenagers in the United States have an annual spending power of $176 billion. And teens are not known for their frugality. Adolescents have al­ways been stereo­typed as impulse buyers and wasteful spenders.

Since the eco­nomic downturn, however, there has been a shift in attitude. Teens have been sav­ing more. In a survey done by Seventeen Magazine and Bank of America, 65 per cent of teens reported changing their spending habits because of the economy. The survey also showed that 85 per cent of the girls were worried about the current state of the economy compared to 75 per cent of teen boys who showed concern.

Teen girls are still more likely to spend than save. In the same survey, 55 per cent of teen girls said they would spend a $100 birthday check while 45% would save the money for college. Only about one-third of the teens felt that they were in control of their finances.

Given these numbers, it is perhaps not surprising that there has also been an in­crease in teens’ interest to learn about fi­nance management. “While their parents still largely support them, teens are inter­ested in learning how to become more fi­nancially independent and make smarter decisions about money,” says Beverly Lad­ley, Customer Strategy Executive for Bank of America.

Presentation is responding to this trend with a number of courses, such as Economics, AP Macroeconomics and Women and Money. Econom­ics focuses on the basic principles of the economy with emphasis on the study of the American economy. This course also ties in the govern­ment’s role in the economy and pertinent socio-econom­ic issues that affect many peo­ple in the US. “This course defi­nitely has af­fected the way in which I will invest my mon­ey,” said junior Meghan Merwin. At one point dur­ing the class, Pres teachers came in and talked to the class about mistakes they have made fi­nancially. “It was a really great learning experi­ence,” said Merwin.

AP Macroeconomics gives an even more in-depth understanding of the econ­omy. This course focuses on economies around the world and how they are all interlinked. There is also an emphasis on the issues of inflation and unemployment. “This course definitely teaches you how to be careful with money,” said junior Teresa Mathew. “It gives you a really good under­standing about how the economy works.” Both Economics and AP Macro are useful for students interested in business or just wish to be able to have a better understand­ing of the world around them.

Women & Money is a semester-long class where girls learn all about those green slips of paper that kids think grow on trees. It covers all aspects of money and the important role it plays in our lives: from birth, school, jobs, mar­riage and divorce to death.

“With the state of the economy today, I’m thank­ful to be learn­ing skills that will help me later on in my life. I’m look­ing forward to learning how to balance my checkbook and set a budget that will allow me to get what I want and also what I need,” said senior Jaclyn Gioiosa.

In only one semester, Pres girls will learn how to open their first credit card ac­count, buy a car, register and buy insurance for that car, apply for a college loan, plan a college budget, buy or rent a home and many more essential life skills.

“I’m really enjoying this class,” junior Andrea Boales said. “I never realized how much money I spent! We totaled up our weekly expenses, and mine was a lot, and I don’t even have a job yet.”

Taking this course helps students to prepare for handling their future financial encounters and also helps them to save money.

Although it may seem like a tough class that requires one to have a knack for numbers and computers, this is not the case. In fact, it doesn’t matter what math class you’re in or if you didn’t do well in your Computer Applications class, because there are no prerequisites for enrolling in Women & Money. In addition, this class will fulfill your requirement for an extra semester of technology or art.

If you have any other questions about the class, talk to Ms. Newton.

 

 

 Having trouble saving up? Here are some helpful tips about keeping that pocket money in your pocket:

1. If you’re 16 or older, apply for a part-time job. Why not get a job at one of your favorite stores? You will always know when and where the sales are; also, some stores offer their employees “employee discounts.” If you love coffee and healthy fruit beverages, try asking the nearest Star­bucks or Jamba Juice if they’re hiring!

2. Understand the difference between “needs” and “wants.” There’s a huge dif­ference between the two: a need is some­thing you must have in order to survive, and a want is something you would like to have. Having a sudden urge for a vanilla latte from Starbucks is not a need; it’s a want. You will still be able to survive if you don’t have your daily afternoon latte.

3. Make your own lunch. It’s okay to buy Apollo’s tasty food from time to time, but you should also consider making your own lunch every now and then. You can buy bread, salad, meat, chips, and everything else you need to make a lunch for under $3 each! All those groceries will provide you with at least seven lunches.

4. Save your change. How? Here’s a good start: every time you spend money on something, keep the change and put it in a jar. That way, you’ll still be saving money, even if it’s just a little. If you already have some money, try opening a savings ac­count and depositing your money in there. That way, when you have a sudden urge to spend, you will have to take an extra step to get to your savings.

5. Think before you spend. If you pass by a store and see a cute purse on display, don’t buy it yet. Wait a week or so, and then come back. This will help you determine whether or not to spend your money. Maybe next week, you’ll see a better purchase or the price of the purse might have gone down.

6. Look around for money. You’ll be sur­prised how much change you have lying around in your car or in your jean pockets.

Stuck with Swine: Excused Absence?

Currently, a student is allowed to amass six absences for each class that she takes. After six, she is required to complete a makeup unit for that class. The oncoming threat of swine flu makes it obvious that it’s time to alter this rule.

Health experts are recommending that students stay home for at least a week in order to decrease the virus’ spread. In addition, Pres has mandated that a sick student is required to stay home until her fever is completely gone and she is 100 percent better.

That’s reasonable; after all, we don’t want to cause a major flu outbreak here.  But given how many students get sick every year, and given this new H1N1 pandemic, wouldn’t it be nice if our current absence policy could be tweaked to allow for sick students to recover without stressing out about having to do make-up units over the holidays?

There would, of course, need to be a doctor’s note in order to decipher between just skipping class and being genuinely sick. But clearly, reform of the current absentee policy is desperately needed.