Are you looking for great holiday cakes to make over the break? Here are a couple great dessert recipes to finish off your holiday table!

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake
You need:
½ cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
Another ¼ cup packed brown sugar in a different container
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
¾ cup pumpkin butter
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:
1 - Combine pecans and ¼ cup brown sugar; cut in butter or margarine with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
2 - Beat cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Add ⅓ cup brown sugar and beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pumpkin butter. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust.
3 - Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes.
4 - Take pie out of oven when it is done and sprinkle the pecan mixture over it. Bake for 5 additional minutes or at least until butter or margarine and sugar have melted. Cool on a wire rack. Cover, and chill for at least 4 hours.

If you have ever taken a test or even quiz, you have probably known or been someone who gets test anxiety. I myself also get test anxiety. Here are some tips to help you be a relaxed test taker.

1.Use a stress-ball
Stress-balls have been proven to work, because it prompts you to squeeze and release, which can you feel not as anxious as when you started

2. Have confidence!

3. Be prepared!
Make sure you ask your teacher about what materials you might need.

4. Choose a comfortable location for taking the test.
-If your teacher has a safe space, a pillow or even a sweatshirt you bring in to keep you warm and comfy.
-You could ask your teacher to go to the pod (team room) or just a corner of the room.

5. Allow yourself plenty of time.
Don’t fret about time, usually if you’re taking a big test and don’t finish, your teacher will give you extra time.​

6. Avoid thinking you need to cram just before.
-Obviously, you need to study before a test, just study gradually.
-One of my teachers has a morning tutoring option. Before my tests I usually go to her room and just ask her to guide me through the questions.

7. Try to have a relaxed state and keep your concentration.
-When you are taking a test don’t be scared to close your classroom door, in order to keep your room quiet.
-Also, remember that once you finish your test you can relax and have fun.

8 . Eat healthy throughout the day.
It has been proven that if you eat healthy on the day of a test, your brain needs energy food and you need to not be on a sugar high.

9. Get a good night's sleep.
This is one of the MOST important things you can do on a test day. Once you go to bed at 8 and wake up and get to school, you will have less time to worry about it.  

​These tips are guaranteed to help you lower your test anxiety and keep you calm and relaxed. Good luck! ​

Story by Margaret Derry

​Have you ever seen a 10 year old with a phone and you're blown away? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with a 10 year old having a phone but I personally don’t thinks it’s very safe or smart. You can’t determine a kids maturity just  by their age, but when you give a kid their first phone then you are giving them powerful communication. Basically what i’m trying to say is they have the world at their fingertips.

Let’s talk about cons to giving your kid a phone when they're very young. For some of these kids, they don’t even know how to use phones so when you give them their first phone they are going to explore everything. That might not be a good idea, so you might need to put parental restrictions on some stuff so they can’t explore to the great beyond!

Now the pros. You can easily contact your kids or family with a phone. They can call you during emergencies and stuff. Also. they can contact friends and have a very social life.

All and all, I think if you trust your kind enough go head get them a phone BUT if you're having doubts, then you should just wait some time. Trust yourself a little bit. 

Story by Lorya Harbison 

Studies have shown that if students play a musical instrument, it can increase their memory and their math skills. While many children may be in band and play an instrument, some academic work proves that playing the piano can actually help you as well. Piano has shown to help people take criticism better, handle stress easier, increase social participation, overall school performance, split concentration, and more.

The way people play music impacts our brain in a different way than just listening to it. When you're actually playing an instrument, the way your brain takes in the notes changes the way you may think. Due to all of the memorizing, it can aid you in practicing your counting. It exercises your brain without you even knowing it is.

Piano has also proven to help people with discipline issues. It can teach them how to find a calm place, and use their time to focus on something not only educational, but also something useful to them in the future. It can be a lifelong skill to play an instrument, and it allows people to find a way to deal with anything stressful going on. 

Story by Uma Daniel

Which AMS teacher do you have a lot in common with?
Take the Quiz to find out! 

​Leo - Turkey
Since you are a Leo, you are the natural born star, much like the turkey of the thanksgiving feast. You are loved by most and craved anytime of the year!

Sagittarius - Cranberry Sauce
Sagittarius. With your adventurous spirit and flavorful personality, you are the cranberry sauce of the meal. Just like cranberry sauce, you are sweet, with the perfect amount of sour when the time comes.

Gemini - Stuffing
Being a Gemini, you are the stuffing. Your perfect amount of bready deliciousness pairs well turkey, along with all other aspects of a thanksgiving feast. This comes thru in your personality seeing as you get along well with others. You are compatible and trustworthy makes you the ideal friend. (and the perfect pairing to a turkey.)
 
Aries - Sweet Potato Casserole
Your Aries personality creates a perfect parallel with the delicious side dish,  sweet potato casserole. You are upbeat which comes across in your sweet marshmallowy goodness. Your existing personality often causes others to follow in your footsteps.
 
Libra - Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie. The perfect ending to any thanksgiving meal. Your personality craves balance which is just what you get when you end a meal with a fresh pumpkin pie. (Not to mention, you're sweet as pumpkin pie).

Pisces - Gravy
Being a Pisces, you get along well with most everyone and find friends in the most unlikeliest of places. You are just like gravy, as it  pairs well with rolls, turkey, mashed potatoes, oh my!

Virgo- Rolls
Virgo, You personality appeals to ideals of practicality. You are hardworking, and often times takes things too literally. This is why you are the rolls at the thanksgiving feast. While not the centerpiece of the meal, it wouldn't be thanksgiving without you.

Capricorn  - Pecan Pie
Born under the Capricorn, you are the yummy and delicious pecan pie. While you aren't a classic of a thanksgiving meal,  that doesn't mean you aren't as special as the rest. Much like your determined personality, you are determined to be apart of Thanksgiving. Your ambitious flavor often times reflects on your ambitious personality.

Taurus - Mashed Potatoes
Everyone likes mashed potatoes with their sensible flavor, and their eye for beauty. The tradition of eating mashed potatoes at thanksgiving is one that's not going anywhere.
    
Cancer - Cinnamon Apples
Cancer, your shy and sweet personality is priceless. While cinnamon apples are shy like you (not a showing up at every thanksgiving table) They are sweet and yummy much like yourself.

Scorpio - Green Beans
While often times overlooked as the nasty dish your great aunt makes every year, they're secretly great. Just like a Scorpio. Often times overlooked as mean and reversed, you are secretly a kind whole hearted person who cares a lot and makes a one of a kind friend.

Aquarius - Mac N Cheese
Mysterious, free spirited and eccentric. Much like Mac N Cheese. You are not a classic dish at Thanksgiving, which reflects upon personality. Non traditional yet still delicious.
 
Story by Julianne Lally

In middle school finding healthy friendships is really important. This doesn’t necessarily mean being in a friend group or part of a certain group of people. Widen your variety and you might be surprised how many nice people that are out there that you wouldn’t normally think you would click with. Friend groups bother me because you feel that only certain belong, but when you have lots of different friends you won’t ever feel out of place or not included. If you let the friend group determine your choices friend wise, you aren't as free as you would be if you have individual friends.  

Qualities of a healthy friend would be someone who supports your good decisions and redirects your bad ones. They won't try and bring you down, but instead build you up. In the long run you can keep a friend for as long as you want if they're good people. If they're not positive people, you should find a way to space yourself away from them. The people you surround yourself with is what you become. So having healthy friendships will not just benefit you, but your future too because over time your can develop some life long friends who help shape you!

Story by Hazel Scully 

​1-Food always getting stuck in your teeth. 
Have you ever had that feeling when someone tells you you have food in your teeth, well that's how I feel everyday.
 
2- Braces getting caught on everything. 
One time I got my braces stuck on the carpet, my clothes, bed sheets, and much more.
 
3- Not being able to eat like, half of the candy and other foods you love. 
One time, I got my braces stuck in a blow pop. I can't eat the following things: skittles, caramel, starburst, popcorn, taffy, licorice, gummies, sugar gum, and any other chewy candies.

4- Wires getting caught in you mouth.
One time, at the orthodontist, they got a wire stuck in my lip, and sometimes wires just poke and scratch and torture your mouth.
 
5- Laying in the chair, looking at the orthodontist staring at you.  
Every time I go to orthodontist, I can see up his nose. 

Now, you might not take my advice but I have had braces for over year a now, and have lots of advice. I feel like everything that could have gone wrong went wrong for me, and I would say sometimes I am a little overdramatic with things. So, overall, it's not terrible, and there's not a lot to worry about, and in the end you will have an even prettier smile.