The last week of April was a busy time–juniors took the ACT, sophomores and freshmen took the ACT Aspire tests. This week also was Happy’s annual Kindness Week.

HAPPY is a club at the high school that promotes anti-bullying, good relationships, suicide and other topics. They bring in the guest speaker at the beginning of the year. The big activity they plan every year is Kindness Week. This year’s Kindness Week took place Monday April, 27 through Friday May 1. HAPPY has been planning this event since February.

Wednesday was “Chain Reaction Day” and RESPECT training. The chain reaction involved necklaces that encouraged the students to do or say something kind. Students then passed the beads to someone else throughout the day. The club also had Missy McClain, who is the RESPECT Coordinator from Akron Children’s Hospital, speak during the lunch periods. Her topic for the day was “Happily Ever After…5 Keys to a Healthy Relationships.” Teachers could bring their classes or send study hall students during the periods to the library and hear the presentation.

April 27 through May 1 is Kindness Week sponsored by HAPPY at the high school this year. The students and staff are celebrating in many different ways, including yoga and therapy dogs.

On Mon., April 27, there was yoga in the library during periods one through four. Mrs. Macali, a retired teacher from the high school, came and showed students the basics of yoga. Macali went through many different poses and exercises commonly performed in yoga, including the warrior pose and downward dog.

Overall, the morning yoga went well. This was the first year of yoga during Kindness Week, and the high school will now have yoga available every Kindness Week from here-on out. Next year, there is even the chance of the yoga going on all day instead of just in the morning because of the positive feedback.

“Mrs. Macali is awesome,” Sally Dean, the staff member in charge of Kindness Week this year, said.

Also on Monday, the high school hosted therapy dogs in the morning during periods five through nine. All the dogs are certified through a group called Therapy Dog International, and all the handlers who brought them in are volunteers. The woman who brought the dogs in, Ruth Drew, is a retired Stow teacher.

This is the second year in a row where the therapy dogs have graced the high school with their presence, and it was a hit yet again. Students have responded well to the therapy dogs and there was an overwhelming amount of happiness in the library that day.

“Later in the day [after the therapy dogs left], the kids were still smiling and happy,” Dean said.

On Tuesday, April 28, students of the high school wore blue. Blue is the color that symbolizes anti-bullying, and the students wanted to show their support. There was not a big activity scheduled for Tuesday because of the ACT tests and practice tests students were required to take this day.

Numerous students wore blue on Tuesday to show they care about bullying, and they know it is wrong. Bullying is a huge problem that students should not have to worry about. Wearing blue signified that bullying should be stopped, and kindness should be shown.

Many students participated in the multitude of activities available to them and kindness was spread throughout the halls of the high school.

Earth Day is an annually celebrated event all around the globe on April 22. This day is designated to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

The holiday was first held in 1970 and has grown into something much more formidable than before as it is now organized by the Earth Day Network which plans and organizes special events for April 22 and even the week it is in called “Earth Week.” Some countries celebrate “Earth Week” and dedicate the full week of April 22 to environmental events.

The holiday was inspired by Gaylord Nelson after the Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969 and witnessing the horrors it did on the ocean life in California.

“Earth Day is the first holy day which transcends all national borders, yet preserves all geographical integrities, spans mountains and oceans and time belts, and yet brings people all over the world into one resonating accord, is devoted to the preservation of the harmony in nature and yet draws upon the triumphs of technology, the measurement of time, and instantaneous communication through space,” said Kurt Waldheim.

Earth Day is meant for people of all differences to come together for one common interest that we all have: our Earth.

Numerous retailers have provided sales and deals online for customers to celebrate the holidays. The Google team has come up with something to satisfy all the age groups: a quick quiz for web surfers to take to discover what animal they would be. Simply search Earth Day quiz into a web browser and discover the animal.

With so many scientists and people in fear of our Earth’s safety, this holiday has grown greatly over the years.

Thousands of colleges and universities organize protests against the deterioration of the environment including groups fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife. The groups suddenly realized they shared common values with the creation of this holiday. Protesting has formed a bond between organizations and protestors around the world because of one common interest: saving our Earth.

Two years have passed since the tragedy on Boston soil took place. The people of Boston fell silent as bells rang dolefully for those who were killed and injured in the Boston Marathon two years ago.

The Boston Marathon began in 1897 to promote a healthy lifestyle through running and has occurred every year since then. However, on April 15, 2013, the marathon changed forever.

Running to the finish line, participants and onlookers faced a sudden change in scenery. Two bombs exploding in succession of the other put the marathon on halt and left many devastated. Four people were killed, and 254 were severely injured. The injured found themselves paralyzed and/or without a limb.

Recently, the pursuer of the explosion, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was found guilty on 32 counts. Tsarnaev faced charges in regards to using weapons of mass destruction, bombing a public place and conspiracy, according to CNN.com.

Tsarnaev was responsible for the death of Krystle Campbell, Martin Richard, Lingzi Lu and Sean Collier. Currently, there is a large chance of Tsarnaev receiving the death penalty for his crimes.

However, Tsarnaev was not in the back of Boston’s people as they mourned and celebrated the lives lost and those paralyzed forever.

Martin, 8­, watching the race near the finish line, was the youngest victim of the bombings.

According to CNN.com, Martin was apart of a Peace Walk organized at his school where his classmates and himself paraded around holding signs supporting the end of violence.

Tragically, Martin and his family were victims of the bombings and are only some of the many people remembered from the explosion.

Martin’s father, Bill Richard, spoke to the Boston Globe regarding the death of his son being public.

“It’s unfortunate Martin didn’t die in a car accident on a random night. Martin died at the Boston Marathon. The marathon is going to happen every year, and it’s going to be public whether we like it or not,” Richard said.

Marathon runners remembered and supported many fatalities and injuries by joining together. According to Today.com, those tracking the run via smart phone or watch could see the path of the run spelled Boston. 

The mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh, and the governor, Charlie Baker, revealed commemorative banners at the site of the bombings. According to NBCNews.com, the anniversary of the tragedy will now be called One Boston Day, a day of random acts of kindness.

Walsh said, “[One Boston Day] is a day for us to really, truly rally around the city of Boston and continue the great tradition of this city in the aftermath of the marathon bombing­­how Boston came together at one community.”