What We Are Thankful For – 2023 Edition

Colin McAllister and Joe Migliaccio

November 21, 2023

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Reflections on Gratitude

The MTHS student journalists compiled a list of what they are grateful for in honor of Thanksgiving this week. We hope all readers have a wonderful holiday.

What We Are Grateful For-2023 Edition

Laci Barbiero

Something I’m grateful for is my family. I’m not the easiest to get along with and can honestly be a pretty big handful sometimes, but for some reason they can still tolerate me at least a little bit everyday. So I’m grateful that they can look past the occasional moodiness and everything that comes with it and still treat me like a human being, not an angry gremlin.

Angie Buono

I'm grateful for my friends because everyday in school is easier with them. They always make me feel good, and if something goes wrong, it is a lesson for me to grow. But at the end of the day, I can rely on them and tell them everything.

Skye Colon

I'm grateful for my dad because he does everything for me and my sisters and makes sure we get what we need in life. Every morning before we leave for school and he goes to work we make sure we say I love you. My dad is a funny bipolar guy, he will forever be my best friend.

Grace Costello

I am grateful for my amazing family and friends, and my pets, because no matter what happens they will always be there for me. I have two amazing parents who stick by my side and support me.

Angelene Cruz

I am thankful for my friends and family, who have encouraged me through bad and good times. I am thankful for the ability to learn and try again. I am thankful for my teachers.

Emma Edwards

Something I am grateful for is my best friends because they bring so much joy and laughter into my life. They are always there to support me. Having the best friends I have makes my life more exciting and meaningful.

Lanna Eidell

There are a lot of things people can be grateful for but I am grateful for everything in my life. I receive a free education, with classes that help prepare me for college and is able to receive college credits. The teachers who show up five days a week and teaches difficult teenagers.For my family and friends, who always help brighten my day. My parents because some people aren’t as fortunate to receive a pair who strive to give you a better life and strive to create a better future for you.

Akeelah Elsammak

Something I am grateful for is Manchester Township High School. I am grateful for the wonderful teachers that work here that and made my high school experience a little bit smoother. MTHS is very unique compared to other schools and I am glad to be going here.

Marisiya Goins

In this season of thanks, I am thankful for my life! The fact I’m alive and healthy along with loving, supportive people. Waking up today, ready to experience new things and choosing to be happy makes me grateful.

Gavin Herr

I am grateful for my voice, my voice has gotten me so many opportunities and is one of my greatest attributes in my opinion. From announcing AYF games and powder puff to the afternoon announcements, my voice is something I’ve always found is very important to me. Ultimately, I don't think that I could live without it.

Gianna Hodapp

This Thanksgiving season is the time I think about who I am grateful for. With absolute certainty I would say I am grateful for my mom. She is my role model when it comes to everything and I love her so much. She has worked hard for everything we have and always goes the extra mile just for her kids. She is my favorite person and I don’t know if she knows how grateful I am for her. So during this time of year everyone should think about what they are grateful for even if it's something small. We should all be grateful for something.

Bella Hoffman

Life. Without life, there is no diversity. There is no humanity. There is no love, pain, creativity, light, darkness. With life comes the greatest thing. Even in all of the good and the bad, there is life. Even in death there is life. And it is something worth celebrating and being thankful for.

Travis Jackson

This time of year with Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, I always think of how grateful I am for my family and friends and all the memories we have made over the year. I am also thankful for our staff here at Manchester Township High School for caring about us students and making us feel welcome. I'm also thankful that my clothes can keep me warm.

Patience Jenkins

I am thankful for dogs. They are literally the best pets in the world, and no matter how many people they meet, they love all of them.

Emily Johnson

I am grateful for the opportunities and resources we are given in life. With so much going on in the world and our lives it is easy to overlook opportunities and openings in life. I am grateful for the possibilities I took on and the things I accomplished through those opportunities.

Maytte Lazo-Perez

I am grateful for my parents. All of the sacrifices and risks they made was for my sibling and I to get the education and opportunities given in this country. I wouldn’t be here today without my parents pushing me to do my best and be the person I want to be.

Colin McAllister

I am grateful for my family. My family is always there for me and is always my support system. Whether it be at home helping me with school or on the field helping me with baseball, my family is always there to help. I am also very grateful for my true friends. Especially my dear friend, Emma Grace Edwards.

Patrick McKay

I am grateful for the people that I am surrounded by including my family, friends, and teachers. My family does everything for me and they support me in everything I do whether that is athletically or academically they are always there for me and support me. My friends are the people that I love to spend my time with and no matter what, I always have fun with them. They are also people that support me and what I do, and I am so grateful for that .Teachers are also people that not only educate me, but push me to be the smartest and best person I can possibly be.

Joe Migliaccio

Today I am thankful for the Bills beating the Jets on Sunday 11/19/23 by a score of 32-6 and keeping our season alive. Josh Allen kept it to one interception so it was a good day. I am just thankful they beat a team we should beat.

Matthias Payton

I am grateful for my favorite person, Skye. Not only is Skye my girlfriend, but she is my best friend. Her beautiful, wide smile is the highlight of my day, she makes me so happy. I don't know where I would be without her and I make sure she knows how much she means to me. When I am feeling down or upset, her comfort makes everything better.

Lem Sorrentino

I am grateful for my cat. I have had her since around 2014 when she was a kitten. At the end of the day, she has always been there for me when no one else is. If I am upset or crying, it is like she knows and tries to find me. She makes me happier than anything in the world and I couldn’t ask for a better pet. She has so many traits that are extremely special to me, and I feel as if we are connected like soulmates. She has seen me at my best and my worst, and we have been through so much together. Every night she curls up right next to my head and I can sleep not feeling alone. I love my cat more than anything.

Kasai Pharmes

I’m grateful for the people around me who want me to prosper and only want what’s in my best interest. I give the most thanks to the man above all as he wakes me up every morning, giving me more advantages and opportunities to enjoy my life and freedom.

DJ Staples

I am grateful for my parents, as whenever I need help with something, they are usually there to help me. Also, if I ever need a ride somewhere, they will usually be able to drive me.

Manny Swain

I'm thankful for my dad. He does so much me and works very hard to provide for my family. He also supports me in everything i do.

Lina Taylor

I am grateful for the people around me. Most of them just listen. It’s nice to have others hear your words more than you hearing them yourself.

Bella Hurt

I am grateful for my mom because she does so much for my family. I wish everyone has a mom like mine.

Amarillys Jones

I am grateful for books. Few people can say “I love reading” or “Omg I love this character”. For me, it's more than that. Whenever I'm feeling in the dumps I pick up a comfort book. Whenever I want to feel smart I pick up a dark academic book. When I want something cheesy and something to make me easily cry, I pick up a romance book. There have also been many other genres that have helped me with my emotions and dark places. I'm grateful that I can find something that can help me in the long run with anything I need.

Riley McGuire

I'm thankful for friends and family as well as all the opportunities high school has given me, like meeting new people, all the sports teams. The activities like powder puff, banquets, pep rallys, volunteer field trips. And I'm also thankful for everyone I've met in sports, high school and travel.

Jake Perrone

I am most grateful for the family I have and what they have provided for me like a place where I can come home to. The meals my parents make. Also the things they buy me for school and other things.

Isabella Zaragoza

I am grateful for my family because they take care of me. They are the reason why I live in a nice place and have nice things as well. I feel like I could not survive without my family.

Alyssa Arias

I am grateful for my little brothers. Nothing could ever amount to how much joy those two give me. They never fail to bring a smile to my face and fill my day with love and laughter. Through thick and thin I will always be there for them.

Malik Bellomy

Something I am grateful for is my family. I am grateful for my family because they are always going to be there for me and they always have been there for me. My family is the most important thing in my life that is why I am grateful for them.

Aiden Clauburg

Something that I am grateful for are sports. One reason why I am grateful for sports is because it grants me an opportunity to play with my friends and people that I care about, and they can help build leadership qualities within an individual. A second reason why I am grateful for sports is because they serve as an escape from reality, and they make me forget about all of my problems that I may be dealing with. As a whole, sports can help with characteristic development in certain areas and they help shut out all personal problems that one may be going through.

Ariana Corales

I am grateful for my mother the most. I am grateful for her because even when else came and left, she was always there to help me overcome it and support me. She has gave me the most unconditional love and care a mother could and I couldn't be more thankful for her.

Olivia DeMartino

Something I’m grateful for would be my family and friends. Throughout the years I’ve always had someone I can talk to whether it be something that's bothering me or just to say something random. Even if I feel like there is no one to talk to, I have no one to talk to, deep down there is.

Joe Horowitz

I am grateful for my mom because she does everything for me. My mom takes care of me, makes me food, and gets me clothes. My mom is always there when I need her.

Josh Love

I'm thankful for my football team. They brought me a lot of happiness and joy. I enjoyed working with them to get better at our craft everyday. I'm thankful for them because without them none of my accomplishments would be possible.

Kylie Miller

I am grateful for my parents. My parents do a lot for me and are always there for me. I'm very lucky to have two parents that support me through everything.

Hannah Nguyen

I am grateful for life. I believe that life is beautiful and I try my hardest every single day to appreciate what Earth has to give. I make the best of things because time is going by and I want to be able to live life with no regrets.

Jaylyn Rugoff

Something I am grateful for is the many opportunities I have to succeed. What I mean is, in school specifically the teachers always help to make sure I pass or if I need the extra point. As well in work, my boss always gives me a reason to work more hours.

Kiara Davila

I am grateful for my grandfather because he was always there for me. He'd always pick me up at the bus stop when my parent couldn't and we'd play games together. These are memories I'll never forget, and I will remember him on Thanksgiving and every day.

Mikayla Gordon

I am grateful for my family's well being. There is a lot going on in the world that has caused many changes, but my family has remained a constant. Their continued health is something I am thankful for.

Dante Mortellite

I’m grateful for the opportunity to play high school sports. High school sports have taught me so many important life lessons and without sports I would be a lesser man. Plus, not everyone in the world gets the opportunity to play sports for their school, let alone go to school.

Isabella Condello

I am grateful for my mom because she is always there for me. She's fun to hang out with and I love spending time with her.

Sullivan Nolan

I am grateful for my friends. My friends are always there for me through thick and thin. They are there to cheer me up during my roughest times, whether they know what I’m going through or not. My friends never fail to make me laugh and smile.

Robert Wingler

Something I am thankful for honestly is my car. I have the ability to get to school on time, hang out with friends whenever I want, and even get to add new parts to it. Having a car has changed my life for the better, and I am extremely thankful for the privilege to drive every day.

Gerard D'Amico

I am grateful for my dad and everything he does for me and when makes sure I’m on the right track when he feels that I’m not

About the Contributors

Colin McAllister, Talon Co-Editor-in-Chief

Talon Co-Editor-in-Chief McAllister has been in the Communications and Journalism Program for three years and is a member of the Class of 2025. He is an avid fan of the New York Yankees and plays baseball for the high school.

Joe Migliaccio, Talon Co-Editor-in-Chief

Talon Co-Editor-in-Chief Joey Migliaccio has been in the Communications and Journalism Program for three years and is a member of the Class of 2024. He was inducted into the Manchester Township High School chapter of the Quill and Scroll International Honor Society for High School Journalists in November 2022. Joe writes about the New York Yankees and is excited to be Talon Co-Editor-in-Chief. Joe has excellent communication skills and knows how to make people laugh. He likes to watch baseball (especially the New York Yankees), play video games, and watch movies. Joe is also interested in history.

The Talon

What We Are Thankful For – 2023 Edition

The Talon