A gift of Poetry POEMS
Spring 2007
What I’m Gonna Do I’m gonna dig down deep I’m gonna end my day late I’m gonna skip over the sea
I’m gonna tell the world my opinion I’m gonna pray the bad times are over I’m gonna dance till the sun goes down I’m gonna sing till I have no breath I’m gonna rush towards the future
By Devon, 15
Recipe for Love Pie Ingredients: kisses, hugs, kindness, hearts, the color red, flowers, butterflies Directions: Mix together 2 cups of kisses with 1 heart. Add in 4 teaspoons of hugs. Stir for 2 hours. Pour in 1 cup of butterflies. Crumble up some daisies. Blend all of this with a spoon until smooth. Next add the color red. Put the mixture into a pie pan and cook. When it’s done, sprinkle with kindness.
Serve this Love Pie to all your friends! By Aletria, 14
God is Next to Me I lost my wedding ring My brown dog ran away My truck fell in a ditch Cockroaches are in my bed I cry til I can’t anymore I’m sinking in the quicksand I think my back is broke And my boots are all torn up My wife broke up with me I have to eat dog food They had to tow my truck And someone stole my horse
But I’m gonna make it God is next to me I will rise from the ashes God is next to me
By Luis, 9
My Name Map and mark Ants and acorns
Rabbit and run Yes and yell Joy and jump On and on These are the things that Make my heart spin.
By Mary Jo, 6
Too Much Stress Too much stress Hours and hours of bags of blood Always tired Loving nurses Always kind
Saving lives Saving me Energy again Miles to run IV’s Always mine
By Isha, 13
Hayrides and Horses Hayrides and horses Apples and apes Yogurt and yo yos Heaven and high-tops Airplanes and astronauts Yellow and yelling
These are the things That makes my heart Dance! By Haley, 8
Home Grew up in Ethiopia Playing soccer in the dirt Wearing plastic shoes And a white t-shirt Tricking up my friends When I kick that ball I pass it down the field Like it’s against the law I dribble and I kick The ball, it hits the pole Everybody yells my name And me, I take a roll I get off the ground The sky—it looks like rain
I kick it in the goal Hurray, I’ve won the game I miss my home so much I want to go back home
By Edris, 15
Princess Princess Fabulous I like to dress up in high Heels and necklaces and Skirts and hats. I want To wear diamond rings And bracelets and put a Crown on my head. I want To carry a purple purse.
I want to look fabulous! By Haylee, 4
Mi Vida Mi vida Oh yes My vida Mi vida es dura
Mi vida es bella It’s hard to be the oldest Changing diapers Making bottles It’s hard to be the oldest Chasing babies Cleaning house It’s hard but I still love it Laughing loudly Smiling, playing It’s hard but I still love it Tios, tias Abuelitos
By Alicia, 11
Who I Am Pink, polka dot nails Deep, chocolate eyes Bright, red cheeks Big, beautiful smile That’s me, Megan! Lovely, soft laugh Smart, mega mind Flexible, athletic body
Happy, healthy heart That’s me, Megan!
By Megan, 11
The Animal Poem Snakes that squiggle along the ground Turtles that move slowly Alligators that bite (Not me, I hope!)
Iguanas that move quickly Sharks that chew their meat Elephants with great big trunks
By Staise
I Wish I love my Red and white Bike with Streamers.
I pedal fast All around. I wish I Could ride it To my grandma’s House. I wish!
By Stephanie, 5
Supergirl Pets her dog Mikey Cleans her room Plays with her toys Loves vanilla cake Likes to color Loves the color pink Blows bubbles Listens to RBD Works puzzles
Is a princess! By Evelyn, 4
All About Me AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
Weird Interests I’ve been interested in infectious disease since I started watching the TV series House. It came on when I was hospitalized for B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It’s interesting that the human body can tolerate so much and then change when you’re sick. Whatever you have, there are symptoms and the body acts accordingly. I’ve read Bitten and A Woman with a Worm in Her Head. My nerd father introduced me to this kind of medical book. The first one I read was called Gifted Hands about a surgeon. Then I read When the Air Hits Your Brain and that had more humor. The more I read about surgery the more I realized I did not want to go into surgery. I also remember Fever, a book about the Yellow Fever outbreak. It’s historical fiction and prompted me to read The Coming Plague, which are short stories about everything from AIDS to Ebola. I’m kind of a paranoid person so I wouldn’t want to do surgery on someone. I am also too emotional.
I’ll either do oncology because I had cancer or infectious disease, because I’m interested in that field. I’d like to focus on research but I’m social so I want patient interaction, too. I find that people are so interesting, and when you see them in pain or at their worst, I’ve discovered that they can shine.
By Chloe
The Cover Ain’t the Book This year I’ve gotten really deep into music. My friends and I listen to hardcore, which a lot of parents call devil music. When my friends’ old band crashed, we decided to start our own. My friend plays guitar and my other friend plays drums. I sing vocals for the band. My voice is crackly today because we had practice yesterday and it involves a lot of screaming. I have to work my vocal chords because this is my first time as the band’s vocalist. We’ve already written about 6 songs. Most hardcore is about being negative and about hating. We’re trying to create more uplifting, inspirational music to raise people up when they’re down. I got the idea because at church the pastor’s
I prayed about it, and then came up with an idea to use music as a way to reach out to kids who don’t feel like they’re worth a hoot. son said he was concerned about my generation.
I’ve noticed that most parents think “emo” and “Goths” are just about hating. They stereotype all the kids who listen to this type of music because of the clothes we wear. They hate the names of the bands we listen to, like Dead Before Dark. But, there’s more to us. Lots of hardcore bands are straight edge, which means they don’t do drugs or alcohol and they save themselves for marriage. So, don’t judge a book by its cover. I understand that some hardcore music is bad and that the lyrics are negative but I use the music as way to reach kids who can’t be reached in other ways. Personally, I listen to the hardcore for its rhythm and its beat. I really hope my music will touch some of the kids who feel worthless and so far down. I want my music to be good enough to bring them back up.
By Corey
My Brother: A Warrior The annoying beeping of the heart rate monitor was becoming all too familiar. The cold hospital floor chilled the soles of my feet as I walked over to my brother’s bedside to make sure everything was alright. He muttered of a headache and asked for some Tylenol. I paged the reception desk, and after a few short beeps a voice came from the speaker. “Can I help you?” enthused the receptionist, with a very energetic tone of voice for three o’clock in the morning. “Yes, can you send the nurse in?” I asked. “Okay, sweetheart, I’ll let her know that you called —” CLICK! I made my way back to the couch where I had lain before Cody had interrupted my sleep and thought of how great life was before all of this had happened, before the tumor. Cody has been an extremely strong figure in my life. We always worked together through everything. Whenever either of us had a problem, we worked side by side to make sure that no one got hurt. I can remember one time in particular when mom was baking brownies in the kitchen. “Okay, you knock the lamp off of the table and start crying so that mom will come see what is wrong, and I’ll snatch us some dessert!” he whispered into my ear, pointing out exactly what he wanted me to do. Nothing could stop us! We were two of a kind, both spinning, like gears operating in unison. I never thought that anything could stop all the wonderful times. The room was dark, and the light from the outside gleamed through as the nurse opened the door. I was only able to make out the silhouette of the tall, slender shadow. By the time she reached my brother’s bed, my eyes had already adjusted to the light. The nurse was wearing an all-white lab coat with a stethoscope around her neck. “Cody, on a scale of one to ten, how bad does your head hurt?” she asked him. “About a five or six,” he murmured into his pillow. After the brain surgery and removal of the tumor, Cody could barely do anything on his own. The nurse and I had to help him sit up so that he could swallow without choking. Sitting up completely drained him of all his energy. I took the medicine into my hands and placed it onto his chapped lips. He grabbed the cup of water and swallowed the pills by himself. We softly laid him back down into the same crevice that his head had previously rested in before he sat up. The nurse left the room, and I continued to sit and think about what I could do to help. On the tenth floor of Texas Children’s Hospital I heard a car pass by every so often on the corner of Fannin and Holcombe. The sound overcame me with a strange feeling of sudden loneliness. I concluded that if I were in my brother’s position I would want someone with me at all times. After all, the hospital is a scary place. I decided that as long as he was in the hospital that I would not leave his side.
For three straight weeks, room 1023 was my home. I can still remember the nurses’ routine schedule. She would come in every hour to check his vitals, and every four to give him medicine. I didn’t get much sleep. The bothersome noises of sick children crying down the hall did not allow for an easy snooze. Every time Cody needed to use the restroom I would page the nurse, help him up, and walk him to the toilet. I ordered his meals, and even ate a couple with him. He needed me, but the more I stayed with him I realized I needed him just as much. As time went on, he slowly recovered. Cody impressed the doctors, but they still seemed worried that the fluid in the brain was not going to flow normally on its own. They scheduled another surgery in order to put in a shunt, a tube that goes under the skin from the brain to the stomach. This would help pump out the extra fluid built up in his brain. The surgery went well, and a week later Cody came home. Sadly, I wasn’t able to stay with Cody for the entire time he was in the hospital. School started three days before he came home, and I moved to Galveston to start my first year of college at Texas A&M. Leaving for school meant that I would be further away from my brother. The transition from constantly sitting by his bedside to visiting once a week for a few hours was devastating. I’m sure that Cody enjoyed seeing something different besides the hospital’s plain white walls. My family told me that when they opened the door to the house, there were dozens of balloons and flower arrangements waiting for him. I am now in my second week of school, and I still call to see how he is doing every day. I wish I could be there with him now more than ever. He has started radiation and chemotherapy in order to make sure that the cancer does not grow back. The once outgoing, fun, adventurous and loving fourteen-year-old-boy that I knew as my brother is now hidden inside a body that cannot even raise a left hand. I know in time everything will turn out fine, but seeing someone that you love in a condition such as this only brings pain. My brother is a warrior. He has endured more setbacks than anyone else
He is my hero, and I will always love him. I have learned how valuable time really is, and now I wish I’ve ever met.
I had spent more of it with him while he was well. Our lives are completely different now, but this experience will not be one that we regret. My family and I will remember this as a moment that changed us forever.
By Shane, 18
Before and After
Princess Nena
I was in training camp doing speed and agility drills. I wanted to be a wide receiver. The check-up was a surprise. I thought it was dehydration, but it turned out to be more. I had a brain tumor.
Victoria is two years old. She loves to shop and go to stores. She rides in the cart and points to things she likes. She also loves the color pink. She has lots of clothes that color, but she’s picky about what she wears. If we don’t let her sleep enough, she’s grouchy. She will cry and fuss and be mad with her mom. She’s smart.
Everything changed in a flash. I still have double vision. I have to have radiation and chemotherapy until November of 2007. Nothing is the same. People stare at me. I have no hair. I’m in a wheelchair. I want to play football again. I want to dive for the ball on the field, then run for a touchdown and score.
She already knows her colors and how to say her name, and she can speak Spanish and English.Victoria is the only child, so she’s spoiled! She looks up to her auntie Corina. When she dances, she tries to copy her. She also loves her uncles and gets very happy when she sees them. We hope she gets well soon and never has to come back to the hospital and grows up to be a good girl.
By Erica By Cody, 15
My Three Favorite Sports
12 Things About Me
I like baseball and flag football and basketball. The first time I ever played baseball was at the YMCA. I probably ran the wrong way around the bases. But I got better and learned the rules. When I was about eleven, my team was called the Astros. I played shortstop, and I always hit grounders. We were pretty good.
I recently lost twenty pounds by eating spinach and exercising. I have hemophilia and the toughest part about that is the in fusion every three days.
I played flag football at the YMCA, too. You have to grab the other team’s flags to score points. To be good at flag football you have to be able to run and catch. One time I caught the ball, but I didn’t know I was supposed to run so someone pulled my flag. Whenever I pulled someone’s flag, I rolled on the ground. One time a guy on the other team was running fast, but I caught up with him and grabbed his flag before he made a touchdown. I’ve never played on a basketball team, but I play with my brother and stepbrother at home. It’s fun. I like shooting. I’m good at
I love, love, love spinach. I can burp on command and fake pop my nose. I always wear a watch. I have social anxiety, but I don’t have stage fright. I got the “Most Dramatic Actor” award once. My cousin Ryan is a famous baseball player who plays for the Cincinnati Reds. One of my bad habits is biting my nails down to the cuticles. I died for twenty seconds once. It made me not take life for granted. I got lost temporarily off-slope at Whistler in Vancouver. I’m good at rollerblading and ice-skating.
hitting the net—swish!
By Riley, 12
By Carlos, 13
Futbol
I love sports because they keep me busy and they’re good exercise.
I started playing soccer in kindergarten. My dad bet me that if I scored three goals I could get a dog. I won the bet. I named my new dog Chico and I still have him. I played for a little over a year but then I got leukemia. The medications made me weak so I couldn’t play. At the end of second grade it went away. I started feeling stronger and played a little bit. I had to start from the bottom up learning to play again. I really like to watch matches. One of the best I’ve seen was between Mexico and Jamaica. I was rooting for Mexico and they won. I also saw Guatemala and South Africa play and they tied. One player I admire is Ronaldinho who plays for Brazil. He’s one of the best in the world.
By Luis, 14
Dream Come True The Game of Football I like football because my daddy played. He taught me how to catch and throw. I know how to tackle and kick, too. I remember once when I was playing football my big brother tackled me and hurt me. We had to go to the doctor and I asked,
“Can I play football on the PlayStation? And the doctor said, “Yes.” When I was better, I went outside to play real football again. When my big brother got the ball, I tackled him as hard as I could. After that, I won the football game. He got mad and cried.
“Have you ever made a wish?” I said, “No.” One day the doctor asked me,
So the doctor put me on the list for Make A Wish. About two months later they called my dad to say I was next on the list. I came to the hospital for an appointment and they called me and took me to the lab. The Make A Wish lady was there and I was so happy. She asked me, “What is your dream?” And I said I wanted to go to Walt Disney World. Then they gave me tickets for my dad, my mom, my two brothers, and me. When we went there, we had so much fun. I loved the castle and Epcot and Universal Studios. I want to thank everyone for making my wish come true. I hope that other families who haven’t been anywhere yet will ask Make A Wish for a dream, too.
By Melissa, 12
By Hennessy, 9
My Journey
Hotel Pools I like swimming in hotel swimming pools. I love the hot tubs. If I stay in too long, I get dizzy and my hands get wrinkly. After the hot tub, I jump in the pool to cool off.
I can do
flips underwater. My sister splashes me and I splash her back. Then I get out to dry off. If I’m outside, I put lotion all over me, and I relax in the sun. I think my papa taught me how to swim in a hotel pool on vacation once. I like swimming there better than outside because there are no snakes.
By Carmen, 8
I attend South Houston High School in Pasadena where I’m a sophomore. I’m taking my basic classes in pre-AP. That means pre-advanced placement, and they prepare me for college. The hardest subject for me right now is Algebra II. It’s difficult because the problems require lots of steps. The teacher guides us down the right path, but he lets us make our own mistakes. My favorite class right now is Health Science Technology. It’s a medical class, which
I think I’d like to be a pediatrician and help sick kids. I was interested in medicine before I got sick I enjoy because I want to work in the medical field.
but getting sick really motivated me. It’s been a year since I was diagnosed. One of the most challenging parts is the blood test. I hope one day I’ll be well and get the chance to work here.
By Nelly, 16
My Melody Baseball and Hunting Just about everyone in my family plays baseball—my dad, my brother, my sisters…I’ve been playing all my life too.
Even as a kid, I’d run around with a ball in the house. Some of my earliest memories of baseball are getting hit in the eye and playing until I was exhausted. Right now I play for Grant High School. I play second base and pitch sometimes.
I listen to music 24/7. I have an MP3 player and it’s always next to me. I download songs by artist on Livewire like Danity Kane, Beyonce, and Christina Milian. Sometimes I listen to music at night when I’m trying to fall asleep. When I’m in a good mood or at a party, I like
I don’t just listen to music. I make it. I’ve been in the
to listen to music too.
choir for four years. I’m a first soprano. This year I sing for my high school choir. I had to try out at the beginning of the year. I had to sing the scales for one of the choir directors. I wasn’t very nervous because I’d been in a good middle school choir. One of my goals in life is to get a music scholarship for college. Music right now is my life.
By Shayla, 14 I also do a lot of fishing in ponds, rivers, and lakes with my brother and cousins. When I was eleven years old I caught a nine and a half inch bass in a pond behind our hunting camp. I also like to hunt deer, ducks, and squirrel. I go deer hunting with my dad, brother, and cousin. I go duck hunting with my brother and squirrel hunting with my brother and cousin. Once I killed a nine-point buck when I was nine years old. I hunt with bow and arrows, 243 rifle, and a twelve-gauge shotgun.
By John Michael, 14
My Football Season This year I played football for a team called The Saints. We were good. We even made it to the playoffs. I was a wide receiver, which means I had to run fast and catch. I was not able to finish the season because I fractured my rib. I was at practice. I caught the ball and then someone hit me from behind. His facemask hit my ribs. I didn’t know they were broken, but they kept hurting so much. I went to the doctor and they did an x-ray. It was broken. At the end of the season there was a party and we all got trophies. What a season.
By Isaac, 11
Life as an Actor Strange Puppies My name is Madison Lynn, and I live in a town called Sour Lake near Beaumont, Texas. I live with my mom and NeNe and Paw. We have two dogs Lil Bit and Bruiser. They eat funny things! Bruiser likes to eat coffee and yogurt and anything that fits in his mouth. Lil Bit likes ice cream and yogurt and apples and green beans (she’s pickier). My NeNe says they are her
I say they are spoiled rotten! But we all love them.
Since I was two or three, I’ve been acting and doing commercials. A lot of my early work was done in L.A., where I used to live. I moved to Houston a few years ago. You might be familiar with my work here through my performance as Chip in Beauty and the Beast performed at the Hobby Center. I’ve always been interested in singing, dancing, and acting. I think it’s work, but it’s fun too. I like observing the different ways that people write plays and also experimenting with diverse ways to perform a role.
babies.
By Madison, 6
Dodging Balls for Fun I love dodge ball because it’s cool and I can play it with my friends. I remember playing it for the first time on a Saturday. We used a trampoline. I got on the trampoline and jumped and dived and bounced while my friends pounded me with balls. I didn’t get hit! It was a lot of fun trying to dodge all the flying balls. I like practicing this game with my friend Miguel. Today I was sick so I couldn’t go to school. I stayed home and played dodge ball until I had to come to the hospital. If I feel okay and get a good report I want to play again when I get home.
By Efrain, 15
One of my most embarrassing moments as an actor was in New York with Sage Door Manor. We were rehearsing Into the Woods and I missed my cue because there was some loud music on next door. I had to apologize to the director who had them turn down the music. One of my most memorable moments was the very last curtain call for Beauty and the Beast. I felt like I had really achieved something amazing. One surprising thing that some people don’t know about theater is the billion people backstage that make it possible. There are people whose only job is to pull ropes or make wigs.
In the future I’d love to be on Broadway. To get there you need to work hard and do your best. I’d love to be in Putnam County Spelling Bee— that would be so cool.
By Zachary, 11
My Favorite Sport My whole family likes soccer. My dad plays, but it’ll be his last year. I’ve been playing ever since I saw a soccer ball. I like it
I like offense the best because it’s when you score goals. Everything’s happened to me playing soccer—I’ve
because it’s a sport where you run a lot.
gotten hit in the head, sprained my ankle, made a lot of goals, lost by a lot of goals, and tied. I like going to professional soccer games. When I have the money, I go. The first time I saw the Houston Dynamos, I was so excited, but they lost. My favorite team is Club America from Mexico. I never miss a game!
By Edward, 14
My Dream I started playing football when I was about seven years old. I played with my older brother. He taught me how to catch the ball while running backward and to throw it. I like football because you have to run and it’s good exercise. Sometimes I watch it on TV. One of my favorite teams is the Houston Texans. I like their offense. I want to play football for my school and someday go to UT where the Longhorns play. I try to practice with friends and get better. When I miss something, I re-do it. At school the coach has me play running back during recess. I like that. You have to be fast. I also like playing wide receiver.
I think football is fun, and I dream I’ll play it at UT someday. You have to be good at handling the ball.
By Jesus, 11
On the Field I’ve been playing football for about one year. I like it because you can hit and tackle people. You can’t do those things off field or you get in trouble! I was on a team called the Buccaneers.
I played offense, wide receiver. It’s a pretty hard position to play. The only game we won was the first one. The coach said a lot of stuff when we lost, which was all the time. We had cheerleaders and one of the girls was in my class. I can’t play football right now, but I watch it on TV. I like college football. The UT Longhorns are my favorite team. Last year they won the Rose Bowl with Vince Young. Someday I’ll be back on the field too.
By Nathaniel, 12
My Little Sister I come from a family with five girls. I’m the third. The littlest one is Victoria, and she’s four months old. It was exciting when she was born. She would cry a lot and wouldn’t let my mom go to sleep. We had to change her diapers so many times a day and we had to make her bottles. She has big eyes and black hair. She likes to take naps and suck on a pacifier. Sometimes my mom gives her cookies to lick. She also eats Gerber oatmeal. My mom feeds her because she’s scared I might give her too much. She likes when we bounce her. I like my little sister, but I don’t want anymore.
By Emily, 9
Babies are a lot of work.
My Dog, Montana Untitled I like playing T-ball because I won the championship. In the last game we played the Red Sox. I hit the ball over the base and I ran and no one got me out. I was the last player and our
It was a fun day but practices are long. My dad says I have to play softball next year.
My dog chases me wherever I go. She is a big, black lab that is the same age as me! I put her on her leash and hook it
I love on her and feed her puppy treats. on my Barbie Jeep to take her for a walk.
She loves me and protects me from strangers. Sometimes she is bad and takes Daddy’s shoes out into the grass. She digs in the flowerbeds and my mommy gives her a spanking. She barks at night. We lover her very much!
team won.
By Courtney, 5
By Logan, 6
Our Family The two oldest of us were born in Pakistan, but the two youngest sisters were born in Houston. Sometimes we miss the foods we used to eat in Pakistan—tikka biryani, a rice dish, and haleem, a gravy, and mango lassi, and roof afza. We also miss our cousins, our grandparents Dada and Dadi, and our friends.
We remember that all the houses were made of brick and we lived by the sea. It barely ever rains there. When it rains, everyone is happy! We are Muslim and we celebrate Eid. We pray and give gifts. Sometimes we miss the country where we were born.
By Ghaffar, Shagufta, Sarah, and Kelly
My Hobby I started reading a lot in fourth grade. I remember the Goosebumps series. They’re mysteries. I still like to read mysteries, like Vampire Breath. It’s about a boy and a girl who go in a basement and see a coffin with a bottle that has yellow smoke coming out of it. It’s vampire breath and underneath there’s a vampire who is pale and has been laying there for 800 years. This story didn’t scare me.
I like the thrill of mysteries. The one that I’m reading now is called Lord of the Shadows by Darren Shan. Sometimes I’ll read for eight hours and only take breaks for lunch and dinner.
By Jessenia, 13
Musical Inspiration
Three Things about Me
I remember the first time I ever saw a clarinet. It was at my friend Margaret’s house. She’s about a year older than me and she plays in the symphonic band at school and all-region band. My brother Geoffrey also used to play. These two were my inspirations. The first time I ever played was at a try-out where I played two different instruments, the saxophone and clarinet. I did really well with the clarinet and I’ve been playing it ever since. The hardest part about the clarinet is not squeaking. Also, if you play awhile, your jaw gets tired. This Thursday I’ll be in a Christmas concert
I have a goofy dog named Maggie. She’s a golden retriever and we’ve had her about one year. We got her when she was a puppy. Maggie likes to sneak onto the furniture and hide under the blankets and eat your socks and open your Christmas presents. She’s mischievous. She weighs more than me.
I’m first chair. To be first chair you have to take a test. You have to play a line out loud in front of everyone. Usually, I’m not nervous with the school band.
I play baseball and my favorite position is second base because there’s a lot of action. I remember one coach who is really mean and all the kids try to hit the ball in his direction.
I think baseball is a family thing. My dad plays and my family comes to all my games.My favorite team is the Atlanta Braves.
unless I have a bad reed or I didn’t practice. This Thursday we’re playing “Jingle, Jolly Christmas” and “Up on the Housetop.” I think I’ll continue with clarinet for a long time because I love music.
I like watching Japanese “anime” cartoons. My cousin got me into it. I like the show Naruto. It’s kinda a Ninja Academy where they train fighters. They have certain villages that they come from and they wear headbands to symbolize their village. I like it because of the action comedy.
By Emily, 12
By Shane, 10
No Limit and Beyond The first time I did cheerleading I was in kindergarten but then I stopped and didn’t start again until seventh grade. The squad I first started with was called No Limit. It was small at first and we practiced at a gym. The practices were physically demanding. We had to really stretch our muscles. After awhile they got easier, but they also got more frequent. As we neared competition we would practice as much as five times a week. It’s a lot of fun at competition. As you’re waiting backstage you feel nervous and hope you don’t mess up. Once you get out there, you just focus.
We do stunts, builds, dances, cheers and jumps. Each routine has to have a variety of these skills and they last about two and a half minutes. I was on the No Limit team until the end of eighth grade. Then I tried out for high school cheerleading. They have three squads at my school — Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshman. They decided not to have Junior Varsity so it was more competitive. I made the team one month before I got sick. I was surprised and happy to make the team. I’ve gotten to cheer at some of the games. It’s been a tough part of my illness—not cheering. I hope I’ll make it again next year.
By Nicole, 14
Once upon a time SHORT STORIES
Woofy the Cat Once upon a time there was a kitty named Woofy. It was orange and its fur was soft and it had a magic power. It could do anything! One day some men kidnapped Woofy. They stole her to give her to a boy who wanted a cat. At first Woofy was scared. She arched her back and hissed. But then she started to like the boy. She purred. At night she always missed her old home. She meowed a lot and felt sad. One night she decided to become invisible and run away
She could run a billion miles a minute with her special powers. When she got home, she saw all her brothers back home.
and sisters. Best of all, she saw her mom Vanilla and her dad Garfield. She cuddled with Garfield, Jr., Bob, Vanilla the Second, and Fiona, her brothers and sisters. After that, she lived happily ever after with her family, her tuna, and two kinds of every toy.
By Randal, 5 and Brianna,
Untitled
A long time ago there was a dinosaur named Louis. He liked to play Ring Around the Tree and soccer with a rock. One day he hit his head on the tree when he was playing and he got a headache. He had to go to the doctor and the doctor cut open his head. Louis was sad. He cried big tears. His mama had to take him back to Houston and he had to stay in bed to get better and he couldn’t play with his dino friends. Finally, he got better, again. He ran outside to play, but he hit his head again so he had to go back to the hospital. The doctor said, “You busted your head open.” He put a Band-Aid on it. Then the doctor told Louis, “You be careful.” But Louis wasn’t careful. He split his head open again! The doctor said, “This is the end of this.” Then Louis went home with his mama and this time he was careful. He played with all his friends and never went back to the hospital again.
By Alicia, 5
Dear Santa, Dear Santa, Could you bring Irene de la Luz Martinez make-up from The Princess and a Princess computer? Also, would you bring my sister, Linda, a Barbie computer and make up from The Princes. Lisa wants skates because she likes to play outside. Javier wants lots of colors. He’s the littlest. That’s my whole family. Please bring my mom a computer and my dad a radio. They would like those things.
Thanks to Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Kiwanis Foundation of Houston LGR Foundation Community Fund No.1
My whole family has been good, except for one.
The Search Foundation
Love, Irene (7 years old)
Clarence Westbury Foundation Valero Energy Foundation/ Valero Houston Refinery
is published three times a year by The Periwinkle Foundation, Writers in the Schools (WITS), and the many talented young writers at the Texas Children’s Cancer Center. The Periwinkle Foundation changes the lives of more than 3,500 children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses each year. Children, ages 3 to 21 heal emotionally through the Periwinkle camping, art, and creative writing programs. For more information,visit the following websites: www.periwinklefoundation.org www.writersintheschools.org www.texaschildrenshospital.org