Harbor Lights 2016

HARBOR LIGHTS A CELEBRATION OF THE LITERARY & VISUAL ARTS of HARBOR DAY SCHOOL

2015 - 2016

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OUR MISSION Harbor Day School provides an academically challenging, well-balanced education in a nurturing, family-centered environment. Our traditional, yet innovative, curriculum develops eager, confident learners who think creatively and work collaboratively. Developing self-reliance, building strong moral character, and encouraging social responsibility are hallmarks of a Harbor Day education.

Head of School Angi Evans (‘75) Director of Communications Noelle Becker Editor Melissa Mullane Associate Editors Chatom Arkin Noelle Becker Amy Herring Susan Johnson (‘88) Marilou McCarty Meggen Stockstill Lynette Vieira Art Directors Leslie Yagar Stacey Hammond Photography Kate Houlihan Photography Design and Printing Smile Design, Inc.

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On the cover Lily Britt | 5th grade

Ms. Hogan’s

KINDERGARTEN

Cooper Piercey | Kindergarten

Slide

Football

Shoes

by Capri Cuneo

by Austin Cohen

by Lyla Fischbein

Swirly worm.

Makes me high.

Wee! Swiggles fast.

A big giant worm.

Wee! I am flying.

I land.

That was fun.

I want to go again.

I am happy.

Football, football.

Spin, spin too high up in the air.

Fast as a snowball Spin, spin.

Come down.

Drop.

I score a touchdown.

I jump up and down.

I am happy.

Stomp, stomp, Run with me.

I get worn.

I am a black shadow on your feet.

I have pink laces. tied in a bow.

I go on vacations.

I get dirty.

I get tied a lot of the time.

I keep your feet warm.

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Ms. Hogan’s

KINDERGARTEN

Addison Stern | Kindergarten

Tiger

by Declan Callaghan A tiger, striped, orange and black, ferocious.

Do not get near.

I’m warning you.

Roar goes the tiger!

Chomp, chomp.

Run! Run, run as fast as you can.

Go, go, go!

Just go, go!

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Scared

by Milan Rofougaran I can’t see, Bumping into things.

What should I do?

What should I do?

Tripping off the stairs.

Bumping my head.

Falling to the ground.

What should I do?

What should I do?

I am lost.

I can’t find my parents.

I look everywhere.

I start crying.

I feel scared.

What should I do?

What should I do?

Cupcakes

by Kamilah Cavner I am in a brown wrapper sitting in a display.

Buy me!

I am chocolate.

My frosting is yummy.

I have rainbow sprinkles.

I will make you feel happy because it is somebody’s birthday.

Basketball

by Danny Angeloff Orange Bumpy I dash down the court like Bugs Bunny.

Bounce, bounce, bounce.

Throw me into the basket.

Shoot me into the hoop like a tall tower.

Bounce, bounce, bounce.

Sad

#8

by Cooper Kelly

by Presley James

Sad. It feels bad.

Crying, Lost.

It feels bad.

Panthers and lions and tigers and time outs and being alone.

I do not like it.

It feels bad.

I’m 8.

I’m sometimes on a paper.

I’m a number.

You can count me.

I come after 7.

Don’t mind me.

I’m just 8.

Just kidding.

I’m a snake.

Ssssssss!

Excited

by Finn Hoover

When the Easter Bunny comes and hides eggs, smiling.

When Santa comes, smiling.

When my brother makes silly noises, smiling.

When my mom gives me hugs and kisses, smiling.

When my dad takes me to get chocolate ice cream, smiling.

Hudson Stern | Kindergarten

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Ms. Hogan’s

KINDERGARTEN Hungry

by Blake Fraley My tummy rumbles and it starts rumbling louder.

What is my belly doing?

My salmon, buttery and hot.

My french fries, crispy.

My fish tacos, Hot as fire.

My tummy rumbles as loud as a volcano.

Hungry.

Danny Angeloff | Kindergarten Capri Cuneo | Kindergarten

Crayon

by Emma Harrison Crayon, oh crayon, bring light to my picture.

Crayon, oh crayon, make the sun shine brightly.

Crayon, oh crayon, make the trees with leaves.

Crayon, oh crayon, make a rainbow with all your colors.

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Star

Frustrated

by Ella Olsen

by Taylor Peters

I am in the sky.

I am bright like the sun.

Twinkling in the night, but you might be going in the wrong way to see me because I am in the sky at night.

So look up!

Finding a ball at recess.

My cat scratching me.

My dad not letting me play my video games.

My brother getting mad at me.

Roar!

I am mad.

Marble

My Dog Abby

Bubbles Inside a round ice cube, A rainbow ball that rolls, Rolls and rolls.

The colors change while it spins and twirls.

It looks like it is raining inside.

Sandy fur, Cold nose.

Wags her tail, Abby

by Kiana Sadri

by Hill Smith

Sleeps a lot.

Sticks her tongue out.

Likes long walks, Abby

Ella Olsen | Kindergarten

Barks at dogs and cats.

Chases her tail.

Gives me kisses, Abby

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Ms. Hogan’s

KINDERGARTEN Sneaking

by Maggie Kirkowski I like sneaking as quiet as I can.

My feet make a little sound, a little squeak.

I get up on my tippy toes.

I drag my feet. and it stays quiet again.

Monkey Bars

by Gabrielle Landy Monkey bars so high in the sky.

You look like a rickety bridge.

I want to walk on the monkey bars.

Where do you lead me?

To a castle, A princess, A queen, A king?

Monkey bars so high in the sky.

Excited

by Lily Mahoney My birthday party, I play games with my cousins.

I smile with my hands up.

I open my presents.

I eat my cake.

It tastes so good.

I lick the frosting.

Tastes like cotton candy.

I smile.

Presley James | Kindergarten 8

Silly

by Stella Miller My cat pops my balloons.

Meow, meow.

He makes me laugh.

He likes to jump on the counter and explore.

Orange like a tiger.

Meow, meow.

He makes me laugh.

My Hamster

by Nicholas Sokolowski

Pit, pat goes the wheel.

Quiet on the ground.

Pit, pat goes the ball inside.

Dig a hole in the ground.

Hide under the brown stuff.

Comfy in the ground.

My light tan fluffy hamster.

Sleep, Sleep.

Sloane Williams | Kindergarten

Golf

by Hudson Stern

Golf makes me happy.

A white light, the ball flies The ball goes up, up, up, gliding.

The ball falls and falls and falls and lands on the green close to the hole.

Frankie Stiefel | Kindergarten 9

Ms. Lange’s

KINDERGARTEN The Swamp

by Jake Sokolowski Frogs ribbit Flies buzz Frogs jump To a lily pad On another lily pad Bees sting And bugs find food Flies fly And fly And fly Until they find food Buzzzzz!

The Voice

Compass

Adjust your voice La La La Go on stage La La La Get your costume La La La Rehearse It’s show time La La La I am ready Oh yeah!

Turn it Click Click Find something Go somewhere Follow the arrow Go East Go West Go North Go South I am lost in the forest.

My compass will help me!

by Makenna Eckenweiler

by Max McCollough

Chocolate

by Michael West

The Beach

by Aleah Berengian Waves that are BIG! Swim fast Or you will get lost in the waves that twirl and toss Splash!

You will start to cry You won’t find land Swept up away Out in the sea Try to find someone Swim fast Found land Found my mom and dad Splash!

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Yum, Yum! Chocolate ice cream Yum, Yum! Chocolate sprinkles Yum, Yum! Chocolate chip cookies Yum, Yum! Chocolate cupcakes Buuuurp!

Excuse Me!

Balloons

by Ella Nami When you poke something sharp in me then I will POP, POP, POP! If you poke a needle in me then I will POP, POP, POP! If you poke a cactus in me then I will POP, POP, POP! Don’t let go of me!

I might fly away.

There are so many of me at the party.

I am many bright colors, Which one am I? I am pink.

I am a balloon.

POP, POP, POP!

Sports

The Rain

Feelings

by Ty Camaras

by Molly Tiwari

by Oliver Harrison

Dribble, Dribble Bounce the ball Boom, Boom Go the feet Clap, Clap Goes the audience On the court They make a basket Yay! 3 points!

Splish, Splash The rain is coming Go inside Get an umbrella Get your boots Get your jacket Now you are ready To go outside Splish, Splash Splish, Splash The rain is coming

When I am happy, I jump up and down.

When I am scared, I shiver.

When I am sad, I make a gloomy face.

When I am excited, I run around.

When I am embarrassed, I hide in my bed.

I have lots of feelings!

Nurse Perez

by Landon Ressler Helps me feel better Band-Aid’s Medicine Helps me feel better Stickers Ice pack Helps me feel better I fell on the ground Ow! Let’s go to Nurse Perez

Max McCollough | Kindergarten

Rat

by Sydney Ilczyszyn I can go in to your home When I see a hole That’s my home I leave my hole when I smell cheese Mmmm!

I hide in my home Will you find me?

Oliver Harrison | Kindergarten

Cats

by Sloane Williams Cats are black as coal Cats are white as clouds Free as a furball!

You have to care for them They stretch as high as a chair Scratch!

Meow!

Purrrrrr!

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Ms. Lange’s

KINDERGARTEN The Car

by Hudson Steelberg Blue car Moves on wheels A box That is taking me To another world Vroom, Vroom!

A blue Rocket ship That is taking me To space Vroom, Vroom!

3…2…1…

Blast off!

Stars

The Tree

I light in the night sky I shine like a flashlight I come out at night Lay on the grass Come down star!

You found me I am gold like a medal I see the whole world From the sky I can see all the houses and trees From the sky When I look in the night sky I look pretty Shining like the sun

Ow! Please don’t touch me Please don’t pick my leaves Ow! Please don’t pick my branches Please don’t throw balls in my branches!

Ow! Don’t touch my sap!

That’s from my body.

Don’t pick my flowers!

Ow! Please give me water.

by Addison Stern

by Emery Pelinka

Happy

by Madeleine Lal I feel happy Like the wind.

The wind is happy because it blows.

I feel happy Like the clouds.

The clouds are happy because they float.

I feel happy Like school.

School is happy because it is fun.

I feel happy Like learning.

Learning is happy because it is cool.

I Am Happy!

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Ella Nami | Kindergarten

Playing with my friends

Planes

Nascar

by Addy Chen

by Alex Miller

by Parker Stern

It is fun when you play With your friends.

Ha Ha Ha Ha!

Planes fly Like a helicopter Planes have wings Like birds I like planes Fly fast In the sky In the white, soft clouds We are flying To the USA! Woo-hoo!

Fast!

Like a rocket ship Crash!

Racing you around The track Crash!

On fire Get out of the Nascar!

Go to the doctor All better Go to the pit crew Fix your car Ready to race Vroom! Vroom!

Friends tell funny jokes Knock knock Who’s there?

Nobody!

We play on the playground And we all go down the slide.

Wheeeeee!

Basketball

Valentine’s Day

by Frankie Steifel

by Brody Majit

As brown As a bag That comes From a tree.

Brown like a Backpack, Brown you can see.

Like shingles On a house And a stem Like a leaf.

And brown Like the dirt, Dirt you can see.

Bounce, bounce The ball hits the ground Shoot the ball Boom!

It hits the backboard Thud!

The ball hits my belly Wahhh!

I’m okay Shoot the ball Goes into the basket The buzzer rings The practice is over I won the game Bounce, bounce

I only come in February I bring lots of joy I bring family together People have candy on this day Crunch, Crunch!

Yum…I love sweethearts!

Pink and red are my favorite colors Everybody loves this day I bring lots of joy Here comes Valentine’s Day!

Pinecone

by Cooper Piercey

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Ms. Sparks’

1st GRADE

Alex Wellmerling | 1st Grade

Love

Love

Trust

I love you more than Anything I don’t love Anything More than you.

I love you More than The moon.

I love you more Than the sea.

Trust is like a precious Diamond.

It is not like a pencil, When its lead breaks, You can sharpen it.

After trust is broken, It is hard to fix.

So be careful what you say and do.

Cause once it is broken, It is wiped out.

Wrecked.

Lost.

by Luke Cudzil

The Beach

By Jackson Casey Sand, golden Hot on feet Waves splashing Coral blue So pretty Sprinkles of the Ocean.

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by Christopher Dib

Erupting Volcano

by Caden Mossman Love, Like a Volcano, Erupting Out Of your heart And Soul.

by Kaitlyn Dostert

Heavy Heart

by Reed McCardle

Love is heavy And that Does not change At all But Love is hard to earn and Love is like A golden crystal And bad things Break The crystal.

California Winter

Love You Share

It feels like The rain is Surrounding you.

Clouds are whispering to you.

The sun is up there.

You don’t see it and When it comes down, Time for bed.

Love made us.

Love is Joyful, Fair, fun.

Love is Magical.

Love is Cool.

by Tyler Stern

by Ethan Sellers

Ella Massoudi, Brooklyn Krotts, Colton Mossman | 1st Grade

BFFs

by Luke Watson

Very hard to make Like Pieces of glass Stacking To the sky But they Can break So try To keep Them because love is Awesome because Love is the thing You want.

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Ms. Sparks’

1st GRADE

Jackson Casey | 1st Grade

Heart

by Mackenzie Young Love is meant For you and Family.

Love is caring and Love is sharing.

Love is magical.

Love.

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Love

by Saachi Heer Love is like oxygen.

It flies to People, One by one.

It flows Around The room.

Everyone Needs it And Wants it.

My Secret Garden

by Colette Moshayedi

It is a secret.

Do not tell.

If you Go in You will see The view To the end Of your mind Making a wonderland.

I Love You

by Samantha Powell I love you, I love you, If I don’t forgive you, I will forgive you in my heart.

My love won’t go.

I know it won’t.

If it does, I will get it back.

If it keeps going, I will try to get it back Every time.

A Whisper

by Rhyse Wilks

The Wind whispers to Me telling Me Where it has Traveled and what it has Seen.

Magical Love

by Brooklyn Krotts Love is Magical Like a bow and arrow aims At you, like fairies Coming and casting Love spells.

Sheridan Hofer | 1st Grade

How Love Feels

by Sheridan Hofer

Love is a golden distance That never stops Working.

It cherishes the moment That you have in Your heart.

It’s what you have and what you Need.

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Ms. Sparks’

1st GRADE What Will it Be

Locket

Star

Will it be a Cookie Or a Spaceship Maybe a Pet But I want it to be A Toy nerf gun!

A little heart That keeps me happy From a special someone.

A locket that keeps me Company.

I love it.

Star is like a Twinkling light In the Sky It talks To me When the dark Rises and as The Sun Shimmers Away From Me.

by Wright Claassen

Kyle Stern | 1st Grade 18

by Shae Talleur

by Avalon Davis

Poems

by Ophelia Owens Poems are like Hundreds of Diamonds Glittering In the snow With beautiful Similes and Metaphors and Personification, poems Whisper glamorous, gloomy, and great Things I love.

Poems.

Mackenzie Young | 1st Grade

Streets

by Adam Pirnazar Cars ride on The street.

Kids ride with their mom or dad.

Get some friend and ride your bike.

When it’s nighttime go to sleep.

When it’s daytime go and get your bike.

Every day.

My Perfect Poem

The Beach

Love feels like A Magical place.

Love Is a Brick Made out Of pure gold.

Love Is what You need for Your heart.

Sand, golden Hot on feet Waves splashing Coral blue So pretty Sprinkles of the Ocean.

by Andrew Walbridge

by Jackson Casey

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Mrs. Vieira’s

1st GRADE Beach

Basketball

Beach

by Lair Hill

by Sienna Neal

Step in the sand Your feet sink in Run to the water Jump in the waves Swim See fish See hermit crabs See sea slugs Sea weed That makes me slip Build a sand castle That soon washes away!

Bounce, bounce Dribble, dribble Pass, pass I hear the ball Pounding like big feet Thump! Thump! Thump!

Hot Tired Shoot the ball SWISH!!

Way too sweaty!

I am happy

Fish tickling my feet Nice and warm Really calm In the water Walking on the wet sand Squish, squish, squish Running through the hot sand Rubbing sunscreen on my skin Laying on my towel

by Riley Tsai

Bedroom

by William Blumetti Quiet Like I am in heaven Peaceful Sun on my face Softly waking me up Blue walls like the ocean Calm like the bay Cozy with my fluffy pillow Trying to go back to sleep

Reed McCardle | 1st Grade

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Christmas

by Dylan Paolone

Hanging lights up Decorating Christmas trees Hanging up stockings For Christmas day Candy in my stocking Toys in there, too Presents under the tree Ornaments that sparkle Star at the top Opening presents Eating candy On Christmas morning

Daydreams

by Leigh Bertea

In my head There is a cat Sleeping quietly There is a girl Riding a horse proudly A dog That is chasing its tail And a boy That is singing his ABCs slowly I feel joyful!

Saachi Heer | 1st Grade

Clouds

by Morgan Dollander

Dogs

by Elliott Singletary Fluffy and soft Sharp teeth Sharp claws Bark, bark, bark Throw the ball Run after it Bring it back Pull it from their mouth Throw it again and again and again

Soft like cotton candy Gently moving in the air Puffy balls Floating away Comes back In shapes of a Dog and a bone A cat and a mouse Softly drifting by

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Mrs. Vieira’s

1st GRADE

Riley Tsai | 1st Grade

Lost and Found

by Mateo Senizergues Where’s my jacket?

At the lost-n-found Where’s my book?

At the lost-n-found Where’s my hat?

At the lost-n-found Where’s my backpack?

On my back

Leaves

by Luke Dixon Change colors Fall off trees Green and orange Red veins Fall slowly To the ground

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Icicle

Hawaii

Huge like a snowman A chandelier of ice On trees and houses Freezing Clear As they make a crashing sound Amazing So cold Crack Crash Boom Millions of pieces All over the ground!

Warm sand On my feet Waves crashing Palm trees swaying Birds chirping Swimming in the ocean Hot sun burning me Body surfing Boogie boarding A lot of sunblock Slimy on my skin With my family

by Charlie Fenner

by Sarah Thorp

Love

by Alex Wellmerling

Nice In your heart No key to love Grandma gives treats Gordon purrs When I hold him Mom helps me Through life Dad takes me to Hockey games Baby Elliott giggles and plays That is Love!

Sarah Thorp | 1st Grade

Monsters

by Charlie Gomez

The monsters Are here They’re scary They’re ugly They’re mean I see them By the door I see them in my dreams They’re coming up my stairs They’re creeping in my room They’re here I wake up And suddenly They’re gone!

My Grandma’s House

Rain

by Logan Steelberg

by Colton Mossman

Hot chocolate And cousins Curl up by the fire Movies on Night swimming Play games Build forts Bake cookies Fun!

Not cold Muddy Big umbrellas Drip, drop plip, plop Big puddles Running To the car Warm snacks Still hungry!

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Mrs. Vieira’s

1st GRADE

Hailey Airth | 1st Grade

Recess

Snow

Running to the Bars Swinging My legs Flips, flips, flips Off bars Hit my Head Get back Up Swing again Feeling happy In my mood Recess

Freezing Air filled with snowflakes Snowy and cold Soft like a blanket Snowball fights Building a snowman Icicles Feet sinking in the powder Hot cocoa Sitting by the fire

by Ella Massoudi

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by Stella Shubin

Swimming Race

Thunder and Rain

Seagulls

by Matea Ginsberg

by Cameron Alagband

by Hailey Airth

Nervous to start Hear my name Called up Jump up Get ready Dive in Splash Cold water Backstroke Swallow water Going fast Eyes to the side Watching my family

Scared Jumping in puddles Umbrellas Wet hair Wet skin Raincoats Rain boots Don’t hide under trees Dark Clouds Running into my house There could be a flood SPLASH!

Swoops like a crow Never flies low Flies just high as a butterfly Wings spread wide Flies through the sky Steals your food A beak that looks like a peeled banana Soft feathery wings Flies through the clouds Swoops through the waves But doesn’t go low

Under the Rim

by Kyle Stern

Under the rim One on one Cold winter night Stars like balls in the sky Houses like the bleachers Arm out Dribble hard Pushing closer To the basket One last push Now shoot Swoosh Two points

Sienna Neal | 1st Grade

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2nd GRADE Dear Harriet Tubman, Thank you for inspiring our country. You were caring because you helped free three-hundred slaves and went back and forth on the Underground Railroad nineteen times! You were clever because you would dress as a man, hide your face with a veil, or hide behind a book. Harriet Tubman, you were brave. Even though you were faced with danger the whole time, you kept on going.

Sincerely, Makenzie Vovan

Connor Gapp | 2nd Grade

Allison Cohen | 2nd Grade

Dear Neil Armstrong, I want to thank you for showing me anything is possible. I admire you because you were brave to go to the moon. Nobody thought you would make it to the moon, but you didn’t give up. I have a connection to you because I was in camp where we had to make a robot that could fight. We had to build it and program it. It was really hard, but my team won and we got first place. We were all beginners, and it was our first time doing it. But we didn’t give up like you didn’t give up.

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Sincerely, Davin Grover

Dear Charles Dickens, I admire you because you were fair, caring, and a talented writer. I like that you fought for the poor and helpless. I like how most of your books came from your own life. Your stories were sad, but they were still good. You might have not known this, but “A Christmas Carol� is one of your most famous books. We will always remember you.

Sincerely, Sebastian Kern

Sofia Stamires | 2nd Grade

Dear Thomas Edison, I admire you because you were a good citizen.

I very much thank you for inventing the light bulb. Without you, we would still be using oil lamps! I want to be an inventor like you.

As I write to you, I am thinking of making a megaphone out of my water bottle. You have inspired me to never show defeat. One who shows defeat cannot progress in life.

Sincerely, Parker Johnson

Jaydan Vanjani | 2nd Grade 27

2nd GRADE Miss Sparks’s

Kate Vorobieff | 2nd Grade

Dear Rachel Carson, I admire you for your bravery. You stood up for the bugs, birds, sea animals and other living plants.

I wonder if you were ever afraid to stand up to the world when you wanted to stop the bad spray that was harming nature. I want to protect the environment like you did, and I am gentle with the flowers. I also love to read like you did. I read part of your book, “Silent Spring,” and I think you worked hard to make people understand that bug spray was bad for living things.

Violet Yoshida

Dear Babe Ruth, I would enjoy being able to talk with you. I am wondering how it was for you to go to The St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys. Your parents rarely visited you. I would like to just let time roll and talk to you about your life. It was great that you hit 714 home runs in your career, but what was really was amazing was that you hit 19 home runs in one season. When some of the White Sox players cheated in the 1919 World Series, people all across America stopped going to the ballparks. You went to the Yankees and said that you would hit fifty home runs in one season. People said, “That’s impossible!” But you actually hit fifty-four. Homerun after homerun, fans started coming back to the ballparks. You brought the fans back to baseball!

We have something in common. I like to pitch too, and I also like to hit. I admire you for the great baseball player you were.

Dillan Grover

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Dear Malala, You said that, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” I know you like school and to read like I do. You were sent to England and weren’t allowed to go back to your country. Were you scared when you were in the hospital? Why did those men try to keep you from going to school? I respect you because you are brave, wise, and caring.

Sincerely, Isabella Aftabi

Ana Cormac | 2nd Grade

Dear Jackie Robinson, I wonder why you chose to play baseball over all the other sports you were good at. What did you talk about with the Dodgers’ owner, Branch Rickey? He brought you into the minor leagues and said you had the guts not to fight back when the crowds were being mean to you because you were African American. I admire you because you were an amazing athlete and I like sports too. If you started your life over what would you do differently?

James Callaghan

Julia Getter | 2nd Grade

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3rd GRADE Miss Sparks’s Three Strikes, You’re Out! Braden Smith

“Strike!” the umpire yelled.

I stepped up to the mound. There were two strikes and three balls.

“Full count,” the umpire said. I knew what that meant. I could walk him or strike him out.

I chose to strike him out. I decided to do a spitball. I spit into my hand. It was so gooey, I wanted to throw it to the ground so I did a high kick. All of the sudden the ball slipped and… it went soaring through the air. It was dropping a little and… SMACK! I saw it hit the batter’s leg.

“That hit him. First base!” the umpire yelled.

I knew I shouldn’t have thrown a spitball. Hitting the batter really got butterflies in my stomach. I felt like I didn’t want to pitch anymore, but I chose to stay on the mound, and we won!

Adam Mead | 3rd Grade

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Emma Todd | 3rd Grade

Charli Krotts, Braden Smith, Ryan Eusey, Mark James Rosing, Charlotte Jordan | 3rd Grade

Casting of The Nutcracker Claire Casey

My heart was pounding with excitement as I walked into the studio. I walked down the hall, and to my left were all the cubbies. I dropped my bag into one of them. Then I looked over my shoulder to the right. On the wall was a light pink bulletin board, and that bulletin board had a white sheet of paper on it. I couldn’t believe my eyes! The list of Nutcracker performers was finally up for everyone to see.

I turned until I was facing the bulletin board. I walked closer and closer and looked a little bit harder until it came into focus. My eyes followed my finger until I found the section that said B – 7 in big bold letters.

My finger went down the long list of names until it reached my name, Claire Casey: Grandchild – Gingerbread cookie. “Ahhhh!” I screamed.

I couldn’t believe it! I was cast for one of the lead roles, a grandchild in the Nutcracker ballet. All my hard work had finally paid off.

But the excitement stopped when I realized I had very little time. I turned to my right.

The big grandfather clock said it was 3:50. That meant there were only 10 minutes until class started. I would be late for sure. I grabbed my bright purple dance bag out of the cubby and ran into the bathroom to get ready. “ Today will be a great day,” I assured myself!

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3rd GRADE Miss Sparks’s Grand Canyon

Mark James Rosing We were driving back from Arizona, sitting in the baking car, fanning ourselves to keep cool. Suddenly, I saw big red helicopters. My heart was full of excitement, pounding faster than a racecar. I was so excited to go on a helicopter ride. We all rushed into the building and headed to the front desk to check in.

My dad said with excitement, “Are you ready to go on a helicopter ride?”

I cheerfully shouted, “Yes!”

Right after we checked in we had to wait for our pilot to come back from flying other people. My sister and I played rock, paper, scissors to pass the time.

Finally, a helicopter dropped down from the sky.

I said with excitement, “Hey, Mom, our pilot is here!”

We all headed outside into the boiling sun. I had butterflies in my stomach. “What if the helicopter falls?” I thought. “There’s probably a 1% chance of me falling, so I’m fine,” I reassured myself.

“Come on, get in!” the pilot said. My brother sat in the front seat. I sat in the back with my sisters, dad, and mom.

Suddenly, I felt the vibration of the blades starting to spin; faster and faster they went.

Then I felt the helicopter go up, up, up, up, and we were flying!

In the distance I could see rivers, boulders, and the tallest trees I’d ever seen in my life.

We were inside the Grand Canyon soaring through the clouds. Everything looked so so tiny, and people looked like little ants. I felt like the tallest person in the world. The helicopter ride was an hour long, but it only felt like two minutes. It still was the greatest time of my life!

Charlie Geary, Grace Fogel, Kylie Lykos | 3rd Grade 32

Hailey Peykoff | 3rd Grade

Annika Ting | 3rd Grade

The Drive to Mammoth Owen Majit

The sun was baking on me. I was impatient, annoyed. I quickly glanced at the mountain peaks hovering over me. I was curious to know what was up in the mountains. I got on my knees. I tried to look at them more, but we were whisking past them like 1,000 cheetahs combined. Whoosh! “What was that?” I asked.

“It was just a plane, Owen,” my dad replied.

Suddenly, I felt like I was on a rollercoaster! Luckily, it was only my dad pulling into the gas station.

“How much longer?” I asked.

“Four hours!” my dad yelled. I could tell he didn’t want me to talk. He was in a super grouchy mood. So instead, I asked my mom daringly for a movie. Seconds later, my eyes were glued to the car movie screen.

After the movie, I didn’t know what to do, so I thought and thought, but I couldn’t think of anything. So instead, I thought of all the scary things I could think of. Then it got to me. “I will read!” I thought to myself.

Quickly, I grabbed my book like it was a $100 bill. My eyes were glued to my book while I was flipping the pages rapidly. I imagined what the main characters were doing and from that point on, time flew like a bird peacefully flying in the maroon sky. Before I knew it, I was in Mammoth. Now I could enjoy my family trip to the mountains!

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3rd GRADE Miss Sparks’s The First Ski Jump Siena Mahdi

“Last hill,” said Mom. “Not yet!” I screamed.

“After lunch we will do more hills,” Mom said.

“Ok,” I said.

“Race you Dad!” I said as we were going down the hill that led to lunch.

“You’re on!” he shouted.

Zoom! I felt the cold wind in my face. Side by side, we soared down the mountain. At the end it was a tie!

As we were eating lunch, Dad said, “We have a surprise for you.”

“What?” I asked.

“You’ll have to wait and see.” I wanted to know, but he still didn’t tell me. So after lunch we took the ski lift up. I was so thrilled. It was like going to a rainbow and meeting a unicorn there.

Then we glided off the ski lift. Dad and Mom brought me to a stop. I saw… a ski jump!

I was very frightened, but at the same time, I wanted to do it right away. I knew Mom and Dad were counting on me, and I knew I was counting on myself. I was going to do it no matter what.

I got in line. My heart was beating so hard I could hear it. It sounded like a banging hammer. Some kids did it like it was easy. I thought, how did they do that? Then it was my turn. I closed my eyes. It was like facing a monster but still being excited in a way.

The “magic carpet” was moving forward. I went up, up, up. Now I felt the monster was eating me! I opened my eyes, but all I saw was the sun and trees filled with snow. The sunrays sparkled and filled my eyes. I felt like I won the battle with the monster. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Then I hit the ground with a thump! I smoothly slid down the rest of the hill.

“We are so proud of you!” Mom and Dad shouted. I smiled from ear to ear. I was so happy they were proud of me, but most of all, I was proud of myself.

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Madison Lewis | 3rd Grade

John Carboni | 3rd Grade

Jake Pirnazar | 3rd Grade

Kylie Lykos, Jackson Bryden, Logan Fenner | 3rd Grade 35

4th GRADE Miss Sparks’s Shooting Stars Alex Gomez

I stared up at the sky. The sound of the waves crashing on the sand comforted me.

The night time sky was as black as coal. I could barely see my hand in front of my face. My eyes finally adjusted. I could make out Catherine in the sleeping bag next to me, obviously not asleep.The cold air stung my face like a thousand knives. My camp counselors walked around to make sure everyone was in their sleeping bag. The water started shimmering from the moon that had just appeared. It lit up Shaver Island with a gloomy light. I wasn’t ready to fall asleep, so I kept my eyes open and gazed up at the stars. The stars seemed to gaze back. Suddenly, I saw a bright flash in the sky. A shooting star! I remembered my counselor telling me that there would be a meteor shower tonight. She was right. The sky was crystal clear. There was no pollution, no smoke, no smog, just the stars. The shooting stars just kept on coming, and I kept watching. I felt safe. I slowly shut my eyes with dreams of tomorrow dancing in my head.

Alex Boserup | 4th Grade

Peyton Vovan | 4th Grade Chandler Green | 4th Grade 36

As Sweet as Honey Aubrey Callaghan

There has never been a more loyal or sweet friend than Honey. She is a five year old “Cavapoo” with curly fur the color of gold. Her fur is so soft that I once mistook it for my pillow. In case you don’t know, a “Cavapoo” is a cross between a Cavalier King Charles and a poodle. She weighs five pounds and is about two feet long. Her chocolate eyes are the size of the moon. Because she has a brown spot over her left eye, I like to call her “Pirate Honey.”

I first met Honey when I was getting food for my guinea pig at the pet store. She was lying down in a cage full of very hyper puppies. As I reached down to pet her, I could tell that she was the perfect dog for my family. Quickly and excitedly, I ran over to my mom and told her I found the best dog and that we should get her. She grabbed the guinea pig food and came over to the cage. I could tell that my mom agreed with me as soon as her hand made contact with Honey’s silky fur. When my mom finally got permission from my dad to get the dog, Honey was hoisted into a kennel and given to my mom to take home. It was the best day of my life!

Honey is a very smart dog. Once when we were getting ready to take her to the dog park, we couldn’t find the car keys. After we had searched inside for what seemed like hours, we decided to see if they were outside in the car still. As soon as we stepped outside, Honey came bounding up to us with the keys dangling from her mouth. Because of that, she has earned the nickname “Brainiac.”

Sometimes she can be really hyper. When that happens, my mom makes me take her for a long run around the block until she calms down. She is the best dog ever.

Having a dog is a lot of work. Every morning I have to wake up early to walk her. Making sure that she has enough food and water is my mom’s job. When we go on vacation, my grandparents usually take care of her. My dad built a large pen in our backyard. She usually sleeps on a pillow in her kennel, but sometimes she sleeps in my room. She has a appointment at the vet every year. We always brush her hair after her weekly bath. Even though it is hard work to have a dog, it is definitely worth it.

As you can see, Honey is very special to me.

The day she dies will be the saddest day of my life because there is nothing in the world that is as sweet as Honey.

Ice Skater

Jazmine Aftabi Ice skater Elegant, amazing Leaping gracefully through the chilly air Gliding and leaping on the frozen water Flowing with the breeze Miracle maker

Danyel Khan, Michael Lynch | 4th Grade

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4th GRADE Miss Sparks’s The Wave

Catherine Peets

I dove in the cold, blue, shimmering water swimming for the tennis ball. The water was calm… until I looked back and saw two tall muscular lifeguards swimming to my rescue. I turned my head and saw a wall of water creeping up to me. I swam like my life depended on it. “This is the end,” I thought. White foamy water came over me. CRASH! I couldn’t breath. I was getting tossed and turned under the water. My heart was beating like lighting. I pushed up for air. I finally came up out of the water. The big, masculine lifeguard grabbed my puny waist. I was shaking like an earthquake. He told me to go under the wave. I dove to the bottom of the seafloor. I came up with a still face. I grabbed one of the lifeguard’s hands. He quietly told me to turn around and swim back to the sandy shore. I swam for what seemed like forever. My energy slowly dropped with every stroke I took. I pushed off the smooth sand and ran out of the frigid, rough water.

Grant Franey | 4th Grade

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Reed Wainwright, Everett Welton, Sage Specter, Erika Wein | 4th Grade

Kaden Chen | 4th Grade

Halloween Night Cooper Mullane

Trick-or-Treaters all around A full moon lights the streets Ghouls and goblins roam the night Boo! It’s Halloween!

Very scary costumes Pillow cases full of candy Kids running all around Boo! It’s Halloween!

There’s a misty fog at the graveyard Skeletons and zombies rise from their tombs Scaring kids all around Boo! It’s Halloween!

Kids are staggering home Monsters still roam the streets Now it’s time for candy Boo! It’s Halloween!

Talia Tse, Alex Gomez, Will Von Der Ahe, Kaden Chen | 4th Grade

Isabella Fawaz, Chloe Davis, Dilan Vanjani | 4th Grade

Pier Jump!

Lucy Wolter

All of sudden I was next in line. There were butterflies filling my stomach. I felt chills going down my spine. I looked down into the glimmering blue water. I was about to cry, but I stopped myself. I knew I could do it. My nerves were building up and up. SPLASH! The lifeguard told me it was my turn. I almost backed up, but I didn’t. I walked to the edge of the pier. I couldn’t believe that I was about to do the pier jump. I was as quiet as a mouse. The lifeguard said, “Jump when I tap your shoulder.” I looked down again. I was the most nervous I had ever been. All the parents were screaming, but I couldn’t hear a thing. “One, two, three.” He tapped my shoulder! I leaned forward, then took a step back. I was too scared. The lifeguard bent down and said, “Everyone who jumped is having so much fun. You can do it!” I thought, “Are you sure?” Even though I was just as nervous I went to the edge again. “One, two, three.” Tap! I took a step off!

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4th GRADE Miss Sparks’s Covered in Happiness Peyton Vovan

I stepped up to the ball. The little white dot was as bright as the sun. As I placed the ball down, I could hear my team and family cheering me on. The tension grew. We had been playing soccer all morning, but it was still 0-0. No one had scored. It was just the goalie and me. I knew my team was lining up behind me ready for the rebound. The tension in the air was growing even bigger. The sun was beating on my head as if it were watching me. The breeze stopped blowing as if paying attention to me. “It’s a P.K,” I thought. “I’ve been training for this.” It felt like butterflies were doing flips in my stomach. Everything went silent. “I can do this. I can do this,” I recited to myself. Everything moved in slow motion. The whistle blew loud and clear. Running up to the ball, I got closer and closer. All I could feel was the way the ball hit my foot. Running for the rebound I saw the ball fly higher and higher. It soared like an eagle. We all heard the swoosh of the ball hitting the back of the net. Before I knew, it my teammates covered me in happiness.

Riley Harrison | 4th Grade

Snow Woman Sage Specter

Snow Woman Frozen balls of beauty Listening, pondering, watching, waiting Dreaming of coming alive someday Guardian of the front yard

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5th GRADE

Allison Todd, Ava Walkow | 5th Grade

Chair 16

Brooke Johnson

I scoot up to the faded red line in the snow. My ski boots are digging into my ankles, but I know once I get on the slopes, I will be going too fast to notice.The chairlift slowly comes around the track. It screeches like the voice of an old witch as it comes around the corner. I look over my right shoulder, grab the bar with my empty hand, and awkwardly plop down on the padded seat.

The chair zooms off into the sky as my dad pulls down the metal bar.

Suddenly, my brother interrupts. “Dad! We don’t need that! I’m old enough!” My dad agrees and lets the bar go.

I love riding on chairlifts. It’s like I am flying. I’ve always wanted to fly. I look down and see white powder covering the ground for miles. I’m so glad to be back in Mammoth.

It’s starting to get colder as we move up the mountain. I pull my goggles over my eyes. The wind is prickling my face. A shiver goes down my spine as I pull my neck warmer over my mouth and chin. I look down and see a skier zoom past. I look back and see her do a flip in the air.

“Mom! did you see that?” I shout with a wide grin on my face.

“Yeah! That was cool,” she replies.

I sit there with my mouth wide open. “What if I could do that?” I thought to myself. I could picture myself winning a gold medal in the Olympics. Wow, that would be amazing.

I can almost see the small shed where the chairlift ends at the top of the snowy mountain.

We are almost there. Then we stop.

“What’s going on?” my brother says in a quivering voice.

“Don’t worry,” I reassure him. “Some little kid just probably fell trying to get on.” I look around and see huge pine trees reaching for the sky. I clap my skis together and watch as the snow on them falls swiftly to the ground. Suddenly the chair starts moving again.

“We’re almost there,” my mom says. “Parker, be careful.”

I start to get nervous for some reason, and the butterflies swim in my stomach. What if I don’t get off right? What if I fall? What if...never mind. I can do this. I’ve done it before. I take a deep breath in.

The chair slows down, and the snow below my skis glistens. It’s our turn. My family and I stand up and push off and glide down the tiny hill. We made it, even my brother Parker. Laughing and screaming together, we turn right and head down the mountain. I am so happy to be back on the slopes in Mammoth.

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5th GRADE Miss Sparks’s A Ride to the Sunset Isabelle Dastgheib

I peered at the sapphire sea in front of me, watching the waves shimmer as they swallowed the shoreline like blue sunshine. The emerald palm trees whispered in the warm summer air. My dad and I were on Catalina Island for Indian Princesses, a program of organized father - daughter camping trips. My stomach swam with fear as my heart sang the lyrics of excitement. This would be my first time trying jet skiing, and I felt a little unsure about how it would go.

In my bare feet, I crept up the rocky shore, trying to ignore the tiny rocks tickling between my toes. Soon we were on the beach. We were gathered around a man whose hair was as bleached as white bones. As the sun burned our faces, he explained the rules of jet skiing. After what felt like ten million hours, he finally said the words, “You can go on now.” We stopped doodling with our toes in the sand, and I leaped into the air.

Freedom, I thought as I swung my leg over the jet ski. I hopped on the front, and my dad climbed onto the back. As I turned the key and sped into the sunset, we dodged the seaweed so the motor wouldn’t get stuck. I twisted and turned the handle bar - right into a gargantuan wave!

Splash! The jet ski tipped, and my heart screeched as I watched my dad tumble into the water. Holding on for dear life, I leapt to the other side of the jet ski to balance it. As I held it in place, I scanned the water for any sign of my dad. But the water was still. My heart pushed to panic mode! Where was my dad?

To my relief, Dad popped out of the cool sapphire water. I was so glad to see him, and I sighed with relief as he climbed back on. We laughed all the way back, wrapped in a blanket of sunshine. Although I was so scared about my dad, I couldn’t wait to go jet skiing again. This was “one amazing jet ski ride.”

Brady Hatfield | 5th Grade

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Blake Stern | 5th Grade

The Whoosh Lily Britt

flabbergast V; surprise (someone) greatly, astonish.

You may have felt or heard of the word flabbergasted before. This is how I felt on that late summer day in Wisconsin. Here’s what happened.

“Get in! Get in!” my mom called from the driver’s seat, forcing me to jump. As I leaped in, an icy chill crawled up my spine. I swam through the murky, lake water to the tube, where my sixteen year old brother, Nick, had already settled onto the left side. I climbed on the right side and braced myself for take-off. I held onto the handles so tightly that my knuckles were already turning white.

Just before we started, I looked up towards the driver, my mom. I couldn’t see her eyes through her sunglasses, but I saw a small, devious smile spread across her face, and I knew that this was going to be bad.

The boat motor started to sputter, and suddenly we took off like lightning. We began going faster and faster; I felt like I was holding on for my life. My hands ached, and I could feel blisters forming under my fingers. Soon enough, we were at top speed. The wind beat against my ears, as if I had rolled my window down on the highway. I saw my mom start to turn the wheel in the distance.

This could only mean one thing. She was going for a donut! My mind whirled as I looked to Nick, who stared straight ahead, as he focused on staying on. I thought about warning him, but I knew he wouldn’t hear over the wind. Besides, he’d find out soon enough!

We sped over the water. Then the boat took a sharp turn. Nick and I swung hard out of the wake. My hands held on tighter. My feet skimmed against the water as half my body fell off the tube. Only then did I see the bumps approaching.

We hit them going top speed, and we lurched and whooshed into the air. The wind cradled us there for just a second, like a kite about to plummet. Then, down we crashed. The wind was knocked right out of me. The tube bounced hard against the water, loosened my grip, and sent me flying into the air, only to come crashing down yet again. This time, there was no tube to catch me.

I hit the water hard, hard enough to make my skin bright red. I bobbed to the surface, breathing hard. My spine felt tangled from the bouncing tube. My first thoughts were, “Wow, did that really just happen?” and only then did I care to think “Am I okay? Any broken bones, sprained limbs?” I looked around to see Nick 50 feet behind me. He was swimming toward the boat. I started to do the same, but my mind was still racing.

That’s what you would call a flabbergasting experience. I’ve been tubing before, but never like this. But honestly, I think the reason that it was so thrilling is because it was scary, and I’d never done it before. That’s why it was “flabbergasting”.

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5th GRADE Miss Sparks’s

Ellie Rosing | 5th Grade

Brodie Santry | 5th Grade

Carson McNeill | 5th Grade

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Micayla Lynch | 5th Grade

Should There Be Zoos?

Reade Decker

Koko sits contently holding the book “Animalia.” She flips through the pages one by one.

If I told you that Koko was a gorilla, would you believe me? Koko is just one amazing animal that zoologists have observed and trained. I think zoos are important for survival of all animal species, the education of the public, and they allow people to see animals from all over the world without having to travel.

The first reason that I believe there should be zoos is although some people think zoos are cruel, they actually help to preserve endangered animal species.The world is changing for animals, and it is not necessarily in their favor. For example about 21% of mammals, 12% of birds, and 33% of amphibians face extinction each year. Zoos help by breeding endangered species and raising them so that some of these species can be returned to the wild. Zoos are in a unique position to help.

The second reason there should be zoos is that zoos help to educate the public about all animals. Zoos help teach visitors through a hands on approach such as touch pools. Visitors report that after 7-11 months 61% of their visitors still remembered what they learned at the zoo, and 35% said that zoos reinforced their love of nature. Zoos are helping to educate children about how to care for and protect animals. Children are the future because someday they will make decisions regarding the protection of wildlife. Zoos also help by training zoologist and other scientists by having them interact with the animals. Zoos help to make the future generations “wild animal smart.”

Zoos allow millions of people to see animals they would never have a chance to see.

Obviously, it is cheaper to go to a zoo than on a safari. It would cost anywhere from $6,000 $20,000 to go on a safari in Africa. If you went to a zoo, it would only cost about $30 for children and about $38 - $50 for adults. When people go to a zoo, it is almost guaranteed they will see the specific animal they want to see. If people went to see animals in the wild, they might not even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the animal. If people go to a zoo, they can see many different animals in the same day and place. In the wild people wouldn’t be able to see a penguin and a lion in the same day. Zoos enable people to see animals from all over the world without having to travel to different continents.

In conclusion, zoos are important. Zoos help with conservation of the species, they teach visitors about the animals, and zoos allow people to see animals they wouldn’t be able to see by traveling. After watching a video on Koko, the gorilla, my feelings about zoos changed. Scientist such as animal researchers and zoologists are working together with zoos and animal parks to save all animal species from extinction.

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5th GRADE Miss Sparks’s Baking Adventure Shaan Sakraney

“Hey, Mom!” I called. “Bundt cakes are Minnesotan!”

“Let’s buy a Bundt pan and recipe book,” my mom responded. “It’s more fun to bake one than to buy one.”

I was looking for an item to bring to State Fair. I love making desserts, so this was the perfect choice.

After a painstaking week of waiting for our order, it finally arrived. That weekend, I picked out a recipe for a fudge cake. Mom and I decided to do a trial run. Tuesday morning we started to mix the batter. After school, we put the pan and cake in the oven. The cake required one and a half hours to cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Unfortunately, I misread the directions…

Late that night, right after the cake finished, my family and I desperately wanted to try a piece of my cake, which led to hasty decisions.

“Let’s flip it over,” Mom suggested.

So I impulsively grabbed the cake and flipped it onto the wire rack! I stared in shock at the huge mess I had just created. If that had been a building, it would be at risk of falling at the slightest quake. The whole cake had fallen apart.

“I meant onto the plate,” Mom said good naturedly.

Meanwhile Papa, Kavi, and Natasha were foraging for fudge. When we finally rescued the Bundt cake, we sat down and ate some of it.

“Tastes a lot better than it looks,” Kavi kidded with a playful grin, and we all burst into laughter.

From that day on I have understood the importance of double checking my work. But my family and I had a good time, and that’s what counts. Success doesn’t always equal happiness, but good experiences always do. So instead of nice orderly slices for my bundt cake, it turned into a huge, gooey, chocolatey, but delicious mess.

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Jaden Kessler | 5th Grade

Lucy Tipton | 5th Grade

Sienna Cuneo | 5th Grade Lukas Hauge | 5th Grade

Home

Nicole Donahoo

I got out of the truck, and the cold January air chilled me instantly. Bright lights were shining everywhere, and I could hear snorts and stomps coming from the trailer. The ramp came down with a thump, and I knew that this was the start of something big.

Two legs with too white socks with little red spots appeared. He hesitated for a moment, and then he stepped completely out.

His name was Buster, and he was beautiful. A gorgeous chestnut with a striking blaze ran down his face.

He stared at me. I stared back. When I looked into his eyes, I saw trust and kindness.

I was happy, scared, worried, and amazed that I was getting my first horse! My dad handed me the lead rope, and I walked him to his stall.

He wasn’t scared or giddy the way Charlie was when we brought him home. He was calm.

When we got to the stall, I took off his halter and tied it to the stall door. I spent what felt like forever rubbing his winter coat while he just stood there and put his head in my arms.

When we were driving away from the barn, I kept thinking about him. I knew it would be a lot of responsibility. But right then, when I looked him in the eyes, I knew that we would be unstoppable.

Tara Shakoori | 5th Grade

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6th GRADE Miss Sparks’s True Friends

Hannah Dastgheib

My heart hammered against my chest. I tried to run in front of the girl on the opposing team to block a goal. All of my teammates were behind me, I was our last hope to win the championships. I gasped for air, my ribs ached and my lips felt like sandpaper. I needed water.

I felt like a warrior fighting for my freedom, but in this case I was a center-mid fighting for my friendships. The spectators were cheering like crazy. I knew that my team was depending on me, but my legs were about to give out. I had to block this goal and if I didn’t, all of our hard work during the season wouldn’t pay off. I didn’t want to let anybody down.

As my cleats dug into the dirt, clumps of celadon grass and sweat flew into the air. I ran like lightning through the sky. I could almost hear the sizzling sun baking my forehead, sure to leave a bright pink sunburn. The score was two to two and it was the last half. I had to block this goal.

Before I knew it, the cheering stopped and the spectators were silent. The girl who was once next to me was now a mile in front of me. The crowd started cheering again. I thought about my teammates, and I knew what I had to do.

In a sudden turn of events, I propelled forward. I was now ahead of my opponent. I felt like I was unstoppable. I positioned myself in the six yard box, and got ready to block the ball. The goalie attempted to block the ball, but she missed and ended up on the floor in the middle of the eighteen yard box. It was all up to me to make sure that my opponent didn’t score.

My opponent planted her non-dominant foot and shot the ball. The crowd gasped as the ball hit the post and ricocheted off my stomach into the goal. A cold chill ran down my spine and my palms started to sweat. My face turned white.

“Did I just score for the other team?” I thought nervously to myself.

My brain screamed inside my head. As I stood jaw-dropped and wide-eyed in the middle of the six yard box, the referee blew his silver whistle and the game was over. The spectators cheered. I couldn’t believe it. All of a sudden, my hammering heart turned into a fragile one and shattered into a million pieces.

“What are my teammates going to say to me?” I thought as I walked dejectedly over to our side of the field and joined the huddle.

“Good job!” they said trying to cheer me up.

I was baffled.

“What do you guys mean? I totally failed,” I said guiltily.

“You did your best and that’s all that matters. You are still a great friend and that’s what counts.”

“You guys are the best friends ever!” I said, completely shocked that I had such amazing buddies.

Then, right at that moment, I learned that my teammates were true friends who didn’t care about the score; they cared about what type of person I was and that was all that mattered. My true friends picked up the shattered pieces of my heart and made me feel good as new. Even though we didn’t win the championships that day, I realized that we won a victory much sweeter than a medal; we learned the true meaning of friendship. And to me, that was truly the best award I could ever receive.

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Chris Walbridge, Kelton Gregor | 6th Grade

Furthest Back Person Poem Katherine Von Der Ahe Our family is an ocean we crash in time and reform with stability bringing wonders along with us Our family is an ocean all unique in our different ways not knowing what will happen ahead gaining confidence and strength the harder we try but somehow we are all connected even from millions of miles away

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6th GRADE Miss Sparks’s Winning Every Day Kylee Wang

“Congratulations, Kylee!,” my piano teacher said, holding a certificate in one hand, and a shiny, gold medal in the other. I was incredulous. I had won first place in my first piano competition. After class, I showed the medal to my mom. She was awestruck and told me, “I’m so proud of you.”

As we drove home, I couldn’t have been happier. This feeling was the complete opposite of a week ago.

It was a bright, sunny day. Birds were chirping happily in the trees, and there was a light breeze. Inside my cool, dark house, the atmosphere was completely different.

I failed. I knew I did. My mom was testing me on how well I was playing my piece. In just one month, I would be entering in my first piano competition ever.

“ Um... well, sweetie, work harder and um, you’ll do better,” my mom said, faking her smile. She tried to hide her face as she left the room, but I still got a glance of her disappointment. I felt like quitting piano. I felt like giving up. I played about 15 notes wrong, had a memory slip, and skipped five notes. I knew that wouldn’t work, and I must work harder.

And I did. Every day, I played an hour of piano, and whenever I felt like quitting, I would remember my mom’s disappointed face, and work even harder. A week passed, then two, then three. I was getting much better, and the next time my mom tested me, the look on her face changed from disappointment to being proud. Every time, she would say the same thing, “Good, now work even harder.”

At last the time had come. I was standing in a small, cramped room, along with the other contestants. Then, the nerves started to kick in. My legs were shaking; my heart was beating so rapidly, I thought it might burst out of my chest.

The door squeaked as a short, almost bald man wearing a suit said, “Contestants, please follow me.”

“Good luck!” my parents stated reassuringly.

“Uh-huh,” were the only words I could say.

“Don’t forget to make that checklist in your head,” my mom added.

“And take a deep breath,” my dad said.

“And…” My mom stopped short, and gently nudged me forward.

The man led us into the room like a bandleader. This time, there were three judges and a grand piano on top of a stage. The chairs were laid neatly in rows. We took our seats, and moments later, the parents filed in.

“Good luck,” my parents mouthed again. I forced a weak smile. The man was talking again.

“Hello, everybody. Today, to start, please welcome our first contestant, Kylee Wang!”

The audience clapped as I staggered on stage and took a clumsy bow. I didn’t look at the judges.

I sat down on the bench, my white poofy dress slowly spreading around me like fog settling onto the earth. I took a deep breath and lifted my fingers. Then, I began to play. In my mind, I made a checklist: first measure-okay, curve fingers-got it, crescendo-yup. On and on I went until I played the final chord. The audience was once again clapping for me. I took my seat, and as I glanced up, my parents were positively beaming; their faces shone as bright as light. Finally, at last the pressure on my shoulders began to crumble.

At the end of the program, the audience gave another big round of applause. Then, the contestants were excused and their parents were hugging them and telling them they did well. That was exactly what my parents did.

Deep down, I knew that hard work and effort can really pay off. All I need to worry about now is what place I received; but that can wait.

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Riley Ridge, Rylen Schmid | 6th Grade

Jake Simkins, Rachel Towers | 6th Grade 51

6th GRADE Miss Sparks’s

Elizabeth Casey, Hannah Dastgheib | 6th Grade

Jack Cohen, Jensen Klein, Lexi Stern | 6th Grade 52

Misfit

Liam Razmjoo

“Liam, why are you sitting with him? He’s nothing but trouble,” said my friend bitterly.

“Whatever,” I responded, confused. In fact, all my friends unanimously felt that way toward him. They found him annoying. The first few weeks in the second grade, I felt the same way about the new kid in our class. I always thought I wanted to have good relationships with all my classmates. After a month, I started looking for something good in him. I quickly learned he had an incredible vocabulary. He had a high IQ and was actually a caring person. I let him get closer to me. Every day, he would stick to me as if he were glued to my left arm. He would play whatever I played; he would sit next to me at lunch. He would walk with me literally everywhere, even to the bathroom when he had no reason to go.

“Liam, you have to get rid of this kid. He can’t hang out with you this way,” my other friends warned me. I enjoyed my time with him though. The more everyone pushed him away, the more I wanted to stand by him.

One day at lunch, as soon as he sat next to me, five of my friends lifted their plates and left the table. I was disappointed and disgusted. I could not find the words to protect him from this flagrant act of disrespect. “Ignore them,” I said. He gave a dismissive shrug and said, “It is what it is; they are world-class jerks.”

Gradually, I started getting isolated too. My friends were drifting away from me.

They wouldn’t play with me or sit next to me at lunch because he was always there. Being abandoned didn’t really faze me. I was having high-level conversations with this boy about a variety of subjects. I found our conversations stimulating and enriching. Although in all fairness, this kid did have some quirks and would sometimes get on my nerves too with his silly behavior.

That year flew by really fast. My vocabulary grew while my circle of friends shrank drastically. I felt, however, that I had grown intellectually. By the year’s end, he called one day.

“Liam, my parents are moving me to a different school. It is going to be very difficult to leave you. I’m going to miss you,” he added. “I am going to miss you too,” I said, surprised. I did not know whether I was happy or sad because deep down inside I missed my other friends.

Now I would get an opportunity to mend those wounds and repair the broken ties. I had a lot of work ahead of me. In that year, I learned the choices I make in life could shape the type of person I grow up to become. I also realized that I could always find good assets in other people. Dealing with people’s’ good sides, I learned, makes me generally happier.

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7th GRADE Miss Sparks’s The Day My World Literally Came Tumbling Down Andrew King

I sit on the floor of my room playing with legos. I pull them apart and put the bricks back together over and over again. It has played out like an average day so far. I glance at my bookshelf and see the toys resting at the top. I suddenly feel a little bored with the bricks, so I decide to attempt to get the toys down. I measure at only four feet tall, so I cannot quite reach the toys. I improvise. I pull the bottom drawer out and stand on it to get extra height.

Looking up at the top feels like looking up a steep cliff.

My arm reaches up as far as it can but to no avail. I pretend I have extendo arms so I can reach the toys without struggle. Sadly fantasizing about something does not make it real.

I crouch down on the drawer in preparation for a jump. I tremble with fear as the thought of falling burns itself into my mind, but I think about how awesome playing with the toys will be to regain my confidence. My body springs up, but my fingertips just barely touch the toys.

As I land, the bookshelf shakes a little. I put my arms out like a tightrope walker to regain my balance on the narrow drawer. “Probably nothing,” I think. I spring up again and manage to nudge the toys a little closer to the edge. I prepare for the last jump and push as hard as I can to propel myself into the air. This time I manage to knock the toys off the shelf, barely.

Mission accomplished.

As my feet land on the narrow edge of the bookshelf, my heel slips off the end. I begin tipping backward, so to steady myself, I grab the edge of the shelf and pull myself forward.

The calm before the storm occurs as I think that I can safely leave now, but as I hang onto the bookshelf, it begins tipping backward. I hop on the floor, but with no time to run, I cover my head and wait for the impending impact of the bookshelf. I wonder if this is it. What will happen if the bookshelf strikes my head or my back?

Thud! I open my eyes, but darkness obscures my vision. My head feels like a bookshelf fell on it and so does my back. I wonder why? I realize that I currently remain in the concave part of the shelf designed to hold books. I try to stand up, but the shelf is so tight that I can only move an inch. I feel a little claustrophobic with nowhere to move, but I push it aside as I begin to scheme how to escape. I wedge my arms under the slim opening to the outside world and try to lift it up, but my strength is equivalent to that of a popsicle stick. I go to my last resort. “Help!” I scream at the top of my lungs. It takes a second, but soon enough I hear the rapid thunk of running from down the hall. Suddenly the tight enclosure trapping me begins to become larger and larger until I can completely stand up.

Standing in front of me with the weight of the bookshelf in his arms stands Chris, my brother. He pushes it with all his might to put the bookshelf back where it belongs. He hugs me. “You have to be more careful bud. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” I want to say something, but I just stand there, dumbfounded. He walks out of the room. He leaves a permanent picture seared into my mind: an image of what he did to keep me safe, and I will always know he will help me in my times of need. I look around me at the pandemonium of my room. Broken pieces of clay and toy rest on the floor. With a sigh, I begin the long quest of picking up the scraps.

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California Screamin’ Emma Peets

Drops of sweat rolled down my cheeks as Morgan, Mr. Czepiel, and I impatiently wait in the endless line of the ride, California Screamin’. I had managed to walk endless miles around the happiest place on earth, coping with the fact that I would later be going on one of my worst fears, California Screamin’. When we arrived at the line, a huge bucket of fear washed over me. “Is it scary?” No answer. “How high is the drop?” No answer. “Hello… Morgan?’

“Emma, you will be fine! Do not worry so much!” Morgan said. Not satisfied with her answer, I looked down at my hands, which were wet with fear. Questions were buzzing through my head as second thoughts raced through my mind. The last time I tried a roller coaster, it didn’t end well. I lacked major confidence. Every step meant I was edging closer to facing my fear. “Almost there!” Morgan exclaimed with joy and leisure.

“This way, please.” The nice lady directed me to the fifth row, where I sat, uneasy.

Morgan sat right next to me with a huge grin on her face. My heart raced, my body trembled, my teeth shivered. The time had come. After waiting for almost thirty minutes, (which felt more like a year) the cart moved forward. Oh no! Oh no! Here I go! We came to a stop. Well, that wasn’t so bad! Oh wait, it’s not over.

“Having second thoughts?… Too bad!” the loudspeaker yelled as if I wasn’t scared enough. I then remembered what my mom said said to me before I climbed into the car: “Do not let fear hold you back!” I lifted my head up and pulled my shoulders back. I could do this.

“1, 2, 3!’’ The loudspeaker yelled. The cart jerked forward and I was off.

“AHHH!” Morgan screamed. I sat there quietly as we traveled at the speed of light. Up, up, up! Down, down, down! The big drop neared and my ease faded away into the Disneyland sky. We came to the drop, and the cart stopped. Oh no! It’s broken! Just as I started to panic, the cart came zooming down. The drop was over. Up and down and a twist and UPSIDE DOWN!

I felt very light-headed afterwards, but none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was that I had completed my goal! I could go home not only to brag to my brother that I had ridden California Screamin’ before him, but also to explain to my mom that I did not let fear get the best of me. I never will let fear get the best of me because I will never know what is waiting for me at the end of the ride.

Deniz Inel | 7th Grade

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7th GRADE Miss Sparks’s My Biggest Fan Alexis Jordan

As soon as I step out of the car, I say goodbye to my mom. Following the tile path my strong arms push open the stuck gate. Reluctantly it swings open with a loud bang. I pretend I am Dorothy prancing down the yellow brick road as I make my way toward the back yard. Instead of turning right into the house, I continue to the parallel running rose bushes. The sweet smell of cigar smoke greets me as I turn the corner into the backyard. There he sits in his chair gazing at the view with a cigar between his lips; Steven Trent Fry.

With excitement he yells, “Hey kiddo!” My short steps become long strides as I lean in to give my Pop Pop a huge hug. Plopping onto the couch I kick off my uncomfortable shoes and enjoy the beautiful weather.

We start talking about the family trip we will take to Hawaii for Thanksgiving. I probe him for an excited response, but he noncommittally replies, “Eh.” “He should be more excited than that,” I think to myself.

Politely I ask “Why?”. He replies with the answer I will never forget, “I do not want to miss work.” I wonder why. He has worked for about 40 (ish) years as the owner of Fry Steel Company. This 74-year-old’s favorite part of the day is work. My grandpa has worked hard his whole life, and I believe we need more people like him in our world. I ask him how he slept because he always has trouble sleeping. He says, “I woke up every hour. I am just too curious! There are too many questions I have about the world and about life.” He gives me a huge smile with a twinkle in his eye. He is truly amazing.

Three of the quickest hours have passed, but it only feels like it has been thirty minutes. We talk about his work at the office, my softball team winning a berth to the biggest nationals in the country, the twelve foot waves at junior guards, and John Wayne in his favorite cowboy movies. Glancing at my phone the clock reads 4:57 P.M. I tell him, “I am so sorry, but I have to go. I love you so much!” I give him a kiss on the cheek and rush inside to watch Dancing with the Stars with my grandma.

I look forward to next week because I know we will have the same experience. With every conversation we have together, my knowledge of the world grows; I am grateful for that. I love my Pop Pop very much. He is my best friend and biggest fan.

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Griffin Lewis | 7th Grade

Hazel Koh | 7th Grade

Strive to Ski Zoe Stern

Matthew Poska | 7th Grade

Kelly Huai | 7th Grade

I slipped on the skis and slowly lowered myself into the lake. “Are you ready?” Tyler the boat driver screamed. “Ya,” I yelled in a shaky voice. I sat in Echo Lake with my two skis pointed towards the sky, like an eleven. My whole body continued to shiver, and I eagerly waited for the boat to move forward. The tall bright green trees and mini islands around the lake caught my attention for a little while, but after about a minute passed, I couldn’t stop thinking of how many different ways this could go wrong. Thoughts and ideas filled my brain as we circled to let the rope loose. What if I fell and hit my head on the skis? What if I face-planted into the water? Or what if I fell backwards? I couldn’t stop. Bad thoughts started punching me in the stomach. As the engine’s speed started to increase, all of the thoughts disappeared, and my mind went completely blank. I did not know what to expect.

Zoooooooom. When I looked down, I saw two skis gliding across the water. I couldn’t believe it! The frigid water flowed between my toes, and my hair was blowing backwards as if I stood in front of a huge, strong fan. My hands were tightly grasped around the rope’s handle, and my head moved from side to side, looking at everything around me as though I was nodding, “No.” The water was asleep; my ski instructor said that the water had never been calmer.

The tall green trees on the many islands on the lake came closer as I approached my first full loop around the lake. I turned my head to the left to see my beautiful camp. Ten hands waved at me as I passed. I felt like the world was spinning around only me.

This moment, the one I dreamed about for eight months, became reality. During the school year, I saw videos of my friends water skiing, and I wondered if I could do it. Would I be brave enough to try it? Would I be strong enough? I realized that the answers to these questions were “Yes,” and for the first time in a long time, I was proud of myself.

As I finished my third loop around the lake, I looked in front of me to see two hands motioning to let go of the rope. I sank down into the water, yet my skis still stayed pointed up towards the sky. I climbed into the boat dripping water all over. Everybody said how amazing I skied and how not many people get up on their first try. I will never forget this day and moment, and I believe in myself more than I used to.

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7th GRADE Miss Sparks’s

Oliver Park | 7th Grade

Ruby Hammond | 7th Grade

Sabrina Neushul | 7th Grade

Carson Webb | 7th Grade

Ryan Krall | 7th Grade

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8th GRADE My Grandfather’s Dream

Darcy Chung

Nobody in my family Remembers those before My great grandfather And we don’t even remember his name All we know is that he was a rich and selfish man Who spared no money For his oldest son When he moved to America And so my grandfather came halfway across the world With Two kids One wife And a dream Or so the story goes And every time I see him He tells me that He worked days and nights Struggled and strained Battled ignorance and intolerance So that I could be here Instead of working the fields or Wishing for an education or Dying in the name of my religion or Suffering because of the color of my skin or Starving in a faraway place

Chandler Airth | 8th Grade

He fought so that I could succeed He fought For me

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8th GRADE Miss Sparks’s Memorizing is My Passion Karina Grover

When one is a little toddler, adults are meant to be naturally better at skills that children don’t seem to fathom until they can finally speak in full sentences and express complete thoughts.

And, then, one day, the child is able to write out all 26 of the ABC’s and count up to 100 without using any fingers, allowing a wave of pride and love to wash over the mother and father.

The first time my dad plays memory with me on the kitchen counter, I try to remember where the 2 pictures of my favorite shape lie in the sea of cards, and am still trying when my mother comes into the room to brush my hair before bedtime.

She doesn’t really know why I want to continue playing such a difficult game again and again but takes me to the toy store in the plaza up the street when I implore and helps me find an actual memory set.

Original Memory Game, 3+.

I play the game by myself again and again.

Like my father, I, too, fall in love with the game, memory, there’s something so fulfilling about finding a pair, I want to always feel as rewarded.

Then, one day, my father asks me to join him in the living room to learn digits of pi for a memorizing contest at school. But I don’t need to be coached after learning a few dozen digits of pi.

The pattern, the flow, the tune, of the string of numbers is in my head now, living there. Imprinted.

“3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510 58209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679…”

I recite for my father, all the digits that I scanned with my eyes spilling out of me right up to 200 when I finally say, “...821480865132823066470938446095 5058223172535940812848111745028410270193 852110555964462294895493038196…”

That is amazing, my father exclaims.

I didn’t even memorize all of those digits!

But I just sheepishly grin, not knowing how to react.

How can I tell anyone that memorizing is like air to me, I breathe memorized material in and spew it all out over and over again.

Fantastic! my father tells me with a smile.

Karina, you need to keep up with this. Someday, maybe, you could break the school record or, possibly, the world record!

And I know for sure now memorizing is my air. Memorizing is my brilliance.

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Kyle Mix | 8th Grade

The Impossible Macey Mullane

I hated volleyball. I despised bumping, setting, spiking, serving, and anything associated with the sport. A team full of my friends and a season full of hard work changed that.

After only eight games, the contempt I had for volleyball slowly faded to almost nothing and turned into actual enjoyment. My encouraging coach and my team all worked together to accomplish what we thought was impossible. In the spring of sixth grade I decided to play volleyball. The B team, which included most of my friends and myself, never once thought that we had a chance of winning, at least at the beginning. The season continued and my team won most of our games. We gained confidence every game, even the ones we lost. We played so well that we made it to the finals.

My friends helped me to understand that with teamwork anything can be accomplished.

I stood in the front right corner facing our opponent. The stark white net created a barrier between us and our enemy.

A girl on the other team served and we missed. She served again and the ball slammed against the net. It was my turn to serve. I held the ball and then used my fist to whack the ball up and over the net, but the other team returned it and

we failed to send it back again. We were down by a lot and ended up losing the first game. The second game started and we served, rallied the ball back and forth. Some hits flew over the net gently, but other ones came flying down from the other side like an eagle swooping in to catch its prey.

My friend Isabelle hammered one ball after another and the other team tried in vain to return her serves. We rallied together to win the second game.

We huddled around our coach. Someone called out a cheer and a loud roar burst from our small circle. We stepped out onto the battlefield. Volleyballs flew back and forth in our favor. Our score climbed until we had 14 points. Isabelle served the ball over the net. One of the girls on the other team dived, but missed. The crowd suddenly exploded like an erupting volcano. We had done impossible.

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8th GRADE Miss Sparks’s One Order of Regret Kate Miller

Waimea Bay, 2013. The danger, the rewards, the adrenaline. The start of my colossal realization. I believe in grabbing life by the reins and halting it. When people reach the age of 90, the things that they did not do will stand out more than what was actually accomplished. One of the most powerful emotions humans suffer is regret. I face this challenging predicament at a mere thirteen years old. Two years ago, this exact thought lapped at my anxious mind.

In Waimea Bay, Hawaii, the fifteen foot rock looked ten feet high from afar, but at least thirty-five feet when looking down from the peak. My dad stood nervously on the sandy beach, a black camera barely balancing in his shaky hands. An unsteady breath filled my lungs as I started the journey up the rock.

On this particular sunny day, rough waves crashed against the small cliff at least halfway up. The dark rock slipped from beneath my fingers continually as I climbed.

Without water shoes, blood and raw skin would have coated my feet. The Hawaiian sun beat down on the boulder, making each inch of the rugged surface a searing frying pan. After planting each step with great care, I finally reached the climax. My chest swelled with pride as I admired the scene below. Families splashed in the crystal blue water, without a care in the world. Stubborn white clouds loomed over the bay, refusing to permit this day to achieve perfection.

I heard a laugh above. Wait, above? I craned my neck upwards in surprise and saw a monstrous cliff, towering above me. My heart dropped to the depths of my stomach as someone catapulted themselves off. Suddenly, my “cliff” looked like a simple step. I clenched my jaw.

Karina Grover | 8th Grade 62

And jumped.

No, I did not dive off of the tremendous rock, even though I had the chance to. I regret that much more now than then. The smaller rock gifted exhilaration, but every single glance back at that memory slices through my pride. What a coward I acted like that day, and I am still reaping the consequences. As I look back on that particular moment in time, regret swallows the happiness of my tiny accomplishment overshadowed by a much bigger, waiting triumph. I absolutely loved jumping off the small one and I will always have the memory in my mind. But that thirtyfive foot rock haunts me to this day. The memory always overtakes the experience.

On a deathbed, will anyone reminisce about the time that they stayed up late to study for a tiny quiz? Or will they remember and regret that in studying for that pointless quiz, they missed out on surfing with their friends and attending a killer barbeque? The latter will eat at the soul, nibble at every inch of minor accomplishments, contaminating them with regret.

Once people channel their inner daredevil and experience life changing moments, they will not look back.

In the memorable words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

Life should contain no regret, so march outside with regret locked inside of your kitchen fridge.

Geoffrey Von Der Ahe | 8th Grade

Skiing

Kimi Reddy I do not get to ski very often. But when I do, I feel different, Willing to take a risk.

Willing to sail the ship out into the dangerous ocean rather than float at the safe dock.

Even after a year or two, when I slide my feet into the boots and then into my skis with a satisfying click, they are immediately back home.

Everything comes back to me, every skill or trick I have learned.

Nothing forgotten.

I ski down the mountain, imprinting curves and spirals, onto the cake Mother Nature frosts every year, waiting for skiers to decorate.

Gigantic, deep green trees line the slopes, Snowflakes drift from the clouds like falling feathers, Each unique flake that falls on my thick coat, has never been seen before.

A warmness fills me even in the freezing weather.

I speed down the slope, past all the trees and people and signposts, Until I reach the bottom.

I gaze up, at the glorious mountain at the gigantic cake which I have skied down.

Snowmobiles roll over the snow in the distance, Clearing the path, A blank canvas, For skiers to decorate again tomorrow Some may wonder, How can skiing be your passion, if you live in sunny Southern California?

But the best things in life are things you cannot do that often.

The best things in life are what remain special occasions, and not routine.

Marbella Marlo | 8th Grade

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8th GRADE Miss Sparks’s Being Cool and Discovering Awesome: A This I Believe Essay Rowan Oliphant

I am a nerd.

I love to read. I count down the days until my favorite movies come out, and love beautiful video game graphics. I think space is awesome, I like 80’s music more than what plays on the radio now, and social awkwardness defines a solid 25% of my personality. I get unnecessarily excited about the smallest, most insignificant things. And I love it.

But I believe that nerdiness means so much more than acing the science test. Society has spent decades shaping the nerd image into something undesirable. The media has painted the image well: glasses, brace face, eccentric clothes. But with the 21st century’s new generation of intellectuals, the stereotype has redefined itself into something the exact opposite. And this time, poor eyesight, retainers and lack of athletic ability, has nothing to do with it.

Loving stuff unconditionally defines nerdiness at its core.

I remember the time I won my school’s Geography Bee in seventh grade. I stood alone on that stage, with nearly five hundred eyes fixed upon me, applauding my achievement and appreciating the awesomeness I represented in that little moment. I believe these little moments of pure awesome become what we spend the rest of our lives striving for.

My love for studying the world had tossed me into the unknown, up in front of all those people, and put a gold medal around my neck.

And afterwards, when I stepped down to rejoin my friends, everyone else was proud of me too.

But this pride did not come from just anywhere.

It all starts from channelling the inner nerd.

The inner nerd gets excited about life. It wants to explore anything and everything that has to do with what people love, and pushes

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one to learn and grow.

Think about what society would look like without people who worked hard at what they loved. To name a few familiars: Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Galileo. Without these people, society would never discover the vastness and complexity of space, or tote cell phones around in back pockets. And everyone geeks out about something, even if they don’t think so. Whether one loves WWII history, cooking, surfing, or mid 17th century poets, everyone finds something that holds a special place in the back of his or her mind.

So football nerds sit on exactly the same level as math or chemistry nerds. And people can geek out about hundreds of things at once. So just because I memorize constellation patterns in my free time does not mean I can’t set a volleyball. I excel at both of these things.

Nerds create and represent our past, present, and future. We have labored tirelessly and quietly behind closed doors for long enough, and deserve recognition.

So here is a shout out to the weird kid who sat in the back of the class and read dictionaries, the guy who knew endless junk about baseball, or the runner who woke at five in the morning to improve just that little bit more. Because that is so cool.

But that’s the thing: don’t worry about coolness. The braces will come off, and guess what? You will have beautiful teeth. Embrace your nerd, do what you love, strive for awesome, and the coolness will come to you.

Believe me, I know.

the not-so-little prince Will Anderson he drew a picture of the boa constrictor and the elephant but no one could see what it really was except for him. that was all years ago, and he no longer saw the picture as the boa constrictor and the elephant. all he cared about was his plane, but he still carried the picture with him. when the plane crashed, the little prince came to greet him. the prince saw the picture as the elephant and the boa constrictor. the prince was from another planet, only visiting earth temporarily. the prince told him about life on his planet, and about the rose that he loved, and his adventures through all the planets, and how he tamed the fox, seemingly taming the man at same time. the prince told the man about how to love life. and the man listened, holding every bud of knowledge closer to his heart than the last. after eight days, the prince decided that he had to go home to be with his rose. the man knew the prince had to go, but he was certainly sad to see the prince leave.

Gabrielle Montgomery | 8th Grade

the man couldn’t watch his friend part. after all, the prince saw the picture as the elephant and the boa constrictor. no one else saw the picture as the elephant and the boa constrictor.

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8th GRADE Letter to HDS Maggie Sonenshine

February 8, 2015 Mrs. Susan Johnson Director of Upper School Harbor Day School 3443 Pacific View Dr, Corona Del Mar CA, 92625 Dear Mrs. Johnson: I would like to join the Harbor Day School Staff as an associate teacher for Mr. Kerr. After spending a significant portion of my time on campus and in his classes, I am confident that my skills will benefit his courses and grow under his mentorship. While reviewing the job description, I was excited to see the broad range of curriculum and character that the forward-thinking students cover.

I am a proclaimed pedantic intellectual by Mr. Kerr himself, and I am certified in child care by two separate organizations. I completed courses with Safe Sitters of America and the charity Human Options, and I teach a weekly class to child victims of domestic violence. This experience has taught me how to lead a group of students and think on my feet. Having earned consistent Pat on the Head honors throughout my nine years at Harbor Day, I excel in both English and Literature and am very familiar with the subject matter. My writing has been featured several times in Harbor Day’s literary magazine, and I enjoy aiding my friends in editing their papers and correcting their grammar or word choice, something an associate teacher under Mr. Kerr’s direction would need to be proficient at. Five months of studying under the watchful eye of Mr. Kerr has educated me in both his teaching style and personality. Through my careful research, I have perfected the art of quoting obscure eighties movies, cursing B Block, and calling Will Anderson by various odd nicknames. I have also developed a love for the esteemed, elegant, and suave male barbers of Ventura, or “Ventucky”. I would use all these mentioned skills to assist Mr. Kerr in everyday tasks as his associate teacher.

I would like the opportunity to meet with you and discuss my application and competence in greater detail. Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,

Maggie Sonenshine

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Does It Still Make a Sound?

Will Anderson

Forest brush grew thick under the two trees.

They had grown up together, quite literally. They learned the niches of these forests together, side by side. As the trees grew taller in size and closer in heart, their feelings blossomed under their leafy canopy. One tree could not repress these feelings any longer. The tree said: “Let my branches hold forever true, my eternal love for you.”

The other tree bashfully admitted to these feelings as well, and the two embraced. Tree huggers, in a sense.

Once their love was released from the shell of their bark, it escaped into the forest air, infecting all creatures with peace and joy. The trees vowed to spend the rest of their lives together, although this would have occurred regardless, given that they were rooted next to each other, which is all the more reason for their love:

Kate Miller | 8th Grade

Let my branches hold forever true, my eternal love for you.

The forest rejoiced in their matrimony, and all was well.

A cold gust shot through the woods. Leaves crunched heavily underfoot. A dark, sharp axe chopped away the underbrush. Boots marched closer to the two trees: “This one’s good.”

As the axe rose, the tree realized it’s fate: “Let my branches hold forever true, my eternal love for you.”

The tree fell. A muffled thud rang throughout the forest, announcing the end of an era, an era of love. The standing tree looked down at the axewielding man:

Dutch Dietrick | 8th Grade

“I never loved him anyway.”

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68

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Index Grade

Last Name

First Name

Page/s

Grade

Last Name

First Name

Last Name

First Name

Page/s

5 Hatfield Brady 42

4 Aftabi Jazmine 37

5 Dastgheib Isabelle 42

5 Hauge Lukas 47

8 Airth

Chandler 59

1 Davis Avalon 18

1

1

Hailey

4 Davis Chloe 39

1 Hill

Lair 20

1 Alagband Cameron 25

5

Decker

Reade

1 Hofer

Sheridan 17

8

Anderson

Will

65, 67

1

Dib

Christopher 14

K

Angeloff

Danny

5, 6

8 Dietrick Dutch 67

K Hoover Finn 5

5 Beador Stella 68

1 Dixon Luke 22

7 Huai Kelly 57

K Berengian Aleah

1

Dollander Morgan 21

K Ilczyszyn Sydney 10

5

Donahoo

47, 69

7 Inel Deniz 55

1 Dostert Kaitlyn 14,69

K James Presley 5,8

K

Eckenweiler Makenna 10

5 Johnson Brooke 41

3 Eusey Ryan 31

2 Johnson Parker 27

4 Fawaz Isabella 39

7 Jordan Alexis 56

1 Fenner Charlie 22

3 Jordan Charlotte 31

3 Fenner Logan 35

K Kelly Cooper 5

K Fischbein Lyla

2 Kern

10

1 Bertea Leigh 21 1 Blumetti William 20 4 Boserup Alex

36

5

43, cover

Britt

Lily

3 Bryden Jackson 35 4 Callaghan Aubrey 37 K Callaghan Declan 4 2 Callaghan James

29

K Camaras Ty

11

grade 1

6

24, 25

Nicole

48, 52

Grade

2 Aftabi Isabella 29

Airth

Dastgheib Hannah

Page/s

45, 69

3

Heer

Saachi

16, 21

3 Hofer Tommy 69

Sebastian 27

3 Fogel Grace 32

5 Kessler Jaden 46

3 Carboni John 35

K Fraley Blake 6

4 Khan Danyel 37

3 Casey Claire 31

4 Franey Grant 38

7 King

6 Casey

Elizabeth 52

2 Gapp Connor 26

K Kirkowski Maggie 8

1

Jackson

3 Geary Charlie 32

6 Klein Jensen 52

K Cavner Kamilah 4

2 Getter Julia 29

7 Koh Hazel 56

4

1 Ginsberg Matea 25

7 Krall Ryan 58

K Chen Addy 13

3 Godfrey Tyler 69

1

8 Chung Darcy 59

4

3 Krotts Charli 31

1 Claassen Wright 18

1 Gomez Charlie 23

5 Krotts Olivia 68

2 Cohen Allison 26

4 Green

K

K Cohen Austin 3

6 Gregor Kelton 49

K Landy

6 Cohen Jack 52

2 Grover Davin 26

7 Lewis Griffin 56

3 Cook Conrad 68

2 Grover Dillan 28

3 Lewis Madison 34

2 Cormac Ana

8

Grover

60, 62

3

1 Cudzil Luke 14

7

Hammond Ruby

58

5 Lynch Micayla 44

K

K Harrison Emma 6

4 Lynch Michael 37

K Harrison Oliver 11

3 Mahdi Siena 34

4 Harrison Riley

K Mahoney Lily

Casey Chen

Cuneo

Kaden

Capri

16, 19 38, 39

29 3, 6

5 Cuneo Sienna 47 70

Gomez

Alex

36, 39

Chandler 36

Karina

40

Krotts

Lal

Lykos

Andrew 54

Brooklyn

15, 17

Madeleine 12 Gabrielle 8

Kylie

32, 35

8

Grade

Last Name

First Name

Page/s

Grade

Last Name

First Name

Page/s

Powell

Samantha 17

Grade

K

Last Name

First Name

Stiefel

Frankie

Page/s

9, 13

K Majit Brody 13

1

3 Majit Owen 33

6 Razmjoo Liam

8 Marlo

Marbella 63

8 Reddy Kimi 63

1

1

Massoudi

Ella

15, 24

K Ressler Landon 11

3 Ting Annika 33

1

McCardle

Reed

15, 20

6 Ridge Riley 51

5 Tipton Lucy 46

K

McCollough Max

10, 11

K

K Tiwari Molly 11

7

McConnaughey Jenna

69

5 Rosing Ellie 44

5 Todd Allison 41

5

McNeill

44

3

3 Todd Emma 30

Carson

Rofougaran Milan Rosing

53

4

Mark James 31, 32

1 Talleur Shae 18 Thorp

Sarah

22, 23

3 Mead Adam 30

K Sadri Kiana 7

6 Towers Rachel 51

K Miller Alex 13

5 Sakraney Shaan 46

1

8

5 Santry Brodie 44

4 Tse

K Miller Stella 8

6 Schmid Rylen 51

4 Vanjani Dilan 39

8 Mix

1 Sellers Ethan 15

2 Vanjani Jaydan 27

22

8

Von Der Ahe Geoffrey

Miller

Kate

62, 67

Kyle 61

Riley

20, 22

Talia 39

62

8

Montgomery Gabrielle 65

1

1

Moshayedi Colette

16

5 Shakoori Tara

47

6

Von Der Ahe Katherine 49

1

Mossman

Caden

14, 69

1 Shubin Stella 24

3

Von Der Ahe Luke

68

1

Mossman

Colton

15, 23

6 Simkins Jake 51

4

Von Der Ahe Will

39

4 Mullane Cooper 39

1

Singletary Elliott

21

2 Vorobieff Kate

28

8 Mullane Macey 61

3

Smith

30, 31

2

Vovan

Makenzie

26, 68

K

Nami

Ella

10, 12

K Smith Hill

7

4

Vovan

Peyton

36, 40

1

Neal

Sienna

20, 25

K

Sokolowski Jake

10

4

Wainwright Reed

7 Neushul Sabrina 58

K

Sokolowski Nicholas 9

1

Walbridge Andrew 19

8 Oliphant Rowan 64

8

Sonenshine Maggie

66

6

Walbridge Christopher 49

K Olsen Ella

4

Specter

38, 40

5

Walkow

7

Senizergues Mateo

Tsai

Braden

Sage

Ava

38

41, 69

1 Owens Ophelia 19

2 Stamires Sofia

27

6 Wang Kylee 50

1 Paolone Dylan 21

K Steelberg Hudson 12

1 Watson Luke 15

7 Park Oliver 58

5 Steelberg Jack

68

7 Webb Carson 58

4 Peets

Catherine 38

1 Steelberg Logan

23

4 Wein Erika 38

7

Emma

K

4, 12

1

Peets

55, 68

Stern

Addison

Wellmerling Alex

14, 23

K Pelinka Emery 12

5 Stern Blake 42

4 Welton Everett 38

K Peters Taylor 7

K

Stern

Hudson

5, 9

K West Michael 10

3 Peykoff Hailey 33

1

Stern

Kyle

18, 25

1 Wilks Rhyse 17

K

6 Stern Lexi 52

K

1 Pirnazar Adam 19

K Stern Parker 13

4 Wolter Lucy 39

3 Pirnazar Jake

35

1 Stern Tyler 15

2 Yoshida Violet 28

7 Poska Matthew 57

7 Stern Zoe 57

1

Piercey

Cooper

3, 13

Williams

Young

Sloane

9, 11

Mackenzie 16, 19 71

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