December 2017

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F E AT U R E

Around the World

Index: Feature..................................................2 Editorial Calendar...............................3 Animals.................................................4 Americas...............................................8 Asia......................................................10 Europe.................................................12 Poems..................................................13 Art........................................................16 Sport....................................................17 People..................................................17 Christmas...........................................18 Holidays.............................................21 Parent’s Corner..................................23

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Dear Readers and Writers,

D

eveloping technology and engineering make our onceso-incomprehensibly-large world smaller every day. Yet, this world is still full of vast contrasts. To truly belong to the global community, not only do we have to skillfully navigate cultural differences but to also strive to gain a fresh perspective on our own culture.

The word “culture” often describes a community that shares collective experiences which mold how its members understand the world. It includes many groups, such as race, national origin, gender, class, or religion, that shape mindsets and practices of local communities.

No doubt, it is very important to have ties to our hometown and its culture. However, limiting our perspectives to what our culture prescribes and values can be rather dangerous. This often perpetuates self-glorification (our community and practices are the best), which leads to cultural arrogance and cessation of personal growth.

To grow as individuals and citizens alike, we need to develop curiosity for what is not inherently ours. We need to venture outside of our groups of comfort, network, and collaborate

Arina Bokas

Kids’ Standard Editor & Author of Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools to Communities

with people from cultures other than our own. We need to develop an internal capacity to question our own established practices and to see good in other communities and cultures.

By doing this, we will come to understand where we truly belong.

Culture is a strong part of people’s lives. It influences their hopes, their loyalties, and fears. In this issue Around the World: Lands, Cultures, Traditions, our writers open to the readers parts of this beautiful and diverse world.

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E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R

2017-2018 Editorial Calendar January 2018 Growth Factor

What are the factors that allow each person grow into the best version of him/herself? What do we need to do to develop our minds, nurture our hearts, and achieve the best life for ourselves?

Describe experiences that pushed you to become a better person and discover something important about yourself or others. Research and offer perspectives of psychologists and educators on the process of personal growth. Reflect on what you believe to be the most important growth factor that people need to remember to incorporate in their lives.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theory and development of computer systems that are able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. Some of the most exciting fields are robotics, automotive (self-driving cars), and medical (fast and accurate diagnostics). What benefits and drawbacks does it have? Will this reduce the human work or make human work different? What will humans do once all jobs are gone to AI? What kind of rights AI/robots should have in our Constitution? What new technological development would you like to see?

Tell stories about our live in the future.

Share your point of view of what artificial intelligence means to humankind.

March 2018 Readers’ Circle

everything related to reading and books is welcome.

April 2018

Everyday Heroes

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a hero is a person who is admired for his or her brave acts and other fine qualities. There is a hero inside each of us. We may not realize it, but someone, somewhere, does.

Share a story about your personal hero or about a well-known hero. Offer a perspective on what qualities make someone a hero. Research events in our history that are recognized as heroic events and share your take on them.

May 2018

The Sound of Music

February 2018

Artificial Intelligence

We know that it is important to learn how to read and to read a lot. But great reading is more than just sounding out letters and words. It involves thinking.

How do reading and thinking connect?

How does reading help us in everyday life? What and how can we learn when we read? Write stories about your own important reading experiences, alone and with others. Share lessons that you have learned from books. Write a book review. Research authors. Anything and DECEMBER 2017

What is music? Why does it have such a great effect on human beings? There are work songs to make tedious tasks more bearable. How does music influence us?

What role does music play in your life?

Write about your personal experiences with music, whether it is singing, playing an instrument, composing, or just listening. Research music genres and musicians. Compose a song.

Review songs or any other piece of music.

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ANIMALS

Bottlenose Dolphins

By: William Jang, 2nd grade, Woodland Elementary, Troy

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here are 36 different species of ocean dolphins. They are very smart animals. Dolphins use

echolocation to talk to other dolphins to get to know them, and they start living on their own early. Can you imagine going out into the world by yourself at only three years of age? Well, dolphins do!

A dolphin that I thought was

interesting was the Bottlenose Dolphin.

Bottlenose dolphins are found in the waters that spread from Northern Japan to Australia and from Southern California to Chile.

Bottlenose dolphins are one of the smartest animals on Earth. Their brain weighs about 1600 grams. This is larger than the average human brain that weighs between 1200-1300 grams! This is a good indication that these dolphins can have higher intelligence.

Bottlenose dolphins can leap as high 20 feet in the air and swim up to 22 miles an hour. They can also swim up to 260 meters below the surface of the ocean, but they need quick access to air in the surface. Because of this, these dolphins stay close to the surface.

Bottlenose dolphins are amazing animals, and there is still a lot of things about them that we don’t know.

deep—one found in Florida was 22 feet deep! We need to protect eagles because

their numbers are getting low. There are laws that make it possible.

Eagles By: Michael Jang, 2nd grade, Woodland Elementary, Troy

There are more than 70 different kinds of eagles all over the world. Eagles can be found in many places, with more than 60 different special eagles.

Eagle’s eyes can see very well. Eagles are stronger than other birds, and they are considered to be the kings of the birds. Eagles have sharp claws. They can go very fast when they fly. Eagles can eat deer, fish, and meat.

Most eagles’ nests are very large. They are about 6 feet across at the top. But even these nests can feel small to eagles.

Two adult eagles and a few young ones are in the nest, and their wingspan is six feet or more. Nests can be very

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ANIMALS

Ethiopian animals By: Scotland Hopkins,

3rd Grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

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ocated in Africa, Ethiopia is a beautiful place on the planet that has many interesting animals.

The Ethiopian wolf, walia ibex, and gelada are just some of them.

The Ethiopian wolf is similar to the coyote in size and build. It has a long and narrow skull and red and white fur.

This long-legged wolf is only found in the mountains of Ethiopia, where no more than 500 survive due disease and loss of places to live.

Walia ibex is also very interesting.

There are only 100 walia ibex in Ethiopia.

The walia ibex is an endangered species. The walia ibex is a part of the goat

family. These animals have a brown coat that is whitish on the belly and inside of the legs.

Gelada baboon are monkeys. They have unusual hairless patches of skin on the chest. This species spends long periods sitting looking for food. The gelada

Flamingos By: Violet Dougherty, 2nd grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

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lamingos are a type of wading bird. There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Old World.

Flamingos come from hot places like Africa; they don’t live in cold places. They also live in South America, Middle East, India in lagoons and lakes. These bodies of water tend to be saline or alkaline.

has sharp teeth. Its diet depends on what is available every season and consists largely of grasses, with the blades, seeds and bulbs all being eaten.

Many animals in Ethiopia are endangered. I hope that we will find a way to save them.

Flamingos travel as a family. That is called flying as a flock. When flamingos migrate, they fly mainly at night. When flying in the flock, the top speed can be as high as 35 miles per hour.

The Greater flamingo species weighs 4.4-pounds. The Lesser flamingo species weighs 2.6 pounds.

James flamingos weigh 4.4-pounds.

Flamingos have beaks that kind of look like a Toucan beak. Their eyes are above their beak. Flamingos stand on one leg. The leg they lift up makes a triangle shape and at the end, their toes stick out.

Flamingos spend their day eating and bathing. Flamingos eat algae, crustacean, brine shrimp, diatoms, and aquatic plants.They also eat pink shrimp, which can make the flamingos pink. Flamingos can live up to 20 -30 years old in the wild; in zoos, they can live up to 50 years.

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ANIMALS

Sloths By: Stella Dougherty, 4th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

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Pacific Ocean Creatures By: Jenna Robin, 4th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

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epending on where you are, oceans have different creatures. The ocean that has the most unique creatures is the Pacific Ocean.

It contains some amazing live that probably doesn’t exist anywhere else. Some creatures don’t have bones and are just gooey. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Giant Spider Crab and Frilled Sharks are two interesting species that live in the Pacific Ocean.

Giant Spider Crabs are found in the Pacific Ocean near Japan. Their name in Japanese is called Tacaashi-gani, which means ¨tall leg crab¨. These crabs use camouflage to hide from predators and people who want to catch them. The Japanese people like to eat crabs. Spider Crabs like to eat plants and algae in the ocean. They are very creepy because they look like giant spiders. They can live up to one hundred years.

Frilled Sharks are another animal found in the Pacific Ocean. They are named after their big gills.

Females are bigger than males. Frilled sharks were not seen in natural habitats until 2004. In January 2007, a fisherman spotted a strange eel-like creature with a mouthful of sharp teeth near the surface.

He alerted the staff at Awashima Marina Park in Shizuoha, who later captured the animal and put it in a seawater pool to study. I think the animal is interesting because it has many rows of teeth, but it looks like an eel, not a shark.

These are just two creatures that I found very interesting. It is amazing to see just how many unique creatures you can find in the world.

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loths are the slowest mammals on Earth that have been around for 30 million years. They used to live in North America, and now they live in South and Central America. Yet, some people do not even know about sloths.

Sloths spend their entire life in a tree. They only leave their tree to go to the bathroom. They eat all of the leaves on the tree that they live in. They don’t even move from tree to tree! Sloths also eat buds and cecropia trees.

These animals have no chance of surviving on the ground against a predator, but they can bite and claw a predator. Although sloths aren’t good at walking because their legs are weak and too long, they are super good swimmers. They can sometimes fall from their trees into the river and swim freestyle.

Sloth are related to anteaters. If you look at a picture of an anteater and a sloth next to each other, you can notice that both of them have the same long hair. They’re actually cousins. Sloths and anteaters are also alike because they both eat bugs. The sloths’ ancestors are bigger, however, and they mostly spend their time on the ground.

Sloths live up to 30 years. Sloths make a high-pitched noise like a “aaaaaahhhhh eeeee” sound; it’s called an ais (say ais like eyes). Sloths are very interesting and certainly deserve to be known.

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AMERICAS

BRAZIL By: Olivia Spitznas, 4th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

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ou walk around, hear loud music, see colors, and feel happy! You’re at the Carnival in Rio de Janeirothe second biggest city in Brazil! The carnival is an exciting five-day celebration! It starts on Friday and ends on Fat Tuesday, with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, 46 days before Easter.

Brazil is home to about 207.7 million people! It is a big country, which means many people come here from around the world! It has the 5th highest population in the world! Since there are so many people living there, there are many different cultures as well. The people there speak many languages: Portuguese, French, Spanish, Dutch, and English!

Brazil’s most famous landmark is a 125 foot concrete Jesus in Rio. It’s also known

MEXICO By: Reiss Kain Griffiths,

as Christ the Redeemer of the World; it is a big symbol of Christianity.

When someone mentions Brazil, one can either think of flat, rolling, boring plains and mountains or bright, beautiful, warm jungles. These are both images of beautiful Brazil! Brazil has a wide variety of beautiful and bright animals from Macaws to Iguanas, but it also has its

Mexican folklore, Mexico is believed to be created by two Gods, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. During the first stage of creation, Quetzalcoatl made a

3rd Grade, Woodland Elementary, Troy

M

exico, or the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. Mexico is bordered to the North by the United States; to the Southwest by the Pacific Ocean; to the Southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the East by the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mexican symbol is the Golden Eagle. The Mexican Flag was created in 1821. The green stripe means hope, the white stripe means purity, and the red stripe means union.

Mexico is full of rich traditions and stories. One of my favorite stories is the story of its creation. According to

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world and Tezcatlipoca spawned jaguars to eat all the people. In the second stage of creation, Quetzalcoatl made the world and Tezcatlipoca sent floods

share of not so vibrant animals, such as the Sloth, Armadillos, and Squirrels.

Fields are often used for a certain sport that this country takes more seriously than the rest; they call it football!! But if you live in America, like me, then you call it soccer.

Brazil is a wonderful place and maybe you can go there one day!

to destroy it. Some people turned into fish to save themselves. During the third stage, Tezcatlipoca made a world and Quetzalcoatl sent a rain of fire. Some people turned into birds to fly away. During the fourth stage of creation, Quetzalcoatl made a world and Tezcatlipoca sent strong winds to blow the people off of the earth. Some people became monkeys to take shelter in the trees. In final stage of creation, Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl made a new world, the world we have now.

Mexico offers sunny beaches, spicy cuisine, hot jungles, and fiesta fireworks! It is certainly a place to visit.

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AMERICAS

TEXAS By: Hunter Kauth, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

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exas is the second biggest state in America. It is 268,597 square miles. Texas is also known as the Lone Star State. The Alamo is located in Texas in San Antonio and is the most popular landmark in Texas which tourists go to see. Texas is a unique state, which can be seen in its food, entertainment, and sports.

In Texas, there are many types of food. The most popular type is

DECEMBER 2017

Tex-Mex. It is a fusion of Mexican food and American food. Some ingredients include cheese, meat, beef, pork, beans, peppers, and spices. Mexican food came to this state because Mexico is very close to Texas. A lot of Mexican people moved to Texas bringing their culture and food with them.

Bull riding is one of the most popular entertainments in Texas.

Bull riding originated as contests of ranch and horsemanship skills in Old Mexico. Now people watch bull riding at rodeos. There are many people at the rodeos, and there are many rodeos in Texas. The bulls weigh 1,8002,000 pounds each. Bull riding is a major part of Texan culture.

Football is also a big thing in Texas. The two NFL football teams in Texas are the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans. Texas is also considered to be the high school football capital of the world. Texas high schools have the biggest stadiums and scoreboards in the country for high school sports. At one Texas high school, Alamo Stadium seats 23,000 fans. Some stadiums cost up to 60 million dollars. Many people attend the football games to cheer on their teams.

Texas is an interesting place because it combines a number of cultures that blend together.

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ASIA

Manila - the most famous city in the Philippines.

Located in Asia, the Philippines is not a very well-known country. Lots of people don’t know about it, but they should, because it is really beautiful, even though there is a lot of traffic. The flag of the

Philippines is really interesting because it has unusual symbols that have important meaning. The white triangle stands for equality, the blue means peace, and the red stripe represents the Filipino’s patriotism and valor.

The Filipino language is very close to Spanish, which can be explained by this country’s history. Many centuries ago, the Philippines and Spain were at war.

The Philippines lost, so Spain took over and influenced the culture and language of the country.

When I’m at school, at lunch I see what other students have in their lunch bags and I wonder to myself why they don’t have rice there. One time I asked some of them this question, and they told me that that was something they would eat for dinner. I was really confused.

That’s when I knew food choices in the Philippines were different from those in America.

In the Philippines, there is always rice.

The Philippines is all about rice! In the Philippines there is no rule about what you eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; you could eat anything. People in America eat cereal, eggs, and pancakes for breakfast; we, Filipinos, eat rice.

The Philippines is a beautiful country.

Situated in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands. It is your choice which one you want to see first!

pollution, people get sick because they breath in the smoke.

Beijing (bey-jing) is the capital

of China. The area of the city is 6,490 square miles.

• 80% of things that leave China are electronics, toys, shoes, clothes, food products, seafood, and jewellery.

• The Chinese version of a pancake is called cong you bing, and the burger is called iou jia mo. Even though the Chinese version of these foods looks very different, it doesn’t mean it isn’t delicious.

The Philippines By: Mathea Marcale, 4th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

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ou look around and see tall buildings and very busy traffic; cars are honking. You are in

Facts About China By: Alexios Simmons, 3rd grade, Bailey Lake Elementary, Clarkston

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There are more people in China than the U.S.A. There are 1.379 billion people in China as compared to 323.1 million people in the United States.

China is very polluted. Its highest pollution is 155.2 micrograms per cubic centimeter as compared to the highest pollution of 18.2 in the US. Since there is so much

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ASIA

By: Sophia Le, 5th Grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

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here are many different countries with many different cultures.

I want to talk about Vietnam.

Vietnam is very beautiful and has interesting animals and many long-lasting traditions.

One of the traditional holidays in Vietnam is Vietnamese New Year, which is called “Tet Nguyen Dan” or “Tet holiday”. Tet holiday usually lasts for three days and happens some time between January 21 and February 19.

The first day of Tet holiday is reserved for family members and relatives to come to visit. The second day is set aside for special guests and close friends to visit. The third day is for school and professional people: teachers and business associates come to visit.

DECEMBER 2017

In some parts of Vietnam, people don’t know the real date of when they were born, so Tet holiday is everyone’s birthday. This is one tradition that is important to Vietnam.

There are many different types of ani-

mals in Vietnam. One of them is the Indian elephant. It is smaller than its relative, the African elephant, but still, it is very large. This big animal may spend 19 hours a day eating grass, tree

bark, roots, leaves, and small stems. The Indian elephant also likes to eat such crops as bananas, rice, and sugarcanes.

It needs at least one drink of water every day - the reason why it often lives near a source of water. Most Indian elephants live in reserves or sanctuaries.

The “sun bear,” also known as “honey bear,” is one of the smallest bears in the world. It can be easily recognized by the white or yellowish patch on its chest.

Not like many other bears, sun bears are wonderful climbers and spend a lot of their time on the trees. These bears feed on sweet fruit, small rodents, birds, termites, and other insects.

Vietnam’s official name is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It is located on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It has about 94.6 million people and is the world’s 14th-most-populous country. It is a place of natural beauty and complex cultures that you should visit one day!

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EUROPE

Greece By: Nikoletta Simmons,

4th grade, Bailey Lake Elementary, Clarkston

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he ocean, the sea, the flag, the buildings, the goats, the land, and the islands - everything is beautiful about Greece. Greece has a lots of mountains, full of of goats, and lots of hills. There is also a lot of buildings in Greece; most of them are blue and white, which are the colors of the country’s flag.

Greece and its people affected our lives like no other country. Greece is considered the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy and literature, science and mathematics. It gave the world theater and the Olympic Games. These are just a few examples.

Athens is the nation’s capital and largest city. It is named after the Greek goddess Athena Nike, which means “victory” in Greek. Athena was worshiped as goddess of victory in war and wisdom.

The temple of Athena Nike is one of the world’s famous landmarks. The temple is located on the Acropolis - a giant mountain in Athens. It was built in 420 B.C., which is a really long time ago. Many tourists go there to see it and get pictures. And when they look off the mountain, they see the beautiful ocean sparkling in the sun.

Greece, its history and culture are really important to me because my family is from Greece.

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POEMS

Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic: Bird’s Eye View

Everything simple and smooth

The whole resort is right before my eyes

I look down

It looks as big as an amusement park

The ocean is a whole different story It has nothing still about it

By: Taylor Rohr, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

The waves build up to come crashing down

The parasail slowly floats up,

Not a single area without movement

Thousands and thousands of palm trees are spread out across the land Hundreds and hundreds of tiny dots move on the sand, Possibly people

It is never ending

Almost reaching the sky I can’t stop fidgeting My heart is pounding The rope ends and the parasail is at it’s peak I look up

My stomach drops

All different shades of blue, green and black water blur together The boats both big and small I am so high up but I manage to pick out stingray

As the seat reals into the boat I realize the ride is over I look around to get my mental snapshot That will get stored in my memory forever

They stay together, not leaving one behind

Not a single gust of wind Everything now still and silent

Back to reality

They move in the shape of a diamond

Back to life

The sky is a light shade of blue

I look to the left and see my cousin with her mouth wide open

I will never forget this great ride in Punta Cana

With clouds drifting left and right

I turn my head more and look behind me

Why does it have to come to an end?

The sun bounces off the water Blinding my eyes

Paris, France: 1,348 Steps By: Ashlyn Pew, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

I took the first step, To try something new, The chance of a lifetime, Something most people don’t get to do.

My family followed behind me,

The big and beautiful historic buildings, Rising up high around me.

The height of our climb,

Is something I highly recommend.

The view was even better now, So we decided to take our time.

The weather was amazing,

The moment did come,

The skies were blue, And the sun was blazing.

I felt as high as the birds, Or maybe even higher, To never leave, Was my only desire.

The wind picked up,

Up the spiraling stairs,

We were high in the sky,

One step at a time.

I loved it in Paris,

We reached the first level,

I never wanted to say goodbye.

DECEMBER 2017

Traveling here,

We decided to keep climbing,

As we continued to climb,

It was amazing to look out and see,

two,

We reached level

We woke up early the next morning,

For us to head back down,

So we wouldn’t miss our plane,

Step by step,

We packed up our bags,

Into the huge town.

Back in the apartment, The rooms were filled with light, Windows were everywhere, And day turned into night.

Our trip all around France, Was coming to an end,

And got on the train.

The train took us to the airport, And we were soon in the air, Taking one last look at Paris, I laid back in my chair.

When we had to leave, I didn’t want to go, But I’ll always remember, The city of lights all aglow.

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POEMS

United States: Memories By: Cara Borgerson, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

Sitting on a towel, since the steaming sand would scald my skin.

I listened to the seagulls squawk and the ocean waves crashing on the shore.

Smelling the salty water and sand reminded me of every beach I´d ever been too.

Kids playing in the water with their cries of laughter, People going for a walk because it was too hot to run, and animals begging for food at the picnics under umbrellas.

California.

The Golden State.

My mom, dad and I basking in the sunlight, my brother attempting to body surf.

Hiking up out of, and down in the canyons.

Curiousness flooded me as I saw more and more.

Green, red, orange, yellow, and brown rocks above, below, right, and left, just surrounding us.

As soon as the wave came in, a ton of little tiny holes appeared in the sand

The views- spectacular, the experience - unforgettable.

The repetitive motions of sand caving in and the water caressing my feet was calming.

San Diego and Solana Beach.

The water met the sky and created a bond.

The light blinding my eyes, as it bounced off of the water.

We rooted ourselves in the sand like a new, baby tree,

An overwhelming feeling of relaxation.

and stayed at our spot on the beach for a while.

Our summer vacation.

As I sat, I started thinking, about how I got there, who I was with, and what I’d done.

A little later, my mom asked me if I wanted to go for a walk, and I agreed.

We started to talk, What was our favorite part of vacation?

Las Vegas and the Paris Hotel.

(The beach)

Stampedes of people crowding the 112° streets.

What was our favorite foods we had tried?

So many different settings Egypt, Paris, Rome, Italy, New York, Camelot and tropical islands.

(Everything)

Macarons, Creme Brulee, Mac and Cheese, French buffet.

The Hoover Dam. Taking a tour of inside the dam, and hearing a ton of “dam” jokes.

Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon.

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Where do we wanna go next time?

(I don’t even know) I began to gather shells, something I have always done since I was little.

then, they were gone.

It made me wonder about what laid beyond where the eye could see.

I thought maybe my family and I could find out what was out there.

As my mom and I ended our walk, I approached our blanket and settled back in.

We enjoyed a few hours more at the beach then headed out.

Time to go.

Back home.

But even though we didn’t want to leave, I knew I would enjoy every moment back in Michigan, even if I wasn’t on a vacation.

Because I had my family,

I found a huge variety

(and some shells)

Big, black, rough shells to smooth, colorful, tiny shells.

That all my fun times happened because of,

Bending over to pick one up, I see a tiny hole in the sand.

all my memories are revolved around, And more will be made with.

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POEMS

Rome, Italy: The Stone Sea By: Vanessa Chapin, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

I can see the door now At the end of the cramped stone hallway I climb up a few more stairs feeling the dust stick to me in the dense heat Almost to the top of the Vatican Almost done climbing the hundreds of stairs Almost outside Just a few more steps and I will be there Out of the heavy stale air Out of the narrow twisting hallways Out from under the low suffocating ceilings And then cold air bites my arms.

Spreading in every direction covered in ancient stone My eyes can’t see the edge of the vast sea at my feet A white stone city below warmed and browned from seeing so many years Rome is glowing Every piece of this city is so small Almost one thousand stairs to where I stand All of the small movements below blend into slow waves The icy air is beginning to claw at my fingers,

I loosen my grip on the metal guardrail and walk to the door

It clings to my lungs with every breath,

I try not to look back,

It’s getting hard to ignore the numbness seeping into my hands

I watch the stone sea again Its slow waves

Rome is swimming below

I can hardly move my fingers at all now.

The city is breathing quietly, pulsing slowly

The wind is screaming at me to go back inside

By: Rachel Troszak, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

My tongue and skin begged for water.

Mt. Zion National Park trails was a work out for sure.

But we were so close to the river system, that we would soon be traveling through.

As we approached the beach, I examined the great orange tinted walls

but I can’t help glancing behind me.

My peaceful glowing city, Whispering its goodbye Just before the door clicks shut Thick air collapses down And the dusty air embraces me I descend the white stone stairs Dropping into the glowing stone sea.

And the turns had a touch of dither,

on the slick stones.

making us want to spring into action.

I peered into the crystal water seeing millions of stones,

We stripped off socks, re-tied the black fabric shoes.

Everyone of them uniquely different.

And shot back up, off the sandy terrain, ready to explore.

Our phones and cameras packed away safely, even mom and dad were full with curious wonderment.

Soon enough my legs grew tired.

I needed to stop for snacks and a break from the strong rapids.

We pushed out into the stream once again.

At times the water would rise to my waist,

I stepped into the the icy steal like water,

soaking my body over and over again.

taking a breath as deep as the sea.

Our way back the water felt thick as tar.

In that moment the 110 degree sun stopped beating down,

and the rocky water below.

I was cooled as if it was a windy spring day.

Small water falls were trickling down the sid,

My ankles learned how to steady themselves,

as if the canyon was crying.

NOVEMBER 2017

But I want to stay here, just a few more minutes

I push it away, I want to stay outside.

Its thin streams

Zion National Park, Utah: Through the Rivers

I remember how hot is was in the staircases

although it took many tries to keep up

Somehow we were back to the beach resting our heavy legs.

Later that day I could feel the adventures still in my head, and the water still flowing through my toes.

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S P O RT

Sports By: Maximus Robin, 3rd grade, Springfield Plains Elementary,

T

Clarkston

here are many different sports in various countries. Table tennis, football, and hockey are some of my favorite sports. These sports started in different places, and their rules, equipment, and objectives carry some traditions of the cultures where they were created.

Football started in America. It is the most popular sport in the United States.

In high school, the best game is the State Championship. In college, there are Bowl games where teams compete. If you make it to the NFL, you can play for the Super Bowl. Football is a very cool sport, but it is a physical sport, where players come in close contact, and sometimes, it is very dangerous. This side of football reflects America.

Hockey started in Canada. In Canada, hockey is more of a lifestyle than just a

game. You have to know how to skate, have good hand-eye coordination, and you must be in good physical shape.

Hockey is also a very fun sport, but it is very difficult because you play on ice.

Hockey is the most exciting winter game in the world, and it reflects the physical conditions of the country where it was created.

Table tennis got its start in England.

In the 19th century, after dinner, some wealthy people turned their dining room tables into miniature “lawns” and used

a line of books as the net. Rackets were lids from empty cigar boxes. When table tennis was created, it was just a hobby. Now, it has become a sport. The International Table Tennis Federation was formed in 1926, and the sport soon travelled to Japan and other Asian nations. Table tennis became an Olympic sport during the 1988 Summer Olympics Games in Seoul.

Every sport has its history. And often, this history is connected to the country and culture where it was created.

PEOPLE

Different and the Same By: Gigi Montgomery, 5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

P

eople around the world are very different in many ways. From Indians to Mexicans to Africans, we all are different and, yet, alike at the same time. As human beings, we are very similar in how our bodies work, but our opinions, thoughts, and personalities make us who we are.

All human beings have similar biological needs. We all have to eat, but what we eat, how we get the food, and where we get it differ greatly. Some tribes in Africa still hunt their food, while we, Americans, buy it from a grocery store.

DECEMBER 2017

There are no two people who are exactly the same, even twins. You probably have noticed that you look different than people around you, such as your neighbor or someone in your school. That is because people are unique.

Just because some people might have a different skin color or a different language, that doesn’t mean that their personalities are odd; that just means that they might be different from you. Even though you might celebrate a different holiday or have a different religion, it does not mean that one of you is wrong.

People should embrace their uniqueness and value it in others. It makes them special to their family, to their friends, and to everyone around them who knows them. You shouldn’t be upset with yourself if you are different, as you shouldn’t be mean to someone else because he or she is different from you.

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CHRISTMAS

The Power of Believing By: Katelyn Parker, 10 grade, Clarkston High School

I

’ll never forget that Christmas.

It was December twenty-fourth, and a big snow storm had come to visit. No one could drive out to get those last minute gifts because the roads were so slippery.

Another visitor we had was my Grandmother. I love her, but I feel like she doesn’t love me. She’s not very nice.

I think it’s because I’m not actually her grandchild. My real Mom died in a terrible car accident, and her best friend, Shelby, became my legal guardian. I lived with Shelby and her husband.

My first year with them, when I was only five years old, in my toddler clumsiness I accidently ruined Grandma’s favorite locket. I snapped the chain right in half. It was the locket given to her by her own mother. Since then she seemed to have a problem with me, even though I was already eight.

That Christmas Eve, she sat at the kitchen table as I frosted cookies.

After some silence, she finally asked, “Could I please have one of those?”

“Sorry, they’re for Santa.”

“Bah!” Grandmother huffed. “You still believe in all that junk?”

I stuck my finger into the frosting jar.

“Of course, I do! “ “Have you ever seen him?”

“Yes.” Grandmother huffed again.

“Well I’ve never seen him, not once!

That means he’s a fake!”

“Just because you can’t see something, it doesn’t mean it’s not there!” I replied.

Grandma lifted herself from the table.

“I’m going to bed. Don’t forget the carrots for the reindeer!” she mocked.

I knew she was being mean, so just to spite her, I did put out some carrots. *** That night, I lay in my bed, listening.

I could see snow falling outside the

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window. I shivered under the warmth of my blankets. The soft hum of the space heater made me drowsy, but I couldn’t fall asleep. No, not yet. I was waiting for someone special. The man who brought presents for everyone, no matter who they were. I wanted more than presents, though.

I wanted to talk to him.

So I did what any kid would do. I created a Santa trap by the fireplace. There was a bell hanging over the mouth of it, so when he came tumbling down, it would ring. The trap was flawless.

TINKLE! TINKLE! TINKLE! My heart stopped.

Was he really here? With his reindeer?

Would he eat the cookies? Would the reindeer eat the carrots?

Quietly, carefully, I climbed out of bed. A floorboard creaked as I held my breath. He was still here. I could hear him shuffling around in the living room.

I inched down the staircase, quietly, carefully…

I couldn’t believe it.

I could see him, but I still couldn’t

believe it.

Santa Claus, old Saint Nick, Chris Cringle; I didn’t know which name to say. He stood there himself, by my Christmas tree. His big black boots were perfectly polished, with points on the end. His long red coat was wrapped tightly around his belly that really did jiggle like a bowl full of jelly! And wrapped around it, was a huge silver belt buckle, just like the stories described. Huge mittens covered his large hands. He wore a big, red stocking hat atop his head. He was tall, too. He seemed much taller than any adult I had ever seen.

But his eyes!

They smiled at me from above his jolly red dimples. Oh, how they twinkled perfectly, making me think of all of the stars I had ever wished on. And they were blue, bluer than the sky on a clear summer day. Our eyes locked, and I felt that all was right in the world. I forgot about school and homework, about my mother being gone, about no one believing. Everything washed away with one look into Santa’s eyes.

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CHRISTMAS He stood in front of the tree, not moving.

“Hi?” I finally half-said, half-asked.

He was silent as he continued staring at me. When I was sure he would never speak, he spoke.

“Hello, dear Angela.”

His voice was so deep and so clear that the house seemed to rumble like during a storm.

Then, he spoke again. “I believe it is past your bedtime?”

“Um…” I stuttered. “Uh- yes, yes it is.”

“Then why are you up so late?” He asked, turning to the tree and opening his bag.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

He turned back to me. “Oh? What do you want to talk about?”

I had so many questions for him: How do reindeer fly? How long had he been married to Mrs. Claus? How old he really was?

I could’ve asked all of these questions, but instead I asked something that had been with me since the day my mother died. It had been in my heart since I realized what the world truly was.

“Why don’t people believe in anything?”

He pulled out a small white box out of his bag and held it in his hand affectionately. He seemed

DECEMBER 2017

uncomfortable with the subject.

“Well, there are different reasons for different people, I’d say,” he started slowly. “Some are afraid to believe; others never learned how to believe. And, of course, there is always the biggest reason: If people haven’t seen something, they can’t wrap it around their minds.”

As I was pondering his words, he opened the little white box and a small smile spread along his face. Then he reached for the cookies I had frosted earlier. He ate them slowly, obviously enjoying every bite. Some crumbs fell into his beard, and I found it a little humorous. To my surprise, he picked up a carrot and ate it! When he saw the look on my face, he put the carrots in his bag.

“For the reindeer,” he smiled sheepishly.

When each sock had been filled to his content, Santa closed the bag. Smiling, he grabbed another cookie. More crumbs got stuck in his beard. He turned back to the fireplace, ready to go, when I realized I had one more question.

I sat down on the sofa. “What about love, Santa?”

“What about it?”

I noticed he was still holding the little white box. I didn’t point it out to him, though; I didn’t want to be rude.

“People can’t see it. Do you think that’s why people are mean to each other? Because they don’t believe in it?”

He came and sat by me on the couch, taking hold of me with those huge twinkling blue eyes.

“Maybe it’s because we rely too much on our eyes,” he said, “and not on our hearts.”

And that’s when I finally understood.

Our eyes are on the surface, so it becomes

easier to rely on them. They respond immediately to what’s around us. It really takes time to understand what the heart sees. That’s why we don’t believe. If we use our eyes too much, we stop feeling what is in our hearts.

Santa watched me as I mulled things over. “You’re different, Angela.”

“Me?” “Yes, you. You do feel. You will change the world some day by making love visible to the world. You will show people how to care for each other. That is what I believe.”

And with that, Santa stood up and walked across the room to the fireplace.

His boots clunked as he walked. Then he turned back to me. He bent and placed the little white box under the tree.

“In this box, Angela, there is love. I can promise you that.”

Then his finger came to the side of his nose, and up he rose out of my sight. *** In the morning, I felt tired. Still, I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs.

My eyes and head ached from staying up late with Santa. I felt a new sense of purpose, though. I felt inspired.

My parents, along with Grandma, were already up, ready to open presents.

In a hurry, I dug through the presents

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CHRISTMAS to find the little white box. If there really was love inside it, it would be my start. I could give some to Grandma, the neighbors, and then my classmates, and teachers, and strangers on the street...

My heart sunk: The box wasn’t there.

As I was opening my other presents, my heart was hurting. How was I supposed to change the world now? Santa would be so disappointed.

The grandma hadn’t bought me a gift.

She had some for my parents, but not for me. She had done it on purpose.

At first, I was hurt. I wanted to scream and kick and yell. I wanted her to leave my house and never come back. She didn’t love me at all! I was ready to give up on her. Tears swam in my eyes, ready to come pouring out.

I stopped myself, though. Instead, I went over and hugged Grandma.

“What is this for?” she demanded.

I let go and looked into her eyes; they almost looked liked Santa’s.

“I don’t need a present to love you, Grandma,” I replied. “I love you because you’re my grandma.”

I realized that the little white box was actually empty. It would stay empty until someone like me filled it up. I had to pour my heart into it and give it to someone else. I had to give my love to receive

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it. It didn’t matter that the box was gone.

I had plenty of love in my heart.

All through church and Christmas dinner Grandma seemed upset. She went upstairs to the guest room, where she was staying, and didn’t come out for an hour. I hoped she didn’t hate me more, now.

When night came, I sat down on the sofa. Snow swirled around outside. I thought about what happened last night.

Had it all been a dream?

Suddenly, a door creaked open upstairs.

I saw Grandma descend the staircase, gripping the railing. She was clad in her bathrobe and reindeer slippers. Her right hand hid in her pocket.

“Good evening,” she greeted me.

She then came and sat down next to me, like Santa did. She looked at me, smiling.

“I realized this morning that I may have neglected to give you something for Christmas.”

“Grandma,” I said. “It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not. I’ve been unfair to you for as long as you’ve been here. That needs to change…” she paused. “And that’s why I’m giving you this.”

She pulled her hand out of her pocket, and I gasped. In her hand was the small,

white box.

My hands shaking, I took it from her. I gently lifted the lid, admiring its delicate beauty. Inside, I saw a beautiful diamond locket in the shape of a heart - the same locket I broke years ago; the one that meant so much to her.

My eyes welled up with tears, and I let them fall.

She did love me!

Laughing, she pulled me to her side.

She didn’t let go for a while.

“It’s yours now. Even if you aren’t my own, I’m glad I get to call you my granddaughter. There is no picture in the locket at the moment. Please put one there of the two of us, together. After all, a locket without a picture is like a heart without love.”

“Thank you so so much, Grandma.”

She smiled, kissed me on the forehead, and went back upstairs.

There was love in the little white box!

It was my grandmother’s. And to recieve this present, I had to gave her my own love. I understood now. In order to get others to believe in love, I had to believe in it myself. This is how I could change the world!

I opened the locket and I couldn’t believe what I saw: a picture of Santa Claus grinned up at me, eyes twinkling.

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HOLIDAYS

Important Celebrations By: Kaelyn Nardi,

4th Grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

I

n America, there are many holidays, but three of them are especially popular. They are Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. The first two holidays are Christian celebrations that center around two important dates in Jesus’ life. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious traditions of giving thanks, it is now celebrated as a non-religious holiday.

Christmas is the day Jesus was born.

To celebrate Jesus’ birth, we exchange presents. We also get a tree for our home and put our presents under it. We decorate the tree with special ornaments. In my family, on Christmas Eve, we go to my church for a special Christmas service. Then, we go to my grandma’s for a party. We trade gifts there, have food, and listen to music. On Christmas morning, we go downstairs and open presents. Sometimes, my mom makes our house smell really good. We also go to my other grandma’s house and open presents there from grandma, grandpa,

DECEMBER 2017

my aunt and uncle.

Easter is a holiday that celebrates the rise of Jesus from the dead. Jesus died on the cross to forgive us for our sins. Three days later he arose. That is the day of Easter. On Easter, children are visited by the Easter bunny who comes and gives them baskets with candies. He gives us a letter saying what colors our basket is and hides it for us to find. In my family, we do the basket hunt and then we go to our grandma’s for a party and an Easter egg hunt. We do that because the eggs represent Easter and new life.

Thanksgiving is a holiday to express gratitude for everything we have. We

also have a feast. In my family, we watch a Thanksgiving parade and then go to our grandma’s for a party and to have dinner. The traditional Thanksgiving dinner has turkey, ham, dinner rolls, sweet potatoes, and lots of desserts, including a famous pumpkin pie. My family also has brownies, and once someone brought cake pops designed to look like turkeys.

It is very important to celebrate Jesus’ birth and rise from the dead. It is also important to be thankful. These three holidays are important in America and my family.

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HOLIDAYS

By: Abhi Mosra, 3 grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

D

iwali is the Hindu festival of lights. It is an official holiday in India and one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism. Diwali means the victory of light over darkness and

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good over evil. It is celebrated every year in the fall with millions of lights shining on the tops of the houses, doors, and windows.

I celebrate Diwali because light wins over darkness. We take pictures and light Diwali candles.

The light from the candle symbolizes light conquering darkness.

The lights outside illuminate the

darkness, so we can see when celebrating.

I like to eat Indian food and celebrate. There are yummy feasts for families, all people are happy.

When Diwali day is coming, poor people are excited because they get freedom from poverty. Diwali makes my heart feel happy and free.

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PA R E N T ’ S C O R N E R

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

A

Maggie Razdar Publisher/Founder

Joyeuses fêtes Felices Vacaciones

s we are coming to the end of 2017, it gives me a great pleasure and honor to be the Founder and President of this great organization that empowers children to excel and become independent learners through multimedia and writing process.

I am grateful that we are able to provide a platform for students to foster their creativity. I want to express how grateful I am for your participation and allowing children to blossom with our program.

I must say, we couldn’t have done this without the parents who are encouraging their kids and all of the teachers and school administrators who have been welcoming us and partnering with us on the initiative.

I want to thank all of our volunteers for this and School mentors who have been inspiring younger students in their creativity, learning and writing!!!

Thank you, thank you!!

From my family and Kids Standard’s team, I wish you a Happy, Healthy, and Joyful Holiday season!!

Happy Holidays Happy Hanukkah Fijne Vakantie ‫ديعس داليم ديع‬ 新年快 ‫חמש דלומ גח‬ メリークリスマス

May you be blessed!!

DECEMBER 2017

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