Lisle Junior High School Inspire Magazine Vol. 5

Inspire Staff 2023-2024

- Editor-in-ChiefMs. Katherine Braun

- Editorial Committee -

*Jennifer D - 8th grade

*Theo P - 8th grade

*Jackson W - 6th grade

Violet B - 8th grade

Grace H - 8th grade

Calla H - 8th grade

Summer K - 8th grade

Zach S - 8th grade

Charlie W - 8th grade

Bernardette W - 8th grade

Elliott P - 7th grade

Zach S - 7th grade

Elizabeth B - 6th grade

Luke E - 6th grade

- Inspire Workshop Committee -

*Olivia F - 6th grade

*Sam W - 6th grade

Cici W - 7th grade

Lila H - 6th grade

Audrey M - 6th grade

Sadie S - 6th grade

Jazzy W - 6th grade

- Technology & Entrepreneurship Committee -

*Henry S - 8th grade

*Hylie W - 6th grade

Emily B - 8th grade

Sophia G - 8th grade

Konrad F - 7th grade

Adeline K - 6th grade

Steven K - 6th grade

Evan K - 6th grade

*Starred names denote current leaders in each committee.

First established in 2019, Inspirehas always been dedicated to inspiring young adults to feel confident as they branch out their work and explore new styles of literature and art. The Inspirestaff loves being able to share students’ and staff members’ creativity with the community each year. This year, Inspirestrives to do this through our fifth volume.

Throughout the year, talented students and staff from Lisle Junior High School submit their original work to be published, and our dedicated staff meets to edit the entries. Inspire organizes annual all- school events in an attempt to involve and include the entire school community, such as challenging all students and staff to submit a six word memoir, having students guess at a secret staff submission, and holding a cover contest that is voted on by the whole school. Workshops are held year round which encourage students to discover new forms of creativity. Additionally, each year we like to highlight a particularly profound and moving work and use it as an inspirational text to guide our issue and create our section titles. We hope that you find inspiration amongst the pages of this magazine!

Thank you to the Lisle Education Foundation for sponsoring Inspire. Without your support, many creative voices would go unheard.

Volume 5 2023 - 2024

Our mission is to inspire young adults to feel confident as they branch out their work and explore new styles of literature and art.

Lisle Junior High School

5207 Center Avenue

Lisle, Illinois 60532

Lisle Community Unit School District 202

Opportunity To Make Me a Better Person

An

Violet B, Ms. Katherine Braun, Jennifer D, Sophia G, Summer K, Alivia O, Theo P, & Elliott P

G l a s s C h i l d

Glass Child - Danielle N

By: Danielle Naveda

“Glasschildrenaresiblingsofapersonwithadisability.Thewordglassmeanspeopletendto seerightthroughthemandfocusonlyonthepersonwiththedisability.‘Glass’isalsoused becausethechildrenappearstrong,butinrealityarenot.” ~AlisonCundy

I am a glass child. My brother was born with hydrocephalus. I was raised more independently than most kids would expect, and I was mature at age 7. I was an old soul at age 8. I had to be. I had to be strong for my parents. I had to be strong for my little brother who needed me. Why did everyone need me?! Why did everyone constantly expect me to be so strong? I w a n t e d t o j u s t b e l e f t a l o n e

Dealing with a kid who’s disabled is s

I ’ v e g r o w n f r o m i t . As much as I’ve tried to not accept it, as much as I have tried to push it away, saying things like, “I’m not mature! Old soul? What’s that?!”, being a glass child has made me stronger. As much as being a “glass child” has affected me from a little kid to today, I w

I love my brother so much, and I’m so happy he is in my life. I was born to be independent. I thank my parents for giving me anopportunitytomakemeabetterperson . I thank them for still supporting me in concerts and performances even when they could be at home watching my little brother. I thank my little brother for being him. I am a glass child.

Table of Contents

“...I wanted to just be left alone…”

“...such a mental challenge…”

“...it gave me strength…”

Artwork Fire and Ice - Jackson W ........................................................................................................................................... Page 20

TheJollyRancherLollipop - Anonymous Page 20

Wolf - Matthew W....................................................................................................................................................... Page 19

Lisle Lion - Hylie W ................................................................................................................................................... Page 23

InspireVolume5 - Noah Z Page 19

JollyRancherHeartLollipop - Myra S ................................................................................................................ Page 21

Inspire - Anonymous Page 22

SiestaKeyBeachAtSunset 2 - Audrey M Page 22

InspiringLisleLions - Violet B .............................................................................................................................. Page 20

Glow in the Dark Fire and Water - Jorge C Page 22

JollyLolly - Anonymous........................................................................................................................................... Page 19

SpaghettiandMeatballs - Brooklyn F & Noah D ............................................................................................ Page 23

“...I’ve grown from it…”

Short Stories

Change - Bernardette W Page 29

AGirlThatMovedtoaNewCountry - Salma Q ..............................................................................................Page 31

Poetry

OfKeysandDoors - Ms. Katherine Braun ........................................................................................................Page 25

School and Grades - Doreen D Page 26

LivingPoetry - Ms. Katherine Braun ..................................................................................................................Page 27

The Next Chance - Luke E Page 27

NothingStaystheSame - Annabella H Page 28

I Am From - Andrii O ................................................................................................................................................Page 30

TheSierpiński Poem - Mr. Andrew Sergeant Page 30

Artwork

Pinecone - Konrad F ..................................................................................................................................................Page 25

Rainbow Mushroom - Clara F Page 25

A Rainbow With Words - Zalaria H Page 25

InspireOthers - Hylie W ..........................................................................................................................................Page 26

Wishes - Anonymous Page 28

Cool Wave - Giuliana R Page 29

ANewPersepctive - Jackson W .............................................................................................................................Page 29

Crocuses - Konrad F Page 30

Autumn - Violet B.......................................................................................................................................................Page 31

TheBunnyCollage - Hylie W Page 31

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

Short Stories

TheNextDay - Ephrem W Page 33

Graves of Doom - Anonymous ........................................................................................................................ Page 36-37

Poetry

YoungMother - Anonymous Page 34

Snow - Elizabeth B Page 35

Rainfall & Sunshine - Jackson W Page 35

Siblings - Oni J ............................................................................................................................................................ Page 38

Artwork

Sunset Paradise - Nalani H Page 34

Mar10 - Anonymous Page 35

SiestaKeyBeachAtSunset - Audrey M Page 35

SpaghettiBowl - Mr. Pete Meyer ......................................................................................................................... Page 35

MichiganCityBeach - Violet B ............................................................................................................................. Page 38

AndThereAin’tNoRoadJustLikeIt:LakeShoreDrive - Mr. Pete Meyer Page 38

Dogday - Jorge C Page 39

Don’t Be Afraid to Bloom - Ms. Katherine Braun Page 40

WhenTheArtisArting:O - Summer K ............................................................................................................. Page 41

Swans - Violet B ......................................................................................................................................................... Page 42

Grand Haven State Park - Violet B Page 43

Summer - Sophie C Page 44

“Hi”JollyRancherLollipop - Natalie S Page 45

Performance

BringItSwingin’ - The Jazzy Trio: Luke E, Konrad F, & Jackson W ........................................................ Page 46

Six Word Memoirs 6th, 7th, 8th grade & Staff Page 39-46

“...I wanted to just be left alone...”

“...I wanted to just be left alone…”

The 11-Year Tale - Anonymous

The night of April 2nd, 1964 was like no other. An innocent child who went by the name of Willow Whitcher went missing. Okay, here’s the backstory. Willow, a young, brave child, was walking with her friends on a trail in the forest when she heard a noise and went to see what had happened. Her footsteps crunched as she walked out into the woods, slowly disappearing into the darkness. The only thing left was a haunting scream. She was never seen again. To this day, on April 2nd of every year, another eleven-year-old goes missing.

“Breaking news! Investigators have gotten an anonymous tip about the ongoing disappearance of eleven-year-olds across the globe.” I know I’m just ten but I watch the news every day. It’s kind of like hearing drama, but it doesn’t apply to you; well usually that’s the case. Today the news does apply to me. But my eleventh birthday is on March 1st. What if I go missing? My older brother was one when Willow went missing, but he was lucky enough not to disappear. My brother moved out two years ago when he turned twenty after my parents told him that he had to move out or pay rent for his bedroom and his food. Ever since he left I haven’t felt the same. It’s been twenty-three years since the first disappearance, and I don’t want to go missing. I mean, there’s so much to lose - my family, friends, dog, home, everything. My stomach hurts constantly. My eyes turn red randomly and water. My ears ring every once in a while, and my arms and legs shake intensely. I don’t know why it happens, but it is horrible. One night, a few days ago, I heard something rustling outside my window, but I was too paranoid to look. I am still kind of worried about whatever that was, but I’m not going missing this year.

Today, all I’m focused on is not wandering into some alleyway or creepy forest. All I have to do is go to school and walk home without having a freak attack.

Eye See You - Skylar F

Mary Ann Island - Nalani H

City Lights - Ashlyn L

Student Athlete on a Fast Break - Luke E

Monday, November 20, 2026

Honors literature: Short Story Assignment - due after break

Note - work on during break.

Science: Pgs. 15, 17, 19 in Science Binder - due tomorrow.

Social Studies: Document Analysis WS - due tomorrow + Paper on Ancient Egypt - due Friday

This went on for all nine of my classes.

“I have like an hour of homework,” I said with frustration. Sitting down at my desk, I checked each class for homework on my computer. I never had homework in health, but here I was doing it.

I just want to get to Thanksgiving break, it’s just two days away, I thought to myself. But no, I have homework over break. I just want to play basketball, I think. But no, do your homework, and get everything done, then you can play, everyone says. I just want to have fun. School shouldn’t be my life. I’m in 6th grade. I love basketball. All I want to do is just play the game. Tryouts are coming up and I really want to make the team. I have a bunch of homework on top of the fact that I need to practice. At that moment, I just wanted to be in second grade again, where all I had for homework was to play a math game online.

“I just want to do something that’s not for school,” I complain.

“It’ll be fine. Just focus and get your work done,” my mom says.

“But I want to practice basketball too. Tryouts are in a week,” I counter, whining.

“If you get it done fast, you might have time,” she says, trying to get me to start working. It is 4:00 p.m., and I have barely even started my homework. If I focus, I could get done in an hour and a half, but I’m not good at focusing. I’m just so overwhelmed.

I ended up getting all of it done by 7:00 p.m. after eating dinner with my family, that was a nice break.

“Can we go to the gym now?” I ask my dad.

“By the time we get there, it’ll be 7:30 and then we’ll only have half an hour to play. We would need to be back by 8:30 for you to be in bed by 9:00. I don’t think it’ll happen, buddy,” he says sympathetically. He loves basketball too, but like all parents he was very strict about bedtime.

I felt I was stuck in a never-ending cycle of schoolwork with no time to practice the game I loved.

Tuesday, November 21, 2026

I had just come home from the last day of school before Thanksgiving break and I needed to make a plan. I wanted to get all my schoolwork done before I had to help my parents set up the house for Thanksgiving. We host like 40 people over to our house every year. After that, I might have time to practice the last few days of break. I realized I just needed to stay focused, like I usually had trouble doing, to get all my work done.

I sat down to start getting some of the work done before the next day.

Thursday, November 23, 2026

I couldn’t believe it! I had actually gotten all my work done. I just had to stay determined and focused. Then I just worked and worked, and here I was with no more homework. I could actually practice basketball over break and be able to feel confident at tryouts. But first, I had to help set up for Thanksgiving and hang out with my family, which my parents say has to come first. I just had to set up a few tables and chairs. I had to blow off all the leaves that covered the deck and front porch. Once I had done that and a few other chores, I could enjoy the time with family and friends as the last day of waiting. The last day of not practicing. The last day of waiting to play basketball.

After my dad had prayed for the food, I piled my plate with turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, cornbread, and every other delicious food that I could see. I played cards with my family and had fun throwing a football around in our backyard, a Thanksgiving tradition for my dad, his brothers, and cousins.

“...I

wanted to just be left alone…”

After a pretty great day, I got some really bad news. It might have been fun, but the timing was very unfortunate.

“Argh!” I shouted as I punched a pillow.

“I thought it would be fun,” my parents soothed, “you love spending time with your uncle.”

“He’s spending three whole nights?” I asked annoyed. “But that’s the entire rest of break. I just spent half of this break doing homework and now I can’t even have just a little time for myself?”

This was horrible news. I was just so happy that I got my homework done and that my plan worked. I love spending time with him, and I had a fun time with the rest of my family during Thanksgiving, but now I wouldn’t have any time to practice.

Saturday, November 25, 2026

The last few days of break were spent playing cards, playing video games, and talking, talking, and talking about things I was amazed that adults actually cared about. Most of these things I loved, but the whole time I was just faking that I was having fun. Just faking that I didn’t care I wouldn’t have time to practice. Faking that I was so happy to miss a chance to get better at the game.

Sunday, November 26, 2026

The first thing that came to my mind when I woke up that morning was that tryouts were the next day, and I was about to have another long day of stress as each minute passed left less time to practice. There was no way I was going to make the team.

When my uncle woke up, he came up the stairs from our guest bedroom with basketball shorts and shoes in his arms and asked, “Hey, wanna go shoot some hoops at the gym? I heard your tryouts are tomorrow. Let’s go get you ready to make that team.”

Imagination Is InfiniteMatylda B

Dapper PenguinAlexander N

- Calla H

Summer

Abstract Maybe?Summer K

Float Right Out of My HandsHylie W

My Pinky Promise - Kalia W

I pinky promise that one day I’ll be better

I will be a better person, maybe even a better daughter, sister, and friend

I pinky promise that next time you see me I won’t be on my deathbed, or nearly shattered in pain

I pinky promise that I will get that college degree that I’ve always wanted

I promise I will never let anyone hurt me again because I already know that I will forgive them.

But just one more pinky promise won’t fix the pain

I pinky promise to never tell our secrets because they are so deep

But with all these pinky promises, you never promise to me

I wonder if you even care

I would pinky promise to you that I will tell you if anything bad happens. but now that I have given up so many pinky promises, I can’t promise any more

Sunset - Elliott P

“...I wanted to just be

left alone…”

Peace - Liam F

Peace

It’s so easy to find at night

When everything is quiet

You can bury yourself in thoughts

RING RING

I turn off my alarm and try to find peace again

The door swings open

My mom rushes in

We slept in too late

WHAT

I rushed out of bed

Throw on some clothes

Then rushed to the table

Ate breakfast

Grabbed my computer And rushed out the door

The bus pulled up

I ran it and hopped on I went to the spot where I usually sit

Right next to the emergency exit

I put my feet on the lump right above the wheel

I close my eyes and try to block out all the noise

The yelling

The screaming

The chaos

Peace

Just Find Peace

The hallway is full of people

Running Jumping

Talking

Laughing

I weave in and

Out between

And around

The ride home is

Loud

Peace

It’s what I want

As I walk home

I feel at peace

Again

Nightmares Are More than DreamsAnonymous

Red flames circle the room.

I’m alone.

I can’t feel anything except The burning of light on my skin. I can’t breathe.

I can’t see beyond the flames.

Standing in the middle of the Ring of fire, I begin to slowly fall.

Black seeps across the flames

As I suddenly feel cold liquid running down,

My shirt? No.

My green dress with sequin flowers, Running along my blouse.

“Sorry,” mutters a woman with Fair skin and dark hair.

I ran to the bathroom confused.

Liquid ran down my flowered blouse,

As I started to dry it off.

I look in the mirror stunned

As I see a black eyed creature

Staring back at me.

I drop my towel and run to a stall. Tears roll down my cheeks

Soaking me and the toilet.

I want to scream but I can’t.

I can’t breathe.

I close my eyes, And try. Try to breathe

In and out. In and out.

Cold air rushes through me

And I’m relieved until I realize

I’m falling again.

I skid my knee on the concrete I hit, Heat rushing to me again.

Soon, a strong push throws me into the fire,

And finally,

All I can do is scream.

“Fifi, everyone just heard you.”

I look up to see my startled classmates

Staring at me.

“Sorry”, I say, “Must have fallen asleeAnd then the bell rings.

“...such a mental challenge...”

“...such

a mental challenge…”

Blank Space - Elliott P

I stare at the Blank Space That is my Paper

So many Things Can come of that Blank Space

Sketch something Perfect Just to realize It’s not

Try to cover It up Still not Perfect

Blank Space With so Many Possibilities

Possibilities Wasted On being Perfect

So few Blank spaces Aren’t wasted for Perfect

Blank Space For an Unattainable Perfect

So few Without Covering in Lies

Everyone starts with a Blank space

Everyone given a Chance to

Create Love Be True

A Blank space Wasted trying to be Perfect

Isn’t a Blank space At All.

Snow-Bell Flow - Nalani H

Mike EhrementrautAnonymous

Ur Dead 2 MeCorneila V

The SpinIt - Luke E

The SpinIt. That’s what I called it. When I was in 4th grade, we had to make a prototype of a selected product that would sell in a mock market. So I chose to make a DIY fidget spinner. The deadline was approaching, and I had to work on it over the weekend, which was annoying because everyone likes to relax and do whatever they want on weekends. I was also getting a little worried because the project was due the next day. So I sat down on the fuzzy, gray carpet in the family room to start working.

I gathered the materials I would need to continue to construct my prototype. Then, I went to my sister’s craft room. It was filled with cardstock, paper, yarn, and all the crafting materials you could think of. I grabbed a pair of sharp, shiny silver scissors and a plain piece of hard, brown cardboard. I realized that I had also been collecting a few plastic bottle caps. I went back to our family room and began to intricately cut out small pieces of cardboard into little circles that would help support the spinner with weight. I yelled to my dad, asking if he could come downstairs and help me.

“Dad,” I yelled, “can you come help me?”

“Sure thing buddy,” he said. “What do you need?”

“Just some help constructing that project for school that’s due tomorrow,” I explained.

“I’ll come down there in a sec,” he said. “I wanna grab some laundry I need to fold.”

He asked me if I wanted to watch one of our favorite shows with him while he folded and we worked on the project. I nodded my head excitedly. Dad turned on the TV and we started to work. I finished cutting the cardboard and then began to attach the pieces together with a glue stick, and put them inside the bottle caps. But then I noticed that I didn’t know the next step. I went to find the video that I had watched earlier. But then I realized something. I didn’t save it. I found it at school. I had lost the video. Worse, the video had all the instructions. I didn’t have the next step. “No!” I cried.

“What happened, buddy?” my dad asked, concerned as he set down the shirt he was folding to look at me.

“I just realized that I lost the tutorial video on the steps that told me how to make the fidget spinner!” I said, frustrated with myself. “I didn’t save it!”

Scratching his head, he asked, “Well, do you remember them?”

“No,” I responded. “That’s the thing.”

We then started working on another way to do it, and we ended up with an answer faster than I thought, which made me kind of surprised. I thought I remembered that we just had to connect the four bottle caps in a fidget spinner formation. My dad asked if hot glue would work, and I realized that it probably would. It might not have been the perfect solution or what the tutorial instructed, but it worked. As I waited for the glue gun to heat up, I sat back and relaxed as I watched the show, eyes fixed on the flashing TV screen. When the hot glue gun was ready, my dad had to let me know three different times because I was so distracted. That’s how much I loved this show. In my opinion, it was one of the best episodes. My dad asked me if I wanted to use the glue gun, but after hearing about one of my sister’s hot glue gun burns when she was five and my desire to watch the show, I decided not to. As he was going back and forth between folding laundry and gluing the parts together, I watched the show, excited that we were almost finished.

Jolly Rancher LollipopLuke E

Holly Jolly RanchersSteven K

“...such a mental challenge…”

I started to plan what I was going to do once we were done. It was Sunday, about 3 o’clock. So I decided that I would put the finishing touches on the spinner. Then, I would finish the episode. After that, I would go see if my friend could play some video games with me.

Maybe five or ten minutes later my dad said, “It’s done!” as he put away the socks he was folding.

“Let’s go!” I responded excitedly. “Thanks, Dad!”

“You’re welcome buddy,” he said.

“Now for the moment of truth,” I said.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“To see if it spins,” I said.

As I said, it was the moment of truth. I picked up the spinner, held it in the correct form, and spun. It spun for about 2 seconds. “Ugh. How does it not work?” I asked, frustrated.

“We’ll just have to figure out another way to do it,” my dad said.

But I was not patient. I wasn’t going to do this any longer. “But I had other plans. I was going to play with my friends. I was going to just sit back and watch the show,” I complained. “Oh my goodness, this is just horrible.”

“It’ll be fine buddy,” he soothed as he picked up a pair of jeans from the basket.

But it wasn’t fine. All my plans were ruined. To figure out another way could take hours! I wouldn’t play with my best friend. I wouldn’t be able to relax. I couldn’t do anything! I was so upset. But I guess my dad was right, I thought to myself, annoyed; the only thing I could do now was think of a solution. I took a deep breath and got to work so I could get the project done.

I started to calmly think about what the real problem was, then I could focus on solving it. I picked up the spinner and analyzed it. I noticed that it was actually really light, and that could have been part of the problem. I realized that I needed more weight inside the bottle caps to make the fidget spin longer. So I started to look around the house. I found multiple items. I already knew cardboard wouldn’t work because that was too light and the spinner wouldn’t spin very long. Magnets, I thought. No, they were too heavy and the spinner started to slow down as soon as I spun it. Pennies, I thought. I carefully hot-glued them into the bottle caps, and it worked! I spun the spinner and it spun for a solid 20 seconds! Finally, I could go have some fun because it was only 4 o’clock. I had almost 2 hours to enjoy myself until dinner.

“Let’s go!” I said excitedly.

“Nice job man,” my dad congratulated me; he had finished folding the laundry too. “Good problem solving.”

“Thanks,” I responded as he gave me a high-five.

“Can I go play now?” I asked, relieved that I was finally finished.

“Sure,” he said, “you did good.”

All I needed to do when I was frustrated was to just take a deep breath, step back, and start to think about what the real problem was. Then, I started to solve it. Not right away. Sometimes when I am overwhelmed, I think about the problem simply, before I start to solve it. After that stressful experience, I finally figured out what I needed to do in that frustrating moment.

Colors and StuffSummer K

hxh - Anonymous

Nobody’s Perfect - Anonymous

I used to think that if somebody was rude to you They were just jealous. My mom told me to be myself. I was five at the time

And didn’t understand why people would isolate themselves in their Room and cry the whole day just to pretend they didn’t have problems. Nobody’s perfect.

I was soon in fourth grade and Realized how fast the time passed between kindergarten.

I used to think I would live for so long because Every year felt so slow. It was fast now.

I saw girls in my school wearing makeup and lip gloss.

I didn’t understand why they would Wear all of that when they were so young. After all, nobody’s perfect.

Now I am the oldest in elementary school. I enjoyed my time playing outside every day And having fun with my friends. There was no drama.

I didn’t understand why people were Stuck to their phones watching reels and Wasting hours of their life thinking They were only going to be staring at their screen just for a little bit.

I mean, nobody’s perfect. That year quickly ended

And now I was the youngest in middle school. I didn’t understand why the older kids would Walk past us and make fun of us saying things like,

A Real Fwitter - Diego G

“You suck,”

And “Go back to elementary school.” Nobody’s perfect...

Now I’m in the seventh grade. I’m finally done being the youngest. I’ve been waiting for my whole life to be in seventh grade

But now all I want to do is go back. I finally do understand why people stay in their rooms and cry all day.

I do understand why girls wear makeup. You have to look nice, When you are put down you hide in your room, You stare at your screen. What can I say, we’re only on it for a little while; Right?

I walk past the new sixth graders and understand how it feels to be Made fun of.

Disappointment surrounds me as I realize who I’ve become.

I think, There is no way to go back to kindergarten Or fourth grade. As I lie in my bed crying, I think about my past. No drama, no screens, Just Fun.

I think about the good days And how I wish I was pretty. But thinking about it... Nobody’s perfect.

A True Friend - Jackson W

A true friend

Walks with you, Talks with you, And rocks you. A true friend, No matter how hard it gets, Will care for you, When you’re full of regrets. A true friend, Would never betray, As soon as the day, You had heard me say: “Can you be my true, best friend, Without repent, Until the very, very end?”

“...such a mental challenge…”

Sometimes Feeling - Anonymous

Sometimes I feel all of the sadness In the world And it Pulls Me down Like a Weight.

Sometimes I feel less sad And I Can Get UP.

Sometimes I feel all the happiness In the world And it pulls Me up Like a balloon.

Dad, Where Are You? - Anonymous

Where are you, dad? Where were you when I was crying in the middle of the night because you were not here? Where were you during my graduation? Where were you on my birthdays? Where were you on daddy and daughter day at school? Where were you while I was living my 14 years of life? I don’t even cry over you anymore; I’ve gotten used to your mistakes. I used to think to myself, “What am I doing wrong?” How come you were in their lives, but nonexistent in mine? How come when I was eight, Abigail got all the toys she wanted when I got nothing but clothes that weren’t even my size? Do you even care? I remember crying my heart out every night because of you, because of the anger that would get taken out on me. What’s crazy is that after all these years, I’ve always given you another chance.

Remember - Hylie W

“...it gave me strength...”

Time to BurnDiego G

“...it gave me strength…”

“...it gave me strength…”

WolfMatthew W

Jolly LollyAnonymous

Inspire Volume 5Noah Z

Scan to read larger version of Time to Burn - Diego G

The Rainbow - Jackson W

Though you may find that your thunderstorms combine, and your day becomes gloomy and sad.

Just know that there is soft to your firm, happy to your sad, love to your hate, and good to your bad. But just remember that there is always a rainbow on the other side of a thunderstorm.

Now the rain starts to fall, now all your happiness falls with it, but what can you do to stop it?

Nobody really knows but you, you just try to remember that there is light to your darkness, The lighting flashes like false day, creation to your destruction, the thunder booms and breaks, security to your fear, scares you just like Halloween night, and peace to your chaos. and the rain just falls, and falls, and falls; never to end.

Soon, the sun shines through, burning fear like Dracula, the rays reaching, shining on your skin, but are you sure it’s real?

The wind starts blowing, it gets cold...

The first little flake you see, drops to your finger, melts on it. It doesn’t make any sense. How can the cold affect the hot?

Soon, the snow melts in the sky, it becomes rain...

The sun truly comes into the sky, and shines through to the ground.

The colors form the band, of a beautiful r a in b ow . You can feel every color, nothing wrong is present, nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect. What a rainbow!

The bad ceases, the dark enlightens, the hate turns to love, the firm becomes soft, and sadness becomes happiness. What a rainbow!

When your day is bad, just remember that a rainbow is always on the other side of a thunderstorm.

Inspiring Lisle LionsViolet B

Fire and Ice - Jackson W

The Jolly Rancher LollipopAnonymous

“...it gave me strength…”

Christmas Eve - Giuliana O

The snowflakes fall so gently down, A winter wonderland all around. The streets are lined with twinkling lights, And carolers sing on chilly nights.

The warmth of my family and friends, As the holiday season descends. With laughter, joy, and love so pure, Making memories that I will endure.

The smell of cinnamon and spice, A cozy fire roars as it all feels so nice. Presents wrapped with care and thought, Each one is a treasure that can’t be bought.

This magical time of year, Brings hope and peace, and endless cheer. Christmas is a time to come together And celebrate all that I treasure most.

Christmas is the most joyous time of the year.

Homerun - Anonymous

We were down 2-0

Bottom of the 9th

I hear

“Chuck you’re up”

There’s 1 person on first and second

2 outs

new count

The bright lights blinding me

The fence 300 feet away

The bat grip straining my fingers

Tight grip around the barrel

Pitcher gazing at the catcher

Looking for the sign

He stretches

Brings his arms up

Deep breath

He throws

Looks right down the middle I swing, I hit it.

Foul ball

0-1 count

I´m flabbergasted

How did i miss

It was right down the middle

I get back in the box

I wait for the wind up

WHAM

It flies like a rocket to the base I swing and again

Foul ball

Dang, I shouldn’t have swung

It was going to be a ball

This is it I´m down in the count

He gets ready I get ready

He throws I swing

WHAM

I hit the ball to mars

3 run homer

Running around the bases under the lights

My team waiting at home plate

I run, they crowd around

We won

By the score of 3-2

We celebrate

And get ready to go

We get on the bus back home

We get back and then I get in my car and go home.

Jolly Rancher Heart LollipopMyra S

Slow Down - Anonymous

Up and down the winding streets observing the birds and how they tweet

The trees the dance and sway and swing

The wind she blows and whistles and weeps

The world we live in is full of wonder as gentle as the butterfly and as loud as thunder

Oh wonder, oh wonder, oh wonderful things

As majestic as the lion and as sweet as the maple tree

Where do you need to get to so fast?

Just slow down and take in our world, so big, so vast

SLOW DOWN! SLOW DOWN! Please take your time

The world is waiting for you

This could be your time to shine

Seasons - Anonymous

The spring sun getting brighter

Every now and then it dies

Whilst the air flows through my hair

The summertime is near Soon the spring is over. Summertime comes in. I slide down the waterslide. And wait in line, For the next ride. Soon fall is near. The leaves turn Red, Orange and, Yellow.

It’s chilling as the fall air hits my Face with a wack.

But soon it will be white cold snow That hits me with a smack.

I shiver as I Continue my walk with my family. Soon it’s too cold.

Snow falls from the sky. It looks like

Glitter on the grass. And in my eyes.

I sled down the hill

Sadly summer is near.

As the snow melts from the sun. I realize Summer is here.

Inspire - Anonymous

Siesta Key Beach At Sunset 2Audrey M

“...it

gave me strength…”

What Feels Like a Home and What is a Home - Anonymous

What is a home?

A home to me is a windmill. It is full of different emotions that spin and change at different times.

What is a home?

A home is your friend you can tell it things and it won’t say a word like a lock without a key.

What is a home?

A home is your family.

When you are going through a hard time it sits and listens and soaks up all your tears in support.

What is a home?

A home is a place where you can shut your problems out.

What is a home?

A home is a place where you share memories with your family.

What is a home?

A home is a person who takes care of itself and dies when it gets old just like us.

What is a home?

A home is very capable of doing the things people do.

Just like how you are capable of doing things just like others. If not how people do it do it your way because you can do it better.

What feels like a home?

What a home feels like is a place where you can go and feel like people are not judging you.

What feels like a home?

A home feels like somewhere you can be yourself and be wild and crazy.

What feels like a home?

A home feels like your birth giver. It is all you have ever known since you were born.

What feels like a home?

A home feels like everything to me because it is special.

Lisle LionHylie W

Spaghetti and MeatballsBrooklyn F & Noah D

“...I’ve grown from it...”

Of Keys and Doors -

Ms. Katherine Braun

We are all keepers of keys, yet no two keyrings are ever alike. Sizes, shapes, and designs vary as well as the number that we carry through different phases of our lives.

Some keys are gifted to us at birth while others are later pressed into our palms; some we fight for; some we forfeit; some we lose unknowingly; some we acquire unexpectedly; and some we see and leave.

Yet, the number of keys we collect makes little difference if we neglect to search for the doors to which they connect.

Some doors you’ll come across and intuitively know which keys fit into their locks, but more often than not the first keys you try will deny you entrance inside.

Sometimes it will take you multiple attempts; sometimes it will all be in vain. Some day you may look back in regret; some day you may forget; some day you may be thankful none of your keys fit.

Be warned you may be surprised which doors swing open for you, and remember you alone must decide whether to go back or go through.

We are all keepers of keys, yet we are all defined by each door we choose to open, close, or ignore.

PineconeKonrad F

Rainbow MushroomClara F

A Rainbow with WordsZalaria H

School and Grades - Doreen D

Inspire OthersHylie W

The Next Chance - Luke E

Living Poetry -

Ms. Katherine Braun

Take me to an alternate version of my reality, where it is never a question of if magic is real but rather how it is used and what extent the lines blur between good and evil.

Let me see humans–magical or not–who hold parts of me–who know parts of me–deep in their souls, who make me reconsider if I’m truly alone.

Teach me a lesson, beyond that of potions and spells; teach me of pain, courage, and love; teach me how to be vulnerable, to let go, to embrace the beauty of what I don’t know.

Then, take me back, and release your grip; make me fly free, but never let fade from my memory the nervous excitement, the raw connection, the exposed inspiration, the candid realization that only I can make my reality living poetry.

Nothing Stays the Same - Annabella H

Every year I always make a list of things that I want to accomplish in the year. I make the list with hope knowing that I will do my best to complete every single wish on the list by the end of the year.

The first month.

I put all of my focus on completing the list before the end of the school year. I keep repeating my list in my head and keep moving forward.

The second month.

I started to notice different ways to do certain things and started to grow an interest in new ways. But I still keep repeating my list in my head and keep moving forward.

The third month.

My curiosity leads me to try new things and meet new people. But now I am trying to adjust my list to some different things that I am more interested in, and I still keep moving forward.

The fourth month.

I start forgetting about some of the things on the list and only focus on the things that make me happy. But now I only remember a little bit of my old list, and I still keep moving forward.

The fifth month.

I have forgotten every single thing on my list and only focus on the things that I have on my new list of expectations. I still keep moving forward, but this time I completely forgot about the first list that I made at the beginning of the year.

The sixth month.

I have found my old list from the beginning of the year. I saw and noticed how much my expectations of myself have changed. I soon began to realize that I couldn’t hope for the same thing for the rest of the year. I always change what I like and what I hope for in the future, nothing stays the same.

I learned that it doesn’t matter what you used to think or hope for. Your head and heart disagree.

The seventh month.

I no longer go through every day with a list in my head repeating over and over again. I now go through every day with a new list each day that changes and shifts just like my expectations for myself and thoughts of different things. I now go every day without a list holding me back.

“...I’ve grown from it…”

Change - Bernardette W

Change is a great thing, and people love it or hate it at the same time. Some people move for a better life, others move for better opportunities, and others also move for enjoyment or other personal reasons. One clear thing is that when someone moves, they have a new life to adjust to. Additionally, when people move, they have different experiences depending on where they move to. Some people think their new life is better, while others miss their old life. Similarly, I had to move to a new country for better opportunities, which changed my view on the global perspective. Although I had visited earlier in 2018 for my cousin’s wedding in America, it still felt like a new experience when I moved from Ghana to the United States in 2019. The environment looked brighter, and I could hear cars zooming everywhere I went. There were nature and peaceful sightings everywhere, including airplanes humming past in the bright blue sky and birds tweeting in the breeze. Moreover, when I looked around me, there were unfamiliar people in a new unknown land laughing, talking, walking, and doing whatever those foreign people did. This was so similar, yet so different from my beloved Ghanaian country. As the weeks passed, I got accustomed to my new life by learning how to adjust to the American ways. Beginning from how they shopped, how they spoke, and their culture, traditions, and beliefs. I was captivated by these interesting facts, so much so that I wanted to learn and do more of them. Every single detail in this new country was striking. For instance, the playgrounds in every area, the pools, the music, and even the people. I felt like the people were so interesting, with their white skin and colored hair and eyes. Even though I couldn’t understand their accent, I thought it was interesting too. These foreign people would always talk to me in their strange, rapid, and swift intonation that came out so lightly on their tongues whenever I was with them, but since I only understood them distinctly, I would just nod or quiet down. Plus, they never understood my words whenever I spoke to them like how my neighbors understood me. My neighbors. Oh, how I missed them dearly. I missed being in church with them, hanging out with them, and going to restaurants, shops, towns, and parties with them. I even missed going to school with them. The strict private school with no boredom, but still too extreme. I was appalled by how lenient American schools were immediately as I began to learn there. The staff in the schools were moderate; they never punished students as much as Ghanaian schools did, and they only used disciplinary action such as suspensions and elimination of the students from class. However, in Ghana, if a student made a mistake, like being late to class, using bad handwriting, talking, or even using a pencil instead of a pen, they would get hit with a cane until they started to cry. This was because the schools thought that if they disciplined their students by using fear, the students would respect them more. At the thought of all these culture shocks, my eyes and mind were opened to different mindsets and values of people in different groups. I learned that everyone’s different and has their own beliefs, and from that moment, I became mentally stronger and mature. I learned to be open to everyone’s experiences and feelings.

I Am From - Andrii O

The Sierpiński Poem - Mr. Andrew Sergeant

When you are by yourself in a crowded town, And it seems like there are monsters all around, You don't see an exit and there is nowhere to run, Your heart feels heavy and it's a secret to everyone,

Take knowledge and believe in your course; Your courage you must try to force; You are your own hero in the darkest hour, For you and you alone are the power.

Crocuses - Konrad F

“...I’ve grown from it…”

A Girl That Moved to a New Country - Salma Q

Hello! My name is Salma Qaderi. I recently moved to a new country and it’s very different from what I expected. You might be wondering why I came to this country. I came here because in Afghanistan (where I previously lived) there was a war. In my country there was a lot of fighting. The Taliban were killing people who worked with the US. If we stayed too long in Afghanistan we might not be here today.

Here’s what happened.

My mom was making dinner. My cousin, my siblings, and I were all playing until my grandpa and grandma came upstairs and told us that we had to pack up our stuff. We didn't really eat dinner at night. We just got in the car and we went to the airport. At first, I was very excited. Until I got to the airport. It was very crowded. I saw a lot of people. We sat somewhere in the Airport till 5:00 in the morning. We couldn’t even sleep, and I was not excited anymore; I was scared and nervous.

Luckily, when I came to the US everyone was so nice to me, but I didn't know how to speak English. You might be wondering how I felt when I came to this country. Well, I felt pretty nervous and pretty sad because I had to leave everything behind and had to start a new life.

First, we went to New Jersey. We didn't have family or food, so we had to stay in a shelter for three whole months. The shelter was really cold and we only had food in the morning. That's why we were always hungry. I tried to give my food to my mom because my mom was pregnant with my little brother. They did not treat pregnant ladies really well and we couldn't see my dad for 3 months. My dad, my grandpa, and my uncle were separated at that moment because males and females were separated.

From New Jersey to Lisle IL, the airplane took 2 hours and we moved to Lisle. I am so thankful that I met the new people that helped me a lot. On my first day of school, I was nervous to meet more new people. I just sat on my chair and didn’t know how to speak English except to say “hi”.When I was moving here I didn't have any water, food and no place to stay. Now I'm thankful to the people that I have, like my friends, the people who helped us, and those who put a roof above my head. If I win, I'm going to give this money to my mom so my mom can give it to my aunt because they don't have food to eat. After all, the food is too expensive. My aunt is still in Afghanistan.

I kept trying because I knew it would give me a better future. I hope that things can get better in Afghanistan so I can visit my family again.

Autumn - Violet B

The Bunny CollageHylie W

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it...”

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

The

Next Day - Ephrem W

As I woke up this morning, my alarm buzzing, I realized I slept in. It was 10:30 and school had started at 9:00! Then I wondered where my mom went, why she hadn’t woken me up, and why breakfast wasn’t ready like it always was.

“Mom!” I yelled. No response. That’s weird. I checked her messy room, which was piled high with dirty clothes and dust, but no mom. I checked downstairs, in my room, in her room, in the kitchen, in the garage and she wasn’t home. Then I checked if our red Mustang with orange flames was still there. It was, so she had to be close.

9:00P.MTheDayBefore

Let’s start this story with an introduction. Hi, my name is Evwershaw and I am a 15-year-old boy. I live in the middle of a desert in Nevada. I go to school at 9:00 A.M sharp every day and I was born on January 18th, 1992. Anyways about my mom missing and everything. Well, let’s just get back to the story okay?

Approximately13HoursAnd32MinutesLater

Well, my mom is missing and I decided to give her a call on the telephone but she has yet to respond. I think something must be wrong. I get a picture of her and go to town to see if anyone has seen her. No one even knows who she is. She must not be as popular in town as she told me she was.

OneNightLater

The next morning I woke up to see a light so blinding that it was hard to keep my eyes open. My mom is still not home but the light seems to attract me to it. I walk outside to see a giant object. It looks like a flying saucer of some sort. As I walk towards the flying saucer, I see a green slimelooking creature holding something. The slime creature is holding my mom! My mom looks so scared that she looks like she might pass out.

The slime monster says, “Hello you’re ugly,” and then walks away with my mom.

I just sit there in complete confusion wondering what I am doing with my life.

I just decide to chase the monster and ask him questions like “Hello monster. Who are you?”

“My name is Evershaw and I am a person who wants my mom back. Could you please put her down?”

“No... me likee like doll,” says the monster back

“Excuse me sir but she’s not a doll it is my mother. Monster, do you have a mom that loves you very much?”

“Yah-yah.”

“Well, what would you do if a giant scary creature took her away from you?”

“I would be sad-sad.”

“Yeah, that’s what I feel. I am ‘sad-sad’.”

“Ok. I understand you can have her back. Here you go. SIKE!”

Then, the monster closes the door, puts me into a completely huge cage, and leaves me there. The monster only has a cage for another giant monster so I can just slip through the bars and find him. The ship is massive and I see a lot of extraterrestrial things. But there is one thing that catches my eye: it is the U.S.A. seal on the wall of the ship.

Now, this gets me confused: how did that end up there? Did the government know that aliens were real? Did they create the ship and the alien stole it? What the heck!

I saw the monster and I grabbed one of his alien-looking guns and Bang! Bang! Bang! Killed him in 3 easy shots. I figure my video game skills helped.

TheNextDay

The next day, I called the government for information on the UFO but they said that they never made it. Most people think they did. Right now my mom is at the hospital because the green monster forced her to eat some of his alien juice. I think that the government knew that the alien was real and that they just didn’t want people to figure it out.

Epilogue

Well, here we are at the end of my story. No one believed either me or my mom but in the year 2056, they ended up telling me that they did make the ship and that aliens were real.

The End

Young Mother -

My mother. It would take all the paper in the world to write how truly wonderful that woman is. She is a kind, caring, and compassionate mother who has come a long way from when she first became a mother, to now. She is my world. My everything. Ever since I was a little girl I always noticed how much spending time with family meant to my mother. I think she surrounded me with other people to give me a sense of comfort, to give me the life she never had growing up. Even though we weren’t the richest, all day every day was a blast.

We would play in the blowup kiddie pool, hearing the splashes of water trickling out of it.

We would go to the zoo and hear the birds chirp, the owls hoot, and the laughter of others. Or the arboretum where kids and parents fawn Over the beautiful green, Yellow, and red leaves falling off the branches. She would take me to the park and out for walks. We were and still are inseparable. I know my mother was good at her job because the only worries I ever had as a child were if there was a monster in my closet, or if my mom was going to find all the candy wrappers behind my bed. As a child, all my memories big and small were always of my mother having a smile on her face, ready to face the world. She would always tell me, “It’s us against the world.”

I never knew what she meant by that until later in life.

I always thought she was a bit weird for saying that.

Anonymous

Me and my mother don’t have a regular mom-and-daughter relationship. Our relationship is so much more than words could describe. My mother did a dang good job raising me. She had no role models and went off of her love for me as a parent. I was her map to parenting. She would always tell me if I didn't agree with some of the things she was doing or saying to tell her and we both improved as individuals. She was such a good parent that I didn't know that there were people who harmed others. I didn't know the traumas she held dear to her.

I didn't know that my grandmother and my mother had a falling out for months, maybe even years or that her father was an alcoholic. But my young mother who was still new to being an adult let alone having a child at 20 still tried her best by taking on the pain and suffering. She was strong because I needed her to be. She was and still is here for me.

I love her with every ounce of my being.

Sunset Paradise - Nalani H

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

Spaghetti BowlMr. Pete Meyer

Snow - Elizabeth B

Sometimes, Snow is a howling blizzard, announcing its rage to the whole world. Sometimes, snow is a dainty flurry, Dancing on fairy-light wings, Dusting the earth with a white powder that will melt

Rainfall & Sunshine - Jackson W

Rainstorm.

Pitter-patter.

Thunder is soon to come.

Lighting strikes, rain pours down, lightly. Storming.

Rainbow.

Bands of color.

Pretty and beautiful.

Shining, gleaming, and shimmering. Colors.

By morning. Sometimes, snow is a panther, creeping up on you in the night. You don’t realize that it’s there until you open the windows And the whole world is White.

Siesta Key Beach At SunsetAudrey M

Mar10 - Anonymous

Graves of Doom - Anonymous

“Oi, Ems, come on! You’ll be late on your first day!” my best friend Sophia yelled up the stairs. She comes over every day before school to have breakfast and study.

“I’m coming, Soph! I need my phone!” I called back down. I found it and I rushed down the stairs.

“Jeez Ems, you’re crazy! Why’d you wake up at 7:30 am?” Soph scolded me.

“Well, I mighthave turned off my alarm last night...” I admitted.

“Omg Em, you’re impossible! But I love ya anyway!” she winked and grabbed my hand, and we rushed out the door.

At the school, we walked in and saw our other best friend, Audrey. She came running towards us.

“Did Emily oversleep AGAIN?” she called.

“Maybe!” I called back. Audrey joined us and we all giggled.

“Oh Em, you are hopeless!” Audrey snickered.

“Well, that’s my job, isn’t it?” I answered back, chuckling.

Later, at first period, we all sat in our assigned seats, which, coincidentally, were all next to each other in some way. In class, the boys were laughing at us because we were new, and that’s (sometimes) what most boys do. After class, the boys, whose names were Zach, Connor, and Logan came up to us and gave us a dare.

“Since you three are new, we dare you to go to the graveyard and prove that you’re brave enough to spend one hour there!” said Zach.

“Uhm Zach, I don’t know if that’s a good idea...” muttered Logan to Zach.

“Ooooh do you likeone of them?!” teased Zach.

“No, it’s just that it’s dangerous, and we’ve been told to stay out by the principal,” said Logan.

“Do we even get a say in this?” I asked.

“We’ll think about your offer, and maybewe’ll do it,” said Sophia.

“I think we should!” Audrey declared.

Later, after we all agreed, we headed to the graveyard. When we got there, we set up a little camp in the corner, where there were no graves. As night fell, we wrapped ourselves up in blankets and sat and ate the food we had brought. A little while later, we heard a noise coming from the middle of the graveyard.

We all trembled in our blankets, and I said, “I’ll go check it out, okay?”

“Be so so so careful Emily, okay?” Soph never used my full first name unless she was upset, scared, or serious. I got up, put on my yellow sweatshirt, and started to the middle of the yard. When I got there, everything was still. I started shaking, and I almost screamed. ‘Don’t scream’ I willed myself. I turned to get back to the camp, and I heard a rustling behind me. I froze. ‘O.M.G.’ I thought. I slowly turned around, and the grave that had been closest to me was gone. Suddenly, right before my eyes, a GRAVE VANISHED! I fled the scene immediately. As I ran back, MORE graves vanished beside me! Colby, Smaw, Trueman, I read the graves’ names as I ran past.

“GIRLS!” I screamed. They bolted up as I came into sight.

“What?!” they both said at the same time.

“They’re gone!” I whisper-screamed.

“What’s gone?!” Audrey asked.

“The-the graves!” I said frantically. “They were disappearing! Right before my eyes!”

“Ems, you were hallucinating! Graves don’t-” Soph broke off.

“What?” Audrey and I asked at the same time.

“Girls, don’t turn around...!” Soph whispered. We turned around anyway. A grave disappeared right in front of us. All three of us screamed. I got my phone out and filmed the graves disappearing.

“Okay girls, I got it on camera! We’ll go to the police! Right now!” I said. They nodded, and we hurried out of the cemetery.

At the police station, we rushed in and asked to speak to the chief of police. As we were admitted, the door to the office opened.

“Officer!” I said. “Something horrible is going on in the cemetery! I’ve got it on camera!”

“What?!” The Chief asked. “Let me see please!” I unlocked my phone and showed him the video.

“Oh my goodness! I’ll get this in the newspaper right away!” he rushed out, and we followed him, hot on his heels.

The next day at school, we were surprised to see that everyone was congratulating us. Even Zach came up and said, “Wow! I was not expecting you to do that! You’re all heroes in everyone's eyes!” Logan gave me flowers and a card. I blushed and said thank you. He blushed and walked away smiling.

Then, the FBI came in, and we were asked what happened. We explained everything, and the FBI paid us a large amount of money to save the town from this curse.

“Curse?” I asked the Chief of the FBI.

“Yes, there’s a curse that came from long ago, and it stated, ‘When the male shall ask the female to face the reaper of death’s home, the curse shall possess the dead’s living.’ It’s very ominous.” By the time he finished, all three of our eyes were opened wide.

“So WE are the chosen ones? The Nerd, the Gossiper, and the Sports Queen?!” Audrey breathed.

“Yes, you must save us from this horrid curse! Go to the cemetery, and knock three times on the coffin of Smicht. Then, apparently, according to the ancient curse-resolving instructions, it should open, and there’s a secret passage there. Go now, and save us all!”

3 hours later, we were at the cemetery. It was 9 pm, and very dark. Fall had arrived, and the almost bare trees blocked the moonlight. We found the coffin of Andreas Smicht, and we knocked three times on the stone lid. Suddenly, a loud grinding noise startled us, and the coffin’s lid slid off and thumped heavily on the dirt. We peered inside and saw a staircase. We looked at each other, gulped, and climbed into the grave. It was so dusty, and we all started coughing. But suddenly, it was clear. We looked up to see a glowing figure sitting in mid-air. Its eyes were closed, and we crept slowly towards it. I accidentally stepped on a stick, and it cracked. The figure’s eyes opened wide, and they were pure red. It was wearing a black hood, a crown of dead vines, and had a scythe floating beside it. It seemed to be male, but I had no idea.

“Who dares to approach the Reaper of Death?” it said, in a deep rumbling voice.

“Uhm, us mere mortals of Blacksburg, Virginia.” I said, having watched too many fantasy and horror movies to be scared.

“And what brings you here, mortals?” asked the Reaper.

“We have come to free our town from the disappearing graves curse, Reaper,” I replied.

“Hmmm, the graves’ curse...” said the Reaper. I looked back at my best friends and saw them cowering in the back of the large cavern.

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

“Come on girls, he won’t hurt us!” I called. They looked at each other, and slowly approached me and The Reaper of Death himself.

“Your...Reaperness?” said Audrey hesitantly, bowing low. The Reaper smiled, revealing sharp white teeth, and said,

“You may just call me Reaper.”

“Uhm, Reaper, my name is Sophia, and I am at your service,” said Sophia, also bowing low. The Reaper turned to me.

“I like you and your friends. Are you not afraid?” he asked.

“No, we are not afraid anymore,” I replied.

“Well then,” said the Reaper, coming out of his floating position and taking his scythe. “I will help you.” He then walked to a wall and tapped it with one long, white, bony finger 5 times. A secret door opened and the Reaper motioned for us to follow.

As we walked into this new area, we were hit with a salty breeze. ‘The ocean? How did we get here?’ I thought.

“Magical teleportation.” said the Reaper, as if he knew what I was thinking. “Here, there is a sea witch under there, and she can undo the curse. Go to her, and say you’ve come in the name of The Reaper of Death. She will let you in, and if not, use this,” he handed me a shell, which I assumed was a phone, “and call me. I will make her undo it. Good luck!” Then, he whistled a tune, and a siren appeared from the waves.

“Hi, Reaper! Ooh, have you brought me a snack?” the siren asked.

“No Lila, not a snack. I need you to turn them into mermaids temporarily, please.” Lila pouted, but she sang and suddenly, our legs became tails. Audrey had pink and purple scales, I had teal and aqua, and Soph had green and yellow. Our shirts became tops of shells, and we gasped for breath. Lila gasped and helped us to the water.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I said when I wasn’t suffocating.

“Hey, I’m sorry for calling you a snack earlier. I usually eat human hearts for breakfast. Boys mostly, don’t worry!” She winked and added when she saw my shocked expression.

After we left Lila and Reaper, we started swimming in a dark cave, which is what Reaper had described as the Sea Witch’s Cavern. As we swam in, there was a soft glow from the depths of the cavern. Audrey, Soph, and I all looked at each other and gulped.

“Here goes nothing!” I said to them, and they nodded. As we approached the middle of the cave, we heard a swishing noise, and as we reached the middle opening of the cavern, we saw a female mermaid with octopus tentacles instead of a fishtail. She turned around and screamed.

“Oh my goodness, you scared me!” she gasped. “Wait...mermaids? What brings you here, to my evil lair?” she cackled.

“Uhm, no, we’re not originally mermaids. We’re usually humans. We need your help to undo a curse that was set on our town by some evil magician. If you refuse,” I added when she reached for a potion, “we call the Grim Reaper and the Siren and they eat your heart and then steal your soul.” I finished. The witch almost dropped her potion in her shock.

“T-The Grim Reaper and the Legendary Siren Queen?! Okay, I guess I’ll have to help you.”

“Excellent! Let’s go now, then.” I said.

We swam to the surface and met Reaper and Lila. Lila turned us back into humans, and herself as well. Then the Witch turned herself into a human as well. We walked to a cave by the seaside and went in to see a portal. It opened and we could see the old cemetery.

“Millie, go in first. I’ll be last.” the Reaper instructed. We went into the portal and were immediately in the same place where we had opened the coffin.

“Millie, undo it, please. Now.” The Reaper spoke to the Witch. The Witch waved her hands and a huge cauldron appeared, along with a book.

“It’ll take a minute, so maybe Reaper could set an invisibility spell so no one sees us?” she asked.

“Lila, keep an eye on her. Girls, come with me. I’m going to teach you magic!” Reaper said. Lila nodded, and we followed Reaper. We followed Reaper into the center of the cemetery, and he used his scythe to summon three orbs.

“These are yours. Use them wisely,” he told us. We each took one, and they disappeared.

“Where did they go?” I asked Reaper.

“They have been absorbed into your body. Now, you need to ask me which power you’d like to have. Anyone will do. Nothing about creating or destroying anything, though.” he replied.

“I want to shapeshift into anything, please,” I said. Immediately, I felt an immense surge of energy go through my body. ‘Owl’ I thought, then suddenly, I was an owl. I perched on Audrey’s shoulder and nuzzled her neck.

“Oi, Em, that tickles!” she squealed. “Anyway,” she said, “I want to be able to be invisible at will.” And then, I was perched on nothing!

“Audrey? Where’d you go?” I turned back into a human and asked.

“Boo.” something said behind me. I turned and squealed. She was right there! We giggled, and Soph said,

“I want to be super pretty and smart, and help others be like that too!” she said happily. Suddenly, Soph was now an even more beautiful girl than before! “Yay!” she squealed. Audrey and I looked at each other and laughed.

“Awesome!” I said.

“Wait, I forgot! You too!” she waved her hands and we both became more pretty than before!

“Omg thank you so much, Soph!” I squealed, and we both ran to hug her. Reaper then cleared his throat, and we turned to him.

“Time to go back now, girls,” he said.

We walked back to see Millie and Lila just finishing up the potion.

“Done!” said Millie as we approached. Then, she splashed it down, and all the tombstones were appearing back! Just then, the FBI walked in as morning was dawning. The invisibility spell wore off, and suddenly, we girls were alone. That’s when a little slip of paper appeared in my hand. I opened it and it read: “To the girls, we had to leave as humans would probably attempt to kill us. Good luck with the rest of your lives. If you ever need one of us, just combine your powers in a circle, and call our name. We will appear and assist you. Love from Reaper, Lila, and Millie!”

It’s been 3 weeks since all this happened. Audrey, Soph, and I went to school together as usual, but with our new special abilities. Everything was amazing. Logan asked me out, and Zach and Connor asked Audrey and Soph. Whenever we needed them, our magical friends were there for us, and it was all because of a spooky old cemetery dare!

THE END!

Siblings - Anonymous

Siblings. There is a big responsibility when you’re the oldest sibling.

Siblings. They’re like little monsters running around making messes.

Siblings. I love them so much but it’s just the little things they do that get me frustrated.

Siblings. You have to take care of them every minute because Mom and Dad are busy.

Siblings. “ I wish I never had siblings” because of how loud they are and how annoying they are.

Siblings. I have to rock you to sleep every night when you’re sleepy and tired.

Siblings. I bathe you when you’re dirty and nasty.

Siblings. I do your hair and get you ready for school and find your outfits for school because Mama and Dad are sleepy and tired.

Siblings. I have to babysit you guys when Mama and Dad leave.

Siblings. I love you guys to death and I will never stop.

Siblings. I don’t care how “annoying” you are or how noisy you are.

Siblings. When you’re scared to sleep in your room and I see you poke your little head through my door asking to sleep with me and we lay together on the bed praying for a good day tomorrow.

Siblings. I might say harsh things to you guys but I don’t mean it.

Siblings. I always tell Mama I didn’t mean to say rude things to you and I know I should start taking some accountability.

Siblings. You guys still love me for who I am even when I am rude and say mean things.

Siblings. We play in the yard together so we can have bonding time. I sit and watch you guys play and watch how your little feet kick the ball in the goal.

Siblings. I watch you guys play together smiling and laughing enjoying yourself on a sunny day.

Siblings. I pray to God and I thank him for the little blessings he gave me and the wonderful amazing siblings that I am blessed with.

Michigan City BeachViolet B

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

6 Word Memoirs 2024

6TH GRADE

A metal bowl in a microwave. - Matylda B

Traveled the world; now back here. - Elizabeth B

I tried writing a memoir. I failed. - Dylan B

Work hard and learn something new. - Carlo C

I had fun over winter break. - Enzo C

Every day is a great day. - Alexandra D

Only six words? This is hard. - Luke E

The first bite is the best. - Nora F

Why six? Seven is my number. - Clara F

I am very happy and exited. - Laka G

People mispronounce my name a lot. - Kadijah G

I went to the Sox game. - Zoe G

Life, so good, but is it? - Logan J

Always have fun no matter what. - Olivia K

Never too old for Gravity Falls. - Evan K

I beat Audrey Martin to homeroom! - Rebecca L

Sometimes it’s hard to face life. - Lily L

Every day is a fresh start. - Ashlyn L

Never give up, keep on going. - Azariyah L

I always beat Rebecca to homeroom. - Audrey M

Never too old to watch Bubble-Guppies. - Tyler M

Be respectful, responsible, peaceful, and nice. - Zacayre M

Sisters are friends, friends are family. - Madelyn M

Always be there for your friends. - Angelee M

At night I fight my homework. - Giuliana O

Sing aloud for everyone to hear. - Sophia P

Why be afraid to be great? - Joy P

I like reading books by authors. - Elise P

Gaming, lego, pizza, ice cream, manga, Jurassic World. - Patrick R

DogdayJorge C

Inspire

Leave room for love; not hate. - Ginger R

Walking class to class, running now. - Cooper S

Start the day with a smile. - Myra S

Try hard and don’t give up. - Sophia S

Be you, do you, for you. - Jazzy W

Everyone else is taken, be yourself. - Zach W

Ride, ride, ride, and ride on. - Sam W

I really am destined for greatness. - Hylie W

Let’s go! I’m in Novice Hornpipe! - Jackson W

Always be happy and be yourself. - Anonymous

Always be your own best friend. - Anonymous

Always give your best for success. - Anonymous

Be yourself, love yourself, have courage. - Anonymous

Birds plus me equals happy life. - Anonymous

Bored, tired, happy, excited, shocked, annoyed. - Anonymous

Cold feelings as I lay down. - Anonymous

Don’t let anyone take your happiness. - Anonymous

Fun, work, joy, time, ideas, yet. - Anonymous

Funny is funny, sad is sad. - Anonymous

Funny video games, basketball, soccer, bye. - Anonymous

God first, love all, trust few. - Anonymous

Good times, bad times, they happen. - Anonymous

Have faith in yourself, it works. - Anonymous

I am sad, I am happy. - Anonymous

I am very happy and excited. - Anonymous

I just want summer to come. - Anonymous

I like to listen to music. - Anonymous

I only have four pride points. - Anonymous

I’m sleepy. Six is too much. - Anonymous

Joyful, happy, stressful, challenging, pain, gain. - Anonymous

Just do your job, that’s all. - Anonymous

Keep at it. Do it. Go. - Anonymous

Keep learning hard and finish school. - Anonymous

Don’t Be Afraid to BloomMs. Katherine Braun

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

Kind, happy, smart, nice, funny, joyful. - Anonymous

Lebron James is the best player. - Anonymous

Life doesn’t suck, reach your dreams. - Anonymous

Life is short, try something new. - Anonymous

Life, fun, friends, games, happy, home. - Anonymous

Life, so good, but is it? - Anonymous

LJHS inspires me to do good. - Anonymous

LJHS: a nice place to be. - Anonymous

Make life meaningful to other people. - Anonymous

Never stop trying on way up. - Anonymous

Not all your friends are real. - Anonymous

Only one quote game is game. - Anonymous

Playing games, shooting hoops, eating sushi. - Anonymous

Rainbow colored dogs are really funny. - Anonymous

School can be a learning tornado. - Anonymous

Shine bright like you always do. - Anonymous

Stop throwing garbage on the floor. - Anonymous

Storm chaser finds lightning and tornadoes. - Anonymous

Summer is to come, just wait. - Anonymous

The goat is Michael Jordan, trust. - Anonymous

We all have fun in school. - Anonymous

We all need art in life. - Anonymous

With great power comes great responsibility. - Anonymous

With no pain, there’s no gain. - Anonymous

7TH GRADE

School all day, sleep all night. - Giuliana A

Insert card or select payment type. - Kat C

I want to go to bed. - Charles C

Family museum trip, Chicago Fire history. - Jorge C

I can’t wait ‘till summer break. - Mia D

Baseball on the field, dirty, beaten. - Cayden D

Big shoes that I can’t fill. - A’kayla D

When The Art is Arting :OSummer K

I wish I got more sleep. - Maighan D

I always beat Kyle at Fortnight. - Nathan F

You grow and change throughout life. - Konrad F

I want peace for the world. - Britangelyx F

Gia misses her true love, Nutella. - Giuliana G

Never back down, never give up. - Cooper G

I am the GOAT at Fortnite. - Xander G

Musical theater is fun to perform. - Violet K

Tech is a hobby of mine. - Ethan K

Peter Griffin is my favorite person. - Chuck M-P

Alone, always. Afraid, always. Disappointed, always. - Brianna M

“But you’re in college now, and...” - Dani N

Triple-A batteries. None at home. - Alex N

I want to get some sleep. - Elliot P

Never give up on your dreams. - Aleem P

I can’t wait for summer break. - Olivia P

Get full pieced in Fortnite, bozo. - Arminas P

I love cars, cars my favorite. - Hunter Q

Be open to one’s mental problems. - Sebastian R

Never back down, never give up. - Robert R

I always beat Kyle at Fortnight. - Connor R

I love me!! Because I’m special. - Gabby T

Time will always continue to flow. - Andrew T

I hate i-Ready, please save me. - Cici W

I dog on Tommie in Fortnite. - Kyle W

Always give your best for success. - Anonymous

Art class is my favorite class. - Anonymous

Art is a stress reducing activity. - Anonymous

Blue, orange, yellow, green, purple dog. - Anonymous

Can we have a snow day? - Anonymous

Christmas is very special to me. - Anonymous

Drama talking drama is all heard. - Anonymous

Failure is something required for success. - Anonymous

Swans - Violet B

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

Gail Lewis is the goat linebacker. - Anonymous

How do I not know Waffles? - Anonymous

I am really, really, really Batman. - Anonymous

I ate a yummy taco today. - Anonymous

I don’t like doing Khan Academy. - Anonymous

I hate the snow; it’s cold. - Anonymous

I like basketball because it’s fun. - Anonymous

I like eating doughnuts in class. - Anonymous

I like having donuts at school. - Anonymous

I like to play cool sports. - Anonymous

I love dogs so very much. - Anonymous

I love fries, really hate apples.- Anonymous

I love my puppies, they’re awesome. - Anonymous

I really do not like homework. - Anonymous

I really like our summer breaks. - Anonymous

I want to go to sleep. - Anonymous

I woke up as a turtle. - Anonymous

I’m about to go on tour! - Anonymous

It’s way too cold for school. - Anonymous

Learning, reading, that’s all I do. - Anonymous

Life can be filled with Nature. - Anonymous

Life is short, make it worthwhile. - Anonymous

Lisle Junior High School, go lions! - Anonymous

Live your life because it’s special. - Anonymous

Loved ones, flashing lights, heart stopped. - Anonymous

Mrs. Miller is really really young. - Anonymous

Never back down, never give up. - Anonymous

Never let someone take your joy. - Anonymous

Oops! Gambled with the devil again. - Anonymous

Pizza is my favorite food, always. - Anonymous

School can be annoying and fun. - Anonymous

Some people just never really change. - Anonymous

Storm chaser finds lightning and tornadoes. - Anonymous

Grand Haven State ParkViolet B

Suit, church, vertigo, bride never showed. - Anonymous

Tacos are awesome for Taco Tuesdays. - Anonymous

Time passes by, so have fun. - Anonymous

Water is very good for you! - Anonymous

What if we all became turtles. - Anonymous

8TH GRADE

I like to eat Mexican food. - Julien B

Disabilities and drama; don’t give up. - Emily B

Never back down, never give up. - Samantha B

Why can’t our problems be good? - Jacob C

Holy cow Louis, I’m in Fortnite! - Ryan C

If you try, you will succeed. - Kaden D

I’m too tired to be here. - Jackson F

Wrestling is fun, wrestling is life. - Thomas F

Kind, respectful, intelligent, friendly, independant, empathy. - Lizzy G

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism, floccinaucinihilipilification, antidisestablishmentarianism - John G

I am a three point shooter. - Alex G

I like to eat spicy tacos. - Damien G

Wrestling is fun, wrestling is life. - Zak H

I could really go back home. - Kendall K

My idol, the notorious Conor McGregor. - Payton L

Skibidi toilet is our almighty king. - Casey N

Never back down, never give up. - Joseph N

I want to go home now. - Liv O

This is my six word memoir. - Sebastian O

I ate it, none for you. - Brenden P

The little things matter the most. - Theo P

Months “wasted” on Dead by Daylight. - Ryan P

Not right now, where I’ll be. - Brady P

Kanye West, please drop the album. - Zachary S

SummerSophie C

“...I wouldn’t be myself without it…”

Holy cow Lois! I’m in Fortnite. - Henry S

Don’t forget to take your Creatine. - Jack T

Don’t always assume the worst things. - London T

Holy cow Lois, I’m in Fortnite! - JT T

This took a whole two weeks. - Angel W

I am a pro Fortnite gamer. - Charlie W

Don’t just exist, live a little. - Bernardette W

I have Peter Griffin in Fortnite. - Ephrem W

Can I go home to sleep? - Bequer Z

All I do is sleep in. - Anonymous

Always remember that you are loved. - Anonymous

Continue to manifest the Among Us. - Anonymous

Do better than you did yesterday. - Anonymous

Everything is going to be okay. - Anonymous

Fun, sports, basketball, friends, teammates, coach. - Anonymous

I am slow like a turtle. - Anonymous

I ate forty Mcdonald’s nuggets yesterday. - Anonymous

I believe you can do this. - Anonymous

I could go for some chicken. - Anonymous

I love Taylor Swift so much. - Anonymous

I really wanna go home now. - Anonymous

I should probably go to sleep. - Anonymous

It hurts even when you’re “joking”. - Anonymous

It’s someone’s birthday somewhere out there. - Anonymous

Live your life. Be yourself, yeah. - Anonymous

Manifesting Among Us in real life. - Anonymous

Only thing that matters is family. - Anonymous

School is fun, happy, and cool. - Anonymous

School pays off with its knowledge. - Anonymous

Seen, forgotten. Loved, lost. Gone, forever. - Anonymous

Success comes from mistakes we make. - Anonymous

Tik tik tik tik tik BOOM. - Anonymous

When in doubt, cry it out. - Anonymous

“Hi” Jolly Rancher LollipopNatalie S

STAFF

Give your imagination permission to soar. - Ms. Katherine Braun

Your mental health is a priority. - Ms. Kristen Carr

Gaga tube rides, pools, and fireflies. - Mr. Jason Grau

It’s a good year to retire. - Mr. Pete Meyer

Every mistake is a learning experience. - Ms. Lindsay Norwood

Be yourself; no one is better. - Ms. Jenny Reband

It is dangerous to go alone! - Mr. Andrew Sergeant

You’re never too old for Disney! - Ms. Patricia Stevens

Don’t take your health for granted. - Anonymous

Greatness comes with challenge and hardwork. - Anonymous

New baby. Sleep deprived. Need coffee. - Anonymous

Performance

Bring It Swingin - The Jazzy Trio: Luke E, Konrad F, & Jackson W

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