Winter's End

Ny'Ema Brown

The birds and frogs sing and croak together I have been waiting for the new spring sounds I wish I could stay in here forever

Smells of tulips and pansies all around The sounds and smells give off the peace and grace Some people say they really like the fall

Why wouldn’t one want to stay in this place? With the chestnut and palm trees standing tall As I step in the green grass so gentle

Where seedlings sprout and the animals call Everything here is so instrumental Nothing feels better than in the spring walls

We give winter all of our last goodbyes When it leaves there will be stressful cry

January

Ava Cinco

It is the new year The ball has dropped We are all here Fresh starts unlocked

It is twelve a.m. We’re filled with cheer Peers have hope in them Everyone's near

We’re all tired I hop in the car We’re inspired

Rain

Rain falls and winds blow As tiny crystals fall down Jumping in puddles

Spring

The birds chirp as the sun rises

The flowers bloom and the bees buzz

The trees with leaves, best disguises Dandelions-exploded fuzz

The smell of pollen in the air

Not too warm, but the perfect breeze

Lights on fireflies start to flare

Oranges growing, perfect squeeze

Early mornings and brightest skies

Late night as the sun is at set

Wings flap on its side - butterflies

The roars of breeze and seas have met

The slight wind, causing chimes to cling I love many things - mostly Spring

Alonzo Bowler

It's any old day for the world. The sun came up and everyone is preparing for the day.

This is not any old day for Bob. After his first week on planet Earth, it is finally his first day of school.

Bob is so excited, but also nervous about how people will react now that an alien is in their class. He wonders if people will be excited for a new different student or will make fun of him for how different he is.

Bob is an alien from planet Mars. NASA would like to run tests on Bob and see how this new species they discovered will adapt and survive on planet Earth. He has been placed in a home kind of like an exchange student and he will be treated as such for two months. He will eat what humans eat, he will wear what humans wear, he will learn his new language and he will attend an all-human public school. NASA has to do this to see if they can merge species from Mars and Earth.

When Bob arrives at school, he is greeted with staring from every kid and teacher, even the administrators in the school. Bob expected this, so he tries to ignore most of it. He knows that if a human had come to his planet and strolled down the hall, he would be a little shook, too. He started his day by finding the principal to bring him around to his classes. The school had already announced that they have a new student and that everyone should treat him as if he is no different than the rest.

When he arrives at his first class, he is met with gasps in shock and more stares. Again, Bob expected this and attempts to move on. As the day goes on, it gets easier and he gets more and more comfortable and used to the looks and the stares.

It is finally the last block and he enters his classroom with the principal. He takes his seat and begins the last class of the day. This class is like any other, except someone decides to talk to him.

A tall kid approaches Bob and asks him why he is at this school, telling him he does not belong here. Of course, Bob is not shocked by this comment, although it does make him a bit more paranoid for the rest of the day.

When Bob gets home, the family he is staying with is curious about how his day went, but Bob is not in the mood to share. Bob does not talk to his family for the rest of the night. He knew that starting would be tough, but did not realize how hard it would be simply because he is just a little different from everyone else.

It is now Tuesday. Bob is trying to go into school with an open mind, hoping his peers will be more accepting because it's his second day. Little does he know, it will only get worse.

Teachers start to swarm and crowd

“What happened?” yells a teacher. Nobody knows what happened, but Bob is lying on the floor, unconscious. The ambulance arrives and rushes him off to the hospital.

When Bob's family gets to the hospital, they wait for Bob to regain consciousness. When Bob wakes up, he is bombarded with questions, the most popular one being, "What happened?" But Bob continues with the same answer: "I fell down the stairs," knowing that is not the true story.

The next two days Bob spends in the hospital with two bruised ribs and a slight fracture to his left wrist. When he returns home, he knows what he has to do at school the next day.

Bob tries to tell his exchange parents he will be okay at school, but despite his argument they are still very nervous.

DING DING DING.

Bob knows this sound means school has started and today he will have to be very brave. Today is the day Bob confronts his bully about what really happened at the stairwell. Most people would be nervous to confront a bully, but Bob is more excited than nervous. He knows it has to be done, and if not him, then who? If not now, then when?

Third block arrives and it is time. Bob approaches the tall student and asks him if they can talk. The student immediately begins to raise his fist. Bob then says:

“I forgive you.”

The bully lowers his hand and Bob begins to tell him that he understands why the bully had given him such a hard time. Then he tells him that he knows he is different and not human and does not belong on Earth. Bob explained to him that although they are not all human, they all have feelings and they all matter.

Another month goes by and Bob has made lots of friends. It seems he has become one of the most liked in the school. Unfortunately, it's about time for Bob to go back to Mars. Bob really enjoyed his time on Earth, and promises his new friends that he will visit all the time.

Bob wonders if his human friends can visit Mars at some time so they can see how different it is in many ways, but also how alike both planets are. Bob hopes that he taught at least one person when he was on Earth what it means to be kind and accept people no matter what they look like, what they talk like or even where they are from. He wants the people on Earth to realize that they are more similar than most people think. He believes, after staying on Earth, that NASA should consider merging the aliens on Mars to the people on Earth. He believes that they can start a new world where everyone can love everyone, because these two species can and should coexist as one.