THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
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Volume 3, Issue 9
JUNE 2012
A Newspaper by Children, of all Ages, from all Over the World Your Work can be Published too!
Teen Ambassadors of the Arts by Alyssa Fantel, 15 Coral Springs, FL If you heard the phrase “Teen Ambassador,” what would you think of? Maybe that it has something to do with international diplomacy? Well, that’s not what it means in Broward County, Florida. For the past two years, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, located in the heart of the Arts and Entertainment District in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, has hosted a Teen Ambassador (TA) program that involves twenty-four high school students from throughout the county. These high school students, who must have an interest in the performing arts, are put through a rigorous application process before acceptance into this elite program. According to the mission of the program, that’s because Teen Ambassadors “contribute to establishing a vital informational link to their peers regarding the arts both locally and nationally.” When asked how this program came about, Jill Kratish, Director of Programming, replied, “This program originated in part after a concept developed by the Broadway League, the Teen Advisory Board. Some of the members of that board came to speak at the Broadway League Spring Road Conference and we were very impressed with their insight and en-
Circle Gazette Columnist and Teen Ambassador Alyssa Fantel (second from left) with fellow Teen Ambassadors at the “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” opening party. thusiasm. We developed our program using some of the elements of that program, but expanding it to include other aspects of the performing arts beyond Broadway. We also added a formal reviewing system and ‘behindthe-scenes’ components to round out the experience for the Teen Ambassadors, particularly since education is one of the core values of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and an integral part of our mission.” Teen Ambassadors attend performances presented at the Broward Center and its affiliated venues in order to expand their interest in the arts and provide
reviews for postings on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or BrowardCenter.org. Broward Center Teen Ambassadors receive Community Service hours for their participation in the program. Bill Montgomery, Director of Sales, believes this program has been successful. He said, “We believe that this has been mutually beneficial to both the TAs and the artists and groups that have supplied the complimentary tickets for the Teen Ambassadors. Many of our TAs have been able to experience shows and entire genres that they would never have seen otherwise, and the increase in
ADOPT THE ARTS by Patty Gómez Editor-in-Chief
The last five years have seen the growth of an organized, if scattered, movement of rallying support for arts education: for the development of the creative side; for the offering of opportunities to young people to sing, act, draw, paint, sculpt, write poetry or play an instrument as part of their daily or weekly schedule. The rise of this movement comes as a result of a confluence of many events, among which the following two are at the top of the list: the broadly spread understanding of the value of creative activities in brain development, and the shameless, brutal budget cuts for art programs that have crisscrossed the nation. “Everybody seems to be aware of the importance of the arts,” said Johnathon Schaech to the Circle Gazette, after his recent visit to
Congress to advocate for Adopt the Arts, a California-based nonprofit organization. Schaech continued “… improvements are happening but not at the scale or speed needed.” Adopt the Arts’ mission is to serve as a force to unify “well-known artists, public figures, and the general public to save the arts in America’s public schools.” Schaech, who is better known for his performance as Jimmy Mattingly in the movie That Thing You Do (1996) directed by Tom Hanks, joined last April a group of Hollywood actors and actresses and visited members of Congress to lobby against art programs budget cuts. Schaech feels that even though there is a positive perception about the value of the arts in our society, there is still favoritism to support activities that develop the analytical side of learning over the artistic one.
Schaech feels that there seems to be a need to pit art against science and math, “to have the analytical activities compete against the creative ones,” and when that happens, invariably the creative side seems to be losing the battle. “That’s why we are stepping up,” Schaech passionately added. “Mothers aren’t buying it anymore. Parents know what’s best for their children. They know that arts are fundamental for the building of a prosperous future.” The big question of the day seems to be: why, if everybody across the board (parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, the federal government: everybody) is aware of the importance of the arts, our policies don’t reflect it? Why don’t most public schools in the country offer art classes within the regular curriculum? Why are most families forced to do “extracurricular” ac-
Did You Know... … that Adopt the Arts Foundation raises awareness and money to keep arts education in public schools. This non-profit organization started off Los Angeles and expects to impact more and more cities in the nation. Their goal is to bring together well-known artists, public figures, and the general public to save the arts in America’s public schools.
student tickets being sold is a direct reflection of the grass roots and social media advertising efforts of the TAs. We’re extremely proud of being able to provide professional ‘behind-the-scenes’ opportunities for our Teen Ambassadors to gain a deeper appreciation of the arts and share their experiences with others. It’s our hope that their message creates a resonance in the community, thereby producing lifelong arts supporters, appreciators and producers.” There is a specific set of criteria that Teen Ambassadors must meet. Those guidelines are listed on the Broward Center’s website, BrowardCenter.org. Kelly Armstead, Education Coordinator, said -regarding the qualities her team looks for in the Student Ambassadors- “We look for enthusiasm for the arts, the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and with the written word, social media savvy, and most importantly, academically driven students who truly value the priceless opportunities of learning in and through the arts and beyond.” Being a Teen Ambassador is a unique opportunity like none other. I should know, because I’ve had the privilege of being a Teen Ambassador this year. Check out the Broward Center’s website to see how you can be a Teen Ambassador, too! tivities –outside of school hours, to compensate somehow what kids are not getting at school? Adopt the Arts is currently supporting seven schools in the Los Angeles area and “this is just the beginning” -Schaech said. “We plan to expand our impact across the country and be able to help more schools every day.” Schaech is the writer and a star in the Public Service Announcement (PSA) video entitled Epic School Battle (check it out on YouTube). In a funny way, the video characterizes the art budget cuts as being the act of bad guys that “steal the crayons and music out of kids’ hands.” Thankfully a group of super heroes appears out of nowhere to save the arts and restore peace and color in the classroom. Among the super heroes in the short film you’ll see rock’n roll stars such as the band Kiss, Guns’ N Roses’ Steven Tyler and Matt Sorum. Of course, Superman (played by Schaech) led the charge against the super villains. Sorum (Guns’N Roses drummer) is the co-founder of the non-profit and is committed to bringing its goals to reality. The PSA also features actress Jane Lynch (Glee) as the classroom teacher that nurtures and defends the art work of her students. Through Fundraisers, lobbying, awareness campaigns and program development, this organization is actively working to provide resources to public schools to make arts a fundamen-
ECO FEATURE by Aaron Cross Page 3
Fighting the Hunger by Ismail Ercan Page 8
Family Fun! Board Game Reviews by Aaron Cross Page 6
Nature Poetry Pages 10-11
Actor Johnathon Schaech, Advocate for “Adopt The Arts” tal part of the curriculum. Schaech recognizes that this is an issue of federal interest and that there is a lot being done individually everywhere, but he feels that Adopt the Arts can help bring everyone together and create a synergistic momentum to save effectively and permanently the creative elements in public education. If you’d like to know more about this project and donate to the cause, visit www.adoptthearts.org. At the Enrichment Circle, we certainly work toward the same goals and the Circle Gazette, is our flag. Our original publication offers a real and concrete solution to promote and support creative writing, journalism, poetry and art by young people of all ages and from everywhere. For a better tomorrow.
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THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
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THE CIRCLE GAZETTE A Newspaper by Children for Children Monthly Independent Publication available to children of all ages. This publication is an initiative of THE ENRICHMENT CIRCLE, INC. A Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization for the Advancement of Education 7551 Normande Ct. Margate FL 33063 Phone: 954-918-2541 info@enrichmentcircle.com
Editor in Chief Patty Gómez
Serena Serrano
Patty Gómez
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Pedro Gómez Lee Bruno
Robyn Rader
Production
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Emma Gómez
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Regular Columnists Aaron J. Cross
Daniela Gómez
Bilal Amodu
Sara I. Cross
Sarah Thompson
Regular Contributors
Maria & Natalie Schlecht, Elizabeth Abrams, Daniela & Emma Gómez, Aaron J. & Sara I. Cross, Sofia Serrano, Danny & Andy Hernández, Alizdair Ray, Ismail Ercan, Shadya & Bilal Amodu, Nathalie Thelemaque, Kate Maier, Reagan Olenick, Sarah Thompson
Patty Gómez
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Subscriptions available 1 year subscription: $40/year/12 issues 6 months subscription: $24/year/6 issues Individual copies: $4/each With the purchase of each copy you are supporting the printing of future issues and through that, the creative work of young writers and artists!
Circulation
The Circle Gazette is available online and is distributed in paper via individual, classroom and library subscriptions. The Circle Gazette is distributed all over South Florida and has subscribers and contributors from Ohio, Tennessee, New Mexico, Texas, New York, Virginia, California, Kentucky, San Jose-Costa Rica and Caracas-Venezuela)
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TO SUBMIT WORK
The Circle Gazette is a publication available to public school, private school and homeschool students. Email a copy of your work, as a Word or text file, attach images as JPEG files, to info@enrichmentcircle.com or submit your work online at www.enrichmentcircle.com. All entries should be accompanied by the parent/guardian consent to print form found online.
Information to contributors
The Circle Gazette reserves the right to edit, accept and refuse articles in the interest of brevity, clarity and the appropriateness of subject matter. The Circle Gazette is packed from cover to cover with the latest stories and creations of children as of all ages; about local affairs, the environment, art, sports, entertainment, stories, poems and puzzles that engage and inspire young minds! YOUNG CHILDREN CAN PROVIDE A WEALTH OF WISDOM, FRESHNESS AND NEW PERSPECTIVES! The Circle Gazette is a one-of-a-kind publication because: It transcends one school/homeschool community. It goes beyond a state or a country. It’s about widening writer’s and reader’s horizons! It is addressed to children and the content is created by children It involves a multiage/multilevel group of contributors The editorial team keeps a holistic and nourishing quality on the selection of content and design It’s a high quality mix of a variety of styles and topics It offers valuable feedback to authors
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JUNE 2012
from the editor: Aword he Gift That Keeps on Giving
T
Welcome to another edition of the Circle Gazette —a fine forum for aspiring writers to showcase their work. I have been thinking of other ways to enrich not only our lives, but also the lives of others. Inspired by the book Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty which focuses on the spirit of hope and goodness, I started thinking, what simple gestures can we make to help someone else? We are all under stress, whether it be school demands, expectations from parents, teachers, and coaches, health concerns, financial woes, or social and peer pressure. We all worry. Maybe instead of focusing on ourselves, we could focus on how we can help others, which, ironically, in turn helps us all. What simple and spontaneous act has someone done for you that made your day? Were you ever given a compliment, a smile, or a free donut at the coffee shop? Have you ever given someone something … just because? I always admired a blouse my girlfriend had. It was a beige lace button down blouse with a black satin ribbon. One day she said to me: “I know how much you have always admired this blouse; I want to give it to you.” I was so touched; to this day, the blouse hangs in my closet unworn. It makes me happy just to see it, reminding me of her thoughtfulness. Give from your heart, not from your pocket. The best gifts are the ones brimming with sentiment. Those are the gifts people remember and cherish. It can be as simple as sending a text to a friend you haven’t seen in awhile that says, “Thinking of you— Miss you, xoxo.” What are some simple things you can do to make someone else’s day? Have you ever offered to do something for someone before being asked? Maybe a friend missed school; you can bring the work they missed home to them.
Have you ever thought about donating toys that you don’t play with anymore? Not because you need to clean your closet out, but because you know how much pleasure the toys will bring to the kids who may not be able to afford such things. There are so many little gestures and actions that may seem small, but actually are large and reap even larger rewards. Some of these gestures make someone’s day, and some leave a profound imprint on someone’s life. I heard a story about a boy in school who had no friends and was bullied. The kids ganged up on him one day at the bus stop after school. They grabbed his glasses and threw them on the ground and the kids took turns stomping on them. The boy couldn’t see, tripped and fell in the mud. The bullies laughed and finally headed home. There was one boy who witnessed this and did something that ultimately saved the bullied boy’s life. This boy approached the bullied boy and offered to help. He picked up the books scattered on the ground and helped the boy home. When they arrived at the bullied boy’s house, the boy was invited to come in. The two boys ultimately became friends. Their friendship survived high school, college and adulthood. Many years later, the bullied boy admitted that he was planning to kill himself that day at the bus stop, but after the kind act of the boy, he never went through with his plan. The once bullied boy now has a family of his own. That one kind gesture, that one small gift of offering to help, shaped the lives of many. When someone does something nice for you, the action multiplies because it makes you want to do something nice for someone else. Think of little things you can do to brighten someone’s day. I promise, it will brighten yours. Happy Giving
Robyn S. Rader Assistant to the Editor
Brandon and Savannah Kids Pursuing their Dreams “All the Runaways” is their most popular single and last time I checked it had more than 1,339,963 views on YouTube. Brandon and Savannah Hudson, originally from Boca Raton, are a brother and sister duo that has gone on the path of professional song writing and singing. They consider themselves close to the country pop genre and enjoy writing about their own experiences and relationships of friendship and love. They even write about experiences they haven’t really gone through yet, as Savannah (13) pointed out, in an exclusive interview for the Circle Gazette. “We write sometimes from a place of emotional empathy. And it’s fun,” she said. Her brother Brandon (15) related how they have been singing since they were little, and though they didn’t know they would end up singing together professionally, it started to happen as they grew, sang and harmonized together. They liked how they felt and they liked how it sounded. With full support from their family, Brandon and Savannah give high priority to their school work while juggling a budding career as teen pop singers. Their lives switch scenarios between South Florida and Los Angeles, which keeps them on their toes. I enjoyed speaking with them and catching the enthusiasm in their voices about their early success in a field heavily contested and usually thought of as “for adults.” I felt their experience wasn’t that dissimilar from that of our very own writers and artists at the Circle Gazette. They don’t have to wait until they grow up to “seriously” do what they want to do. Success happens regardless of age, but it doesn’t happen without hard work. It hasn’t come casually to Brandon and Savannah. The Hudsons are mu-
Brandon and Savannah with Katy Perry at the 2012 Kid’s Choice Awards. sicians. They play the piano and the guitar. They love singing and work on their voices to keep learning. They are good writers. They are thoughtful and unafraid to try. They have struggled with criticism and doubts from well intentioned friends who have pointed out how daunting or impossible it can be to achieve success as pop singers. They, like you, don’t easily take “no” for an answer. They work hard. At the end of May, most teens wrapped the school year dancing to popular tunes, dressed in fancy gowns, and determined to have fun at Prom. But for some high school students, attending prom is not as easy as picking an outfit or arranging transportation. For chronically ill teens, prom sometimes cannot happen. This year, the non-profit “A Prom to Remember,” founded by Brandon Opre, organized a great night at the Ritz Carlton in Fort Lauderdale for teenagers who have been affected by cancer. This exclusive hotel has a very strict “no-prom” policy; however, this event merited all exceptions. The red carpet welcomed teens from Chris Evert Children’s Hospital, Baptist Health South Florida, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Miami Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Hospital at Palms West, and the University of Miami Hospi-
tal. Brandon and Savannah were the singers of the night and provided the entertainment. They performed many songs and closed their show with “All the Runaways,” to which they invited all kids attending to come dance with them. “It was an amazing experience to share with all,” Brandon said, and Savannah immediately added: “We stayed at the party until the end, chatting and making friends.” Brandon and Savannah are preparing for a busy summer. They’ll be on their tour Camplified, during which they will have more than 10 appearances at summer camps in different cities. They say goodbye to an exciting part of the year that brought adventures for them such as attending the Nickelodeon’s 25th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards, where they served as presenters, hung out with their friends, and met popular singers like Katy Perry. Now don’t get me wrong, there are many experiences in life you do have to wait to grow up to experience, such as being a parent, being in charge of performing open heart surgery, and running for Congress. These accomplishments take many years of preparation, hard work, and maturity, and require adult insight and wisdom that is only obtained through “growing up.” Undoubtedly, though, the skills you’d need to happily conduct your adult life in the personal and professional realm are developing now. So make sure you are enjoying what you are doing, make sure to dream big and work hard for it, and make sure to stand up fast when you fall down. Don’t be afraid to go for it, as a young writer, singer, drummer, actor, dancer, athlete. Why wait? As it is for Brandon and Savannah, today is your day.
Patty Gómez Editor-in-Chief
JUNE 2012
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FEATURE
Two Years of Toil to Clean Up the Oil Green Tip 2.
by A. J. Cross, Age 14 Boca Raton, FL This past April was the twoyear anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. You have all probably heard of this catastrophe, but if you have not then I will explain: On April 20, 2010 a capped oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico called Deepwater Horizon exploded releasing thousands of gallons of toxic oil into the water every second! Almost five million barrels of oil spilled during the two months until the well was capped, and
Alcanivorax borkumensis is a hydrocarbon-chewing microbe. although it has been over two years since the accident occurred, there are still many problems the oil is causing. But nature seemingly has a secret mechanism to take care of problems like this. During early cleanup programs for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
there was a shocking discovery. When scientists collected samples of the oil they found a new species of microorganisms feasting on this otherwise toxic material. They have never before been seen in studies, but are closely related to members of the Oceanospirillales family. They prefer to live in cold water at around 41 degrees Fahrenheit and are usually found at the sea floor where the oil first bubbles up into the water. When you first think about it, it seems crazy that microbes could have evolved to consume and digest something that has killed so many dolphins, birds, fish, turtles, and many other water creatures. But on second thought, oil is formed when plants and animals die and get buried in the ground under immense pressure and heat, so oil is really organic material that still could have nutrients hidden inside. Also, because the Gulf of Mexico has so much oil buried beneath it, thousands of gallons a day naturally seep into the seawater; so it is very possible and realistic for microorganisms like these to evolve. So, in the end, we are all happy. The microbes are thriving and multiplying thanks to the abundant food source, and we humans are happy because we don’t have to clean up the oil ourselves. Or do we? It turns out that letting microbes take care of our mess for us may lead to other environmental problems. You all know from my phosphate article
in the December 2010 issue that when plants die the microbes that feast on them will choke the oxygen out of water thus suffocating fish and crustaceans and draining the water of life. With this in mind, what effects would an unnaturally high level of oileating bacteria have on the planet’s oceans? First things first, these microorganisms might cause the same problem that the plant-eating bacteria have caused in lakes and ponds. The oil-eating microbes could create a dead zone around the oil, free of oxygen, therefore suffocating sea life that wanders in. As if the oil was not toxic enough! Also, once the oil is gone there will be a mass dieout of these bacteria due to the sudden lack of food and that could be a problem. Or, according to the Department of Biology at the University of Louisiana, the
Oil-eating microbes have been artificially produced in labs to be released in concentrated amounts in certain areas to help accelerate the clean up process of the Gulf areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon spill. Good or bad? problems with us cleaning up the mess. Sending oil skimmers out in the ocean sounds good in theory, but the big nets they carry can ensnare marine animals and
Bi����e�ia�i�� i� ��� �ro�es� ��r�u�� ��i�� �i�ro�rg��i�m� ��� u�e� t� ��m��� p���ut�nt� �� ac����ra��n� na��r�� �io�e�rada�i�� . oil levels are already depleted and the microbes have begun to attack things other than oil. Fish, shrimp, and crabs have had their slime coats broken and destroyed due to oil-eating microorganisms turning to their body oils instead of their usual food source. However, there are also
destroy corals and seagrasses at the bottom. When a boat goes through a large clump of oil the net could break it apart and send smaller globs to shore. The nets can only reach so far down and any oil past that point gets missed. And the boats burn gasoline and pollute the air to collect
oil that you then do what with? It cannot be used to run machinery because it has been out at sea for so long, and there are limited other uses for it. So which is better? Which is worse? The answer is: Nobody knows for sure. It is up to you to decide which side of the coin you will favor. Me? I am on the edge. I favor both sides equally. I think that microbes eating the oil is very interesting but I also think it is mankind’s responsibility to clean up its mess. Although we cannot change the past, we can affect the future. I think oil companies should be ready for the next time this happens. We all know it will, and the oil companies need to be prepared to cap the well and quickly clean up the mess. We may get help from Mother Nature, but we should not leave it all for her to do.
Did You Know... … that the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill, the BP oil disaster, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and the Macondo blowout) is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed unabated for three months in 2010, and continues to seep? It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The spill stemmed from a sea-floor oil gusher that resulted from the 20 April 2010, explosion of Deepwater Horizon, which drilled on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. The explosion killed 11 men working on the platform and injured 17 others. On 15 July 2010, the gushing wellhead was capped, after it had released about 4.9 million barrels (780,000 m3) of crude oil.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Dear Friend, If we don’t start cleaning up the environment we won’t have clean and fresh resources. First of all, you should start recycling because it helps the environment. If you recycle paper, you would be saving trees. You should recycle paper because the more you chop down trees, the more carbon dioxide goes through your body. Furthermore, if you recycle your plastic bottles, the recycling guy comes and takes the bottles to a factory that reuses it to make different things. I hope from reading this you will make a difference. Your Friend, Annaleisa Matzirakis, Age 7 Hollywood, FL
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Dear Friend, Do you recycle? I do. If you don’t, you should start now. It’s never too late to help the environment. Recycling is very good for the environment. Did you know that oil is used to make plastic? For example, if you recycle plastic, oil miners will not have to take as much oil from the Earth and that means more oil for our future. Secondly, when you recycle, everything you recycle goes to a factory and is made into something else. Can you believe that they can make clothes out of the plastic you recycled? The main reason why we recycle is because some resources are exhaustible which means that the resource can run out. I’m sure you wouldn’t like that. I hope you start recycling and spread it to your friends. From, Nicolas Matzirakis, Age 9 Hollywood, FL
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JUNE 2012
Who is Amelia Earhart? by Kate Maier, Age 8 Sunrise, FL Three weeks before her 40th birthday, Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. This summer, scientists will try to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the past 75 years: What happened to Amelia Earhart? But who was Amelia Earhart, and how did her story become an American legend? Amelia Mary Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in her grandparents’ home in Atchinson, Kansas. She was the first daughter of Edwin and Amy Earhart. Edwin was a lawyer. Amy was the daughter of an important Kansas judge. Amelia’s younger sister Muriel was born 3 years later. Life was different for children in the 1900s. Girls were not allowed to play sports. Instead they were expected to wear dresses with ruffled aprons and play with dolls. Little girls were supposed to behave like little ladies. Amelia, however, liked to do what little boys liked to do. She loved the outdoors. She liked to play sports, fish, catch frogs, and climb trees. She wore pants called bloomers when she went out to play. Wearing bloomers doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but Amelia was amused to shock all of the other little girls back then. When Amelia was 8 years old she went to the St. Louis Fair. She wanted to ride on the roller coaster, but her mother wouldn’t let her. Amy Earhart thought it was too dangerous for little girls to ride. A few months later when Amelia was at her grandmother’s house she built a roller coaster by nailing boards to the side of a tool shed. She made the cab out of a wooden crate and baby buggy wheels. After her first ride she told her sister Muriel, “It’s just like flying!” A few years later at a state fair in 1908, Amelia saw her first airplane. While most thought the new machines were exciting, Amelia wasn’t too impressed. She called it “a thing of rusty wire and wood. Not at all interesting.” Amelia’s opinion of airplanes changed when she worked as a nurses’ helper in a hospital during World War I. She met pilots and visited airfields. Although she had seen one or two planes at county fairs in the past, she now saw many of them. She hung around airfields in her spare time and absorbed all she could.
She went to an air show and was fascinated by the stunts. She later said, “That little red airplane said something to me as it swished by.” In 1920 Amelia went to a California air show and for $1 rode in an airplane for the first time. She was 23 years old. The flight only lasted 10 minutes but that was enough. “As soon as I left the ground,” she wrote later, “I knew I myself had to fly.” She decided right then and there she wanted to become a pilot. She took flying lessons for 6 months from Neta Snook, a fiery female pilot who was just a year older than Amelia. On the day of her first lesson Amelia arrived at the airfield dressed as the part of a pilot. Instead of wearing a skirt and nice shoes, she wore pants, boots, goggles, and a leather jacket. She also wore a colorful scarf cheerfully tied around her neck. For Amelia’s 24th birthday, her mother and sister put their money together to buy Amelia’s first plane. It was named the Canary. It was small and fast and as yellow as a sunflower. Amelia earned her pilot’s license in 1923. She was the 16th woman in the world to receive a license. Amelia wanted to do things in her plane that no other woman had done before. In 1922 she was the first woman pilot to fly at 14,000 feet. While some pilots broke records by flying faster or higher, Amelia wanted to break records by flying farther. Most pilots got sleepy on long flights. Amelia’s natural energy helped her to tackle those longdistance records. In 1928 Amelia received a call from Hilton Railey. He asked her if she wanted to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Although Charles Lindbergh was the first to fly the Atlantic alone, no woman had done this before. She would be the first. Later she learned she would not be alone on the flight. In fact she would be the commander, not the pilot. Two men would share the pilot’s job. Disappointed, Amelia still went. On June 3, 1928, Amelia and the two pilots took off from Boston in a plane called the Friendship. They landed in Newfoundland to get more fuel but had to stay for two weeks because of bad weather. On June 17 they set off again. They had planned to contact ships for directions but the radio stopped working. They couldn’t see through the clouds
Did You Know... … that Amelia Earhart disappeared in the Pacific on July 3, just 21 days before her 40th birthday? Acknowledging the dangers of attempting a flight around the world, Amelia Earhart said, “If I should pop off, it will be doing the thing I’ve always wanted to do.” On June 1, 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, began their flight around the world, covering the first leg from Florida to Puerto Rico. The flight took them to South America, Africa, India, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, and New Guinea. Amelia Earhart and Noonan left New Guinea on July 2, 1937, headed for Howland Island, a tiny island in the Pacific only two miles long and one mile wide. They never arrived.
Kate Maier dressed as an aviator. and fog to determine their location. They were also running out of fuel. Finally when there was a break in the cloud they spotted a ship. Amelia wrote a note to the ship’s captain asking him to paint their location on the deck of the ship. She dropped the note in a bag with oranges for weight. The bag missed the ship and splashed into the ocean. Eventually one of the pilots spotted land. The Friendship landed in Burry Port, Wales. Suddenly Amelia was famous. When asked how it felt to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic she said: like “a sack of potatoes.” The men had done the flying. “I was just baggage.” She made many public appearances and earned money with her book, aptly titled after the length of her flight across the Atlantic: “20 Hrs., 40 Min.: Our Flight in the Friendship.” With the money she bought a plane. Despite all of the attention, Amelia wasn’t satisfied with her role as baggage. She wanted more. She wanted to fly the Atlantic alone. On May 20, 1932 she took off from Harbor Grace, Newfoundland. She was in a bad storm all night. Winds shook her plane. She tried to fly higher to get above the storm, but ice formed on the plane’s wings. The ice made the plane very heavy and slow. Amelia brought the plane lower to warmer air to melt the ice. When she saw waves breaking beneath her plane because she was flying too low she had to ascend once more. At one point she saw flames coming from the engine. She knew nothing could be done about it. She had to go on. Her plane was shaking badly and running out of gas. She knew she needed to land. Finally, she saw the coastline. She landed in Gallagher’s pasture in Ireland on May 21. She flew 2,026 miles in 14 hours and 56 minutes. The
date was important to Amelia. It marked exactly 5 years since Charles Lindbergh had crossed the Atlantic. Amelia wasn’t a sack of potatoes anymore. She was the first woman to make the flight across the Atlantic alone. She went to parties and parades. New York City gave her a ticker-tape parade. President Herbert Hoover awarded her the gold medal of the National Geographic Society. The red Lockheed Vega airplane, leather jacket and goggles from that flight are currently on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Following her trip across the Atlantic, Amelia made three other important flights. She broke a world record when she was the first pilot, man or woman, to cross the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to California. She also flew alone from Los Angeles to Mexico City and from Mexico City to New Jersey. No longer following anyone else’s trail, Amelia was blazing her own. Impressed by Amelia’s spirit of adventure and message to women, the president of Purdue University asked Amelia to join the school’s staff. He hoped she would be able to inspire the university’s female students to take up careers in male-dominated fields like agriculture and engineering. Her presence made quite a statement. She lived in the women’s residence hall and once showed up for dinner in her flying clothes instead of her required skirt. Amelia was such a popular teacher that female enrollment increased by fifty percent. The university also created the Amelia Earhart Fund for Aeronautical Research. The fund purchased an $80,000 Lockheed Electra that became known as Amelia’s flying laboratory. It was fully equipped to perform experimental work. It was in this plane that Amelia attempted her
around-the-world trip. In 1937 Amelia was ready to conquer the world. She wanted to be the first pilot, woman or man, to fly around the biggest part of the Earth, the equator. She had been flying for 16 years and was prepared to make the 27,000 mile flight. After a first attempt at takeoff from Honolulu that ended in a crash, Amelia and navigator Fred Noonan started their flight around the world in Miami, Florida on May 21, 1937. The flight was scary at times. They traveled through windstorms and rain and over jungles and oceans. They had already flown 22,000 miles and were almost home. The last part of the trip was the most dangerous. They had to land on Howland Island, a 2 mile long and half a mile wide piece of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The island was so small it was hard to see from the air. They had to find it in time or they would run out of fuel. The flight ended on July 2, 1937 with the plane’s disappearance. There are many hypotheses about what happened to Amelia Earhart. The simplest theory is that her plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean. Other explanations have also included landing on another island where she died from starvation or that she was taken prisoner by the country of Japan. In a press briefing hosted on March 20, 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a new effort to locate Amelia Earhart’s missing plane. The search is projected to begin this July and will focus on Nikumaroro, also called Gardner Island, the area in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Australia where the plane may have gone down. Recent interest is a result of a photo taken just months after Amelia’s disappearance. The newly-enhanced photo shows what could be the aircraft’s landing gear. Researchers from The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) will lead the expedition with the support of the U.S. State Department. Amelia Earhart is a role model for all women. She followed her dreams and showed women they can do anything men can do. She lived in a time when few women had careers and was largely influenced by other women who broke tradition. Amelia kept a scrapbook of articles about brave females with unusual careers for the time, including a bank president and a forest fire lookout. In one article Helen Gardner wrote that women could have a family and a career. Under that article Amelia wrote, “Good girl, Helen!” Amelia’s legacy lives on through the Ninety Nines, an organization for women pilots that was established in 1929 by a group of 99 female pilots. Amelia Earhart became the group’s first president in 1931. She was called the “First Lady of the Air.” Amelia once said, “Women must try to do things, as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.” Her message to all women still rings true today. Because of her, many young women dare to do the impossible.
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TRAVELLING TIME Cruising on the Norwegian Epic by Nicolas Matzirakis, Age 9 Hollywood, FL My cruise was awesome! I went on the Norwegian Epic. There were so many cool activities. One of my favorite activities was Nickelodeon Slime Time Live. It was so fun. I got to go up on stage by the pool deck in front of everybody and competed to get slimed. At the end, I got to get pie smacked in my face. The water slides were amazing. One was pitch black the whole way, and one extended over the ship. My favorite one was the one that dumped you into the big toilet bowl. There was even air hockey and bowling. There was a rock wall that went super high up and a rappel
wall 20 feet high. There was a big spider web with thousands of ropes to climb. Also, in the kids club, there was a jungle gym. Oh, and the entertainment: They had the Blue Man Group. It was crazy. They had paint coming out of their chests and toilet paper hanging from the ceiling. At Cirque Dreams & Dinner we got to watch people do flips, spins and jumps on tight ropes. There were Legends in Concert, Second City, the comedian group which was super funny, and Jeff Hobsin, the magician. He did great tricks like make colored paper come out of his mouth and more. The ports we went to were St. John, St. Thomas and Nassau, Bahamas. They had huge waves! The waves
“The water slides were amazing.”
by Sofia Serrano, Age 6 Frankfurt, Germany When I went to Paris I visited many museums and saw lots of art. At one of the museums [Musee d’Orsay], there was a
sculpture of eight men dressed in black suits carrying a large tray with a soldier laying on it [Tomb of Philippe Pot, ca. 1475]. It was so big my dad had to pick me up so I could take a picture of it.
“The Norwegian Epic is the world’s second biggest ship and it is 19 stories high.” were so big that my dad and I got stuck in the under tow and my dad’s head got stuck in the sand. One time I even tightened my goggles before I got in and I still lost them. There were coral reefs with so many different coral and fish. The bright blue shimmering water was so nice. Last, but definitely not least, was the food. There were so many options like Indian, Asian, Italian, pizza, Japanese, and sushi. Even though there were all those choices, I just stuck with good old pizza. It’s the world’s second biggest ship and it is 19 stories high. I can’t believe how much stuff can be put on a ship. It was awesome.
Epic Cruise by Annaleisa Matzirakis, Age 7 Hollywood, FL
Splash! My feet hit the pool and the horn blew on the Norwegian Epic cruise ship, and I knew my vacation had officially started. “Okay, everyone, places! Mom, did you put the luggage away?” “YEAAAAAAAAA! CAN YOU STOP ASKING ME?” exclaimed mom. “Yes,” answered Anna. There were plenty of fun activities to do on board. There were three awesome water slides, and one even went over the edge! There was a fun Kids Club. It had air hockey, a dance floor and a jungle gym. There was also a rock climbing and rappel wall, a spider net, a sports court and awesome shows. There was an amazing CirqueDreams dinner. The food was great: there was a world of food circling around my head. They had almost any-
Visiting Museums in Paris
Tomb of Philippe Pot, ca. 1475 very large painting of a woman called The Birth of Venus [by William Bouguereau, ca.1879]. I liked this painting because the woman was so beautiful and the painting was so real. We looked close at her feet and they looked very real, like a photo. There were baby angels with sweet faces floating all around her. They were my favorite part. We visited the Louvre museum which was very big. It took us one whole day to see it. The Louvre has lots of art, sculptures, and paintings. My favorite piece of art was a large
The last museum we visited was the Monet museum [Musee Marmottan]. When I looked up close to a Monet painting it looked like there were just dots and splotches of color all over. But when I stepped back and looked at the painting from farther away I could see they weren’t just dots. From farther away I could see what the painting was supposed to be, mostly garden flowers and water plants. I like this kind of painting because it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs pretty colors and nice scenes.
Did You Know...
Annaleisa Matzirakis at the Norwegian Epic Cruise Ship. thing you could imagine. There were also ports, sandy beaches, great blue waters, and so much more. I hope that if you go on the Norwegian Epic you have a blast!
Did You Know... … that more than 19 million people worldwide took a cruise last year, accounting for $29.4 billion in US dollars? The largest cruise line in the world is Carnival Cruise Line, which operates 23 ships under the Carnival Brand, and owns 11 other cruise brands such as Princess, Holland America and Costa. The largest cruise ship in the world is Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, measuring 1,187.05 feet long, holding 6,296 passengers and weighing in at 225,000 tons. Ten of the 14 largest cruise ships are owned by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
... that the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, is the world’s most visited museum? Not only is it extremely popular, but it is also one of the world’s largest museums at 652,300 square feet. The initial structure was first built as a fortress in the late 12th century, then became a palace for several French kings, before becoming a museum.
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THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
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JUNE 2012
SUMMER IS TIME FOR
FAMILY & FRIENDS GAME NIGHT!
Flash Point Fire Rescue Game Review
by Aaron Cross, Age 14 Boca Raton, FL
The call comes in: “911, what is your emergency?” On the other end is a panicked response of “FIRE!” Moments later you don the protective suits that will keep you alive, gather your equipment, and rush to the scene of a blazing inferno. The team has only seconds to assess the situation and devise a plan of attack – then you spring into action like the trained professionals that you are. You must face your fears, never give up, and above else work together as a team because the fire is raging, the building is threatening to collapse, and lives are in danger. You must succeed. You are the brave men and women of Fire Rescue; people are depending on you. This is what you do every day. ‘Flash Point Fire Rescue’ is a cooperative game of firefighting for one to six players. The object of the game is to rescue seven victims of the fire before four die or the building collapses. Players must plan and work together to both rescue victims and extinguish the fire. At the start of each turn you get four action points (AP) to spend that turn. You can use your AP to move, put out fire and smoke, open and close doors, and chop through walls. Up to four unspent AP can be saved for your next turn so you are never left with one point you have nothing to do with. When you land in a space with a place of interest (POI) you flip over the token revealing either a victim or a false alarm. If you are carrying a victim you must pay double AP to move. If you are carrying a victim and you step outside the building you have saved him/her! You are now one step closer to winning the game. At the end of your turn you roll two dice: one is a regular six-sided die, but the other is a cool eight-sided diamond shaped die. The combination of numbers between the two dice represents a coordinate on the board where you place a new smoke marker that will either go in an empty area of the board where it will not be a problem, or land near or on fire resulting in more fire or an explosion that will damage walls, break doors, knock down firefighters, and/or kill victims. All the players work as a team – you either all win or all lose. Those are the basic family rules. The game also has rule variations that you can use once you have played the game a couple of times. One major variation is that the board is double-printed, giving you two different building options to play in. Another rule variant is an added fire engine and ambulance. Now to rescue a victim you must take him/her to the ambulance which can be driven by any player remotely for two AP. The fire engine however must have a firefighter on it to move and can
reverse CHaraDeS Game Review
by Aaron Cross, Age 14 Boca Raton, FL
only be driven by the player on board. The fire engine does have a special deck gun feature that can be used to extinguish large fires in the quadrant of the board it is bordering. Both vehicles can hold up to two firefighters and it is free to ride. Also the expanded rules introduce hot spots which cannot be extinguished and cause an extra roll if smoke is placed on them, hazardous material or hazmat which causes a secondary explosion and hot spot if ignited, and specialty cards which make each player unique and add to the strategy of the game. In addition, the game is very open for you to create your own rules and customize the game so you can enjoy it the best you can. I tend to do that with all games I get, so I like this game very much in that aspect. I like how all players work together to win, which is uncommon with board games. The workings of the game are different, too; such as picking action points at the beginning of your turn and only rolling the dice at the end. It is a very good family game because you can choose to play with just the beginning rules if you have younger kids and migrate to the advanced rules as the kids grow up. Young children might be uncomfortable with the idea of fire killing people and ‘You can only kill four!’ even though the people are faceless cartoons. They might also be upset if the cat or dog victims die, and they might make a fuss about going back to start if they get knocked down by the fire. I have no young kids in the family so I do not know for sure how they would like the game. I do know that my whole family likes the game – even my parents. The teamwork and strategy of the game appeal to adults as well as kids. Gameplay is fun and engaging, but it usually takes longer to play than the 45 minutes the company says. I would suggest Flash Point Fire Rescue to anyone who likes a fun-filled action-packed family game.
‘Reverse Charades’ is a hilarious twist of the common game, charades. It involves two teams of three or more acting out words and phrases to each other. The workings of the game are weird and have been generally described as “silly,” but it says in the instructions that the only solid rule is to have fun, so you can play it however you want. The rules are that one team acts out the word that the other team is holding up. One player from the second team guesses what the first team is acting out. Actors are not allowed to talk to each other to plan their presentations and if caught doing so their team loses a point. If the guesser guesses correctly his/her team gets a point. The guesser then holds up another card and the process continues until time runs out. Roles then switch for the next team’s turn. Suggested age level is six and up. Let me expand on the comment I made on the rules being silly. The way the game works is that one team acts and if the other team guesses what the first team is acting they get a point. The problem with this is that the acting team could purposely have bad acting to prevent the guessing team from scoring. Logically, one player should hold up a card for the rest of his/her team to act out. If the guesser guesses correctly then the team gets a point for good acting and guessing. When time runs out it is the other team’s turn. You can also play the game where everyone is individual and take turns guessing what everyone else is acting. A suggestion from my father was to play it where there are two teams and a player from one of the teams shouts out a word. The other team then has to try and
act it out and the other members of the first team judge how well the second team’s acting was. This way would not be for points, just to have fun! Overall, I think this a fun group game for outgoing people. I personally tend not to like games that involve acting in front of people and making a fool out of myself; but this is not bad because there is a bunch of other people also making a fool out of themselves. The acting is much easier with a room full of miscellaneous items because you can use props to help get the point across. For example, if the phrase “Day at the beach” comes up, you can grab an umbrella, ball, and blanket to set up a beach scenario. However, if you spend too long setting up props there will not be as much time to guess words. Also available is the mobile app for Android devices that has a built in timer and scorekeeper. The basic version is free and you can purchase extra word options for a more interesting game. I think this game is a very good party or group game and, thanks to it’s portability, can be taken virtually anywhere. Literally virtual, thanks to the app.
Did You Know... … that it turns out that we are not the only ones who enjoy board games? Celebrities often prefer to stay home for a quiet evening of board games with their friends--just like us. See if you recognize any of these names: Adam Sandler, Angelina Jolie, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Brad Pitt, Christina Aguilera, Ellen DeGeneres, Hilary Duff, Hillary Clinton, and Kim Kardashian.
Did You Know... … that while filming The Avengers, the production shut down East 9th Street in Downtown Cleveland to prep and shoot one of the larger action sequences? It was the talk of the town for months and attracted thousands of curious onlookers, who watched the street transform from empty buildings to a bustling New York City street complete with a subway stop and popular storefronts with facades. The production design was so convincing that rumors circulated about new stores opening on the street.
Did You Know...
“I would suggest Flash Point Fire Rescue to anyone who likes a fun-filled action-packed family game.“
Larry Buttram, author of “Snatch That Cat” grew up in Tennessee, and now lives in Manassas Park, Virginia with his wife Bridget. They have two children and four grandchildren. He has been writing since he was twelve, and has published three mystery novels and a book of short stories. His favorite writing related quote is from Mark Twain. When someone told him they thought he was a great writer, he replied, “Well, I started out to be, but then I ran out of paper.” He is a member of the Knoxville Writers Guild, the Virginia Writers Club, and is the president of the Northern Virginia Writers Club.
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SARAH’S CINEMA A Monthly Movie Review
by Sarah Thompson, Age 13 Boynton Beach, FL Movie: The Avengers Rated: PG-13 The plot: In Marvel’s The Avengers, the alien Loki and his army attack Earth, determined to rule over all humans. In response, Nick Fury, director of espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D, activates the “Avengers Initiative,” which brings together a team of superheroes including veterans Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, and Thor, as well as newcomers like Hawkeye and Black Widow, to save the world. The verdict: The Avengers has been incredibly hyped-up by critics and comic-book fans alike. One critic boldly calls it “the greatest superhero movie of all time.” It shat-
tered several box-office records on its opening weekend. It appeals to all audiences, including those who have never read a comic book in their life. So what makes The Avengers so special, so different from all the other superhero films Marvel has made? To be perfectly honest: I’m not sure! But my guess, is that by taking all these very different superheroes with very different stories, putting them together as a “team” (or as Dr. Bruce Banner, aka The Hulk, puts it, a “time-bomb”), and throwing the possibility of Earth’s great demise into the mix, The Avengers appeals to a wide range of audiences. It certainly appealed to me - a closet-superhero-fan, particularly obsessed with Captain America - and I was extremely excited to review it for this month’s Sarah’s Cinema. Often, when a movie has so much buzz around it, it’s easy to be disappointed because the movie rarely lives up to the hype
it is given. In the case of Avengers, however, I think the movie was totally satisfying. There is a certain excitement about the whole movie; a feeling of anxiousness to see how this new ensemble will get along, and an intenseness in the performance of each actor. The actors seemed to be wellaware of the pressure on their shoulders, to make this hugely anticipated movie all it’s expected to be. When the heroes first team up, there is a lot of friction. A lot of fighting, challenging, and tenseness among them. But as time goes on, a steady bond grows; they’re not buddies or anything, but they’re all working together to achieve the urgent task of defeating Loki. Because they are all from different places, time periods, and all have conflicting personalities, there is also some humor thrown in with the action. I felt like each character was welldeveloped, and went through some sort of growth by the end of the film. The one exception to this would have to be
Thor, who I felt was sort of forced into the movie, rather than carefully written in and developed, as with the others. His lines were all short and rather uninteresting, and it felt as if he was just written into the script at the last minute. Other than that one minor complaint, I was thrilled with this movie, and am happy to see the superhero genre gain a little more popularity at the box-office.
SUMMER READING Snatch that Cat Book Review
The Book of Three Book Review (contains spoilers)
by Sara Cross, Age 11 Boca Raton, FL
by Kate Maier, Age 8 Sunrise, FL
Simon is the most beautiful house-cat in the neighborhood. He lived a wonderful life at the side of a very nice lady named Mrs. Payne. This was how life was before Susie Bipp came along. “Little Susie Bipp from Inskip, had everything a girl could desire. Dolls galore, a pet wild boar, and a swing made from an old tire.” Susie Bipp is a young girl who is super spoiled and extremely rich. The only thing she wanted, but did not have, was the beautiful cat, Simon, who lived down the lane. “On her way home from school one day, Susie saw Simon out all alone. In the yard, running to and fro, said Susie, ‘I must have him for my own.’” This is when Susie learns that money can’t buy everything. In her eyes it is because “mean ole Mrs. Payne won’t sell him to me.” So she decides that “one way or another, I’ll SNATCH THAT CAT.” I think that Larry Buttram and Paul Richardson did their best to make Susie Bipp the most spoiled, obnoxious, bratty, girl that she can be. Not because her parents are rich and give her everything her heart desires, but because she does not know how to appreciate the things she has. The reason I say this is because
When a unique and unlikely group of strangers join together to fight the forces of evil, you get a suspenseful and humorous tale written by Lloyd Alexander. The Book of Three, the first book in The Chronicles of Prydain series, is a fantasy novel that takes its readers on an imaginative adventure. The story follows Taran, a boy who lives on a farm in Caer Dallben with the wise, old wizard Dallben and Coll, a farmer and one-time hero. Coll jokingly calls Taran the assistant pigkeeper, since his job is to care for Hen Wen, a fortune-telling pig. Taran, however, longs for the adventures told about his hero Prince Gwydion. He wants to fight the dark forces of the evil sorcerer Arawn and his war leader the Horned King. The adventure begins when the animals on the Caer Dallben farm sense danger and get upset. Hen Wen runs away to the forest. Taran chases after her. He runs into the Horned King’s henchmen and is wounded. Prince Gwydion finds Taran and tends to his wounds. Together they travel to find Hen Wen but instead meet Gurgi, a shaggy and always hungry creature. Gurgi leads them to the pig’s trail and tells them that the Horned King is also seeking Hen Wen. Taran and Gwydion are attacked by the Cauldron-Born and brought to the Spiral Castle, where the evil Queen Achren destroys Gwydion’s sword. Later, Taran awakens alone in a dark cell in the castle. There, he meets the Queen’s niece Eilonwy, an elfin-faced girl with blue eyes and reddish gold hair. She promises to help Taran and his friend Gwydion escape.
she has so much, and yet she still wants more. I think that Susie Bipp is the kind of character that you dislike the moment you meet her, and feel no sympathy for. Unlike Mrs. Payne, who you immediately feel bad for because Susie calls her mean for wanting to keep her beloved cat. I have mixed opinions on the story plot of this book. I describe Snatch That Cat as a humorous, enjoyable story for ages 3-6, not the 4-8 that the authors recommend. I have talked to some parents and teachers to get their opinion on the book, and they all noticed that Susie Bipp has more problems besides trying to steal Simon the cat. The only thing that I wish the authors would include is a comment in the story on some of her other problems, like her lying. Then again, the book is about her main problem which is that she was trying to snatch that cat. Even though it does not teach all the lessons it should, it is still a cute book for little ones to hear and read.
After leading the other prisoner (who she thought was Gwydion) to safety, Eilonwy returns to Taran and leads him out of the castle through secret passageways. Taran and Eilonwy find themselves in a chamber filled with corpses guarding a king’s barrow. They each steal a sword from the chamber and narrowly escape before the Spiral Castle explodes and crumbles to the ground. When they reach the woods, Taran realizes Eilonwy helped the wrong prisoner escape. She led a man named Fflewddur Fflam from the dungeon to the woods, instead of Gwydion. Taran thinks Gwydion must have died in the castle. It is then that he decides he must warn the Sons of Don at Caer Dathyl, Gwydion’s kingdom, about the Horned King. One of my favorite characters is Fflewddur Fflam. He is a king of a small kingdom and an unofficial bard. He studied to become an official bard, but did poorly on the examinations. He was not accepted by the Council of the Bards, but the chief bard presented him with a harp as a consolation. It’s a nice harp with a beautiful tone, but every time Fflewddur stretches the truth a string breaks. It is something that happens quite a bit and gives the readers a good laugh. A storm slows their progress, so Taran decides to take a shortcut through a mysterious black lake. It transforms into a whirlpool and sucks them down to the bottom. There, they meet the grumpy leader of the Fair Folk, King Eiddileg. Gurgi also finds Hen Wen, who was saved from the Horned King’s henchmen by the Fair Folk. King Eiddileg reluctantly agrees to help the companions on their quest to warn the Sons of Don about the Horned King. He provides them with food and a skilled guide named Doli.
With so little time to spare, the heroes decide to bravely advance directly through the Horned King’s warriors to get their message to the Sons of Don more quickly. The Horned King chases down Taran and shatters his sword with a single blow. As The Horned King stands above Taran prepared to strike again, a tall, dark figure among the trees shouts a word Taran cannot understand. The Horned King bursts into flames and yells in pain as the earth swallows him whole. Taran awakens at Caer Dathyl, where he was brought to heal and rest. Gwydion is alive. He explains how he was the one who killed the Horned King with the help of Hen Wen. She told him how the Horned King could be destroyed by saying his secret name. The companions return to a warm welcome at Caer Dallben. The Book of Three has everything I like in a good story: adventure, humor and a little bit of mystery. I felt like I was with this brave team racing through the many obstacles to warn the Sons of Don. If you like stories with heroes who must overcome the greatest of challenges, then this is the perfect book for you.
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College World Series, Who Will Win it All? by Patrick and Robby Griswold, Ages 10 and 13 Paoli, PA While the Major League teams are just getting started, it’s time for the college world series. We’ll run you through the top two teams in the nation. First, the number one team is Florida State University (FSU). FSU has a one-two punch of amazing pitching and great hitting. They are a force to be reckoned with. The number two team in the nation is Baylor University. They are equipped with formidable pitching and hitting as well. FSU has one of the best pitchers in the nation, Mike Compton.
With an ERA (earned run average) of 2.59 and a win loss record of 9-0, he is obviously one of the best. FSU also has the number one ranked infielder in the nation. His name is Jayce Boyd with a BA (batting average) of 405, 2 home runs and 49 RBI’s (runs batted in). Those are outstanding numbers -- that’s why he’s number one. These two players could be keys to a championship team. Baylor has an astonishing pitcher named Josh Turley with a superb ERA of 1.74, 7-0 record,
and 56 SO (strikeouts). If you’re not a baseball fan, those are awesome numbers. Baylor also has a distinguished lineup with a number four hitter, Josh Ludy, with a fantastic statistic of 51 RBI’s, 7 home runs, and a 371 BA. He could be a huge help in the tournament. With these stats, Baylor could pose a threat to FSU and win it all. It will be an exciting competition. In conclusion, there potentially are other teams that could steal it, like Virginia or Louisiana State,
Fighting the Hunger by Ismail Ercan, Age 14 Coral Springs, FL
The Hunger Games took the literary world by storm four years ago in 2008, with its futuristic reality of America in poverty and young adults fighting to the death in order to win their home town food. Suzanne Collins, the author of the NY Times bestselling novel, would later write another two novels, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, to complete what is now known as the Hunger Games Trilogy. The immense success of this trilogy inspired a movie based on the three books, the first which came out this April. The Hunger Games movie (to no surprise) was acclaimed by most critics and re-
ceived both a giant teen fan base and a great deal of gross money too, earning over $150 million in its opening weekend! However, another “Hunger Games” battle was being talked about just last weekend at the G8 summit meeting. President Obama announced a $3 billion private sector pledge to increase agricultural food production and food distribution in Africa to fight the starvation levels and feed Africa’s needy. As the world’s second most populous continent, Africa has experienced countless famines throughout the past century and the President believes that the United States needs to act now. “We have a moral obligation to lead the fight (against famine),” he said in a
speech in Washington D.C. The goal of this project, the President revealed, is ambitious; over the next ten years, they would like to raise more than 50 million people out of poverty. Despite shrinking national budgets throughout the globe, Mr. Obama has urged other nations to join the good cause and put some of their share into the pot. “When tens of thousands of children die from the agony of starvation, as in Somalia, that sends us a message we still got a lot of work to do... It’s an outrage we haven’t done much yet.” In the meantime, the world will have to wait to see what will come out of this fight against malnutrition in Africa. One can only hope that it succeeds.
Did You Know... … that Father’s Day was created by a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd? After hearing a church sermon about the newly recognized Mother’s Day, Sonora felt strongly that Fatherhood needed recognition as well. The first Father’s Day was celebrated June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. The idea of Father’s Day became popular and was embraced across the nation. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson spoke at the Father’s Day services in Spokane, WA. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation officially declaring the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. In 1972, President Nixon established Father’s Day a permanent national observance. Father’s Day is celebrated in over 50 countries around the world. There are 65 million fathers in the United States. The most popular gift is a tie.
PRESS RELEASE
Merit Scholarships, Broward County Seven Broward County Public School (BCPS) students are among the 2,500 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities announced today by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the finalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. The awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing
the scholarship. An additional group of Scholars will be announced in July, bringing the total number of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipients in the 2012 competition to approximately 4,800. College-sponsored Merit Scholarship winners announced today are part of the distinguished group of about 8,300 high school seniors who will receive National Merit Scholarships. Earlier this spring, winners of corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards and National Merit $2,500 Scholarships were announced.
so if you’re bored in June and looking for something to occupy your time, tune in and see what happens. Last but not least, our picks for the series: I, Patrick, pick FSU because of their ex-
cellent pitching and my brother, Robby, picks Baylor because of their all-around play. Anybody could come up with the big win.
A Father’s Day Reminder for June by Alizdair Sebastien Ray, Age 8 Davie, FL Mother’s Day is very popular but don’t forget that Father’s Day is on June 17, 2012. I feel we should honor our parents for all the things that they do for us. Do some research about the history of Father’s Day. I learned so much about it from doing a little reading. Make sure you mark your calendar and celebrate with your Father.
Reporter Alizdair Ray and his father, Henry Ray.
A n n u a l Homeschool Spelling Bee By Alizdair Sebastien Ray, Age 8 Davie, FL words. He has a fun way of callThis is my 5th year straight do- ing out the words so the kids ening a home school spelling bee. joy it. Everyone did an awesome This spelling bee was on April job. I loved getting my spelling 26, 2012. It was held at the Hol- certificate and third place ribbon. lywood Hills United Methodist Everyone also enjoys the special church. The purpose of doing a part of the bee where the parents Spelling bee is to learn how to go up and spell words too. spell words correctly, learn to be This was my favorite spelling comfortable speaking in public, bee because I made new friends. I and just have fun. My Mom, Re- learned new words, and I saw old nay Ray, is the one who organized friends. I had a blast. I hope you this bee, and my Dad, Henry will do a spelling bee after you Ray, is the one who calls out the read this article.
BCPS scholarship winners, their home schools and probable career fields include: Megan Brewster, J.P. Taravella High School – Occupational Therapy Ameen A. Mettawa, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School – Law Zachary Zbar, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School – Business Sarah A. Franks, Pompano Beach High School – Veterinary Medicine Taimoor A. Khan, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School – Medicine Michael P. Kemerer, Plantation High School – Chemistry Nicole J. Wood, South Plantation High School – Medicine
“This was my favorite spelling bee because I made new friends.”
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New Memories
by Nathalie Thelemaque, Age 13 Coral Springs, FL the taunting area of high school. I watched the clock on our I couldn’t believe that we were homeroom wall breathlessly. all growing up that quickly. High Three more minutes before the school, oh no! end of school. Two more minIt seemed like the rest of my utes and fifty-seven seconds be- classmates were thinking the fore days of watching TV until same thing. Their legs bounced my pupils turned into cubes and up and down underneath the botsleeping in so late that you would tom of the gum-coated desks. We think I was hibernating. Two looked at each other with frightmore minutes and fifty seconds ened, yet prepared glances. We before being launched out of my were waiting for this moment safe haven of middle school into ever since we started school.
Weeki Wachee Mermaids by Emily Greenfield, Age 6 Coconut Creek, FL I am a mermaid and my name is Mermaid Emily. I went to visit my sisters in Weeki Wachee, FL.
We live in a lagoon with turtles and seahorses. My sisters’ names are Mermaid Sophia, Mermaid Alexia and Mermaid Della. My sisters played with me. We had a nice time.
And now it was finally arriving. Two minutes. One minute fiftynine… fifty-eight… My eyes flickered away from the clock and to my friend Cameron who gave me a sad smile before allowing her eyes to nervously dart back to the clock. “Are you ready?” she mouthed to me. She, as well as everyone else, clearly didn’t want to break the pure silence as we waited for the last moments of middle school. Sadly, we were all going to different schools. I smiled at her, trying to show her not to be sad. “Of course,” I mouthed back, using excessive amounts of hand motions that made her give a silent giggle.
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“Summer is going to be fun!” It was true; since we were family friends, we planned to go on a two-week cruise together. It was bound to be loads of fun. She nodded back and gave me a happier smile before facing forward to the clock. I looked too, a bit surprised at how much time had passed. Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen. Seventeen… The silence of the class rung through my ears. All eyes were trained onto the clock, even our teacher. Thirteen… Twelve… Eleven… Ten… Suddenly, a single countdown could be heard, starting with ten. First it was one person, but then more voices, including mine, got
into the chant, making it even stronger. “Five!” we chanted. “Four! Three! Two! One!” The bell rang and we all cheered, still including the teacher. We sprang out of our desks and ran out the class, screaming and hollering throughout the hallways. That was it! We were finally in high school! Cameron and I danced around in the hallway, laughing and smiling, showing no signs of the sadness that had overtaken us earlier. After all, we had the whole summer together, not only with Cameron, but with everyone. The memories of middle school would last, and we would make more memories as we move through time.
The Adventures of Super Cat and the Bad Cat Part 1
by Alizdair Sebastien Ray, Age 8 Davie, FL Previously in the Adventures of Super Cat: The Super City bank robber was stopped by Super Cat. He became the hero of Super City. One stormy Monday night
in Super City, Super Cat saw no trouble until he saw a cat bullying a smaller cat. He was going to get the bully cat but he was gone. Super Cat asked the other cat if he was O.K. He said, “yes.” He saw the small cat smile. He wondered why. Super Cat asked his name and he told him it was Fluffy. He gave Super Cat a piece of cat food. After Super Cat ate
the piece of cat food, it made him pass out. One day later, he woke up in water (and you know that water is his weakness). “I hired a cat to play a bully because I knew you would come and be a hero.” Fluffy had an evil laugh and told Super Cat, “You will be gone in one minute.” TO BE CONTINUED....
The Big Apple by Lyra Potter, Age 9 (written at age 8) Homosassa Springs, FL Does something make you feel nice and cozy? No matter where I go, to me, I feel nice and cozy with an apple. It makes me think of my Grandma’s younger days in the Big Apple! I am really happy when I have an apple.
The Big Apple, crayons on paper, illustrated at age 8.
Mermaid Emily with Mermaid Samantha and Mermaid Sophia
Did You Know... … that the Seminole Indians named the spring “Weeki Wachee,” which means “little spring” or “winding river?” The spring is so deep that the bottom has never been found. Each day, more than 117 million gallons of clear, fresh 72-degree water bubbles up out of subterranean caverns. Deep in the spring, the surge of the current is so strong that it can knock a scuba diver’s mask off. The basin of the spring is 100 feet wide with limestone sides and there, where the mermaids swim, 16 to 20 feet below the surface, the current runs a strong five miles an hour. It’s quite a feat for a mermaid to stay in one place in such a current. W e e k i W a c h e e Springs -- The City of Live Mermaids -- is more than just mermaids; it’s a truly original piece of Florida’s rich heritage.
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IN MEMORIAM
In memory of a wonderful, amazing man
Harry Gorman April 26, 1915 - May 8, 2012
A printer by profession. An inventor because he was full of amazing ideas. A writer because he loved to share his knowledge and imagination. A reader because he loved books. He loved his family. He loved America. He loved the written word. And he will be truly missed, But will live on in the hearts of his family and friends Forever.
We love you Uncle Harry Rhea, Daniel, Aaron and Sara Cross Ken and Phyllis Swift
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Keeping Balance
African Cats
by Srigman Paruchuru, Age 11 Coral Springs, FL
by Roksanna, Age 7 Coral Springs, FL
A wolf I am I shall eat many young gazelles. They fill my tummy. Very nice! They live off the plants from the place I live in.
African cats are cool! Fur so soft and velvety, Running free in the wild. In the sun they tackle prey, Cattle and zebras are scared of these cats. Around the waterhole they stalk their prey, Nighttime strikes and they come bounding out.
I am an old gazelle, Who has gained much wisdom. I see gazelle kids die each day. But I know that I should be thankful. All the leaves we gazelles eat are still there. And we won’t starve thanks to too many gazelles eating too many leaves.
Cheetahs, Leopards, Lions! Amazing beauties they are. Their eyes stare sharply, Saying goodbye!
I have to say that though I’m strong, Without my leaves, I will die. I have to thank the wolves For eating those vicious gazelles.
L a d y b u g s Crab by Emma Gómez, Age 8
by Gabby Lusskin, Age 9 Coral Springs, FL
Margate, FL
Ladybugs, As small as a dot. Drive from far and near with your beautiful wings. You fly so fast! Beautiful spots on your back. Ugly? I don’t think so. Grateful with joy, small and cute. Not much to say They are cute little fellows! I see one every day.
Snail, Snail
K i l l er W h a l e by Adelina Gonzalez, Age 9 Coral Springs, FL
K iller whales don’t bite. I ’ll get some fish. L ittle whale don’t be scared. L ittle whale go home. E at some fish you’ll feel better. R at-a-tat-tat.....Watch out!
Authors Hiral Radalia, Age 6 Teresa Gonzalez, Age 7 Rokssana, Age 7 Durshan Radalia, Age 7 Emma Gómez, Age 8 Adelina Gonzalez, Age 9 Ella Singer, Age 9 Gabby Lusskin, Age 9 Allen Yang, Age 10 Srinan Paruchuru, Age 11 Aaron Organ, Age 13
W hoa, that was close! H ow did I get here? A wave pushed me to the deep? L ittle whale, wake up you’re dreaming. E at your lunch.
“Snail” Color pencils by Elizabeth Abrams, Age 8 Fort Lauderdale, FL
by Aaron Organ, Age 13 Coral Springs, FL
Creeping in the sand Running sideways is his style. At the shore he waits to eat another sea turtle again Because he knows they come in groups. Acrostic poem
A poem written cooperatively by students at Creative Writing Workshop Northwest Regional Library, Coral Springs
Relationships
“Crab” Soft Pastels by Elizabeth Abrams, Age 8 Fort Lauderdale, FL
“Sea of Goldfish” Mixed media by Lyra Potter, Age 9 (created at age 7) Homosassa Springs, FL
The clownfish lives in an anemone. He thinks it is a home that stings away predators. But the anemone knows that the clownfish lives there to keep him clean.
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JUNE 2012
Senryu Poems by Nathalie Thelemaque, Age 13 Coral Springs, FL
Sleeping girl During class Gets a B Camera Big smiles Cheerfulness Summer time Blue Ocean At the beach School ended Sleep in late Gleaming sun Cookie jar Filled to rim Empty soon
Mr. Water A Haiku
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TANK by Allen Yang, Age 10 Coral Springs, FL
by Emma Gómez, Age 8 Margate, FL
He trickles and slides Far down from the pipe he flows Running down the street.
Big, bold in war The tank stands up out on top of all Being in it you lead the war For that weapon is better than all.
Hello My Friends! A Greeting, Acrostic Poem
written cooperatively by students at Creative Writing Workshop Northwest Regional Library, Coral Springs
Hello! Everyone! Loudly, I say hello! Ladies and Gentlemen! Oh! Nice to meet you!
Music A Haiku
by Emma Gómez, Age 8 Margate, FL
Trilling through the house Soaring through the corridors Alive in the rooms.
Mother! You are nice! “Daisy Explossion” by Rokssana, Age 7 Coral Springs, FL
Father! You are great! Rats! I forgot my microphone and not everyone is here yet! I’m honored to meet you people. Everyone greet each other. Nobody should be alone. Did you know it’s time to leave? So, say goodbye. Authors Hiral Radalia, Age 6 Teresa Gonzalez, Age 7 Rokssana, Age 7 Durshan Radalia, Age 7 Emma Gómez, Age 8 Adelina Gonzalez, Age 9 Ella Singer, Age 9 Gabby Lusskin, Age 9 Allen Yang, Age 10 Srinan Paruchuru, Age 11 Aaron Organ, Age 13
Thoughts… by Daniela Gómez, Age 12 Margate, FL
Thoughts, We are filled with thoughts. Pondering, Our heads turning, ringing! Ruminate, Put all your cleverness into one plate. Thoughts, The world is made of thoughts…
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“Home Sweet Home”Mixed media by Lyra Potter, Age 9 (created at age 8) Homosassa Springs, FL
SAND
by Allen Yang, Age 10 Coral Springs, FL
Sand rules the beach, On the ground it will be. Walking in it is smooth and cozy Trust me, it’s the best you’ll see.
“Water Flowers” Author’s take on Monet’s style of impressionism Acrylic and watercolor on canvas by Sofia Serrano, Age 6 Frankfurt, Germany
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“Spider” Color pencils by Abigail Abrams, Age 5 Fort Lauderdale, FL “Florida Wildflower” Watercolors on paper by Ellie Gómez, Age 6 Margate, Fl “Richardia- A Florida Wildflower” Watercolors on paper by Emma Gómez, Age 8 Margate, FL
“Persistent” Pencil on paper by Carlo Catulong, Age 13 Westin, FL “Sunflowers” Acrylics Andrew Maier, 4 Sunrise, FL
“Mommy with Crown” Crayon on paper by Sophia Greenfield, Age 4 Coconut Creek, FL
“Untitled” Chalk on blackboard by Bahia Melina Tovar, Age 3 Montreal, Canada
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