“Ode to Jewelry”

By Abigail Agostinho

You mi ht look best with a But I’d still pre er you without Oh, how you make me shine as bri ht as the stars

You are as shiny as the litter in the sun

Everyday I wear you, I eel on o the world

Oh, how expensive you can be, I just wish you were ree But I’ll save my money to buy you

O course, you were nothin but revolutionary to me My outfits aren’t complete without the wonder ul help o jewelry

“Lights”

By Laura Fowler

By Sanjana

By Erin Morgan

Every day I wake up seeing you hanging on my lamp

Ready for you to come spend the day with me

You twist around my neck like swing at the park

You watch as I ride to school everyday

You watch me run up and down the turf at practice

You listen to all the loud boys talk around me

You watch me fall asleep each night

You are my good luck charm that I will never leave behind,

If I lose you again I lose apart of myself

Never in my life will I lose you again I can promise you that

“Leaf”

By Sanjana Soni

“Ode to Watercolors”

By Elizabeth Hobbie

I sit down at my desk

I line the paintbrushes next to me in a neat row I carefully place my palette of colorful watercolors beside me

My weapon for my imagination

Finally I set down the paper

Ablank canvas, ready to be lit up with stories of the past and present

Away to release my emotions, to peek inside my soul

I dip my brush into the water,then onto the dried watercolor brick

Reactivating it and freeing it’s beautiful pigment once more

Ready to be used

I let my imagination take over

The colors flying across the page

The beautiful oranges and reds and greens and blues seeping through the paper

Mixing into river of rainbows

Sometimes I pour my heart and soul into a painting, making sure every detail is perfect

Other times I enjoy the feeling of letting go and allowing my paintbrush fly across the canvas in wild, free strokes

Once I feel satisfied

I get up and return my tools to their rightful places

But still on my desk, the paint sits dried and cracked

Waiting to be brought to life once again.

“Ode to the Girl in the Tutu”

By Erin Dunn

The girl in the tutu. She cannot turn, she cannot leap. But I see her smiling, oh so proud. She loves it. Pointing her feet. laughing with the dancers. the French terminology.

The girl in the tutu. She looks at me, as I look at her. We stare at each other but we are split up by a reflecting glass. She cannot turn, she cannot leap. But she loves it. She loves being on stage, just like me. She mirrors my moves. She follows me around.

I ask why she loves dance and she says the same. She cannot turn and she cannot leap. But she tries.

But when I step away from the glass she is gone and it’s just me.

I am the girl who cannot turn and cannot leap. But that reflecting glass shows so much more. It shows how I try, I love, I smile. All from dance.

By Lea

By Sanjana

“RuleofThirds”

ByJamesBirong

“Ode to Jamaica”

By Zoey Gaiser

“Ode to My Mom”

By Emily Cunha

My mom means the world to me

But the world is not big enough to be filled with the amount of love I have for her She's perfect in my eyes

If only she could see the way I see

She’s the sunshine to my darkness

She lights the way for me

She's the best mom that there ever could be

Her beauty radiates inside and out

Even through tough times

She's the strongest there can be

Knowing that she's always there for me is all that I need

People saying that I remind them of her

It is the biggest compliment I could ever get.

Her hugs are the best part of my day

Seeing her is what makes everything okay

She's like fresh flowers, She will always make your day

She might not have diamonds

But she will always have me.

I went on vacation to Jamaica. It felt like a paradise, like an escape from the real world. The smell of sunscreen filled the ocean air. I couldn't imagine a better place, bright blue ocean, spotted fish of every color, not a cloud in the sky. I found a new love for Bob Marley and everything was pineapple flavored. The way my hair lightened, the color of my pina colada. My freckles and skin darken and my pink bikini revealed Adramatic tan line that I hadn’t seen sinceAugust. I hated the idea of going home, to come home to un-made beds, dirty snow that covered my feet, and a gray and gloomy sky. So I closed my eyes and savored the feeling of sun kissing my skin, I loved my vacation to Jamaica.

“An Ode to Music”

By Sam Wysocki

Music is what keeps me alive

Music is my escape throu h my everyday li e

It ives me hope that I’ll do somethin amazin

It ives me somethin to believe in

Music could be anythin

Anythin amazin that makes sound

Like the melody o sweet birds at day

Or as crickets chirpin at ni ht

Music can bri hten your smile

But it can also allow you to break ree

And it will wipe the tears rom your eyes

And tell you all will be okay

Music inspires many

And I am just one that it inspires

The wonder ul melodies o son s speak to me

Givin me all the answers

Whether music comes rom the piano,

So t hands pressin keys

Elicitin wonder ul sounds

As notes dance upon lines, tryin to keep up with time

Or maybe the music comes rom a fiddle

A fiddle played by someone with Hands o Midas

Each note played atherin attention o all

As each note seemin ly turned old

Music dives down deep into the soul

Li htly touchin all insecurities

Music is somethin that everyone can have

No matter how bad li e could be

A simple tap o a pen onto the floor

Is almost equivalent to the ban o drumsticks onto a drum

Or maybe the hummin o a mother to her baby

Sounds as so t as a wool blanket in the bleak midwinter

The moral o my ode is that no matter where you are

The sounds o cities at ni ht

The moans o rosty winds in december

Or the sound o allin raindrops

Music will always be there, to mend the world’s soul

By Michael Di Salvo

“ODE TO BASEBALL”

By Logan Fraine

There once was a day, In which I stumbled upon baseball. After that day, Baseball became my life.

Oh baseball, you make my heart spin. You have so many qualities, I can't even count them.

Oh baseball, you’re a sweet sweet game, Without you I would never be the same.

Oh baseball, you have been here since early times, And will stay here until the last man dies. You have seen legends like Babe Ruth, And stars likeAaron Judge. And far more will come.

Oh baseball, your bats and gloves are neat, In my eyes they are like a currency. Whenever I get a glove or a bat, I use it until it's all worn out.

Oh baseball, to play it you need a good eye, If you don't have one, you're not going to be fine.

Oh baseball, how you need good hands, For you use them to command.

Baseball is mostly mental, You need to be smart to remember your fundamentals.

Baseball is the best, But after you play it, make sure to get some rest.

of Light”

by Mayra Reyes

by Sanjana Soni

“Ode To Jazz”

By Bora Lazri

Jazz, translator of feeling, The echoes that bounce across my walls

Like a deer in headlights, like a cat on alert

My eyes widen and my ears perk at the sound of your name

I travel on the rollercoaster of a story that is spun by the saxophone, The vocalist, The trumpet

The bittersweet feeling of your voice in my ears, Swells my heart and brings tears to my eyes

You bring people together and you split them apart with a snap of a guitar string

It is amazing how you are so many things, but man has only one name for you

You are heartbreak, the waves of suffering

You are love, the flutter of a heart

You are joy, the taste of sugar on the tongue

You are the love of a sister and the hatred of an enemy

You are waves of the ocean and the wind in the air

Jazz, J-A-Z-Z

One word encompasses a myriad of meanings, Enough emotions for a lifetime

Your meaning transcends language but never the heart

“Ode to my Mother”

By Francis Mastromauro

Even when you are feeling down You still always put me first instead of yourself, You sacrifice your time and effort Just so I can have a better future.

Your catering and caring is infinite, As such my love is for you. Although it may not seems obvious I shall always love and respect you.

Every second you exist, You spend thinking about me And for that dedication I promise to love you until I die.

Your admirable patience is infinite As you always give more then a second chance Even for when i may not listen to you You always are forgiving.

I know it may seem like I don't value your sacrifices, But there is not a day i do not think about you, So know that even when you believe i think “i hate you” I will always value and think about you.

Every day when I see you, it brings me joy

Knowing I have someone in my life who will always be by my side Whether it be as little as dropping me off for school Or being there for my graduation day.

I also notice the things you do in the background And although you think I don’t care, I always treasure everything you do for me

Because I love you the most in the world.

And even though you certainly aren't perfect, You are very far from being horrible

In my eyes, how you are doing right now Is just fine with me.

So for this, I thank you mom. For all the knowledge you’ve taught me, And the confidence you’ve given me, And for this you will always have a special place in my heart

By Giulia Scibilia

Sneakers. They're more than just shoes. They're an extension of who I am, a reflection of my style and personality. When I slip them on, I feel a surge of confidence, a readiness to take on the world. Each pair tells a story. The scuffs and creases, they're badges of the adventures I've had. From skateboarding at the park to late-night escapades with friends, my sneakers have been with me every step of the way.

They're my companions on this journey of self-discovery. With every stride, they carry me closer to my dreams. And it's not just about the style. Sneakers have a language of their own. They connect me with others who share the same passion. I can strike up a conversation with a stranger simply by complimenting their kicks. It's a universal code that breaks down barriers and brings people together.

In a world that's constantly changing, sneakers are my constant. They're a reminder of who I am and where I come from. They're a symbol of my youth, my energy, my individuality.So, here's to sneakers, those timeless companions that keep me grounded as I navigate the ever-changing landscape of adolescence. With them on my feet, I'm ready to step into the future, one stylish stride at a time.

By Grace Choi

“AlbumCoverMosaic”

BySehajSingh

“WithaCherryon Top” ByBayleeGomes

Stars ignite the night, A vast universe above, Children dream on.

Birdsong in the air, Melodies of pure freedom, Lovers’ hearts take flight.

In nature's embrace, A person finds solace, Beauty, pure and wild.

Mountains stand so tall, Challenging me to climb high, Human strength prevails.

By Mia Berasti

The car slowly pulls up to the driveway and suddenly stops at the end. The long, dark, driveway is covered in 2 feet of snow and it’s clear that there is no way they can drive up.

“There's a shovel by the shed halfway up the driveway,” says Julie’s aunt, Carol, as she sets off on foot to find a way to clear the path.

“Be careful, I read on the way up that there are wolves up here” Julie says, starting to get nervous and impatient.After the 5-hour ride, all she wants to do is lie down and get a good night's sleep. She knows that clearing this driveway can take at least an hour, and with the sounds of the wolves in the distance, she is beginning to become very frightened, along with her younger brothers who will not stop crying. Julie knows there is a long, grueling wait ahead.

After another 35 minutes of waiting, Julie's aunt appears in the distance with two shovels in hand.

scream…

“But their cries of joy were interrupted by a scream.”

“EW! Oh my god, there’s a dead bird on our doorstep!!! It must have crashed into the window and died!!” Julie said.

“That is so weird… I saw a few dead squirrels on my way up when I was looking for the shovel, it’s probably the wolves.” up the house. Looking out the large windows, she can see nothing but darkness outside. She turns to go into the kitchen and join the rest of her family.

Julie’s aunt said.

“Hmmm yea that must be it, that's just so strange,” Julie said as she turned to walk into the house.

Exhausted, they all sit down around the kitchen table to play monopoly and relax after the stressful trip here.

“I honestly thought we would never make it up here with all that snow”, says Julie’s mom, relieved that they can finally relax.

“Me too!” says Julie, before they are suddenly interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

“Who could that possibly be? In the 15 years that I’ve been coming up to this house, I have never once heard the doorbell ring,” says Julie’s aunt, concerned.

When the doorbell rings once again, Julie finally gets up to open it. First, she peers through the window to see who it is.

“It’s that old farmer who lives down the hill, the one with those sheepdogs,” Julie says, confused as to why he’s at their door.

“What could he possibly need at this hour? '' says Julie's aunt, reaching out to open the door, not knowing what to expect.

“Open it! Open it!” Julie’s brothers call out, excited about a new visitor. But Julie was not excited, as she saw the look in the farmer’s eyes and she knew that he was not there for good reason.

When Julie’s aunt opened the door, the farmer just stood there and stared without saying anything. Standing 6’5, the farmer towered over all of them. With long gray hair and dark eyes that seemed to stare right through her, he sent a chill down Julie’s spine.

Julie’s mother exclaimed, positioning herself in front of Julie and her brothers. The farmer took a step back as if he wasn’t expecting so many people to be greeting him at the door.

“I just came to see her,” the farmer says creepily, pointing at Julie. Julie, shocked and creeped out, runs back to her room to get away from the farmer.

“Why in the world are you here to see my 15-year-old daughter?You don’t even know her!” is no one around for miles besides that farmer, they don’t want to take their chances.

Julie’s mother frantically yelled.

“That was terrifying, why did he come to see me? I’ve never spoken to him in all these years!”

“Yes, that was very weird, but don’t worry about it, just try to get a good night's sleep and relax. It’s been a long day” Julie’s mom says, feeling tired.

“I’m sure it will be fine.All the doors and windows are locked anyway. I’m going to bed. Goodnight.” Julie says before making her way to her room.

“Get out of here you old creep,” Julie’s aunt said, desperately trying to calm down the young kids and get the farmer away.

“I’ll be back whether you want me to or not,” the farmer says under his breath before turning to leave.

After Julie’s aunt slams and locks the door, Julie and her mother run around, making sure all the doors and windows are locked. Knowing that there

Wow what a long day, I really can’t believe that happened, Julie thinks to herself, before getting ready for bed. Laying down in bed, just finally happy to go to sleep, Julie begins to drift off until…

Something thuds against the window, startling her awake. What

by James Birong

window. Standing below is the farmer, who’s just staring up at her with his rifle in one hand, and rocks in the other, as he was throwing them at her window.

Julie takes a step back and gasps “What the heck!!” She runs downstairs to get the rest of her family. “Mom!!!Aunt Carol!!! He is standing outside my window with a gun!!!!” her screams, runs to the kitchen with a hunting knife, prepared to protect her kids. does he have a gun?” She says while peering out the window, looking to see who Julie is talking about. back to kill me!” Julie said, terrified. continued to look out the window and search for the farmer. “I don’t see anyone out here,” said Julie’s aunt.

“Julie, are you sure you haven’t just been reading too many murder stories, he might’ve been crazy, but I don’t think he wants to kill you,” her mom said.

“Noo!! I know for a fact I saw him out there. I’m not lying” Julie yelled while swinging open the door to see if he is still there. She looked around desperately, but the farmer was nowhere in sight.

“I swear I saw him… He was looking right at me through the window.” Julie said, feeling defeated.

“Julie, it's been a long day and we have an early hike tomorrow morning, all paranoia from when he showed up at our door. Get some sleep.”

“Okay fine but I know he was out there whether you believe it or not!!” Julie yelled before storming off to her room.

Checking the windows one more time to make sure they’re locked, Julie begins to calm down after the crazy day and she finally lays down to go to bed.

Time for our hike.” her mom says as she opens up the blinds, letting the light into groaned as she pulled the exhausted from tossing and turning all night.The last thing she wants to do is go on a hike while the farmer

Julie goes downstairs and meets her family for breakfast before the early much snow came down during the night.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea for us to go out there in this weather?Also, the farmer might see us. I don’t want to go,” Julie said reluctantly.

“Come on Julie, are you seriously going to ruin our family trip just because

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to go out there…?” of your paranoia?This hike is one of our traditions. I know the farmer creeped you out but I’m sure he’s just messed up from being up here alone all the time. He probably just wanted some company and saw us settling in,” Julie’s mom says, desperate to calm her nerves. Julie sighed and went to get bundled up for the hike in the cold. She knew she couldn’t get out of this one.

Ten minutes later, her mom calls up to her room. “Julie come on, it's time to get going, we’re already off to a late start,” she says. Julie runs down the stairs to meet her family so they can begin the hike.

Snow continues to fall, covering their footsteps as they set off into the woods. Looking around at the trees and beautiful sights, Julie begins to calm down and remember why they are all here in the first place.

“Wow, it is really beautiful,” Julie begins to say, before being cut off by her brother who pulls out a hunting knife and begins to mock her.

“Ha ha ha don’t worry Julie I’ll protect you from that farmer when he comes to get you,” he says.This sets her off, after agreeing to come on this dumb walk she is still being mocked. She knows what she saw out the window last night and even if none of them believe her, she knows the truth.

She grabs the knife, runs off the path, and is gone from their sight within seconds. She thought she knew how to get back to the cabin, but they had gone out further than she thought. Looking around she begins to panic as she realized that she could not find any of the typical path markers. Back on the path, Julie’s family is freaking out because they can’t find her.

“Where did she just run off to? Why would she leave the path in the middle of the woods where she might not be able to get back? What did you say to her!” Julie’s mother screams.

“All I did was make a joke about the farmer! I something like this up and keep it going for so long. Maybe the farmer did come back in the middle of the night,” Julie’s aunt says, stating what everyone else is thinking.

“You’re right! I don’t know why we didn’t listen to her… he did say he came to see her when he was at the door, which was very strange…, Julie’s mom said.

They all ran off, looking everywhere for Julie, but she had just run further into the forest and was getting more lost by the second. “Mom!Aunt Carol! Can anyone hear me???” Julie cried out. Aleaf crunched behind her, causing her to abruptly turn around.A familiar, yet chilling voice came from behind a tree.

“Oh I can hear you…but no one else can,” while chasing her.This sent a chill down Julie’s spine but she knew she had to keep running as she saw that the farmer had his rifle. After running for five minutes she took shelter behind a large rock and she couldn’t see or hear the farmer until…

“BOOM” a gunshot rings out through the forest, loud enough for Julie’s family to hear in the distance. Her mom begins running in the direction of the noise.

“Oh my god he’s going to shoot me,” Julie thinks as she ducks down lower, trying to get in the head, knocking him to the floor. She runs over and kicks the gun away from him before he regains consciousness. In the distance, she hears her mom. large rock off the ground. She knows she only has one chance to get this right, and if she doesn’t, she will never see her family again. Glancing out of her hiding spot, she looks for the farmer. Just as her eyes lay on him, he sees her and begins running towards her, raising his gun. Without a second thought, Julie threw a rock at the farmer and it hit him

“JULIE!Are you out there?” Her mom cries out, assuming the worst after hearing the gunshot.

“MOM! MOM! I’m over here!!!!” Julie yells, right before the farmer wakes up and plunges at her. She jumps back and grabs the knife from the floor before stabbing him in the leg so that he can’t move anymore. He falls unconscious once again. Finally, her family was able to find her. “Oh my god, Julie what happened! We thought you were dead,” her mom says as she quickly dials 911.

“I thought I knew where we were but I got lost! When I was yelling out for you guys the farmer must’ve heard me and he started chasing me! I thought he was going to shoot me. I told you there was something wrong with him!” Julie frantically yelled.

“I told you I would be back!”

“I’m so sorry we should’ve trusted you.The cops said they won’t be able to get to us for hours. We can’t just leave him, he might wake up,” Julie’s mom said as she took some rope out of her backpack to tie up the farmer until the cops came.

They find a wheelbarrow and put the unconscious farmer in it and begin to wheel him back towards the house until the cops arrive, which could take hours. Julie still can’t believe what just happened.

“Mom… he said ‘did you like the present I left by your door’as he was chasing me! He’s the one who killed those birds and squirrels, there is something seriously wrong with him!” Julie said.

“Julie I am so sorry I didn’t believe you, I should have listened when you said the farmer was trying to kill you but I thought you were just seeing things! I’m so happy you are safe and everything will be okay when the police get here.” Julie’s mother said as they wheeled him back to the house.

The cops arrive hours later with a warrant to search the farmer’s property for any possible motive or explanation.As one cop takes the farmer to the station for questioning, the others take a look around.

“You’re going to want to see this…” the cop said to Julie and her mom, as he led them into a shed in the farmer's backyard.

Julie gasps as she enters the shed. Floor to ceiling, covered in pictures of her, notes she had written and never sent to anyone, books she read but had lost, and a bucket of dead birds.

“How does he have all of this stuff?? I thought I lost most of this. Why does he have pictures of me? I’ve never even spoken to him.”The questions were endless. Julie was shocked and terrified.

“From what these pictures show, this creep’s obsessed with you and has been stalking you ever since he first started taking care of the land”, one of the cops said as he took pictures of the room for proof. While looking through the room, Julie saw something on the ground below the carpet.Afolder, with a picture of a young girl who almost exactly resembled Julie, was on the floor.

“Who is this?” Julie asked, shocked by the resemblance, handing the photo to a cop who goes to run it through a database.

After looking up the picture, the cop gasped.This girl was the farmer's daughter who died the year Julie and her family first started going up to the house.Ten years later, Julie looks exactly like the girl and the pieces started to come together.

“Found our motive.You have an uncanny resemblance to this guy's daughter. He’s crazy and he probably thought you were the ghost of her or something. he did. “Why would he want to kill me because I look like his daughter though?That doesn’t make any sense.” Julie said.

by

“Okay we’ll call you if we find anything out. Get some rest, it was a long day,” the officer said before getting back into his car.

Wow, that was crazy… Julie thought to herself while laying down to try to go to sleep. RING RING her phone rang out through the house, waking up her mother who came running into her room.

“Is that the cops? Did they question him?” Julie’s mom said as she entered the room.

“Let me answer now. Hello, who is this?” Julie said into the phone.

“Hello it’s Officer Stevens we want you to come down to the station and explain exactly what happened while the farmer was chasing you. We are trying to determine if he should be put behind bars or in a mental hospital to get help,” the officer said on the phone.

Julie’s mother took the phone out of her hand suddenly. “Hello Officer!As you know it is very hard to get out of here with all the snow but we will leave first thing tomorrow morning and make our way to the station,” she said.

“What the heck mom! I don’t want to see the farmer again,” Julie said.

“Julie this is important we have to tell the cops exactly what happened. Go to bed and tomorrow morning we are going to the station.”

“Fine. Goodnight,” Julie said before turning off the lights and getting ready to go to sleep.The next morning she began to pack her bags and prepare to leave the house. She went downstairs to the kitchen and helped her family finish packing.Then they set off to go to the station.

“Julie, do you remember everything that happened? Do you know what you’re going to say to the officer?” Her mom said.

“Yes. Let's just get this over with,” Julie said as she got into the car.

When they arrive at the station, Julie has a bad feeling in her stomach but she is happy that the farmer will get help. She walked into the station and spotted the head officer who was at the scene yesterday.

“Hello Officer. I am Julie and I was called down to the station to describe what happened with the farmer.”

“Thanks for coming down Julie, can you please just explain exactly what happened yesterday?” he said.

“Yes so it wasn’t just yesterday it started when we got here…” Julie proceeds to explain the entire ordeal to the officer.

“We think that if we brought this to trial, the farmer would just be found insane and end up in a mental hospital for the rest of his life. Maybe if you talk to him and convince him to voluntarily go and get help, we could save a lot of time and headache,” the officer said.

“I really don’t want to see him but… I also think he should get help. Fine i'll do it, but you need to be right outside the door ready to come in if he does anything” Julie said.

The officer led Julie to the questioning room and when she entered the farmer was there, chained to the chair so that he couldn’t move.This calmed Julie’s nerves slightly.

“Hello, the cops said that they think it’s best if you voluntarily go to the hospital and get help. We found the picture of your daughter-”

“My daughter?” the farmer asked, interrupting Julie.

“Yes we found your creepy shed… and the photo of your daughter in the folder. We looked up the picture and we figured it all out. But I don’t understand why you would try to kill me because I look like your daughter. It doesn’t make sense, you clearly need help!” Julie yelled.

The officer heard Julie yell and ran back into the room, along with Julie’s mother who was very concerned.

“Is everything okay here? Listen sir, you tried to kill a 15 year old girl yesterday. If I were you I would take the option to go get help, clearly living alone on a farm is making you crazy,” the officer said.

“Fine.You’re right.” the farmer started crying. “I have been living here alone for 10 years and I can’t handle it. I’ll voluntarily go to the hospital, if that's my only option over prison” the farmer cries out.

The officer led Julie and her mother out of the room.

“Thanks for the help, I don’t think he would’ve said yes without you going in there and talking to him.You don’t have to worry about the farmer anymore, he'll get help, but he also won’t be able to leave,” he said.

Julie walks outside of the station and takes a deep breath. Her mother runs out behind her and gives her a hug.

“Are you alright Julie, that was a lot” she asks while hugging her daughter.

“Yes I am just so happy that we can finally go home and relax and that the farmer won’t bother us anymore” Julie said.

“Me too, let's go home” her mother says as they all walk to the car.

Relieved, the family turns and walks towards the car, happy that the nightmare is over.

“Hands”

By Giada Viscusi

Background- “Tired”

By Giulia Scibilia

“Butterfly”

By Brianna Lenihan

By Lea Larotonda