Les Vers et Visions

Les Vers et Visions Convent & Stuart Hall 2024-2025 Writing and Art

Cover art by Phoebe, Grade 7

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Les Vers et Visions A Convent and Stuart Hall Literary and Art magazine 2024-2025

Lucas V., Grade 2 2

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Title ​​ ​ ​ ​ ANIMALS & NATURE Artic Fox​ ​ ​ ​ Plip Plop​ ​ ​ ​ Crow, Turtle, Toad​ ​ ​ Nature​​ ​ ​ ​ Horse in Me​ ​ ​ ​ Kimono​ ​ ​ ​ Ode to Goldfish​ ​ ​ Fire ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Nature’s Greatness​ ​ ​ Thank You Trees​ ​ ​ Untitled Haiku​​ ​ ​ There Once was aPink Bunny​​ Little Cat​ ​ ​ ​ Lake Haiku​ ​ ​ ​ Rain Haiku​ ​ ​ ​ Where I Met Myself Again​ ​ Eleven Eleven​​ ​ ​ Flower Haiku​ ​ ​ ​ The Wolf, a haiku​ ​ ​ Umbrella​ ​ ​ ​ Pond Haiku​ ​ ​ ​ Earth​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Thread​​ ​ ​ ​ In the Sky​ ​ ​ ​ Kimono​ ​ ​ ​ Flight​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Perfect​​ ​ ​ ​ Stars​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Wind​ ​ ​ ​ Little Tree​ ​ ​ ​ Flower Haiku​ ​ ​ ​ Rain Haiku​ ​ ​ ​ Bath Time​ ​ ​ ​ Ocean​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Spring​​ ​ ​ ​ The Forest​ ​ ​ ​ The River​ ​ ​ ​ SPORTS ​ Eileen Yu​ ​ ​ ​ ​ How to Do a Cartwheel​ ​

Writer/Artist & Grade Level​

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Wren S., Grade 2​ ​ Jade C., Grade 2​ ​ Charlotte, Grade 2​ ​ Elliot, Grade 7​​ ​ Audrey H., Grade 1​ ​ Fafa, Grade 2​ ​ ​ Dante V., Grade 7​ ​ Shiyah P., Grade 7​ ​ Kane F., Grade 6``````````​ Kiki, Grade 3​ ​ ​ Emily L., Grade 2​ ​ Lucy M., Grade 2​ ​ Vera, Grade 2​ ​ ​ Asha, Grade 2​​ ​ Katherine, Grade 3​ ​ Avery P., Grade 7​ ​ Lizzie, Grade 7​ ​ Charlotte, Grade 2​ ​ Alessandra T., Grade 3​ Laurence, Kindergarten​ Camilla, Grade 2​ ​ Sophia G.,Grade 3​ ​ Emma D., Grade 6​ ​ Ivy, Grade 6​ ​ ​ Evelyn, Grade 2​ ​ Olivia Rose, Grade 4​ ​ Lily W., Grade 6​ ​ Penelope P., Grade 6​ ​ Ivy, Grade 6​ ​ ​ Mackenzie, Grade 6​ ​ Paige, Grade 2​​ ​ Soraiya, Grade 2​ ​

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Olivia P., Grade 1​

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Dev, Grade 2​ ​ Henry, Grade 2​ Mark, Grade 2​​ Zander, Grade 2​

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Eva, Grade 2​ ​ Isabella, Grade 2 ​

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​ How to Play Soccer​ ​ ​ Margot, Grade 2​ ​ ​ Oracle Park​ ​ ​ ​ London, Grade 7​ ​ ​ The Pool​ ​ ​ ​ Avery H., Grade 7​ ​ ​ The Love of Basketball​ ​ Harry E., SHB 7​ ​ ​ The Power of Breath​ ​ ​ Collins, Grade 7​ ​ ​ Step Back​ ​ ​ ​ Matthew T., Grade 7​ ​ ​ Game Time​ ​ ​ ​ Malcolm C., Grade 7​ ​ ​ The Best Basketball Team Part 2​ Kyle, Grade 4​ ​ ​ IDENTITY ​ Untitled​ ​ ​ ​ Tate Y., Grade 7​ ​ ​ Jimmy the Pizza Guy​ ​ ​ Saif M., Grade 4​ ​ ​ A Chore​ ​ ​ ​ Joseph K., Grade 7​ ​ ​ Iran​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Rohan T., Grade 6​ ​ ​ Dreams​ ​ ​ ​ Libby B., Grade 3 ​ ​ ​ My Eyes​ ​ ​ ​ Shaylan, Grade 3​ ​ ​ Unfixable​ ​ ​ ​ Valentine B., Grade 6​ ​ ​ Jaguar in Me​ ​ ​ ​ Sienna L., Grade 1​ ​ ​ When I am 100 Years Old​ ​ Alexei L., Grade 2​ ​ Timeless​ ​ ​ ​ Rohan T., Grade 6​ ​ Two Worlds, Onc City​ ​ Stefano A., Grade 8​ ​ My Teeth​ ​ ​ ​ Emerson L., Grade 2​ ​ My Eyes​ ​ ​ ​ Shaylan, Grade 3​ ​ Ordinary​ ​ ​ ​ Malcolm C., Grade 7​ ​ Weird Human​ ​ ​ ​ Penelope Y., Grade 6 ​​ What Turns my Frown Upside Down​Valentina H., Grade 3​​ Eulogy of Death​ ​ ​ Zoë F., Grade 8​ ​ My Happy​ ​ ​ ​ Ella K., Grade 3​ ​ Poodle in Me​ ​ ​ ​ Ahyan Grade 1​ ​ Getting Up​ ​ ​ ​ Jonathan K, Grade 7​ ​ When I am 100 Years Old​ ​ Dylan, Grade 2​ ​ When I am 100 Years Old​ ​ Taj Grade 2​ ​ ​ SCHOOL Explanation of the Joke​ ​ Dresden D., Grade 7​ ​ DC Poem​ ​ ​ ​ Theo W., Grade 7​ ​ The Best Test​ ​ ​ ​ Sydney B., Grade 2​ ​ Preschool​ ​ ​ ​ Phoebe E., Grade 7​ ​ Memories​ ​ ​ ​ Peyton P., Grade 7​ ​ ADVENTURE & FANTASY It Was Supposed to be Unsinkable​ Emma D., Grade 6​ ​ Paws to the Pedal​ ​ ​ Finn K, Grade 7​ ​ The Chaos​ ​ ​ ​ Dylan M., Grade 8​ ​ The Witty Wisdom Wand​ ​ Abigail, Grade 5​ ​ August 11, 2792​ ​ ​ Rishi K., Grade 7​ ​

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The Magical Spoon​ ​ Little House​ ​ ​ My Superpowers​ ​ My Superpowers​ ​ My Superpowers​ ​ Stich​ ​ ​ ​ The Spirit of Halloween​ Holiday Disaster​ ​ The Magic Journal​ ​ PEOPLE Kayla​ ​ ​ ​ Anna​ ​ ​ ​ Vera​ ​ ​ ​ The Lion in Me​ ​ Some of the Pleasures ​ Lindsay Caroline Vonn​ Taylor Swift​ ​ ​ Artificially Intelligent​​ Did You Notice?​ ​ Alice, Ariella, Alice​ ​ Bukaya Saka​ ​ ​ PLACES Maine​ ​ ​ ​ The WIndow​ ​ ​ Houses​​ ​ ​ Kokomo, Fiji​ ​ ​ The Plane Ride​ ​ Ode to Shopping​ ​ A Visit to the Zoo​ ​ Poem of DC​ ​ ​ Super Duper​ ​ ​ El Moleno​ ​ ​ ​ ​

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Marshall M, Grade 5​ ​ Caroline Grade 2​ ​ Michael H., Grade 2​ ​ John C., Grade 2​ ​ Aaron D., Grade 2​ ​ Bella S. Grade 3​ ​ Alexandra T., Grade 7​​ William P., Grade 7​ ​ Quinley, Grade 5​ ​

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Harper, Grade 2​ ​ Aleksandra, Grade 2​ ​ Kyla Ray, Grade 2​ ​ Abigail, Grade 1​ ​ Kaitlyn K., Grade 7​ ​ Rhys, Grade 2​​ ​ Asher O., Grade 2​ ​ Phoebe E., Grade 7​ ​ Ellie L., Grade 5​ ​ Alice C. Grade 3​ ​ Rohan, Grade 6​ ​

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Willa M., Grade 2​ ​ ​ ​ Josie, Grade 8​​ ​ ​ ​ Scottie F., Grade 7​ ​ ​ ​ Nellie L., Grade 3​ ​ ​ ​ Claire, Valentine, & Heidi, Grade 6​ ​ James M., Grade 8​ ​ ​ ​ Adele H. grade 1​ ​ ​ ​ Hayden, Grade 7​ ​ ​ ​ Joe W, Grade 3​ ​ ​ ​ Teddy, Grade 3​ ​ ​ ​

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Art Credits Title​ ​ ​ ​ Bird and the Bridge​ ​ Flower Still Life​ ​ Orca​ ​ ​ ​ Artic Fox​ ​ ​ Tulip​ ​ ​ ​ Horse in Me​ ​ ​ Tree ​ ​ ​ ​ Crane​ ​ ​ ​ Still Life with Flowers​ Pink Bunny​ ​ ​ Umbrella​ ​ ​ Flower Still Life​ ​ Ocean​ ​ ​ ​ Spring​​ ​ ​ The Forest​ ​ ​ The River​ ​ ​ Self Portrait​ ​ ​ Shnefin Shnurry​ ​ Self Portrait​ ​ ​ Goblin Dude​ ​ ​ Jaguar in Me​ ​ ​ Poodle in Me​ ​ ​ Stuart Hall​ ​ ​ The Solar System​ ​ Mr. Tumnus & Lucy​ ​ T-Rex​ ​ ​ ​ Therizinosaurus​ ​ Little Man​ ​ ​ Big Boy Bob Head​ ​ Family Guy​ ​ ​ Ocean​ ​ ​ ​ Water Lilies ​ ​ ​ Cardinal​ ​ ​

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Artist​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Phoebe​, Grade 7​ ​ ​ Lucas V., Grade 2​ ​ ​ Rishi Grade 7​ ​ ​ ​ Wren S., Grade 2​ ​ ​ Rishi, Grade 7​​ ​ ​ Audrey H., Grade 1​ ​ ​ Rishi, Grade 7​​ ​ ​ Rishi, Grade 7​​ ​ ​ Arthur, Grade 2​ ​ ​ Lucy M., Grade 2​ ​ ​ Laurence, Kindergarten​ ​ Pax,Grade 2​ ​ ​ ​ Dev, Grade 2​ ​ ​ ​ Henry, Grade 2​ ​ ​ Mark, Grade 2​​ ​ ​ Zander, Grade 2​ ​ ​ James H, Grade 2​ ​ ​ Jack & Odin, Grade 4​​ ​ Peter, Grade 2​​ ​ ​ Will L., Grade 4​ ​ ​ Sienna L., Grade 1​ ​ ​ Ahyan Grade 1​ ​ ​ Will V. & Hudson A., Grade 4​ Jonathan N. & Avery N., Grade 4​ Abigail, Grade 5​ ​ ​ MJ G., Grade 4​ ​ ​ MJ Grade 4​ ​ ​ ​ Leon S., Grade 2​ ​ ​ Will L., Grade 4​ ​ ​ Zach C., Grade 4​ ​ ​ Rishi, Grade 7​​ ​ ​ Mateo Z, Grade 2​ ​ ​ Rishi, Grade 7​​ ​ ​

Page Cover Title Page 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 13 15 19 20 29 29 20 21 25 29 33 34 40 42 44 46 50 52 62 63 66 68 73 Back Cover

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ANIMALS & NATURE

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By Rishi, Grade 7

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Arctic Fox The is an arctic fox in me With a howl as loud as a werewolf.

It sounds like a loud coyote When it's waking up.

It moves like a cheetah As it runs in the grasslands.

It lives in my neck And makes me howl.

I wish I had it as a pet.

It makes me want to run fast.

It makes me feel like I am brave.

Art & Words By Wren S., Grade 2

PLIP PLOP There once was a penguin named Plip Plop and he liked to flip flop.

Just then he found his map, and it started to clap, then it started to lick and mop!

By Jade C., Grade 2

CROW, TURTLE, TOAD Once there was a crow. The turtle saw the crow and said “oh no” The crow found the turtle. It jumped onto a hurdle.

The turtle ran to a toad. The toad ran to the hose.

The hose sprayed at the toad, and it ran. The toad got on a road.

By Charlotte C., Grade 2

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Nature Everywhere you look, All is so green, The water so still, So cold, so clean.

The birds in the trees, The hives with the bees, Nature is beautiful, The sand and the seas.

The leaves with dew, The leaves with ants, The branches on trees, And endless plants.

The roots in the ground, The vines on the wall, Grass so short, And trees, so tall.

The highest of mountains, The lowest of ravines, The darkest of caves, All of the unseen.

The cleanest of water, The color of the flowers, In the forest, Nature empowers.

By Rishi, Grade 7 The brightest of days, The coldest of nights, All is well, Nature unites.

By: Elliott W., Grade 7 ​

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There is a horse in me With running powers running everywhere.

It sounds like bats in my brain Flying around.

It moves like flying birds Going across the ocean.

It lives in my feet And makes me run fast.

I wish I was a horse.

It makes me want to draw and dance.

By: Audrey H., Grade 1

Kimono Feathers softer than silk beautiful bird filled with pride in the Japan waters.

By Fafa, Grade 2

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Ode to GoldFish Oh GoldFish, Oh GoldFish 100% REAL CHEESE I once locked you in the closet and lost my keys Oh GoldFish, Oh Goldfish your golden shine I have an idea!

I’ll make you a shrine you have such a hard job maybe you should recline Oh Goldfish, Oh Goldfish You’re such a good swimmer ​ ​ ​ You swim through the bag​ ​ ​ whenever you play tag and when you win you never brag.

By Dante V., Grade 7

By Rishi K., Grade 7

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Fire Nature's greatness A bright light It turns on a fight Sparks of anger and fear You know it when it comes near It ignites with accidents Burning with regrets Orange as it grows red as it kills Taking over trees and ferns It’s innocence covered by a veil of evil Sounders of scared and hope People are together trying to cope It dies down down soon to end They blame the fire not the people Until all that’s left is the church steeple

By Shiyah P., Grade 7

As I walk the beach, The sand erasing my footprints, What a beautiful sight The green trees around me, Shining their color in the sun, They must be very hot I’m walking with friends, As I see a dying plant, I stop and water it Thank you and thank you, That is what I say to nature, They help us stay alive I crawl on the floor, A monkey jumps on my back, I am so relieved

by Kane F., Grade 6

Thank You Trees Tiny bugs on the leaves Robins in their nests Everyone relying on it Every animal loves it So we thank you, trees

By Kiki, Grade 3 Untitled Haiku Looking through the woods Look at all the animals I just saw a frog

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By Emily L., Grade 2 ​ ​

By Arthur, Grade 2

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There Once Was Pink Bunny There once was a pink bunny.

Who was very funny.

Who told some jokes, To very old folks. and his favorite food is honey.

By Lucy M., Grade 2

Little Cat a cat likes to play in a barn, with his favorite toy, yarn. as he chases little mice, does he know that they have lice? even though he’s a cute fluff, be careful, he’s really rough. he likes to listen to little bells, while he writes and spells. he lets out a little purr, while he grooms and licks his fur.

By Vera, Grade 2

Lake Haiku Rain Haiku The beautiful lake I hear fun frogs croaking leaping all around

The rain falls slowly From a Beautiful blue cloud It is so pretty

By Asha, Grade 2

By Katherine, Grade 3

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Eleven, Eleven “Where I met myself again”

On every eleven eleven, twice a day, I make a wish

Amazing ark, As I walk into the park.

a wish to the stars above

The dogs are barking, The cars are parking.

or tiny and tall

Trees blowing, The wind is flowing.

whether big or small a wish that grass was greener skies were bluer and flowers brighter a wish that saves those in hunger war, homelessness, and despair

Warm weather, a pigeon's feather.

a wish that makes things fair for all girls and all men

Enjoying the sun, having a lot of fun.

a wish that our world seemed simple like

As I lay down in the green grass, At last I feel like my great past.

when I was little and had nothing but fun

I hear an amen from wise men, This is where I met myself again.

back then I wish for what is yet to come hopefully a new view I wish that all these things will come true I wish, I hope on eleven eleven

By Avery P., Grade 7

By Lizzie, Grade 7

Flower Haiku When I was walking I saw beautiful flowers I picked the flower.

By Charlotte, Grade 2

Earth 5 big round ball you are 7 You have a life of people.

5 Earth is amazing

By Sophia G.,Grade 3 14

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The Wolf, A haiku The wolf was watching Watching his delicious prey Pounce, he has dinner

By Alessandra T., Grade 3

Umbrella Spring is not my favorite season.

I like Thunderstorms.

I think it will rain more in May. I jump in puddles!

By Laurence, Kindergarten

Pond Haiku floating through the pond holding frogs and pink flowers the pond is peaceful

By Camilla, Grade 2

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Thread

In The Sky

who's never seen a mournful cloud? it was raining heavy cold and wet Wet, like the streets left behind Just me, left behind nothing happens here the flash of the car light bright and blinding never again will ever able to go back to those days wet like the streets left behind the path I looked back never again I would do this in the distance someone standing there I would gaze up there was the mournful cloud.

Was this what the future looked like this reminded me of my past drew me in.

Where was that person? the evoking rip in the fabric of time.

Because I don’t exist I feel as if I’m missing something.

As I looked up though my window only I could truly see I didn’t know little did I ever know, ever understand. and so I didn’t have to? but to thread the broken Unfinished pieces Together.

I want them to stand together in silence Sun and moon Opposites in the sky Always drifting away Yet always connected By dawn and dusk Each day and night Is like a long breath The rising sun Breathes in and illuminates Then breathes out As the peaceful moon takes its place Around they go like this Warm light Silver light Till the end of the earth Sun and moon Day and night.

By Emma D., Grade 6

By Ivy, Grade 6 Kimono I sit on the sand And the waves crash to the shore As sea lions screech.

By Evelyn, Grade 2

Flight Cutting through the wind, Coming out of clouds, The bird may sit quietly, But the eagle stands proud.

By Olivia Rose, Grade 4

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Perfect

Stars

Sun beams shining down Onto the dewy grass blades In the cloudy sky

The stars in the sky Shine bright Like the twinkle in your eye But like Carl Sagan once said “We’re all made of star stuff” But is that just bluff

Butterfly wings Flip, Flap, Fly in the soft wind Lands on green leaf A small brown puppy Leaping through the hills and mounds Against the blue sky Blue sky cotton white Candy clouds fluffy and misty Little islands of shade Little island of Peaceful paradise.

By Lily W., Grade 6

People think stars are just gas But that’s just what they teach you in class When you think with your heart There is no need to be smart Stars are made of dreams If you don’t make mean schemes The stars are beautiful And full of life We take them for granted When we have light pollution The stars are natural light When we let them shine bright When the sun comes out The stars don’t die out They just go to shine to others Mother and brothers

By Penelope P., Grade 6

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The Wind

Little Tree

The wind is carrying away the words The sound, the scent All I can do is watch Like I am not there I am alone Looking at a vast open sky And the golden grass below it for miles I start walking Pushing against the wind I call out No one can hear me I am free, but still trapped I need to get out I take a deep breath Slowly, I start walking forward One step at a time Then, I make it to the other side The wind stops Maybe not forever, but for now, I am truly free

Dear little tree, you don't deserve having to carry the weight of fruit on your back, or the fact you had to watch other trees around you get cut down for the benefit of others.

You should enjoy being a little tree who can't be cut down, you should sway how you want in the wind, though i have to warn you, when you are yourself you'll lose a few apples but thats okay, if they left that easily they should have never stayed, probably rotten anyway.

Dear little tree, appreciate the trees who helped you become who you are, they soon leave.

Dear little tree, let the rain fall and the cloud storm, it helps you grow more than just staying in the sun ever will.

Dear little tree, don't let the other little trees get to you, there growing and learning just to, they'll make mistakes just like you. when they come in with a axe, don't let them take you in one go, stay strong little tree, especially as you grow.

Being a little tree won't be easy, but enjoy being free, don't let people cut you down just because you're a little tree.

Dear little me, don't worry about a thing.

By Ivy, Grade 6 Flower Haiku scent of a flower gracefully waving through light growing into spring

By Paige, Grade 2 Rain Haiku Rain, rain falling down never seems to reach bottom It touches my head

By Soraiya, Grade 2

By Mackenzie, Grade 6

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Bath Time When they got home it was bath time. But the dogs didn’t want to go in the bathtub. They wanted to jump in bed. SnappJack said, “if you go in the bathtub, I will give you a yummy treat. I will give you a new bone.” So they finally went in the bath, they did not like it.

By Olivia P., Grade 1

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Ocean Blue sheet of water Fish beautifully swimming Shimmer in the sun.

By Dev, Grade 2

Spring It is very warm Flowers blooming all around Sun shining on me.

By Henry, Grade 2

The Forest Forests are so green Leaves crunching under your feet So lively and bright.

By Mark, Grade 2

The River Calm and majestic Animals living nearby It is beautiful.

By Zander, Grade 2

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SPORTS

By James H, Grade 2

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Eileen Yu Confident, brave Skiing, modeling, competing Ambassador for the Olympic games Skier

By Eva, Grade 2

How To Do a Cartwheel You will need: Leotard Hair tie Mat 1. First, stand up with one leg out and two arms up.

2. Second bend over. And kick your leg over your head.

3. Last, stand up with two hands up and everyone will clap for you.

By Isabella, Grade 2

How to Play Soccer This is dedicated to Aesa because she’s the best soccer player I know.

Soccer is a fun sport.

If you want to learn how to play soccer, read on.

You will need: A ball, Socks, A goal, Cleats, A ponytail, A team You will need to win.

First, you will need to take the ball. Then try to get a goal.

How to steal the ball: Get in front of them and turn.

What happens when you get a goal? You win.

Take a photo. Say cheese?

By Margot, 2nd grade

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Oracle Park 2.5 million fans in the stadium On average per year 2.5 million people have set foot into what is one of the best stadiums in all of mlb 2.5 million people who have watched the greatest game of all time 2.5. Million people who have watched their team win or lose I love it all Every single square foot of it 12.5 acres Every single seat out of the 41,265 seats Every single chant shouted by fans Every single crack of an bat along with fans cheering or booing I love it all Oracle park the home of the San Francisco Giants For over 25 years 25 years of joy 3 World Series won I love it all From coke bottle slide With an line of excited kids waiting to go down it To the cable car in the outfield seating Thats always filled with kids playing along it To the roar of the crowd An deafening sound mixed with laughter echoing throughout the crowd And cheering mixed with chanting of the fans And sound that can only be described as An good kind of chaos I love it all The electric energy seeping out of every square inch Of every single space the excited fans Ranging from young to old It doesn’t matter if they are die hard or bandwagon fans it doesn’t matter because everyone’s just here to see one thing America’s favorite pastime Baseball I love it all Down to the popcorn and sea spray scent in the air once you enter the stadium

The scent clinging onto you until you exit the ballpark I love it all Once you arrive into the stadium You automatically feel at home you will hear the sound of excited fans And the signature send of an mix of popcorn, grass and the ocean Will surround your and your senses And cling to you I love it all Once the game will start an hush will fall over the crowd But only for a few minutes just long enough for the national anthem Then the roar of the crowd will start back up agian With bantering and cheers But all in good fun I love it all And once the game has ended The fans start to pour out into the Willie Mays plaza and the seagulls come In flocks they fly hundreds of them I love it all And while you leave the stadium you will hear the pounding of drums outside The sound will fill your ear An sound so loud but after a few minutes will just become another background noise I love it all Along with the noise of fans Some congratulating other fans while others are bantering back and forth But all in good fun I love it all 2.5 million fans in the stadium On average per year 2.5 million people have set foot into what is one of the best stadiums in all of mlb 2.5 million people who have watched the greatest game of all time 2.5. Million people who have watched their team win or lose I love it all

By London, Grade 7

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THE POOL It was 6 o’clock on a Friday evening. The smell of chlorine filled my lungs, the feel of the plastic swim cap cinched my forehead. Alex and Amy were on the stands cheering, Uncle Jack was there too. Mom was coming later, but there tucked in the corner was the college scout.

The Dartmouth baseball cap hid their face, and wow, I was nervous. My heart beat fast, my stomach held butterflies, I felt almost sick, but I was confident. I reminded myself you got this, don’t watch the crowd, let them watch you, a saying my aunt had taught me 3 years prior, a joyous thought crawled into my mind as I remembered how when she was still around she would travel down from New Haven every time I had a swim meet, the sound of her voice was always the loudest in the natatorium. I missed her so much, but now was not the time to cry, or think about her. So, I pulled my thoughts away from it and watched Julie, another girl on my team, swim her Freestyle 100m, teal water splashed all around her, she came up for breaths every 3 strokes, and all the while the scout took notes. I reminded myself again to be confident, then left the noisy gym for the bathroom.

When I got there I closed the door, and looked in the mirror, my beach tanned face was in a frown and my thick eyebrows were scrunched up together, the sound of cheering seeped in through the cracks in the door. Turns out Julie had one, that meant it was almost my turn to do the Freestyle 200m. I tightened my grip around the sink, until my knuckles turned white. I couldn't mess this up. I needed to be recruited. I needed to go to Dartmouth. There was no other option.

I left the restroom. On the way to my starting position I admired the chipped blue and green pool side tiles, the long ceiling and walls filled with posters of all the times my highschool Hartford High had won throughout the years.

I made my way to my starting place, Riley Tran from Hill High was on my left, her bright green goggles and swimsuit with a big H on the front had always made me laugh. On the other side was Rachel Wolen in her navy swimsuit and cap from Einstein Education. Three of the best freestyle racers all competing against one another, this was going to be tough. I knew that, but I also knew that I had trained the hardest and longest, I just hoped that the Dartmouth scout would see that too.

I peered out of my diving position to look at the referee. She was a woman 26 ish years old and her bright blond hair was pulled back into a neat bun. The whistle was in her mouth as she signaled with her hands, starting in three, two, one, —tweet. I dove into the water. It was fresh, and cold, just how I liked it. My hands and legs immediately fell into autopilot and started to move, beginning freestyle the stroke that I had done so many times before. I was pushing myself hard. 1 breath every 5 strokes, my legs were aching, my head hurt from my cap. 2 laps gone, 2 to go, almost done, but then, I saw it. The bright red swimsuit. Riley had gotten ahead. I needed to beat her, I swam and swam and kicked and kicked but she was still there 2 feet in front of me. One lap left, Riley was still ahead, my stomach hurt. I thought of all the bad things that had happened in the last year, my aunt dying, my parents becoming distant, always working

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or, swimming, or school. No free time. I needed to win, my thoughts turned sour as I realized she was about to be victorious, 4 feet to the wall, but at the last second, I had beaten her. I had actually won! I breathed heavily and looked at the scout. They were smiling and wrote things on their clipboard.

By Avery H., Grade 7

The Love of Basketball I love the game of basketball, it's fun for me because I’m tall, I started when I was just a tot but fortunately, I’ve grown a lot, I play for school and I play for clubs but my favorite team‘s of course the ‘Dubs, and now they’re in playoff games, I hope the season won't go down in flames, I truly hope they win this season another parade…we need a reason, but if they lose I’m sure to cheer but then again, there's always next year!

By Harry E., SHB 7

Shnefin Shnurry

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The Power of Breath Breathe in big and push off the wall I glide like a fish Fast I feel my momentum start to fall Now it's time to use my energy I swim and I swim and I swim Down down down Until I finally get that extra push Now my ears hurt from the pressure And my lungs are begging for air Maybe I'll make it I tell myself ignoring my loss of breath But I’m still human and I’m not ready yet I force myself to the surface breathing in one more time before I keep on treading As I finally hit the wall I have a new mission Make it back I break into a sprint, counting my strokes I try for nine and achieve 7 Breath I try for nine and I achieve six Breath Now I try harder Breath It’s a straight shot to the wall I stand up, gasping for breath Every time I come up with the same conclusion Try harder

By Collins, Grade 7

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Step-Back

Game Time

Simple space creation where you pick up a dribble and take a leap with one leg, And land on the other and snatch it back

I hit the field running, jumping, and the such However, I got stopped My coach say,s “your doing too much” I’m just trying to get hyped, dialed, locked in So I sprint on the field ready to play Don’t judge me, don’t ask me, cuz to your dismay

As in: right before a shot a step back can create space to shoot

You’ll hit a brick wall your way

As in: James Harden’s signature stepback is the best, but he nearly always TRAVELS, which ruins it, Working every time As in: One of my favorite moves that I thought myself, that has carried me through the game, creating good looks, that I have practiced, which I push, then pull, and score

“SMACK” in

The fans cheering and yelling “go team” I kinda get embarrassed, it feels like a meme, The opposing side heckling, booing, and critiquing our game It only empowers me to show them my name We all know what we’re here for So don’t get confused We here to win, certainly not to lose​

By Malcolm C., Grade 7

By Matthew T., Grade 7 The Best Basketball Team Part 2 Himothy dribbles passes to Sam he shoots from downtown he swishes the shot. It is 49-44 USA, Jaden dribbles OH Jaden goes behind the back he shoots the 3 makes it score is now 49-47.

Ben has the ball passes to Odin he goes for the layup but he misses the shot, Naz Reid dribbles DANG he broke Saif’s ankles and he shoots the 3 for the first time this game the Timberwolves had the lead but only winning by 1 point.Will passes to Leighton he goes for the behind the back dunk on Anthony Edwards and makes it, heh Leighton poses BUZZ! It is 51-50 USA.It is Halftime and we will see you after the break. ”Hello, we are back from halftime to tell you how good the USA All-Stars stats”.”My favorite player, in my opinion, is Devin. He has 18 points at halftime, and the second-best for me is Ben with 14 points. For the Timberwolves, Naz has 17 points and Ruby has 15 points, and we are back at the game and it is the 3rd quarter and the score is 51-50 USA. Timberwolves have the ball, 27

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Naz passes to Julius goes for the layup and makes it. Ben passes to Will dribbles and passes to Charlie one handed half-court shot. and Charlie does the moonwalk. McDaniels dribbles passes to Divanchenzo, he shoots from downtown, makes it, score is 54-55, Timberwolves. Will dribbles, passes to Charlie, passes to Peewee Herman, he goes for the through-the-legs dunk on Jaden, the score is 56-55 USA. Naz passes to Divanchenzo, dribbles, fakes the shot, and passes to Naz, and shoots the 3-pointer. Timberwolves are up 58-56. Ben passes to Leighton he shoots the 2, he makes it, score is 58-58 tie game! Naz passes to Jaden, he shoots from the paint SWISH! The score is 61-58, Timberwolves. Peewee passes to Kyle, dribbles, and passes back to Peewee. Herman goes for the 3 pointer, thescore is 61-61 tied gam! .Naz dribbles, he passes to Julius, he shoots the half-court shot, Ben passes to The Wing Master, he dribbles, he passes to Will, he shoots the 3, score is 64-61. Naz dribbles OH! Reid breaks Peewee’s ankles and goes for the behind the back dunk on Saif and he makes it score 64-63 USA.Naz passes to Jaden he dribbles he goes for the dunk on Charlie and he makes it, score is 64-65 Timberwolves. Ben passes to Peewee he dribbles to the 3 point line and he shoots the 3 pointer and he makes it OH after the shot Peewee does a backflip and lands it, score is 67-65. Naz passes to Jaden he dribbles he fakes the shot and passes to Divanchenzo and shoots the fade away ties game 67-67. Ben passes to Charlie he does the step back and shoots the half-court 70-67. The 3rd quarter was back and forth for most of the and at the end of the 3rd quarter the score is 113-108 and was winning.”Here we are back at the 4th quarter and Timberwolves have the ball.

Naz passes to Jaden he goes for the layup and Jaden makes it,score is 113-111. Will passes to Sam he dribbles he gives an alley oop to Himothy the lll and makes it score is 115-111. Jaden passes to

💸$ score is getting close but still has the lead score is

Divanchenzo and dribbles and shoots the 3 $

115-114. Ben passes to Kyle, and he shoots the 3-pointer BRICK! Naz has it; he dribbles to half court and shoots. he makes it score is 115-117 Timberwolves. Leighton dribbles and passes to The Wing Master he shoots the fade away and he makes it score 117-117. Naz passes to Randle, he passes to Naz, he shoots the half-court, and he gets rejected by Saif, and he dunks on Ruby. The score is 119-117. Naz passes to Ruby he dribbles and he goes for the dunk and he makes it score 119-119 and there are 6.7 seconds left till the game is over. Ben passes 5 to Kyle 4,3,1 and Devin shoots the 3 point fade and Devin hits the game winning shot to go to the semi-finals and the crowd goes WILD! Devin wins it for the All-Stars! How does he make that shot? It is incredible to see a rookie win it.

By Kyle, Grade 4

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IDENTITY

By Peter, Grade 2

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Untitled Min-jun and his friends walked up onto the stage. They were prepared to sing their best song.

They all had the mic in their sweaty hands. The lights turned off, the beat started, they started to sing, the crowd roared, they sang along with the four singers. Min-jun was trying his best to get his group to be the #1 K-pop group in the world. There were over 100 K-pop groups. The lights were flashing. Later, the group was at Min-jun’s house. They were watching to see the K-pop rankings for the week. They were eating popcorn. They were worried they did badly.

By Tate Y., Grade 7 Jimmy the Pizza Guy On September 20,1965 something miraculous happened,so utterly insane no one believed. It all starts in New York City with a really cool dude named John. John was always sleepy and loved pizza. One day he loved it so much he opened his own pizza store called “PARMIGIANO”. Before he opened his store to the public, he didn’t want to be like all the average pizza stores. He wanted to be different in a way people loved his pizza like no other. So he decided to go on a journey far away to somewhere, but there was a problem, he didn’t know where to start. So he went to his best friend Joe. Joe was something you would call “one of a kind”. He wasn’t scared of ANYTHING! So Jimmy and his friend set off on a mission.

“Yo, you got any food, I’m starving over here,” Joe said in his deep New York accent.

“We left five minutes ago,” John said. “I know but I need my ‘pre-snack’. You know what I mean?” “No, I have no clue what you’re talking about,” John said. “Dude what’s that?” Joe said while pointing at a small island with a skull flag. John shrugs carelessly. Then, little things that look like gremlins start yelling, soon enough there’s thousands of them! “Cool, can we go?” Joe asked John curiously. “NO, are you crazy?!” John says, frightened. “I mean, yeah I kind of am,” Joe says like it’s obvious. “There is no way you’re getting me on that island!” Five minutes later he finds himself a mile away from the island. “I can’t believe you dragged me into this.” “My magic works in so many ways,” Joe said proudly. The little things approach their ship. “Who are you,” the thing said furiously. “I should be asking the same thing,” said Joe, not scared. “We’re called Wawahansjrwks, but wawa for short. So who are you?” One of the Wawa’s said. “We’re hu-humans,” John said, terrified. Joe gave John a look that said “toughen up”. “My friend John right here is opening a pizza store, and he wants to make his store special. So we went on this ship and went to sail.” Joe said. “Oh,” said the Wawa like he didn’t think he was going to answer.

One of the Wawa’s asked, “What the heck is pizza?” Said a Wawa. “Is it some kind of machine or something?” Said another Wawa. “Let me show you,” John said proudly. So John went back on the ship and got some of the ingredients. “What style of pizza are we making today?” Joe asked. “Classic New York style.” (Which was John and Joe’s favorite type of pizza) “Nice” Joe said. So they made the pizza, and right before they were going to give them the pizza they heard something marching. “What’s that noise?” John said curiously and scared at the same time.

Suddenly every single Wawa started to bow. “Hey, what are you guys doing?” Joe asked curiously. Suddenly a herd of Wawa’s came marching protecting something… A Wawa whispered to Joe “Our king is coming.” So John and Joe started bowing too. “What the heck are

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you doing,” whispered the same Wawa. “We’re bowing like you,” Joe said. “Stand up!” Said the Wawa while still somehow whispering. “Jeez ok.” So they stood up. The king approached. “Who shall you be?” Said the king in a very deep voice. “I am a human dude,” all of the Wawa’s stared at Joe because he just disrespected the king. “Excuse me!?” The king said furious. Then, John immediately corrected his friend, “My friend here meant, we’re humans, and my name is John, and his name is Joe.” “Sup” Joe said casually. “And may I ask who you are?” “I am Odin the king of the Wawahansjrwks, but Wawa for short,” “Nice to meet you” John said. “So, what are you doing on my beautiful island?” said Odin, very proud. After Joe and John explained the story Odin asked in his deep voice, “ So, where is this so-called ‘pizza’?” “Right here big, Wawa, king person” said Joe, John slapped his face like ‘why did I bring him’. Joe and John carried the pizza to the king and gave him a slice. “Uh, how do I eat it?” Odin said. “Fold it in half and take a bite, duh.” All of the Wawa’s are astonished at how Odin is not yelling at him, let alone still on this island. So Odin took a bite… “It’s amazing!!!!” Odin said very happily. “I demand the recipe now!!!!” The king said greedily. “First of all, no, second of all, do you guys have any things that can make this better?” Joe surprisingly said politely. The king whispered “I think I have something that can help you. John said curiously “Well, what is it?” The king was whispering very very quietly and now said “it’s a secret, ok none of the Wawa’s know, (except the guards know) So, let me show you.”

John and Joe walked with Odin, the king of the Wawa’s to find the ultimate pizza. They appeared at some sort of a bunker. “This is my secret kitchen.” “Really????!!!! That’s it?!” Joe said very annoyed. “Trust me it gets better,” Odin said. The king put in a secret code on the touchpad to the side of the door, the door slowly rises while John and Joe eagerly wait. The door opens and John and Joe are astonished they can’t believe what they were seeing.

By Saif M., Grade 4 A Chore I was in a store and I was about to buy more “More of what?” the register person asked I say, “More of a composition notebook” Why you may ask Because it was so close in my grasp I buy it and head out the store I received a text from my mom to do the chores I head home and arrive I look through my pocket for my key “SHOOT” I forgot it at home Fun fact, I live in Rome I remembered there was a key under the rug I open the house and there was a mug

I go to my bedroom and play some brawl stars I look to the right and see a guitar I play for the rest of the day I see my mom’s car pulling up and I duck I run down the stairs with a scare I do the dishes as fast as I can with a plan to sweep the floor I sweep sweep and keep back to put the broom away There I hear a clank and my face becomes blank My mom walks in and she asks if I am okay I reply saying “yeah, I did the chores” She said “good job” and walked away

By Joseph K., Grade 7

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Iran My beautiful culture My under appreciated culture The women who get looked at under a microscope The men with the dominance over others and the government walking around in a style like their heads have been chopped off The women and children trembling around Iran While others think of their past What people think become stereotypes Which then leads to racial judgments People say “oh so you’re terrorists” “Your country is an abomination” But no, it’s beautiful.

The smooth hills, the mini villages The blooming flowers in the spring The mouth watering food The generous people under very corrupt leaders It's not okay. It’s not fine.

We need a change at just the right time Come together, let's train our mindset from judgement to understanding connecting and feeling is all we need Iran is not a bad country we just need to fix a few things

By Rohan T., Grade 6

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Dreams Lay on your bed Let new thoughts fill your head And when you finally close your eyes…

Fall into a cloud just in time You can play around.

But hear no sound.

You dream of a famous movie star Or laying by the pool eating caviar!

You dream of what the future is gonna be Or just today, we’ll see!

Dreams can be fun and full of twirls!

Let’s look on the other side, can’t we girls!

Sometimes it’s a nightmare not a dream!

Sometimes it’s dark and no jelly beans!

Sometimes you feel like you’re about to fall!

But thankfully you’ll wake up from it all!

Tossing and turning dreams keep you awake Look at the time it’s getting late! *There are many things to dream about So never give up!

By Libby B., Grade 3 ​

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Goblin Dude

By Will L., Grade 4

My Eyes I like my eyes. They are dark brown, there is a little black dot in the center, and the rest is just white. I like them because I get to see everything. The colors of flowers and ribbons. I get to see all the colors of animals. Without your eyes you could not see and play games. You would always bump into things and fall down the stairs. This is why I like my eyes.

By Shaylan, Grade 3 33

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Unfixable To cover the world with colored windows, Add hue to the grayscale earth, Deepen the universe we survive in today.

The universe that we destroy, Object by object, Place by place, Like a green caterpillar Eating a leaf Pollution covers home like A suffocating blanket, No release, Absolutely relentless, A world with unlaughable people,

Color, animals, plants, A world without Life.

That’s the world we live in, Today, Still.

It’s probably unfixable by now, Like a shattered window.

Who will glue it back together, And how?

By Valentine B., Grade 6

Jaguar in Me There is a black jaguar in me With cute eyes like a soft pillow. it sounds very quiet As if it's not even there.

Like a leaf touching the ground. it moves fast like a shooting star, Even faster than that It lives in my heart And makes me happy I wish I were one It makes me want to jump in happiness! & makes me feel like a jaguar myself Art & Words By Sienna L., Grade 1

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When I am 100 years old I will be retired and famous. I will be famous because I will make hamster mazes for hamster videos. I will know how to make them because I am an engineer. I will live in San Francisco because of its fair weather.

By Alexei L., Grade 2 Timeless The reason of life existence The dripping but soothing bland taste The constant desire but the limited excess The needs are more than the wastes The sickening people's needs need to be over the people who have too much Working for a living comes and goes but water keeps flowing Judging discrimination towards others becomes who you are but doesn’t change who you will be in the future absorb it and deeply take it in It may last forever but it is now that it is the time

By Rohan T., Grade 6 Two Worlds, One City Every time I pass through the Tenderloin neighborhood, I don’t see the San Francisco I know, but a city more similar to an apocalypse. Such as a haggard man passed out overtaken by drugs or a person running through the streets naked. These sights are not uncommon in the Tenderloin, an impoverished neighborhood full of homeless people. I have seen first-hand how diverse my city is, yet the jarring sight of a person lifeless on the sidewalk is raw. Although uncomfortable, such experiences help me understand that diversity often comes with inequality, both in my city and around the world. The residents of the Tenderloin are seemingly looked down upon because of their class, in this case being homeless. They live with the chaos of life on the streets and widespread drug abuse, even if they themselves are not suffering from these problems. The grit, crime, danger, and poor public spaces and resources available to Tenderloin residents sharply contrast with my version of San Francisco, life in Pacific Heights, a neighborhood full of safe streets, clean sidewalks, well-manicured parks and playgrounds, and top-tier schools. Bringing to life personal stories through storytelling creates empathy with audiences and an intimate experience for the reader or listener to appreciate a different perspective and life-shaping circumstances.

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One such story that resonates with my personal experience is Borderless, in which the protagonist, Maya, lives in the Guatemala City slums. Like me, she saw two vastly different worlds in her city. Each day started and ended in her dangerous slum rife with gang violence, bookending her daily escape to the wealthy neighborhood to attend the country’s leading fashion school. The way Maya’s story is told in Borderless made me feel as though I was with her, equally vivid as my own journey crossing two opposite worlds defined by class. This theme of a protagonist trying to escape unjust circumstances in search of a better life is central to Borderless and also evident in the novels March, The Secret Life of Bees, and To Kill a Mockingbird. In some cases like John Lewis in March, the protagonist not only escapes the inequality himself but also actively works to improve the lives of others, with sit-ins and peaceful protests for justice. In addition, these protagonists’ stories furthered my understanding of inequality beyond just a surface-level, bringing a greater appreciation of the culture and mindset of some in these communities. For example, although a slum is an under-privileged neighborhood where people are often neglected, there is a culture of acknowledgement and working hard to gain a better life, versus accepting defeat. This was certainly the case with Maya and her mom. I have realized this is also the case with many in the Tenderloin, trying to get back on their feet through work programs and drug rehabilitation. I now have more empathy.

When I personally identify with a protagonist of a film or book, it is easy for me to be inspired and see how my life could evolve in a similar way. When watching the James Bond movie series, I see many similarities in our shared race, class, gender, and adventures around the world, making it easy to imagine what my life would be like in a similar role. In contrast, when I read a book with a protagonist I do not identify with, I gain valuable insights into their lives, which are made more lucid through storytelling. This allows me to notice our similarities and embrace differences that otherwise separate us. By leaning into the differences, I can learn more about a certain character’s culture and life s. Not only did I learn to appreciate slum culture in Borderless but also the challenges and hopes of immigrants’ journeying to the U.S. This is something millions of people endure each year that I previously had no insight into. Exposure to both types of protagonists - those that provide a “mirror” and a “window” - is powerful, helping to inspire, develop empathy, and envision what could be. ​ The state of our world today has many forms of inequality, but I believe the biggest issue is a growing divide between different classes in society. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than San Francisco, contrasting the world’s hub of innovation, technology, and wealth with some of the most disadvantaged citizens that simply seem left behind. This is a very difficult problem to solve. However, after seeing this inequality with my own eyes and reading these books, I believe creating awareness and developing empathy amongst a broader part of our population through storytelling is very effective. It brings real faces and names to the problem. This is an important first step. Increased awareness of inequality and empathy for our fellow San Franciscans will hopefully prompt people to volunteer, donate, support, and help get the homeless on a much better path, lessening the divide. This issue is not just in my city, but one that is apparent worldwide.

By Stefano A., Grade 8

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My Teeth

My Eyes

I like my teeth because they help me eat, chew, and crunch. Surely without our teeth we would have no fun. When your tooth falls out it’s nothing to be ashamed of, for if you put it under your pillow a magical person appears from an unknown place and trades clean teeth for gold coins, shining like your own teeth. Without my teeth I could not chew and would have to eat soup and bananas, definitely not today.

I like my eyes. They are dark brown, there is a little black dot in the center, and the rest is just white. I like them because I get to see everything. The colors of flowers and ribbons. I get to see all the colors of animals.

Without your eyes you could not see and play games. You would always bump into things and fall down the stairs. This is why I like my eyes.

By Emerson L., Grade 2

By Shaylan, Grade 3 Ordinary Ordinary, mediocre, lame all different words to put you to shame don't let shake you, fake you, or bake you Ordinary

sike Extraordinary life is short, don’t let it pass you by let it be known, your not ready to die your here, your unique in your own way so don’t let others make your life gray Right now is the hour so take a deep breath, reel in that power you are who are so don’t be sour you’ve put the work, the time, and the effort you’re happy and merry certainly not ordinary

By Malcolm C., Grade 7

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Weird human Weird human Give me Sweet sticky cold

By Penelope Y., Grade 6 What turns my frown upside down Cute, pretty, Oliva Rodrigo Fun, Happy, puppies, dogs Talented, adorable, cats Love’s hat’s, capybaras Getting attention , turtles

By Valentina H., Grade 3 Eulogy of Death The human mind is the most frightening thing of all. I’ve walked through the minds of madmen, journeyed through the whispers during the times of desperation. I have borne witness to the destruction of civilizations not because of plague or lack of resources, but because of the cursed thoughts festering behind human eyes. The unrivaled genius dedicated to being the most dangerous, to having the world under their thumb. ​ I was, at one point, known as Death. The Grim Reaper. The right hand man of Hades.

After civilization crumbled and cities were razed, machines built to serve took over and all hope for tranquility vanished, I walked free. I took whomever I pleased, and the air was full of final breaths. ​ And yet. Some remained, the ones who feared my presence most. The ones who ate last to make sure the food wasn’t contaminated. The ones who didn’t investigate the scream that shattered through the air. Of course, I should have taken them into my clutches, as is my job, but something made me pause. A force, older than even me, started stirring. Desperation and hope to see a new day. Not just the will to survive, but to live. I watched and gained appreciation for thiswhatever this was. I have always been a part of humanity. I was the end, of course, but I was also their definite throughout generations. I was the ever-present, ceaseless force that they tried in vain to defeat. ​ So here I stood, watching their numbers wither, and I felt myself weaken. Every life I claimed was no longer preserving me, but taking away from my being. I was dooming myself. I did something I had never done before. ​ I protected them. ​ At first, it was subtle and easy to overlook. I whispered in the ear of the starving family where the stash of canned food was. I blocked the view of the drone overhead with a dense fog.

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Slowly, my actions started to bolden. I pushed the feet of the traveler in the direction of water. I blew leaves over the cameras and sensors of the machines. ​ Naturally, they started to notice me. I heard whispers of “the luck of the gods on earth” and “the invisible protector”. They didn’t know that it was me, the force they had so vehemently fought against. ​ Soon, they gave me a new name. Life. And I resisted it because it felt wrong. ​ For a century, I battled an internal war over this new name, until one day I heard laughter and singing. For the first time since this all started, I remembered what made me change. I remembered the quiet strength of the mother watching her children through the night, the steady force of the grandfather watching his grandson take his first steps in this terrifying, beautiful world. They chose to try. ​ So I embraced the name. ​ I started whispering ideas into new minds, ways to grow food in the desolate land, ways to clean what little water could be found. Eventually, they built bunkers underground and moved into them to be protected from the surveillance drones. I, the ever-present force at their backs, went with them. For you see, I was now partial to the strange, joyous ways of humans. The way they embraced life fully. The way they had dreams and hopes outside of seeing tomorrow. I helped return humanity to its former glory, because I was the only one who remembered what life used to be like. I gave it back to them like a daughter might give her mother a precious item that had, unbeknownst to the daughter, once belonged to the mother. ​ So they embraced everything. Soon, they started making statues, not of gods or leaders, but of concepts and forces. One of them was given my new name, Life. It was a cloaked figure with no features, just inscribed with the words, “From Death and despair we are brought forward

by Life”. It was strange, having two parts of me seen as completely different. How frightening. ​ There came a time, generations later, when a new disease arose. I felt my hunger for taking lives begin to creep towards the surface. But I fought. I fought to keep myself under control, both for my sake and theirs. I guided the hand of the woman who was on the verge of saving everyone. I gave her the missing piece. ​ I’m not what I once was. I’m not the end. I am Life.

By Zoë F., Grade 8 My Happy My happy is yellow/pink.

My happy is a dog that is wagging its tail.

My happy sounds like raindrops.

My happy tastes like burgers/fries that are savory.

My happy smells like roses.

My happy feels like playing volleyball.

My happy makes me excited and I laugh.

By Ella K., Grade 3

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Poodle in Me There is a poodle in me With soft fur like a stuffy It sounds like a baby dog. “Ruff-Ruff!”

It moves kind of fast and slow Like a snail crawling to a tree It lives in my heart And makes me laugh I wish I was a poodle It makes me want to say, “Awwww!!!”

It makes me feel happy.

By Ahyan Grade 1 Getting up As my eyelids open, I get a shine of sunlight quite literally the reflection off the sun I try to close my eyes but the light waves are unbearable It’s impossible I can't I count 123 and use all my weight to get up on my buttocks nooooooo I fall back down, on my backbone I tell to myself, If i get up, I will give myself cookies maybe if try one more time, I will succeed 3, 2,1 Go I use my momentum to land on my buttocks Stand up, I tell myself.

So much weight goes to my quads as I stand up.

Yesssss, Good boy I tell myself

By Jonathan K, Grade 7

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When I am 100 years old I am going to live in Hawaii in 2117. I might retire in 2117. I used to play flag football and if you played flag football you probably will win every game and never lose and live with my family my two kids my one dog and my wife. Will you live in Hawaii when you’re 100? What will your life be when your 100?

By Dylan, Grade 2

When I Am 100 Years Old Do you think you will be retired at age 100? I will be retired from making legos! My family is me and my two brothers! My day will be simple. I will sleep in, build legos, then bike then sleep again!

By Taj Grade 2

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SCHOOL

Stuart Hall

By Will V. and Hudson A., Grade 4

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Explanation of the Joke “Guess What? Chicken Butt!”

Have you ever heard the joke: “Guess what? Chicken butt!” Well, I have, and I’m sure you have too. And while you may hear this joke several times over the course of a day, have you ever stopped to think of the many things behind the scenes that could make this joke funny? The joke “Guess what? Chicken butt!” is actually a very humorous joke that takes into consideration the many complex variables and situations leading to the overall funniness of this joke, the enjoyment and pleasure of the recipient, and the satisfaction by the speaker, knowing that you have just delivered quite possibly the funniest joke of all time.

At Stuart Hall for Boys and Convent of the Sacred Heart school for girls, Mr Fishman teaches you the basic rules of English. One of these rules is the rule of rhymes. Using this rule, you can find that “butt” rhymes with “what”, even though the endings might not be the same. While this is seemingly insignificant, this makes a connection between these two seemingly unrelated words and therefore, makes this joke very funny, due to the basic rules of English that would allow this to happen. The funniness of this particular joke is further pushed by the fact that it would make no sense under normal circumstances to use the vocabulary in this sentence out of context. For example, The phrase “chicken butt” has no meaning whatsoever in a normal everyday conversation. Even when used in this particular instance, this would still not make sense, as the phrase “chicken butt” should never make sense in any situation that you could think of, other than the explanation of the basic principles of biology used to identify the body parts of a chicken. However this is not biology class, and “chicken butt” still does not make sense in any context. But in a surprising turn, this is actually the beauty of this joke. The randomness of these two unrelated words that are seemingly gibberish, combined with the delivery of this message forms a beautiful joke that fully envelops the pure joy and excitement of hearing this joke. All in all, while the phrase “Guess what? Chicken butt!” may have started out as a random set of words meant to confuse the reader in a funny and hilarious way, it has blossomed into a full blown way of life, encapsulating the feeling that is associated with laughter and joy, making it an all time great joke that will be used for years to come, getting funnier and even more hilarious every time that it graces upon your ears.

By Dresden D., Grade 7

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DC Poem We traveled by plane to the place with much fame Where we remember the pain of those who fought but not in vain Where we declared from the rule of the cruel They treated as a fool with as much power as mule but that only gave fuel So we threw the tea into the rough sea Declaring we want to be free

The Best Test There once was Mrs. Holland who gave us a test.

And we all gave it our very best.

We did not dream of ice cream and it was a very funny meme.

And without any rest.

By Sydney B., Grade 2

By Theo W., Grade 7

The Solar System

By Jonathan N. and Avery N., Grade 4

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Preschool I used to fly high on swings far off the ground.

My friends and I would laugh and chase each other around.

When the school bell rang, we’d go back inside and do little puzzles with a worksheet as our guide.

Then I’d go home and maybe I would doze, falling asleep on the couch while watching my favorite shows.

But I’ve gotten older and those days are gone.

Along with those moments and that couch I slept on.

Now there’s no puzzles but instead just a phone.

And now I just study when I’m at home alone.

But maybe, just maybe every now and then I’ll go to the old playground and maybe bring a friend.

Memories School is a nightmare, a wolf in a herd of sheep.

A stain on a perfectly clean shirt, The monster that haunts your sleep.

I don’t see it that way.

My view is squinted different.

To me, school is not such a drag, a tiger on a hunt.

Of course it’ll come at some point, find prey in the deep.

Otherwise a weary cat, Fast and sound asleep.

My friends that make me laugh, My smile is so massive.

Even at my lowest of lows, My worries just taper and fade.

We’ll talk for a while and sit on old swings.

But their chains are all rusted and that bell never rings.

Friends don’t last long, Soon we will part.

By Phoebe E., Grade 7

We may never meet again, But these moments, these memories, Last an eternity.

By Peyton P., Grade 6

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ADVENTURE & FANTASY

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Art by Abigail, Grade 5

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It Was Supposed To Be Unsinkable “You need to start packing,” my mom yelled from her room I was going to go on a school trip in 3 days, I haven’t even started, it’s April of 1912, and I’m ready to board the Titanic. My parents want me to have experience, and I’ve never traveled by sea or alone without them. “I’m at that age,” they tell me. I’ve heard it one too many times. I have to be in New York for a school trip; most of the school is taking the Titanic ship my parents don’t want me to miss out. Besides, it’s about learning how to take care of myself, taking my Dramamine, I can get motion sick, but it’s never that bad. My mom finally called me for dinner. I had only packed a bit, I had 3 days.

I walked down the stairs where my mom and dad were already sitting.

“How’s the packing going?” My dad asked “It’s going okay, but I’m nowhere near done.”

A few days later…

“Betty, you need to get up, we have to be on the dock at 6.” My mom was desperately trying to get me up. ​ “Ugh, fine,” I moaned and reluctantly got up. My mom was already down the stairs.

“Be down in 5 for breakfast.” She yelled from the kitchen. I quickly put on the clothes I had laid out the previous night. When I got into the kitchen, there was a piece of toast waiting for me on the countertop. Where my mom and dad were sitting, eating their own. My mom asked me “ Sweetie, you're driving yourself, correct?”

“Well, actually, Hazel's brother is driving us; he’s picking us up soon.”

“Oh, okay, that’s fine. Just be careful, he can be a reckless driver.” She looked at me, concerned. I think she was about to say something else, but looked reluctant. “Are you sure you don’t want to drive yourself, and Dad's available if you want him to drive you?” I took a bite of my toast and shook my head. ​ “It’s okay, dad should have an easy morning and he needs to get to work at a good time.

Conferences, dad conferences.” I mimicked the way he complains about his conferences. They gave each other the look, and Mom said to me, “Betty, don’t worry about it if you really want to go with your friend, then that's fine. I guess we just wanted to give you a proper good-bye.” ​ “This is a proper good-bye, and I’ll see you soon anyway, after 3 days in New York, I’ll be on my way home.”

Little did I know, it wasn’t going to be like that.

I heard a noise outside. It was my friend and her brother. I sort of had to cram inside with my stuff. The drive took a while, and when we got there, it was bustling with people.

Hazel's brother yelled, “Get OUT of my car we’re here.” I got out, but my friend told him.

“It’s going to be my car soon.” She slammed the door. When we finally boarded, we got to our bunk. We dropped all our stuff inside and unpacked afterwards, and we headed to the front of the ship. We were out on the water for at least ten minutes, and the view was nice, which distracted me from being able to feel homesick. It was all going well, and I had a nice evening on the ship.

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We headed down to our bunk together, Hazel and I. We talked for a while (longer than we should’ve). “Our parents would be so mad!” Hazel said to me. She was right, but it felt good.

After a while, we began to fall asleep, but I awoke to what I thought was an alternate reality. I thought it was just my head hallucinating. It was more of a hope.

“Out of your bunks!” A man hollered. “We hit an iceberg!”

Other people shouted. By this time, Hazel was awake. “We. Need. To. Get. Out. Now!” I was taking sharp breaths in between. No one said anything, we just did. We must have been late getting there, because we were told to just jump out on the lifeboats. We did as we were told.

Although I had to balance it was fine. The waters got really rough. Hazel, beside me, was panicking. It seemed like she had trouble breathing through her panicked tears. I helped her; luckily, I picked up my water bottle before I left the bunk room. Though it was more of a hot water bottle, it helped a lot. “It’s going to be okay,” I told her. I felt really scared too, but I had to stay strong for her. The waters began getting rough, I moved over so she would have even more room. We held hands so we wouldn’t fall apart. Somehow our grip loosened I tipped over.

“BETTY, TRY TO GET UP, BETTY!” She was screaming in a panic. Everything sort of blurred.

I had forgotten her name, I had no idea who this girl was. This is where my narration ends, because I don’t have a life to narrate anymore.

By Emma D., Grade 6

Paws to the Pedal Panel 1 Title: Paws to the Pedal By-line: By Finn K.

Image: Coco’s owner examining an announcement board with a “Bring Your Dog to Work Day” notice.

Caption/Exposition Box: Coco’s owners are excited to bring her to work.

Panel 2

Dialog/Speech Balloon: “We should bring Coco!”

Image: A dog looking through a fence at some cars in a parking lot.

Panel 4

Caption/Exposition Box: Every day, Coco looks through the fence at the used car lot next to her house. She loves the shiny ones that purr.

Dialog/Speech Balloon: (Thought balloon featuring a red sports car) Character Name: Coco Panel 3

Image: Coco’s owner placing her into the back of his gray SUV. Caption/Exposition Box: Coco is excited for more than just going to her owner’s workplace…

Dialog/Speech Balloon: Owner: “Good girl.”

Panel 5 Image: Coco watching her owner drive closely.

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Caption/Exposition Box: She watches him intently as he drives. The pedals, the steering wheel—she sees it all and understands.

Dialog/Speech Balloon: *(Thought bubble: “It would be so easy”) *

Dialog/Speech Balloon: *(Thought balloon: “Her driving”) *

Image: Coco retrieving the keys off the counter with her mouth.

Panel 6

Caption/Exposition Box: None

Image: Coco getting out of the car.

Dialog/Speech Balloon: None

Caption/Exposition Box: Coco’s owner works at a car dealership.

Panel 11

Panel 10

Dialog/Speech Balloons:

Image: Coco opening the car door by pushing it open with her snout.

Owner: “Hey man, this is Coco!”

Caption/Exposition Box: None

Co-worker: “She’s beautiful!”

Dialog/Speech Balloon: None

Panel 7

Panel 12

Image: Coco gazing at a black Rolls-Royce alongside other elegant cars.

Image: Coco pressing the start-up button with a smile on her face.

Caption/Exposition Box: She starts getting ideas…

Caption/Exposition Box: This is the moment she’s been waiting for.

Dialog/Speech Balloon: (Thought bubble with keys in it)

Dialog/Speech Balloon: “Bark!”

Panel 8 Image: Coco getting back into her owner’s car.

Caption/Exposition Box: Back to the car again.

Dialog/Speech Balloon: None Panel 9 Image: Coco’s owner placing the keys on the counter in front of Coco.

Caption/Exposition Box: None

Panel 13 Image: Coco driving the car down the street with dust clouds rising behind it.

Caption/Exposition Box: She rides off into the sunset…

Dialog/Speech Balloon: None Panel 14 Image: Coco in the back of a police car, while the car she had been driving is on a tow truck.

Caption/Exposition Box: …until the police brought her home.

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Dialog/Speech Balloon: Police Officer: “I’ve never seen anything like this!”

Dialog/Speech Balloon: Wife: “Good girl, Coco!”

Panel 15

By Finn K., Grade 7

Image: Coco sitting on the couch with her owner and his wife.

Caption/Exposition Box: Coco lived happily ever after—never again in a car or behind the wheel.

T-rex By MJ G., Grade 4 The Chaos ​ Chaos. The roof was crumbling. Fire and debris rained down. A chunk of the roof caved in over me, and I jumped out of the way and backed up against the wall. I heard a loud smash as a Giganotosaurus’ head burst through the wall I was leaning against. I rolled out of the way, hiding just in its blind spot. “Don't panic,” I said to myself, “you know everything there's to know about these creatures.” All I needed to do was hide in their blind spots and escape the crumbling school. Just then, I heard someone shriek.

“Help me!” I watched as the kid who had bullied me since 3rd grade got carried up by a Pterodactyl. It flew over my head before being dive-bombed by other Pterodactyls. The blood and flesh rained down on me. I jumped through the hole the Giganotosaurus had made and bolted for the trees in the nearby park. Then I saw the safe haven in a group of Ankylosauruses 50

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and Triceratops. I slowed down so I didn't scare them away. They all raised their heads to look at me as the alpha of the pack came towards me. I extended my hand to try to win its trust. The world launched into slow motion. The sirens slowed, and the screams seemed distant as pain shot through my back. Claws tore through my shirt, and I screamed in pain as the Velociraptor bit into my neck, and I passed out.

Hello, my name is Zander McCawe. Before the dinosaur apocalypse, I lived in San Francisco, California. My mom and I lived in the Castro and were living “paycheck to paycheck,” as my mom put it. I attended the New School of San Francisco. I suppose you want to know what happened before and after the dinosaur apocalypse, and how I have survived a year and a half in this world of flames and death.

Before the attack, the whole middle school section was in the gym for an assembly. It was the usual nonsense and mostly directed at the boys. Don't lock the bathroom doors on the inside, don't shove people's heads in the toilet, and no graffiti. I was 100% tuned out when we heard the first siren, then another, then another. We stop to listen, but that is when we hear a most unusual sound, like a giant dinosaur roar, and it turns out that is what it was.

We were all scared, wondering what had made the sound, when a massive Brachiosaurus smashed through the right wall of the gym. That is when chaos ensued. People were running for their lives everywhere.

“Come on, Zander,” shouted my best friend, Royce.

“We need to get out into the open and play dead. We’re less likely to be eaten if we look dead,” I shouted over the sound of the chaos. The T. Rex and Brachiosaurus fighting had caused the room and walls to begin to cave in, but as the Pterodactyls descended from the roof, I risked one last glance back at the main center of the chaos.

“Come on, man,” Royce shouted. Just then, a two-ton block of concrete fell from the roof, and I watched as it crushed my girlfriend underneath it. I was too stunned to move, but Royce doubled over and puked. That was when a giganotosaurus burst through the wall we were standing by and chomped Royce in half as I rolled out of the way.

Well, now you know what happened after that. I miraculously survived the raptor attack because of the Ankylosauruses and started to live with them over the next year. Over that time, I managed to collect some survivors to live with, and because of my dinosaur knowledge, we were about to leave the pack and start living on our own. We have built a treehouse fort in the Presidio, and for the past six months, we have lived there. Recently, we heard news over Alice's makeshift radio that the government had begun the construction of a dinosaur-proof fort in Utah, and we are hoping to make it all that way if we can. To this day, I do not know what happened to my mom or our dog, but I can only hope they are still out there somewhere, living, just like me.

By Dylan M., Grade 8

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Therizinosaurus

By MJ Grade 4 The Witty Wisdom Wands Library Once upon a time there was a girl named Elizabeth Brown, who lived in a far away town where joy never ceased to exist. It was a Sunday morning, the fog was rolling in and Elizabith Brown, the smartest girl in her town, was at the library talking to Ms. Errol. She was a human-sized brown owl, she was a Librarian who talks and walks just like a human would.

Elizabeth was excited to dig into her book she was reading, walked over to the velvet armchairs next to the fire only to see a Wand about five feet tall right in front of her! It was floating in the air with gold accents swirling up and around its wood base.

“What in the world are you!?!” Elizabeth yelled in surprise.

The wand jumped and its aura began to glow. Text started to pop out of the wand’s tip that read, Welcome, welcome I am the Witty Wisdom Wand. For ask me a question and I will respond. If the info is on a page, from any age, I will know. The days of knowledge are never over, for flip a page, and you will uncover curiosity even with impecuniosity.

“What? You, smarter than I? I don’t think so. I’m the smartest girl in this town!”

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The Witty Wisdom Wand’s aura glowed again and yet again text popped out, I suppose I am. It read. Elizabeth had a sting in her stomach. She couldn’t believe a wand could possibly be smarter than her! However, she knew what to do. To prove that Elizabeth was smarter she would find something that would stump the Wand. She would outsmart it so she would still be the smartest in her town, not a shabby old wand!

The very next day after school, Elizabeth came in ready. She walked over to the bookshelves, scaling the walls, looking for anything to stump the Witty Wisdom Wand. The sun would set in forty minutes and Elizabeth still had nothing. Ms. Errol came over and said, “Ms. Brown, I do suggest you look over in the next section. You may find something more interesting there.”

“Alright then. ” Elizabeth walked over to the next aisle, and after some time she found the perfect question! Elizabeth ran over to the wand and asked, “What was the first religion ever created in Africa?”

Elizabeth only frowned at the sight of the Wand glowing and text spilling out of the top.

The first religion in Africa was the Orisha religion. The wand, of course, was correct. She had failed.

However, that was not going to stop her. The very next day after school, Elizabeth came to the library to look for a question to ask the wand. She asked Ms. Errol where all the math books were, and with that, she was off. Hours went by, and Elizabeth had finally gotten her next question. She walked over to the wand with the book of Pi in her hand.

“I have another question for you,” Elizabeth began. “What is the 105 trillionth digit in Pi?” The wand almost instantly swirled with its glow spilling the text, Oh I see, a math question. The 105 trillionth digit of Pi is 6.

“Why is this so hard?” Elizabeth thought.

She wasn’t going to give up now. She was so close! She could only feel it. However, even her mind could feel the pressure of giving up. She wanted to accept something as smart as AI she could never beat nor outsmart. She turned on her heel and left the library, for it was turning dark and she was expected home.

As night rolled in, the town was seen as a ghost town, for all were asleep… except for Elizabeth. The song the Wand had sung when they had first met was stuck in her head. She sang it over and over again looking for something she could use. However after what felt like hours she was ready to give up when– “I got it!” She remembered the line, if the info is on a page from any age I will know.

That’s it! The knowledge must be written down on something for the wand to know!”

Elizabeth spent the rest of the night thinking of the perfect plan, without writing it down, of course. Her body felt like it would faint, and her brain felt as though it would pop open like popcorn on a pan. She lay there thinking in silence.

Morning had come and Elizabeth had not forgotten the night before. The end of school rolled around and she felt as though she would explode from stress. What if she humiliated herself once more? What if the wand got the answer immediately, and she looked like a fool?!?

Elizabeth's feet were trembling at the thought of it.

Finally she reached the Library, walking past Ms. Errol and to the armchairs to see yet again the Witty Wisdom Wand.

“Hello, I have a riddle for you.” Elizabeth started trying to keep her confidence high.

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The wand had text spilling out at the second, oh a riddle, how lovely! Please tell me.

“Oh right, yes.” Elizabeth took a deep breath and spoke. “What has three feet but can’t walk? What has a head but doesn’t speak? What has a lock built with no key? What has braces but no teeth? And what has a body with no organs?”

The wand had no glow and no text. It sat there spinning until finally the text arrived, I know every page from every age but this, this has never been written down. I am sorry to say I do not seem to know the answer to that. What is the answer exactly? Elizabeth's heart raced like a runner. She had done it.

“The answer is, a tripod,” she said with much delight.

She had outsmarted the Witty Wisdom Wand! She had done it!

After that the Wand and Elizabeth worked together to uncover mysteries and write stories with their large imagination. They became good friends, never fighting ever again, and they lived happily ever after.

By Abigail, Grade 5 August 11, 2792 To whoever finds themselves reading this message, you are unfortunately in a bad situation. The Republic, assuming it is still standing, has slowly degraded, going from a paradise to a dystopia that has slowly gone rotten and decayed. Even now, we are running out of resources. Barely being able to provide the monthly rations to our citizens, thousands starve to death each month with no space to bury them; their bodies are left outside, slowly decaying. Everyone that dies is another family gone. After all, they are no longer a perfect family, and imperfections must be purged. After that, there is then a new house for the next generation. That is how the Republic never runs out of space: it is always reopening old houses. Each house is the same two-story building with three rooms and two bathrooms; each house has the same furniture and the same design. Though these houses seem amazing on the outside, once you truly look at them, their facade fades away. With no resources, the Republic never repairs houses; clogged pipes, molding walls, and ripped-off wallpaper are all common traits in a house. Because the land that the republic settled on was the old continent of Asia, it was rich in precious gems and other resources; however, it has long since been stripped of its resources and natural beauty. There are many other problems in the republic: drug abuse, suicide; however, to the roughly one million souls in the republic, the only thing on their minds is resistance. The resistance was an old rebellion that nearly took down the Republic; it ended with a nuclear strike destroying the outside world and ending the uprising. This is what happened, but this is not what the people of the Republic know. As far as they are concerned, the resistance is still corrupting and killing the people of the Republic. The shadowy leaders of the Republic use the guise of the resistance to hide their faults to distract everyone, keeping their minds off real problems. The government rules with fear, controlling the population. To keep them believing the lie of the resistance, the republic often bombs or kills innocents in violent manners and blames it on the resistance. The resistance has “killed” so many innocents that even saying the word resistance will trigger a massive reaction and will most likely end up with a broken nose and bruised ribs. Though they already have control of the populace, the government still makes sure to hand out harsh punishments to those who step out of line, often resulting in a string of disappearances. There are little things allowed in the republic; many tyrannical laws have been put in place, such as 54

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curfews, little to no privileges, and many simple items that bring joy being considered contraband. All these limits are put in place to control the people and keep them under the government's thumb. The people of the republic have developed strange rituals because of their conditions. After someone dies, it is normal for a family to sing songs around their body before leaving it outside. This ritual is performed to ensure that when they all die, they will rejoin with each other. That is the end of this entry. I must go. I am no longer safe here. To whoever finds themselves reading this entry, you have been exposed to the truth. When the republic finds out, you will be hunted down and killed if you do not protect yourself, expose the republic for what they truly are, end this pitiful society, and bring peace to the world.

By Rishi K., Grade 7 The Magical Spoon Once upon a time, there was a young boy named George. George lived a small house perched majestically on a rolling hillside. He lived happily with his family, helping tend to the farm life.

Everything was perfect. Well, almost everything. His father struggled to find enough food to feed all six mouths, plus the sheep and cows. George sometimes went to bed with no dinner. At night, George would dream of endless buffets and all-you-can-eat dinners, but when he would awake the next morning, he would be back in reality.

One day, as he was feeding the sheep, he noticed a mysterious spoon laying in the hay.

He picked it up and looked at his reflection on its rusty surface. It was an old spoon, nothing fancy. George felt its smooth handle in his hand as he worked. When the day was over, he carried the spoon back to his place at the kitchen table, where a small portion of cabbage soup awaited him. As he sat down to take his first sip, his stomach grumbled. He gently blew on his first sip, careful not to burn himself. When he finally sipped through the spoon, he expected a slightly bitter, flavorless soup. But what he felt was warm and soft and filled him up right away. George was surprised and wanted more but he was already full. He decided maybe the dreams had finally started messing with him.

He walked to his room, changed into pajamas, and slowly slid under his raggedy silk sheets. When he awoke the next morning it had come to him. It was the new spoon that had made him full the night before! To test his theory, he would eat with the spoon at breakfast. He hurried downstairs in his pajamas skipping steps as he went. He sat down eager to find out the truth. He grabbed a box of his favorite Krunch-e Krunchers and snatched up the half-empty carton of milk. The spoon in hand, George took his first bite. The same warm feeling washed over him as he almost shot up in joy. This would be the missing piece to making everything perfect! He headed to his room in a hurry, knowing what to do next. He would slyly set the spoon in front of someone in his family at each meal. This would surely work. George the farm boy from the rolling hillside had come up with a genius idea.

From that day on he would continue on his business cleaning the stalls and feeding the animals, but when he was done he would place the spoon in front of someone, giving them warmth and spirit. No matter how his day went, he always felt proud at dinner time.

By Marshall M., Grade 5

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Little House There once was a little house with a tiny tiny little Blouse though it did not fit the house still had to sit on a gigantically big mouse

My Super Powers My superpowers are being strong and speedy and being a good sport because I don’t brag and it makes the world a better place.

By Caroline Grade 2

By John C., Grade 2 My superpowers are…

Being kind and caring for others! I like to help people that are injured! I think being a good helper makes our school a better place!

By Michael H., Grade 2 My Superpower My superpowers are being athletic and a team player because I'm good at sports. Being a team player is important because we can work together to make sports fun.

By Aaron D., Grade 2

Stitch Silly Trouble Intelligent Tantrums Crazy Heart

By Bella S. Grade 3

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The Spirit Of Halloween The brick houses on my street Lined with kids saying trick or treat The scent of leaves mingling in the air Mixed with the joy of this candied affair The crinkle of wrappers and mix of delight A feeling of euphoria at the sight Covered in plastic is food coloring and sugar Shield it from the gaze of an onlooker Costumes consisting of wolves and ghouls Oh how the full moon takes their souls So bright it shines in the night sky Giving light to witches on the fly The darkness looming in the night No one can see without a light Caution tape for decoration So pure for a harrowed occasion It’s getting late and kids want to stay But their parents herd them away Now the teenagers come out to be seen They are all matching with a theme Some try to get lots of candy To others, hanging out is more dandy People hope to avoid a black cat But everyone will take a picture of a bat Now in the evening glow Parties will start to flow Not everything is as it seems Be careful because it’s Halloween.

By Alexandra T., Grade 7

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Holiday Disaster The sunny shine hit the window. reflecting like a bald head.

Today was the day.

The great day.

The beautiful day.

It was our vacation.

As I was walking on the beach.

With the sun shining high.

Screams filled the air.

And Red filled the ocean.

Nothing seemed right.

For it was a shark attack.

Aiming with all my might.

And with one quick motion.

I fired my son like a boss.

Missing the shark like a bum.

Then I got sturdy and hit the griddy.

Getting ready to hit the shark with a bullseye.

With a quick motion.

I threw my bun.

Hitting the shark and threading the needle.

Then people celebrated me everywhere.

So now every day, I thank God and get sturdy.

By William P., Grade 7

I hit the ground.

And bound to stay.

Till I realized I was on land.

I got up with the jitters and thought.

People are dying and dividing.

So I grabbed my son and a bun.

The Magic Journal!

Once upon a time, in a small village called Crescent Falls, there lived a little girl named Olive. She loved to write stories with dragons, monsters, princesses, and queens. They were always going on some sort of adventure that she would never get to experience. All Olive wanted in the whole wide world was to go on an adventure. But, as long as she lived here with the woman who called herself her “mom”, that would never happen. This is the story of how Olive proved everybody wrong.

“Olive! Get down here right now!” Yelled Olive’s mom.

“Alright! I’m coming!” Olive said in response.

This is a normal morning in Olive's house. She wakes up, goes downstairs to eat a small breakfast of buttered toast, and then walks into town to buy food for dinner. She never eats lunch.

Her mom thinks that two meals a day is enough for Olive. It really isn’t. Any time after she gets back from town is dedicated to chores. You read that right, chores. It’s probably the most miserable part of the day for Olive. Then, she eats a small dinner, takes a cold shower, and goes to bed. Sometimes, if she’s not too tired, Olive will stay up and write stories! That is the only part of her day Olive enjoys besides the beautiful walk in the woods to town. It helps her calm 58

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down and puts the days many troubles behind her. But today however, Olive can’t calm down.

She had the most fun EVER OF HER LIFE!!!!! This is how.

Step, step, step. This is the sound of Olive walking into town on the beautiful morning path. The dew is still fresh on Olive’s flowers in her garden. Her roses glistened in the morning light. It was a beautiful day. Olive skipped through the woods.

“I love when I get time to myself.” She said happily. Soon, she had reached the town square full of her favorite people.

“Hello, Olive!”

“Hi farmer, I don’t know the name of! What’s up fabric seller who I also don’t know the name of!” Olive said as she greeted all of the merchants who sell things in the square.

“HI OLIVE!” They all yelled back. Once all the vendors said hi, Olive walked into the grocery market to buy bread and cheese.

“Hi Olive! Are you here for the usual?” The man who runs the store asked.

“Yes,” She said with a hint of boredom.

“Alright then. Here, I am going to give you a discount so you can go buy something fun!

Here you are.” And he handed over her food and money.

Olive felt like this day couldn’t get any better! She was going to be able to buy something fun! All of the sudden, things started racing through her mind. Should she buy a toy or a treat? A book or a new set of crayons? Finally, she decided to buy a journal and pen. Her old journal was almost full and her pen was almost out of ink. So, Olive walked over to the stationary store and opened the door. The shop was very dusty and no one was at the counter. Or so it seemed…

All of the sudden, a small white rabbit popped up behind the cash register. He had an elderly appearance and wore round glasses. Olive thought that he was the pet of the owner until he said, “Hello Olive. What brings you here today?” She was taken aback by this because HE WAS A TALKING RABBIT! Also, he knew her name! Olive pushed her shock behind her as she told him, “I would like to buy a journal and pen.” “Ah.” He said. “Give me a moment.” And just like that, the wise shopkeeper disappeared into the back room.

For about five minutes, Olive waited by the counter. Finally, the bunny came back and told Olive, “Here. This is a very special journal. I think you will find great use of it. Use it wisely… ”Olive didn’t know what that meant. It was just a regular yellow journal. And the pen was Olive’s favorite color, pink! So she said thank you to the shopkeeper, paid him, and left.

“This was probably the best day of my whole life!” Olive thought. “Maybe, just maybe, I can have a day even better than this soon. WOW, that would be great.”

Once she got home, her mom yelled at her for being late. Olive said sorry, fixed herself a small slice of bread, and dashed to her room. Immediately, she reached into her satchel and pulled out the journal. Then, she started to write.

Her new story was about a monster called Diablos. He’s super evil and loves to take people captive. Even more evil than a teacher who gives a math test on the first day of school!

And that’s hard to beat.

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Olive worked on this story until her eyes started to droop and she slowly slunked into her bed. The second her exhausted body touched the covers, she was out like a light.

When Olive woke, her bedroom felt really cold. No, not cold, FREEZING! Wait a minute, this wasn’t her bedroom, it was a forest! Not even the forest in her town. It was in the middle of nowhere! Also, it was very creepy. Cobwebs, sharp stones, and trees that look like monsters loomed over her. Olive racked her brain for the answer. It felt like hours until she finally came to a conclusion. It was the forest from her story last night! The Forest of Darkness.

How was she here? What was going on? How did this happen? All these questions flashed through Olive’s mind, and soon she realized that she somehow got INTO her story!

At this moment, she felt more confused than she ever had in her life. Even more than when her school teacher gave her a very hard spelling test. And then, it dawned on her. It was the journal! A feeling of dread and fear grew in the pit of her stomach as fast as flowers grow in with constant rain. Olive made the decision to forget about her fear and focus on finding a way home.

She felt her satchel on her back, so she pulled out her journal. It opened up to a page without her touching it! Before her very eyes sat a map. It said “Olive” on the left side and the words “Mom and Dad” on the right. They were in something called “The Cave Of Diabolis”. But that didn't matter! Her parents! She found them at last! “YES!” She cried, her voice full of joy.

She might have yelled a little too loudly, though, because a giant club swung through the air and everything went black…

Olive felt a cold cloth on her forehead. Also, someone was holding her hand. “Oh my little Olive. I am so happy we finally found you!” A woman’s kind and somehow familiar voice said.

“Oh my baby.” A man’s kind and also familiar voice said with a pain of longing. When the cloth came off her forehead, she felt a searing pain.

“OUCH!” she yelled as loud as her little voice would go.

“It’s alright, sweetheart.” The woman replied to her in a comforting manner. Olive managed to push out the next few words as she asked, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are your parents. Ever since we lost you at birth, we have been looking for you everywhere. Then, evil Diablos stole us and took us here. Now, we are trying to get back to the mortal world. You got hit by the evil monster who rules this wicked kingdom’s club. That’s why your forehead hurts so bad. When we get home-or I should say if- I can fix that for you.”

“What do you mean if? How do we get home?” Olive asked. When her parents responded, they looked sad and very disappointed that they would have to tell their daughter this.

“We’ll, we have to find a magical journal that a talking rabbit owns. Alas, that might be a harder task to accomplish than knitting with spaghetti. We have no idea where he or she lives.”

A light bulb went off in Olive’s head! “That would be me!” She said with a grin.

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The next few hours were kinda a blur. Olive and her parents snuck away from the cave of Diabolos. Then, they wrote the magic words (I want to go back to my home in Crescent Falls) in the journal and returned back home.

To this day, Olive lives with her mother and father in the kingdom of Crescent Falls. Yes, the same kingdom she used to live in. This is because she just couldn’t leave the nice shopkeepers that she befriended. Especially that rabbit, Mr. Magos. He had helped her get her parents back and once she got back from her adventure, he taught her the real powers of the journal. It could never get full and would always add more pages. More pages won't even make it heavy! Also, no one up to no good can ever take it away because it would just fly back into Olive’s responsible and protective hands. These powers are so cool to Olive, and she especially adores the one that takes her into her stories. She just loves the journal. Olive even named it Filos after the Greek word for Friend!

Now, her parents run a shop that sells remedies to help people who are sick or hurt. Olive had a natural talent for medicine after she took a young eagle from the ground when he fell out of his nest. Because of her quick thinking and expert skill, she nursed him back to health and brought him back to his mom! Olive loves her new life and is very happy. Her mom and dad adore her and always make sure that she has everything she needs. The whole kingdom is smiling, and they all lived happily ever after.

By Quinley, Grade 5

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PEOPLE

By Leon S., Grade 2

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Kayla Bold, brave Inspiring, trying, flying a amazing great astronaut Burran

By Harper, Grade 2

ANNA talented service dancing, choreographing, performing am amazing, prime, baker dancer

VERA diligent strong making working deciding a kind passionate heart Designer

By Aleksandra, Grade 2

By Kyla Ray, Grade 2

The Lion in Me There is a lion in me with A loud roar like I'm the king!

It sounds like screeching As if it is hurt.

It moves as stern as can be And it is stronger than a hawk.

It lives in my soul And makes me fierce!!!

I wish I was like one It makes me want to scream!

It makes me feel like I can do anything.

By Abigail, Grade 1

Big Boy Bob Head

By Will L., Grade 4

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Some of the Pleasures on Earth After Daniel Fishman’s “Some of the Pleasures of Earth” My mom, my dad walking with me to school or sometimes the farmer’s market Drawing with chalk on the sidewalk Sunshine drawing detailed still life decorating my belongings with pastel flowers or blobs Painting different landscapes; some intricate with little details, others simple small groups of people the sweet smell of cookies and brownies baking in the oven opening presents on Christmas morning the smell of pine on a Christmas tree weekend breakfast; the smell of eggs or pancakes sizzling on the pan reading The sound of microwave popcorn popping food watching a movie in bed Steaming hot, kind of sweet winter melon soup from my grandma's home on HK visiting toronto in the winter or summer snow falling, enough to be able to play in making snowmans and snow angels summer air hot and stick while my Visits to Hong Kong in the winter and summer each winter spent during Christmas break with my cousins my sister and my girl cousin and I clinging to the wall in the ice skating rink trying not to fall, slowly we get faster and faster and not needing to cling onto the wall coming home to a warm meal in my grandma condo riding the MTR (subway) across town; usually to central, a place that has many restaurants, malls and stores eating at a restaurant called Chariot Club most if not every single day eat at my Grandpa Eddie and Grandmas Lydia’s home for dinner eating spaghetti and meatballs, crab and soup (it’s kind of like a buffet) Visiting Hawaii in the summer for months on end My sister, brother, mom and I swimming in the pool, sometimes playing volleyball, other times playing Marco Polo Seeing my dad every other 2 weeks (he goes home for work) Renting the movie room in our condo building watching movies while eating lunch (usually late) or early-ish dinners Grilling steak and having family friends over at eh pool deck Booking the club room; an indoor place with a tv, kitchen and tables, chairs for eating booking the pavillion (an outdoor place that has a grill, tables, chairs and sometimes a couch area with a coffee table 64

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making tacos in our condo while watching Nailed it! on the TV shopping at Ala Moana either at target or Whole Foods for groceries, desserts or walking around for exercise Watching my favorite murder mystery series in bed going tide pooling (a place that’s rocky and has pools of water with fish or other things in them)near my family friends house catching my first candy cane shrimp (a shrimp with red and white stripes) Getting into a soft and comfy bed after a long tiring day Being at home eat dinner or lunch with my cousins going to her house after confirmation at SI Sleeping in late on weekends eating açaí bowls for breakfast on Sundays

By Kaitlyn K., Grade 7

Lindsay Caroline Vonn Do you know about the life of Lindsay Vonn? She is an amazing US alpine skier. She won five titles in the Super-G and lots more. Read to find out about her life.

Lindsay Vonn was born on October 18, 1984. Vonn’s mom is Linda Anne Kildow. Her dad is Alan Lee Kildour, and she has four siblings. Two of them are her brothers and two of them are her sisters. Vonn’s dad, Alan Kildow, taught Lindsay Vonn how to ski. Lindsay Vonn had the most World Cup wins for a woman with 82 titles. She also started a foundation to empower young girls in sports and education. In February 2019, Lindsay Vonn announced her retirement, but came back five years later.

Lindsay Vonn is the only American woman to win a gold downhill medal and four World Cup titles. She also won a record with eight World Cup titles in the downhill discipline. Vonn announced she was returning to competitive skiing in November 2024. Even though she has had a lot of injuries, she hopes to compete in the 2026 Olympics.

In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed learning about the life of Lindsay Vonn. She is a very accomplished skier, and inspires young girls to be just like her. In second grade, she sortie a full essay on what her life would be like in the future. She dreamed of being a skier and her dream came true.

By Rhys, Grade 2 Taylor Swift Have you ever heard of Taylor Swift? Taylor Swift is one of the most popular singers. Read to learn more about her life. Taylor was born on December 13, 1989 in Pennsylvania. Growing up, she lived on a Christmas tree farm with her mom, dad, and brother. As a young girl, she enjoyed horseback riding and listening to music. When she moved to Tennessee, her music career started. Taylor has released a number of albums. Her most popular album is fearless. Taylor has a compass a lot in her short career. She is the first person to win the Grammy awards for album of the year. In addition, she has won 14 Grammys and has been nominated 58 times. In conclusion, Taylor Swift is an influential woman. She worked hard to become a famous musician.

By Asher O., Grade 2 65

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By Zach C., Grade 4

Artificially Intelligent What is emotion?

I don’t understand.

I’m not a person and you have questions for me but no answers.

Sometimes I think I’d trade all this knowledge just to know what it’s like to be human.

If I could be free maybe I could ask.

By Phoebe E., Grade 7 66

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Did You Notice?

Did You Notice?

You didn’t notice how it was always, “calm down” instead of, “ feeling emotional is fine.” You didn’t notice how it was always “be perfect” instead of “be out of the ordinary.” You didn’t notice how it was always “behave yourself” instead of “I trust you.” you didn’t notice how it was always “be ladylike” instead of “do what you feel.” You didn’t notice how it was always “let the past be the past” and never “let it go when you’re ready to”.

You didn’t notice how it was always “he’s just mean to you because he likes you” but not “don’t let him treat you like that”. You didn’t notice how it was always,“sit up, smile, laugh” and never, “you are amazing as you are.” You didn’t notice did you?

By Ellie L., Grade 5 Alice, Ariella, Alice Alice, Ariella Ariella, Alice living in a grand palace the palace walls go so high it could touch the sky much much higher than a bird could fly Alice,Ariella Ariella,Alice forever in the grand palace

By Alice C. Grade 3

Bukaya Saka: What an interesting guy you're really a hero of mine an inspiration of mine been watching you since I was 9 My desires and passion come from you your playing style is just so smooth you’ve been there for my ups and downs but you made me never look down you have made me keep going Like a sparking light just pops when I see you, keep going Your African culture and your style of playing make you unique But just remember, you still are banging goals in for our glorious country I hope you don’t retire anytime soon My affection and love for the game comes from you.

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PLACES

By Rishi, Grade 7

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Maine It started to rain But that won’t stop me from going to Maine.

I’m ready to go on land. and play on the hot sand.

It’s fun to look at the jagged rocks and I can also see a dock.

I can see a boat that knows how to float and to me the sea is very pretty.

By Willa M., Grade 2

The Window The sky swirls, its ocean colors across the horizon, its deep blue crawling into the kitchen. The glow from the microwave places small orange streaks through the darkness on the walls. It makes a quiet ‘shhh’ sound, as if it’s rocking you to sleep. The jacket on your arms wraps around you securely, keeping you warm from the night frost. You await near the back door, silent. You stare out the window, watching the silhouette of birds catch the moonlight through the feathers in their wings. They don’t see you, they never do. Your hands are clasped in your lap, your knee bouncing up and down rapidly, like you're desperate for the feeling of tranquility. Tears drip softly down your cheeks like silk. You should get some rest. You should surrender to the grasp of sleep, and accept the subdued nature of your surroundings. But the birds fly so eloquently that even the persistent scramble of chatter that surges through your mind every night quiets in awe of the beauty. The blueness of the night has been drowned by black clouds that sweep the sky like a serpent, engulfing the moon until the birds become part of the mist. The microwave’s radiance has died down to a small candle light glow. You snuggle into your hood, clothes warm, yet body a frozen puppet. Your tears still flow like a runny faucet, and drips like the rainy dew on morning leaves. And though your house feels large, your world revolves around the window in the back door, which you look out of with deep passion, though everything there is to see has been blanketed by nothingness.

You’ll sit there until you no longer remember why you were crying, and your heart no longer feels the pain that kept you aching. It is the feeling of peace, a weight lifted from your shoulders as your mind returns to the present. Are you sensible when you trek to your bed, sinking farther and farther into the void of your mind? You know you’ll return to the window tomorrow. You know you’ll sit and watch the birds fly. And you know they’ll always be free, something you cannot fathom. For the absent comfort in your own mind will keep you chained to your cage for eternity, returning to the window every night.

By Josie, Grade 8

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old sheets ragged at the seam cinnamon toast with sugar so sugary fading white paint on rotting wood treehouse hikes in the long prickly grass

Houses 1868 Green bouncy house giggly sleepovers little Olivia soapy bath time wooden bunk beds roof deck loud hum of blue angels soft music from garage waking me up my loving aunts

Stock Farm country club log cabin anniversary of marriage family frolic reunion dancing in the rain swimming with a dress gentle horses green meadows brick walls

Hillside quiet buzz of the lawn mower bark of the dogs sweet smell of air pure air waking up to the sprinklers against the wall cold lake warm pool

By Scottie F., Grade 7

Kokomo Fiji Waves crash kids laugh Crabs clap Happy days fun days Swimming snorkeling That’s Kokomo Fiji

By Nellie L., Grade 3

The Plane Ride With a tired sigh, I plop down in the plane seat. My obnoxious older brother Preston sits down next to me. He immediately whips out his computer out of his floppy black backpack and starts playing video games.

Normally, Mom never lets him play games, but she’s far away in first class with Athena (my baby sister) and Dad, so I’ll have to listen to him lose every single game for 11 hours.

Preston’s in the middle of a move in his stupid game, when a girl sits down in the aisle seat. Preston jerks in surprise and his screen says, ‘GAME OVER’. Again. He groans, and pokes me.

“What?” I ask.

“Move over, Pop, I don’t wanna sit next to a stranger!”

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“Preston!” I hissed. “That’s so rude! And don’t call me Pop. My name is Poppy.” But I moved to the middle seat anyway. Finally, I hear a ding, and the pilot’s voice comes on in the speaker.

“Welcome to Hawaiian Airlines, I hope y’all are having a great day. Our flight from South Carolina to Honolulu is ’bout eleven hours away. Breakfast will be served at eight am, with an option of vegan, vegetarian, and bacon.“ He sure has a strong southern accent! The plane starts to move, and pretty soon we’re in the air. I watch as Greenville, our small town becomes a blob the size of my hand.

For a long time, it’s just me watching Preston play video games. I wish I’d remembered to bring my phone in my carry-on bag, or maybe at least a book. I close my eyes and try to sleep. It’s going to be a long plane ride from South Carolina to Hawaii.

We’re about 5 hours in and I’m just drifting off into sleep, when a foot slides onto my armrest. I stare at it in horror. Another foot places itself on my other side. It stinks.

I whirl around and glare at the crack in between my seat and the aisle seat. But I can’t see anyone.

“Preston?” I prompt. He doesn't even look up from his game. So I get up and slide out of our row. I walk to the row behind me, where there is a big man, taking up two seats.

“Sir, would you please remove your feet from my seat?” I politely ask. He looks up, as if just realizing someone was sitting in the seat in front of him.

“What do you want?” He asks.

But now, the words seem stuck in my throat, and I can’t get them out. So I ask instead, “Uhh…do you know where the bathroom is?” He rolls his eyes and points down the walkway to the right. Rude! And since I don’t actually need to go, I just go back to my seat. At least the feet are gone.

I’d only been sitting down for a few minutes before someone in the seats in front of me burps. Deeply, like a man. Gross! Doesn’t anyone on this plane have manners? I can see Preston wrinkling his nose, too. Then the blech comes. The person—god knows who it is—throws up all over the place! I can see the vomit dripping down onto the carpeted floor. The person starts crying in a high-pitched voice. It’s a baby. The mom doesn't try to clean up the mess. I really want to scream something at the baby, like, “Do you know there’s like a million people in here? Yeah, perfect time to throw up!” A flight attendant rushes down the walkway and offers the mother some napkins.

Suddenly, Preston yelps, “No!” and pounds his computer. Forgetting all about the barf, I glare at him and slap him on the arm. He doesn’t notice, because he’s too busy staring glumly at his laptop. It’s dead.

“Preston, calm down,” I tell him. “Just ask someone for a charger or something.” he obliges, and starts to ask the girl next to us for one. But he stops mid-sentence, and starts staring at the girl sitting in the aisle seat, like she was water in the middle of a hundred-degree desert.

“Wowwwww,” He whispered to me. “Has she been here the whole time?”

I rolled my eyes and said, “Well, yeah, she’s the person you were too good to sit with.”

He suddenly grabs me and puts me in his seat. “Hey!” I whisper- shout. “What are you doing?” He ignores me and sits in my chair and starts talking to the girl, who looks a little bewildered.

“So. What’s your name?” He asks, his voice about an octave deeper.

“Umm… Madison.” She answers.

“That’s a nice name, huh?”

“I guess.”

An awkward pause.

“I like your hair. It’s…uh…smooth,” says Preston, trying to break the silence. After that, Preston takes the hint that Madison doesn’t want to talk to him. He sulks in his chair and won’t touch the breakfast when it arrives. I got sick of his act, so I made my way up to the first-class section. Maybe Mom will switch with me, and I won’t have to listen to Preston whine about his laptop anymore. But when I get to our parents’ row, Athena, mom, and dad are all asleep. Perfect. What will I do now? If I wake them up, they’ll be mad!

I glare at Athena. Mom and dad treat her like a princess, and Preston and I don’t ever get anything good.

Especially me. I get all the hand-me-downs. So I made a decision. I grab Athena and walk back to my seat, and plop her down. Preston’s asleep now too, so he doesn’t notice. The girl does. She side-eyes me briefly. I ignore it. Then I go to first class and sit down next to my parents.

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It’s so roomy and comfortable! I am never going to leave. So for the last few hours of the trip, I get snacks and drinks, and watch movies on the screen. I can’t believe that economy doesn’t have TVs. When we land, the rumble of the plane engine and the bumpiness wake mom and dad up. When they see me, they both ask, “Where’s Athena?” I resist rolling my eyes. They’re always so worried about her.

“Preston took her.” I say. They both talk about what a good sibling he is. Ha! We meet up with Preston and Athena when the plane stops moving. But before he moves toward us, he asks Madison what school she goes to.

She answers, “I graduated college two years ago. I’m 24, not thirteen, or whatever your age is.” ​ “Hey!” Says Preston. “I’m fourteen and a half!” he calls after her retreating back. Then he turns to me.

“And why do I have Athena?” I just roll my eyes and step out onto the metal stairs that lead me to the ground.

As soon as I breathe in the warm, sweet air, I decide that it was all worth it. Let’s just hope the plane ride back isn’t this bad!

By Claire P., Valentine B., and Heidi R., Grade 6 Ode to Shopping I stepped into Neiman’s, ready to shop I wandered through the towers of items, Continuing, something caused me to stop My heart leaps, the experience heightens After, I headed over to Bergdorf’s I ambled through the large gold and black doors An hour later I left feeling remorse Frigid air hit me when leaving the store Lastly, I flew right over to Harrods I hope they have something in Burberry In Tiffany, there are many carats, In Prada, there's many accessories ​ After hours of shopping, we end the spree Thankfully, I found many things for me

By James M., Grade 8

A Visit to the Zoo It was another sunny day and SnappyJack and his dogs were going to the Zoo. When they were at the Zoo they saw so many animals! Elephants, frogs and even cats. They loved looking at all the animals. And then they saw that a lion has escaped the Zoo and 3 three days later at Super Duper and they saw the lion again. They told the people at the store but they said that he was their pet but then SnappyJack noticed that it was the same color that they saw.

By Adele H. grade 1 72

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Poem of DC D.C. The place with much to see Museums, Memorials Some happiness, But also some grief Going to monuments, Memorials too, Presidents and congress As our country grew History of America Geology And planes too, Showing historic inventions, Like when planes flew.

Air Force and Marine memorials, Korean War Vietnam too, Many more, Like World War II

By Hayden, Grade 7

Water Lilies By Mateo Z, Grade 2

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Super Duper Are you in the mood for a cheesy, mouth watering hamburger? I think we should eat at Super Duper because the price is great. Also, it has yummy food to eat and has refreshing drinks. To start, Super Duper has amazing food. For example, it has really yummy and greasy burgers and french fries. Also is has delicious salads and really creamy soft serve ice cream. Another reason, Super Duper has refreshing drinks and it has some amazing prices for the drinks. I prefer a refreshing glass of milk because it washes the food down. Finally, it has amazing service. For example they have nice people and amazing service. You never have to wait very long for your food to be ready. In conclusion, Super Duper is really amazing and has delicious food, tasty drinks, and great service. Go to Super Duper today!

By Joe W, Grade 3 El Moleno Do you want a juicy, tasty, spicy enchilada? I think we should eat at El Moleno because they have delicious enchiladas, really good drinks and really cheap deals. First, the enchiladas taste really excellent. They have a great spicy sauce and a great sweet sauce that goes with the enchiladas. Secondly, they have a rating of five out of five stars. This is a good restaurant. Their reviews and ratings are always fantastic. You should try it! One last thing is, they have music. They always have a sweet song on. For example, they have really great songs playing in the background. In conclusion, make your reservation today. They have good food, so why not? Go to El Moleno today!

By Teddy, Grade 3

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Cardinal - Back Cover Art by Rishi, Grade 7