Features
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Pod C students bring “Freedom Writer” Maria Reyes to MSMS by: rachel kelly / staff writer
On Thursday, March 12, Mona Shores Middle School welcomed Freedom Writer, Maria Reyes, to share her story. Jacey Eccleston, an MSMS sixth grade English teacher, had her students read “I Escaped a Violent Gang,” a story of Maria Reyes’ troubled past and experiences with gang violence. After reading her story, the inspired Pod C students were willing to do what it takes to bring Maria Reyes to Mona Shores Middle School. “My students were inspired by this story and asked if we could find a way to bring this brave student to our class,” Mrs. Eccleston said. “A bell went off in my head and the hope to locate Maria Reyes, the courageous girl who escaped the gang, became our Big Dream.” Anyone that has been a sixth grade Language Arts student of Mrs. Eccleston’s in the past six years, has read Maria’s story. But this year’s Pod C students went farther into it than any other class and were determined to have Maria come to our school.
“The students expressed a willingness to complete chores and acts of service in order to raise the funds,” Mrs. Eccleston said. “The support from the middle school teachers and all of the middle school students has been amazing.” In order to have Reyes speak in our auditorium, sixth grade students wrote essays and raised the money needed to bring her here. “Honoring Maria’s courage to free herself, my 100 sixth grade students also wrote essays explaining how they have been trapped, what they can do to grow wings, and how they have helped free others,” Mrs. Eccleston said. “Furthermore, they made moving illustrations of their entrapment, and we also made a short video to introduce our essays.” To help raise the money that was needed, staff and students’ families made baked goods weekly, and sometimes even daily. “The middle school has such a supportive staff and community, making one
awesome crew,” Mrs. Eccleston said. The 100 Pod C sixth graders accomplished their goal of raising $3,000 within two months. “Ultimately, I am so proud of my students, and I am so happy they found power in the pen, the power to dream, and the power to achieve,” Mrs. Eccleston said.
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Reyes captures the attention of MSMS students with her moving story on March 12.
Eighth grader John Swainston takes the stage with his drums by: sam andrade and brianna panici / staff writers Four years ago, eighth grader John Swainston jumped on a drum set at his church and has been playing ever since. He performs at The Grand Oyster Bar and Grill in Grand Haven called “Jazz Night” every Tuesday from 7-11 pm. Along side him plays eighth grader Alex Pearson, his
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Eighth grader John Swainston practices drumming for his Tuesday performances.
drum teacher Scott Pellegrom, and local musicians Kaja Lill, Mike Drost, and Kevin Kozel. “It’s exciting, fun, and John raises the roof on stage,” eighth grader Alex Pearson said. He practices everyday for one to two hours, either at school or home. His family and friends support his dream by coming to his performances and cheering him on. “We go to his gigs and cheer him on,” John’s father Tim Swainston said. “We do what we need to do to help our son excel.” His inspiration to play is Pellegrom because he was his very first drum teacher, he made John what he is today. “He makes me a better overall person,” Swainston said. “If he wasn’t my teacher, I probably wouldn’t be what and where I am today.”
Pellegrom gave him the want to play and practice more, and John is hopeful that his future includes becoming a famous drummer. “I am Jonathan’s mentor and teacher,” Pellegrom said. “He is very talented and dedicated to music. He works hard and when he gets into it you are able to see the lights turn on inside of his head. He has come a long way as a student, person, drummer and musician since he took his first lesson with me. Since he has been playing out every Tuesday he has started to learn the ropes of what it is like on the gigs playing in a restaurant/bar setting. I feel that if Jonathan stays humble, works on his reading and versatility as a drummer he is able to go very far in the music scene in Michigan and even Nationally.”