The Palette 2017

The Palette Volume VI 2017

St. Luke’s School New Canaan, Connecticut, 06840 stlukesct.org

Foreword What do I see?

Hear?

How do I feel?

What are the connections I find between ideas, and how do I express them?

The answers to all of these questions are found in these pages,

through poetry, photography, collage, sculpture, linoleum block prints, and computer art, and the expressions, interpretations, and reinventions are inspiring and profound. Perhaps most inspiring of all is that the creators are fifth graders or eighth graders, seventh or sixth.

Now in its sixth year, The Palette celebrates the creativity of St.

Luke’s middle schoolers. We are proud to present this book as a showcase of the purest of fancy, craft, insight, and wisdom in our students. In this digital age, we deem it critical to make a record of the minutes, hours, and weeks -- perhaps even seconds -- in which these creators brought their visions and ideas forth to become realities.

We thank the student writers and artists for all of their hard work

creating the content for this year’s publication, as well as the teachers: Mr. Carroll, Mr. Henson, Ms. Olsen, Ms. Sarno, Ms. Tobler, Ms. Westerberg, Mr. Wieland, Ms. Wulfman, Ms. Yankura, and Mrs. Zurkowski. Special thanks also to Literary Editor Mr. Henson and Art Editor and Layout Designer Ms. Yankura.

Cover image by Julia Bazata, Griffin Johnson, Kathryn McCarthy, Chloe Sabbagh and Samantha Schwartz Front page image by Emily Foley Art on this page by Claiborne Beurle

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Artwork by Ellie Lyon

Writing by Fiona Mueller

All Things about Nature Sweet aroma of lavender flower gently swaying in the wind multicolored leaves dancing in The wind falling as they do the Splits but go too far getting carried by the wind falling in a swift movement Ducks quacking softly tiny ripples in the pond From the ducks flutterin Their wings I change into A person who looks Somber Seeing a lonely Powerful plastic water bottle Bobbing in the water Looking for its next Victim I hope he will forever Be lonely There is a sadness Inside of me that knows The lonely water bottle will Soon get some friends

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Artwork by Brandon Kekedjian

Waiting and Wishing Spinning back and forth, back and forth The sharp blades circling, round and round As I think of my thoughts that are yet to be found Tears dripping down my face slowly hitting the ground As my eyes stare vividly like it’s a plane propeller; rotating round and round Round, round, round it goes The coolness of the air falling to my toes My hand is shaking like no one knows As my eyes stare as it blows

Writing by Abby Johnson

And the faint sound of murmuring echoes in the distance It’s enough to make me feel my soon to be nonexistence But I wait and return to my thought of existence And watch as my parents enter the room from a distance

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My body is shivering, shaking, and sweating as my head fills with fea I know I can no longer be any stronger But then I remember the quietness and the coolness; And the motion of the blades like a bird’s wings soaring through the sky That’s when I knew it would be alright

A puff of smoke f om the start, Than annnnnnnnnnnnnn, A massive V12 screams, On Laguna Seca Circuit, Sharp shifts separate it from the rest Tires squeal around turns 200 miles an hour on the straights Than the engine stops and the battery goes flat

Writing by Teddy Balkind

The Race

Artwork by Elli O’Meara

Will

Writing by Henry Moro

He is the red sun He is the Ferrari that goes slow The birch tree that turns white in the winter Very nice like pop music While go-karting at Christmas He looks like the brave eagle While floating in poison ivy He believes in whatever he sees

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Writing by McLain Boege Artwork by Sarah Kate Alford 8

Magazine Newspaper Informal, Declamatory Reading, Doodling, Protecting Journalist, Printer, Culture, Ads Critiquing, Wanting, Finding Glossy, Remarkable Magazine

Artwork by Malec Nahas

LeBron James Fathead

Writing by Noah Bouknight

My LeBron James Fathead It always looks like it is staring at me With it’s tightly closed mouth And his weird “kissy” face expression Both in the moment of action One about to shoot And the other about to throw down a thunderous dunk I wonder if he gets tired He never gets to eat,drink,wash,breathe or have any kind of rest I wonder if he gets sad watching me play videogames or watching me shoot from the window He is always holding a basketball in his hand But I am not sure if he thinks that well with that tight headband on his head

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Writing by Elyse Kim Artwork by Jenna Nahas 10

Abduction How can one be so evil So malevolent and malicious To strip the joey from the pouch And steal the hatchling from its nest What urges a person To destroy a home A family A life Without a second thought How does one justify Their actions to themselves And convince themselves Of their moral behavior Their correct conduct How can one be so sick To cause panic in others To rob the fawn from the doe And use them As an object of pleasure What drives a human To seize the colt from the mare From the peace and safety of home And strike in them a fear That indoctrinates And stupefie

Artwork by Jack Fitzgibbon

My Superpower

It’s a bird, it’s a Plane, it’s Besgino! He’s so quick, moving faster than the speed of light, saving those in need, and bringing justice to his city.

“Woosh” is all you here when he runs by you and all you see is blue sparks flying in the air as his feet hit the ground. Besgino wears a gray body suit with a light blue mask, but when he is standing still, all eyes go to the symbol on his chest, a light blue shield with a yellow ring around it. The color blue represents happiness and the shield represents protection. The yellow ring around the shield represents him being faster than the speed of light. This symbol has made a huge impact on his city, giving the civilians hope. Because Besgino is the protector of the city, more kids play in the parks and in town.

Writing by Nicholas Besgen

Besgino was given the gift of super speed.

The cause of him getting his powers was a street race accident. During the race, Besgino turned on the nitrous in his car and waited for the G-force to push him back in his seat. But his car didn’t increase speed. Since he didn’t increase speed, he continuously turned the nitrous on and off. On his tenth attempt to activate it, the fuel flooded his car and rapidly injected itself into his body, knocking him out, and putting him in the hospital for a month. When the nitrous entered his body, it bonded with his cells giving him the ability of unnatural speed. He found about his powers by almost being killed by a robber with a gun. It was a Tuesday morning, and he was on his way to the bank to pay for a mortgage with his brother Moose. Before they could enter, the robber ran out shooting at his brother, killing him. Then the robber pointed the gun at Besgino and pulled the trigger. All of a sudden the world stopped, or did it? Everything just slowed down.

Scared and confused, he ran away, but when

he stopped to turn around, the robber was 100 yards away. He decided to run back and tie up the robber with near a by rope. Since Besgino captured the robber, he felt like a hero. Besgino enjoyed the feeling of heroism, and when he found out that the robber was also a repeat killer, it made him feel even better. From that day forward he took an oath to only use his powers for good. He uses his powers when people are endangered, or threatened. Also to catch the villains and put them in their place.

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Writing by Rose Schultz

He Paints With the Brightest Colors His dark grey paws Touch the pods of paint Careful, like Touching an egg The red, blue, yellow, pink He trots over the canvas His body relaxed A rainbow of color In his wake As he paints, I use my brush The delightful combination Of paws and strokes Turning into a masterpiece His eyes alight with fire As he dances and prances Our work turns into An elegant horse Its mane, a ray of sunlight Its neck, a storm of color Prince marks where The eye should be Bringing the horse alive He steps off Done for the day

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Artwork by Chloe Sabbagh

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Artwork by Claudia Heffern

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Writing by Nicole Perez

Lena:Partner in Crime!

She is a brilliant green mind Bright red Valleys Black Mountains She is not the tree but she is a climber A monkey She scrambles higher and higher She’s a crescent moon in the sky that changes shades Changes rapidly Glowing Good to Shadowy Evil Our friendship is space, neverending We may fly past Saturn On our trip to the stars

Artwork by Samantha Schwartz

Lena is a dragon She breathes fi e and has scales Sharp talons

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She is the cheese on my macaroni The cherry on my sundae Together we are Halloween One tricks One treats An Emerald green parrot with wings spread wide She soars above the world With curious gleaming eyes She is the top of the Empire State Building Tall and standing out The center of attention Around and around our fights will g Until we reach the end Of our argument slide

Artwork by Kathryn McCarthy

My Scooter It rolls merrily down the street.

It waits at the stop sign.

It welcomes new riders.

You can see its blue flash when it dashes down the road.

It squeaks at me when I hit its breaks.

It spooks all the small critters.

Scampering down the street.

When I first ode it was huge.

I road on the paths of Lake George. and many more places to come. and the dogs bark when they see its flash

Writing by Scarlett McRoberts

I was a little bumpy at first After a while I got the hang of it.

I brought it with me on trips and I still do.

I rode on the streets of Boston.

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Writing by Jack Ritchie, Artwork by McLain Boege

A Windy Night It was a cold night that evening The trees were livid The branches slapping on my window And the wind blowing Bringing quite a chill The cold increased becoming unbearable Making me feel terrible The storm getting more atrocious by the minute Keeping me awake My well rest at stake Then it stopped I peeked out the window Only to see the trees waving like a kind man in the street And that gave a good night’s sleep

Artwork by Nick Holmes, Writing by Andrew LaPadula

Change

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When the lights turn off and everyone goes to sleep the dogs, and hamsters, and gerbils, and fleas, and turtles, and lions and ticks and doges and deer and reindeer and zebras and snakes and frogs And hippos and every other animal (but not cats) eat all the food in the refrigerator and in the morning, all go back to their cages, dens, swamps, ponds, fur, fields, t ees, and the humans go back to ruling the house.

Artwork by Colt Alford

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Artwork by Emilia von Lilien-Brockmeyer

(For My Mom, Jennifer Besgen)

Writing by Mary Catherine Besgen

My Mom

My mom is a Sunny Summer Day A Slide on my Playground of Life The Purple in the Sky She is a Playful Puppy The Easter Bunny on Easter A Hike in the Woods My mom puts the J in Jeans Watch her, she is an Eagle Soaring She is the Boat in my Bay She Shines Brighter Than Gold She is the Book I don’t want to put Down A Blue Jay in Spring My mom is a Row Boat ready to Row She is a Maple Tree Changing Colors She is a Never Ending Forest She is Soap on a Sponge She is a Duster Dusting A Broom Sweeping My mom is a Pink Rose She is the Sun Setting She is the Wind Dancing on the Water She is the Paint on my Brush

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Artwork by Brandon Kekedjian Writing by Brendan Casey

White Wall

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This is what I remember A wall of white Left over from the plow’s blade hard and cold We made a dent in it with our boots Bam! Bam! We made some more dents We circled like vultures Trying to find a soft spot to attac When we found it we sent snow Into the air Carving into the soft white wall Sending more snow into the air Finally we made a hole Then more and more holes, Caves, hiding places.

I put on my gloves and stepped into the barn Snowflake was waiting with her head poking out of the stall Her pretty brown eyes were looking at me And her white head looked so soft Her pink velvety nose sniffled a b I put her gear on I went to the closet and got her Saddle, girth, and bridle and led her into the barn I pulled myself up onto the saddle I gave her the signal and she started to canter It was a bumpy ride I was nervous Under my gloves my palms were sweating Then my emotion totally flipped a ound And it was amazing it felt like I was flyin And I did it all with my trusty horse, Snowflake

Writing by Scarlett McRoberts

First Canter

Artwork by Ava Waldman 23

Writing by Ava Waldman

Waiting Seasons come and go, leaves fall and grow, summer fades away, fall is here to stay. under the branches of an old, willow tree. tall and bare hanging over me.

Leaves change from green to a dark shade of red.

I’m still waiting, waiting for a change. in the blackness of the moon, and the dullness of the sun. for the yellow lion in the sky to roar once again, for the howling wind of the night to fade.

Artwork by Ryan Weil

Days, weeks, months go by, still waiting, waiting for that change.

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Artwork by Sarah Kate Alford

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Artwork by Claiborne Beurle

Writing by Brendan Casey

My Grandpa He is the green needles that never fall off the pine t ee.

The hard oak that is forever standing.

The soft papery birch.

He is the skyscraper in the city.

The future in an idea.

The little change.

He is the Moon in the night sky.

The glistening off the moon lit lake He lets the fish see He is the mother woodpecker teaching her young to fl to find food to make a nest.

The playful child that only knows joy.

The splashing baby in the bath.

The dancing young boy.

He is the sail in the sailboat.

The wind in the sail The hull of the boat He is a jumping salmon. determined to get to the end.

Never giving up on me.

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Writing by Katie Stute

Stop the Time!

Could you imagine being able to just have

everything stop for a minute? If I could have one super power, it would be to stop time. To under-

stand this, one needs to examine how you could save peoples lives, how you could stop people

from making really big mistakes, and how, if you ever forget something or are running late, you

can just pause. First of all, being able to stop time could save many people’s lives or could save

people from getting injured. When my brother fell off a forty foot cliff, he was badly inj ed.

Artwork by Josephine DeMarco

If I had the ability to stop time in that moment,

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he wouldn’t have gone through the pain he did.

Second, stopping time could stop somebody

from making a huge mistake. There have been times when people have been shot. If I could stop time before they were shot, then I could

just take the gun and make sure that the shooter doesn’t harm anyone. Third, having the power

to stop time, I could get there and then start time

again. The symbol for my super power would be a hand in the stop position with a watch around the wrist. Because this power saves lives, and it is very important.

Artwork by Jack Sullivn (L) and Griffin Labonski (R)

Artwork by Jenna Nahas

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Wind Wind, you force tree limbs to fall, you blow my umbrella away, when you are enraged, when there are storms you join in on the “fun”, and make them worse for us, you help the evil tsunamis destroy whole cities, and last of all when it’s warm you make it warmer, when it’s cold you make it colder,

Writing and Artwork by Watson Meyer

oh wind please stop

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Artwork by Samantha Schwartz

Organism The snow is a million small marshmallows The wind is whispering to you through the trees The monkeys fly th ough the jungle in the midnight breeze Mountains are teeth that stick out of a giant’s mouth Trees are pieces of hair that stick out of the earth Rivers are the blood of the earth The Earth is a giant The people on it are the giant’s cells The raindrops are tears The volcanic eruptions are gashes in the giant Birds are the eyes

Sharks are the kings of the oceans That is what we are

Writing by Bradford Cooper

The eyes that see all

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Writing by Jenna Nahas

Ruby She keeps me company She follows me around my house Into my room She lets me and my cousin Dress her up A tutu, and a shirt She does not care, She does not bite Not at all She comes to Massachusetts with me And when my siblings Make me sit in the way back In the car She stays with me In the car She poses for My drawings She gives Me love licks Then I know That someone Is there for me.

She helps me learn About responsibility Her big loving eyes Give me courage When I fail

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Artwork by Brent Schwartz

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Artwork by Alex Letters Writing by Matthew Stimpson

It’s Fall!

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It’s Fall The Trees shedding their skin Putting on their red and orange clothes The Days losing weight and getting colder It’s Fall The squirrels shopping for food The acorns shivering in the breeze The bears getting ready for their winter nap It’s Fall!

My brother is the red tint of fi e He is the freshly fallen snow.

Writing by Ainsley Glenday

My Brother

Nolan is the spicy salsa to my chips He is the break of the wave.

My brother is the sturdy tree in the backyard He is the blue jay soaring through the sky.

Nolan is the bubbles to my fizzy drin He is the worn and loved see-saw.

My brother is the song that never gets old He is my laugh and smile.

Artwork by Isabel Mezei 35

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Artwork by Samantha Schwartz

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Artwork by Chloe Sabbagh

Running. Running up and down stairs, turning right and left. Running down corridor after corridor. Breathless, but still running.

Running until finall , I reached the end. But I can’t get to the end, before I tell you about the beginning, the very beginning. In fact, it all started 10 years ago, on a bright and sunny day.

My family and I were going out to breakfast.

The GPS had us make a left turn down an odd, ominous looking alley, and we knew something was wrong. As my mom started to try to reroute the GPS, There was a loud crash and as we turned back we saw glass falling to the ground as person after person from the terrorist group T.I.M started climbing through the trunk. I could tell they were from T.I.M because they had the initials T.I.M on their shirts. The next thing I remembered, I was here. The four of us now live together in a small, cramped, cell. As I came over to them, my parents gave me my breakfast.

Breakfast here was hard and moldy porridge with year old orange juice to drink, and I sighed, thinking of the boring day that would be ahead of me. Just as I let out a sigh somebody burst into our room and then shut the door as fast as they had come in, returning the darkness, so that we could not see who it was. Our whole family tensed, ready to fight if we had to, as I said, “Who are you and why are you here?” He responded in heaving breaths. “I am Sam, and I escaped from my detainment cell when they came to give me food. There are guards following me that will soon come into this hall to check all the rooms. There isn’t much time.” My family got into a huddle to discuss whether to trust him or not. After all, being locked inside a cell for who knows how long can do interesting things to your mind, like make you very paranoid. We finally decided he could be our only hope to escaping this wretched place. We decided to trust him until we got out, even though

we knew that outcome would be unlikely, because there is only one way out. Through the front door. As we heard footsteps coming down the stairs, we softly called him over and we all devised a plan. A minute later, two guards entered our room while I stood alone in the center of the room. One of them, a fat guard with a very angry look on his face said, “Where’s your family kid, we know you have one and we know they’re––”Before he could finish his sentence my dad came around and kicked him in the gut, while my mom and sister worked together to defeat the other guard. In case I forgot to mention it, my dad was in the military for 10 years, and my mom and sister are both very advanced in karate and kung-fu, so our family can put up a good fight. After taking out the guards, we checked the hall, knowing that soon, the other guards would be wondering where their comrades were. We made our way from room to room, taking out the guards, and taking the guards’ weapons. By the time we got to the end of the hallway, we were fully equipped with weapons. We mostly had protective armor and smaller weapons, but there was one guard, the leader, who had a gun. My dad instantly claimed this, and the three cartridges that were with it. As we started to ascend the stairs to the top floor whe e the door was, an alarm sounded. It was a shrill loud noise, that we had only heard once before, and now that time is never spoken of because of what happened. To sum it up, a man escaped from his cell. While trying to escape, he was caught and was tortured to death. That was 10 years ago, and since then, the sound hasn’t been heard. I hear someone in the background screaming “The end is near, the end is near,” but we keep going on. When we get a floor above, the e is a small peep hole, and through it we can see guards arming themselves to get ready to search

Writing by Zachary Amendola

Breaking Free

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for us. As I take in a big gulp, I keep walking up the stairs to the only way out, even though I know that at this point, it is almost hopeless.

Once we are at the tenth floor out of eleven we start to hear the guards coming up the stairs.

They have realized where we are going. Although tired from climbing all the flights of stairs, we know that after one more, freedom could be near. We run up the stairs and when we peek out the door to the peephole we see a hallway with many diffe ent branches coming out of it. We realize in despair that none of us know how to navigate this place and we may never find the exit. Luckily for us, Sam speaks up. He says, “Don’t worry everyone, I know these halls front to back and left to right. This is because I was the one that escaped 10 years ago, and was tortured. They thought I was dead and left me there, but I survived and was later caught again, and put back in another cell. I have vowed to get vengeance ever since, and now we can escape together. We gave each other wary looks, but decided this was our only chance, as we heard the footsteps coming up the stairs gradually getting louder. My mom spoke up first and said, “All right Sam, lead the way.” As Sam started to exit the stairwell we could see that the guards had reached the 9th floo , and were still coming fast. We quickly exited as Sam started leading us towards freedom. After countless turns of left and right, we were about to turn another corner when Sam stopped. There were guards on the other side patrolling the halls for us. As they came down the hall and were about to turn the corner, we got our weapons ready.

My dad loaded his gun, my sister pulled out her mace, and I quietly pulled out a sword. Sam had two swords, and he had taken some smoke pellets too. As the guards rounded the corner, Sam through a smoke pellet at them while my family and I rushed in to attack. While my dad started to enter the fight, howeve , he fell to the ground with a scream, as Sam had just thrown one of his swords right at my dad’s legs. With my dad on the ground and Sam rushing towards 40

him, My family had to fight both the gua ds and Sam at once.I jumped away from the guards just in time to protect my dad from Sam. As we were battling, sword to sword, I said to him through gritted teeth, “Why would you do this? We’re both trying to escape, why?” He responded by saying, “It was back in elementary school. Your dad humiliated me by saying terrible things about me in front of the whole elementary school that made me an outcast for the rest of my school years. I became the class nerd, the kid that would never have friends because of him.”

He ruined my life!” He said that last line with a scream and pushed me back with his swords. I saw rage in his eyes as he pounced on me, more hungry than ever to finish my dad and I off. consistently parried his attacks until I saw the perfect opening, and knocked him the gut. He fell to the ground, unable to catch his breath as I ran over to my dad to check on him. He’s sitting against the wall and the sword is nowhere to be seen. “How’s your leg?” I ask. “It has been better, but I don’t need to be able to stand to shoot,” he says as he pulls out his rifle. He instantly knocks down two with his expert marksmanship, and Hannah, my sister and my mom fi ish off the other two. After we all take a deep breath to regroup, we realize we don’t know the way out. We eventually decide to go the way the guards had came from. After going down lots of hall and making random choices of where to turn, we reach the end of the hallway and see around the corner, light. Not dim, artificial light made by the small, cheap lights over head, but glorious, bright, natural light coming from the sun through the open doors of the gateway.

Unfortunately, there were 10 guards standing blocking the gate. As we started to come up with a plan we heard footsteps a little ways back, and when we went back down the hallway to check, there were 10 more soldiers coming at us. As we pulled out our weapons we all sensed that this could be the end, because there were four of us, and 20 of them. We started by taking the ones in the corridor, hoping to defeat them before

area in front of the gate, and Sam hiding in the shadows on the side, with my dad unconscious.

We quietly made our way behind Sam, and killed him before he even saw us. We decided to stay in the shadows to get rid of the guards.

Since they were spread out, we picked them off one by one, until there were only the five right next to the gate left. Then we jumped out of the shadows and battled. We had them caught by surprise and were able to take out most of them, except for one. He was the leader, and the most skilled fighte . None of the three of us could even touch him, and he easily defeated us. As he advanced forward to finish us off, he suddenl fell to the floo . Behind him we saw our dad, blowing the smoke off his gun. e rushed over to him and embraced him. After letting go, we saw the sunlight pouring through the unguarded gate, and we rejoiced. We were finally f ee.

Writing by Zachary Amendola

the ones guarding the door would know. Right before they rounded the corner, my mom sister and I slid into the shadows so that they could not see us. They only saw my dad, standing in the middle of the hallway. “Put your hands in the air and drop your weapon!” one of them said. Just as they were advancing towards my dad and he was about to drop his gun, we sprang out from the shadows attacking the guards. We instantly took three of them out by surprise, and then we started battling the others. Just as my dad came into the fight, a smoke pellet exploded and we couldn’t see anything.

“Who was that?” I said as I wiped it away from my eyes. But as my vision cleared, I saw the guards unconscious on the floo , with my dad nowhere in sight. Fortunately for me, Hannah saw them and she started running while saying, “They went this way, come on, follow me!”

As we rounded the corner we saw the big open

Artwork by Brandon Kekedjian 41

Writing by Watson Meyer Artwork by Macy Millones 42

William My brother is rapids of the river the crunch in the chips the on and off button in the ca

William is the up and the down on the slide

William is the coastal redwood watching the lookout man for no robbers The stalker of homework

He is the Ford Model T that turns around to go up

He is the snack sneaker sneaking snacks behind the christmas tree

He is a bedraggled monster in the bathroom the unruly mess

He is always apprehensive day and night hiding behind legs of people smaller, bigger

William is the dragon against the night using his fiery b eath

He is the bear devouring more and more food

He is the snuggler in the bed Waiting, waiting

Artwork by Griffin Labonski

Happiness is...

I open my eyes.

I see a white blanket Covering my street.

Why does this put a smile On my face?

I feel the heavy raindrops Hitting my head and back In the pool. I am filled with laughter an Happiness. Why does this make me so Happy?

Writing by Claudia Heffern

I take a sip of the warm cocoa Sitting in the palm of my hand.

The way it warms my throat makes Me full of relief and happiness.

Why do all of these things make me so Happy?

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Writing by Jake Kavan

2020 Every four years,

there’s a fork in the road.

Turn left or turn right,

it’s time to reload.

Many topics to discuss.

Both sides have their views.

But it’s we the people,

who ultimately choose.

Build a wall or a school.

Choose bullets or birth.

We’re trying to decide,

what a human life is worth.

It’s a big decision.

The Commander and Chief.

Stick with what we know,

or turn a new leaf?

We belong to one nation,

yet our diffe ences bring division Our country must decide,

who will offer the best vision --Yesterday we voted,

and the verdict is in.

Trump is triumphant,

A new era begins.

--A volcanic eruption,

destroys all in its path, White hot fury.

How long will it last?

It’s raining outside,

with clouds overhead, I’m feeling blue and

the country’s turned red.

Every four years,

there’s a fork in the road.

Turn left or turn right,

We’ll get a chance to reload.

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Artwork by Madeline Fredericks

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Writing by Scarlett McRoberts

My Lolo She was the red feathers on a scarlet tanager

The warm sun on my skin

The hammock holding me tight Hugging me while I sway gently

She was the goldfinch

who soared into the rosy sunrise She was Lake Michigan’s waves

She was the dog that walked down the steep hill slowly She was the dove who always sat in the nearby tree She was the cattails that brushed against your back She was the book that was filled with enthusiasm and lovely feeling in i

She was the star on top of the Christmas tree She was a walk down the park

She is the angel guarding over me forever in my life

Painting the sky with

my Lolo I loved,

Scarlet above

Artwork by Marissa Kramer

that coos near your window

that kindly lap the shore

She was the Michigan summer sunset

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She was the mourning dove

She was my Lolo, and I still do.

Papa is a bright yellow color that hugs everyday A slide that brings joy to children A cherry popsicle that lightens my bright face

Writing by Sebastian Rosario

My Beloved Grandpa

Papa is a bear that protects the family An apple tree that grows on and on A mystery book that makes it a mystery Papa is spaghetti and meatballs wiggling for freedom A true delight when it comes to Spanish music The Christmas holiday that gives love to family Papa is an old car, but still shines through the day A meteor flying to Earth quickly enough to save the da A hike in the woods with strength and courage Papa is an enjoyable movie that you get to watch every day A sun that is always bright throughout the months A skyscraper towering and keeping you protected Papa is a shirt that keeps you warm day and night A sunflower that makes friends to laugh wit He is the Titanic that saves everyone’s life Papa is a bird flying high in the sk A hill that survives the forest An ocean coming to make a shield for protection Papa is a roller coaster that is 59 miles per hour A person who doesn’t weep for love A Greek god that gives people confusion Papa is my sunshine, my only sunshine A wobbly grandpa who can’t run A voice that whispers everything about your future

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Artwork by Claiborne Beurle

The Changes We See Beach, pools, ice cream Leaves falling, birds flying awa , school starting Summer fun, turned into a fall sun a summer song A beach song

Writing by Sally Picon

but now it’s gone

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I’m feeling blue The wind is new The autumn cold grew.

The rain gallops to the ground Away from the cold, dark, grey, clouds.

The rain glides to the trees and the flowers Releasing them from their deprived state.

Writing by Rose Schultz

The Raging Storm

The sad grey clouds weep Some outraged sending blazing strings of bright stars to the ground The thunder’s ear-splitting cries, Terrifying the sun, And scaring it away The faces and people of the clouds, Telling stories of princes and dragons, Kings and queens The warm scent of the rain, Bellowing through the trees, Fading away, with the storm

Artwork by Eoin Mueller 49

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Artwork by Julia Bazata

Writing by Freya Young

My Superpower

For many of us, when we were younger we dreamed of superheroes and super powers. Maybe some of us have even said that we would like to be a superhero when we grow up, and we may have had a dream of our superhuman abilities. If I were a superhero, I would have the abilities to be invisible and the power to heal. Every superhero has their symbol. If I were to have a symbol, it would be a rather simple design with colors that relate to my abilities.

If you had the power of invisibility, it would allow you to be hidden from the human eye, enabling you to do whatever you want to, undetected. In many fictional stories, he oes have some superhuman abilities, and they are most likely superheroes who use their abilities to help others. Moreover, we could infer that in this scenario, I would also be superhero. If I could be invisible, I would do multiple things. For example, by using invisibility, I could sneak up on villains and use the advantage of them to be able to see me. Next, my other ability would be the power to heal. This power would allow me to cure anyone who has a disease or malady. By using the power of instant healing, you could save many lives, including the lives of animals or plants. This ability could cure cancer or save the last animal of one species before going extinct.

All superheroes have a symbol or logo that represents them. For example, Superman’s logo is a red diamond-like shape with an “S” in the middle and a yellow background. If I were to have a symbol, it would connect with my powers. The logo would be a caduceus inside a heart shape. That would symbolize my powers of healing. The colors would consist of diffe ent shades of blue and silvery hues. These colors represent transparency and invisibility. My superhero logo would have meaning.

In conclusion, my powers would be invisibility and the ability to heal. Both of my powers have efficient uses and can help people As well, my symbol would project and represent the actions that you can have with invisibility and healing.

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Artwork by McLain Boege (L) and Alex Holtzapffel (R) Artwork by Campbell Bates (L) and Jack Shurgin (R)

Artwork by Ellie Lyon

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Artwork by Kathleen Ehlers

‘p

Malia is the Rainbow parrot Bursting with color.

She is The quick flash of a Lightning bolt, Lighting up the dark night sky She is the sharp flash Of a slick black car She is that one Malia is the tall Daring ladder, Going up to a twisty slide She is that one bold red leaf Standing out from the others On the tall maple tree She is the roar Of the big air plane Flying through the sky Bringing astonishment To the passengers Malia is the crunch to the Wavy Chip She is the rushing white water Going down the Long Long river Malia is the detailed stripes on a Cute quick chipmunk back She is the bound and leap In a wheaten terrier’s heart Going after a yellow tennis ball She is the loyalty of the bald eagle Malia is the perfect Beautiful petal On a purple flower Shining in the summer’s Sunlight.

She is the sound Of a talented singer Dancing on the colorful stage.

She is the smooth Caramel on the Bright red apple Malia is the amazing Star on the very Top of the christmas tree.

Writing by Jenna Nahas

Malia

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Writing by Sarah Lau

Walking in an Unfair World of Inequality

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“Everyone born on this earth is some-

it’s not okay that he is pushing Cassie around

thing and nobody, no matter what color, is better

because of the color of her skin. Lastly, the black

than anyone else.”- Mama/Mary. In the book,

children got old books that were passed down

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, there are several

many times and were in poor condition. How-

examples of unfair treatment. First, when Mr.

ever, the white children got the new books. I

Barnett serves the white people at the market in

think that all of the kids who went to Great

Strawberry before the colored. I think what the

Faith School should get the same opportunities

author was trying to get us to think when Mr.

in education as the Jefferson Davis kids. It isn’t

Barnett was treating the white people before the

fair that the white children get new or high qual-

colored at his market that it was very unfair not

ity things but the blacks get low quality things.

just laws but, people that did not like colored.

They used to call it “separate but equal” but it

This also shows us how people with diffe ent

isn’t equal. For example, Cassie said, “And it

skin color get treated unfairly in the time of the

ain’t fair you got no right…” I agree with this. In

Civil Rights Movement. Second, Mr. Simms

conclusion, one of the big themes in Roll of Thun-

made Cassie apologize for accidentally bump-

der, Hear My Cry is race because the story takes

ing into his daughter; Lillian Jean. I think the

place during the Civil Rights Movement, where

way Mr. Simms treated Cassie was not right. It’s

people with diffe ent colored skin got treated

okay that he thinks his daughter is the best, but

unfairly.

Artwork by Rose Schultz

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Writing by Bobby Orlich

My Dad My Dad is the color Blue

He would be the veal on your plate

He is a sunny day in the summer

He is your favorite hat

He is a fast Lamborghini

He is the political book you can’t put down

He is the swings on the playground

He is a gold nugget

He is a birch tree in a forest

He is Seinfeld on the t.v.

He is a bag of Doritos

He would be the movie gladiator on Netfli

He is the plane in the sky

He would be the 100-yard dash in the Olympics

He is the ocean

He would be the Empire State Building in New York

He is Mount Everest

He would be the Queen Mary cruising in the ocean

He is a lion

He is a bullet when he was young

He is an eagle protecting its young

He would be that guy eating all the food on Thanksgiving

He is a lily in a pond

Artwork by Brandon Kekedjian

He is the heavy metal you listen to on the radio

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His activity would be taking out the trash

Artwork by Griffin Johnson

The Attic Chair

Artwork by Connor Mannix

The chair was born.

He’s all nice and clean.

Every day being used for something.

As time goes on exhausted from being used for many Things.

Today he Is all Creaky and old.

Carefully placed in the attic.

He is starting to rot.

Always alone In a corner Ready to close its eyes and not be awoken.

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Writing by Chris Briggs

Change Poem I Have No Idea What To Write...

I Would Like Some Ideas For A Change…

It Would Be Helpful To Have Any Good Or Any Ideas In General…

I Really Need Ideas...

Ugg I Need Ideas Otherwise I Will Go

CRAZY!!!!!!!

Oh, I Think I Already Did,☹ Oh, Well That Is Too Bad...

I Really Need A Change Otherwise I Will Go

CRAZY!!

Again.☹ Why (ugg) Am I Going

CRAZY?! Oops.☹ I Went

CRAZY! Man What Is wrong With Me… I Think I Am Going

CRAZY Someone Help Me!!

Ah, What The Heck, No One Is Going To Help Me. ☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹ 60

The water in the pool tempts me to go in Water dances on the top and of the edge and brim I finally cannot esist any longer and excitedly jump in

Writing by Nicole Perez

Water

The water wraps its arms tightly around me And drags me to the bottom playfully Until I float back u When I try to get up out of the water it does not want me to leave It clings tightly to my skin Begging me not to go away again At last the poor water gets tired and cannot hold on longer So it drops in droplets to the floor Never to be seen again.

Artwork by Nicholas Besgen 61

Writing by Jake Fox 62

SHOES They walk they run they sprint but they don’t only do that They walk around at night when nobody’s watching Have you ever woken up and your snowman’s gone?

That was the shoes They stole him They kicked him They beat him They kidnapped him They turned him into nothing But a puddle

Artwork by Griff Steinkraus

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Artwork by Griffin Joihnson Writing by Andrea DiTeodoro

Superhero

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Imagine, you’re a little five year old kid who loves basketball. Your desire to be as good as LeBron James grows every single day. Now picture this: you are standing right next to LeBron, about to play one on one against him. Not just any game though, this matchup determines your life. You are now in desperate need of a superpower, but not just any superpower. You need power mimicry. Thinking about situations like these leads me to the decision that if I was a superhero, my only superpower would be power mimicry. To understand why you would need power mimicry, one needs to examine the definition of power mimicry and how it can be wonderful.

To start off, power mimicry is a wonderful thing. Power mimicry is the ability to copy and mimic skills and powers of the people around you. It is a way to absorb others’ talents and habits without having to do any work. If I was a superhero, I would want power mimicry so I could copy other people’s skills and powers effortlessly.

Power mimicry is helpful and can be used for many things. If you aren’t skilled at a certain sport, you could just mimic that better skill from another person. It is the same thing with powers. If you have less power in a country, you could mimic power from a person that has

more. I believe power mimicry would enable me to have better skills and more powers, all while being a couch potato. For example, I am terrible at soccer. I absolutely stink. If I wanted to become a soccer star, I could replicate the soccer expertise of players like Messi, Ronaldo, and Ali Gall. Another example is if I was an employee at a company, but I wanted to be the boss. I could replicate the powers of the boss. Not only can I gain these amazing powers, but I wouldn’t have to do any work.

Lastly, if I was a superhero, I would have to have a symbol. Not only would my symbol be powerful and meaningful, but it would be simple and easy to understand. The symbol would be surrounded by a circle wall. In it, there would be four transformations. The first transform tion would be a gold lighting bolt with an arrow pointing to a picture of me. The lightning bolt would symbolize power, and the arrow would

symbolize that I mimicked this power. The second transformation would be a white baseball with red seams, and an arrow pointing to a picture of me. The baseball would symbolize skill, which I mimicked through the arrow. The third transformation would be a golden sun and an arrow pointing to a picture of me. The sun, like the lightning bolt, would symbolize power, which I copied through the arrow. The last transformation would be a picture of the Amazon logo, with another arrow pointing to a picture of me.

The Amazon logo would symbolize power as the CEO of the company, which would mimic again through the arrow.

To conclude, if I was a superhero, I would

choose the superpower of power mimicry. Power mimicry is used to copy skills and power of others. Power mimicry is helpful and can be used for copying talents without doing any work.

Artwork by Marissa Kramer 65

Writing by Joe Derr

The Amazing Lucy (For Lucy Zissel)

Lucy is the sunshine bringing the light A race car bursting with energy A redwood tree sprouting with joy She is a puddle growing bigger from rain and time A sweet piece of candy And the magical spirit of Christmas Lucy is a snuggly cute puppy A pretty cherry blossom blooming And a chipper bluebird singing from the trees She is a peaceful meadow Floppy Pizza Yellow the color of happiness Lucy is a cloud soft and flu Crazy Pop music playing loud And a relaxed tanktop in the summer She is fie ce monkey bars A dream come true My dad’s cutie pie Lucy is a piece of gold in a hall of silver She is extraordinary roller coaster And a bold little girl She is a super hero making days bright An awesome adventure away from reality A kid who chases her cares away Lucy is a beautiful fantasy A graceful swan A humble squirrel She is the comforting of home A dance that got a standing ovation My cousin 66

Artwork by Sebastian Rosario

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Artwork by Laine Partington

Sofia is the color of the su on a warm Summer day the rainbow in the sky the yellow on a taxi

Writing by Claudia Heffern

Sofi

She is the cherry blossom the bright umbrella on a gloomy rainy day She is the swing flying f ee in the air Higher than rooftops She is the the soft sand in the ocean A dolphin She is a hummingbird with a peaceful song Sofia is a tiger Lily Blooming with a unique pattern Spots on summery orange She is a cheerful song on the radio A book with a happy ending She is the cherry on my sundae The caramel on my apple The fluff on my sweater She is a fast motor boat bolting through the water a hilarious movie that got five star Sofia is alentine’s day.

She has a gift of love and friendship To bring to me Every day.

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Writing by Shaan Channamsetty

A Life Changing Mother Mom is a helpful doctor A kind teacher My shining sun She is an intelligent dolphin A thoughtful poet A smart scientist She is my comforting dog My relaxing spa music A peaceful spring day Mom is an artistic artist A colorful dress A joyful Santa Claus She is the shining sun in spring The soft leaves in fall A cozy winter coat She is a vivid purple dress A colorful bird fixing a nes My blooming beautiful sunflowe She is a grown birch tree A pretty sunrise A lovely puppy She is a brave wrestler A strict principal A powerful superhero Mom is a sweet Snickers bar A loyal dog A loving heart She is a funny comedian A comical clown A humorous cartoon THE BEST MOTHER EVER!

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Artwork by Ryan Weil

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Artwork by Brent Schwartz

Change in the world the leaves will fall the snow will drop I will be happy as a hyena then I will be sad as a sickness

Writing by Youssef Ahmar

Change in the World

I am changing my mind I live In the north, east, south ,west, Like a bear, I like to eat penguins then the penguin eats the polar bear it turns to night, then it is morning I am happy, then sad I want a cookie then don’t want the cookie then I eat the cookie like a hungry child then I spit out the cookie as if it was salad The leaves change to green to orange the earth turns from hot to cold I am reading this poem now I am not.

The light turns from green, yellow, to red, like an indecisive chameleon.

To A Friend He is the north to my south The east to my west The compass of my world

He is my yin to my yang He is my zip to my zang He is the jackpot of my life

He is the salt to my ocean The trout to my river The bear to my trout

He is the last yard of my race My energy bar forever The carabiner holding me to existence

The street of my life The broadway to my show The king to my castle

He is the monkey of my jungle The zip line from point A to point B The funny friend that means everything to me

The water to my moat The dragon to my knight The hero to the princess The sun to my moon The planet to my star The book to my eyes

The oxygen to my air The water to my life The titanium hull to a battle ship

Dedicated to Dylan Eskovitz My flashlight to lif

Writing by Griffith Crouse

He is my light to my storm My animal to my cracker The gold to my life

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Artwork by Rose Schultz

Artwork by Samantha Livieri

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Artwork by Emilia von Lilien-Brockmeyer

If I were to have a superpower, I would want to have shadow teleportation. This power means that you can teleport anywhere in the shadows or darkness. The process would involve merging with the darkness and appearing wherever desired. The main reason I would want this superpower is to be able to sneak up on criminal, therefore catching them by surprise and saving people. When I appear out of the shadows, it will provide the element of surprise and give me a leg up in the fight. The power can also be extremely useful during a fight. Because I can disappear whenever, I can easily keep myself unharmed and will not be able to get trapped.

This can be very helpful, making me one of the only super heroes that cannot be trapped or even extremely harmed. One of the other reasons I would want this power is because it is not widely known the way powers like strength, flight, or x-ray vision are. This will be helpful in ways like villains not being prepared for it. At first it may seem like a small insignificant powe , but after seeing it in action, people will realize it is a force to be reckoned with. Another reason I chose this power is for the everyday use it could have. It

Writing by Amanda Millar

My Superpower has almost all of the benefits of teleportation. I could easily get to school or anywhere quicker by coming out of a shadow. The only problem is that it would have to be discrete. I believe that the power could also be a symbol. It could be seen as proof that you can rise out of the darkness (literally) and fight evil. This shows that you don’t have to have a pure past, and not all good is evident. To summarize, shadow teleportation is a unique and also deadly superpower with outside benefits.

My logo would be a shadow that was in the process of transforming. A hand would

be coming out of the shadow, which would be about to leap into action. I think this would be the right logo because it is my power. It is also unique in the way that other heros don’t have a logo very similar, so it can be recognized instantly.

To conclude, shadow teleportation would be a great power for many reasons and my logo would be simple but show exactly what I am as a hero.

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Writing by Claudia Heffern

The Wonder of the Beach She is the one who takes Me to the Beach Our bare feet drag Against the sand Our eyes gaze at the warm Pink Sunset Over the dark Cold Water

Artwork by Jack Fitzgibbon

The cool breeze Whirls The small waves Crash

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The white Thick Foam Rolls over the Sand The cold ice cream slides down my throat The seagulls squawk in the distance The wonder of the Beach

Writing by Abhi Polaki, Artwork by Griffin Johnson

Moving Schools Moving schools is almost moving places.

I leave my friends and teachers, and I have to make new friends By playing out of the comfort zone And taking big risks by moving my hands And shooting the ball And getting used to the teachers From finishing work to answering a question By getting homework from every Subject when at my old school Only two types My old school was small but this school is big I have new fears of fitting i and of course HOMEWORK! What will I do?

Chloe She is the fuller in our house, youngest and loudest.

She is the emojis in my text making me laugh.

Her vanilla frosting and my chocolate cookie spring together.

She is the air on a hot summer night that makes my covers jump off of me The green highlights in her blond hair shows too much time in the pool.

She is the zebra stripes to a zebra but in rainbow rather than black and white.

Chloe is the last crumb left on the dinner table.

Artwork by Jack Sullivan, Writing by Sofia Staikos

A dog lover with fiery blond hair who reminds me of my mom.

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Writing by Andrew Gray

The Door Nature is in front of me…

The rays of sunshine splash splendidly through the window pane, The welcoming warmth awaits, The future ahead, The vast freedom of reality…

Nature is a beautiful playground, Luring me to play, Filled with happiness, Yet underneath lies unnoticeably a bed of sharp wood chips...

Every tree carries its shadow behind him, The balance of nature, The existence of the black, intricate art form, A darkness that is dragged across the grass…

The bridge will stand sturdy over the river, Guiding people across, But I am diffe ent, and I make my own walkways, A kid must create his own path…

The door is near me, A great barrier of protection, Locked from the outside, Some are too scared to open it…

I have the courage…

I have the bravery…

And it is time to explore…

Artwork by Brandon Kekedjian

I open the door.

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Artwork by Nick Holmes

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Artwork by Brian Gall

I heard the water splashing And sloshing And the squeak of the tubes Against the slides I saw the slides that looked like mountains Looping And circling Around and around I heard the screams of kids that were Terrifie Excited Or about to barf their guts out I saw the waves in the wave pool The lazy people in the river The kids in the kiddie pool And people everywhere But that was only what I saw when I entered the park...

Writing by Nicole Perez

When I First Entered the Park

Joy Video games are thrilling Attacking the town hall Fighting Velociraptors racing to the finish line avoiding the spike School is a blast.

Especially on a good day.

Outrunning and zigzagging people in sharks and minnows Creating this poem Playing Calculation Nation

Writing by Abhi Polaki

High spirits come out in after school Catching the football Shooting hoops.

Touching the wall first Cantering on a horse Front snap kicking the bag In Kung-fu

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Artwork by Kathleen Ehlers, Jack Fitzgibbon, Nick Holmes, Blythe Novick, Huntley Pizzarelli and Jenna Volpitta

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Writing by Griffith Crouse

GOKARTS

This is what I remember karts buzzing, brakes squeaking Spectators cheering deafening noise so loud it made my ears bleed

This is what I remember The greasy substance on the steering wheel The soft padding in the helmet The back-breaking jerks of the sudden turns

This is what I remember the stomach-turning scent of gasoline with the nasty smell of sweat of the winners and losers

This is what I remember

Artwork by Brandon Kekedjian

This is what I remember the skid marks of short turns the red and white racing stripes the checkered finish fl

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Artwork by Schuyler Keno

Charlie Thrilled, enthusiastic, witty Son of Andrew and Michelle Brother to Luke and James Adams Lover of soccer and running 5-ks Who is proud of coming to SLS and winning a 5-k Who is scared of dying and going to jail for a while Who hopes be a marine biologist and to invent a hover city

Adams

Writing by Charlie Adams

Fairfield, CT

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Writing by Ava Mortamais Artwork by Liz Fleischer 88

The Move The truck pulled up my driveway A tear fell down my cheek I didn’t want to leave my home I wanted to stay for years I wanted to cry forever I wanted to be alone Why did I have to leave my home?

I didn’t know the answer My Mom said change was good My Mom said change was great!

I never knew change could be a new start Now I wanted to race to the car And get to my new home To make a new home with my family

Writing by Sadie Lemkau

The Power To Cure Since June, I have been living with a family member suffering f om two diseases.

These diseases are both incurable. One is Type 1 diabetes and the other is Celiac. Imagine having no one with a disease or sickness in the world. Imagine no one being sick and everyone being happy.

If I had to choose a superpower, I would choose the power to cure. This power would help the world. If I had this power, I could have my brother as happy as he was before he was diagnosed. When I cure someone, it will take 10 seconds for them to heal. AIDs, Type 1 diabetes, Celiac, Cancer, and many other diseases will all be cured. These diseases will all be cured by the touch of my hand and the call of my name. Every superhero has to have a symbol in order to represent themselves. My symbol would be a heart with disease ribbons inside of it. Above the heart there would be an angel’s halo ring. Every piece of my logo symbolizes a part of my superpower. The heart symbolizes the love for people, the love for happiness, as well as the love for cure. The disease ribbons represent the encouragement from a patient’s family, now no longer needed since they are cured. The angels halo represents the angels looking down at them.

Artwork by Campbell Brode

In conclusion, the powers that I would have would make the world a better place.

Because I see someone suffering everyda , I know that this power would not only make my brother happy, but it would also make my family and the world happy.

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Artwork by Myles Sead Writing by Eliza Patty

The Sun

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The sun is a great big ball of joy The sun Is the start of a new day, The sun is the rising of hope And always smiling The sun Looks down And laughs with us, The sun Shimmers in a rainbow.

And sweetly sings through the robins, The sun Sleeps beneath a blanket of stars

Writing by Claudia Heffern

My Life as a Paintbrush I am happy when you put me hair side up I am mad when you put me hair side down I have rules You shall give me A proper wash And a proper dry And please don’t scrunch up my hair It takes a pretty long time To do in the morning!

Artwork by Rose Schultz 91

Artwork by Sasha Bakhramav

Thank you to all of the authors and artists who helped to create The Palette this year!

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