Wordworks 2026

Editor-in-Chief:

Wordworks

Literary Magazine Volume 10

Spring 2026

Brendan

McEachern,

Eighth Grade Language Arts

Graphic Design & Page Layout: Elisa Stanis

Special Thanks to the Following Faculty Members for Guiding Our Students in Writing & Art:

Hilary Carvitti, Fourth Grade Art

Meghan Cole, Fifth Grade Language Arts

Samantha England, Sixth & Eighth Grade Art

Katy Gallagher, Seventh Grade Language Arts

Amy Soellner, Sixth Grade Language Arts

Ashley Symonds, Fourth Grade Language Arts

Paula B. Yarnell-Sundermann, Fifth & Seventh Grade Art

Welcome to the tenth issue of Wordworks. This magazine contains one piece of writing from students in grades four to eight. This issue contains 262 writing pieces. Each student showcases his or her writing ability in various prompts ranging from art, biographies, book reviews, and fiction, to original poems. To demonstrate steady writing progression by grade, our staff has attempted to keep the author’s voice as authentic as possible without too many editorial changes and leaving some imperfections intact. Many of these pieces were condensed to “an excerpt” for the sole purpose of fitting into this magazine. I hope the excerpt will give you a sense of the author’s intention. The ultimate goal of Wordworks is to show student writing talent across five grades at The Summit. Congratulations to all of this year’s writers.

Enjoy our tenth issue!

Brendan McEachern

Ainsley Abercrombie 35

Adrian Abner 40

Jacob Adams 9

Macey Adams 36

Charlie Aguilar 24

William Ahouse 51

Tofunmi Ajayi 52

Temi Ajayi 34

Emmie Akers 17, 63

Miles Alexander 39

Lucas Amend 37

Amelie Avila 11

Anna Baker 32

Tip Barrett 8

Reese Bastos 53

Hank Bell 12

Michaela Bell 33, 64

McKenzie Bell 9

Chelsea Beyerbach 51

Emma Boyer 41, 63

Adelyn Bray 11

Eliot Brown 54

Maddison Brown 61

Rachel Burkart 31

Maddie Burns 25

Connor Butler 48

Anna Cafardi 38

Nick Cafardi 55

Andrew Caldwell 28

James Carlson 10

Quinn Carlson 18

Nico Carrasquillo 14

Knox Casey 6

Luca Cerimele 24, 62

Callie Chadwell 23

Gabby Chavez 41

Colin Clements 5

Declan Clements 11

EJ Clements 42

Zaria Cockrell 53

Ryan Conte 19

Emery Cosgrove 15

Jane Coughlin 53

Ben Crawford 31

Lilly Curt 18

Lucas Dapore 19

Authors

John Davis 53

Wes Davis 21, 64

Darcy de Lacy 55

Kai Devendorf 21

Tommy Devendorf 30

Blake Diaz 18

Tristan Dona 31

Hudson Druffel 24

Santi Dwyer 49 Olivia Elfenbein 27 Hannah Erbeck 35 Eleanor Ewald 58

Lily Ewald 24 Oliver Fecher 42 Liam Fildes 49

Siena Fildes

Izze

Brie

Luca Pancheri

Arianna

Gabby

Andrea Pérez Sánchez

Rebeca Pérez Sánchez

Achilles' Heel

Colin Clements, Gr. 4

The author's word choice shows that Achilles was a skillful warrior. Evidence of this was found in paragraph three. The author states, “He ran faster than a horse, fought tirelessly for hours, and wielded a sword with such skill and ferocity that in battle he drove entire armies away all by himself.” This shows that he is strong and mighty and he can defeat an entire army alone! Another example can be found in paragraph five. The text states, “... for without him, the Greeks would have never defeated the Trojans.” This shows Achilles was more powerful than the entire Trojan army. Clearly, the author's word choices showed us that Achilles was a very skilled warrior!

Adventure

Jacob Wilson, Gr. 4

Ring! As my alarm goes off, I realize right away it was past the time I need to get up to go to school, and I cheer. It's a snow day! I rush down the stairs, shove open the door that is connected to my garage, and I open the compartment door where I store my winter clothes. I throw on my jacket, pants, and snow gear and rush outside with my dog. I pause a moment just to see the whole backyard covered with a cold icy blanket of complete whiteness. Before I lay a foot on the snow I gaze at the beauty and the freshly fallen flurries now dancing to the ground. Suddenly, I hear a loud boof! It was my dog already plummeting into the freezing snow, ready for some fun.

Alex Rider

Luke Paulsen, Gr. 6

The title of my book is Alex Rider, Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz. The main character is Alex Rider. Alex Rider is a boy who is about 16 and is also a spy who works for MI6 which is a spy organization. Alex is quite brave, smart, also he is loyal and he plays soccer. The main villain is General Sarov. He is medium height, wears suits, and has lots of power. He lives in secret on Skeleton Key. He is why Alex goes there.

Ali Cross

Jack Pitino, Gr. 6

The title of my book is Ali crossed the secret detective by James Patterson. This story is about a kid named Ali cross who is 12 and is a secret detective, he and his friends Gabe and Cedric use a police scanner app to go and find crime. Ali is the son of Alex Cross who works for the police. He also has a half sister, Jannie. And he is also the grandson of Nana Mama. Ali Cross' mom died but he has a step mom named Bree.

All In

Sophia Phillabaum, Gr. 7

The theme of this book is trusting the people around you and standing by them can help overcome dangerous situations. Throughout the book every one of the Naturals have to trust each other in order to survive the hard situations. One thing the author did well was explaining all the math stuff like the fibonacci dates and getting into the killers POV. However the author could have wrapped up some side mysteries and character arcs that weren't wrapped up that well. If she would have done that the ending would have been more cohesive.

Amazing Amazon Rainforest

Liam Roberts, Gr. 7

Because of the Amazon Rainforest’s thick canopy of leaves, it can take up to ten entire minutes for rain to touch the soil (Nat Geo 2023). That means that for ten minutes, water is making its way through the maze of leaves. Pretty cool when you think about it. Some may say that the Amazon Rainforest’s river isn’t even the longest river. That is true, but for what it loses in length, it more than makes up for in size. The Amazon River has the most water volume out of any river on earth! The Amazon Rainforest is amazing because it is enormous, has a big river, and has the most biodiversity out of any forest in the world.

Among the Hidden Finn Foley, Gr. 5

Luke is challenged by the law. Luke does not like hiding, he wants to go outside, go to school, have a peaceful meal with his family, but a law made by the corrupt government makes it so he has to hide. He is an illegal, he is not meant to be alive, but he is. His family is quickly losing money. For Luke an internal conflict is going to Jen’s house every time. He is risking his life to go to her house but he is anxious for friends. Also his external conflict is the overly corrupt government. He has to hide, he is illegal, he is Among the Hidden.

Amy and Dan

Knox Casey, Gr. 6

The orphaned siblings Amy and Dan after their grandma died they discovered their family is the most powerful in history. They are offered a choice of 1 million dollars, or a choice to compete in a world wide hunt for 39 clues. They chose to hunt for the clues competing with many relatives. They manage to find all 39 Clues and become the most powerful family. In conclusion I really liked this book and recommend 39 Clues to everybody!

Annie Oakley

James Finkleman, Gr. 8

Annie Oakley was an eccentric figure, she would use her dog, Dave in many of her performances, which included shooting an apple off of Dave’s head. Annie and her husband Frank Butler were so attached to Dave, when he was hit by a car in 1923, Annie and Frank grieved like they had lost their only child, with Frank writing a book called the life of dave, as told by himself. Annie Oakley was a figure which heavily impacted American history and changed the way that the world looked at America and women.

Another

World

Noah Maly, Gr. 4

When I look at this quilt, I get transported into another world - a world filled with different colors that work together in unison. This piece stands out because, to me, it looks like the four people in the foreground represent different elements. The red figure on the far left looks like the element of fire, the vibrant yellow figure next to him is glowing like the sun. The person with the purple face reminds me of the element of earth - especially because of the texture of his hat. It looks like the bark of a tree. Finally, the figure on the far right looks to me like the cool, blue element: liquid water.

Arizona Heat

Rory Hussey, Gr. 6

My family was staying in the four seasons in Arizona. We decided that it was the perfect day to go to the outdoor pool at the hotel. The ground was warm and baked by 96 degrees of Arizona sun. My mom found us a place to sit. We went to the water and my mom ordered some food for us. The cool thing was that the kitchen would bring it to our seats. The ground was so hot we needed to wear our sandals to the edge of the pool.

Arthur Ashe

Nathan Jackson, Gr. 6

Arthur Ashe was an incredible sports figure because he raised awareness for AIDS, he showed respect on the tennis court, and he helped break the black sports barrier. Ashe faced many challenges in life and persevered in many. Starting from a small boy from Richmond Virginia to a top 10 ATA tennis player in the entire world. Ashe was helped by many and learned a ton in life and helped black people as a great person to look up to or mentor for young people. He had mentors and loved ones to help him through the hardest of times and be there for the best parts.

At the Stadium

Emilio Pruneda, Gr. 6

The ball soars high in the air intended for players. The players are making great catches in the endzone. The yellow flags being tossed all over the place. The flags are being called on the Offence and D fence. The refs blow their annoying whistle The whole small stadium is filled with people cheering for the home team.

Beauchamp

Rory Newton, Gr. 5

Sometimes it’s hard being the most important person on earth. I know this because I have myself a tiger! A fellow dude I know wanted to gamble, I said yes and… I won (as always) so he paid me with some tiger. Sounds great right?.... WRONG!!! I do not want to feed it myself. So I have a plan, I will make that boy, what’s his name?....Oh, Rob, yes yes I knew that. I will make him feed the tiger for me!!!!! HA! How does that sound, you Hortons!? Now what’s next….. Oh yes I need to GET OUT OF HERE. I have VERY important things to do other than write about my evil plans to trick Rob into helping me! OOPS, I shouldn't have written that!

Being on Time

Brenna Neyer, Gr. 8

There are many reasons why a person should be on time for their class. For example, if a student is late they miss vital information and learning. Being on time shows a sense of discipline and responsibility and shows your teacher you are ready and capable of learning. The more you show up on time and quietly show you are ready the more a teacher will trust you, having a strong trust relationship with your teacher will make school easier and you won’t be worried about any teacher that is focussed on you. While students might only have 3-5 minutes to switch classes they need to get into a flow state where they can easily grab their things from their locker and head to their class.

Benjamin Rush

Marley Milam, Gr. 8

Rush was born on January 4, 1746 in Pennsylvania, he was the fourth of seven children. HIs parents were John Rush and Susanna Hall. His father died before he was six years old and then moved with his mother to Philadelphia. His father was a gunsmith and farmer while his mother worked a store in Philadelphia. When Rush was eight years old he went to live with his uncle, Dr. Samuel Finley. His uncle was a pastor and headmaster. When he was living with his uncle, he got an education and got a bachelor of arts degree when he was fourteen, he became a very smart child. After school, he went to work as an intern for Dr. John Redman and he encouraged Rush to get medical training.

Best Snow Day

Tip Barrett, Gr. 4

Today I think the snow, Will never go away, And I will play all day. I will get my gear, Because snow is nothing to fear. I head outside with joy, I am a happy boy. The snow is now up to my knees, And I begin to freeze. On second thought, Maybe it’s quite okay, For the snow to go away…

Bethany Hamilton

Ava Geers, Gr. 6

Bethany Meilani Hamilton was born on a double rainbow day; her favorite animals are Manatees, sharpei dogs, and pigs; her daily treat is dark chocolate (“Learn about Bethany”). Hamilton’s zodiac or astrology sign is an aquarius (Ott). Hamilton was born to two die hard surfer parents so of course she has saltwater in her blood ( Soul Surfer 00:01:35) her parents' names are Tom Hamilton and Cheri Hamilton. Hamilton was born in Lihue, Kawai Hawaii on February, 8 1990 (Ott). She has two brothers, that's what she answers when anyone asks her why she is so competitive .

Better Life

Cameron Meyer, Gr. 4

The Underground Railroad was helpful because it led enslaved people to a better life. An example can be found in source one. The text says, “The common thread was that all enslaved people had no legal, or lawful, rights.” This shows enslaved people were treated unfairly in the south but could find freedom in the north. A second example can be found in source one. The article states, “They traveled from the south to the northern states where slavery was banned.” This means that they would have the same rights as everyone else. As you can see, the Underground Railroad led enslaved people to a better life.

Better Life

Mac McIntyre, Gr. 4

The Underground Railroad helped lead enslaved people to a better life. An example of this can be found in source one. The text says, “[Enslaved people] were concerned property that could be bought or sold at any time.” This shows enslaved people had no rights, but if they made their way up north they could be free. Another example can be found in source one The Source claims, “[Enslaved people] were not paid and could not own property.” This means that if they travel up north they could own property and earn money. Clearly, the underground railroad led people to a better life.

Big Question of the Holocaust

Matti Milam, Gr. 6

Is Oskar Schindler a man who saved lives or a man who lied and cheated? Schindler risked his life for people he didn’t know but saw were being treated unfairly. Schindler saw hundreds of thousands of Jews being treated like crap and chose to step in and take action. He chose to not be a bystander and be someone who takes action when someone is being treated out of the ordinary in a bad way. Oskar Schindler was a man of many contradictions because he supported and saved over 1000 Jews, he risked his life for people who were treated unfairly, and he was a man of self control and kindness.

Birth of a Khan

Jacob Adams, Gr. 6

Genghis Khan was born between 1155 and 1162. Historians haven’t figured out the exact date of his birth (Reinhartz). His birth name was Temujin, named after a soldier in his fathers career. Genghis Khan's parents were Yesugei, his father, and Oyeloun, his mother(Medina 22). When he was born it is said to be believed that he was holding a blood clot, which was a good sign for his future(Britannica). Yesugei, Genghis’s dad, was a military leader for the Merkit clan. It must have been hard when other people had such high hopes for you even when you were a little child.

Birthday

Grace Terhar, Gr. 5

Something that is fresh is how hot and how the temperature changes. My birthday is April 16th and I love nature so when the trees and flowers bloom it is like they are saying happy birthday. The freshness of the breeze is so nice, and how it cools you down. The animals start to come out more, and you get to see way more foxes, coyotes, and more. You also can play outside more without freezing, April is the best.

Blessed Simba

RJ Johnson, Gr. 8

In the Lion King, Simba was born. Simba was blessed and chosen to be king. He was anointed and blessed by the spiritual leader Grafiki by putting red powder on his forehead in a sign of peace. Simba was announced as the prince of Pride Rock. Simba grew up and made friends. Simba and his friends went into restricted areas and were chased by hyenas. Simba and his friends nearly escaped but were then blocked off by a dead end and they didn’t know where to go.

Blue Ridge Mountains

McKenzie Bell, Gr. 6

Imagine walking outside on a cool morning. The cool wind whistles in your ears. The wind blows softly in your face as you walk by. Looking around you see the mountains covered in trees with brown, red, and orange leaves. Running water rushes down the mountain, splashing against the round, moss covered rocks. Horses and cows slowly walk around while munching on hay or small patches of green grass. Small black birds fly high in the sky, their chirping ringing throughout the mountain Red, orange, and brown leaves crunch as you walk over them.

Bodo Glimpt

James Carlson, Gr. 7

Breaking news! Bodo Glimpt’s fairytale UEFA Champions League run comes to an end. They beat some impressive teams along the way, Manchester City, and Atletico Madrid in the league phase before beating previous finalists, Inter Milan in the knockout playoffs. After beating their final-16 match against Sporting CP 3-0 in the first leg in Norway, they suffered a devastating loss 0-5 in the second leg, losing in the final-16 match, and ending their fairytale run in the Champions League.

Breast Cancer

Emi Spreen, Gr. 7

One person probably can’t imagine how easily their life could slip away if they were told they had been diagnosed with breast cancer. If someone didn’t realize how much money they needed to recover, their stress levels would be through the roof; rethinking their whole life. Imagine walking around school, having people only know you as “The Sick Girl” Your life could easily change when you wake up tomorrow, but if that were to happen wouldn’t you wish you’d have been prepared? And what if you weren’t?

Cadmium Orange Stem

Amelie Ziegler, Gr. 4

Another thing that this sculpture reminds me of is a vibrant piece of coral. I can imagine diving into warm ocean water and opening my eyes to be greeted by a whole world of coral art. It feels like a million fish live around that coral in the beautiful, shining, mysterious sea. The colorful coral creates a spot that looks like all the fish would be able to hide from dangerous sharks that might bite. It’s almost as if this beautiful piece of art is their sanctuary from outside dangers. They could hide or blend into the art, like they’re camouflaged.

Camp-Halfblood

Eloise Goico, Gr. 6

Imagine standing on top of a large hill, Camp half blood lies just beyond the hill. It's a fun looking place. Even from up here you can hear laughing and see people walking around, having an amazing time. Centered on the hill is Thalia’s tree, the pine tree that Thalia was turned into.Thalia was a former camper at camp halfblood who died in battle and was turned into a tree by her father Zeus.

Capuchin Monkeys

Luke Jenkins, Gr. 7

In the past few years people have spotted capuchin monkeys carrying 11 different howler monkeys. Zoë Goldsborough, a behavioural ecologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour in Germany Said “This was a very shocking finding” and “We’ve not seen anything like this in the animal kingdom.” Capuchin monkeys are house cat sized animals. They are clever and even use stone tools to crack open nuts. The monkeys are found in South America and Central America. Researchers don’t know why they are getting abducted. Most of the Baby Howlers are dying because they have no-one to nurse them.

Carnotaurus

Houston Griffin, Gr. 7

The Carnotasuarus was a very unique dinosaur. It was scaly, had 2 short arms that were leftover from ancestors, and had 2 horns on its head. and was 8 meters long and 8-10 feet tall. It was found by Jose Bonaparte in 1984 in Argentina. It is a well known dinosaur by people and scientists all over the world. The Carnotaurus will forever be remembered by scientists and people all over the world for its horns, looks, hunting techniques, and its discovery.

Center of Respite Care

Declan Clements, Gr. 7

According to the Office of New York City, 350,000 people in New York are experiencing homelessness, now think about combining this with an allergy. You wouldn't be able to have any affordable food meals like Macdonalds, or even Chipotle. Imagine how many infants are born on the street and die because their parents can’t afford hospital fees. Now if that infant survives, you give it food and lay it down to sleep, you wake up in the morning and the infant is dead because of an allergic reaction without help that ended up being fatal.

Certain Conflicts

Lola Ishola, Gr. 5

Another type of conflict spotted in our reading is external conflict. A clear example of external conflict is when Knox faces racism during the covid-19 pandemic. In this example, Knox pets CJ Axel's dog and CJ Axel calls Bowen a bad name. Lea and Knox stood up for his brother as CJ found out that they are Asian too. Knox pointed out that he was CJ Axel and posted rude racist things on the internet but he denied it. Then he admitted it and refused to apologize. He left the scene by calling their people filthy.

Chapter 22

Adelyn Bray, Gr. 5

One example of internal conflict is chapter twenty two where Luke is struggling to find out if he should go to the rally or why not. For example “I can't go,” Jen gaped at him. “ I can’t,” he said again weakly. Jen shook her head briskly, “Yes you can,” she said. "I know you are scared who isn't?" Therefore Luke didn't know what to do and was struggling to choose a decision.

Christmas For Italy

Amelie Avila, Gr. 6

Streets and houses start decorating for Christmas on December 8. Christmas markets start. Huge trees and lots of decorations can be found in main piazzas. They start playing bagpipes and Christmas carols on the 8 of December. To prepare and purify their bodies for Christmas day. Italians avoid eating meat on La Vigilia (Christmas Eve).

Christmas Morning

Oliver Walker, Gr. 6

Imagine you can’t sleep, waking up super early on Christmas morning, but your parents say you can't go downstairs. I am sitting in my bed with immense boredom and anxiety for what Santa got me. I see that outside you can't see anything because it’s still so early in the morning. I don't know what to do but all I want to do is go downstairs and open my presents. I taste my toothpaste because I decide to get brushing my teeth done. I feel my cozy winter pajamas on and it feels so nice. I can’t help the fact that there are 50+ gifts waiting for me just down a set of stairs and down a hallway.

City of Ember

Hank Bell, Gr. 4

The author's word choice shows that Ember is in ruin. An example of this can be found in paragraph one The text says, “...the wood of their window frames and doors long unpainted.” This shows since the people of Ember were supposed to leave the city at the 200-220 year mark, they ran out of paint. This happened because the builders only put 220 years of supplies in the storage rooms of Ember. They are almost out. Another example of this can be found in paragraph two. The text says, “ She leapt over cracks and potholes.” This shows that the city ran out of supplies to fix the potholes and cracks. This also shows that the city is very old. The last example of this can be found in paragraph three.

Colonel Philip Hicky

Annabelle Huttenbauer, Gr. 8

Everyone has that one friend or family member whose life seems like it was written for Hollywood. The one that does all of the cool things that you could never do. The person who always gets called on because they have a specific skill nobody else has. For me, and the patriots of the 1810 West Florida Rebellion, that man was my seven time great grandfather, Colonel Philip Hicky. While he was a pioneer in the sugar industry for the state of Louisiana, and a veteran of the Spanish Cavalry, his most important skill was his high level of education. His commanding officer, Philemon Thomas, was illiterate.

Community

Estelle Neyer, Gr. 8

The Summit would not be the same without its community. I have been fortunate enough to experience this amazing community throughout my school years. I have had such influential people in my life rather it be a teacher or a weekly babysitter that I ended up becoming life long friends. So many people have made a difference in my life. From the time I was in Montessori, I always looked at the high school. When those older students would come into classrooms, I would say to my best friend, “We are going to be helping kids one day and wearing those grey skirts.” When the yearbooks came out I would flip to the Lifers page and know that I would be in that picture some day.

Congenital Heart Defects

Carrigan Sams, Gr. 7

Every 15 minutes, a child is born with a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) making it the number one birth defect in children (Children’s Heart Foundation). Despite these statistics, CHD is not well known or researched. Some might think that supporting CHD is a frivolous idea because it is already supported by research grants and donations. While this is true, not every type of CHD has been researched and supported. Additional research, money, and awareness can benefit in many ways. By raising awareness, people can learn what CHD is, how and when it is diagnosed and possible treatments. Supporting research is vital to discovering cures and improving lives. My passion with CHD started with a personal connection and the ability to honor the legacy of my cousin.

Consequences

Emmeline Friedman, Gr. 5

Once upon a time there was a teenage girl who was named Sophia. She is in ninth grade and it is almost winter break. She has a lot of exams and can hardly keep up with studying and homework. Since she just moved in November and has no friends, she can not study with anybody. Sophia is lonely and does not fit in her new school. One day she had a social studies exam but did not study. She was sitting next to a boy named Miles. Miles was really smart and has A’s in almost every subject. Sophia thought, “It must not be bad if I take just a little peek at his test.” Well a little peek turned into a long look which also means she copied his test.

Contrasts

Wes Shadoin, Gr. 5

Comparing and contrasting two types of conflict is when they are the same and different.While both internal and external conflict create challenges for different characters that affect them in different ways.The internal and external conflict that I described are the same because they connect to the same story and the internal conflict happened after they moved to the U.S.The reason my internal and external struggles are different is because when knox run’s away from home he does not bring his family with him but when he moves to the U.S. they come with him.

Couple of Conflicts

Madix Milam, Gr. 5

In the book Among the Hidden Jen faces a couple of internal conflicts. One is doing the rally. She and 40 other third children start a protest but get shot. Luke is really sad because his only friend just died. In the book, Jen's dad said, “Jen is no longer with us”. This is important because Jen is Luke's best friend and he lost her. The three knocks in a row come and we hear a “Open up Population Police” Jen’s Dad tells Luke to hide in the closet. He makes impediments so the Population Police don’t find Luke. George bribes them with fur coats and tells them to leave. Also this is important because it shows the mental struggles Luke had when Jen died and when he was in his room for so long after being outside for a longevity of time.

Creating Challenges

Grace Krehbiel, Gr. 5

Marlee's conflicts create lots of challenges for her, some that will help her and others that will get in the way. The conflicts that I explained earlier are connected with one person whose name is Liz. “My mother has a whole book of magic squares. You speak in the presentation, the book is yours,” said Liz. This shows that Liz knows that Marlee loves math and is, little by little, helping her to speak out. So whether it is getting over a fear, or standing up for her. I think that the author used this in her book because her fears are a good metaphor for her life.

Cup of Cocoa

Charlie Paquin, Gr. 4

I wait for it to be done, but it feels like an eternity. My legs are dead, still freezing. I feel like giving up and ignoring the delicious cup of cocoa so I could warm up by the fire, but my legs stand still like a sky scraper. BEEP! Finally! It was done. I took it out, regretting it for a second. The heat from the cup made it feel like my hands were in a stove, so I walked like a snail trying not to spill the boiling liquid on me.

Day at the Beach

Cole Rinehart, Gr. 6

First though, I like to drink my apple juice and watch Sports Center to know what is going on in the sports world. The bike ride to breakfast is about 30 minutes. The bike ride is fun and exciting. There is a bridge that we go on that is bumpy and if you talk, your voice becomes weird and I think it is funny. I also get to talk about sports and other things. I like to pretend that I’m in a race in Mario Kart.

Daydreams

Nico Carrasquillo, Gr. 5

In the book Among the hidden Luke faces internal conflicts. One internal conflict is when he is when he daydreams about stuff he wished he had. An example of this can be found on page seven the text says, “Luke wanted to cry. He’d forgotten to even wish.” This made him feel lonely without being able to have everything that normal kids have. The reason this is important is because throughout the novel he gets more desperate things he wants to be able to do he wants to be free. In conclusion this is Luke's internal conflict.

Deaf to Sound, Not Power!

Teddy Fulton, Gr. 7

The deaf community deserves more awareness and funding because many parents cannot talk to their children, there are many false stereotypes floating around in the world about what deaf people are like, and many deaf children are not able to access proper education. Even in Cincinnati, there are people struggling to even communicate with their loved ones, leaving them in silence. However, there are NPO’s who can help with these issues, such as the Hearing Speech and Deaf Center, and anybody is able to donate to them. This will allow so many people, both adults and children, to step out of the silence.

Dehumanization

Aly Verdin, Gr. 8

In Elie Wiesel’s Holocaust memoir Night, Elie witnesses the dehumanization of the Jewish people by the Nazis as he experiences the loss of humanity under the Nazi grip. He, along with other Jews, were forcefully put in train cars, stuck and sealed in like animals. If being put in cattle cars was not enough, the second they arrived at a concentration camp, the prisoners were yelled at and called names, most of the time relating to animals. Finally, the Jews were sorted into groups, with some being sentenced to death right away, leaving only the strongest left. These are just three examples of how the Nazis showed dehumanization towards Jews and other prisoners in and out of the concentration camps. Nazis did this to make the Jews feel worthless and hopeless, and to show superiority over them.

Deserving a Chance

Willy Vollmer, Gr. 5

In Out of My Mind, Melody's teacher has been mean and doesn't like her, so Melody has to prove that she deserves a chance. The struggle melody is going through is that people call her a freak. Melody is worried about how she is going to fit in with everyone else. This shows that this is external because of how melody is treated.

Different Conflicts

Adelaide Friedman, Gr. 5

While both internal and external conflicts create challenges for characters, they affect them in different ways. For example, sometimes, internal conflict leads to external action, or external conflict causes internal struggles depending on the novel and character. Authors use both types of conflict to create compelling, multi-layered stories that move emotionally with readers while driving the plot forward. These conflicts make the story more interesting and help us understand the characters better because it reveals true character, it drives information and forces a character to learn or fail, it creates the hook, or stakes and engagement, and it provides contrast. In summary, comparing and contrasting is indispensable to the necessity of the story plot.

Disappearance at Devil's Rock

Lily Finkleman, Gr. 8

Paul Tremblay’s book, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, is about a teenager named Tommy mysterious disappearance. Throughout the book, you see how Elizabeth and Kate, Tommy’s mother and younger sister, handle this disappearance and the paranormal aspects behind it while learning about why Tommy went missing through pages of his diary. This book has a lot of similarities with the book, A Head Full of Ghosts, which is also written by Paul Tremblay. This book follows Merry and her family as they deal with Majorie, Merry’s sister, showing signs of schizophrenia, or as the family thinks later, a demonic possession.

Discovery of New World

Ethan O'Dwyer, Gr. 8

Over 10,000 to 14,500 years ago lived a tribe called Paleo indians.(nps.gov) They are the best tribe. The Paleo Indians came from descendants 28,000 to 10,000 years ago. (nps.gov) There aren't a lot of artifacts but there are some. (nps.gov) Most of the stuff we know about Paleo Indians is due to Russell’s cave. (nps.gov) Russell’s cave is east of the Mississippi river. (nps.gov) Most of the stuff we know about Paleo Indians is from Russell’s cave like their teeth fragments from animals that have gone extinct like the boar. Some stuff people also saw were spear heads and axes. The cave's collection of artifacts only reaches approximately 11,000 BCE.

Dogs Can Help

Emery Cosgrove, Gr. 7

The first reason dogs should be able to stay at a no-kill shelter is because they help many humans. Dogs can help humans with neurodevelopmental conditions like anxiety and depression (Salem press 2). This is important because people could have very severe cases and need the help.

Dogs Deserve a Good and Loving Home and Life

Crosley Price, Gr. 7

57% of dogs were euthanized in the U.S. in 2022 (PR Newswire U.S. 1) and more than 20 million dogs live in poverty without proper or any care (Grant 7). This isn’t ok because all dogs deserve to have a good and long life, the right care, and a good loving home. Some people might say that dogs don’t matter as much as humans do and it is ok for them to be euthanized for unnecessary reasons and it is just a minor problem that doesn’t matter. Some people also aggressively abuse their dogs. This is wrong because dogs matter just as much as humans do and it isn’t ok to kill a dog for space or behavioral reasons because that is like killing a human if they have bad behavior or nowhere to live.

Donating an Organ

Kalle Gatewood, Gr. 7

Do any of you know someone who has died from organ failure? Well, I do. My mom’s friend died from organ failure. I felt so bad after this happened. She was so kind and funny and she had a daughter just like me. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose my mom or my dad. How would you feel if you woke up and couldn’t greet your mom or dad in the morning or say I love you to them at night? Sadly, this is the reality for a lot of people. Some people do get up in the morning not being able to talk to someone they loved. And sometimes it’s because their loved one died waiting for an organ transplant. This is why I choose to support organ donation. It’s important because so many people die needlessly from organ failure that could have been saved, and their families are never the same.

Double Dribble

Winston Steele, Gr. 7

Double Dribble Double Dribble is written and authored by W. C. Mack. This book is about a team's tournament run to win the championship. There are many plot twists and you will never know what's going to happen next. This book represents resilience and hard work in many ways. Double dribbles action mostly happens on the court which is the setting of the book. The main characters are about a set of twins and one is good at basketball and the other is nerdy and not too good at basketball. The main conflict in this story comes when another set of twins move to their area and they are really good at basketball. This causes the Evan’s twins to become jealous of the other set of twins.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Millie Rich, Gr. 7

“When your child dies they don't die once; they die every time you wake up and open your eyes,” said Mrs. Herreras, mother of a Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy kid who died too young due to heart failure. No one else should have to feel this way. No one should think they don't have a future. No parent should have to go through this grief. Muscular dystrophy needs more funding and research because it is currently underfunded, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a complicated disease, and has numerous side effects that negatively impact people. It is a huge hindrance in their lives. This disease does not just affect the kid, but also all the family members.

Ducks

Natalya Wangler, Gr. 7

Did you know ducks are one of the only animals that can fly, swim, and walk? Besides geese, pelicans, and other birds, ducks are one of the only animals that can do all of those things. Some may say that ducks are just for Thanksgiving dinner and hunting for sport. While the writer prefers ham on their plate, ducks are amazing creatures!

Duke

Theo Sabatalo, Gr. 5

When my new puppy started to get the zoomies at my grandma’s house ,and Me and Drew had to chase him then my cousins big dog started chasing us.Then Drews big dog stopped chasing us because he got to tired but Duke still had the zommies and finally Duke slipped and tried to get away then we caught him and had put him in his cage for a nap.

Edgar Allan Poe

Zoa Pratt, Gr. 6

Edgar Poe was born on January 19, 1809. His parents were Elizabeth Arnold and David Poe Jr. (Biography.com Editors). They were members of a traveling theater company that performed Hamlet around the country (Edgar Allan Poe). His dad only joined the company to perform with his wife. He was not good at acting and the newspapers called him ‘An Embarrassment’. His mother, on the other hand, was great at acting. The newspapers called her ‘Enchanting’ and ‘Pleasing’ (Gigliotti 8). He had two siblings; William Poe and Rosalie Poe. William went by his middle name, Henry (Biography.com Editors).

Elsa

Kyran Hickson, Gr. 7

The main conflict in the story is kind of odd because all though they solve it, it gets weird throughout the story. The conflict is or the first conflict is Elsa has powers but her sister gets hurt and they have to erase Anna’s memories of them to keep her safe. But after that they take Anna to another home and drop her there to keep her safe forever because the king and queen (Elsa and Anna’s parents) feel as if Elsa could hurt Anna potentially with her powers. And the second conflict is making sure Prince Hans doesn’t take over the kingdom of Arendelle. The conflicts could be either external or internal. And what I mean by that is it could be internal because it’s hurting them that they were taken from each other from a young age.

Empathy

Emmie Akers, Gr. 5

Empathy is the act of understanding and empathy and kindness. Those traits are really important in New From Here. Two characters that show kindness and empathy are Mrs. Turner and Lea. Lea shows kindness when she makes sure that Knox is included and helps him be a bit more happy about being him. Mrs. Turner shows kindness when Knox first comes to her classroom and is very generous and has all of Knox’s classmates make a card for him. In conclusion, empathy is really important in New From Here.

Endangered Animals of the World

Evan Fox, Gr. 7

There are thousands of species that are endangered or losing population by the minute, even though there are many great organizations trying to stop this from happening. This is all due to hunting in the past, either for resources or for convenience. Even though all those actions were taken either years ago or just a few decades ago it still affects us today. This is happening but so many people don’t acknowledge the situation because it either is not an important animal or one they don’t know about. This is terrible because many species of animals do help the ecosystem but the general public don’t know how and even if they don’t they improve the diversity and beauty of earth.

Escaping

Blake Diaz, Gr. 7

Halina and Georg tried to escape the Polish ghetto but her Mom was left behind. Their first attempt at escaping failed and they had to go back to the ghetto. Halina planned to go and try to escape during the night. She realized how hard it would be to escape the ghetto because she saw how many guards were around everything. When attempting to escape she found one of her friends, Fritz, which she tried to escape with. When at close to the end of escape she realized that her Mom cannot escape any more. She found out this from Batya, one of the people that helped her escape. The escape was long and they had to hide and sleep in pits and places where no one could find them.

Everyone Deserves Shoes

Henry Knepfle, Gr. 7

Shoes. Shoes are something that you may not think of every day, but whether you think about them or not, they are important. Isn’t it crazy that people are ridiculed because they can't afford proper footwear? People who can’t afford shoes are more open to disease and prejudice than people who can afford them. Proper footwear protects from major health concerns, gives people the dignity to be confident, and is an integral part of people’s lives.

Everything Goes Wrong

Quinn Carlson, Gr. 6

We woke up early to pack everything and go downstairs to tell them that we were checking out and leaving in an hour. They looked confused and didn't say anything. We ran into Sasha’s parents at the lobby while they were complaining about having to leave early. We asked why and again they were confused. They showed us a photo of the note they got under their door about the President of Israel coming, so all the roads were shut down. We told them we didn’t get this note because we were leaving a day early. They told us we need to be in the airport in 30 minutes because that's when the roads close. We rushed upstairs to grab our bags and run to get an Uber before they closed.

Everything I Never Told You

Lilly Curt, Gr. 7

The book I chose for my quarter three book report is Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. This book is about a Chinese American family, Marilyn, James, Lydia, Nath, and Hannah, living in Ohio in the 1970’s. Marilyn is a mother who forces the life that she never had on her daughter Lydia, and she has always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but becoming a mother put an end to that. James was the hard working father that wasn’t there very much, and worked as a teacher. Lydia was the dream child and was thought to be the child that will succeed greatly. She had all the pressure on her, and could never fail, her parents would not allow it.

Extreme Temperatures

Lucas Dapore, Gr. 4

One of the main challenges animals face in the desert is the extreme temperatures. One example of animal adaptations can be found in passage one, paragraph four. The text says, “...the tortoise uses its sharp foreleg claws to dig long burrows underground…as it takes shelter from extreme heat and cold.” This shows that the tortoise creates a cozy home that protects it from overheating or getting too cold. Another animal is the eagle. An example of the eagle’s adaptations can be found in passage, two paragraph eleven. The article claims, “...eagles by soaring high above the earth where temperatures are much cooler." This shows that the eagle can stay cool even when it is hot out. Clearly, animals have found ways to survive the extreme temperatures of the desert.

Facing a Challenge

Zoe Riegle, Gr. 5

In the Book, Lions Of Little Rock, the main character Marlee faces an external conflict. Her external conflict is a struggle between Red( another character). Red is very rude and disrespectful; he wants to hurt Marlee and her friend Liz and is constantly threatening them throughout the whole book. On page one hundred twenty the text says “ Red picked up my flattened hat and shoved it back on my head. ‘You make sure you stay quiet,’ he said. ‘Cause if you don’t, I’ll be coming after you and your little friend too.’ ” This shows that Red and Marlee have internal conflict and Red is threatening both of them. This is important to Marlee’s growth because she learned to be courageous , take chances and stand up for what she thinks is right.

Falling and Calling

Charlie Spriggs, Gr. 4

Snow falling, snow calling, to be played in. The door was open, to the snow. Out to play in. Snow up, snow down. Making a snowman with a crown, snow to play in. Flopping down. Flopping around. Snow that has been played in.

Favorite Drink

Corrina Roth, Gr. 5

There are so many different drinks but I think that I am a Bubbly Water. One reason I think I am a Bubbly Water is because when you drink Bubbly Water fast it has this little kick. Just like with me if you start things off too fast the whole conversation would just be pointless. When you really get to know me I am sweet just like the savering flaver of the Bubbly Water, you might just go out and declare me the best friend. I also sometimes just like to sit and relax just like when you get a Bubbly Water it sit’s there for a while and it is still fine to drink. Those are some reasons why I think if I was a drink I would be a Bubbly Water.

FC Cincinnati

Ryan Conte, Gr. 7

Team sports give children opportunities for them to be able to learn skills like leadership and being social. Children that are in poverty are not always able to learn those valuable skills that you get from youth sports. You need alot of those skills for a job and other things later on in life. My agency is the FC Cincinnati Foundation. Some things that they do are giving chances for impoverished children to be able to play soccer and to give education to kids that cannot afford it and rewarding them by meeting the players on FC Cincinnati if they are doing well in school.

Fears of Anxiety

Anna Krulcik, Gr. 7

First, anxiety causes pain in your nerves causing them to become hypersensitive. Having panic from anxiety can have striking pain with no warnings (“Types of Anxiety Disorders” 7 ). By having no warnings, anxiety takes over making you anticipate when it could come. Stress from anxiety wears down on the body causing blood pressure to rise (Park 5). Pressure rising can cause fear of failure keeping people from achieving. Your immune system can get affected and anxiety can make you develop eating disorders. Anxiety causing eating disorders is a major problem overall as well as general health.

Finding Money

Drew Wilmot, Gr. 5

In the novel New from Here, mom struggles to find money for the family by herself. This example can be found on page one 115. "My mom lost her job. We don’t have health insurance right now…” This proves that they did not have enough money and mom was struggling with her job because they don’t even have health insurance and that is important. Because if someone in their family needs a doctor they don’t really have enough money. This is important to the book because it shows what some people went through like hardship and struggling to make money.

Flush

Nora Hannah, Gr. 5

In the Florida Keys, environmental protection and health are very important. The Florida Keys are an extremely protected place as Noah tells us on page 45 when he says,”Which is totally protected, or supposed to be.” By saying these words, Noah tells us that the Florida Keys are a crucial part of the theme of environmental protection in Flush. On page 45, the text also says,”Gill nets were outlawed years ago in Florida because they kill everything that gets tangled, not just the baitfish but sharks, reds,snook,tarpon,turtles,-you name it, it dies.” This bestowed us with the information that the Florida Keys are making an effort to protect the environment, but will they try hard enough to catch Dusty? According to the text, environmental protection and health are very important in the Florida Keys.

Focus

Rachael Leik, Gr. 5

Both internal and external conflict have different effects on the story. For example, in the book, New From Here, Knox faces the internal conflict of ADHD. Researching this leads to the external conflict of ICEE. As Knox begins to research about his ADHD he is scared but when he continues to research he finds out about hyperfocusing and actually gets excited. This leads to him hyperfocusing on trying to calm racism and using ICEE to stop people who believe in racism and helping Christopher with his restaurant. Marlee also faces conflict, but unlike Knox this is external conflict. She cannot fit in because she is afraid to speak.

Football Game

Wes Davis, Gr. 6

As people start flowing into the stadium to see the Bengals take on the jets. Before the game fans get their buttery popcorn, pizza and delicious soda before the game kicks at one o’clock, As the game is about to kick off the commentator starts talking and playing music, people find their seats and the ref blows the whistle for kickoff. Then the crowd starts to cheer and the smell of cheesy pizza and salary pretzels fills the air.

Forest Kai Devendorf, Gr. 6

The grass on the ground feels wrinkly as if somebody has trailed there various times. The bark on multiple kinds of trees seem very rough, durable, and slightly sticky when touched. The soil in some parts is hard, rough, and durable, while in others is squishy, slippery, and seeps into your paws. The bushes are prickly and they are easy to get stuck and trapped in. The river is smooth, swift, soft, letting leaves, twigs, and dead plants flow gently down it. This wonderful place I imagine is the forest in Warriors.

Foster Care Awareness

Ruby Hayes, Gr. 7

Nearly 120,000 U.S. children don’t have permanent homes and around two-thirds also have siblings in foster care. This is really startling when individuals realize how many kids lack a permanent home to come home to. Some people might say enough awareness and funding already goes into foster care. This is an egregious statement because 120,000 kids don’t have a permanent home! More awareness and funding needs to be put into foster care because people need to know what foster care is and how to help, kids can have childhood stability, finally many kids have trauma that can be healed with a loving family.

Fredrick Douglass

Owen Lee, Gr. 8

Did you know that Frederick Douglass taught himself how to read and write? Frederick Douglass uses the power of words and writing to show that literacy is a more dangerous weapon against slavery than physical force because it attacks the ideas that keep slavery alive, not just the bodies that slavery tries to control. Physical resistance can be beaten down, but once an enslaved person can read, write, and think for themselves, the master’s power over their mind begins to collapse. Douglass presents literacy as the key to understanding that slavery is not natural or God-ordained, but a human system built on lies, fear, and ignorance. When enslaved people gain access to words, they also gain access to new ways of seeing themselves as human beings with rights, intelligence, and dignity.

Freedom for Shelter Dogs

Russell Roth, Gr. 7

Imagine you wake up one morning and remember that today you are going to the Dog Show! All of the best breeders will be in town, to showcase the best dogs around. Even better, your parents are letting you get a dog! You pull into the parking lot of the Dog Show. You don’t notice it, but there is a dog shelter across the street. Inside the dog shelter, dogs with no homes are watching as you and your family pick an expensive dog from breeders. We all want the best for dogs, but do we really? If so, why are you choosing the breeder dogs over the homeless dogs? Many dogs live in harsh conditions with little to no food, or they are being euthanized just because there is no space. Some people say that stray dogs are mean, vicious, dirty dogs. If other people didn’t want them, then why should I? This is wrong. Street dogs are only trying to protect themselves from abuse, which they may have experienced, or they are trying to defend puppies. All of these dogs on the streets, in shelters, and in houses are the same. They all are animals who deserve loving, caring homes.

Friends at School

Cody Meyer, Gr. 5

In the book New From Here, Knox struggles with racism and he wants to have friends at school and he wants to be treated normally and he wants to stop racism. Knox has internal conflict and people make him feel bad about himself and people are very mean to him and he has no friends other than his siblings. I will be giving you information about internal conflict and external conflict about Knox. In this novel my character is Knox and his internal conflict is that he has no friends. He is very sad and people are racist to him at school and daily. Knox’s external conflict is that Covid 19 is happening and his parents keep getting accepted. Another example of external conflict he's facing is he has a disorder called ADHD and he also has a hard time in elementary school.

Frustration

Leo Renteria, Gr. 5

After feeling shame and frustration, to feel happy about his ADHD. He finally learns to accept his differences from others, having ADHD. One example can be found on page two hundred eighteen. The character states, “To my surprise, it’s an A- staring back at me, along with the words, Great job, Knox. Keep it up! I grab the paper to my chest. All this time, I thought A was for Are You Kidding, Never Gonna Happen! Turns out, it can happen!!!” This is where Knox self-accepts because he knows that even with ADHD, he can hyper-focus and get a grade he would have never imagined to have and always aspired for. That grade truly bewildered Knox. Another example can be found on page two hundred seventy-five. According to the text, “As Lea searches Netflix and Bowen rummages through the fridge looking for things to cook for dinner (he insists it’s cheaper than ordering out), I google How to respond to racist comments.

Fun Snow

Camden Marsh, Gr. 4

Each snowflake different and unique, falling from the sky they sneak, past the trees, and land on me. They fall upon my lashes, I catch some on my tongue. Who knew snow days could be this fun?

Gifts

Eliana Hafner, Gr. 8

I chose the gift of piety (reverence) which is the ability to love and worship God with devotion and respect recognizing Him as our father. I go to church with my grandfather and my favorite part is saying the Our Father because he taught me to love it too. When we go it's fun to be with him because I can just reflect and be in his presence. Another thing about this is I love being at church. Especially during holidays because it is so decorated.

Gifts and Talents

Callie Chadwell, Gr. 8

I can bring my gifts and talents to the Summit Country Day High School throughout all four years I expect to attend. Physically, artistically, academically, socially, and spiritually I can contribute my whole to the community. One of my favorite quotes from St. Julie is, "Do not, to please others, go beyond your strength, and attempt more than you are able for." The quote means to prioritize what you can do, and don’t exceed for others, but for the good of yourself and then use those gifts towards others and the community without overdoing yourself. This is what I hope and believe to bring to the Summit Upper School community.

Glory

Cora Symonds, Gr. 6

Alexander looked up to Washington but he wanted to be back on the battlefield (Buckley 43). Hamilton was mad at Washington because he wanted glory but Washington had him writing letters (“Alexander Hamilton”). Many people like him wanted glory and to be part of the military if they didn’t have money for food or water. He was part of the American Revolutionary War (Chernow). They did not do good at the start of the war, the British took Boston (Buckley 34). This was very hard for their military because they kept losing land, and it didn’t look good for them. Alexander was supposed to fire his cannon so no more British could come on the side he was aiming (Buckley 37). His canon acted as a boundary if the British went onto that side they could die. Since he was unhappy with the position Washington gave him he resigned (“Alexander Hamilton”). He didn’t like just writing letters to people for Washington; he wanted glory on the battlefield. In 1781, he got a command position under Lafayette, an immigrant like him (“Alexander Hamilton”).

Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Piper Kropp, Gr. 7

The main settings in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder are usually at Pip's house or at school or even at Pip's best friend Cara’s house. Pippa Fitz-Amobi is the main character of the book. Pippa likes to be called Pip. She is a high school student and she is a smart and intelligent student. Ravi is the second main character. He is the brother of a kid named Sal that is accused of murder. Pip chose to study the case of the missing person Andie Bell for her school capstone assignment and Ravi is helping her do it because a couple years ago the police thought that Sal was Andie's murder but Pip thought he was guilty so she wanted to investigate more even though it happened a couple years ago.

GPS and Maps

Luca Cerimele, Gr. 4

GPS is helpful because it tells people how to get somewhere. An example can be found in source three. The text says, “ Nowadays, millions of drivers just type in an address, and their GPS tells them exactly how to get there.” This shows that people can easily find their way back home if they are lost. Another example can be found in the same source. The source states, “Firefighters combine GPS and scanners to find ‘hot spots’ in wildfires.” This means that the firefighters can help people or animals if they are stuck in a fire, which reduces deaths by fire yearly. As you can see, GPS is super helpful when it comes to leading people around.

Grandma

Lily Ewald, Gr. 7

In 2012 my grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer that took a toll on my family because she had two newborn grandchildren, me and my cousin Ryan. I interviewed her and she said that it was devastating for her and scary because she did not know the outcome of her cancer journey. My family had a cancer walk for her in honor of her cancer journey in October of 2013 my dad and many other family members and friends participated in the 5k walk through downtown Cincinnati. Thankfully she survived but she did lose her hair due to chemotherapy and she had to wear a wig which is something that Cancer Family Care helps with.

Gratefulness

Christian May, Gr. 7

Justin Jefferson credits his parents with putting a strong sense of gratitude and competitiveness in him from a young age. He emphasizes staying grounded by remembering his family and appreciating what he has.His parents taught him to be humble and grateful for his gifts. He counts his blessings it is a lesson he applies to every award and accomplishment he has.He says he parents are a blessing and that he does not deserve them.

Gratitude

Aaron Lee, Gr. 5

I’m thankful for my moment of laughter with my friends today. I was a miracle to my friend when he was discouraged in squash and I gave him support. I’m thankful for God because he gives me strength and kindness.

Greek Myth

Hudson Druffel, Gr. 4

In the Greek myth Achilles’ Heel the author's word choice shows that Achilles was a skillful warrior. You can find evidence in paragraph three. The text says, “He ran faster than a horse, fought tirelessly for hours… " This shows that he is very good at fighting and fast at running, which are important characteristics for a skillful warrior. Another example of this can be found in paragraph three. The text says, “No arrow or axe could hurt him…” This shows that Achilles is a very skilled warrior that could fight anyone no matter how big the army was. Clearly, Achilles was a very skilled warrior.

Growth

Charlie Aguilar, Gr. 5

The internal conflict in the novel Lions of Little Rock is to show the growth of the character throughout the story while the external conflict creates a challenge in the book that keeps the readers reading throughout the book.

Harriet Tubman

Maddie Burns, Gr. 8

It’s 2:00 A.M. in the dead of winter and you are being secretly led through forests and marshy woodlands in hopes of reaching freedom. You can only hear one voice carefully guiding you through the rough environment. The only light you have is the light of the moon and you are following the North star as a guide. One wrong move or the squeal of a child and you would be at risk of being caught by a slave owner and facing horrific and violent punishment. The conductor of this perilous journey known as the Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman. This former slave, born as Araminta Ross, would later be known as Harriet Tubman: the Conductor of the Underground Railroad.

Hawthorne Legacy

George Kane, Gr. 7

The theme of the story, in my eyes, is that there are not always positives for the greats. I know this because throughout the book Avery keeps bringing up how many times her life had been threatened, and it had been because of money. The author, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, did a very good job at making the book very entertaining. One thing I personally wish she did better was not end the story with a kiss because we knew it was coming. I wouldn't recommend this book if you haven't read the first one, because then it would be confusing, but this book is better than the last one. I rated this book a 9/10 just because of the ending of the book.

Heel

Cate Lallathin, Gr. 4

In the Greek myth Achilles’ Heel, the author’s word choice shows that Achilles was a skillful warrior. An example can be found in paragraph three. The text says, “He can run faster than a horse, fought tirelessly for hours, and wielded a sword with such skill and ferocity that in battle he drove entire armies away all by himself.” This shows he is fast, strong, and brave. He never gets tired and uses a sword very well. The last example can be found in paragraph five. The text says, “...for without him the Greeks would never have defeated the Trojans." Achilles was necessary to defeat the Trojans and he made sure they won the war. As you can see, in the Greek myth, Achilles was a skilled warrior.

Helping Animals, Healing Hearts

Gwendolyn Suder, Gr. 7

According to Endangered and Threatened Species and Global Warming statistics, “in 2022, reports classified 42,100 species as threatened out of a total of 150,300. 27% are mammals, 41% are amphibians, and 13% are birds” (Alward 1). A problem constantly undermined is the protection of wildlife. Many may hear about endangered species or mistreated animals, but do not see it as a concern. Unfortunately, “a belief that animals are annoying leads to extinction or close extinction” for many wildlife animals (Tischauser 3). This can affect not only the animals but also the ecosystem,and its entire biome or biosphere.

Henry VIII

Andrea Pérez Sánchez, Gr. 8

Henry VIII was the ruler of England for almost 4 decades, He ruled from his coronation in 1509 to when he passed away in 1547. While his most famous legacy as a ruler was having 6 wives, Henry’s other accomplishments are overshadowed because of his reputation of having acted as a tyrant and cruel ruler. While this is true, this is definitely not all that Henry accomplished. Henry VIII made many improvements to England. Henry made many great changes to the military including tripling the size of his navy and adding more land to England. He also made many religious changes, the most famous of which is creating the Church of England. This creation led to many changes in the everyday lives of citizens, and forever changed the course of history though impacting how people view religion.

House on the Cliff

Madeline Shadoin, Gr. 6

My book is the Hardy Boys: House on the Cliff. My book is about two boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, and their dad Fenton Hardy. They lived in Bayport, Massachusetts. Mr. Hardy told them to never go to The House on the Cliff. Mr. Hardy believes that there is smuggling going on in the house. A while later Mr. Hardy has to leave, he asked the boys, “ I know I never told you to go into The House on the Cliff but there is smuggling going on and I count on you to investigate it.” The boys are brave but surprised that their dad is allowing them to take on smuggling. Mr. Hardy leaves. The boys still brave go to the house and try to discover the mystery.

How to Spot a Witch

Madison Hadley, Gr. 4

Imagine walking on a street and a normal person is trying to give you a piece of chocolate. I wouldn’t take it if I were you. That lady might be a witch. In fairytales, witches are normally imagined as greenskinned, riding on broom sticks, and wearing pointy hats. However, in Roald Dahl’s The Witches, they don’t look like a witch that you would imagine. They look like ordinary women. In this story, Grandmamma is a very knowledgeable woman. She makes her grandson aware of his surroundings. Read more to learn about real witches. They are very sneaky and love to snuff out children.

Hunger

Ambi Smith, Gr. 7

Have you ever had to go more than 48 hours without eating? One billion people lack access to proper food experience. Everyone deserves to go to bed with a fulfilled stomach, especially children. Over 800 million children go to bed at night with an empty stomach. Have you ever been so hungry in class that you just can't focus? That's how some people feel all day everyday. There are mental and physical side effects to being hungry. Being hungry makes kids sleepy and unfocused. Being hungry causes people to have short tempers, anxiety, and depression. Hunger can cause dizziness headaches and body aches. My social cause is hunger. It is very important to me because I don't want anyone to feel hungry or starving because it's an uncomfortable and unsafe feeling.

I Am From

Mia Gehring, Gr. 8

I am from light blue walls From brownies and hot cocoa Warm, nice, comforting I am from hydrangeas, That fill the backyard in the spring I’m from Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas presents From Louisa and Greg, I’m from the Oak Island and Wickenburg visits From be yourself and never forget how much we love you I’m from catholic traditions, shaping my life I’m from Wilmington, NC Pasta, and chicken parmesan. From the hard working that met in Maryland, the love and joy that radiates her smile, my grandmother’s house and paintings. The events that will never be forgotten.

Icarus Appropriation

Olivia Elfenbein, Gr. 8

I plan to appropriate the image by changing it so that it’s like Icarus is in space. For example, I would put a galaxy behind him and replace the yellow shapes with different planets. I also would turn him into an astronaut, and put a space visor over his head. I'm also going to add wings over his space suit, and the wings will be melting to show that he has overcome the sun's heat and the adversity but he is still scarred from the sun to show that healing is possible but it takes time. I could add the moon too, because Icarus flew too close to the sun and the moon is kind of like the opposite of the sun. In the original myth, gravity is the antagonist. By placing Icarus in a galaxy, I remove the immediate threat of the "fall." It transforms his "failure" into a state of permanent wandering. He isn't a victim of his own ambition anymore; he is a celestial traveler.

Imagine

Tyler Owens, Gr. 4

Imagine a very beautiful woman asking you if you would like a piece of candy. Beware, because this lady could easily be a witch! You might be wondering how a beautiful lady asking if you would like a piece of candy could be a witch. Well I read Roald Dahl's book The Witches. In this book I learned that witches are not green and ugly. They are just like ordinary women. That’s what makes them very sneaky. Luckily, Grandmamma tells her grandson how to spot a witch, and there is more than one way to spot one. Keep reading to find out how to recognize a real witch.

Inclusivity

Alice Rich, Gr. 5

Mrs. Turner and Christopher shows empathy and inclusivity throughout New From Here. The core message is empathy and inclusivity.Mrs. Turner and Christopher both show empathy towards Knox when he needs help. One example particularly towards Christopher can be found on pg. 293-294, “ Christopher immediately pulls out his organizer and scribbles two Post-its–one for him and one for me: Go to the grocery store!!!” This shows that Christopher wants to be as helpful as possible and give advice to Knox in such a tough time. Another example can be found on pg. 314, “ Mrs. Turner puts a hand on her heart, like it pains her to hear the words. ‘ If you don’t have any books at home, please send me a message. I promise I will bring books to your house.” This shows that Mrs. Turner would risk her health to make sure that there is not a big situation with her class not having books to read at home. Mrs. Turner and Christopher show empathy and inclusivity when Knox needs help.

Internal Conflict

Rush Heidt, Gr. 5

In the novel New From Here the main character is Knox and he faces a lot of internal conflict. The internal conflict in New From Here is that Knox has adhd and he finds out how to manage his adhd. The worries that Knox is facing are, “It’s just that my son has ADHD….”(81pg). When they moved to the USA because of covid 19. The internal conflict is so important to the story because it describes how Knox thinks and how he deals with it. In conclusion this is why the internal conflict is important in the book New From Here.

Invisibility

Hailey Wise, Gr. 7

The concept of invisibility has been a mystery to man for centuries. However, in modern times human kind has discovered numerous ways to bend light to our will such as the invisibility shield, metamaterial cloaks, and the Invisdefense. Although these devices all have their limitations such as incomplete invisibility, mankind is one step closer to this once-thought impossibility imagined in H. G. Wells’ Invisible Man...Griffin’s pursuit of power through scientific research unconstrained by morality led him to be a danger to both himself and others, bringing about his downfall. The Invisible Man shows the dangers of scientific pursuit without moral values. Our modern day scientists working on invisibility cloaks and invisidefense products must adhere to moral rules and values, or else they will suffer the same fate as Griffin: ultimate destruction.

Is

it Cold or Warm Snow?

Hannah Lehenbauer, Gr. 4

As soon as I step outside, I feel a shiver up my spine, Shivering standing there, I think I froze my hair. Hypothermia is coming, I better start running, Stomp, stomp, stomp, The snow is crunching. I think I’m far enough. The ground feels different, I'm also really hot - wait! The ground has no snow. I have a reason For this problem, OOPS, I think I'm in the desert.

Issues

Emma McCormick, Gr. 8

Slavery was one of the biggest issues in the United States during the 1800s. People strongly disagreed about whether slavery was acceptable or wrong. Many people in the South believed slavery was necessary for their economy, while many people in the North believed it was cruel and should be abolished. Because of these differences, the country became very divided. Supporters of slavery used economic, religious, and cultural arguments to defend it, while abolitionists fought against it using activism, writing, and political action. One of the main reasons some Americans supported slavery was because it helped the Southern economy. The South was mostly agricultural and depended on crops like cotton, tobacco, and sugar.

James Armistead

Andrew Caldwell, Gr. 8

Have you ever felt invisible? If you have, try putting yourself in the shoes of a black enslaved man surrounded by powerful, white war generals. Your experience feeling invisible is nothing compared to what James Armistead went through. James Armistead was born into slavery in 1748 on a plantation in New Kent, Virginia. He enlisted in the Revolutionary War in 1781 under Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette saw how James could be a useful spy, and assigned James to spy on the British.

Jane Goodall

Luca Pancheri, Gr. 6

Jane’s superior intellectual scientific processes, her humanitarian ways with animals, and her persistent efforts to make the world a better place even in her last years made her the most tenacious and benevolent environmental activist to ever live. She encompassed every skill necessary and more to work with chimpanzees. That is how a legend lived. Legendary career, legendary life story, legendary everything. People who do good in their life get remembered, but legends like Jane never die.

JJ Gabriel

Lincoln Mulvihill, Gr. 7

According to CNN news, Manchester United fans will not be able to see JJ Gabriel in the premier league. Only 15 years old, he does not meet premier league rules, where players have to be 15 by August 31. Or that you have to be at least a junior in high school to play in the premiere league. That shows how amazing his talent is, although he is much smaller than most players he sees on the field he never lacks the skill. When he beat Sunderland which sent his team to the semi finals,he did not have his best performance, although he still had some great plays. He sent a perfect placed pass to Junior Brown that he put in the goal for the win. Until he becomes older he still has many things that he can achieve. Senior football is coming to him and many people are looking forward to seeing him play with everyone else.

Joan of Arc

Dylan MacDonald, Gr. 8

Imagine a teenage farm girl so dangerous to the English crown that she was tried as a witch and executed at nineteen, only to become a global symbol of freedom and the patron saint of the very nation she died to save. In the early 15th century, France was a country that was destroyed by a war that has lasted for nearly 100 years. Born in around 1412 into this devastated culture, Joan of Arc lived in a village with robbers who robbed the poor and left everyone in despair. Her village Domrémy sat on the dangerous border between the loyalists and the pro-English Burgundians. Joan’s childhood was directly impacted by the great sorrow in France.

John F. Kennedy

James Williams, Gr. 6

John F. Kennedy and Joe. Jr got into a lot of trouble as kids. One example is when they were going to get something to eat with their dog. There was a restaurant that on their front door there was a sign that read, “ NO DOGS ALLOWED.” So like most humans would do, they wrote hot in front of dogs and then walked in. Another time they saw a sign that said all items 10% off. They did not have any cash to buy a toy that they wanted in that store. So they decided to write 0 after the zero in 10 so it said, “ All items are 100% off.”

Joplin Tornado 2011

Lauren Mueller, Gr. 7

My instincts immediately kick in. We practiced basic tornado drill safety. It always felt strange how carefree the teachers took it, that was all except for Mr. Harding. He always took these drills seriously. “You never know when a real event could happen so it's important to practice.” He said. I remember sitting in the corner of his room in silence only the cold air conditioning humming while he checked over the safety protocol paper.

Kane

Ivy Sousa, Gr. 7

Kane Chronicles: The Throne of Fire takes place during modern times all over the world from Brooklyn to the twelve houses of the Duat. The main characters are Sadie and Carter Kane. Sadie is a 13 year old girl who has a loud style that includes combat boots and dyed strips of hair. She likes listening to music and hanging with friends. Also she is hosting the goddess, Isis. Carter is very different from his sister. He has a more natural vibe and a love for ancient Egypt. He uses a khopesh (a curved sword). He is hosting the god, Horus. The antagonist is Vlad Menshikov and Apophis. Vlad Menshikov is a magician who has been corrupted by his efforts to raise Ra in the past leading him to work with Apophis. Apophis is the giant snake incarnation of evil. His goal is to swallow the sun.

Keeping Quiet

Jaya Shah, Gr. 5

In the novel Out of my Mind, we have a lot of examples of external conflict as Melody is forced to keep quiet and not move as the world around her ignores her needs. One example of this struggle is when Melody is forced to stay still when falling over. On page sixty-eight, the book quotes, “... I jerked forward in my chair and found myself facedown on the floor. Butterscotch jumped up immediately, sniffing me and making sure I wasn’t hurt. I wasn’t hurt. I was fine but I couldn’t get back up in my chair.” Melody does not feel frustrated in this scene or out of control but she’s almost helpless in the way that she has no dominion over her own body. In conclusion, this disability can provide conflict with the world Melody is in and make her feel like her world is in constant turmoil.

Kids in the Streets

Tommy Devendorf, Gr. 7

Many people say, “How are we supposed to help?” or “What am I going to do about it?” but they are wrong. One way people can help is by participating in peace rallies and projects to help gang members and kids go in the right direction (“Skipping Stones” 4). This helps them because it teaches kids to do good and to choose the right path. Another way people can help is by telling your kids to stop and think before they do something (Beth 1). This helps kids because it teaches kids to not join that life and make moral decisions. A final way to help is to talk to your kids and spread awareness (Beth 1). This helps because it encourages people to do service. In summary, those are some ways you can help.

Kindness

Ella Mueller, Gr. 5

One example of a character showing empathy can be found on page one hundred thirty two, “What, you thought we were going to let you go home empty-handed?” This quote is when Knox was at school on Valentine’s day, but thought he would not get anything because he was new to the school and did not have too many friends. But Mrs. Turner showed empathy for him by giving him a bag of valentines signed by the other kids, making him feel very special and included. This is very kind because Mrs. Turner thought about him and imagined herself in his position, and decided to make him feel happy. In conclusion, Mrs. Turner is a great example of showing kindness and empathy towards others.

Knox

Ben Crawford, Gr. 5

There is another character in another book whose name is Knox. He is facing a similar problem where Knox’s family and him but not his dad has to move to America. Because of Covid19 in Hong Kong and his dad can’t leave. Dad has to stay at work in Hong Kong and Knox loves his dad and also his mom does not really know how to cook. His mom does not want to leave Hong Kong but she always says it is for their own good because if they did not move to America, Knox could get Covid. This family’s story is similar to Luke's problem in that he can't go outside, and he has to stay in his attic and Knox has to move to America. Because of Covid 19 and this is why I think these two stories have a similar situation.

Lafayette

Rachel Burkart, Gr. 8

I have been able to find a considerable amount of information about Lafayette's childhood and impact during the Battle of Yorktown in the American Revolutionary War. It has been easy to find background information about the place in which Lafayette was born, including information about where his home was located, who raised him, and who Lafayette spent his time with. I have also been able to find a copious amount of material on Lafayette’s family. This includes facts about his father’s time in the military, influence politically, and his death, while also including his mother’s social status, pedigree, and ranking in high society. There also is more specific information about Lafayette’s life and how he managed to gain so much wealth at such a young age, and how he became so close to the Royal Family.

Leaders of Character

Tristan Dona, Gr. 7

LeBron James was a professional basketball player who appreciated many things in his life. One way he showed being grateful was by opening up a school for kids who couldn’t afford school called I Promise School in his hometown in Akron, Ohio. This showed him being grateful because he was showing his gratitude for his hometown and people supporting him there when he was younger. Another example of LeBron being grateful is whenever he thanks his fans, family, friends, and God in the media. When his son, LeBron James Jr unfortunately went into cardiac arrest he showed his thanks to God and people supporting him through this hard time on the media and in an in person interview. One last way he showed being grateful was in an after game speech after the NBA finals. He said, “I’m just grateful for my family and teammates because I wouldn’t be here without them.” In conclusion, LeBron James is a very grateful person and always thanks his family, friends, fans and God.

Lebron James

Hunter Held, Gr. 6

Lebron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the #1 pick in the 2003 draft. He won the Rookie of the Year award in the 2003-2004 season. He has some of the best rookie stats that the NBA has ever seen. Lebron made his first all star appearance in his second season (Wetzel 97). Lebron made his first playoff appearance in the 2005-2006 season (Wetzel 98). In 2007 Lebron made his first NBA Finals appearance and lost against the Spurs (Wetzel 103-104). In the 2008-2009 season Lebron won his first NBA MVP (Wetzel 111). Going into the 2010-2011 season Lebron signed with the Miami Heat in Free Agency and teamed up with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh (Wetzel 117). This had outraged a lot of Cleveland Cavaliers fans and it got to the point they were burning Lebron Cavaliers jerseys. In the 2011-2012 season Lebron won his first NBA Finals (Wetzel 130). In Lebron’s 3 years with Miami he won a MVP and a NBA Finals (Wetzel 131-136).

Life of Frida

Tory Plattner, Gr. 6

Frida Kahlo is more than just a painter, Frida Kahlo was a performance artist of her own life, expertly constructing a public image that blended Mexican identity. Frida Kahlo was born in Coyoacan Mexico and was a celebrated Mexican painter known for deeply personal self-portraits exploring identity, pain, and Mexican culture. Frida Kahlo was an incredible artists because every single piece of art she made had a meaning, most of her art work sold for over five million, and she was a woman of empathy and struggle. Frida Kahlo, a famous artist, is known around the world art and personal pain. Numerous articles, books, and documentaries have been made about Kahlo’s life (Frida Kahlo 3). Frida’s father was a German descendant and photographer. However, he immigrate to Mexico (Frida Kahlo 5). Frida may have gotten her talents from her dad because he was a photographer and she was a artist. Frida’s mother is named Matilde. Her mother is half American Indian and half Spanish. (Frida Kahlo 7). Frida’s mother was always loving and supportive. Frida Kahlo has two older sisters and one younger sister (Frida Kahlo 9).

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Alaya Hamilton, Gr. 6

Lin-Manuel Miranda was born January 16, 1980 in New York City. Miranda and his sister, Luz Miranda-Crespo grew up listening to different genres of music, discovering what moved him. His parents, Luz Towns- Miranda and Luis A. Miranda Jr., loved Broadway show tunes but couldn’t afford to see them all live (Schwartz 8-9). His childhood was filled with musical aspects. His family was also obsessed with musicals and music. When Miranda was younger, his father wanted him to go to law school, but still respected his decision and love for theater (Schwartz 16). On Miranda’s bus rides to school, he would learn lyrics to the song “Land of Confusion’ by the band Disturbed with the help of his bus driver (Schwartz 9). Miranda studied piano and played in his first recital at about 6 years old. Applause from the audience had encouraged him to play more (Schwartz 10).

Lion King Sacramental Journey

Anna Baker, Gr. 8

In the movie The Lion King there are many spiritual connections. The main character, Simba, represents Jesus and people in this story and his father, Mufasa, represents God. Scar, Simba’s uncle, represents the devil trying to get us to go off the wrong path. Rafiki, who represents a priest or a spiritual leader in the movie, guides Simba through his journey as well as Nala, who is Simba’s friend. She helps him forgive himself and go back to his purpose. Nala is showing us that we don’t have to be alone on our journey.

London

Dean Mohan, Gr. 7

The story of my book starts out in London, 1665 during the beginning of the black death. The protagonist in this story is Christopher Rowe and his best friend Tom. The main antagonist for this story is the cult of the archangel. Christopher Rowe is 14 years old and an apprentice to master benedict. He is an apothecary in training and an apothecary makes remedies and potions by mixing elements.

Louvre Heist

Annabelle Fleming, Gr. 7

On October 19th 2025, The Louvre, One of the world's most-visited museums reopened. When all of this occurred some of the officials in Paris said the one of the crown jewels in the Louvre was worth about 102 million dollars. The emerald set imperial crown of Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugénie was later found outside the museum. The crown contained more than 1,300 diamonds. It was reportedly recovered and broken. However, the jewels are actually priceless because of their long history in France. They found two smashed display cases and later found out that they fled on Motorbikes.

Love

Micah Northern, Gr. 7

Picture this, you’re just walking down the street and you are randomly judged, mocked, or threatened because of the color of your skin. You may think that because you’re white that you won’t face any racial differences, this is not true at all. Many people of different races are getting so comfortable with saying hurtful, rude, and racist words and slurs without even realizing it. There are many instances of racism from the past that made a huge impact on the future. People of color experienced lynching, massacres, riots, profiling cases, police brutality, and unfortunately so many more. While some acts of racism are extremely violent and obvious, racism can also appear in everyday comments, jokes, and social treatment.

Love of Feathers and Fur

Michaela Bell, Gr. 7

Smaller animals and birds deserve more attention in shelters. Birds and other small animals deserve care and attention. They are good pets but they are neglected. If birds and small animals did not get any care or attention in shelters then people would be releasing their animals into the wild where they would automatically die. If some do survive and have babies, they are creating a feral colony that could harm the ecosystem. For example, in New York and Chicago, there are wild colonies of Quaker Parrots due to being released. Quaker parrots make a mess, cause power outages and destroy crops. These animals are in jeopardy if they are not helped. This makes many people very distraught. If the world did help small animals and pets, people would adopt-over-shop and then if someone could not keep their beloved pet over any reason, they would know that their pet would be going to a great home with lots of love.

Magical School

Regis Rogers, Gr. 7

In the heart of Cincinnati, on Grandin Road so high, The Summit Country Day School reaches for the sky. Since 1890, through the Sisters’ holy grace, it’s been a sanctuary, a bright and "good" place. "To Grow in Grace and Wisdom" is the call they obey, as Silver Knights in blue and silver lead the way. From Montessori toddlers to the seniors in their stride, They walk the Five Pillars with honor and with pride. If you like sports and academics too, Then Summit Country Day is the place for you. With the knights armor shining so bright, Every spirit is full of grace and light.

Maintaining Humanity

Vivie Kate Keeney, Gr. 8

Night, the Holocaust memoir written by Elie Wiesel, portrays the "choiceless choices” made by the prisoners as they attempted to hold onto their humanity in the face of dehumanization. While maintaining humanity with the grip of the Nazis holding them down is fully unbearable, some prisoners used the little faith they had to save Elie and his Father during the initial sorting process upon arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When the time of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur came, many questioned their faith, asking themselves, would a God so great want starving people to fast? Sadly, no one answered. Shortly after this time, the Nazis made the prisoners walk to a new camp for miles. Juliek knew that he was to die, so he committed his “Final Act of Resistance.”

Maradona

Alex Pearce, Gr. 7

Maradona achieved a lot of great achievements in his career. One of his achievements were his two memorable goals in history. These two goals were both in the same game. In 1986 Argentina played England in the World Cup quarterfinals. One of the goals was when Maradona scored with his hand and the ref thought it hit his head so he counted it. People now call this goal the hand of God. The second goal was where Maradona dribbled through most of the other team then scored. Maradona ended up winning the World Cup that year. Maradona played 490 official games in his 21 year career. In those 490 games Maradona scored 259 goals. The international football association named Maradona the top player of the 20th century. (Britanica) Maradona was also named 4 time best soccer player of the year.

Marie Antoinette

Briella Mudzinganyama, Gr. 8

Did you know that Marie Antoinette had a pastime of acting like a peasant? She did, she made herself a mock village where she would go to act like a peasant. Marie had a lot of interesting facts about her. She had her head cutoff, she had many different accusations against her, and she had a weird relationship with the French government. There are still many imposing questions about Marie today. Some question could be: "How did the French people weaponize Marie Antoinette's role as a mother, from the forced separation of her children to the incest charges at her trial, to dismantle the image of the monarchy, and how did her earlier political actions in the Royal Council make these maternal attacks possible?" This question has different parts to it, like “How did the French people weaponize Marie’s role as a mother?” to “How did her earlier political action in the Royal Council make these maternal attacks possible?”

Marie Curie

Temi Ajayi, Gr. 6

Marie Curie made big advances in the field of chemical science, and even though she faced prejudice, sexism and xenophobia, she still made her way as a woman in a field that was dominated by men. She was patriotic to her country Poland, even naming one of the elements she discovered after it, calling it polonium. She was extremely driven and loved what she did. She made a mark, even when others were desperate to erase it. Her scientific achievements play a big role in our understanding of radioactivity today. She didn’t care about fame, she only cared about getting her work done. Even when only her husband was recognized for the work they had shared responsibilities with, she still didn’t quit. Marie Curie is a huge role model for female scientists overcoming adversity.

Marine Life

Hannah Erbeck, Gr. 7

People's actions should not go unnoticed, and if humans keep littering our world will crumble. Marine life will continue to suffer from plastic in oceans, and will eventually become extinct if people do not take action. People should aspire to clean up our oceans and world for the better. After all, we only have one world and we need to save it.

Marlee

Jake Jodrey, Gr. 5

The topic of the internal conflict in Lions Of Little Rock is when Marlee is afraid of talking in public but she meets Liz. One quote that shows this is: “I will miss you liz, I will think about you every day.” Liz made her fear into a habit and when Marlee was afraid of talking she had to do the presentation by herself because they found out that Liz was black (by the way this book is about segregation). Now Liz needs to be quiet at her new school because marlee was her only friend and all the other kids are mean. Marlee takes this seriously and helps, helps her and she gives her a notebook and any time she needs to be quiet she writes in her note book on what she is thinking.

May

Crowning

Ella Miele, Gr. 7

Mother Mary, kind and bright Leads the way, of the summit Knight. The stained glass windows let in the sun In the chapel, mass has begun. Blue and silver all the way from the end of night to the start to day. Our community leads with respect and care. Till the end of time they will always be there. You’ve always watched over us, like a beautiful dove. Mother Mary you make us feel loved.

Melody

Ainsley Abercrombie, Gr. 5

Different challenges can cause different feelings in Melody's life. These challenges have similarities in some way or another. One example of a similarity is when an internal struggle is caused by an external conflict. This happens when Molly has a mean comment to Melody, after she passes an assessment .When Molly says mean words, but Melody can’t say anything so her brain does it for her causing her to have internal conflict. But don’t forget about differences, there are many when you are comparing different conflicts. The most common difference is usually the exact opposite of the similarity which would mean that it is internal conflict causing external conflict. An example of this is when Melody is upset about something one of her peers said causing her to react with a “tornado explosion.”

Memoir

Caroline Lavelle, Gr. 8

In Elie Wiesel’s Holocaust memoir Night, Elie witnesses the dehumanization of the Jewish people by the Nazis as he experiences the loss of his humanity under the Nazi grip. The horrific form of transport to the concentration camps treated the prisoners as if they were nothing more than disposable cargo. The forced change in appearance stripped the men of their clothes and their individual identities. The constant, brutal labor physically and mentally broke the prisoners and led most of them to die. The Nazis successfully erased the prisoners dignity as well as their religion and traditions. The prisoner's horrific journey in the traincars shows how they were treated more like objects than people. One hundred people were forced into the cattle car by the SS officers. This had an extreme impact on their mental and physical health before they even got to the camps.

Mental Health Help

Levi Jewell, Gr. 7

To ensure that people with mental illness, addiction, and related challenges live healthy and productive lives is a mission grounded in the belief that recovery is possible and that everyone deserves dignity and opportunity. This vision recognizes that mental health and addiction are treatable conditions. Individuals can thrive in all aspects of life. Living healthy and productive lives means more than just managing symptoms it includes meaningful work, stable relationships, community engagement, and the ability to pursue personal goals. By committing to this mission, we affirm that people facing behavioral health challenges have inherent worth and potential that extends far beyond their diagnoses.

Messages from Tomorrow

Sydney Koo, Gr. 7

Okay. Here’s the plan. The guy’s name is Jake. Jake Myers. What you have to do is make sure that Jake doesn’t go to that movie this weekend. He and his football jocks will get some ideas and try some of them, and that will put them on the path to try and kidnap me 20 years later. - Lena Hale Jake Myers? The one who’s dating Savannah? That text created a whirlwind of questions about Jake. She didn’t even know what to tell Lena. I have to go. I’ll text you back tomorrow. - Lila That’s all Lila could say to Lena. She needed time to mentally process what she had learned. Lila tried to start her homework to take her mind off of that text, but she couldn’t focus after that conversation. After a while, she gave up and went to bed. The next day, Lila saw Jake in the hall, and what happened the night before came back and hit her like a tidal wave, and she moved to the other side of the hall. After school, Lila was thinking about how to help Lena when she got a text from Jake.

Mikaela Shiffrin

Macey Adams, Gr. 7

Mikaela Shiffrin is an example of being reflective. She has a pre-race ritual where she prays with her mom, Eilleen Shiffrin. This is an example of Mikaela Shiffrin showing her faith in public, which also supports reflecting on her last races and she thinks about how to be better and faster in the coming one. Mikaela reflects on her crash and how she knew that it didn't go well for her or the way she wanted it to. She reflects on her run by “However, you can fail and not be a failure. You can lose and actually be a loser because you lost, but still also be a winner." This is an example of Mikaela reflecting on past incidents and overcoming her fear of falling. Also how she overcame PTSD with her friends, trainer, therapist, and family by her side. After her fathers death, her pregame ritual dived deeper into her mindset. This resulted in her adding her fathers favorite motto to her helmet, “ABFTTB, always be faster than the boys.”

Military Families and Veterans Deserve More Support

Evan Gockerman, Gr. 7

Approximately 60% of deployed military members leave behind immediate family members, and of that 60% , approximately 36.5% are under the age of 18 (Sherman, O’Neal, etc. 3). That is a problem because adolescents will be affected more than adults because adolescence is a state in which the brain is developing and depression caused by a family member's deployment can negatively affect one's mental development. Some might say that children of military families should get a mental therapist and learn to cope with their parent’s absence. However, that is not always that simple because there is a stigma around mental counseling, therapeutic treatment can cost a lot, and some military families don't make enough money for those services.

Milton’s Chocolate Dream

Carter Marsh, Gr. 6

Milton was learning all about how they lived life in Pennsylvania and the jobs he could do during the day, even though it was still winter (Benge 17). Milton was learning for the first time how they did things on a farm. Milton’s mother had another baby named Sarena and she had black hair. Milton was happy to have a sister and said that he would take care of her throughout his whole life (Benge 17). Milton and his family grew crops in spring and sold them in summer at a market in Harrisburg. This was Milton’s favorite time of the year (Benge 17-18). Milton’s parents were arguing whether Milton should go to school or not (Benge 20). They decided to send Milton to school where his uncle was the teacher (Benge 23-24). Milton had trouble learning the alphabet and putting words together at his new school.

Misty Copeland's Life

Reagan Rogers, Gr. 6

Copeland danced in many shows. In June 2015, Copeland danced in the show Swan Lake with ABT’s company (Biography.com editors). She also Joined the cast of the Broadway revival of On The Town (Biography.com editors). Copeland was one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people. In May 2016, Copeland inspired a costume for Barbie dolls to wear. The costume was inspired by her costume that she wore in the show Fire Bird (Biography.com Editors).

Mom's Empathy

Ben Pearce, Gr. 5

Mom shows empathy in the book New From Here. One example when mom has empathy is on page 126, “Well then I don’t want it…,” he says, putting the bags down ‘you can take it all back.’ ‘What??’ Mrs.Leung asks, looking down at all the food he ordered. This explains that he does not feel comfortable ordering from Chinese people. Mom shows empathy to Chirstopher’s restaurant by buying all the food even though she said we were only going to order one thing. According to the author the book states, “As I climb, Mom admits tearfully. When Bowen called me, my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. You’re the light of my life, you know that?” The reader can see that mom shows kindness and empathy by caring for her children always no matter how hard it is she always does. This evidence shows that mum shows kindness and empathy in the book New From Here.

More Funding

Lucas Amend, Gr. 7

Some people struggle with school, or even just surviving. Some people may have disabilities, and some schools can’t provide for those who need extra help. Funding the schools can help them support those people. On the topic of not being able to provide, lots of schools can’t provide basic resources for regular students (Berek 1). Some very small schools don’t receive enough funds to meet the needs of the students, like school supplies. According to researchers, “Some students also don’t have food to eat during lunch” (Lawrence 2). Most schools can’t supply food for students, causing those students to have fatigue and lower morale towards completing tasks. Schools should get more funding to provide for these needs.

Muhammad Ali

Hunter Heekin, Gr. 6

Muhammad Ali was a great sports figure that won many awards, including many peace rewards and boxing rewards that he won from his career, with exceptional performances like the thriller in the milla where he learned his main fighting tactic, or when he won a gold medal at age 22 he has been a great boxer throughout his life even when he did not know it. Evidence to support my 3 main reasons that he is a great boxer is that when he won his 3 world championship he fought against sonny linstien, george forman, and leon sprinks being the last one in 1978. He also did win peace rewards throughout his life one in 1994, another in 1998, one in 2005, and in 2012. Also he did win the Olympic gold medal at age 18 which is very impressive at the young age. In conclusion, this research paper was a very interesting and long topic to research but I also learned a lot, and at some points it was fun.

Music Festival

Quinn Wood, Gr. 6

Imaging waking up in a tent with condensation dripping off of the tent. Walking outside of the tent, breakfast already made and sizzling on the grill while the sun glimmers. Sitting in a camping chair and enjoying breakfast while hearing the birds chirping, waiting for everyone to wake up, and hearing the artists warming up and getting ready. When getting ready to go, everyone is already up and ready to go hear music. While walking to the stages roller coasters are going off and everybody is screaming and having fun. As the festival passes are scanned and walking through the turf, seeing everybody coming in and getting food and drinks. Once it is time for the first artist, thousands of people have filled the area. Sitting down feeling the soft turf, and the mellow music. Everyone is dancing and having a ton of fun.

My Brother Went Crazy

Anna Cafardi, Gr. 6

We got our boots on and headed over to the pitch. Amelia had put a bunch of sparkly beads on her boots which were the Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly. My boots were the Adidas Laceless F50’s. (I was trying them out to see if I liked them more than Predators). I like Predators more since they fit my playstyle better. Once we got there we would have played on Williams Field, but it was getting new turf so we couldn’t. We went onto Thurner. While we were pulling in we saw some people arguing in the parking lot. They were all Summit people. Thurner is a nice field, good nets and plenty of space to do whatever we wanted to do. Nick and I crossed the ball to each other and finished. Then we hit some penalties. Amelia and I went back to play 1v1’s with the lacrosse goals. While she was setting up, I broke my juggle record. Nick came over and asked to play, so we played. At first we were doing 1v1’s. They were really fun. Amelia and I both play Central Defensive Midfielder or CDM. We are both better at defending than attacking.

My Day

Nolan Roberts, Gr. 6

Think of a house, imagine the smells, everything I see, touch, taste, and all the sounds. First of all, cats. They’re cute, fluffy, energetic, and awesome. My cats for some reason like chasing Lego studs and Nerf darts. They also act like dogs, they play fetch and love sitting in boxes. When I wake up in the morning, get out of my really comfy bed with my cat, for some reason on top of me, I walk out of my room and smell the disgusting litter box that my cats go to the bathroom and dog pee from my dog. She is 13 years old, has a peeing problem, and her name is Sandy.

My Research

Paxton Imperial, Gr. 8

James Armistead Lafayette's background as a former slave was one of the main factors that allowed him to become one of the most successful spies in American history. Born in Virginia James grew up learning the terrain and mastering the back routes and secret paths that the British officers desperately needed to navigate the land. This made him very valuable to the British commanders like Benedict Arnold and lord Cornwallis who accepted him into their camps as a guide and servant without suspicion. He also had the rare privilege to be taught to read and write so he could write down what he needed from the commanders. His social status made him invisible to the British; being a runaway slave was perfect. Because the officers thought of him as irrelevant, they spoke openly to him about their battle plans and strategies. This was perfect for James because he would memorize the things they would say and then write them down.

My Sled Ride

Miles Alexander, Gr. 4

The first time I went down it was painfully slow, but I was making a super slick path. After I got to the bottom, I trudged back up to the top of the hill. Once I was at the top, I immediately jumped on to my blue sled and I was ready to take on the slick path. Soon I found myself zooming down the hill going at maximum speed. I twisted and turned and when I got to the bottom… WHAM! I had hit my leg hard on the pole and it hurt badly. About five minutes later I had recovered and was ready to redeem myself. I struggled to get back to the top and when I did I was gassed. It had felt like it had been a million years. I took a little breather and soon I was on my blue sled ready to take on the world. In about two seconds I was blazing down the hill going insanely fast with snow blasting in my face. It was like a blizzard. I could not see anything but I did not fall off. I got to the bottom, barely missing the pole, and then I hit a huge jump that I was not expecting and then I was blasting down the street!

My Snowball Fight

Luiza Girnius, Gr. 4

I flung the door open, I was so excited to play in the snow. But before I could step out the door, ZOOM! Rosie ran out the door and down the steps like a white racecar with legs. After Rosie went by I stepped out the door in the fresh, cold, beautiful snow with Leo and Tete following behind me. I walk toward the table which is completely covered in a sparkling blanket of snow.

Napoleon's Empire

Quinn Harding, Gr. 6

During the spring and winter of 1799-1800 the First Consul reorganized the French army and prepared for an attack on Austria. Napoleon saw the strategic importance of the Swiss Confederation. If he used this tactic Napoleon could outflank the Austrian Army in both Germany and Italy. When Napoleon invaded Moscow he robbed homes, decked them, drank wildly, and burned the village down. Eventually Napoleon abolished the First Consulate and declared himself Emperor of France.

Nature of Character

Billie Price, Gr. 5

External conflict is a struggle in a character's life and nature. In the book Lions Of Little Rock the character Liz. She is black but is passing as white because she wants to get into a better school and have better education. Liz meets a shy girl named Marlee and finds out that Marlee likes this boy named J.T. but, J.T. 's brother Red is super rude. He tries to set Betty Jean’s house Liz is on fire with dynamite. An example where Liz has external conflict can be found in chapter fifty - one page two hundred and sixty the text says, “There was a crash and the sound of breaking glass. The screech of wheels, driving off. And then an explosion.” This text states that Liz had external conflict with Red because she was fighting to not get hurt by red. This is very important to Liz because she was also in a house with all of her friends and she didn't want them to get hurt or them.

Nature's Candy

Kyler Torch, Gr. 4

Red, blue, yellow, green, Like sprinkles in the sky. YAY! It's raining sprinkles! No, it's really not, It’s cherry blossoms, Floating in the sky. Just think about it as putting sprinkles, On a very cherry cake. It’s natures very own confetti. Now that nature has sprinkled its treats, Nature's cake is ready to eat!

Nature's Painting

Alynn Harper, Gr. 4

Nature has its palettes. Nature has its canvas. Nature’s canvas is the world. Nature’s paint is everywhere. Nature’s paint is in the woods. In the orange fox that runs around. In the blue bird that flies above. In the red flower that blooms. Nature has its palettes. Nature has its canvas. Nature’s canvas is the world.

Necessary Conflicts

Penny Henkel, Gr. 5

Internal and external conflict are both necessary for making a book interesting, but they impact the story in different ways. Internal and external conflict both play in character's decisions and actions. Internal conflict is usually unique to a character and is also emotional or a fear a character faces. External conflict is a problem that all the characters face together and is the literal problem that is the plot of the story. Sometimes these conflicts can impact each other. Like an external struggle can lead to an internal struggle like it can create a fear, and an internal problem can become a bigger problem that affects more people.

New From Here

Adrian Abner, Gr. 5

In the novel New From Here, Knox also is faced with a lot of external challenges as well. The first example of a challenge he faces is that the pandemic has hit Hong Kong. This affects him because he and his family have to stay safe from the virus. In order to stay safe they had to move to America and leave dad behind. This is important because this will shape his life of how he thinks of sickness. The second example of external conflict is the racism in California and Hong Kong. This changes how Knox could think of American people and he might never come back to America in the future. The last example of external conflicts is when Knox’s mom can’t work from home anymore and has trouble getting employed at a new job.

News

Liam Russell, Gr. 7

A couple of times ago, in the skies of Ukraine, swarms of spy and killer drones have been set, along with boats (that had no humans on board not controlling them) who have crippled the Russian navy in the Black sea. Ukraine has embarked on a massive program where they aim to deploy armed robots on the ground during war. Uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs), or ground robot systems have already proved their worth by successfully repelling Russian attacks and even imprisoning enemy soldiers. Now we can interview Oleksandr Afansiev, “Robot wars are already happening," He commands its UGV battalion -the world's first, he says. One way in which the brigade has been using these robots is by mounting machine guns on top. "They open fire on a battlefield where an infantryman would be afraid to turn up. But a UGV is happy to risk its existence," Maj Afanasiev says. With more robots, more lives can be saved from deploying into war.

Nice Lady

Nina Williams, Gr. 4

Imagine you're at school and it's time to go home. On your way, you see a nice lady passing by, but that nice lady might be a witch. Most people think that witches have green skin, pointy hats, and broom sticks, but real witches are nothing like that. In Roald Dahl's The Witches, witches look like ordinary women. In this book Grandmamma teaches her grandson about how to spot a witch.

Night

Gabby Chavez, Gr. 8

In Elie Wiesel's Holocaust Memoir Night, Ellie witnesses the dehumanization of the Jewish people by the Nazis as he experiences the loss of his humanity under the Nazi grip. One example of when the Nazis dehumanized the Jewish people is when the Nazi stripped the Jews of all their personal items. Another way the Nazis dehumanized the Jews was how everything was overcrowded. My last example of the Nazis dehumanizing Jews was when they would call the names all throughout the book. The Nazis showed dehumanization through many ways, three examples are when they took all the personal belongings, overcrowded everyone and everything, and called them names.

Nimble

Charlotte Honhera, Gr. 5

The positive and the nimble learning effect goes all around the book. The acts of kindness affect the mood of the book positively and shows heart and love. The community is shown how it’s important to help others and to always make sure people are okay and stay happy. The way they show inclusivity may be a bit different from showing it by making sure their friends are ready for a new adventure. Empathy is ready to inspire many to create a positive mood.

Norris Lake

Emma Boyer, Gr. 6

When we got the boat and went out into the water we had to go out so far for us to be able to tube. When we got to that point me and my friend were the first to tube. Once we got on we got a quick run down on what we should do when we fall off. Once we did that we got let free and then it started once we did and we fell off. We started to laugh because we did not expect to last that long. Once we got on the boat it was cold and the clouds started to cover the sun. When my sister got the saran wrap on her head because she had a hole in her ear drum, she was also scared when she got on the tube. She was actually really good at it, she was better than me. When she got off I was so tired I fell asleep on the boat and when I woke up we were going back to the house. Once we got home I got up and got in the hot tub with my friend, sister, and her brother. Once I was done with that, I got out and went to take a shower and change for dinner.

Not Accepted

Oliver Fecher, Gr. 5

One external conflict in the books we have read this year was in New From Here. Knox and his family aren’t accepted or treated fairly by others. One example is with Bowen and C.J. Axel. He allowed Knox and Lia to pet his dog but When Bowen goes to pet the man’s dog he ridicules at him just for his skin color. The importance of this scene was that it showed how racist he was. This is one external conflict in the books we have read this year.

Not Getting a Job

Lauryn MacDonald, Gr. 5

Internal and external conflicts affect different characters in different ways. The internal conflict of mom not being able to get a job is causing her to get frustrated at Knox, Bowen, and Lea. The external conflict between Red and Marlee is causing Marlee to have to hide just to see her best friend. These conflicts make the story more interesting and make you want to read them again and again. This proves the point that internal and external conflicts affect different characters in different ways.

Not Welcomed

Siena Fildes, Gr. 5

In Lions Of Little Rock, Marlee is the main character and she meets a girl named Liz and they become friends as they work on their project Liz can't come to the presentation because she is a colored person in a white school but Marlee still has to do it alone. She normally just likes to blend in. Marlee is the type to not talk at all so she is scared. On page sixty-five Marlee is about to do the presentation and she says, “They were all animals at the zoo. I started to talk,” that is what Marlee said. She goes up to the front of the class and talks. She is so brave and that is an external thing that happened to Marlee. This is how Marlee conquered her fear of talking and going in front of the class. She became very brave after standing up for herself.

Notoriety

EJ Clements, Gr. 8

We are all familiar with the wild west and the stories of action shootouts, although these stories were more rare than they were put up to be, the story of Bass Reeves had many. The Lone Ranger was also a fictional character written about in comics and stories proclaimed to have lived through fantastically wild events of the west. However, evidence shows that the Lone Ranger may have been more real than originally thought. The story of the Lone Ranger is now thought to have been based off of Bass Reeves and his many interactions with gangs and outlaws in the wild west. So, what was the relationship between Bass Reeves and the Lone Ranger and how did it affect American culture? This essay will explain how these two characters are related and how their intertwining stories aren’t just coincidental, but purposeful, using books.

Number the Stars

Thane Zureick, Gr. 4

Lois Lowry has shown that life has changed in Denmark since the beginning of the Nazi occupation. An example of this can be found in paragraph seven. The text says, “There hasn’t been any butter, or sugar for cupcakes…” This shows since the Nazi occupation, butter and sugar has not been produced in a while so people have not baked tasty treats. Another example can be found in paragraph ten. The text says, “There was no fuel now for the homes and apartments in Copenhagen…” This shows the Nazis are taking all the fuel so it gets cold in houses and apartments in Copenhagen. Clearly, Lois Lowry has shown that life has changed in Denmark since the beginning of the Nazi occupation.

Ocelot

Alex Mulvihill, Gr. 7

There are over 48,000 species threatened with extinction. Ocelot being one of them with only 1.3 to 3 million left. This might seem like a lot but it is truly not. The main contributing factors to Ocelot extinction is habit loss and hunting. They can be found in Texas, throughout Mexico and central Americana, and some Caribbean islands. Ocelots are very interesting in their daily lives,fur, habits, and food.

Opal

AJ Gray, Gr. 7

The conflict is external. Before Opal Koboi was in a coma, she cloned herself then escaped from the hospital without anyone knowing. She tries to start a war between the humans and fairies. The rising action is where Opal Koboi traps Holly and her commander Julius Root in a tunnel. They were trying to catch a criminal but that criminal was controlled by Opal and had a screen with Opal talking and a bomb attached to him. Then when Julius tries to take the bomb it gets stuck to him. Opal Koboi then lies to Holly and says if she shoots at the red button perfectly it will disable the bomb instead it explodes. Holly’s friend Foaly is watching which makes it look like Holly killed the commander. The climax is where Opal tells Holly she is about to kill Artemis with a missile. Holly heals Artemis after the blast but couldn’t take Butler.

Otis

Carl Steinman, Gr. 4

Opal gave me a piece of candy today, but it reminded me of being in jail. It tasted like root beer, strawberry and sorrow and then tears started rolling down my cheeks. Then Opal asked what I was in jail for. I told her it felt like being caged up like an animal. It was dark times. Most candy makes me happy, but this one made me sad.

Paige Not Found

Amelia Wilson, Gr. 6

The main theme of my novel is courage, freedom and friendship. The message the author tries to convey is that you should show perseverance for what you believe in, that power can turn to corruption if the right person isn’t the best person to be in charge, and that should never do anything alone or keep your emotions and problems bottled up like Paige did with her parents and what they did to her.

Pangaea

Sophie Pressey, Gr. 7

When the stars were still young, the people who inhabited Earth believed that the breakup of the land that they called Pangaea was the result of the god Poseidon and his ferocious temper. One day long ago, Poseidon was unhappy with how small the seas were. He wanted the sea to be what the people of Earth considered the most beautiful thing in the world. Poseidon was excruciatingly irritated that Gaia got so much of the world for her land. He wanted space for his oceans. He went to Gaia and politely asked for more land for his oceans.

Party in the Courthouse

Mackenzie Moore, Gr. 8

“Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!” The crowd rang out in excitement. I can remember it as clearly as day. It was hot, sweaty, reeked of alcohol everywhere. Next thing I knew, I was sitting next to a Judge, sitting across from a Fraternity Lodge Leader. I felt restless, I could not stop bobbing my leg underneath this wooden desk. I looked up at an attorney waiting expectantly for my answer. I stammered nervously, “Uhm- Repeat the question please?” The attorney’s face hardened before stating again, “Please describe the scene.” “There were people everywhere, it reeked of alcohol, just scary.” My eyes explored through the jury watching, halting at the football team captain, except sitting in a wheelchair. His mouth was wet with drool and unable to contain his involuntary movements. My eyes snapped back to the attorney when he spoke, “And you already told us that you could in fact see Ryder Denzel belting the alcohol, correct?” “Yes sir.”

Peg

Julia Tranter, Gr. 4

When studying this sculpture closely, my eyes immediately go to the cabinets that make up Peg’s body. If I were a waitress, I think it would be really handy to have a built-in cabinet to store straws, menus, and silverware. I also noticed that Peg has one red shoe lace untied and one blue sock has fallen down. This suggests to me that she really is an ideal waitress because she does not care about her outfit, she just cares about her customers and getting their food to come out on time. I really wonder why this artwork is named Peg. Did Sailing name her Peg because she is made of wood and has a cabinet built into her and wants to go with the whole wooden theme? Or did he name her Peg because he might know someone named Peg, and he wants to honor that person by making a sculpture that shows cool features about them? I think it would be really wonderful to have an artist use you as inspiration.

Pele

Ethan Lorensen, Gr. 7

Pele was one of the first world class players in the world. He scored some of the best goals in soccer. He scored over 1,300 goals in 1,363 games, which is almost one goal a game. He won 3 world cups in a row. Brazil has won five times and Pele has won the World cup for them three times. He was a sight to behold right when he first started playing soccer. He played for some of the best teams in the world. Pele’s life achievements, his childhood and his wins for his country. Pele was born in 1940 in Brazil and when he was born his family did not have a lot of money. When he played soccer he had to use a rock or a bag or some clothes that was rolled like a soccer ball. Any money that they got they would put it towards a soccer ball. Pele and his friends would play soccer on the streets and dreamed of playing for their country. When Brazil was in the final his dad was going to have a party when they won the world cup. But they lost the game. His dad was sad and Pele told his dad that he would win a world cup for Brazil. Pele wanted to be just like his father.

Picture This

Molly Sullivan, Gr. 8

Picture this, you wake up and the first thing you realize is that it's cold. Not just cold, it's actually freezing and almost arctic temperatures and your winter coat is held together practically by string. Your leader just declared a tax on peasantry and you haven't eaten anything in several days. Some of your neighbors have even resorted to cannibalism. Was this not what our leader promised to combat? Against exploitation of workers and sucking the lower classes dry until there’s nothing left? This is the life of someone living in the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. How could someone do this to their own people? Most people would say that the political philosopher Karl Marx, the evil communist who’s out to get classic American values of unity and infinite resources. But that wasn’t actually Karl Marx’s intention, in fact it's directly the opposite of what he would theoretically want. Karl Marx was critical of overly powerful governments and the exploitation of workers, so why did his beliefs cause so much fear and misunderstanding?

Played

Daphne Griffin, Gr. 4

We played for a while. One second later I felt a push on my back. Before I could catch myself, BANG! I was face first in the snow. I laid there for a second and then a shiver went through my body. I was shaking all over and felt cold all through my body. Then my sister started laughing, and I started laughing too. I looked at my sister. Her face was bluer than a blueberry on blue ice cream. Even though I could tell she was cold, she was still laughing.

Policeman

Noah Roberts, Gr. 7

A policeman comes the next day to register the baby. Based on the details Mika gives the man, a different police officer comes the next day, being Vlademar Hoff. When they talk about the case, Hoff realizes that Mika has a good eye for detail. So he brings her back for questioning. At the police station Mika can tell by looking at one of the cells that a prisoner has escaped.

Political Disagreement

Jendaya Gillispie, Gr. 8

The conflict of slavery was not just a political disagreement also on whose morals are right or wrong. Supporters of slavery compared the idea of wage slavery and economic stability, trying to prove to themselves why slavery is morally acceptable from the freedom that they have and the happiness slaves have. The anti-slavery side did not agree with the morals because slavery was inhumane and not acceptable in anyways. The courage of individuals like Harriet Tubman, and the not so great attacks like John Brown showed the South how slavery was morally bad. When they exploited the system of slavery it showed that the economic and political stand point can not prove that slavery is good in any way. While the South attempted to legislate against change, the momentum of human rights eventually forced a transformation that redefined the United States and its commitment to liberty for all.

Pollution

Quinn Roberts, Gr. 7

people have been sending harmful chemicals by creating plastic for years, Scientist estimate by 2050 plastic waste will double, this causes global warming to get worse and causing severe heat waves, severe storms, droughts sea level and even world spread ecosystem disruption this leads to food and water shortages, human displacement and increased health risk.

Preventing Cancer

Ava Maly, Gr. 7

Even though cancer kills thousands, more and more fortunate people are surviving every year. From the beginning of the twenty-first century to the present, there have been around 18.6 million cancer survivors. The earlier cancer is detected the better treatment can be. There are many types of cancer treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. New ways to treat and prevent cancer are being discovered by experts everyday. In 2010, cancer death was reduced by twenty percent over the course of a study made by the National Center Institute. Forty percent of cancer cases were connected to preventable causes in 2024, researched by the American Association. Many ways to prevent cancer include wearing sunscreen, not smoking, and having a nutritious diet. A nutritious diet should include berries and citrus fruits because they have natural cancer - fighting chemicals in them. Although cancer is deadly, more and more people are cured and survive day-to-day.

Preventing Suicide

Isaiah Santiago, Gr. 8

My cause is on youth suicide prevention. Youth suicide prevention is very important because taking in awareness of youth suicide can help save millions of lives. Doing nothing will only allow these already rapidly increasing rates to grow more and more, leading to more deaths by suicide, especially in people of youth. Thankfully, 1N5 is here to help. 1N5 is an organization in Cincinnati that works on preventing youth suicide and mental illness. 1N5 also spreads awareness to many people, including hundreds of schools and communities. Supporting 1N5 could save thousands of lives so that nobody has to go through the trouble of committing suicide and dealing with peers who commit suicide. 1N5 provides many programs to help people with mental illnesses and people who are having suicide thoughts. 1N5 uses in-person therapy sessions, along with having their own helpline that people can call for over-thephone therapy and help.

Prevention

David Patino, Gr. 7

But these numbers aren't just statistics. Every one of those people had a story. A family. A future. A moment where things could have gone differently if the right support had simply been available. Many people don't wake up one day and decide to struggle with addiction or join a gang. It often starts with pain, trauma, loneliness, or a lack of guidance. And when communities don't have the resources to help, those problems grow quickly & quietly until they become tragedies, and that's why support matters.

Qualities

Fiona Russell, Gr. 5

Another character that shows kindness, empathy, and lots of other good qualities is Christopher. In chapter 24, page 95 and 96, it says, “What’s your name? The other kids turn and ask. ‘Knox,’ I reply. ‘Like the beach?’ they ask. A few of the girls start giggling, and I turn red. ‘Ignore them,’ the boy on the mat says. ‘My name’s Christopher’.” This explains that Christopher spoke up for Knox when he was embarrassed and he made him feel better and he immediately wanted to be kind to him. Another example can be found on page 114, chapter 28, where Christopher tells Knox not to be ashamed of ADHD. The quote says, “It’s both thrilling and terrifying hearing the confirmation. I fall a little quiet.” Christopher then says gently, “Hey . . . it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Despite what Tyler says.”

Queen

Victoria

Rebeca Pérez Sánchez, Gr. 8

Queen Victoria was born in 1819 in Kensington Palace, and rose to the throne in 1837 as the new queen. Her childhood was dictated by the "Kensington System", which was a strict set of rules made by her mother and Sir John Conroy to control her. Even though she described her childhood as lonely, some sources suggest she was spoiled and often went to the theater and ballet. In 1840, she married her cousin, Prince Albert, a loving marriage resulted in nine children and forty-two grandchildren. Since her children and grandchildren eventually became the rulers of many countries, she eventually earned the name the "Grandmother of Europe." As their marriage progressed, Albert took on increasingly higher roles and eventually served as her private secretary. Victoria's reign saw the British Empire expand to cover one-fifth of the world’s countries, and she was officially crowned the Empress of India in 1876.

Quilt

Reed Livingstone, Gr. 4

When studying this beautiful quilt, I notice that there are four figures in the foreground and all the figures look different. They are different colors, have different textures, different heights, and are made of different shapes. I think the name of this quilt is “Diversity” because we are all part of many diverse communities. I think the artist put the figures in that spot so everyone could focus on them to show that we are all different but still connected, like the figures in the quilt are sewn together. The artist used bright colors that pop out on the quilt because she wanted the attention to be drawn to the figures. The figures at the front are holding the message of the quilt. The message is people all stand out in their own way. In my school community I am connected to friends but like to stand out and be unique like the figures in the quilt.

Rainbow of The Trees

Evan Williams, Gr. 8

The sun was bright, the wind was high, my game had passed the 45-minute mark by. Yet here I stand, still all alone, while rainbows on the trees and water are shown. I walk the school, a heavy, quiet track, with thoughts of Dad and life upon my back. To flee this depression, I send a hopeful text, waiting for the girl I’m dreaming of the next. Four hours pass no word, no light, as darker thoughts begin to dim my sight. My vision fades, the world begins to bend, Into a void where lonely paths descend. It’s filled with ghosts of friendships lost to time, with old insecurities and hills I couldn’t climb. The weight of every hobby, crush, and sport, becomes a hollow, echoing resort. I keep on walking through the empty black, with all my doubts and failures in a stack. I drift along within this hollow space.

Reasoning

Elise Goebel, Gr. 8

The people who thought slavery was acceptable often used the reasoning that God didn't say it wasn't right. People argued that if God had never said in The Bible or even put in the Ten Commandments that enslaving people was wrong, then it was allowed. People also argued that it was good for slaves to be slaves. Reasoning on their lack of ability to manage their own lives, slave owners saw it as a way to help create better lives for them. But the most common argument was that it would simply be too difficult to abolish slavery. Southern agriculture funded the Northern factory productions. But the only reason the North had so much to produce was because they relied on the slaves in the South. History claims that the South were the only ones that had slaves and bought slaves, but if it weren't for Northern production, slavery percentages would not have been that high.

Rebound

Connor Butler, Gr. 7

Rebound by Kwame Alexander takes place in 1988, and most of the action in the novel takes place on the basketball court or in Charlie’s house. The main character in the novel is Charlie Bell “Chuck” who is a twelve year old boy who loves to read comic books and play basketball. The antagonist in the novel is a tragic event resulting in the unexpected death of Charlie’s father causing him to deal with grief and anger at a young age. Charlie is making risky decisions by skipping school because of the emotion from his dads death. Two other important characters in the novel are Skinny and CJ. Skinny has a big ego who is Charlie’s best friend and loves to play basketball. CJ is a girl who is another friend of Charlie's who enjoys playing basketball with him.

Resilience

Maris Moore, Gr. 6

The main theme of my novel is to be brave and do what's right. The author is trying to say that when things get scary you fight through it and don’t get scared. The characters actions reflect the theme because they are not scared of anything and the theme is to do what's right and be brave. Three examples in my story that support the theme are when they got on a plane the pilots tried to kill them and they punched them off the plane. Another example is that Ben, the main character, was supposed to go home for winter break, but this mission was very intense. He had to be there, though the last example is that Ben went into the bad guys hotel room and hid in the closet so he could help the team.

Reusing Bags

Charles Janes, Gr. 7

Anyone can switch from plastic to reusable bags today! They are not a hassle to buy, and do not take up lots of space. They come in vast colors to satisfy your eyes and stuff. They are a way to help the environment as they erode faster than plastic. Because it is incidental that it ends up in the ocean.

Roaming

Harper Northern, Gr. 4

Have you ever imagined being alive when cavemen were roaming the earth? Back then they didn't have GPS. But over time very smart scientists created an invention that would CHANGE THE WORLD! Scientists created GPS to help people travel safely and guide them on their own journey. Maps and GPS help people every single day.

Roles

Reagan Smith, Gr. 5

Internal and external conflicts play major roles and they are both effective to characters in books but in very different ways. External conflicts can lead to internal ones such as when Melody’s little sister got run over by a car in the book Out Of My Mind it was an external conflict but Melody started thinking that it was all her fault and was blaming herself which made her feel bad it turned into an internal conflict. This can also happen the other way around, internal can become external. Authors use both types of conflicts to better show the character's emotions and how they feel. Conflicts make a story more interesting because they show how characters can solve problems and deal with struggles in their life.

Roman and Hank

Liam Fildes, Gr. 8

Roman and Hank backgrounds that were very similar. Roman grew up in Maryland and he was an amazing baseball player. Hank also grew up in Maryland and also loved to play baseball. Roman before joining the army was on a minor baseball team called the Centerville Red Sox. Hank didn’t play any minor league baseball but he played a lot with his brother. The main reason Roman joined the army was because he said, “I wanted to be part of something important, something bigger than me.” The real reason Hank joined the army was because he wanted to be with his brother Theo.

Rushing Down a Big Hill

Sam Lallathin, Gr. 4

Creak! The door slowly opened, revealing a winter wonderland. I trudged through the deep snow blowing from my head to my toes. I kept walking and finally, after what seemed like a thousand miles, I got there. But I have one more hill to walk up. I sighed. My legs were tingling and felt hard to move, but I survived it and made it to the top of the hill.

Ruth's Legacy

Jack Wendling, Gr. 6

Because Babe Ruth broke 59 records, won seven world series, and revolutionized and made the game exciting he is an exceptional sports figure. During his time, Ruth helped many organizations to win championships. He also was one of the best players of all time in terms of statistics. He helped many people to fall in love with the game of baseball, and made fans get even more excited about the game. This is why whenever people play the game, and think of baseball, they think of Ruth and his legacy. The baseball world wouldn’t be the same without Babe Ruth.

Sacagawea

Santi Dwyer, Gr. 8

Sacagawea was a member of the Agaideka (Lemhi) Shoshone, who lived in the upper Salmon River Basin in present-day Idaho. In about 1800, she was kidnapped by members of the Hidatsa tribe and taken to their homeland in the Knife River Valley, near present-day Stanton, North Dakota. A few years later, she was traded to or purchased by a French Canadian trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau. She was pregnant with his child when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark arrived at the Knife River villages in November 1804, on their mission to find a feasible route to the Pacific Ocean. Sacagawea was either 16 or 17 years old when she joined the Corps of Discovery. She met Lewis and Clark while she was living among the Mandan and Hidatsa in North Dakota, though she was a Lemhi Shoshone from Idaho. She had been taken during a raid by the Hidatsa when she was either 11 or 12, and had lived at the Awatixa (Sakakawea) Village.

Save a Book for Me, Mom

Colin Kline, Gr. 7

I had a mother who read to me on the page there was so much to see Like the Wild Things and people that sing I had a mother who read me a book When I didn't see the picture, I said let me take a look Things like Goodnight Moon and I just know we will read again soon

Scar Island

Janie Wendling, Gr. 6

One setting is the Slabbhenge School. The Slabbhenge on the outside looks like a jagged building made of grey stones surrounded by sea. This setting affects the plot because Jonathan realizes this is not going to be easy to go through. The environment affects this setting because the water eroded the pier and now it is eating down on the rest of the school. Another setting is the basement that the dark long stair leads to. The basement is dark, wet, and leads to the hatch to where Jonathan finds out is the ocean. The hatch is what keeps out the ocean from flooding the Slabbhenge. This setting affects the plot because Jonathan finds the secretive library where the librarian has been for his whole life. Jonathan gets books from the library and then reads them to the rest of the boys at night.

Scared

Noah Selker, Gr. 5

In the novel Lions of Little Rock, the main character, Marlee, faces a lot of difficult internal conflicts. One of her internal conflicts is her fear of heights. She gets really scared and freezes when she is in a tree, and when she is on a diving board. “‘Go ahead and jump,’ said Sally. I didn’t move. A plane flew across the clouds…2, 3, 5, 7, 11…I wished I were a stork and could fly away. Or a flamingo. Or a penguin. Except I didn’t think they flew. ‘Marlee,’ Sally said. ‘There’s a bunch of people behind us.’ I hated holding them up, so I took a step toward the edge of the platform…13, 17, 19, 23…but I got dizzy and fell on my knees.” Marlee’s fear of heights is important because it helps us know more details about Marlee.

Scholarship

Kate Kroner, Gr. 8

From the first day that I arrived at Summit in third grade, I knew instantly that this was the place for me. I was welcomed by all my new friends and teachers and felt part of the summit community from the first moment. As I thought about high school and where I wanted to go, no other school felt like it would be the fit that the Summit is for me. This past year was a very difficult year for me because I was diagnosed with a heart condition that I didn’t know about. Instantly, everything changed for me in January, when I could no longer put my time and talent into sports, which had defined me for so long. I could’ve crumbled, but I was immediately supported by Summit. In the next couple of months, as I prepared for my heart surgery, everyone came to support me.

Scorch Trials

Luke Haughaboo-Giannella, Gr. 7

The Maze Runner Scorch Trials is set in the future in a pyramid-like structure moving on to the big city and then to a desert. When Thomas, Teresa, Minho, Newt, Arisis, Frypran, and Winston were heading to the city, they stopped and sadly Winston got scratched while Wicked, the antagonist, chased them. All of the main characters are teenagers who met in the glades in the first book; all dirty and worn out trying everything they can to run away from Wicked. I would say the genre of The Maze Runner Scorch Trials is suspense and science fiction, a little bit of both. The author's name is James Dashner, and I chose to read this book and his series because it interests me and I think it is a very well put together book.

Season of Christmas

Will Ahouse, Gr. 6

You go into the living room to tell your parents that you finished but you just stand in the doorway in awe of how much food and decorations are on the table. There are turkey holders on the candles. There is a small nativity scene in the middle with a little baby Jesus. There are also a ton of little lights around the table that make the food look even better. You finally snap out of it to ask your parents for dessert. For dessert there are some cookies that have a thick ooey-gooey runny milk chocolate and the actual cookie has a soft inside and crunchy outside to create a perfect mix just like yin and yang.

Service Dogs Can Help

Chelsea Beyerbach, Gr. 7

Service dogs help people with disabilities in so many ways we don’t realize. Service dogs can help manage this stress and assist their owner in the situation. My cause is helping people with disabilities by training life-changing service dogs. Most don’t realize how big of a social problem this truly is. My agency, 4 Paws for Ability, does a lot to help with this social cause. They have many different programs that help to eventually place service dogs. For example, they have a training program to train dogs to become obedient and helpful in stressful situations. These trainers work with the dogs for a long time to make sure they are suitable to be successful in the hands of a disabled owner. They also have a puppy-enrichment program that starts when dogs are just three days old. The goal of this program is to raise well-socialized dogs through positive interactions with people.

Shuri

Sebastian Scharf, Gr. 6

Shuri has a lot of character development. Some examples of her character developing throughout the story are. When Wakanda was attacked she had to lead as the daughter of the queen of Wakanda. Another example of Shuri's character developing is when she left Wakanda for the first time and she was by herself and had to prove herself worthy to her mom that she can stick up for herself and not die. A final example of Shuri’s character development is when her brother died, which is the Black Panther she had to take his responsibility. In the beginning of the book she was trying to figure herself out but by the end of the book she fought in a battle and was way more mature. In conclusion, that is the character development of Shuri.

Siesta Key

Patrick Goebel, Gr. 6

Imagine a place with long fine beaches, sparkling oceans and crisp humid air. The aroma of grilled and fried fish from the many delicious restaurant fills always makes me just take many deep breaths to get used to it. The humid, salty air brings back so many memories of me playing in the backyard or going to a restaurant and right when I get from the airport it feels like home. The bitterness from the chlorine pool in my grandpa’s backyard always makes me wrinkle up my nose when I smell it. The dusty gravel paths around the island make me shrivel up my nose.

Simba

Madie Richard, Gr. 8

The Lion King is about Simba’s sacramental journey and his growth throughout the movie. Mufasa is Simba’s father who guides him throughout his baptism and first couple years of his life. Mufasa ends up dying after Scar kills him. Nala is Simba’s friend then later his girlfriend then wife. Rafiki is the spiritual leader and priest in this movie. Simba was chosen to be the next king of the Pride Lands. During Simba’s baptism he was marked with the sign of the cross with a red baobab fruit. Rafiki was chosen by God to be a prophet and spread the word of God and baptise Simba and his son. Simba was chosen to be a symbol of Mufasa and to carry Mufasa with him all the time. Simba was chosen to be a ruler of the kingdom and take over Scar.

Simone Biles

Nina Robinson, Gr. 6

Simone Biles was born in Columbus Ohio on March 14th, 1997. When she was three, she went to Spring Texas to live with her grandparents. Simone and her sister got adopted and their new parents changed the course of their lives (McAneney 6). Simone noticed gymnastics at a young age. She was with her day care group when they took a trip to a gymnastics center. While they were there, a coach noticed her trying to imitate the gymnasts. A few weeks later, a letter from the gym was sent to her house inviting her to join gymnastics and tumbling classes (Biography.com editors). Simone Biles became an exemplary student at her new gymnastics gym, Bannon’s Gymnastix. Even though she was doing well in the gym, her massive amount of energy created a challenge for her teachers and pupils at her public school.

Simple Little Strawberry

Evelyn Vollbracht, Gr. 4

A simple little strawberry, A sweet and sour snack, A simple little strawberry, I’m so happy that I packed!

Slavery

Tofunmi Ajayi, Gr. 8

The anti-slavery movement, or the abolitionists, had many ways to destroy slavery that they had started implementing. Literature was one of the major ways that they used to help the abolitionist movement. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was one of the first and one of the most major books that showed how slavery worked in the South. It changed the northern attitude towards slavery, along with other books such as Twelve Years as a Slave and many others. Of course there were also violent ways of trying to free slaves. By far the most violent abolitionist in known American history was a man from the state of Connecticut by the name of John Brown.

Sliding Down Snow

Reese Bastos, Gr. 4

Thunk! I dropped off the incredible snow mountain my dad had made me. I was ready for a great snowy time. I had made three different slides. I slid head first down the biggest one, and it felt like I was on a roller coaster! I climbed back up using the snow stairs I had created. Next, I went tumbling down the second snow slide. It felt like I was a roly poly picked up and dropped by a toddler. I had saved the best for last, the biggest slide. I carelessly tumbled down the smallest slide and then…thunk! I sat there in disbelief. I was shocked that I went down a slide that was a million miles long!

Slightly Cheeky Snail

Jane Coughlin, Gr. 4

A little snail is creeping, slowly up the vines, they sure are taking, a tremendous amount of time. Snail, please eat something else, not our lovely vines. If you eat something else, you can take all of your time.

Snow Day

John Davis, Gr. 4

I leave Miles’s house and look at the hill. It's perfect, no footsteps have been tracked in the snow. A gust of wind hits me, and I start to shiver. We walk to the fence and it creaks open. Now we are in front of the hill. We immediately start dragging our sleds and ourselves up the hill. It is hard work each step. Finally we get to the top and breathe a sigh of relief.

Snowball Fight

Zaria Cockrell, Gr. 4

I put on my coat, boots and hat. I go outside. The snow is white. I meet my friends. We go and play. I throw a snow ball. And the snow is soft. WHOOSH! The snow ball hits my friend. The snow brings me joy.

Social Web

James Hodge, Gr. 8

The Social Web Monument would commemorate our present time of social media and technology taking over our culture. This should exist because technology in itself has made such a big impact, taking over many people's lives in the US, and becoming such a huge part of our daily lives. If you think about it, technology has given us a huge boost for our time, the places it got us too will be talked about forever for being so monumental. I don't think this exists now due to it being a recent event in our history, and we still don't know where technology will take us in the future. The monument would be a big network globe, glowing with LED lights the color blue. Next to it would lay a plaque (digital phone like object) with famous quotes and important moments in the technology era. To add on to that there will be an artificial intelligence bot going around answering questions about early American history and facts about technology.

Soft White Snow

Clara Wirtz, Gr. 4

Snow twinkling, in the sunlight; my boots crunch, In the soft snow. I don’t really want, To ruin the soft Snow, but I’m exited, To go out. Right when I step. Snow started; White on white, white on white, Finally I got my sled. Me stepping in the soft, White snow, turning Brown, keep snowing, So the snow can stay white.

Sojourner Truth

Evelyn Knepfle, Gr. 8

Many people know Sojourner Truth as a Civil Rights Activist. But, did you know that she also fought extensively for women’s rights as well? Sojourner Truth grew up as a slave and worked very hard, even though throughout her time as a slave she was treated horribly. As a slave she was sexually assaulted by her enslaver many times. Sojourner Truth fought not only for slavery, but for the rights of women as well. Truth spoke saying, “ I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash just as well!” She said this during her speech, Ain’t I A Woman?, when she speaks about herself and other women not needing help from a man. Sojourner Truth’s activism and experiences can be seen in movements happening today as well.

Sparring in a Tournament

Liam Wiltshire, Gr. 6

The next round is sparring. First up is me and Josiah. The instructor says go and the round starts, instantly Josiah unleashes a blindingly fast series of jabs, right hooks, left hooks, and kicks. He’s going to tire himself out like this I think. I block most of his attempts, few getting through my defense, then after one of his powerful kicks, I dodge backwards and he is thrown off balance, expecting resistance, then I go on the attack. I give him my own series of punches and kicks, raining down a barrage of impacts upon his guard. Then after my onslaught is done we trade punches until the instructor calls time. I am the winner. The next two matches are also pretty uneventful. I get a silver medal for sparring and that is the end of the tournament. We all get a photo and then I go home, happy that I did not do terribly in the tournament.

Spotting a Witch

Dilly Homan, Gr. 4

Imagine you're walking down your street, and there is a woman offering you a piece of candy. Don’t take it! It could be a witch trying to give you a secret potion that could possibly turn you into a mouse. In the book The Witches, by Roald Dahl, witches look like real women. In the story, Grandmamma told her grandson ways to spot a witch. Keep reading to learn the clues that will help you spot a witch. Your life may depend on it!

Squanto

Eliot Brown, Gr. 8

Traditional Thanksgiving stories often sideline Squanto as a simple, friendly guide who taught the Pilgrims to plant corn. In reality, his life was a harrowing saga of survival and adaptation long before he met the settlers. Squanto was kidnapped at least twice by English explorers, forced into slavery, and transported across the Atlantic. He spent years in Spain and England, where he was treated as a curiosity while he learned the English language and studied European customs, trade, and politics. When Squanto finally managed to return home, he found his world destroyed; an epidemic had wiped out his entire Patuxet village, leaving behind a ghost town of empty fields. This meant he wasn't just a kind helper; he was a sophisticated survivor.

Strawberry Daiquiri

Addison Parker, Gr. 5

I would describe myself as a strawberry daiquiri. With extra strawberries because I'm extra sweet and I like sweet things. Because I'm extra energetic like the drink is extra sugary. I would think that like a strawberry daiquiri I have a lot of different layers like kind, sassy, loyal , and confident in whatever I do. And like the drink I always rise to the summit. This is why I think I am a delicious strawberry daiquiri.

Struggles

Michel Huguet, Gr. 5

One way Knox struggles with ADHD is on page number 89. The text says. “Now the store employees are after me too. It makes me nervous, having all these people chasing after me that I don't look where I'm going and crash into a towering display of Mountain Dew.” This shows Knox wasn’t paying attention and didn’t focus so he collided into a Mountain Dew tower and made his mom pay for all of it so they didn't get much groceries. This shows Knox struggles with ADHD so he did not focus so he crashed.

Summer Day

Christopher Jefferies, Gr. 6

Imagine the touch of smooth, warm, and wet sand on a hot summer day, the loud sound of waves crashing into the ocean, and the smell of the salty air. These are a few of the experiences you would have during a day at the beach. A trip to the beach is filed with many enjoyable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. And maybe there are a few that are not very enjoyable. Let’s explore some of the sensations at the beach.

Summit's 135th Year

Peyton MacDonald, Gr. 7

Walking through the hallways, I will feel welcome always, When I go to class, I know I’m going to pass, With the help and support from teachers, We know we will become leaders, Of character and Truth, To help the youth.

Sweet Dogs

Darcy de Lacy, Gr. 7

Imagine seeing a sad, lonely, abandoned dog on the side of the road. I'm sure many of you have a dog. What if that was your dog on the road with no home to go too. Some people don't think it's that important to help dogs with no place to go. It is a big issue so we should all try and help this cause.

Switzerland

Nick Cafardi, Gr. 6

The sound of bells fill the air as a Christmas market fills up with excited and eager guests, ready for the big day. Beautiful music surrounds the vintage buildings in coastal towns. Cats are scampering every which way as they try to find the nearest piece of fish. Grocers selling delicious and fresh produce for the Swiss locals to create amazing dishes. The chinking of wine glasses as civilians enjoy a fresh glass of wine, sourced from just a few miles away. Cold air breezes between the narrow alleyways as mice rush to find warmth. A thick layer of snow coats the Swiss countryside as children build snowmen and enjoy their winter fun. A scenic train slowly travels up the steep mountain, almost appearing like a giant glowing worm slithering its way up the mountain.

Taxation

Nick Rassi, Gr. 8

The British shouldn’t have taxed the colonies without a colonial representative. The colonists were making less money causing the taxes to be harder to pay in America. The parliament in Britain thought that these taxes were reasonable because people in Britain could pay them just fine. Although if they had chosen a colonial representative they would have been able to know what was going on in the colonies. This caused one of the biggest events in history, The Boston Tea Party. This event is what started the American Revolution. Taxes were harder to pay in colonies. This is because the colonists' money was more valuable than the British and items were cheaper. This caused the colonists to have to pay up to 50% of their salary to taxes.

Taxes

Emerson Kaeppner, Gr. 8

The taxes in the colonies were high and unaffordable but nonetheless, Parliament had the right to govern and tax American colonies however they chose, but here's some background. The British were in massive debt from protecting the colonists during the 7 Year War, or The French and Indian War. One of the ways the British gained back money was by increasing the colonists taxes. To me, this seems like a fair trade, considering that my life was saved and my property was protected. The British government, and just like any government, modern or not, had the right to tax their people. Most Americans today would agree with this statement. Of course there are things that could be improved, but that does not mean they didn’t have the right to tax.

Tecumseh

Charlie Williams, Gr. 8

Tecumseh was a famous Indian chief and warrior that died at battle. He was born in 1768 in the western Ohio valley. When he was born, he got his name from a sighting of a shooting star in Piqua, Ohio. His name even means “shooting star”or “blazing comet.” He was born as a shawnee, became their leader, then moved on. He decided to become a confederate because he felt that the Americans were stripping the natives of their Indian culture. Tecumseh found another Indian tribe and was assigned to chief bluejacket. He got his army together and basically went to war with the Americans. In 1806, Tecumseh predicted a solar eclipse and gained lots of Indian followers from various tribes. The army settled in Prophetstown, Ohio, Tecumseh’s hometown. Although they lost, Tecumseh took his multi-tribe alliance to the town of Wabash in present-day Indiana. After he fought a war where the Indians lost to the Americans (William Henry Harrison’s army) at Tippecanoe.

Ted Talk: Ohio River

Alex Norng, Gr. 7

The Ohio River is a significant resource for many people, so why is it one of the most polluted rivers in the region? In 2023, people picked up over 85 tons of trash in the Ohio river but thousands of pounds of trash are still in the river (Vonder 1). Some may say that the money and time cleaning the river is not worth it and it should go to other places. This is wrong because the community is very important and it should always be clean and beautiful for people to enjoy. The Ohio river should be clean and beautiful because there is pollution in the river, it is crucial to the community, and cleaning it will beautify the community.

Temperature Changes

Matthew Harding, Gr. 4

A second challenge animals face in the desert is the extreme temperature. The roadrunner has an adaptation that helps it beat the heat. An example can be found in passage one, paragraph six. The text says, “... a patch on its back absorbs the warmth of the rising sun.” This shows that the roadrunner will be able to stay warm at night because it has gathered enough heat during the day. Another animal that is able to survive in the desert is the desert tortoise. The text claims, “ So the tortoise uses its sharp foreleg claws to dig long burrows underground…” This shows that by building burrows, the tortoise can stay cool. Obviously, animals have unique ways of surviving the extreme temperatures of the desert.

Tension

Arianna Trimm, Gr. 8

During the 1760s and 1770s, tensions between the American colonists and the British rose after the Proclamation of 1763 where everything had changed. Everything had changed because the colonists helped fight in the 7 Years War against the French and the Native Americans for land. After the British and colonists won the war the colonists thought they could move into the land that they won, but the British didn’t let them because they couldn’t afford another war. The Parliament later began creating new taxes across the Atlantic. The colonists believed that Parliament had no right to govern or tax them without proper representation. If the American colonies got representation in Parliament, it would have gone against the English tradition, but people should not be taxed unless they have a voice in government.

Terrible Mistake

Alicia Palacio-Vega, Gr. 6

Eventually my parents said that they had found the “right train" so all of us hurried there quickly (and didn’t check where it was going) and when we got there most people were on the train and it was ready to leave. So just as we were boarding I looked up to see where we were going, and realized that this is not the right train. As my parents and everybody else was boarding, I was yelling at them above all the other noise that we were on the wrong train. But as the youngest one, no one listened to me; they all just thought I was confused about where we were going. They all finally realized that I was right when we got to “our” seats and there were already people there. So my family finally listened to me and we were out of the train and running to catch that right one.

Thankful

Anaka Maxey, Gr. 5

I am thankful I got to start a fresh life because I had some bad things I have done and there is some more good things I want to change in my life. I will try my hardest to become the best version of myself. I will have a fresh start to think before I say something. I can also be even MORE kind to people, I know it is possible. In conclusion God gives me things I am thankful for.

Tiger

Woods

Graham Moore, Gr. 8

The monument that I would create in Washington D.C would be a monument of Tiger Woods, the best golfer to ever live. The monument would also honor all of the people who played a key role in his life, including his coach, parents, kids, and teachers. This should exist because Tiger Woods was not only the best golfer to ever live, but he inspired a new generation to love and get involved in golf, with his amazing play and approach to the game. His newer approach included weightlifting, which was really exciting for the sport, as he highlighted the need for fitness to limit injuries as well as perform at a higher level. He is also widely regarded as the best golfer of all time, not simply someone who changed the game. The monument doesn’t exist already, probably due to Tiger Woods still playing professionally in a few tournaments.

Tim Tebow

Frankie Wirtz, Gr. 6

Calling Tim Tebow’s first year stupendous would be an understatement. It all started with his first start. Which was against Western Kentucky University, which is a pretty small school. He ended up playing very well, as he led his team to a victory. He also passed for 300 yards exactly (Tebow and Whitaker 103). The 300 yard game is a huge quarterback milestone and accomplishment. It signals the team relied on the passing game, which is uncommon for a quarterback in his first start. He ended up leading the gators all the way to the SEC championship game where they would play number eight ranked Arkansas. The Florida gators were ranked number four in the nation. Tim Tebow led the team to a 38-28 win, winning the SEC. The next game was the national championship versus number one Ohio State University (Tebow and Whitaker 96).

Time

Hudson Pfeffer, Gr. 8

There are many reasons why being on time is important. Being on time can show people if you are going to make a statement and be ready to do your work or activity, or if you are not going to take things seriously and be a waste of time. Showing that you are on time can help people realize that you take things seriously and assure them that you want to be there. Doing this can also help you get every second of the time in which you do something efficient. If you are late to small matters, then it could correlate to more important matters, like interviews and work. Being on time for these things can make you seem more professional, and maybe even give you an advantage in things like interviews against people who showed up late.

Tiwanaku Civilization

Elliot Fox, Gr. 7

The Tiwanaku civilization was very advanced. They were really religious, having temples, rituals and sacrifices which probably murdered peoples. The Tiwanaku were also very advanced, had great agriculture and even a plumbing system. The Tiwanaku had a lot of precision as their buildings lasted over 1000 years. The Tiwanaku civilization was very religious, advanced and had much precision.

Top of the Hill

Eleanor Ewald, Gr. 4

There I was, at the top of my hill, with my two dogs watching me from below. I feel the cold, frigid bursts of air blow across my face which honestly feels refreshing compared to the dripping sweat from inside my jacket and gloves. Staring down at the freshly carved track through the snow, created from the many times I’d gone down before, I look at my red saucer sled. I place it in the starting position, getting ready to go down.

Trevor Noah

Blake Owens, Gr. 6

Trevor Noah was born on February 20, 1984 in Johannesburg, South Africa. His mom, Patricia Noah, was black and his dad, Robert Noah, was Swiss which at the time meant that Noah himself was a crime. The cause of this crime was Apartheid. Apartheid defined South Africa’s culture and legal factors for its time. What makes Noah illegal is a law that says white’s and people of color get married or have intercorse or even to live next to each other (Zakanin). Black people were split into different tribes before apartheid but when white people came to South Africa. They used this to their advantage to take over rule. They gave different tribes different rites than other tribes. Whites were also split into groups and sub-groups too (Noah 3).

Trudged

Ellie Haughaboo-Giannella, Gr. 4

I trudged back up the hill for the third time. I'm almost there. My friend was so happy. I was happy for her, but I was shivering. The wind was biting my face. She was jumping joyfully. Even though I was cold, I took a moment to admire the snow. It was so pretty! It was a perfect snowy day.

Types of Conflicts

Elijah Lehenbauer, Gr. 5

A type of conflict seen in our reading is external conflict which helps the character learn and grow. A clear and specific example of this can be found in Out of My Mind, when Melody encounters the time when she is left out because her parents tell her that all of her friends have already eaten together and gone on the plane to Washington D.C..This demonstrates Melody in an external conflict with the people from her school in the contest for Whiz Kids. She is feeling Erupting with sadness and slightly furious with them for not including her in the competition for nationals. An example from the book of her feeling upset can be found on page two hundred fifty-seven. The text says, “They’re gone?” Mom whispers. I feel like I’m going to choke.”

Underground Railroad

Madeline Winn, Gr. 4

Imagine being an enslaved person living in the 1800s, wondering if you’ll ever be free. Well lucky for them they could use the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad helped enslaved people by leading them to a better life and kept them safe along the way. Keep reading to learn how the Underground Railroad helped thousands of enslaved people.

Universe

Izze Montaque, Gr. 8

The universe is a vast, all-encompassing expanse of space, time, matter, and energy. While modern science has mapped billions of galaxies, the "secrets" of outer space remain one of humanity's greatest challenges. Our current understanding is built on the shoulders of astronomers who transformed the study of the stars from ancient mythology into a rigorous, evidence-based science.

Unknown Botanist

Matti Hofmann, Gr. 7

Dead botanist Johann Preiss brought live specimens from Australia to Europe. Even though he contributed heavily to the study of botany, he is not as widely known as famous botanists such as Ludwig Leichhardt, or Alexander von Humboldt. In the 19th century, German and British scientists connected through royal ties, cultural links, and migration. Britain had a major advantage in the field of botany because they had the famous Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, which was a famous center for collecting, classifying, and distributing plants. Germany had much smaller institutions focused on classifying specimens. Priess collected 200,000 plants and brought 2,500 species over to Germany.

Uyuni Salt Flats

Ryan Schaaf, Gr. 7

Now what may not be expected to be found in this area are flamingos which survive off the shrimp found in brine pools, which still give them their pink color (Evans 2025). Not only is it home to large amounts of lithium it also contains borax, magnesium, and potassium (Evans 2025). The Uyuni Salt Flats also have another smaller salt flat to the north which is called the Coipasa Salt Flat (Editors). Due to the large amount of salt it has salt works located on the north, northwest, and south borders of the flats (Editors). This goes to show that in the Uyuni Salt Flats there is rich information in the salt flats.

Village Leader

Emma Rinehart, Gr. 8

You’re thirteen years old, living in a foreign village after being kidnapped at the age of twelve. A man comes up to the leaders of your village. He looks strange and speaks a language you can’t understand. You’ve seen him before – he married a girl from your tribe named Otter Woman. The leaders inform you that you are going to be married to this man, who is over twice your age. You have no choice in this matter. This anecdote is the true story of an incident that happened to Sacagawea, the well known guide of the Corps of Discovery. Sacagawea was married to Touissaint Charbonneau at thirteen after she had been kidnapped by the Hidatsa Native Americans. She was his second wife, as he had already taken another Shoshone Woman, Otter Woman.

Walking

Cléa Sinno, Gr. 8

How many miles have you walked before? About one or two miles? Maybe even more? What if I told you that Harriet Tubman walked about a hundred miles from Maryland to Philadelphia, only during the night time, and traveled for several days. But that’s not all, she also traveled with many other people of all ages seeking freedom from being a slave. And on top of leading groups of slaves, she made thirteen trips back and forth to Maryland and Philadelphia. So, in all, she traveled approximately 1,300 miles throughout the night. Harriet Tubman did many extraordinary things like leading people to freedom and serving in the Civil War. She rescued about seventy to eighty slaves for freedom and helped free three hundred slaves in the Civil War. She also suffered from a brain injury that led to epilepsy and narcolepsy. Harriet Tubman also helped build successful lives for the freed citizens. She is definitely a key figure in the history of America.

Weaving of Spring

Elsie Koo, Gr. 4

A weaving of Spring, The soft texture, Of leaves. Prickly thistles, On pine trees. An aroma of flowers, Make sweet perfume. The roughness, Of bark, On the stump, Of a tree. The sound, Of a storm, Soon to be, Near. The wind, In my ears, All joined together, Forever, A weaving of Spring.

White Blanket

Henry Martin, Gr. 4

Aahhh! The crisp white blanket of snow was so spectacular I could float through it. All that snow sure was making me wonder about what I should do today. Bingo! I suddenly got the most wonderful idea ever. I jumped up and down, getting butterflies in my stomach. I was going to make snow ice cream!

William Shakespeare

Evelyn Paulsen, Gr. 8

The lonely manager gossiped about the love letter in the bedroom. The puppy dog mimicked the watchdog. The soft-hearted Dalmation was in a pickle, so he hurried to the bedroom. While the above sentences may feel clunky, or perhaps straight up confusing, all of the words and phrases, excluding the articles, pronouns, and conjunctions were created by none other than William Shakespeare. Shakespeare is widely known as the most famous and influential playwright of all time. His works have inspired countless works of literature, movies, and many more. Shakespeare lived in England from 1564-1616, possibly dying on his fifty-second birthday. He wrote many famous and influential works like Macbeth, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet, to name a few.

Winter Fun

Bianca Pan, Gr. 4

Winter has begun, And it's going to be fun, Each snowflake is unique, So magnifique, Swirling dipping diving churning too, Snow is falling down to you, Animals take on hibernation, As snow falls down to your nation, Snow plows drive down the street, The snow on the windowpanes ever so neat, Santa is coming to town, As all the children lay their heads down, Winter has begun, And it's going to be fun.

Women Rights

Vivienne Kline, Gr. 7

It’s not that women are scared to be president, it's that so many people still aren’t “ready” to vote for a woman. They believe men should always be president. Men should be holding the microphone. Men should always be in charge. What about the women?

Wondering

Sebastian Haughaboo-Giannella, Gr. 4

Have you ever wondered if witches might be hiding in plain sight? Well, witches do not wear black clothes or fly on a broomstick. In Roald Dahl’s The Witches, Grandmamma tells her grandson about how to spot a witch. They can hide in plain sight. They could be sitting right next to you on a bus and trying to get you to take a chocolate bar. Don’t eat it! You might turn into a mouse! Keep reading to learn how to spot a witch. It just might help you live.

Word Choice

Thomas Schmitt, Gr. 4

The author’s word choice shows that Achilles was a skillful warrior. You can find an example of this in paragraph three. The text says, “He ran faster than a horse, fought tirelessly for hours, …” This shows he is very skilled at fighting and fast at running. Another example of this can be found in paragraph three. The text says, “No arrow, sword, or ax could hurt him…” This shows that Achilles is a very skilled warrior that could fight anyone no matter how big the army was. Clearly, the author’s word choice shows that Achilles was a skillful warrior.

Your Animal Friends

Maddison Brown, Gr. 7

Sixty percent of dogs are strays without a place to call home. The main idea is to make sure animals are in the right environment and keep dogs out of pounds to prevent so many killings of dogs. If they are not in the environment to do so, there needs to be organizations to help dogs find the right home. One other idea is dogs should be trained to help people. All dogs need to have a good shelter or home and good medical care. If dogs have all the right needs they can be trained to help out and care for people. A lot of people don’t think dogs can help. However that is untrue because if they have the correct training and are well cared for they can really benefit people and even save lives. All dogs need basic needs like food, water, and shelter, dogs also have lots of benefits to people because they can be service dogs and assist, another reason is they can be guard dogs and defend, dogs are the top animals to help with emotional support and mental health.

Artwork

Ivy Sousa, Gr. 7

Lola Ishola, Gr. 5

Madeline Winn Gr. 4

Luca Cerimele Gr. 4

Julia Tranter Gr. 4

Cate Lallathin, Gr. 4 Emmeline Friedman, Gr. 5

Emmie Ackers, Gr. 5

Emma Boyer, Gr. 6

Kyler Torch, Gr. 4

Theo Sabatalo, Gr. 5

Dilly Homan, Gr. 4

Reagan Rogers, Gr. 6

Wes Davis, Gr. 6

Noah Selker, Gr. 5

Michaela Bell, Carrigan Same. Hailey Wise, Gr. 7

Alex Pearce, Gr. 7

Anaka Maxey, Gr. 5

Quinn Roberts, Gr. 7

Zoe Riegle, Gr. 5