Children’s & Teens’ Connection 2018connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/... · 12/31/2018 · The Madeira School. ... photographs and other works of art. We appreciate

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com December 26 - January 1, 2019

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Children’s & Teens’Connection 2018

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2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ Children’s & Teens’ Connection 2018-2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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ThinkInhale, ExhaleBreathe in, Breathe OutThink

Close Your EyesRemember Your PastSee your FutureThink

Think About your DecisionsLearn From Your MistakesThink

Remember Your HopesLive Your DreamsLove What is Around YouThink

Fear The RageHear The ThunderJust remember toThink

Be CalmStay FocusedThink

Everyone Is DifferentEveryone Has Their Own PathBe YouThink

Be PositiveBe UniqueShine, be a starThink

Believe In YourselfYou Will TryYou Will Succeed

Open Your EyesLook Around YouNo one is the SameInhale, ExhaleBreathe InBreathe OutThink

— Sophia Beeland, 13,

of Great Falls

Cooper Middle School,

Grade 8

Poetry Corner

PantryThe toxic seductionYou continue to lure meDrooling the heaven behindI am hypnotizedDestined to regretI go againOnly to meet with beans and grainsConfused, I turnTo the victory claim of Mom“Help yourself”

— Chaiwoon Yoo, 16,

McLean

Grade 11,

The Madeira School

Great Falls Connection ❖ Children’s & Teens’ Connection 2018-2019 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Children's & Teens'

Dear Readers:This week, the Great Falls Connection

turns over its pages to the youth and stu-dents.

We asked principals and teachers fromarea schools to encourage students to con-tribute their words, pictures and photos forour annual Children’s & Teens’ Issue.

The response as always was enormous.While we were unable to publish every piecewe received, we did our best to put togethera paper with a fair sampling of the submit-ted stories, poems, drawings, paintings,photographs and other works of art.

We appreciate the extra effort made byschool staff to gather the materials duringtheir busy time leading up to the holidays.We’d also like to encourage both schools andparents to mark their 2019 calendars forearly December, the deadline for submis-sions for next year’s Children’s & Teens’

Holiday Inspiration,Pastel by Sara Dethero, 12, Great Falls,Grade 7 at Cooper Middle School.

By Amalya Sharma, Grade 1, Great Falls Elementary

WelcomeConnection. Please keep us in mind as yourchildren continue to create spectacularworks of art and inspiring pieces of writingin the coming year.

The children’s issue is only a part of ouryear-round commitment to cover educationand our local schools. As always, the Con-nection welcomes letters to the editor, storyideas, calendar listings and notices of localevents from our readers. Photos and othersubmissions about special events at schoolsare especially welcome for our weeklyschools pages.

Our preferred method for material is e-mail, which should be sent [email protected], butyou can reach us by mail at 1606 KingStreet, Alexandria, VA 22314 or call 703-778-9414 with any questions.

— Editor Kemal Kurspahic

“Art within Art” by homeschoolers Elizabeth Symanski, 8, Grade 3 andKatherine Symanski, 6, Grade 1, of Great Falls. By Charles Kwaw, from Great Falls, Kindergarten, Colvin Run Elementary.

By JennyWang, 10,ForestvilleElementary


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Children's & Teens'

Great Falls Elementary

Submissions from art teacherCaitlin Giroux’s students

By Jake Coblentz, Grade 3

By DylanMacleod,Grade 2

By Zara Mufti, Grade 3


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Children's & Teens'

Colvin Run Elementary

Artwork submitted by Art TeachersLauren Grimm and Rachel Wiseman.

By Ella DeGraaf,Great Falls,

Grade 4 - square

By Amy Key, Great Falls, Grade 6

By BenjaminMoser,Kindergarten,from Vienna

By Rowan Marashlian, Great Falls,Grade 1

6 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ Children’s & Teens’ Connection 2018-2019 Great Falls Connection ❖ Children’s & Teens’ Connection 2018-2019 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Children's & Teens'

More Artwork from Great Falls

Gardening with Family in our Backyard by OliviaHarrington, 9, Grade 4, Great Falls Elementary

Family is Love by Regan Harrington, 7, Grade 2, Great FallsElementary

Melanie Wordne, Great Falls, Grade 3,Colvin Run Elementary

What is the greatest gift you can give this holiday season?

Cooper Middle School

Some people make lists for pre-sents they want to receive duringthe holidays.

Others buy gifts themselves, anda few might ask ahead of time for

a certain present. What really is thegreatest gift someone could receivethough?

The best gift I could ever receive,is someone’s friendship and love.

If I find someone who is willing andready to be by my side no matterwhat.

Someone who finds time for meand who I can be myself with. A

person’s time and energy are lim-ited, and to be given an importantpart to play in someone’s life wouldbe amazing.

We all take from society. It is a

mere fact, and it’s whether we giveback that counts. The best gift I’veever received is someone’s time,patience, and true friendship, andI hope someday I will be able to

give that to someone else as well.

— Rebecca Wexler, 13,

of Great Falls,

Grade 8

Cooper Middle School From the students of Lindsay Bovenzi

Photo by Regina Maza, 13, Great Falls, Grade 8

I am so thankful for my dog. My dog Sherlock helpsme get through difficult situations and always liftsmy spirits.

Photo by Lila Cahill, 13, Great Falls, Grade 8

I am thankful for Duke because he is playfuland he always knows how to make me feelbetter.

Photo by Ryan

Sawtari, 13,

Great Falls,

Grade 8

I am verythankful for

my dogCeaser. He

has broughtso much joy

into myfamily and

my life.


Thomas Avenue

Cut-Through Analysis

Fairfax and Loudoun Counties

Public Hearing

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Presentation begins at 7 p.m.

Inclement Weather Date: Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Dranesville Elementary School

1515 Powells Tavern Place

Herndon, VA 20170

Find out about plans to restrict right turns during

Algonkian Parkway to westbound Thomas Avenue to reduce congestion and improve safety and operations.

Stop by between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to view displays and learn more about the project. A presentation will begin at 7 p.m. Project staff will be available to answer your questions.

Review project information at the VDOT project website (www.virginiadot.org/projects), at the information meeting, or during business hours at VDOT’s Northern

Please call ahead at 703-259-2388 or TTY/TDD 711 to ensure appropriate personnel are available to answer your questions.

Give your written comments at the meeting, or submit them by January 28, 2019

VDOT.virginia.gov. Please reference “Thomas Avenue Cut-Through Analysis” in the subject line.

VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI

more information or special assistance for persons

Children's & Teens'

Inspiredby theHolidaysAcro Wire Sculpture byMartina Dethero, 10,Great Falls, Grade 5 atGreat Falls Elementary.

Weimaraner by Olivander Dethero (Ollie),2, of Great Falls.

Silly CheerChristmas time is hereHere comes Rudolph the reindeerOur school is all clearAnd, presents will soon appearWho knows I may have a new toy spear or head gear

Snow is falling hereIt has filled my inner earAnd, Costco is out of beerThe roads are finally getting clear

My favorite book is by William ShakespeareBut, I would rather volunteerAnd, I will not be a railroad engineerI may try the political sphere like VladimirWhat I will do as a grownup is still unclear

Anyhow, we are almost done with this yearHope you have a better next year!And, make some new year resolutions that you can

adhere.— Sidh Jaddu, 9

Grade 4, Forestville Elementary

As Generation Z, we are the firstgeneration to grow up in a tech-nology-driven world, with technol-ogy becoming both our greateststrength and our greatest chal-lenge. Among the benefits of thisin today’s world is that GenerationZ’s all-encompassing exposure totechnology allows us to judgewhether a source is real or “fake”better than any other generationso far.

However, our reliance on tech-nology for everything from home-work to friendship leaves us vul-nerable to online predators as-saulting us through the keyboardson our computers and the apps on

Technology: Our Biggest Blessing, or Our Biggest Curse?Why the Technology that Drives Generation Z is Our GreatestChallenge

our phones. We need to be awarenot only of faulty sites, but also ofsocial media, apps, and unknownplayers seeking you out in your fa-vorite games.

Adding to the technologicaldrama for Generation Z is thatmany of the popular web brows-ers sell your personal data to ad-vertisers looking to target you withappealing ads. Sound harmless? Itmay not be as innocent as it seems.Search engines sell your name,favorite sites, and can evengeolocate you when you access theweb, something most middleschoolers have never even consid-ered.

This escalates as hackers inter-cept your data, and ad companiesreconstruct where you like to goand when you will be there. Fac-ing these challenges head-on is thenext step in solving our problem.It is up to us, Generation Z, tomake the Internet a safer place foreveryone who uses it, and we willneed to do this through further de-veloping our greatest strength,technology.

— Peyton Walcott, 12,

of Great Falls

Grade 7 at Cooper Middle

School in Sara Kahrs’ class.


Children's & Teens'

“Come on Catie! It’s your turnon Lola!”

I mounted the graceful brown-and-white mare, adjusting thereins in my hands. The three in-structors at my camp switchedtheir gaze between me and theother kid on Peabody, a largermale horse. I didn’t know what hisname was, but that didn’t matter.I was focused on trying a canterfor the first time today. But I didn’tknow I was being reckless.

I had seen the girl before me, agirl named Chloe, trot Lola. Lolawasn’t like the other horses I hadridden at this camp. Lola wasn’tlike Curly-Whirly, she wasn’t likeTumble, or Cookie or Howie. Noteven like Watson, who honestlycould be a pain in the butt some-times. Lola was fast, and a pain(especially to groom and tack up.)She raised her hooves high whenshe trotted. She strided around thering with grace. But what I didn’tknow is that she was jumpy. Re-ally jumpy.

I clicked Lola on, and I steeredher around the barrels at a walk,listening to the instructors instruc-tions. Lola had a fast, smooth pace.Easy to control. But when I steered

To the people who say horsebackriding isn’t a real sport, that ittakes no talent at all: let me askyou, have you ever had a team-mate that was ten times your size?Have you ever done a synchro-nized dance with something thatcould crush you in an instant? Amistake in volleyball could costyou a point, but a mistake in horse-back riding could cost you a life.

But there are definitely rewards.For me, the ability to ride is a bless-ing. I love to do it! I go to the sum-mer camp in the summer, but thehorse I ride here in Virginia is mybest friend. I’m not embarrassedto say that my best friend is a horsenamed Bob! He’s a much betterfriend than most of the humans Iknow.

So, if you want to do horsebackriding, you’ve got to be strong. Notjust physically, mentally too.You’ve got to have the courage toget back in the saddle, and be pre-pared to make a new best friend.

— Catherine (Catie)

Arden Morton, 12,

McLean

Grade 7, Cooper Middle

School, Lindsay Bovenzi’s class

By Jason Wang, 8, Forestville Elementary

By Jason Wang,8, Forestville

Elementary

Siblings’ Artwork

By JennyWang, 10,Forestville

Elementary

The Challenges of Ridingher around a corner, heard my in-structor telling me to trot her, I felta wrenching feeling in my gut. Ipushed it down and squeezed Lolaon the sides slightly. She trottedand bucked slightly. I let out a yelpof surprise, and that’s when every-thing went wrong.

Lola jumped at the noise I made,then started galloping. Fast.

I couldn’t hear myself scream-ing. I didn’t know I was only mak-ing it worse.

Eventually, I was bucked into thefence, landing on the sandyground on my back with a thud.The instructors caught Lola. Thesky swirled above, and I heard thepounding of boots on the groundas the instructors ran towards me.But then I did something I neverthought I would that day. I cried. Icried from fear and from embar-rassment. Sobs so deep it shookmy whole chest. And I couldn’tstop.

Eventually, the wounds on myside from hitting the fence disap-peared. But I have a mental scarthat will never fade. But a lesson Ilearned is that if you’ve neverfallen off of a horse, you’ve neveractually ridden.


Children's & Teens'

From students of Lindsay Bovenzi

What to beThankful For

Now that Thanksgiving is rollingaround the corner, it’s time to start in-tensely thinking about what I amthankful for. There’s such a long list ofyearly no-brainers: my family, friends,home, education, laughter, love. This2018, though, I’m taking my thoughts ina different direction.

In October, my dog, Nina, passedaway. Nina had been part of the familyfor as long as I’d been alive. She wasmore of the shy type, sometimes makingher appear unfriendly. But I know thatunderneath the shell of growling andhiding in her closet, Nina was sweet andalways wanted to be loved.

Naturally, her death impacted myfamily deeply. On the night she died, wewere all tears and puffy red eyes, butsomething that really propelled my sad-ness was the thought that she wouldnever be around to go to the park again,to be petted again, to take baths again.

The experience itself – that is some-thing that I should be thankful for. Manytimes when we’re thankful, we jump tothe conclusion that what we’re thankfulfor has to be for something that we cur-rently have.

Having that experience taken awaywas not fun, but now I can see thingsfrom a different view. It taught me alesson – to always make the most ofyour time here with your pets, lovedones, friends, and even enemies.

Nina was the best pet I could’ve askedfor and the best way to symbolize whatto be thankful for.

— Olivia Liu, 12,

McLean,

Grade 7

The GreatestChallenge?

What are the issues of today? Whatabout tomorrow? I think that the prob-lems of the future are going to be muchlarger. I think that the problems of thefuture will act on a global scale, andpotentially permanently alter the Earth.

Is it real? Yes! Heat-related events,such as coral die-offs are becoming more

Cooper Middle School

and more frequent, and glaciers andicecaps are melting.

Are humans responsible? The answeris we are probably at least partially re-sponsible. The fact that carbon dioxideis a potent greenhouse gas, and the factthat natural global temperature fluctua-tions aren’t usually fast enough to showthe warming we see today makes itlikely that humanity is at least partiallyresponsible.

I think that allowing this warming tocontinue is ridiculous – why should fu-ture generations have to deal with aproblem that they didn’t make much of?That should seem unjust to everybody.

One solution is conservation. Weneed to use more efficient appliances,cars, etc. A common misconception isthat conservation means discomfort.That is untrue: an increase in efficiency,can easily give the same (or better) per-formance for less energy. Conservationeven lowers costs on your energy bill, tothe point where the savings can pay forthe upgrade (eventually). I think thatconservation isn’t enough on it’s own,but it definitely is a good first step.

— Kiran Donnelly, 12,

McLean,

Grade 7

What the Holidaysare Really About

The holidays are really about beinghappy. Whether it’s having fun with thepeople you love or getting to decorate atree, do whatever makes you feel con-tent.

Most people spend their days stressedat work or school and don’t have thetime to simply enjoy life. When it’s theholidays, people get to take a break, visitfamily, donate to charity, give gifts, andcelebrate their religion. What reallymakes the holidays so magical is thatanybody can take part in it. People withmany different ages, countries, reli-gions, and ethnicities can celebrate it.

I remember when I was little thinkingthat the holidays were just about shop-ping, gifts and the birth of Jesus. Maybefor some, it is just about that, and that’snot a bad thing.

For me, it’s about visiting some of myrelatives that I don’t get to see often. It’salways so memorable and I get so de-pressed when we have to leave thembecause the holidays are over. This year,

I’m going to a wedding, and I alreadyknow it is going to be such an excitingexperience.

If you’re stressing out about makingthe holidays perfect, just remember thatperfect doesn’t mean happy. It’s one ofthe only times of the year you really getto celebrate yourself and traditions. Tellstrangers on the street Merry Christmas,Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, orjust simple a “Happy holidays!” Makesure you give yourself and othersaround you an amazing holiday.

— Esha Banerjee, 12,

McLean,

Grade 7

The Holy MonthRamadan. That is one special tradi-

tion that my family celebrates, and thewhole Muslim community. I really enjoythis month. It is a month that is full oflove and care between people, even ifthey are strangers. In this month, Mus-lims must fast, pray, and give out foodor water to the less fortunate who don’thave these things. We are expected tospread out kindness. That is whyRamadan is also known for many fam-ily gatherings.

In Ramadan, we fast from dawn tillsunset. When the Maghrib prayer, thesunset prayer, is called upon, then weknow we could eat. During the day, mymom cooks our iftar, or breakfast, whichis the meal we break our fast to. I alwaysfeel so hungry. When the Maghribprayer is called upon, I run to to thetable and eat instantly, before anyoneeven breaks their fast. I look reallyfunny, though.

When we are done eating, I run to thedesserts’ table. Eastern sweets are verypopular in Ramadan for many families.The thing I eat the most is Basbousa,which is very delicious. When I finisheating Basbousa, I don’t eat again, but Igo watch Arabic TV series. Mostly everyRamadan, especially in Egypt, actorsmake a lot of TV series for families towatch together. There are usually manyoptions and genres to choose from.

Ramadan is annual and comes onlyfor one month. I always wait for it tocome around to enjoy the festivities itbrings.

— Jasmine Ahmed Amin, 13,

McLean,

Grade 8

Bald Lettuce HeadHello! Someone asked me “would you

rather become completely bald or growlettuce on your head?” My answer is Iwould grow lettuce on my head. Why?

First, when you’re lazy to cook, youcan eat your own head-grown lettuce.Step # 1 – pull some fresh lettuce offyour head. Step # 2 – wash and placethe lettuce in a bowl. Step # 3 – drizzlesome ranch on it. YUM! There you haveit – your delicious and refreshing salad!!

Did you know that Romans, Egyptiansand Greeks were among the first civili-

zations to grow and eat lettuce? Also,the name lettuce in English and Lactucain Latin come from the word lactis, theLatin word for milk, because the juice ofthe lettuce plant looks like milk. Thewhite milky thing inside the lettucehelps people with insomnia. Rock-a-byebaby in the lettuce top, when the windblows the lettuce will fall.

“No more slaves!,” said Abraham Lin-coln. Yep, my favorite president is AbeLincoln. He used to wear a foot-long hatin which he stored all his important

documents. Between the layers of yourlettuce head, you can store your moneyand, maybe, your cell phone just likeAbe! Get it!

Lastly, if you are lost in a desert, yourlettuce head will be a cap to protect youfrom all the UV from the sun.

There, my bald friends I hope I per-suaded you to grow lettuce on yourhead.

— Sidh Jaddu, 9

Grade 4,

Forestville Elementary

The ClockThe clockThe clockNever agrees with meIt tells me I’m lateIt tells me it’s morningIt tells me to hurryIt tells me to be patient

It tells me to waitIt tells me to sleepIt tells me to wake upIt tells me to thinkIt tells me to eatThe clockAnswers many questions

That can be grouped into one:When?

— Ashley Chon, 12,

Vienna

Grade 6,

Colvin Run Elementary


The Great FallsChildren’s Connection

is published byLocal Media Connection, LLC.

A digital version of this publication and 14sister publications

available at www.connectionnewpapers.com/documents

For information on advertising [email protected]

For information on local content [email protected]

Volcano

Dark skySteaming earthShaking groundThe fury of nature

Earth went madSpitting lavaThrowing rocksBurning everything

It feels likeThe endBut alsoThe start

From ash grows hopeFrom loss buds lifeEnd is beginning of newThe law of nature

— Yeonho Nam, 17, McLean

Grade 11, Langley High School,

Anna Cohen’s class

Children’s Connection

Forever Friends

Sometimes we have bad days

And bite and scratch and cry

And sometimes we have good days

Where we hug and laugh together

And sometimes we don’t talk

For days and weeks and months,

But one thing never changes:

We are forever friends

— Olivia Park, 11, McLean,

Grade 6, Churchill Road Elementary

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Back to Abnormal


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Children’s & Teens’ Connection 2018connection.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/news/... · 12/31/2018 · The Madeira School. ... photographs and other works of art. We appreciate