The Archer’s

Aim

CKMS Boys’ Literary Publication

2009

Rhyme

By Joshua Spigelman

R hythm to sound H eartfelt resonance in words Y ears thinking up good ones M inds listening intently E asy-reading poetry

Cranbrook By Daniel Choi

C ranbrook R espect and honor A im high N othing’s impossible B elieve in yourself R each your goals O utstanding achievements Overcoming your obstacles K ingswood

Michigan By Luke Robins

M asters at hockey I cy cold weather in winter C hildren growing and laughing H ot weather in the summer I ncredibly beautiful G reat Lakes A utomobile makers N ever ending

Like Peas and Carrots

By Chris Lopez

Well, it’s been about 7 years now, almost to the day Since he and I met, back in 2nd grade.

From that moment on, we were best friends Playing, having fun, and laughing all the time.

We’ve been friends for a really long time Hanging out at both his place and mine

Always finding something to do No matter the place or the time.

Yes, It’s been a very long time

Since he and I have been friends But, I know our friendship won’t tarnish

Right up until the end.

Even if we’re different It’s clear how we’re alike

We’re just best friends Like peas and carrots till the end.

Company

By Neud Kiros

We play football together.

He wins.

We play basketball together.

I win.

We play baseball together.

He wins.

We play soccer together.

I win.

We play kickball together.

He wins.

We play video games.

I win.

We play volleyball.

He wins.

We play tennis.

I win.

We play.

We win.

A Loving Aussie

By Pierce Fenech

He sleeps on my bed, Right next to my face, Gets excited when I arrive, And when I stroke his little ears His name is Scout, He is my puppy, People mistake his breed, When he is a loving Aussie He goes to the bathroom outside, Like a growing dog should, Although he is small, He has a big, caring heart Whenever he is hungry, I will fill his bowl with food, A treat might be slipped in somewhere, Without my parents knowing I will love him forever, He will always be my second pet, A second pet that is awesome, He just might be my favorite!

A Helpful Person By Kenta Araki

He lives in Michigan I do too

He taught me everything I learned from him

He is the one who taught me how to ride a bike

Now I ride it around the neighborhood He is the one who taught me how to play catch

Now I play catch with my friends He is the one who taught me how to skate

I skated for a little, then slipped and fell

I couldn’t do anything, but he taught me how to And I learned from it

He is the one who I look to for help I am the one who thanks him

He is my dad I am his son

Haiku

It is cold outside

And snowflakes cover the ground Like a big white sheet.

-Giancarlo Stefanutti

Please help save our earth Reduce, reuse, recycle

For future children -Alec Levine

The tree stands mighty Its sap rushes down its trunk

Like a great river -Josh Drews

Lakes are beautiful They glisten in the sunlight

Like glass in the sand -Chris McDonald

Limericks

There once was a really big fish, Who had an enormous wish, He wanted air, And had a scare, Now he is on a nice dish!

-By Sam Sklar

There once was a man from Rome Who liked to drink beer with foam He got really drunk And smelled like a skunk And he wobbled all the way home.

-By Will Weiner

There once was a girl named Tess She wore a bright pink dress She fell on the floor Rolled out of the door And now her dress is a mess.

-By Jack Coleman

The Last Great Snake By Nathan Giha

At the beginning of the world, there were seven great snakes. These snakes were meant to live to the end

of the earth, for no natural power could overcome them. However, man has found a way to kill six of these giant

snakes. The last great snake, Ulukini, had just met its flesh-crawling death thanks to none other than, Bala the

hunter. Bala exiled himself from his village and family, for he had been accused of theft of Gatani’s magic stone, but

had not really stolen it. Bala believed that if he could kill Ulukini and take a magic stone lodged in the serpent’s

skull, he would regain his honor. Except, Ulukini’s life was worth more than any substance, concrete or abstract,

much less one man’s honor. The last great snake’s life was definitely not worth the honor of one man.

The loss of the last great snake Ulukini is sad in many ways. He could be called a natural wonder, possibly a

mystery. Ulukini was killed for no ultimate reason; he was the last of the great snakes, and was meant to live

forever. Furthermore, Ulukini was like a vibrant rainbow glistening in the sun. Another question is: is the

happiness of our race more important than the preservation of natural wonders?

The happiness of our race is not as important as what makes the world so diverse. In fact, humans can’t be

truly happy unless there ARE natural wonders. Human beings don’t automatically trump other organisms. This

sprouts the question of whether human beings are better off without legends.

If human beings knew everything about everything, there wouldn’t be such things as opinions. An opinion

has to be an idea that can be argued against, and mysteries ensure that you have a possibility of being right. Like

natural wonders, mysteries are what make the world so diverse. It is safe to say that Bala’s return was a bit of a

mystery.

Bala’s return benefits the community in some ways. His family had been abandoned, and struggled a bit to

live. His sons now have someone to teach them how to hunt or make spears. So, in a way, Bala’s return was

exceptional.

Overall, Bala’s dreadful wants were not worth the spine-tingling death of Ulukini. He already knew that he

had not stolen the stone, so never really lost his honor. He had dismembered a creature, who beheld such beauty,

and should be ashamed of himself. Bala’s “honor” was not worth the life of the last great snake, Ulukini.

A Mother’s Terror By Josh Drews

Fear comes in many forms Most people think of fear when there is danger to yourself However, my fear is for others Others who are traveling into the unknown Everyday I worry Everyday That something will happen to my children That they will get hooked on drugs and alcohol That one day they won’t come home They all try to comfort me when they leave But I can’t stop thinking of all that could go wrong When they are gone I am left alone with my youngest And I fear when he leaves too I weep when I think of them leaving Of not seeing them Maybe forever I know my fear is real

Fear by Matt Rosen

When I’m up

And the pitcher

Throws the ball like a bullet out of a gun

Just hit the person

Up before me in the head

Fear is what I feel

It is the feeling of nervousness

And you want the plate appearance to get over with

It is fear that can overcome the hitter

To not do as well

It is fear that can devastate your game

It is fear that can ruin how much you like the game

Fear is a combination of all your emotions

Gone bad

Lost On Our Own “Winding Trail” By Andrew Peterson

I walk this winding dirt trail

Deep in the woods I wonder what is living here

And what no longer is

The trees around me bow As if I am royalty

The rough years they have had And what they have coming

Far away I feel pain

And a faint noise A falling tree

We are taking what we want

Not only what we need We wake to eggs and bacon

We have such luxuries

The people that are starving They never get to live

But if we were to help them What great things life could be

Leprosy By Eric Frankel

L eaving society E ating at your skin P eople deport you R aises questions O ver-exaggerated medicine S ocially dismissed Y ou die without your family with you

Slavery Poem

By: Jeremy Loewenstein

Storming through our country, destroying all our pride.

Storming was the light skinned man, who was leading us inside.

Stumbling into the large sea vessel, drifting away from our homes.

There was just no way, to pass the endless time.

The only thing that we could do was think of our families left behind.

When we finally arrived, in a dark and gloomy land.

Many men were shouting, waving paper in their hands.

As I started walking, I was quickly grabbed in a flash.

The man stared at me, and asked for a few simple tasks.

After I performed them, I was cuffed and led into a strange cart pulled by horses.

Onboard yet another, a long and bumpy ride.

Although this one did not have many people crammed inside.

After riding for some time, some Africans caught my sight.

Toiling in a very large field and looking at their master full of fright.

Would I be working those same fields, fearing for my life?

“Work hard and never complain,” my fellow slaves would say.

Hearing this just made me really want to run away.

“Do not run!” they warned me. You may lose your thumb!

And at that exact moment is when I realized running would be dumb.

My life is forever changed.

The long days slowly pass, and my hope of freedom is fading fast.

Now cuts and bruises cover up my happy past.

Is there a reason for our enslaving? Have we done anything wrong?

Working hard, plowing fields, all without a pay.

As we work, we look to the sky, and pray that freedom will come one day.

Bo and I By

Gregory Aikens

Everyone makes their own choices; they can be bad or they can be great. Bo Schembechler has made these

types of decisions, both good and bad. One of his great decisions was when Reggie McKenzie had a pinched nerve

in his leg and had a weak neck. Reggie wasn’t supposed to be practicing, but he didn’t want to let the team down.

Bo knew he wasn’t supposed to be practicing and so one day he asked, “Reggie, are you ok?” Reggie answered,

“Yah.” Reggie ran back onto the field but Bo said, “Reggie, you get off this field, you hear me!” So Reggie did. By

doing this, he saved Reggie from getting seriously injured. He sounded mean, but Reggie wouldn’t have listened if

Bo was being nice. Bo showed compassion for his players and cared for them; they were like his family. Bo also has

another side. On one occasion, it was Michigan verses Purdue. The referee made a bad call and Bo knew it. Bo was

not afraid to speak his mind. He yelled at the referee and so did Jim Young the defensive coach. Bo was being

aggressive and rude by screaming at the top of his lungs. Bo was also insulting the ref by saying, “If you had one

more eye you’d be a Cyclops!” Bo could have been different by being mature and not saying anything by restraining

himself. He also could have been nice about it and just have said, “I disagree,” but don’t get me wrong. Bo is a great

guy. Everyone has those moments where they can’t hold back, including me.

Bo isn’t the only one who makes both bad decisions and good decisions, I do too. Here is an example: one

day my cousins and I were on the beach and we decided to go swimming. After a while, we noticed that Benjamin,

my little cousin, was no longer next to us. I was the oldest one in the group when we saw Benjamin being swept

away by the undertow. Right when I saw him, I swam as fast as I could to where he was. From the shore, he looked

like he was just waving. When I was getting close, I heard him scream, “Help, help!” I couldn’t touch the bottom

without going under, and we were very far out. I got under him and held my breath and held him up on my

shoulders so he could breath. I started walking when the undertow started to drag me back; I knew I was in for a

fight. I walked slowly for awhile and I was loosing my breath, but I didn’t give up. My head finally emerged and I

took a deep breath, it was over. I felt great; I was brave by not giving up and courageous by going out to get him in

the first place. I could have just gone and gotten help, but he would’ve been gone by then.

After it was all over, I took a deep breath and went back out to play, and Benjamin was scared, but okay.

For the rest of the summer, I was thanked a lot, and I bet I will be for summers to come. I am not always that brave

and nice. I have been getting better lately, but I always try egg my brothers on and annoy them. I guess it is just

something to do. It always ends up badly, and with a few bruises, but I keep doing it. In doing this I am immature,

and inconsiderate about their personal space. I am really going to try to change. I can talk to my brothers in a kind

way and with empathy. In doing this I will be kind and considerate, and not get them into trouble. Those are two

examples of how I have been brave, and I how I have been a little brat. Everyone has their good moments, and bad

moments; as long as one learns from their mistakes everything will be okay.

Alone and Afraid By Alex David

I’ve lived a good life My family, friends They’ve always been there I’ve never had any complaints Never any fear But now Fear is right around the corner It’s creeping around in the dark musty room as I go to sleep Alone Afraid No one there to comfort me No one there to hold me The nurses don’t care This I know I hate this I hate living on a constant struggle between life and death The quality of life… Gone What’s the point? I can’t spend another day cooped up in my room Watching NBC Waiting for dusk to come So that I sleep and do it all over again for the rest of my life I can’t do it What do I fear? I fear what tomorrow will bring

Closing Statement

By Stephen Luckoff

Your honor, we are here today because the prosecution has made a big mistake. They’ve accused the

wrong person for Dr. Robinson’s death and larceny. What happened was on June 17th Dr. Robinson, Muff Potter,

and Injun Joe went to the St. Petersburg, town graveyard. They had gone there at midnight to examine Hoss

Williams’ dead buried body, but Injun Joe was told it was just an autopsy. When they got there, Injun Joe was

forced to start digging up the body with Muff while Dr. Robinson got the experiment supplies ready. After awhile,

Muff Potter became annoyed when he realized he had done all this hard work for nothing. He was told that he

would be paid only twenty dollars. He was so angry that he and Dr. Robinson got into a fight. During this fight

Muff moved Hoss’ body because it was in the way. Dr. Robinson picked up Hoss’s gravestone and hit Muff across

the head. Muff had his knife with him that night. Muff got up with his knife in his right hand and stabbed Dr.

Robinson right in the breast area. The doctor was so alarmed that he dropped the stone on Muff’s head again. Muff

fell and the knife was still with him. When Injun Joe saw what had happened, he took off ready to go home. At

around two o’clock am Muff went to go wash off the blood in the Mississippi river. In the morning everything was

discovered.

The prosecution has no proof that Injun Joe killed Dr. Robinson. The only proof that they have is that the

murder weapon was Muff’s knife. Also, Tom claims that he saw what happened, but Tom is a liar. The fact that the

crime took place at midnight must have made it very hard for Tom and Huck to see. The prosecution simply does

not have enough proof that Injun Joe stole Hoss Williams’ body. The two main crimes here are larceny and murder.

Larceny is when you take someone else’s property without permission. Also murder is when someone kills

someone. There are two degrees of murder: the first one is that the death is planned. The second is that the death

was a sudden murder or a murder that isn’t planned. From the information I gave you about the murder Injun Joe

is innocent.

My team’s witnesses are Muff Potter, Injun Joe, and the town citizen, Chuck Amman. What my team’s

witnesses have told you is only the truth. Muff Potter has told you everything that he can remember about June

17th. The thing is he was drunk so he didn’t know really what was going on that much. Chuck Amman also has

said that he saw Muff washing off blood in the Mississippi River at 2 am. He was up because he had let his dogs out

and also to get a drink of water. Also, Injun Joe was there at the graveyard and he told you the whole story. You

heard earlier from Injun Joe that he was just there to do an autopsy. Also Injun Joe came clean earlier. Even

though Injun is friends with Dr. Robinson and Muff Potter, he did the right thing and told what really happened on

June 17th in the graveyard.

As you’ve heard, Injun Joe did nothing illegal on June 17. Doing a science project is not larceny and

watching some intoxicated person murder someone is not a murder crime. The prosecution has no sound evidence

to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Injun Joe killed Dr. Robinson. He is for sure not guilty. The only evidence

you have is that Tom was there, but as I said before, Tom is a liar. Also the other evidence you have is from the

police officer. The only proof that he has is that the murder was done by Muff Potter’s knife and that Hoss

Williams’ body was dug up and moved into a wheel barrel. It was Muff who moved the body because it was in the

way of the big fight. Also, even if Injun Joe committed the murder, Muff was hit across the head not once, but twice.

This could have killed Muff. If Muff was almost killed Injun Joe was performing self-defense by stabbing Dr.

Robinson if this even ever happened. There is no way that the prosecution can prove beyond a reasonable doubt

that Injun Joe is guilty. This was the real story that happened on June 17th. After you already heard all of the

evidence there is no way that Injun Joe performed these crimes, in fact he is completely innocent. (Also the

prosecution couldn’t even identify the defendant.)

He Makes Me Laugh

By Mousa Ghannam

He lives in California

I live in Michigan

He’s in the fifth grade

I’m in the eighth

He is adventurous

I am too

He is the one who went looking for sand dollars on the shore with me

I am the one who went over to his house for barbeques

He is the one who ran around the hotel lobby with me

I am the one who chased cats with him

We hit lemons with a tennis racket in his backyard

He ding dong ditched with me

I prank-called the neighbors with him

He was crazy

I was crazy

He makes me laugh

I make him laugh

I stick up for him

He’s my cousin

A Friend for Life

By Webster Burton

He is 8 I am 14

He likes Batman I like sports

He has 10 girlfriends I have none

He plays air hockey I play paintball

He has a brother I have a sister

He looks up to me I look up to him

He helps me with girls I help him with math

I go to Cranbrook He wants to go to Cranbrook

I hunt He watches

I am his friend He is my friend

Failure By Will Weiner

Let me introduce myself

I am failure Once we meet it is a long road to the bottom

Or top Whatever you want Just once let me in And then your life

Will come crashing down Sometimes

I like to disguise myself But I’m still there

Knock Knock Knock

Let me in I want to be your guiding force in life

My Bestest Buddy Danny Mogill

We have known each other since birth

Our parents were good friends We both started at school in the same grade

We were friends right away

We like to hang out And do many things together

We are very alike We are very talented

He plays basketball

As do I He prefers soccer

But I prefer football

No matter what we will be there for each other Whatever the case is

Science, English, or even Sports That is why we are such good friends

And we will never stop helping each other out

But once he leaves school And goes to a different one

We will still be the best of friends No matter where he is

Because he is like a brother to me

Dignity By Christian Reese

I have never needed alibis I always provided Without my job, what respect do I have? From my kids? What will I have to show for when I see them every weekend? Nothing If I lose my job, what will I do? Where will I live? Feeling powerless in the process of recession How can I look at them? No respect no money no dignity Nothing My stress is profound I lay in the shadows I hope for a miracle… Nothing When will it come? I have to do something But for now I have my job For now I have Dignity

The Noun and the Verb

By Nihal Shetty

Once upon a time there was a happy noun named Paperclip. He and his best friend, Adjective Red,

lived in the city of Sentence. Their arch-rivals Mr. Action Verb and Speedily the Adverb were competing

with them for the MNPOS award (Most necessary part of Sentence). Both groups thought that they were

more important to the city than the other group. One day, during the annual festival of conjunctions, Sir

Preposition told Paperclip and Adjective Red that Mr. Action Verb and Speedily were doing a show for the

townspeople near the town square. Paperclip and Adjective Red went over to see the show and when

they did, they saw Mr. Action Verb and Speedily showing the townspeople a brilliant act where Mr. Action

Verb would do something and Speedily would make him do it quickly or slowly, happily or sadly, etc.,

which was very spectacular. When the act was over, all the interjections yelled things like “Yay!”,

“Whoopee!”, and “Encore!”, and all the parts of speech believed that Mr. Action Verb was the best part of

speech, which made Paperclip jealous. Paperclip thought “Let’s see how much they need me when I am

gone!” and he left the city with Adjective Red.

As soon as Paperclip left however, the entire city was in calamity, as most of the city could not

function without a noun, and the only survivors were sentences using dummy pronouns. This caused

other cities to be in danger as well, such as the cities of Paragraph, Essay, and Novel, as they relied on

Sentence. Most of the Pronouns were dying without an antecedent. The entire planet of Literature was in

mortal danger. Even Adjective Red was dying! Paperclip ran back to Sentence as fast as he could with

Adjective Red following. When he reached, the city went back to normal and so did everything else.

Everyone agreed that Paperclip was the best part of speech now after seeing what would

happen without him, which infuriated Mr. Action Verb. He thought “Let’s see who they believe is the best

part of speech once I leave the city.” and he left with Speedily. As soon as he left however, the entire

world of literature fell once again into peril. The cities that relied on Sentence once again were doomed.

The city of Sentence was in terrible danger, for only the parts of the town using linking verbs were safe.

Mr. Action Verb and Speedily ran back to the city. When he reached back to the city the planet of

literature was safe once again.

Some days later, the MNPOS award was to be given out by Mayor Conjunction and everybody was

wondering who would win the award. Both Groups were positive the mayor would give them the award.

So when the Mayor finally took a deep breath and delivered his decision, everyone was shocked. The

mayor said that the most important part of Sentence was both Paperclip and Mr. Action Verb! Once again,

the interjections yelled, “Hoorah!”, “Congratulations!”, and “Yay!”. Both Paperclip and Mr. Action Verb

stepped up to claim the prize. After that, they both realized that Sentence would have a hard time without

Mr. Action Verb and Paperclip. Mr. Action Verb, Speedily, Paperclip, and Adjective Red became close

friends after that, and Sentence entered it’s “Golden Years”.

Moral: Nouns and Verbs are equally important to a sentence

The Perfect Comparison

By Daniel Choi

He lives in Gumi,

I live in Michigan.

He makes money,

I spend money.

He works every day,

I play every day.

He misses having me around,

I do too.

He’s the one who taught me how to play soccer,

I’m the one who thinks I’m the God of soccer.

He’s the one who pays for soccer cleats,

I’m the one running on the field with my friends.

He’s the one that will always be there for me,

The one that I will always love.

He is my loving dad,

I am his little prince.

My Grandfather’s New Life

By Eric Grant

I walk through the cold, cold snow.

I bring in the garbage cans. It’s the same thing I’ve done the last 40 years of my life.

but something is missing. something that used to be so apparent.

my schedule is all wrong completely and utterly wrong.

A man shouldn’t ever have to adjust to a new life in such an old age. I walk through the door

I pet my eager little dog while he yelps and jumps on my leg. I look ‘round the house.

It is cluttered at least

in my wife’s standards. it’s cluttered with every award, medal, statuette, and picture.

they all used to have a good place on a better wall in a good office

for a good judge. Damn, retirement’s going to be like hell!

My Dad, My Friend

By Keegan Kelln

I spend time with him He always values his time with me

I talk to him

He listens with an open heart

I never see him unhappy His smile keeps me company

I enjoy many things with him He enjoys whatever it may be

I always like hanging out with him

He livens up any room he’s in

I need help with schoolwork He’s guaranteed to teach me

I like going on vacation with him He will always have fun with me

I love going to cedar point

He will enjoy the rides with me

I know he will always be there for me He is watching my back all of the time

I need not tell you who he is

My father, my friend

Dead Goldfish By Dimitri Moustakas O goldfish, goldfish, dead today, I remember how we used to play. I taught you how to jump a hood. But now you’re dead; your fins droop.

Joanie By Webster Burton

Joanie, Joanie swimming fast,

Never, ever finished last The other girls have no chance Joanie never makes a glance.

By Jeremy Loewenstein Fear: I fear what the future holds for me. I cover first base on a hard ground ball, a beast of a man barreling down the line charging for me. For most first basemen this is an easy task, look, cover, and catch the ball coming from afar. But trust me when I say it’s not easy, as so much fear comes with my opportunity. Look at my legs, my ankles my arms! Don’t tell me that you can’t see those scars. Cleats, fingernails, even teeth have been sank into my colored skin. I played with that fear for ten whole years, worrying more about protecting myself more than securing a win. It was a white man’s game, back in my day. I vowed that change was going to come. When I joined the league death threats were sent to me, would you be afraid? Still able to play the game with confidence? But as I grew older, into my career, that fear dwindled down. It went away, until now. I fear, what if I am forgotten? That about ten percent of the league of today thinks they got where they are by skill, or luck, or destiny. If they forget the blood and sweat I sacrificed, to give them a shot at their dreams. But it’s not about me anymore; the game needs help. The game is dying, some say. That it was better when the game was clean back in my day. I know it will turn around, although I do not know what will happen, I fear.

Man’s Best Friend

By Andy Hartmann

Ever since I can remember we’ve had two dogs

First it was Maxine and Paxton

Maxine passed on when I was little and I don’t remember her very well

I only remember that she was a black lab that I called “the licking dog”

She earned this nickname because she would always lick my face

when my dad was holding me upside down by my ankles

When she died Paxton was deeply saddened

She no longer had her puppy like habits

However, Paxton was still the best pet any one could ever ask for

She eventually got older and sulked around the house with her tail between her legs

She could barely make it down the three stairs that led down to the back yard

She spent many days lying next to the back door

She was fifteen and her health was failing

But that all changed when we brought home Dixie

Dixie loved Paxton she played with her all day every day

Paxton was also doing better

She lived for one more year until she died at the age of sixteen

That’s 105 years old in dog years

Dixie was left to play with me and she is now one of my best friends

My Grandmother’s Fear

By Max Ahlborn

I’ve known many things

But not fear

Until recently

Now I know it very well

Everyday could be my last

I keep the mindset, Every Day is a Gift

I thought it was fearful, losing my mom, my dad

I was scared when my husband died

I was heartbroken when my daughter had brain failure

I was diagnosed

With terminal cancer

Ten years ago

I fought it off and I’m still here

I’m feeling better

But I’m still afraid

Now I live alone

My final day might be soon

Hopefully it’s not

I know it won’t be as long as I stay strong

I’ve fought for ten years

I’m not giving up now!

I will overcome my fear

The Remaining 4 Parts of Speech Adventure

By Jacques Mathieu

A long time ago, there were once two friends with the names of Interjectio and Adverbi. Even though Interjectio talked very dramatically and loud, they were still great friends. Adverbi usually talked too much, but Interjectio was still the more obnoxious one. Interjectio and Adverbi woke up one morning to find out some of the others were missing except for Nounawiugi and Verbario. The remaining parts of speech had to go on a journey to reunite the other four parts of speech. It all started when Interjectio started talking loudly… “Hey! Is! Anybody! Awake!” “Yes I am awake, but would you please kindly consider becoming a more modestly humble person because I truly hate it when you obnoxiously and loudly talk only to arouse us from our sleep?” complained Adverbi. “What?!” “Mmmm…” grunted Nounawiugi, “why do you always talk so loudly with that mouth of yours?” “Hey that’s my wonderfully awesome line.” remarked Adverbi. “Okay, but where is Adjectivio?” “I don’t know where he went or wondered off to.” said Verbario. “Well it is precisely and obviously a good thing you are here. I am also worriedly thinking where Adjectivio, Conjuncti, Pronario, and Prepisitionawiugi could possibly be. Interjectio, could you kindly awake Adjectivio, Conjuncti, Pronario, and Prepisitionawiugi to oddly see if they are precisely around this area?” “Okay! Awake! All! My! Uhhhhh!” yelled Interjectio. “My precious friends, as Adjectivio would have put it.” added Verbario. “Well they are not here, so we must look for them.” said Nounawuigi. “I! Agree!” shouted Interjectio. “I kindly ask of you to shout precisely only when we quietly tell you.” remarked Adverbi. “O-” “Ah, ah, ah. Only when we quietly tell you.” interrupted Nounawuigi. “Well we better get started.” said Verbario. Later they arrived at a Mountain not knowing what they would find next… “Okay Interjectio, use your power.” whispered Verbario. “Hello! Is! Anyone! There!” “Good job Interjectio.” said Nounawuigi. “Wait, what is that very obnoxiously annoying grunting noise?” questioned Adverbi. “Your face, oh, sorry.” remarked Nounawuigi. “Stop! Talking! It! Is! Cheapagio’s! Evil! Twin! Cheapagi!” yelled Interjectio with all his might. “What does it do?” asked Verbario. “You! Have! Angered! Him! We! Are! All! Doomed!” “What do you precisely mean?” questioned Adverbi. Then Cheapagi whispered Cheapness in a deranged Italian accent and these four parts of speech were sadly burned and erased from this earth. Because there were no more Parts of Speech on this planet, the earth exploded and finally Cheapagi was destroyed.

This is why the 8 Parts of Speech always have to stay together in order to create a complete sentence and to keep major disasters from happening.

My Favorite Pug

By Jordan Lalonde

When I get up in the morning, I let her outside,

She takes care of her business, and then rushes back inside,

I give her a drink, and her favorite bacon flavored treat,

I pet her ears, and then I have to put her to bed.

I love to play with her when I get home from school,

We play with her squeaky hot dog toy, usually tug of war,

I sit on the couch and turn on the TV,

And when I do, she jumps on the couch and lies next to me.

Her name is Sushi, and she is my favorite dog,

She is a pug, and she is full of fun,

And she just loves it when I pet her on the head,

The only thing she doesn’t love is when I have to put her to bed.

She is a skinny pug, not like the fat ones on TV,

Sushi doesn’t eat a lot, she eats about half a cup full of food,

She drinks a lot of water after running around outside,

My pug loves to trip me when I’m running outside.

Sushi is only about three, and we got her on her birthday,

She was the smallest pug of the bunch, her nickname was tiny,

But that is why I love my dog so much,

I want her to stay small and never grow up!

My Grandpa

By Andy Hartmann

My Grandpa is happy despite his age

He can still do activities that his beloved grandchildren find irresistible

Activities that require physical strength and skill

However, his ageing leaves him saddened

He can no longer do ALL of the many things that he used to do easily with his children

He used to be able bodied and strong boned

Now his bones can break much more easily

I am happy and young

I do many things that my high-spirited grandpa cannot do

Things that he used to be able to do

Yet there are still things that my grandpa can do with me

He can still ski the blissful backcountry of the Colorado Mountains

He can still play catch with me in my back yard

He has a strong passion for the great outdoors

He runs and bikes through the mountains and valleys of the place he loves most

In my eyes he is still young and high spirited

My Little Sister

By Jack Coleman She has been there Since she was born I have looked after her From the very beginning Whenever I’m down She can make me smile She is very funny And makes our family laugh Our house is always happy With her to make us cheery If she was gone Our lives would be very different Even though we fight We are friends again soon Without her my life would be boring She is my little sister.

My Neighbor

By Michael Konarski

He lives in the room next to me

He comes over often to play games

Or just to be there

He follows me if go somewhere

Even if it’s with other friends

He follows me to Seven Eleven even if he doesn’t get anything

He is not very funny or very clean

But he is the one for company if you’re bored or alone

He doesn’t let you down or quit on a promise

He is great to harass

He is never bothered by it

Although arguments acrue

50 minutes later he is my best friend again

And whatever happened the day before

Tomorrow is always a clean slate

The finest person to be around is

My brother

My Idol

By Matthew McCormick

He is a crowd pleaser,

spending hours on the court,

a victory is most often a solution for his struggles,

He is unstoppable, you might say,

from shot to shot, he shows no limit for excellence,

a simple tennis ball is nonexistent when under his authority,

perfection is an expectation starting when his feet step onto the court,

quit, is not a word you will find in his vocabulary,

a boy cannot dream to be as good as this man,

with the hot, excruciating sun staring him in the eye,

he will not fade,

some might think immortal as a way to describe him,

me, I think of him as the definition of greatness,

the definition of my idol.

Sports Acrostic Poems

S pring, winter, fall, and summer play them P owerful defense stops the other team from scoring O ffense scores for your team R un fast in all sports T eamwork is the key to winning S ports are fun for everyone

- By Max Ahlborn

S peeding through the water W inning by milliseconds I ce cold water M edley relay M essing around at practice I ‘m never going to quit N agged by your coach G reat feeling

- Danny Misra B etter than lacrosse A thletes born here S till better than lacrosse E asy?...not really B atting the fall far A merica’s pastime L oveable L ucky to star with a team at your side

- Danny Mogill

S oaring off jumps K rashing down the hill I ce cold wind on your face I njuries sustained from falls N ever be afraid G oing back up to do it again

- Andy Hartmann

The Greatest Generation (My Michigan Heroes)

By: Will Wiener

(This essay won 2nd place in Michigan’s America and Me Essay Contest.)

Imagine running for your life while snarling German Shepherds and Nazis with machine guns

ready to fire are at your heels. This sounds like a nightmare that would wake you up in a horrible sweat,

but this was the real life experience of members of my family and millions of other innocent human

beings during Hitler’s reign over Nazi Germany. My dad’s family were Jews, living in Poland during

Hitler’s lunacy. My grandmother Pola, and grandfather Wolf, were just young teens living in Warsaw

when the war started. My grandma, Pola was torn from her family and was shipped like an animal going

to the slaughterhouse to work camps and death camps. My grandma had a mom, a dad, three brothers,

and three sisters. By the time the war ended, they were all dead. My grandpa was luckier because

although he didn’t get sent to a death camp he was forced to be a prisoner at various work camps. By

some miracle my two grandparents survived the winters, the starvation, the torture and more horrific

things. Who knows why they survived and others didn’t. Some people think it was their cunning way,

some think it was their perseverance, others believe they were spared by old fashioned luck. Like other

Holocaust survivors, my grandparents believed they survived to share the atrocities they witnessed so

that the world would know and the past would never be repeated. The war ended, they met and married

and while they tried to recover they stayed in Germany for a year. Someone in Germany told them about

a place called Michigan where they could live a free life. They left war torn Germany to find their dream of

freedom and acceptance of everybody.

In Michigan, my grandparents discovered what freedom meant. Here my grandparents realized

what a great country America is. They came to Michigan with just five dollars in their pockets and could

hardly speak a word of English, but they quickly realized if they worked hard they could find their way

and be successful Americans. At that time in Michigan there were tons of jobs available at the car plants.

For fifteen years my grandpa worked at Ford’s and GM’s factory where he scrimped and saved enough

money from his earnings to purchase his own American company, a butcher shop in Detroit’s Eastern

Market. Getting up at 4:00 in the morning, cutting up meat and returning exhausted at 7:30 at night was

my Grandfather’s routine for thirty years; this shows great dedication to his work. My Grandma also

worked for a Michigan company, Sanders. There she worked behind the counter and served people ice

cream and treats. My grandparents worked hard to provide for their family. My Grandfather was so

proud that he came to the United States a poor man and worked so hard that he was able send my dad,

their American born son, to the University of Michigan and to Wayne State for Medical School; this shows

their loving and generous traits.

While achieving the American dream my grandparents felt it was important to never let the

generations forget those other people who suffered under Hitler’s insanity. It was hard for my

grandparents to talk about their past but they realized that they had a responsibility to share their

experience with others. My grandmother felt so strongly about relaying the past to the future generations

that she was filmed by Steven Spielberg for the “Shoah Project”.

Both of my grandparents have passed away. Though they experienced things humans should

never have to, they not only survived Hitler, but they were able to overcome. Their son, my dad, a kind

physician whose compassion and tolerance makes the world a better place. was one of my grandparents’

greatest achievements. Sharing the story of the Holocaust so future generations shall never forget what

their ancestors went through was a generous and thoughtful act which they also accomplished. For

obvious reasons, my grandparents are my Michigan heroes.

Alike or Different? By Danny Misra

He is tall,

I’m short,

He is a McCain fan,

I’m not,

He is a physician,

I’m a student,

He is older,

I’m younger,

He has black hair,

Thank gosh I don’t,

He is good at math,

So am I,

He likes to joke around,

So do I,

He has crooked teeth,

So do I,

He loves my mother,

So do I,

He knows how to make me laugh,

I know how to do the same,

He is my father and loves me,

I am his son and I love him.

Mother’s Loving Fear By Keegan Kelln

My Love and Fear extend greatly

My children are so important to me

I know my children are always safe I see them every day

When I’m not with them I sometimes worry

Even if I know there’s no problem

I sometimes call just to see When they’re at a friend’s house

When on the field they are protected I can’t help worry they could be hurt

When at the movies I always wonder If they will be home sooner than later

I sometimes make them mad or angry

Because I care about them with my heart

My children know deep down within them My fear extends from love and caring

I wish always that they are with me

But deep down I know there always here

I love my children so very much I know they love me the same way

Alone By Will Sheehan standing at the front doors on the first day of school his mouse-brown hair peeking out of his baseball cap he stops in mid-step as he stands there gazing at the students like a little girl picking a puppy, he is looking for a friendly face after watching for what seems like two hours he approaches a smiling boy to say hi he opens his mouth but the words don’t come out the boy looks at him strangely he walks away the boy is alone

The Kitchen Sink

By Trey Heine

As I enter the ice cream shop, Beaches and Cream, in Walt Disney World the aroma of the fresh hot

waffle cones takes my breath away. Waiting patiently for my seat at the ice cream shop, I watch the

waitress scoop ice cream cones, sundaes, and milk shakes. However, what I am about to witness I have

never seen before. All of the sudden Flo, the waitress, pulls out a giant shiny metal bowl. The bowl has

feet, a faucet and handles on it. She begins to scoop chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint chip, and coffee

ice-cream into this huge bowl for a total of fifteen scoops of ice cream. The bowl almost has a gallon of ice

cream in it. This is so outrageous I can’t wait to see what she is going put in it next.

Swiftly she reaches for a bunch of bananas, tears three ripe ones off and starts to peel them. The

bananas are cut and placed around the ice cream, like a fence around a farm. Then, ladles of gooey

caramel sauce and thick hot fudge are poured over the fifteen scoops. The real decorating now begins, it’s

almost like Flo is decorating a Christmas tree. She places Oreos, angel food cake, brownies and chocolate

chip cookies on top of the three sauces, followed by scoops of M&M’s, malted milk balls, chocolate chips,

Snickers, and Reese’s peanut butter cups. Still, she keeps working on her masterpiece. Finally, a can of

whipped cream is taken out of the refrigerator. Flo starts to squirt the whipped cream and she keeps

squirting for at least three minutes; she proceeds to use the entire can. This dessert looks like a white

volcano. Not just one cherry is placed on top, but a dozen are set on top. I hear Flo yell, “ Kitchen Sink is

ready for table 5!” I get it now: this colossal dessert has everything in it, but the kitchen sink! Now it’s

time for the celebration.

All of the sudden the lights start to flicker and all of the waitresses gather around table 5. They all

clap as Flo delivers the impressive dessert to a table of two kids about my age. They are thrilled and

shocked. Obviously, they have never seen a Kitchen Sink dessert before. They dig into this messy

delicious treat with delight. This gets me thinking, I have my Disney “Key to the World” card and I should

order one of these things. I talk to Flo, who is already making another Kitchen Sink for table 2. She tells

me, “On Mother’s Day I sold sixty-five of these things.” So I decide to order a Kitchen Sink before my mom

comes. I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.

Mother By Alex Rosenberg When she sleeps, I do too. When she wakes, I do too. She makes breakfast, I eat it thankfully. When I need help, she is there. When I struggle, she is there. I am sad, she comforts me. I am happy, because of her. I succeed, because of her. I am better, I thank her for it. She is the one to help, She is the one to comfort, She is my mother.

Homework By Matt Rosen

My homework is piled up

I’m feeling so bad My mother is riled up

And so is my dad

More Limericks

There once was a man named Dan He lived inside a van He didn’t go to school, Because he was a fool, And now he has no plan.

- Danny Ryan There once was a man from Texas Who drove a shiny new Lexus. He thought it was cheap, Should’ve bought a Jeep. Now he pays costly taxes!

-Keegan Kelln

There once was a man from Japan, Who made sushi in a van. But he was sad Because he smelled bad So he sealed himself in a can. - Kenta Araki

There once was a player named Paul, Who never could hit the baseball. The coach said, “You’re out!” It won’t help to pout. So now Paul works at the mall! -Daniel Evanson

There once was a fish named Flap Who got caught in a big fish trap He squirmed and wiggled He splashed and jiggled Poor flap got turned into a tuna wrap

-Zaahid Khan

There was a young boy named Matt Rosen His poor hands – they were always broken Tried to catch Griffin’s pitch And it hurt him a bit When he’ll break ‘em next time there’s no knowing

-Aaron Cohen

Roll of Thunder

By: Ryan Rosenthal

Based on all of the information we heard in T.J. Avery’s trial, a fair sentence must be handed down. T.J.

Avery is a 13-year-old boy living in a sharecropper family. He has done a lot of things in his life that he is not proud

of, but his involvement in the death of Mr. Barnett is his worst act ever and demands severe punishment. T.J.

helped R.W. and Melvin break into Mr. Barrett’s store. R.W. and Melvin killed Mr. Barrett by knocking him out. T.J.

did not touch Mr. Barrett at all. He had no part in the actual death of Mr. Barrett but he must suffer the

consequences of his bad decision to help the boys into the store. T.J. will go to a detention facility for 5 years until

he is 18 years old. This is a fair punishment that would be much worse if T.J. actually helped kill Mr. Barrett.

T.J. deserves this sentence because his actions directly led to the death of Mr. Barrett. He made it possible

for R.W. and Melvin to get into Mr. Barrett’s store and knock out Mr. Barrett who later died from his injuries. T.J.

did not intend on helping R.W. and Melvin kill Mr. Barrett. The book states, “T.J., now afraid that they had

something else in mind.” (Page 247) T.J. clearly did not want Mr. Barrett to get hurt or die. T.J. did not expect to be

part of such a horrible crime and the book states, “once they were outside T.J. wanted to go home.” (Page 247) T.J.

did not expect the night to go so terribly wrong. However, T.J. must still be punished for this crime. A man died

and T.J. must be held responsible. T.J. will have to do a lot of things to redeem himself during his punishment.

T.J. will be sent to a juvenile detention facility for 5 years. He will be released when he turns 18 years old.

T.J. will work very hard in this facility. He will help clean the facility, take classes, and go to counseling that will

teach him not to do things that he knows is wrong because of peer pressure. T.J. will also spend many hours at the

Barrett home helping around their house. T.J.’s time at the detention facility and his community service to the

Barrett family will teach him that he must make good decisions and walk away from situations that are harmful or

criminal. He will learn that “if you do the crime, you do the time.” Five years of juvenile detention is severe but

fair. Hopefully, T.J. will be a better member of society when he gets out.

Outside By Ryan Polk Here I stand, Outside In muddy grass And cloudy puddles Under the trees And next to you all The pitter patter of rain The booming of thunder Never stopped us There I stood, Outside With lemonade and ice cream And next to my bike With candy in my hand And beside my friends Through tears Through laughter We will always have stories to tell Here I sit, Inside Wishing to be holding a water gun And to be counting to 10 To be throwing a snowball And to see them again Outside

Are We So Different?

By Adam Seidl

I am young

He is old.

We are 90 years apart.

I can speak.

He cannot.

At least not well.

He has seen so much.

I have done so little.

He has had many jobs.

I have not.

He can speak German

I cannot.

He is sick

I am healthy

He is almost done with his life.

I am just beginning.

But this may change each day brings something new.

And with that it may be true that we all might change.

For I could die tomorrow.

And he could live on for many years.

Stress Relief

By Kevin Kresnak

Today I am still employed,

But only God knows what I will be tomorrow.

I wonder and wonder every day,

But I know this is futile, it is doing nothing.

What did I do wrong? What did I do right?

What can I do now?

I think of my son and his sophisticated school.

How long can we keep him there?

I glance at everyone else who lost their work.

My only thought is, when is my turn

What can I do to relieve this pain?

As I think and think and think,

Only one thing comes to my mind.

A message for everyone feeling this hurt:

Don’t waste today

By worrying about tomorrow.

Summerland Essay By: Alessandro Guttilla

The choices that people make have an effect on them and everyone around them. In the book Summerland, written

by Michael Chabon, Coyote, the main villain, is one of those people who is forced to make choices. One of the

decisions Coyote has to make is how to get the key grammar, or magic words, out of the shaggurts. Coyote has to

take over Outlandishton so he can move on to poisoning the Murmury well and destroying the world.

Outlandishton is the citadel of the shaggurts, which are big gray giants who love war and love to fight.

Outlandishton is on top of the mountain, Shadewater Tor, which is at the end of the Winterlands and the beginning

of the Summerlands, this area between these two worlds is called the Greenmelt. The first choice that Coyote is

faced with is taking his troops up to Outlandishton to fight the shaggurts which is a battle that he knew he couldn’t

win. His second choice is to try fooling the queen of the shaggurts, Angry Betty, into giving him the key grammar

which would open the gate to the well. In the end, he chooses to smooth talk her and gives her compliments so that

she will share the key grammar with him. While he is braiding her beard, a little werefox makes an impromptu

decision and stabs Betty in the heart. Luckily, before she dies, Coyote was able to get a flea from her beard and that

flea tells him the grammar. Padfoot, his right hand man says, “’That’s the scam, see? He’s working some kind of

bamboozle on the brains of them shaggy- bags this minute. Messin’ with their minds, such as have them. Any

minute those gates is going to swing open from, the inside and we can just stroll on in.’”(418). From making his

choice to trick the queen, Coyote learned that he has ingenuity and can be just as conniving as everyone thought.

He now felt like he had extra power. Through his choice, the queen was proven gullible enough to fall for his tricks

and because of that it made her vulnerable. His choice was bad for the universe because it meant that he was

getting closer to his goal of poisoning the well and ending the world. He felt that it was only a matter of time. This is

only one of the many choices that Coyote has to make in order to create his own universe in his own twisted way.

While Coyote’s proposition over how to end the world is coming together, Coyote captures Mr. Feld, the scientist,

and forces him to build him a poison resistant hose so Coyote can inflict the poison into the well. Coyote was faced

with the choice of how to handle Mr. Feld during and after his scientific research. Coyote captures Mr. Feld in his

home world and brings him to the Winterlands, where he has a lab set up for him to build the special hose. After

Mr. Feld builds the hose, Coyote has the choice of either keeping him there as dead weight, or just as he is, or

turning him into the non-speaking, non- eating, emotionless Flat Man who is just like a full body mask without

innards. Coyote chooses to turn Mr. Feld into the Flat Man because he was of no use to Coyote anymore. “’I’ve

gotten all the use from him I need. And he’s not much good for anything anymore.’”(426). This is one example of

how Coyote doesn’t care about Mr. Feld. “’Or should I say, knock yourself flat?’”(309) From Coyote’s choice to

change Mr. Feld into a Flat Man, Coyote learned that he has the power to” dispose” of humans at will and does not

treat humans as equals. The impact from Coyote’s choice on Mr. Feld is that he becomes flat, emotionless, and

useless and will never see his son again. Coyote’s choice is bad for the world because by getting Mr. Feld’s special

hose, Coyote is one step closer to poisoning the well, and ending the universe ending the universe. People are faced

with making many choices every day. The consequences of these choices can be intentional or unintentional and

can have a positive or negative impact on the world and the people around us based on the actions taken.

The King By Alex Dolik

They call me “The King” for a reason Straight out of high school they knew

I knew That I was going to be the greatest

Growing up watching #23 That was my goal

To reach that point I told my momma that nothing would stop me

As you can see, I carried out my promise

I represent something to everyone that is Basketball

To me it just isn’t a sport, It is a lifestyle

When I fell short of that last plateau, I knew it was time for redemption People who think they know me,

Don’t really know me I have doubters

And I have believers But no one

Absolutely no one, Stops The King

The Last Great Snake Essay

By Bennett Faliski

In The Last Great Snake, the main character Bala fled from his village after being accused of stealing Gatani’s

magical stone. Having lost his honor, Bala journeyed deep into a forest far away from civilization, where he set up

camp to live until he could regain his honor. Bala killed the last great snake, Ulukini, in an attempt to restore his

lost honor. He should not have sacrificed the last great snake to return to his family and village.

It’s very depressing that Ulukini is dead. The snake’s scales will never again glimmer in the morning sun.

The great snakes, which were supposed to live until the end of the world, are all gone, killed off by cruel men. But

worst of all, the legend of the last great snake is ruined. The loss from Bala’s destruction of the last great snake was

even more difficult to accept because it only benefited Bala himself.

Bala’s murder of the great snake enabled him to return to his village but that really only made life better for

him. His return did not help any of his fellow villagers except to offer them his talents and skills as a hunter.

Preserving natural wonders is far more important than human happiness. We as humans were not the first

on this planet. We can’t do anything we want simply so we can be happy. When Bala killed that snake, he wasn’t

thinking about the snake. He was thinking of himself. Bala committed a horrible deed. In this world people need

to start thinking of someone or something besides themselves.

There should be legends and mysteries in this world. They inspire us to achieve, encourage us to dream,

teach us important lessons, and they help tell stories and pass along history. But we must always remember that

human beings are not perfect and will always make mistakes, just as Bala did, whether they destroy a legend or

not.

Bala should not have sacrificed the last great snake. He killed a beautiful creature to get his honor back.

Bala was selfish to do such a thing. He did not think of how the snake would feel, he thought about himself.

An Everyday Hero

By Andy Thelen

My days are spent in the hot sun

Livestock is my trade

My tales have been built by time

From everything I have done

Days spent from rodeo

Have worn out my body down

I still own my business

Through all the hard times I will never sell

My sons have come to work with me and stand by my side

Humor is what I still have

And no one can take that away

I have always been a Catholic man

I have always been a family man

My stories I share with friends

I will take my grandkids fishing in the mountains

I will put others before me

My days will always be spent in the hot sun

War Lines By Zaahid A. Khan

I stand at this lonely post every day Serving my country in every way With my gun by my side I wait for some action to arise I stand on the border of two countries Both at the tip of their patience Waiting for war to happen Waiting Days, Months, and Years have gone by Children have become Men Society has changed Technology has spurred My daughter has grown up My wife has grown old Yet I stand here alone Waiting for something to happen I have lost my patience But I secretly hope That nothing ever happens For I fear war Every day I quiver with the thought That today will by my last I look upon the rising sun And I think about my happy past I am a commander War should be my specialty But I fear it like no other

The Whole Thing

By John Whiting

Fizzle! The golden brown oil crackled in the pan as the pancake flipped acrobatically in the air.

Unfortunately, a contorted flip caused the pancake to meet the wet, dirty floor. A small woman leans over,

agitated, and flings the wasted pancake into the sea. She turned and sighed, she could not be upset amidst

all this newfound luxury. However, she could not ignore her son either. Her son, LeBron, had loved his

father, and when he died, it devastated him.

When she, Shalondra, got remarried to the rich Sahill T. Xavier, it did not go over smoothly.

“Why must he be so upset,” Shalondra thought, “this is a new direction. He needs to move on.”

The ivory colored panels of Sahill’s yacht contrasted the dark, muscular form of LeBron. He was a

spectacular swimmer who always secretly dreamed of becoming a fish to explore the new freedom.

Swimming was his escape from a tough world, a place to be alone with the water. He was a champion

swimmer for his old school, he could even hear his name being announced, “LeBron Bettis, Redwood

High’s reining champ...” His father was a huge motivator and was always watching him swim. LeBron

loved his father, and he could not forgive his mother for remarrying, at least not for a while. The luxury of

the yacht did not provide any joy to LeBron for it was reminding him of his unwanted new “father” and

was taking him away from his home and his friends. However, LeBron was still extremely confused and

had mixed emotions. His hatred for his new lifestyle and his desire to be home clashed with the passion

for the water and his desire to be a fish. He sat, conflicted, listening to a Carlos Mencia podcast, when all

of the sudden, a short red-haired man with freckles tapped his shoulder.

“Sir,” he said, “would you care for a bite?”

LeBron removed his headphones and replied, “Huh…, a bite of what, and who are you?”

“I am Jack O’Lint, and I’m offering you a wonderful mixture of mangos and oversized kiwis. Try it,

the more you eat, the longer you can live as a fish.” An astounded look came over LeBron’s face. “I’m a

mind reader,” Jack said, “I know everything about you. Think about eating it, you will not regret it.” Poof!

He was gone. LeBron was still trying to wrap his mind around the concept of magic and this strange man.

However, his confusion could not hide his excitement; he could be a fish! LeBron glanced at the

tantalizing plate, and then paused. He looked at his mother, and then towards his new father, Sahill. His

mother’s purple blouse and white slacks popped out compared to Sahill’s dull grey coat and dress pants.

He would never feel comfortable with this new life. Tension built up within him, a decision was tough.

Sahill looked over at LeBron and turned back away quickly. That was the last straw; LeBron dug into the

mango kiwi dish with the magical silverware. As he finished, he saw a message at the bottom of the plate.

“If you eat the whole thing, you will be a fish forever. (Sorry, I forgot that part earlier, Good Luck!)- Jack

O’Lint” LeBron was scared now; he did not want to be a fish forever! He nervously glanced at his mother,

who was curious about the new food, and he ran to the side rail. Remorse and regret filled him like an

overflowing glass of soda.

He jumped.

A transformation occurred instantaneously, and he became a horrifying blue flounder. This was

not his dream, this was LeBron’s nightmare. He could only think, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!”

Zaida

By Joshua Spigelman

Guests from Chicago

Dad’s family

Their visits always mean something

But the ones that mean the most

Are when my grandpa

Zaida, we call him

Drives here to see us

His visits always bring something

But none of them boring

70-year old model cars

Branded wooden mugs

Cowboy hats

Statues

Everything interesting

He even has endless stories to tell

They never seem to end

And I never even want them to

He is my grandfather

And I will always love him

His visits are special

As is he.

Personal Characteristics Essay By Sukh Dhillon

Everyone, even Elvis, did some good and bad things. One of Elvis’s good things he did was he changed the

musical world by creating rock and roll, by making songs faster (some he changed), by creating rock and roll songs,

and he also did gyrations onstage( gyrations are like movements). This exhibited courage because he did a brave

thing by doing these gyrations, because many people didn’t like these gyrations. This also exhibited creativity,

because he created new things and he would change songs into a newer version, because he made them faster. One

of his negative incidents he had was when he took prescription drugs and cocaine. This made him a coward

because he acted cowardly and wasn’t strong enough to stop, and he never did, and this also exhibited that he had

no honor because he shouldn’t have taken these drugs and he did. He could have changed this negative incident by

refusing to or stopping the taking of the drugs. This would have exhibited self-control because he would have

needed control of himself to stop taking the drugs, and this also would have exhibited persistence because he

would have had to persist and not take the drugs continually. Everyone did some things in a wrong way, like Elvis,

and some things in a good way, also like Elvis. Even I have done some bad things.

I have done some good and bad things. I once picked up Cheez-itz in the bathroom and threw them out, and

this exhibited integrity and kindness. This exhibited integrity because only one other person was watching and I

still picked it up, and this exhibited kindness because I was being kind to the custodian because they didn’t have to

pick that up later. My negative incident was when I imitated my brother, and this exhibited no kindness and no

honor. This exhibited no kindness because I was doing a mean thing involving him, and this also exhibited no

honor because I knew it was wrong, but I still did the mean thing. I could have changed this negative incident by

just not making an imitation of him, and this would have exhibited persistence and honor. This would have

exhibited persistence because I would have had to persist and not do it no matter how funny it would have been,

and this would have exhibited honor because I would have cared for my brother so much that even though it was

funny I didn’t do it because I cared about him and realized it was wrong. Both Elvis and I did some good, and some

bad things, but don’t we all make some mistakes in our lives?!

The End By Jeremy Loewenstein

The end of the year has come. Finals are coming near. But when all is said and done. There is nothing about 8th grade to fear!

Summertime By Ethan Zemmin

S un slathering you in light U pside of the year M asterful fun M ichigan weather E ating outside R ushing water T asty lemonade I ncredible plants M agnificent miracles E xtravagant