T is for The End

I jump out of my car, super excited for the day ahead of me. It's the first day of school. I look over to the door, and see everyone is pushing and shoving their way through to see their class list. I sprint towards the wave of people, hoping I'll get through in one piece. As I squeeze through every little space I see, I hear a familiar voice calling my name behind me. I turn my head back to see one of my friends. Before I can get a sound out of my mouth, I'm suddenly pushed out of crowded doorway. I run as fast as I can until I reach the Grade 7 classroom. I scan through the class list, and spot many of my friend's names. I have a pretty decent class this year. I look behind me, and find lots of my other classmates desperate to see the names on the flimsy piece of paper, hanging helplessly by a thin strip of tape. I smile, thinking of the exciting year ahead of me. I step into the class, drop my new textbooks on my desk, and explore the room I will spend the next year in. As the bell rings, I take my seat. I look around and see familiar faces, along with new ones. I can already tell it's going to be a great school year.

The beginning of something is always wonderful, whether it’s the beginning of a new friendship or the beginning of a new school year. The beginning gives a little introduction to what the core thing really is. It's just the small spark that will eventually start the big fire.

But what is the end exactly? To me, I don’t think anything has an end. The end is just a new beginning. The end is the fire starting to die down to just some warm pieces of coal. But right as the little spark gets it started, the fire will grow back, and start all over again. We're nearing the end of Grade 7 right now. It has been a great year filled with fun activities like the camp out for Haiti, the math t-shirts, and many more still to come. The fire has grown bigger and bigger the closer we come to the end of the year. Everyone is super excited for the Pond Study and the trip to Sudbury. The fire will be at its biggest when we’re all together at Sudbury. But after that, a giant wind will suddenly come by and blow the fire right out when we separate for summer vacation. The school year has gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday we were thrilled to bits to start our first class. And now, the last day of school is approaching us. We've learned so much throughout the year, and we've made so many new friends. It's so hard to forget the wonderful memories we all have of Grade 7.

This year, we've learned so many new things. I think all of us have improved so much since last year, academically and socially. We’ve made new friends, learned new things, and it’s going to be hard for all of us to leave each other behind when summer comes around.

Grade 7 has been a fun year. All of us feel so much more different now that we’ve become teenagers. More responsible, more mature, and we feel grown up. Grade 7 is like the middle of the middle. We’re in Middle School, and we’re the middle of Middle School. But all of that will change next year. Our school program is changing and there won’t be a Middle School anymore. We’ll feel even more grown up because we’re being combined with Upper School now. It’s kind of exciting going into Upper School. We’ll have some new teachers and a different Student Council system. It’s going to be very different being thought of as Upper Schoolers.

One of the things I definitely want to remember from this year is the Camp out for Haiti. Recently, Haiti had a terrible earthquake. SJK Middle School wanted to raise money for Haiti, so we decided to do a camp out at the school. It was very successful. We raised over $9000! It was a lot of fun, and everyone enjoyed it.

In math class, we made a design, a tessellation I should say, on the computer. Then, we printed it on iron-on paper and ironed it onto a t-shirt. It was a great way to express our creativity and math skills. I think a lot of my classmates will agree with me that the tessellations were the most fun math project we have done this year.

We have come so far in Language Arts. We started blogging this year, which has been a lot of fun. It was a really creative idea to have everyone blogging about something about themselves, but applying writing skills they have learned. In blogging this year, we did the first few blogs on the same thing, like on the Breadwinner, or guest speakers, or field trips. But then Ms. Weldon made it more interesting and had everyone do an alpha biography on a topic about his or her life. Every once in a while, Ms. Weldon taught us something new to make our writing even better, and then gave us some people who applied that lesson in their writing so we had an idea of what she was looking for. First, we started off with using the recipe we learned from last year. Then, we learned about diction, using big words. After that, we were encouraged to use imagery, being descriptive. None of us were very good at re-tell, we just listed things, but Ms. Weldon showed us an excellent example of re-tell, and I think we all needed some help on better re-tell. Finally, we learned about insight, and all of us improved in our writing. Insight is writing to make your reader wonder and imagine. A method a lot of people do to create insight was to ask questions. Right now in Language Arts, we are working on an Identity project. It’s going to explain who we think we are. I think that’s a great way or us to understand who we are as people better. All of us have been working so hard in Language Arts this year. The improvement from last year is truly unbelievable. I can’t wait until we get back into Language Arts next year and learn so much more.

The fire is gradually growing to its largest, but when the summer arrives, the fire will be nothing but a warm pile of coal. But then on the first day of school, the fire will come back alive again. It will have a new beginning.

LIFE LESSON: Nothing has an end. There is no such thing as the end. The end is just a new beginning.

I commented on Lyndsey's post: Lori.

G is for Goals

The gentle breeze flows through your hair, which is drenched in sweat. It cools you down as you slowly jog your way along the track. You’re in your own world, focused on nothing else but to win. The crowd chants your name, but all you can hear are your short breaths. You start to feel a strong pain in your side, and feel like giving up, but you keep a steady pace. You glance behind your back, and see the other competitors determined to pass you by. Suddenly, a burst of energy encourages you to keep going. Your mouth is incredibly dry, but you think about how much you want this. You close your eyes, and focus on what you want most. As your eyes open, your mind thinks about nothing else, but to just keep going. You’re zoned out of the world, and can hardly hear anything. Your heart pounds hard against your chest, trying to escape the agony. The finish line is in your sight. Your coach is screaming at you to keep running. The crowd roars as you step over the finish line. You can’t help, but to keep smiling. Your coach helps you up, and you two embrace as the stadium celebrates your win, a gold medal. You are a gold medallist. You have waited your whole life for this moment. You step onto the platform, and they gently place the gold medal onto your neck. You’ve never felt so proud. You take the shining piece of gold in your hands and raise it up to the crowd. They cheer, and you think of what you have just accomplished. You’ve never felt happier in your life.

Goals are something that make life interesting. They give someone a thought. A thought that will last forever. But what exactly is a goal? I think a goal is whatever the person wants it to be. To me, goals are like thoughts that don't have an end. They just keep going on and on. If you think about your goal, you imagine so many different things that would be different if you accomplished that goal. Goals can be as little as acing a test, or they can be as big as winning a gold medal at the Olympics. But whatever the goal is, big or small, they are goals.

I told you goals are like never-ending thoughts. That's true if you really think about it. For instance, if your goal was to ace a test, your life would change. Your parents would be proud of you, your teachers would be impressed with you, even your siblings may congratulate you. See how these things keep going on and on? This is what I mean by never-ending. Any goal can change your life in so many different ways.

Accomplishing a goal always feels so good. You feel happy all over, and you can't stop smiling. It's hard to explain, but I'm sure you know what I mean. One of my goals in life is to be accepted into Harvard University one day. Harvard is a very good university, and pretty hard to get into. My goal probably may not come true, but I still keep hoping it will happen one day. Many goals may not come true, but the fun part about it is that you can still dream about it happening. You can still think about what it would be like if it did happen. Like I said before, goals last forever. Even if they don't come true, they can still be a goal.

LIFE LESSON: In life, some of your goals may not come true. But you can still hope that some day it will happen. If your goal has not happened, keep imagining what it would be like if it happened. Then it shows you how much you want it, and how hard you'll work to get it. If you work hard enough, you never know, maybe it will happen.

I commented on Wilks' blog, K is for Ketchup.

R is for Reading Friends

You pick a random book off the shelf, and decide to start reading it. You skim the first few pages, but you don't really understand what the book is about. When you get to the good part, you don't understand what is happening because you weren't paying attention to what was leading up to it. You decide it is too confusing, and place it back on the shelf. The next day, your friend approaches you and starts a conversation. You're distracted by something more exciting that's going on. You pretend to listen, but you're really paying no attention to them. They tell you that they are moving away from the country! This time, you were listening. You start freaking out, and asking them all these questions that they already answered before. They start telling you that they had already answered the questions you were asking before, and then realize, you weren't listening, and that's why yo didn't understand what was going on. You two seperate and never talk to each other for the rest of the day.

If you really think about it, friends are much like books. One reason is that if you skim the beginning of the book, but pay attention to the good part, you won't understand what's going on, and it wasn't worth reading the book because you didn't understand why or how the event was happening. Sort of like friends. If you don't pay attention to the boring part when thay are talking about, then when you do start paying attention, you don't understand what they are talking about. With books or friends, pay attention to the boring parts so you'll understand what's going on later.

Another reason why books are like friends is because they are all different in some way. They could be really smart, like encyclopedias, or they could be good at spelling, like dictionaries, or they could be adventurous, like fantasy or adventure novels. Those are just some of the options, there are so many different books out there that you could relate to your friends. They could also be a mixture of books, like mystery and a dictionary. A lot of the times, people like reading, or even writing, books that are a lot like them. Even if they are the same type of book, they could be a whole different story.

In summary, books are like friends. You have to read the whole book, even the boring parts, to know exactly what they are about. And every friend is different. They may be similar, but no one is exactly the same.

LIFE LESSON: When reading books, or friends, you have to read the whole thing, or pay attention to everything, to know who they really are.

I commented on Kate's blog: Going Green

F is for Family

It's your birthday. When you wake up, your whole family is waiting outside the door to surprise you. You sleepily open the door, and as it creaks open, SURPRISE! Your family jumps out of their hiding place. Now, you're really awake. Your face brightens, and a big smile appears on your face. They start to sing happy birthday to you, and you all give them big hugs. Somewhere else in the world, a child is celebrating her birthday as well. Except, no one will sing her happy birthday, no one will give her presents, and no one will bake her a delicious birthday cake. She sits there all alone, with no one there to hug her, or care for her. She has no one to love and no one to love her. She quietly sings to herself, waiting for her family to come. As you laugh with your family, the girl waits for her family who will never come back.

Not many people realize how lucky they are to have a family to care for them. Many people around the world have no family. How would you feel without your family? To me, my family is my happiness in life. They always make me laugh. I'm always smiling around them because they're always happy. I love being around my family, and without my family, I don't know how I could be happy. Think about it, When you wake up in the morning and your mom cooks your favourite breakfast, doesn't that little thing just make your day? It certainly makes mine. Your family basically keeps you alive. They feed you, and give you somewhere to live. They take care of you if you're sick or hurt. And they help you get through problems you don't know how to solve. How would you get through all those things by yourself? I don't know what I would do without my family.

My family takes care of me, feeds me, gives me a roof over my head, and gives me education. The little things they do every day, means so much to me. Like tucking me in at night. It does seem like a little thing that would mean nothing. But it's the little things like that, that keep me smiling. How would you feel if your family were taken away from you? If that happened to me, I would be helpless. My family helps me through the day. Like, if there were a big test I wasn't ready for the next day, they would help me prepare for it and calm me down. They would try to make me feel better so it would be easier to get through. My family means the world to me, and I could never afford to lose them. Even though sometimes I fight with them, I still love them.

LIFE LESSON: Be grateful for your family. Be grateful for all the things they do for you, even the small meaningless ones.

I commented on Brenna's post, R is for Roller coasters.

The comments are in the same colour as the background, so you have to highlight it to see it.

S is for Skiing

I jump off the chair lift, excited for my first run of the year. My skis are brand new, so I easily slide across the snow. I effortlessly push my way to the top of the run. Vail Ridge, a black diamond. I stare down into the gully, filled with moguls. I'm fightened at first, but then I gain my confidence. My skis are at the very edge now, and I slowly tip over onto the hill. I fearlessly make my first turns down the hill. This isn't so bad! The moguls make me hop around like a bunny, and it makes the run extra fun. I'm gaining speed as I race through. The wind whooshes past me, and I can hear the it rush past me. My eyes are stinging from going so fast, but I can't slow down. I like the speed, anyway. Just a few more moguls until I come to the end. The suddenly, out of nowhere a giant jump appears in front of me. I'm not ready to jump, I'm going too fast! As the jump approaches me, I try to slow down. My skis drop down, and then I fly up a few feet into the air. When I land, I'm surprised I don't crash. I turn the corner and stop in the line at the chair lift. That was an amazing run, I think. As the chair lift carries me up, I get excited to go onto Vail Ridge again.

S is for skiing. I love to ski. I have been skiing ever since I learned, when I was 3 years old. If you were wondering, Vail Ridge is my favourite ski run at Alta. My favourite place to ski is Alta, a ski mountain in Salt Lake City, Utah. I just recently went there for March Break and it was great. We go there every year to ski because we all like it so much. Although I love to ski at Alta, I've skied in other places, too. Like in Banff, Alberta.

Last winter, my family travelled to Banff, Alberta to ski. We stayed at this really nice hotel, The Fairmont. On the outside, it looked like a castle, but on the inside, I felt like royalty. The lobby was really big, and a beautiful chandelier was hanging from the ceiling. The glass twinkled in the light, and it was just so wonderful to look at. And the staircase was like the staircase in the Titanic. It started on the outside and gradually moved into the centre. A red carpet was draped so beautifully over every step. The room we stayed in was really nice, it had a beautiful view of the mountains, and right below us was the skating rink so every day, we would see people ice skating along the smooth ice. In Banff, there were two mountains, Lake Louise, and Sunnyside. We tried both, but we seemed to like Sunnyside better. It was really cold, and I was freezing most of the time, but I still had fun.

Although we had gone to Banff to ski, I'd have to say my favourite part about the whole trip was all the activities we did. There were so many options. We practically did one once a day. First, we went swimming in the pool at the Fairmont. I really liked it because it was an outdoor pool, but it was really warm, so on the top you would be super cold, but on the bottom you would be warm in the water. And if you stayed out of water long enough, your hair would start to freeze because it was so cold! Another thing we did was we went ice skating. It was really fun because we did it at night, so the ice was glowing in the moonlight. On the ice skating rink, there was an ice sculpture of the Fairmont carved into a big chunk of ice, and then another ice sculpture of a deer. Also, we went sledding on this public hill. It was so much fun because once in a while a bump would come up, and it would be a lot of fun to jump off. Finally, the best part of the trip is that we went dog sledding. It was an amazing experience. The dogs pulled me along as I rode on the back of the sled. I even got to steer the bogs for a little bit! On the sledding ride, We also saw Lake Louise, frozen. Overall the trip to Banff was an amazing experience, and I can't wait for another trip like that.

I have been skiing all my life and it's a great thing to do if you want to start racing, or just have fun. Skiing is a great sport, and you can do it in a lot of amazing places. I hope one day you'll try skiing and like it as much as I do.

LIFE LESSON: Skiing is a great sport and everyone should have the chance to try it at least once in their lifetime.

P.S. I'm sorry about having two of the same pictures, I don't know how to remove one of them.

I commented on Laurel's blog

A is for Angie

The first time I see her, I know she is right for me. I pick her up and stare into her big black eyes, they're like little marbles. Her small pink tongue pops out of her tiny mouth and licks the air. Her nose digs into my shirt and takes a sniff. It's just about as big as my fingernail! She's so cute I knew that small little dog would be perfect as my first dog.

Angie is my first and current dog. She is a Maltese so she is quite small. She weighs almost 4 pounds. Most Maltese weigh about 3-7 pounds, so she is smaller than most Maltese dogs. Her eyes are very big and black. I love to hold her paws because they're so small, but they are very sensitive, so she likes to pull them away. But I have to say my favourite part about her is her nose. It's so small, it's like a little chocolate chip. And her tongue is so cute! When a bigger dog licks me, I'm amazed at how big it is! Angie is a very cute little dog that I love very much.

Angie's birthday is August 6, so she's about 2 and a half years old right now. I have to say Angie is not the smartest dog you would come across. The only thing she really knows how to do is to lie down, but she only does it when we have a treat for her. We treat her like a little puppy because she acts just like one. The cutest part about her is that during the day, basically the only place in the house you would find her is in her bed, sleeping. But at night, she's very playful, and runs all around the house. It's sort of funny to see her running, and she goes really fast, no one can catch her. Angie is a very confusing dog, you never know how she will be next, calm and sleepy, or wild and energetic.

Dogs are a great improvement to your life. I can really tell that my family is much more happy with her around. Also, studies have shown that holding and petting a dog can actually lower your blood pressure. Who would have guessed that petting an ordinary dog can make you healthier!

LIFE LESSON: Dogs make you happier, which leads to a healthier lifestyle. If everyone had a dog, it would make the world a better place.

I commented on Emelie F's blog.

H is for Home

I stare up at my new home. The house is beautiful. It took nine months to build, but it was worth it. I've waited so long for this moment, and now it has finally come. My own room, my own bathroom, a beautiful view, a friendly community, all you could ever want for your home. I explore the house a bit until I get a feel for it. I'll be living here for a long time, and I'm glad. I like this big spacious, house. This is now my new home, and I'm definately happy with it.

H is for Home. I've had many homes in my life, most of them in America. But now, I have a home in Canada. I still have an American citizenship, but I don't have Canadian citizenship. We moved to Canada because of my dad's work. Now, he works for RIM, where they create the Blackberry phones. It's cool that he works there because then we get free Blackberries.

Let's start from the very beginning when I was born. I was born in Boca Raton, Florida. We lived there a few months until we moved to Pennsylvania. Then after about 3 years, we moved to Ohio. We lived there for 4 years, until my dad switched companies to work for RIM. The first couple of years we lived here, we lived in an apartment. It was basically a small room we lived in. The worst thing was that I had to share a room with my brother, and there was only one bed in the room. So every other week, one of us would sleep in the bed, and then one of us would sleep on a small mattress on the ground. Finally, we finished building our house and we moved in. It was great to have my own room again.

I've travelled to many places in my life including Japan, Italy, Hawaii, England, France, Venice, and many more. So really, the whole world is my home. It should be considered everyone's home. Wherever I am in the world is my home, so no one ever really leaves their home.

I sit in my room, thinking about all the places I've been in the world. I really like this new house, but I miss my old home, and all my homes before that. But then I realize that even if I'm thousands of miles away from my house, I'm still home. Wherever I am in the world, I'm still home. I was home all along.

LIFE LESSON: Your house is different than your home.

D is for Deer Ridge

I step into my house for the very first time, taking in the new scent of my house. I take a step back outside, and admire the wonderful view of my new home. I turn around to see my neighbour planting flowers in her garden, and she gives me a friendly smile. I return it with a grin that is so big, it fills half my face. I can faintly hear the sound of rushing water, the Grand River, and I can see some golfers across the street ready to tee off. I gaze over the other way to see children laughing and playing. I'm excited to meet them and become their friends. I am glad to call this lovely neighbourhood home sweet home.

D is for Deer Ridge. Deer Ridge is the neighbourhood that I live in, along with many other happy families. I have loved this community the second I saw it. The Grand River flows through it, and there is Pioneer Tower, located in a park near my house. It's even close enough for me to bike there. It's nice because lots of kids live near me that I can play with, including many from SJK, like Emelie, Andy, and Lyndsey. I love living near them because if I need help on homework or something, we can work on it together. Or we can just hang out if we want to.

I love our park because it has a great view of the Grand River, and you can go even closer and fish there. But I'm not a fisher, so I rarely visit down there. In the park, there is also a playground and Pioneer Tower. Sometimes, even if the gate is open, you can climb up inside the tower, and see a pretty view of the neighbourhood. Although, I'm really scared to go there at night, because there is a small graveyard there that always creeps me out, even during the day. There's not even a gate or anything, just a skimpy chain surrounding it. Every summer, me and my dad bike there and have a picnic under the tower. It's lots of fun because there is a great view of the Grand River, and I get some time to bond with my dad. We usually bike around the rest of the neighbourhood as well. Sometimes, we even go all the way to the entrance, and that's a long way. It's great to have a park so near my house, and every summer, I look forward to visiting the park.

My neighbours are as nice as they can be to me and my family. It's great to have so many kind people you can trust living around you. A lot of SJK families live around there, too. I'm glad to see so many friendly faces smiling at me when I go outside. It's a great neighbourhood for my dog as well because there are a lot of families with dogs in the area, and it's nice to have a big neighbourhood for my dog to go on walks in. Although, I don't think she would need so much room. She gets tired very easily. But she loves going to the park to run around in the grass. I'm really glad we chose this community to live in, because I enjoy everything about it.

I step back inside my house, satisfied with our decision in moving here. I will sleep well tonight, because I know I will enjoy this neighbourhood for as long as I live here. I am looking forward to meet all these friendly people, and I'm excited to live here for the years to come.

LIFE LESSON: Your neighbourhood is your home. Be happy with where you live, wherever you are in the world.

C is for Cancer

"I am a survivor."

Those are the words that my grandmother is very proud to say. In 2002, she was diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer. Cancer is the second most deadly disease, which is why my grandmother was shocked to hear that she had cancer. She suspected that the cause of her cancer was a medicine her doctor had been giving her, but scientists later discovered that it caused cancer.

Cancer is a terrible disease that anyone could get at any age. There are lots of different types of cancers like breast cancer, brain cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, and many others. 39% of women and 44% of men in Canada can develop cancer throughout their lives, and many of them die from it. 1 out of 8 women are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Clearly, cancer is more common than you think, and anyone, healthy or not, could get it.

You have many cells in your body, and they are all ordered to grow, work, reproduce or die. But when these orders get mixed up, the cells spread through the bloodstream and attack nearby tissue and other body parts. This causes cancer, depending on which body part it attacks. In my grandmother's case, the cells spread through to her breast and ovaries. The cancer cells were the size of a tennis ball, and it was incredible that she survived.

Here are some ways to help prevent cancer:

• never smoke or second-hand smoke

• eat a high-fiber, low-fat diet

• eat lots of fruits and vegetables

• exercise regularly

• reduce your sun exposure and always wear sunscreen

I am very proud to call my grandmother a survivor. I know it would have been a very scary time for her, but she made it through with bravery.

LIFE LESSON: Cancer is a common and deadly disease. So don’t complain about putting on sunscreen, it may save your life.

B is for Blankie

I hold on tight to the beat up blanket, letting all my fear go away. I stroke its soft material, trying to get the terrible image out of my head. Tighter and tighter I squeeze it. I struggle to find the one spot on it, ribbon, and then I find it. A smile creeps onto my face and I am relieved. I don't know what I would do without it. It is more special than anyone could have imagined.

Blankie has been the most special thing in my life, and still is. As you may have guessed, Blankie is a blanket. I sleep with her every night and I go everywhere with her. She is made of white flannel material with a pattern of colourful teddy bears and polka dots. Blankie is bordered with soft blue silk ribbon, which is my favourite part about her. She always makes me feel better when I'm sad and she helps me get through hard times, like if I'm sick. She may be ripped and torn, but Blankie is more than just a blanket to me, Blankie is like a best friend. She's always there when I need her. The good thing about her is that she will last forever.

Before I was born, my great grandmother, Nonnie, sewed a blanket for my brother when he was very little. But my brother, Ken, did not sleep with it that much. So when I was born, my brother gave me the blanket, and I have loved it ever since. Over the years, I have brought Blankie with me everywhere, so as you can imagine, she has gotton very torn and ripped. In school, I always brought her in for show and tell because she is so special, and she is a part of me. But no one understands the real importance of her. She is special to me in so many ways.

A little while ago, I went into an Abercrombie store, and I saw a t-shirt that was really pretty, but also very soft. Then I had the idea of replacing Blankie with this t-shirt. I didn't want to have Blankie get more ruined because she could have fallen apart any day. I bought the t-shirt which was pink and made it more like Blankie. I sewed on ribbon onto the t-shirt, and I sewed some more ribbon onto the bottom of the shirt. I named the shirt Peachy, because the colour is a little bit peach coloured. I put Blankie away into the closet, so she wouldn't get ripped any more. Now, I sleep with Peachy, and sometimes, I even wear Peachy. But every once in a while, I need a little more cheering up from Blankie, so I take Blankie out of the closet and stroke her soft material.

Blankie is very special to me, although she may not seem that special to others. She is a part of me, and nothing will seperate me from her. She is my best friend that will be with me forever.

LIFE LESSON: Everyone has something special. Others may not know the importance of it, but that doesn't mean it is not important.

M is for Marguerite

We can't let go of each other as I make my way to a new home, Canada. I hold on tight to her, not wanting to let go. The time came when we had to say goodbye. I couldn't believe that I was actually leaving her. With tears in my eyes, I get into the car, ready to make a new start. I wonder if I will make new friends in Canada, but I know none will be as special as her.

Marguerite is my best friend. We have been best friends for seven years now, and we are inseparable. I think it is fate that brought us together because we are very similar. Her birthday is September 8th, mine is September 25th. Her middle name is Christina, so is mine. We both love pink and Hello Kitty. Although we may look different on the outside, we are the same on the inside.

We met in preschool, but I can't exactly remember how. I just know we became friends soon after the year began. My favourite memory of us was when we went to see a Christmas show when we were younger. We had a great time and when it was finished, we took a great picture of us sitting together on a bench in the theatre. Now I have it framed in my room, and it is the most special picture I have. I don't want anything to happen to it.

Every summer, I go to Ohio to visit some old friends, including her. I always have a sleepover at her house, and it's always so much fun. I always look forward to the summer so I can see my best friend. We watch movies, and go out to dinner, and do all kinds of fun stuff. I can't wait to see her next summer.

Marguerite and I still keep in touch through email and letters. She's always there for me when I need to talk to someone. She is nice and funny, and my best friend. She is a special friend I will never forget.

LIFE LESSON: Your friends are always there for you, no matter where they are in the world.

K is for Kate DiCamillo

" Edward's heart stirred. He thought, for the first time in a long time, of the house on Egypt Street and of Abilene winding his watch and then bending toward him and placing it on his left leg, saying: I will come home to you."

--The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Kate DiCamillo is my favourite authors of all time. Although she writes books for younger children, her writing is magnificent. When I was younger, I used to read her books over and over again. My favourite book from her was The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, my favourite book of all time. I still read her books every once in a while because they were so well written. Kate DiCamillo is not a very well known author, as opposed to J.K. Rowling, for example. Her most popular book was Because of Winn-Dixie, another one of her great books.

I love to write stories and I admire Kate DiCamillo for her creativity. She thinks of herself as a storyteller, telling many children about her wonderful stories through her books. Her books are very different from a typical book, but that's what makes them so awesome. I have read many books in my life, and never have I read a book like hers. I love them so much because they are not like other books. They are unique. You wouldn't normally find her ideas in a bestseller book. She may not be the most famous author, but I admire Kate DiCamillo and hope to become like her someday.

One of Kate DiCamillo's books, The Tale of Despereaux, is about a mouse who is different from the rest. His body is small, but his ears are really big, like Dumbo. He acts differently, for example, he likes to read in the library, but it is a law that mice do not read. He is a very brave mouse. Mice were forbidden for a health issue, but Despereaux wanted to find out what it was like in the "human world", so he ventured out into the human world and became a hero.

LIFE LESSON: In life, you may be faced with many fears or danger. The best way to fight through them is with bravery.

Empathy

Then, late one afternoon, Parvana came home from work to find two men gently helping her father up the steps to the apartment. He was alive. At least part of the nightmare was over.

pg. 154, The Breadwinner

Addiction. When I feel empathy while reading a book, I get addicted, and I can't stop reading.

Parvana saw her father being half carried up the steps to her apartment. Her father was home and alive. Somehow he was released from the prison, and finally free to return to his worried family. As I read this passage, I felt empathy for Parvana. My father goes away for business many times, and he is gone for the longest time. I know how Parvana felt when she saw her father. The same way I feel when my father comes home from work, happiness.

That passage is an example of good writing, and I felt empathy when I read that because I could relate to what Parvana was feeling for I have felt that feeling many times before. Creating empathy in a book is very challenging, but makes the story interesting and it makes the reader want to read more.

I think one way a writer can create empathy, is with the character or situation. Of course, the character would have to be realistic, someone a reader can easily relate to, along with the situation. If the situation they are in is common, then the readers may feel empathy for them because they might have been through the same thing, or something similar. For example, I felt empathy for Parvana because I feel the same way when my father comes home from long business trips. I'm sure many people felt empathy for Parvana because that situation is very common for working dads. It was a common situation many people could relate to. To create empathy through the situation, try to think of a situation you have been through, or a character like yourself, so that you feel empathy when you read the story. That is one way you can create empathy in your writing, by making the character like you, and the situation something similar to something you've been through.

Another way a writer can create empathy is describing the character and situation well. Whenever I feel empathy from a book, it's usually because it is very well written. The writing has to be descriptive so the reader can fully understand it and picture it in their mind. For example, when Parvana's father came home, Deborah Ellis (author of The Breadwinner) described Parvana's emotion on how she felt about her father's homecoming. She used lots of description, and I could imagine what Parvana was feeling because of how many adjectives and adverbs she used. Whenever I see someone I haven't seen in a long time, I feel the way Parvana felt. I could really imagine what Parvana was feeling because of all the description and adjectives used. That is another way a writer can create empathy, using lots of description.

With these ways in your writing, you will surely create empathy in your writing. Writing empathy is very challenging, but creating empathy in your stories makes the reader enjoy your stories at a higher level.

A Life of Horrors

Parvana was tired. She wanted to sit in a classroom and be bored by a geography lesson. She wanted to be with her friends and talk homework and games and what to do on a school holiday. She didn't want to know anymore about death or blood or pain. She was tired of living in an endless nightmare.

In our Language Arts class, we are reading the book, the Breadwinner. This was a passage from page 130 which I think was very well written. It would be very hard to live a life like Parvana. It would be very hard for me if I were Parvana. I would wake up early every morning, step outside and worry the whole day that if someone recognized me as a girl, I would be sent to jail, or maybe even be killed by the Taliban. I would grab my tray, and start the day by selling items I won't even be able to afford to have myself. I shove through the crowds, praying that I will make a sell, but no one is interested. When I'm finished with a full day of selling few things from my tray, I would count my money earned, and hope that the next day will make more profit. The days would feel endless with a heavy tray hung around my neck, standing outside in the hot sun all day all the while wondering if the Taliban has overtaken my one room where my family lives, and take them away. A girl dressed up as a boy living in Afghanistan with a father who was taken away to prison, and an endless nightmare of my life, would be horrible. It would be awful having to live through all the terrors of Afghanistan, being a little girl only wanting to be filled after a meal. Everyday, I would be risking my life, worrying that someone from the street would call out girl! and some Taliban men would march my way to beat me until death. Barely making through the days on what I make with my job. If I were Parvana, everyone would be counting on me to keep the family from starving to death. Parvana's life is really a life full of horrors.

Out on the street, she kept waiting for people to point at her and call her a fake. No one did. No one paid any attention to her at all. The more she was ignored, the more confident she felt.

Now with her face open to the sunshine, she was invisible in another way. She was just one more boy on the street. She was nothing worth paying attention to.

Presentation: Eva Olsson, Holocaust Survivor

I step into the chapel, breathe in the typical smelly scent of the old place. I see the woman, Eva , and shoot a friendly smile her way. I knew it, just another boring presentation, like all the others. But as she started to speak, the expression in her voice impressed me, for a woman her age. I listen intently, taking in all she has been through, trying to imagine what it was like for her. I look at her carefully and see the terrible fear in her eyes.

On October 26th, 2009, all of middle and upper school saw an inspiring woman speak to us, Eva Olsson, one of the few Holocaust survivors. For fifty years, she didn't speak of it at all, then she finally had an outbreak, and told the world of her terrifying story of the Holocaust. It just amazed me how much she has been through in her life, and to have the courage to fight through it all, that's just unbelievable. It was very inspiring and touching, and she inspired me not to use the word hate so often. She taught us so much about the Nazi bullies, and how hate overcame Hitler and his soldiers. Just a single word can have the largest impact on anyone. Now every time I say that word, I'm going to think about it first, do I really hate it? Hate is something I hear every day, but now that I've heard Eva's experiences, I've learned to think about what I do or say. Is it right? Should I be doing/ saying this?

Eva talked to us about being a bystander only encourages the bullying more. She told us that Hitler could have never accomplished his task without the bystanders. As she walked to the box cars, she remembered all the bystanders, lining up as if watching a holiday parade. Isn't that terrible?

On the ride there, there was one bucket of water to be shared among the hundreds of Jews in the box car, all forced to stand the whole way to Auschwitz. As the Jews were lined up, they were inspected, then sent to the left or the right. People sent to the right were to start working right away, people sent to the left, were sent to the gas chambers, a place no one knew about until they were sent there. Only people in perfect condition would be sent to the right, and maybe live for the first day of harsh work. Whereas people with even just a small scratch or scar, were sent to the left. The hardest thing for Eva was when she was sent to the right, but her mother parted from her as she was sent to the left. Eva told us how she didn't even get the chance to tell her how much she loved her mother for the last time.

Diseases overcame most people, and millions of people died. Eva told us that, not accidents, not sicknesses, but the "h" word killed millions of innocent Jews, just because of their religion.

We learned a few lessons from that amazing speech by Eva:

1. being a bystander to bullying, only bullies the victim even more

2. drinking and driving is not a good choice.

3. the "h" word killed millions of innocent people

I stand up, and am speechless as I leave the chapel. I learned very valuable lessons, that will change my life forever.

Norval

I step off the school bus to find myself standing in grass, staring out into the beautiful open field of Norval. As I stand there, trying to take in all of the beautiful landscape, I realize people are trying to pass me, eager to start the day ahead of them. I take a few steps, still dazed in the amazement of the place. It looks so familiar. I'm trying to remember when I was here in the past, but the picture is too fuzzy to recall. I take a few more steps, struggling to pull myself together, when I see friendly faces. I gain more confidence and follow the crowd, ready to start a day of adventure.

On October 19th, The middle school went to an outdoor centre called Norval. We called it "Team Building Day" because it required some teamwork for the activities we did in the morning. As we got off the bus, they gathered each grade together to do some mini games. The first game was to attach clothes pins to the back of your shirt, and try to grab as many clothes pins as you could off of other peoples shirts. The next game was you were to get into partners, and the person who was "it" would spin around in circles, while the other partner would make a great escape, but speed-walking. Then the chase began as the two would speed-walk after each other. It was quite funny, actually. Then we did the same thing, except we had to have one eye closed, and the other eye would be cupped, to make a cone to make it harder to see. It was rather entertaining to see people collide with each other. Then we split into groups to start the real action.

For the first half of the day, we did low ropes with the group you were chosen to work with. In my group, we did four activities:

1. We had to arrange ourselves in alphabetical order while standing on wooden poles

2. We had to walk across wires attached to trees, with only ropes to stabilize us.

3. We had to walk across wires, again, to transfer from one platform, to another, using ropes, and each other.

4. We had to figure out some way to push a tire off of a tall pole

One activity I think we did well was the second one, walking across the wires. We figured out a great strategy where when someone got to a tree, they would pass the rope attached to that tree to the person behind them, helping them to get across to the next tree. Then the person behind would pass the rope to the person in front of them, and the person in front would carry on to the next tree. It was a challenging activity, but we made it through okay.

Another activity I think we didn't do very well at was the last one, getting the tire off the tall pole. Everyone pitched great ideas- we had ideas from a human pyramid to a human staircase. We even had people standing on each others shoulders! It also helped that we had the smallest and tallest people in our grade in the group, but we still couldn't get the tire off. No one was put down for having a bad idea, we just did something crazy and dangerous when someone pitched the idea. It was actually really fun. My favourite idea was the human staircase. Although it didn't work, it was still really fun to be a part of. Another cool idea that almost worked was that we lifted the smallest and lightest person up on the tire up to the top, and then while she was dangling at the top, holding on for dear life, we tried to think of an idea to get the tire up to her so she could lift it off. That was probably my favourite activity, even though we didn't accomplish the task.

Overall, I thought of the day as fun and entertaining. The activities were a great start for the day, and to top it off, we even did a drum circle! It was fun and everyone participated. It sounded amazing! It was great how the leader got everyone's attention, and he barely said anything. Everyone did what he wanted them to do. They stopped when he motioned us to, and started drumming a certain way by just using his hands as a tool. It was a great way to end the day. The trip got initiative, participation, and teamwork out of everyone.

As I take the first step onto the bus, I memorize all the fun memories I gained that day, that I will remember forever. As I take my seat, I'm sad to leave such a happy place, and I'm excited to come back again next year, for another fun-filled day at Norval. I wave good-bye to the friendly faces and hope to see them again soon.

Does Clothing Shape Who You Are?

I think that the clothing you wear does not shape who you are. When you shop for clothes, you don't always look for clothes that match your character, right? You just shop for the kind of clothing you like and what you think looks best on you.

For example, geeks. Everyone pictures someone smart as a geek, or whatever they want to call them. Wearing glasses, knee socks, and overalls. But when someone is really smart, it doesn't make them uncool. Or the opposite, if someone is popular, then some people might think of them as stupid. What I'm trying to say is that if someone is or is not smart, that doesn't change their appearance. Another example is Lady Gaga. She dresses extremely weird, right? It looks like she's going to a costume party, but I have read in some magazines that she is totally down to earth and normal. I mean, I expected her to be really strange because of the way she looked, but, apparently, she's pretty normal. That's one reason not to judge a book by its cover.

I think that they have children dress in uniforms because first they want the school to look nice and orderly, but second because they care about the children. They don't want the children to be judged by how they look. Some people judge others by how they look or dress before they actually know what the person is like. That is completely unfair. First impressions on people are not how they dress, but how they act.

I dress really colourful, but I'm really actually very shy. When I go shopping I usually go shopping in most of the popular stores. Not because I want to copy everyone else, but once I actually look at it a few times, I like it. Sort of like songs. Whenever I go onto iTunes, I look up the top songs, and I listen to them. I don't really like them at first, but then I listen to them a few times on the radio, and I end up liking them in the end. And when I walk into stores, I usually look for the bright colours, you know the ones that give you some attention, but the truth is, I really don't like having a lot of attention.

That is my opinion on why I think clothing does not shape who you are.