Foote Notes 2024

Foote Notes 2023-2024

Editorial Staff

Will McGill ’25

Zachary Brenner ’25

Contributors

Rayne ’25

Lucas Charles ’26

Abe Harris-Sturges ’26

Mollie Jenkins ’24

Lucy Sunshine ’26

Advisor

Frances Moore

Director of Marketing & Communications

Dedications:

Though she was only here for a year, Ms. Nauen has had such a meaningful impact on us. In addition to tolerating our backstage antics in the 7th/8th grade play She Kills Monsters, she is always someone we can rely on for support and a smile. We wish her luck in graduate school; she will make a great teacher!

As an advisor, coach, and P.E. teacher, Mr. Reiser has been an important part of Foote. He will be missed!

Ms. Ruotolo has taken such good care of us over the years in her role as chair of the Learning Support Program! We will miss her kindness and care for our community.

ALI NAUEN

JOE REISER

TRACEY RUOTOLO

In the Box

Katie May, Grade 1

I will put in the box

The noise of my sister’s joy

The wind blowing in the branches

The sound of a jet soaring through the air

I will put in the box

The words of my favorite book

The shake of a far-away earthquake

The thoughts of a child’s brain

I will put in the box

The love of my mom and dad

The dance that we do on May Day

The smell of a sweet flower

My box is fashioned from metal

With pink pigs on the lid

And Kit-Kats in each corner

I shall build with big blocks in my box

Fall

Iris Ederer-Kerr, Grade 1

I always like fall best.

You can put a yummy s’more close to the warm fire

And watch cute squirrels dash up trees with their cheeks full of acorns

And wear a fluffy vest with buttons and polka dots

And jump in a big pile of leaves that was raked by Mom

And eat delicious, buttery, homemade scones

And be cozy with a warms fire in front of you

And sit on a huge, squishmellow while reading a great book

And get a lemon orzo from Soup Girl

And pat your dog on a soft rug by the fire

And go to the climbing gym on rainy days

And after climbing you can go to Fussy

Coffee

And get ready for winter by getting new skis

Fall

Kira Keeshan-Stewart, Grade 1

I always like fall best.

You can run in crunchy leaves

And sit by the warm fire

And roast marshmallows by the fire

And look up at the stars

And play with friends

And jump in leaf piles

And listen to song birds

And plant with my daddies

And chase squirrels

And play with my puppy

And draw cute animals

And have picnics after picking up my siblings

I Am From

Elleia Bruce, Grade 1

I am from the barking of my dog, Penny, when I come home from school, the cold couch where you’re not sitting for long, and from the swooshing of the lacrosse stick when I’m passing with my mom.

I am from a gray house, my sun room (with mostly nothing in it), and the deck over the big yard.

I’m from the crunching of snacks, the hitting of my brother’s indoor basket-

ball, the delicious smell when Kaelyn bakes something, and the rock wall that covers the vegetable bed.

I am from the climbing tree that me and my dad bike to, and the woods that my family lives near, with all the brown trees.

I am from Easter, with M&Ms and, when I wake up, deciding if we’re going to church on Christmas morning.

I’m from (sometimes) Funky Friday, that we go to at our friends’ house.

I am from reading Harry Potter with my dad, from Avery’s relaxing back rubs at night, and from taking my dog, Penny, on a family walk (because we live near trails).

I am from “Elleia, can you set the table?” and “Elleia, unpack your lunch!” from Taylor Swift’s upbeat songs, and my mom and dad saying, “Go to bed!” I’m from James and the Giant Peach, and Elephant and Piggy, from the screaming from when I was born in Yale New Haven Hospital.

I am from the twelve-hour drive to Hilton Head, from Washington DC, Guilford, and Hamden, CT, from the smell of Philly cheesesteaks, from my grandma’s homemade spaghetti and meatballs, and homemade crepes.

I am from the time when I was not born but my sister, Kaelyn, got ants in her pants,

and she was screaming, and from when Avery was born, and it took about 18 hours and 40-something minutes to get her out of my mom’s belly.

I am from the photograph of my great-grandma’s 100th birthday; she has it in her house, and we still get to see it.

I Am From Aidan Shung,

Grade 1

I am from sweet candy that I have in my room and the dark purple of an amethyst, from a soft, squashy bubble waffle, and the comfort of my two stuffies, Fuzzy and Hot Dog.

I’m from the coziness of the third floor, with some books and toy race cars that go zoom! on the racetracks that I build, and from the softness of the pillows that are there, too.

I am from the smell of my dad’s barbecue, which he makes on cool summer nights, the shocking yellow from an electrifying dandelion,

from the old Japanese cherry tree that blue jays are nesting in, and the sweet smell of it, too.

I’m from the happiness of Christmas, the excitement of Easter egg hunts, and the fun when we read books till we fall asleep on home days.

I am from the funniness of my dad, and the exciting fun of card games with Julia, and from the movie nights we have once a month.

I am from, “Santa’s watching!’ and “No!” or “Yes!” or “Maybe!”

and from, “No one can be bored forever.”

I am from the Pokemon theme song that I ask Alexa to play, from Prince Caspian and The Investigators’ Book.

I am from CT, Asia, Houston, and Taiwan, from eating ice cream at Arethusa, from DQ cookie-dough Blizzards. and from fresh sushi and extra-cheesy pizza.

I am from the time my sister turned five, and we played Pin the Crown on the Princess, and we made a comfy fire, and by accident we used up all the wood. We also had a piñata, and people got all the candy fast, so I didn’t get one piece, and there was an inflatable water slide with water guns attached.

I am from the light magenta from my geode, and dark emerald geode, too. They sit in my room on my work desk.

Looking With Our Poet Eyes

Grade 2

Haikus

Franklin Hu, Grade 1

Beautiful flower

Smells like a bit of the wind You spread love with it

James Schnabel, Grade 1

Slow, hairy climber

They live in the rainforest Big eyes, sharp, curved claws

BASKET

Cairo Burton, Grade 1

Ball bounces

Action!

Shoot the ball

Kicking rule

End of the game

Three pointer!

Frustrated

Adam Oldfield, Grade 2

Teacher says

We have to write a book

I’m only on my beginning

Hard to stay focused

This will never end

Oh, my gosh!

WHEN WILL I FINISH?!

Happiness

Arthur Krontiris-Raskin, Grade 2

I wake up in the morning

It’s A day!

I cannot wait for GYM!

When I come to school

I am excited!

So many games to play! What will be play today?

I AM…..

Spring Mi, Grade 2

I am from my bed

my furry person and pencils

I am from the white and old condo from the excitement of home

I am from the squishy ball-shaped plants

The beautiful oak tree outside

whose long gone limbs I remember as if they were my own.

I’m from Chinese New Year and the Christmas

From my mom and dad

I am from movie night and family game night

and from curl up in bed and read a story together.

I’m from “go to school on time” and “finish your homework”

and the song “7 Rings”

I’m from Halloween

I’m from New Haven, CT and China

Noodles and rice from the trip to Mexico and the stay in the JW Marriott hotel

My sparkly penguin picture on the wall of my room.

I AM…..

Utham Sankar, Grade 2

I am from tooth brushes from toothpaste and tennis rackets

I am from the hardwood floor and white house with good lighting

I am from the American Holly

The Japanese maple whose long gone limbs I remember as if they were my own.

I am from Diwali and black hair from Sankar and Sowmya

I’m from playing tennis with my parents and reading books together and from getting dropped off at the circle. I’m from “get ready for school” and “get in the car”

and the song “The Lazy Song”

I’m from celebrating birthdays

I’m from New Haven and India

Rice and lentils from India’s gods

A lot of gods

The picture of when I was two days old in a car seat on the fridge.

Snowflakes

Jordon River Newkirk, Grade 2

Snowflakes are falling

Gently drifting down making A white soft blanket

Snow

Watson Ivancic, Grade 2

The snow on the ground

Snowflakes falling from the sky

All of the silence

Frustrated

Annabelle Levy, Grade 2

I woke up in the sunrise of the morning

Caroline woke up too I get up but then I TRIP AND FALL!

After breakfast I get dressed

I put on my backpack

Get to school I FORGOT MY LUNCHBOX!

What a TERRIBLE day!

Reluctant

Cove Lee, Grade 2

It’s a new day

I wake up

Rush to eat my breakfast

Let’ go outside and play!

Wait, What?!

I have to take the trash out?!

It’s cold outside!

Alright, better do it now

So I don’t have to do it later.

End of the World

Luke DeCew, Grade 3

In 1,000 years the earth will be gone

We’re all a pawn!

Humanity is the cause of it

We destroy our home without even a fit

One million bottles live in the sea

Just let the ocean be free!

We pump gas in the air and cause global warming

Destroying our future before it starts forming

We litter and don’t care

Not thinking about how the world will fare

We will be the death of us, I swear!

Green

Alma Iaroi, Grade 3

The sound of frogs and grasshoppers by a lake in a rainforest.

The smell of forests and sappy pine needles, the smell of fresh green grass.

The delicious sugary cold citrusy taste of lime sorbet.

The crunchy flavorful taste of broccoli. The soft, but hard feel of parrot feathers.

The bumpy, slimy feel of frogs.

The calm forest air fills the breeze as grasshoppers chirp all around.

Red

Daniel Svolik, Grade 3

An agile fox running through the forest

A chili pepper blazing in your mouth

The sweet flavor of a cherry tingling your taste buds

A blossoming, potted geranium hanging on my fence

The expensive rubies in a jewelry store

The scorched maple leaf dancing from a tree in fall

A rose on Valentine’s Day from your mom

Black

Mikey Conner, Grade 3

Peeling off the cookie part of the Oreo

A car’s dark tires speeding down the road

A panther scratching trees

When there is no light in the room

The Sharpie doodles people make

Ants finding a piece of chocolate cake

Tan

Alaina DeBose, Grade 3

Sand going through my feet at the beach

Taking a seat on a dark wooden chair and reading

The smell of pie cooks in the kitchen

Making cookie dough feels like pudding in the palm of my hands

Feeling happy and excited when I’m playing

Seeing the tigers roar at the amusement park

Diamonte

Farley Fitton, Grade 3

Day

Hot, shiny

Welcoming, playing, talking Sun, light, moon, blackness

Honting, sleeping, resting

Scary, dark Night

Pug

Pugnacious, cute

Loving, smiling, scrambling China, dog, India, forest

Running, pouncing, growling

Powerful,terrifying Tiger

If I Were in Charge of the World

Arjun Keshavareddy, Grade 3

If I were in charge of the world, I’d cancel my noisy alarm clock, waking up early, yucky food, and also hard homework.

If I were in charge of the world, There’d be longer art class, nap time in school

more sleeping in comfy beds Zzz, and candy raining from the sky.

If I were in charge of the world, You wouldn’t have mosquitoes. You wouldn’t have un-comfy t-shirts. You wouldn’t have onions. Or pencil tips stuck in sharpeners. You wouldn’t even have hiccups.

If I were in charge of the world, I would make pencils automatically sharpen, and make everything be chocolate, And a person who sometimes forgot to brush their teeth, And sometimes forgot to pack their homework, Would still be allowed to be In charge of the world.

If I Were in Charge of the World

Daniel El Fakhri, Grade 3

If I were in charge of the world, I’d cancel global warming, The rule that if you enter North Korea you can’t leave, Pollution, and also cancer.

If I were in charge of the world, There’d be less homework at every school, It would rain popcorn once a month, and no bedtimes.

If I were in charge of the world, You wouldn’t have taxes. You wouldn’t have school starting at 8 in the morning. You wouldn’t have bad foods. Or “It’s quiet time in After School!”

You wouldn’t even have After School.

If I were in charge of the world, I would give more water to Africa, Toothpaste would be made of candy, And a person who sometimes forgot to push in their chair, And sometimes forgot to return a book, Would still be allowed to be

In charge of the world.

The Important Poem

Casey Jeong, Grade 3

The important thing about paper is that it can be drawn on. It is a love note. And sometimes a threat. It can be traced, too. But the important thing about paper is that it can be drawn on.

Haikus

Ira Turaga, Grade 3

Moving

Boxes on boxes

My house looks very empty I have to restart

Art

Abstract or still life Everything is creative You can be yourself

Nature

Leaves and trees galore From a seed to a flower Plants are everywhere

Ready for Christmas

Rowan Botelho, Grade 4

watching Christmas movies by the fire making me oh so tired,

happy hearts filled with glee, decorating trees with my family, frosty windows covered in snow watching the Christmas lights glow, stockings hanging by the fire decorating cookies to my desire,

finally Christmas in my new house, now night as quiet as a mouse

Winter

Emma Xiong, Grade 4

In my mouth hot cocoa melts

The same chocolaty flavor I’ve smelled

Hanging ornaments on the tree

All the colors give me glee

Watching lanterns and fireworks at night

So I can work up an appetite

Having dinner with family

Eating the food tastes heavenly

Crystal snowflakes fall on the ground

It tells me playing in the snow is bound

Rolling giant balls of snow

Reminds me of winter long ago

Scarves and hats keep me warm

From the giant snow storm

Finally New Year’s is here

Let’s us all give a cheer

I Am

Quill Rankin Mira, Grade 4

I am positive and artistic I wonder how people write books and it sounds so real

I hear birds chirping in my yard

I see my brother playing I want to be a teacher/coder

I am positive and artistic

I pretend to be good at typing I feel happy about the amount of gymnastics I do I touch paper and colored pencils I worry about my brother I cry about animals dying I am positive and artistic

I understand others emotions I say school is awesome I dream about the leaves blowing in the breeze

I try to make my writing good I hope for equal rights I am positive and artistic

The Amazing Marsh

Alex Kotchen, Grade 5

It was big, crab filled, and fun we also caught a fish, only one Wait no I’m incorrect we caught a lot, they all connect we like to look and learn

Just don’t get a sunburn, We went to the marsh and then the sea, We had such a great time, he he he

It was so fun back then, I want to come visit again

Moon Jellies

Darcy Driver, Grade 5

Sand, it covers the soles and toes of my feet

The water sways so the rocks and the water meet

I wade through the tide, then I stop, I look, I see,

There’s something staring back at me.

A clear, watery, slimy oval

It wasn’t ugly, it wasn’t smelly

It wasn’t smooth, it didn’t sting

It swam back, forward, like a swing I held it and I knew I wouldn’t forget it.

Milford Marsh Journey

Gwendolyn Swift, Grade 5

We pass through the grass and pick up crabs.

Big ones and little ones scamper and scurry. As we get to work on our marsh scavenger hunt.

Put them in the buckets, no more than five ‘Cause they might fight. If we have more, we stick the crabs in the baby pool.

We walk to the beach, the golden rod swaying in the wind

Each of us holds something to use to catch minnows

In the tide pool, large as a blue whale

We get a little wet as we wade in to find the fish,

So we step back onto sand and rocks and lady slipper shells.

I run in, then trip on a rock, and get drenched in water.

I stand up, a bit annoyed

But Dave, the guide, gives me a five on my “dive.”

And I’m wet and I’m sad, but it isn’t half bad, Since we had fun all day.

Milford Marsh Couplets

Erica Choi, Grade 5

On the bus there and back

We may or may not have had a snack

Crabs that pinch Made me flinch

I was very cold Suddenly I saw something bold

The salt marsh Wasn’t harsh

The cone jelly Was not heavy

The Beauty of the Woods

Aila/Kagzi Adams, Grade 5

I found my way to a piece of calm Orange, red, yellow Trees surround big and strong Orange, red, yellow

The season cycle is moving Spring, summer, fall

Summer is over and fall has begun Spring, summer, fall

Seeds of wonder have fallen down Bare, colorless, cold They are preserved underground

Bare, colorless, cold

The seeds sprout loud and colorful

Green, vibrant, bright

All spring and summer growing taller

Green, vibrant, bright

Then all the leaves become a familiar shade

Orange, red, yellow

I see the beauty of the woods

Orange, red, yellow

Though things might change, The woods stays beautiful forever.

Summer Poem

Violet Lloyd, Grade 5

Sounds of laughter and happiness and shrieks of delight echo around us making the sound of music faded

The familiar smell of barbecue smoke fills the air, blanketing everyone in a gray cloud of warmth

The sun sets ever so slowly waving goodbye to all

Kids feet slap against pavement, as grownups talk quietly to one another

Not a care or worry lingers around the day

The summer day ends all around us, the sky turning a peachy pink and then blue, children’s laughter dying down slowly

The chatter of playful birds fills my ears as they are constantly chased by hopeful acorns

wishing to grow into something proud and tall.

The fresh aroma of dew soaked moss swells up in the air. The smoky scent of freshly fallen

leaves shrouds the wistful moss like a nurturing mother.

The rough bark of a wise tree grazes my fingertips as the humble wings of a moth land on the burdened ground carrying the weight of the world on its shoulders.

Many things make up the Foote woods: the birds. the leaves. the moss. the trees, and the animals all in harmony protecting and being protected.

They are all kind to each other and kind to themselves they are all part of the Foote woods.

Trance

Linnea/Hatlee

Wittner, Grade 5

The sun so beautiful and bright glimmers through the golden leaves perfectly

it shines on me and on the trees but I also see the beauty beneath me the ground, cool and moist the trees sway in the wind as I get sucked into a trance when I open my eyes I see leaves falling in front of me the red caught my eye as I watched it fall through the sky so graceful but so calming birds chirping in the distance and children walking by but I am surrounded by nature and that is what matters.

A new light

Dar Assaf, Grade 6

The cold winter days are coming to an end

And it’s now the advent of spring

A warm light

Fills the air

I feel the breeze in my hair

The fresh air makes me feel

At peace

I see the flowers grow

The leaves rustle in the wind

And the birds are chirping

Everything is Perfect

Quicksilver Lake

Natalie Tolchin, Grade 6

A midnight croak of a frog, Wakes me from my sleepy fog,

And as through my window I now spy, A glimmer of light does catch my eye,

And as a closer look I take, I spot that moon-bright mirror lake; That midnight light that sets it aglow, An act in a phantom nighttime show,

Now beckons me to come and look, Investigate what I mistook

As water, when really, it’s fate, That showed to me that quicksilver lake.

That quicksilver lake, Where transient spirits wake, I watch them, only here by chance, Watch their ethereal, primeval, dance.

Ode to Nature and How it Moves

Audrey Lasater, Grade 6

The leaves float,

The snow flutters,

The flowers dance,

The sun shines,

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

All year round the nature sways

Like a dancer on stage,

Or a singer rocking to their song.

A gradual crescendo of nature

It amazes me how much everything moves

All the time, everywhere

And time goes on

The leaves decompose,

The snow melts

The flowers wilt,

And the sun is covered by clouds.

But after it all something is still left

After leaves come snow

And after snow comes flowers

And after flowers so much sun

For this is my ode to the wondrous world

And isn’t it great

To bask in the infiniteness of everything.

This Field of Flowers

Noor Burgess, Grade 6

The flowers of this field were planted last year

These flowers sprouted when the last snow melted

The bees and butterflies fly through their stems that look like skyscrapers to them

Pink flowers, violet flowers, yellow flowers, beautiful pastel colors of all flowers

The sun shines on all

One human, one who loves our earth

She plants the seeds each year

And just like an incantation, her seeds sprout

Just like her mother

Just like her grandmother

And her posterity

Seasons pass quickly

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring again

The human does not come

The ground misses her

It yearns for her seedlings to sprout

It wants to be replete

But with each end there comes a new beginning

A different human now comes with a child in her arms

Now this human plants the seeds

With the help of the growing child as well

Spring after Spring

Peaceful Sounds

Colson Chan, Grade 6

Swaying of the trees

The rushing of the water

Peace surrounds us all

Her Beach

Eloise Dickson, Grade 6

In the morning

The rocks glitter

The sun shines

With the rosy pink and red sunset

I open my window

To let the sun in

To hear the seagulls

The waves crashing on the shore

The beach

Her beach

At night

The stars shine

The crickets chirp

It is low tide

I can smell it

A dolphin jumps with others following

The beach

Her beach

I walk on the beach

Quietly

With my feet in the goopy sand

I find a rock smooth as a sting ray

I put it in my pocket

To save it for my collection

This is the last time

That I will see this beach

For it is being destroyed

By humans

And I will never see it again

The beach

Her beach

Mother Earth’s beach

Reminds Me

Wim Greg, Grade 6

The cool fresh air on my cheeks reminds me

The sweet smell of the flowers reminds me

The warm sun on my skin reminds me

The crescendo of the chirping birds reminds me

The long grass reminds me

The pollen in the air reminds me

It reminds me

It reminds me that we need to preserve this place

It reminds me to care

It reminds me to help

It reminds me that Earth Is our home

Summer

Hatim Elarabi, Grade 6

I love summer

The perfect weather for a runner

Time to kick back and relax

While the weather is still sublime

For when it reaches December

You will remember

Summer Forever

The Sound

Owen Messing, Grade 6

The sound, oh the sound

Of pitter-patter of rain

Of rustling leaves

The sound, oh the sound

Choirs of birds, angelic sang

And as one hath spake,

Breaking the stony silence

The sound, oh the sound

The gray noise of the blue-green sea

The crickets chirping ecstatically, bringing the summery-spring to life

The sound, oh the sound

Me & The Trees

Gage Seymour, Grade 6

In the forest I gaze at towering trees just me and the trees

I feel peace and tranquility

But then again

Just me and the towering trees and maybe a few graceful birds

In the forest I gaze at towering trees and graceful birds

Just me and the trees and the birds

I feel like I can stay here forever

Not be bothered nor interrupted but then again

Just me and the towering trees and the graceful birds and maybe a few magnificent flowers

In the forest I gaze at towering trees and graceful birds a few magnificent flowers

Just me and the trees and the birds a few flowers

I love the forest because when I am there

It’s just me

Our Home

Leah Wilderman, Grade 6

I hear the leaves crunch

I see the trees sway

But then again

I see the trash fly by

And the food scattered around I watch the world around slowly fade

The picture of the world crumples

And the trash and smog take over

The earth seems minuscule

I think about the world and what it has become

I think about the animals and their homes gone

I think about the smoke that lingers in the air

And take in the beauty that is still left

The Gobble-dee-gook

Alex Rouwenhorst, Grade 7

They say, if you go beyond the east mountain range, you will find a monster there. They say it is a slime monster. You have to be super careful though, for it will devour you with cuteness.

I know. Unexpected.

But in all seriousness, the gobble-dee-gook monster has big eyes like you’ve never seen before. They say it lives in the slime kingdom with all its friends but no one’s seen it before. The kingdom, I mean some brave people have tried to go but the gobble-dee-gook was so cute, they joined the slime family and never came back to tell us humans what the kingdom is like.

I am thinking of traveling there myself, but I am afraid for my family that they would never see me again. My plan is, go there, and if it is really great, then I will come back and tell the tale, and then take my family to the kingdom of slime. Maybe it will be a better life for us. In our situation with the village at this moment, it would be best if we moved. We are not exactly on good terms with them right now. But, if I come back with stories to tell about the slime kingdom, the council will definitely appreciate us more. But even with that, our neighbors would probably despise us more.

So, that concludes my plan, but I don’t really know what is going to happen. Should I stay in the village to play it on the safe side, or should I risk it for just a taste of glory?

Coral

Gus Larsen, Grade 7

A natural wonder is often hard to come across but it gets even more difficult by the day. All underwater beauties in life are slowly fading away, turning into gray and white wastelands, soon to be overcome by the human population. Coral is one of the many underwater sanctuaries that

are dying due to our inhumane behaviors, causing the heating of oceans, and more powerful storms that wipe away the life on our planet, draining it to almost nothing. Coral death is only a sliver of what our earth is facing and I would like to shed light on the topic, raising awareness to those who disbelieve the truth of our future.

Not only is coral a natural resource that hundreds of species rely on for homes, food, and shelter, but it is a hugely advertised destination for tropical fish and sea creatures that rely on it with their lives. Take the spiny lobster for example. Without the vibrant coral to inhabit, they have no use for their colorful shells. The backs of lobsters are what help them hunt and survive and with no background to blend into, their population will massively decline from standing out. Predators have a new easy target to hunt and can spot them from hundreds of feet away in the current, swimming for a lost cause of survival. Coral isn’t just a pretty landscape to look at, it is an essential part of millions of creatures’ lives that depend on it. Without coral, groupers will starve, sea horses will be hunted to extinction, and turtles will have no place to live, leading to their immediate downfall. If humans can’t make a difference soon, life in the oceans can never be the same again, existing as a barren, colorless seafloor with no chance at sustaining life.

Coral, nicknamed the rainforests of the sea used to be majestic ecosystems, teeming with life. They are dissolving before our very eyes, now only covering around 1% of the known ocean floor. However, the healthy reefs still remaining, house nearly a quarter of the known marine species. Stud-

ies show that now, we have only 10-15% of the coral we used to have 100 years ago. As the earth is currently warming at 1.1°, that number will decrease faster than what you would like to imagine. The burning of fossil fuels is slowly warming the planet, causing extreme weather conditions for which the coral can not handle, becoming brittle, slowly dying, and eventually being swept away in the ocean currents or settling into the sand, never to be observed again. The process in which the coral dies and becomes white is known as bleaching. This occurs when the coral excretes zooxanthellae, a chemical responsible for producing color and when it is repelled, drains it to eventually fade to a bright white.

There are endless ways to save this natural spectacle, some that also help our lives. An easy solution to help save nearly a quarter of the coral we have lost is to spread the word! Not only will it make people aware of such an important cause, but it will remind you to keep in mind how our everyday actions and routines may be causing harmful effects on our essential resources and environments. Helping to inform people of the issue at hand is almost just as important as conserving our use of water that we use on a daily basis. The runoff water from either brushing your teeth, or washing dishes doesn’t play a huge role in disrupting our marine ecosystems. What is harmful is leaving the sprinkler on outside your house for hours on end or taking unnecessarily long showers. These small changes in your life that you may choose to act on will affect the ocean quality to extreme levels. The runoff water from these tasks eventually find their way into the ocean, making it unsanitary for

the ocean life that lives by the shore, causing their population to eventually downfall if we keep up these habits. I have only skimmed the surface of what is possible to accomplish in saving our seas, and by doing little things like picking up trash and telling your friends, you save the planet.

I am confident that if we humans try our best to conserve the little paradises we have left on this planet, they will thrive, expand, and eventually become healthy once again. It is important to remember that it takes twice as long to fix damage as it takes to create it. When I grow up I hope to witness the sea bloom more vibrantly than ever before, and sustain itself with no further support from humans. All life on this planet is worth saving, from dragonflies, to beluga whales, every animal on this planet has a purpose, even coral.

Spring Birds

Desi

Freidah, Grade 8

When I wake up I hear the songs of spring birds

When the flowers start to grow they know Its their Calling

I know that it’s the calling of Spring

They chirp together composing a song

A piece that for the next few months I will wake up too I will run too Play too Listen too

The songs of the spring birds

They bring joy and an overcoming feeling of

Freedom

When they fly through the air

They bring color to the sky

Through the rainstorms

They sing their song

One will start

The other will

Respond

One by one they each add to the Spring song

Written by the Spring birds

Untitled Sasha Bindra, Grade 8

The clock is ticking

Time is passing, slowly

Slower

Yet it races like a bolt of lightning

My thoughts linger to the new possibilities

Friends are rolling of moving out

Destined for different paths

One must walk alone

Take the old and find some new

This journey is coming to and end

I’ve called this place home for many years

Last day is approaching

The time is right

Moving on and memories will still stay

I am grateful for each other

In a different way

Time Maya Abeles, Grade 8

How do we measure time,

By the tick of a clock or by the rising and falling of the sun.

My life is every teardrop I’ve shed, sus-

pended in space.

The candles on my birthday cake and the wishes I begged someone to grant.

Life is every pang of dread in my chest.

Perhaps the calm of heavy breathes.

Time surely cannot be measured by the blooming of flowers in spring because every year the weather changes,

Mutating like the splitting cells in my body.

How can the flowers know when to bloom?

What measures a lifetime?

Artist problems

Rayne Queen, Grade 8

Stay up until midnight

Stay up to read

To write

To draw

To procrastinate

Wake up at three

Draw

Write

Read

Miserable in the morning

The afternoon

The night

Until I say to myself; “I do what I want”

And I free my mind

I draw, read, write

Go to sleep at nine

Wake up at six

Artist problems

Mine, yours, everyone’s Artist problems for us all to love

Thrill

Will McGill, Grade 8

There are so many ways to get a thrill!

Riding a loop on a roller coaster, Scoring the winning goal in a soccer game, Performing for the first time And hearing a whole crowd applaud for you.

Thrills, after all are just turning fear Into excitement.

The rush of adrenaline you get is huge. But then,

The roller coaster ends, You lose the game during penalties, The theater closes for the night.

It’s the greatest feeling in the world, Until it Stops.

Untitled

Justin Aseme, grade 8

I enter my room after a long day at school. Hoping for it to tranquilize and bring peace upon me.

I gaze at my bed and fall onto it letting gravity take me to my soft and plush bed. there I asked my room “why me? Why am I the only one” then I hear from a voice “don’t worry it’s a part of the plan.”

Untitled

Aquinnah Anastas, Grade 8

The waves hit the shore

The shore that burns your feet on a hot summer day

The hot summer day that you longed for all

winter

The winter that made the sun set before you were ready for it to be dark

The sunset that painted the sky all your favorite colors

The sky the clouds rumble across on a stormy night

The stormy night the make the ocean rough and angry

The ocean that pushed the waves onto the shore

The world moves full circle

Always

Coming back to

The waves.

Void

Zachary Brenner, Grade 8

1. The spinning of the universe, 2. Inconceivably immense.

3. But also at the same time

4. just infinitely dense.

5. Its spinning all around us,

6. so much to see and find,

7. Yet there is so much out there, 8. it is too much for any one mind.

9. I think there is a lesson there, 10. In that unending void of space.

11. It’s all too much for one to know, 12. So we should be happy in our place.

13. The things out there are never clean, 14. or cut or dry or neat.

15. And many of them we have seen, 16. but most we will never meet.

17. So be happy on this tiny rock

18. Floating through this silent plane.

19. Be happy as we float along, 20. And everyone will do the same.

Untitled

Ari Lopez, Grade 8

While we are told to stay quiet we hear more and more noise, ironic how it’s not from us.

We are told not to kill

Where is our money being spent?

We are told to stay successful

My next test doesn’t decide the inevitable

My next school doesn’t decide the nursing home I die in

We are told to be kind

Not passive aggressive.

Not backhanded.

Not condescending.

Not loud.

Why should I care when hypocrisy breaks its rules

Do you feel accomplished?

Every decision, lie, tear, word and action led up to now

Are you doing what you want

Do you enjoy your life

Or are you weighed down by work

Burdened by commitment

Confused by purpose.

Stay quiet

Be kind

Don’t kill

Don’t hurt

And then, you’ll have a perfect life like me

Working until my eyes shut

Working so I can eat

Eating so I can live

Living so I can die

Are you going to be fulfilled after your legs are too frail to walk

Are you gonna be fulfilled after your bones are too weak to work

And after your mind becomes fragile like a glass

Do you recommend your guidelines to the rest

So that they end up like you

Or maybe they’ll have a better chance at worth

Why would I pack according to a path that I am uninterested in?

Ha, erased…

Fluidity

Kameron Shahid, Grade 8

It ebbs and flows like the thoughts that drift from person to person. It gives and takes, fierce as a dragon yet quiet like a turtle. A force to be feared, but also loved.

Fluidity.

Conforming itself to every shape it meets. It adapts to every new thing good or bad wrapping it in its embrace forming it into something of belonging. Water. Never destroyed or created. Just existing. In Fluidity.

Away from the Light

Sofia Chun, Grade 8

I wait, shrouded by the blinding rays and fiery sparks of a being all are familiar with. But, when I escape the confining curtains of light, a luminous and silver beacon arises into the inky voids of the sky, catching the hopes and dreams of blooming adolescents, to the sunken secrets that lie deep in the souls of those who have long lost the gift of innocence.

Yet alas, as long as I shall hold these wisps of the soul,

I am forever forced to exist affixed to the glistening lifeline of light.

Even when I shine with every glimmer of strength in my core, when I tear apart the tapestry of the sky, woven by threads of mist and haze, I am nothing more than a reminder for those who see me to turn away, forcing themselves to disappear into the blank vacuum of slumber.

I say, oh, I am miserable, what shallwhat should I do?

But from the culmination of consciousness crusted upon my surface, transmitted to me from the surreptitious thoughts of sprouting children and dwindling elders,

I do not need the light of another to shine, in darkness, I shall find solace, and in the shadows, I shall reside.

The things that keep me calm

Ava Rose, Grade 8

The sun

The air

The earth

The things that keep me calm

The things that ground me

The wind blowing through my hair

The ocean breeze

The sand between my toes

The sound of birds chirping in the morning

The morning glow shining through my window

The moonlight casting upon me

The things that keep me calm

The sound of wind blowing through the trees

The warm ocean water surrounding me

The smell of fresh dirt

The sun rays warming me up

The things that keep me calm

The things that ground me

Summer Day

William Matouk, Grade 8

I walk to the dock

Leaning towards the edge and drop a stone that slowly falls to the bottom,

Glistening water comes up

Like the rising sun

On cold summer nights.

I slowly edge closer to the water

And whisper

“ Why aren’t thou-.”

“Why aren’t you there to comfort me

In times of need.”

And in a rising shining voice of tranquility

It responds with:

“I am but you choose not to see me.”

Excuse me, I have work to do

Samir Iydroose, Grade 8

Mountains of spinach wilted into a small green mass. The dirt washed away from a bowl of leeks. Cilantro chopped finely, eggs whipped into the greens. A pan oiled and shining, a sizzling sound when everything goes in. The bottom browns, the top is still green. Flip it into a plate then back into the pan. I woke up tired. Now I have a meal to share with my family.

Blue sky day, hiking up sleeping giant. Around a turn we saw two turkey vultures on a branch, in the sun, looking out from a great height. We often see these birds in the distance, kettling, the white stripe on the bottom of their wings visible from the ground. Then we came across a third standing on a rock wings spread out

warming them in the sun. We were very quiet as we passed by, only a few feet away. We did not want to disturb them. Later, a fourth, cutting through the air maybe going to join its friends.

The Big Oak Tree

Logan Slabaugh, Grade 8

The Big Oak Tree

Big and wide, Where I go to hide, The big oak tree.

Providing shade, There for shelter, Dropping acorns, The big oak tree.

If you need a quiet place, Or even a hug, The oak tree is there, It is always there, Never moves, The big oak tree.

Grew up with you, Watched you grow, Big and beautiful, Providing shade, shelter, and satisfaction Has helped you and so many others, The big oak tree.

Soft Sleep

Raven Pitskel, Grade 8

Dark brown, rough sticky substances drip, green of all shades, also some brown, red, orange, yellow too. One falls, floats towards the soft ground like a bird settling into its nest. I look up at the great oak with its broad shoulders and kind smile, I place my hand on the bark, I feel the sap stick to me but I don’t mind, my eyes gently shut when they flutter open I don’t know how long it’s been

I jump back, startled, as a squirrel scurries up the tree, the wind blows, leaves shake, a bird flies high above me, I open my arms, spread my wings, Imagine I am in the air flying. I rub my eyes, let the tears fall, I don’t remember I have sap on my hands. I slowly drift down into a soft bed of dirt I sleep with the ground, I sleep.

Quite A Story

Lorenzo Graham, Grade 9

Hello everyone! Welcome to my show! My name is Mickey, Mickey Nugget. I’m sure you’ve heard of me, the elite super special agent for MI6? Never mind. If you don’t know what that is, well, good, but I’ll tell you anyway: it is the McDonald’s Intelligence Six. We are six … things that go and spy on other restaurants with the mission of bringing back Intel to help us become the greatest fast food chain in the world! Well, even though we kind of are.

But anyway, the MI6 is composed of two undercover employees, two french fries, me, and a pane of glass. A bit weird, but he can see everything, duh. Also, no one would ever expect a pane of glass to be spying on a fast food chain smack dab in the middle of Boringville on Route 1 who is actually a super secret spy for McDonald’s and is using their super secret spyware to bring back intel to make good ol’ Mickey D’s the greatest fast food chain in the world.

Anyway, I came here to tell you the story of how I became the greatest chicken nugget super secret spy to ever exist. Very competitive field, trust me.

It was a dark and stormy night, and this little nugget went to fight. I was an elite super special agent in training, super close to my big break, when the squad rolled up into the drive-through of our sworn enemy, BURGER KING!

Our plan was simple, order a 10 piece, disguise myself in it, then one of our decoy employees would turn into a “Karen” and send the nuggets back to get fried and salted again. Sounds dangerous, but I’m a nugget for Pete’s sake, I don’t feel pain. Once I was

in, I would go in through the secret hatch in the fryer to the backrooms, where I could hopefully see the Burger King, plop myself in his mouth, his mouth would get burned, I would give the signal, and the backup team takes over. I succeed, McDonald’s goes down in history and I become a full super spy elite guy or whatever I’m called. I fail, and it’s back to being a freaking McNugget and wishing I could have been a Chick-Fil-A nugget instead.

As I am being carried into the restaurant, I scope out the place, and no suspicious activity going on, the coast is clear. The BK employee angrily sets me into the fryer with the rest of the nuggets, but it’s late, and they are in their sleeping stage, oblivious to the action around them. I need to find the hatch. Hey, there it is! Pull! Jeez, it’s a whopper of a door. Funny. Finally, it budges, and whoosh, I am propelled by the oil into the tubes that lead to the mysterious backrooms.

This is where it gets tricky, now that the employees will know that I’m on their tail. I am being rushed through the tubes like a giant water slide when suddenly there I am stopped by a vent, and I hit the metal like a truck. At least I am dry though, meaning the oil must be gone… the oil is gone! Scanning around, it suddenly becomes dark, and I look and see the Burger King’s face covered with oil, staring right at me. He yanks the vent cover off, furious, and starts to… BEEP BEEP BEEP. Ugh, I do not want to go to work! Did I set my clothes out? No? Fiddlesticks. I guess they’re in the washing machine. And why do I want chicken nuggets at seven am?

The Battle

Christian Herron, Grade 9

The battlefield stretched endlessly, a desolate landscape scarred by the echoes of despair. Smoke hung low in the air, causing a sharp pain with every breath. My vision was impaired due to the thick smoke, also dimming the light and completely shrouding the horizon. What was once a beautiful carpet now stood as trash, remnants of plastic cases and battle-hardened paws leaving their indelible marks. Such a small skirmish became a nightmare. In the end, though, the toys emerged triumphant, prevailing over the despicable electronics.

Amidst the wreckage, the battlefield told a tale of resilience and the enduring spirit of play. The scent of burnt circuitry mingled with the faint fragrance of plush fur creating an odd aroma. Broken action figures and game controllers lay scattered like fallen soldiers, testaments to the intensity of the conflict that unfolded. As the smoke began dissipating, revealing the aftermath of the battle, a quiet settled over the scene. The victorious stuffed animals stood tall, their seams and stitches proudly displaying the scars of war. The once tumultuous landscape now held a somber beauty, a testament to the resilience of childhood imagination and the enduring power of play in the face of technological encroachment.

My name is Wilson, and I am, or should I say, was, a red teddy bear. I was the general for the toys, which means I led my army to victory over the electronics. Life in the old days, unfolded in the embrace of peacefulness. The room used to sprawl with vivid fantasy and creative imagination and the toy box was a deep, gloomy ditch that would rarely ever

be filled halfway, let alone brimming capacity. The legion of action figures stood tall on the sentinel shelves proudly displaying their prowess in unique poses that hinted at tales untold. Cars lay scattered on the road layout of the carpet, patiently but angsty waiting to be competed among the others in a thrilling battle of speed. Dolls lived their best lives drinking tea and enjoying each other’s company in their bedside palace. Building blocks messily existed in a pile as remnants from a colorful skyscraper.

Life was perfect to say the least, until one unfateful purchase on an ominous day cast a shadow over our wondrous paradise, turning the once harmonious symphony of elating playtime, into a sour and discordant melody of discomfort, discomfort, and of course, unparalleled destruction. The escalation of the battle between toys and electronics was a slow but inevitable metamorphosis, a clash of worlds that unfolded with insidious subtlety.

It all began innocently enough with the arrival of a sleek, alluring electronic device, promising boundless entertainment and connectivity. The once harmonious room, adorned with a vibrant array of cherished toys, suddenly found itself infiltrated by the cold glow of screens and the hum of unseen circuits.

At first, the toys stood resolute, unperturbed by the encroaching tide of technology. However, the electronic intruders wielded a potent allure, captivating the attention and imagination of their young owners. The children, once captivated by the tangible joys of tactile play, succumbed gradually to the seduction of virtual worlds and instantaneous gratification. The action figures on the shelves, once regal in their stoic poses, began to lose their audience to the mesmeriz-

ing glow of digital adventures. Toy cars found themselves neglected as virtual racetracks became the new arena of choice. Even the dolls, erstwhile queens of imaginative tea parties, faced stiff competition from virtual avatars.

Eventually, we had enough.

Looking With Our Poet Eyes: Part II

Grade 2