April 2011
April is National Poetry Month INSIDE: Our Voice Poetry Contest winners First-place winner: Mikayla Vaiieuwenhoven an eighth-grader at Ben Franklin Junior High School
You told your secret, from your dark dark past, expecting nothing but for it to pass. But to your horror, your secret was wrong, you were misguided, mistreated, misled. But as your guardian angel, I promise now and forever I will protect you from all. I’ll hide your stricken face close to my chest, wrap my wings, so dark, so true, all the way around you. Forever I hold you close to my heart, for you I will die. And with that promise, I cross my heart. A product of the Stevens Point Journal & Boys & Girls Club
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April 2011
ur Voice held a poetry contest over the recent months and asked Portage County students to submit their best work. Each student could submit up to two poems. It was difficult to chose a winner, because all the work submitted was great. But
Our Voice staff chose Mikayla Vaiieuwenhoven’s piece as the first-place winner. Vaiieuwenhoven is an eighthgrader at Ben Franklin Junior High School. Her winning poem is on the front cover. The other contest entries are below and on page 4.
Meet Mikayla Vaiieuwenhoven Age: 13 I enjoy writing because it’s a way to get my emotions out in words. When I grow up I want to be a poet or a writer. I get my inspiration from those I love and emotions I feel. One of my favorite authors is Maggie Stiefvater, and another is Scott Westerfeld. My favorite books are “The Uglies” series, and “Shiver.” Besides writing, my hobbies include reading and drawing. Little boy all cozy in bed, not a sound, but the faint chirping crickets. Nothing any human could hear, until a tiny voice asked, “Is he the one?” The question left hanging in the air, the few words that will haunt him forever. The few words that confuse the rich and worry the poor. The four little words whispered into the night, the four little words that will change his life, Forever. The four few words you’d never want to be asked, few words that can leave the world dependent on you, and only you. The words that can kill, the words that can hurt, the words that will one day unveil your past, future, and over all being. All from a tiny voice that asked, “Is he the one?” -- Mikayla Vaiieuwenhoven
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Now I know I said things, did things that I didn’t mean to do! I hope that you know that I still love you, and I don’t want you to go. If you want me to go then that’s your choice, but I’ll do whatever I can to turn it all around. If there’s something you want me to do, I’ll do those things so well I won’t even make a sound. I’ll do this because I love you and I don’t want you to go and if you do want me to just think of what I said, keep it in your head. I’ll do whatever I can to turn it all around. I promise that I’ll do those things so well I won’t even make a sound. I hope this is a dream and that things aren’t as they seem. I’ll try to live a better life, but what am I waiting for. -- Jim Hendrick, a seventh grader at P.J. Jacobs Junior High School
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April 2011 “They Tell Me”
They tell me it won’t be awkward if you know. That it will be easier. They tell me if I say hi, you’ll answer. If only I could talk to you. They tell me to get up the courage to talk to you. Because you make good conversation. They tell me we’d be cute together. If only you’d see me. They tell me all these things ... I find it hard to believe them. I tell them it will be awkward if you know. It won’t be easier. If only I could find out myself. -- Jackie Wittry, 14 an eighth-grader at Ben Franklin Junior High School
Meet Jackie Wittry I enjoy writing because it lets me transfer whatever I’m feeling into something I can share and look back on. When I grow up I want to be a veterinarian. I got my inspiration from the heartbreaks and crushes and drama that I have experienced. I can’t even name my favorite authors there are so many!! I don’t have a favorite book, because I just LOVE to read!! Besides writing, my hobbies include reading, spending time with my family, and dancing.
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“Only Time Will Tell” Will I ever stop wanting you? Only time can tell ... Will she ever stop stealing you? I doubt it, but time will tell. Can you ever see that she’s a liar? Only time will tell ... Will we ever stop this silly game? Time can tell. When will this be over? Time will only tell ... When will you stop bothering me? Only time can tell ... Time may tell, but only I can decide the time. -- Jackie Wittry, 14
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April 2011
Civil War
This is a tale of a nation thus divid’ed, A vision of hope in liberty did in the soldiers’ hearts reside. Willing to fight, and even to die In order to keep this dream alive. An expression of courage and not of fear They on their faces wore, The gen’ral cries, “Bring up the rear!” To those upon the fore. Bodies lay on the green, Cloaked in robes of blood, Oh what great tragedy, Could I bring them back I would! “Four score and seven-” The Gettysburg Address: A tribute to those scores of men Who here were laid to rest. Blood, blood upon the land, We cannot wash away, Gravestones upon it stand Reminders of that fateful day.
DEAD OR ALIVE
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n her quarters, Angela lay in a heap on her small, hard cot. She wondered why she was here. Apparently, Sling has said that it had only been 3 hours since she had last been on land, but Luke, Toady and Fender seemed so far away. Wait! Angela sat up and wondered where Fender was. He had been with her at the trap door, and had been there when she slipped into a fast moving something. But after that, she didn’t remember anything. Her head pounded from thinking so intensely. She got off her cot and went to the door. Slowly cracking it, she peeked out. When Sling had brought her to her quarters, he had briefly answered her questions. “Okay, so I’m in a building….3,000 feet under the ocean?” she had asked. Sling nodded. “The Pacific, actually. And it’s precisely 3,055 feet to be exact. But yes. You’re under the ocean, but not quite in a building. This is a pod.
Angela grabbed the handle in her sweaty grip and shoved the door forward. The door swung open quite easily and her extra strength had been unneeded. She was thrown into the dark room and the door slammed shut behind her. Some dim lights above flickered on and she looked up. Starring down at her was a giant dragon, its eyes alive and burning and its hot, smelly breath choking her.
- Gabrielle Morey Our Voice Staff Home-Schooled Tenth Grader
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Editor’s note: This is the eighth chapter in a continuing series. For the next chapter, see the May issue of Our Voice.
the time. Now, she was peeking out into the hallway, searching for any signs of life. Seeing none, she slowly opened the door wide enough for her to get out and left it slightly ajar as she tiptoed down the tunnel’s dark brown carpet. At the corner, she decided to go to the left. Unusually, the hallway ended after a few doors down. Abruptly ending the hallway was a solid, large, thick wood door that blocked out sound from the other side.
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By Hanna Burch Our Voice Staff Ben Franklin Junior High School Eighth-Grader
We have 25 of them under the Pacific. You’re in number 16,” Sling said while looking straight ahead and marching down many hallways, which all looked the same. Angela had wondered if they were walking in circles, since the hallways, or tunnels, seemed to all have the black chip on all the corners, the same gray stripe down the exact middle of the tunnel, and the rooms in the different hallways all were numbered the same. “So, why am I here? How’d I get here?” Angela questioned after Sling’s complicated answer digested in her brain. “I can’t tell you what you’re here for. We’ll let the Madame, Olive, tell you. You got here by that trap door on the island. When you got to the bottom, you accidentally slammed the automatic button which took over your senses and zoomed you through the tunnel at 100 miles per hour,” Sling answered. “Any more questions?” Now he sounded annoyed. “Uh, nope,” Angela mumbled under her breath and lowered her head. Sling led her to her quarters, which was just a small room with a cot, a table and a three legged chair. Angela wondered where the bathroom was, but hadn’t asked Sling at
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April 2011
BEN FRANKLIN JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS PERFORM SPRING PLAY
By Hanna Burch Our Voice Staff Ben Franklin Junior High School EighthGrader
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n March 10 and 11, Ben Franklin Junior High School held its spring play, “Cinderstein.” It was a humorous play, a clash of Frankenstein and Cinderella, two well known tales. The play was directed by Mrs. Lauri Zalewski
and Ms. Dianna Moua, and student directed by ninth grader Mikayla Landowski. “I’m so thankful that the directors, Mrs. Zalewski and Ms. Moua, offered me a chance to be the student director,” Landowski wrote in the “Cinderstein” program. “Cinderstein” was a play within a play. For the first half, the actors were practicing for the final performance of “Cinderstein,” with many scenes interrupted by the actress director, played by Kali Fedenko. The second half of the production was the final performance of “Cinderstein” that the actors had been
practicing for. Ms. Chris Schlicher, a 7th and 8th grade English teacher at Ben Franklin, attended the play “Cinderstein” March 9, when some seventh and eighth period classes were allowed to preview the play during the dress rehearsal. “Being a former play director myself, I could relate to the problems within the play. The play itself was very fun to watch, and the cast did a good job acting. The costumes were great and it was very creative.”
cast practiced for about two months, every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. after school. Heather Quisler, a dancer in the play, wanted to be a part of the cast to try Schlicher said. something new. The main part in “Cinderstein,” which was “My favorite thing Cinderella, was played by about performing in ‘Cinderstein’ was Izzy Glodosky. The evil meeting new people and stepmother was played by Elaina Schuh, and the making great memories,” Quisler said. Fairy Goshmother was Jordan Danielski, a played by Sierra White. dancer, said, “I think the Over 50 people were play went really well. The involved in the play’s cast has become like a production overall. The
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family to me, and it is sad to see it all end.” This reporter attended the play twice and didn’t get tired of the humor. The entire production was a unique comedy that kept you on the edge of your chair, waiting for what’s next. The writer of “Cinderstein,” Kamron Klitgaard, wrote a very creative script which I thought the seventh through ninth grade Ben Franklin students acted out very nicely. The cast, crew and directors should be very proud of their work. And the directors agreed, saying it was an extreme honor to direct the talented group of students.
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April 2011 on his adventures. The musical included many of the favorite songs from the Disney movie as well, such as “Friend like Me” and “A Whole New World,” as sung by the middle school students. What made the production unique though, was that there was By Kaylyn Kluck a “Cast A” and a “Cast Our Voice Staff B.” With so many eager St. Peter Middle School Eighth-Grader actors, it made sense to have two casts instead of one. All the main roles fter two months were cast twice. Cast A of rehearsing, performed on Wednesday St. Peter Middle and Friday, and Cast B School set the stage to performed on Thursday put on a production of and Saturday. This way, no their version of “Aladdin two performances were Jr.,” which took place on March 2, 3, 4, and 5 at the exactly alike. The cast included more Pacelli Fine Arts Center. than 30 students who The story line followed played various roles in this the outline of the classic musical. Brooke Filtz, an Disney tale, following eighth grader, played a Arabian boy Aladdin
A
St. Peter Middle School Presents Aladdin Jr.
St. Peter Middle School performed “Aladdin Jr.,” which took place on March 2, 3, 4, and 5 at the Pacelli Fine Arts Center.
dancing harem girl one night and Cast A’s Princess Jasmine on the other. “This was the first play I have ever been in,” she said. “I was so happy to get a lead role! This has been such a cool experience, and there are so many good memories.” Michelle Nerren, the head director of “Aladdin” simply said, “We are having a blast!” Students and directors
were enthusiastic about how much fun putting on this play has been. Heather Kelly, a University of WisconsinStevens Point student, was an intern director for the musical. “It’s been a really great experience,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect coming in, but it turned out to be really great.” MJ DeBot said he loved “being able to express
himself” in the role of Cast B Aladdin. Dalton Guinn played the villain of the musical, Jafar. He described the whole experience as “pretty awesome.” “I was really glad to be cast as Jafar,” he said. Rebecca Formella enjoyed her role as Cast B Genie. “This has been awesome, because all the actors, directors, and parents involved make it a wonderful experience,” she said. Katy Pozorski attended the show and loved the singing. “The genie was the absolute best part.” she said. Eighth grader Hannah Pisarski had the starring role in last year’s production of “Annie.”
This year, she chose to work behind the scenes as part of the backstage team. She was grateful for both experiences. “I like this play,” she says, “I’m so sad that it’s going to be over!”
Check the May issue of Our Voice for the next installment of Dream Catchers by Kaylyn Kluck, a St. Peter Middle School EighthGrader.
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