September 2018 issue by Kids Standard

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The Best of Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Standard 2017-2018

Motivate. Activate. Celebrate.

F E AT U R E

Index:

The Best of Kids Standard 2017-2018

Feature..................................................2 Editorial Calendar...............................3 Best Narratives....................................4 Best Informational Essays..................9 Best Geographic Writing..................13 Best Reflective Essays ......................15 Best Poetry.........................................18 Best Book Review..............................20 Best Fiction ........................................21 Best Non-Fiction................................25 Best Opinion Essays.........................27 Educators............................................30 Parent’s Corner..................................31 Volunteer opportunity is available for students and adults. Contact us info@kidsstandard.com Let us know if your school wants to partner with us. Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/kidsstandard Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/kidsstandard 248-410-3976 © Copyright Kids Standard Publication Inc, Michigan. All Rights Reserved

Dear Readers and Writers,

e live in the world where learning and working environments seem to routinely require writing outputs. One way or the other, we write daily. As a learning tool, writing is important because it helps us think critically about the material, while we grasp, organize, and integrate prior knowledge with new concepts. As a creative tool, writing helps us share our vision of the world and express who we are as human beings. When our young writers compose for publication, they think on paper and paint with their words. Informational writing typically offers new interesting information. Narrative writing tells a story of a real experience, event, or sequence of events. Opinion pieces, along with providing information, bring along elements of persuasion to make people believe that the writer’s point of view is correct. Reflective essays capture the depth of writers’ thinking about the world

Arina Bokas

Kids’ Standard Editor & Author of Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools to Communities

around them. Every genre has its purpose. To celebrate the beginning of another year of learning and writing, we have put together this wonderful collection of the best work that was published in our magazine last school year - “The Best of Kids Standard 2017-2018.” Happy reading and learning!

www.kidsstandard.org Disclaimer: All editorial and advertising material submitted to Kids Standard becomes the property of Kids Standard to be reproduced as seen fit. It will not be returned unless by prior arrangement. Submitted material includes advertising artwork and editorial content (including but not limited to: articles and images, art work and creative writing). All the designs remain the copyright of Kids Standard. Kids Standard welcomes comments and suggestions, as well as information about errors that call for corrections. Kids Standard is committed to presenting information fairly and accurately. Feedback: info@kidsstandard.org

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E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R December 2018

2018-2019 Editorial Calendar

We Can Change The World By making a choice to face injustice, to be helpful and kind, to speak up, To educate yourself as well as others or to just smile to someone who is upset, you can start a motion of positive energy and actions that can bring about change. What does it mean to you “to change the world?” Share their stories.

January 2019 | My Friends and I Our friends are important to us. Tell us about your relationships with your friends, important connections between you, and meaningful experiences that you have had together. What lessons have your friendships taught you? What is the difference between real friends and fake friends? What makes someone a good friend? Why do people need friends? How does our choice of friends shape our character? Share your experiences and ideas about anything related to friends, peer pressure, and developing friendships.

September 2018

Best of Kids’ Standard 2017-2018

October 2018

The Power of Writing In this electronic age, writing power can be just as important to politicians and business people as it is to novelists or poets. Most important decisions involve complex choices. To understand the complexity of a problem, as well as the available solutions, we must turn to written communications. Writing can also be beneficial for all of us, because it is also therapeutic. One of the most powerful parts of getting better is developing the ability to observe our thoughts and feelings.

November 2018

Math and Modern Technology Science grew out of Mathematics. Mathematics is the oldest subject or practice in the history of mankind. Today mathematics finds a wide application, far beyond being a subject at school. Mathematics helps in progression of technological innovation in day-to-day life. How does math help evolution of science and technology in automobiles, medicals, computer and database management, surgery, or agriculture?

Motivate. Activate. Celebrate

KS After School Writing Club Helps Develop 6 Skills Kids Standard Magazine is a publication in which youth are the primary authors! Your student is invited to attend our after school program that will give him or her an opportunity to become a published writer or artist. Over the last three years, Kids Standard has published the work of nearly 800 Oakland County students. We have given various awards to over 400 writers. We received very positive feedback from schools, parents, and students alike. • • • •

If your child likes to write, great! Our trained staff will work with your child to improve his or her writing. If your child doesn’t like to write, great! We will make sure that this experience is fun, so your child will learn to love it. If your child doesn’t have a lot of time, great! The program is set up for just one hour weekly. This is a great vehicle for all children to become better learners, readers, writers, and communicators!

Communication

Critical Thinking

Creativity

Collaboration

Confidence

Effective Writing

Learning to Write & Writing to Learn We empower students to become published writers through better developing their Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Communication, and Effective Writing. To see other children’s work, please visit: http://kidsstandard.org/magazine

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How Being Miss Pre-Teen Michigan Helped Me Grow

By: Cameron Brosky, 7th grade, Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston

n 2015, I had the extraordinary honor of becoming Miss Pre-Teen Michigan United States. It was a whirlwind year of community events, public appearances, and more fun than I could have ever hoped for. These experiences helped me grow in many important ways and shaped me into the person I am today. Becoming Miss Pre-Teen Michigan 4

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pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had to speak in front of big crowds of people I didn’t know. I walked up to random strangers at various functions and talked to them about something related to these events. At one pageant, I even stayed up until midnight wearing a very itchy dress, and it was a big reach to walk onto that stage to speak and compete. This taught me that perseverance pays off. As Miss Pre-Teen Michigan, I had an opportunity to travel outside of my local

area and experience parts of the United States I had never seen. When I made it to the national pageant, we were invited to Washington D.C. Before that, I had never been to the East Coast. It was super cool to tour all of the monuments and the Capitol. I even got to sit at then Vice-President Joe Biden’s desk! This trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! During that week, we also got to see the Fourth of July fireworks in Washington D.C. It was the most beautiful show I’ve seen, right in the heart of the country.

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These events showed me that there is a lot of beauty in the world. Most importantly, being Miss PreTeen Michigan gave me opportunities to do good while doing something I loved: Help animals. I had the privilege to select the Michigan Humane Society as my community service platform. Animals had always had a big place in my heart, as I realized that animals couldn’t speak up for themselves; many were stuck in pounds, abandoned, or abused. I spent the entire year traveling around the state

SEPTEMBER 2018

of Michigan representing animals for the Michigan Humane Society, including working at the Detroit Zoo’s “Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo Day” adoption event. This helped me fully understand how important it is for every person to contribute to larger good and take care of those who depend on us. By the time my reign as Miss Pre-Teen ended, I felt more mature than before. I was better at making speeches, talking to people, and speaking for myself in certain situations. I was growing while getting rid of my stage fright. I now can walk onto any stage with no hesitation. I learned a different way to talk to adults, friends, and my family. I mastered how to smile for hours upon hours, as well! This experience opened the door for other opportunities that I didn’t even know were out there. I auditioned for Clarkston High School’s musical Les Miserables. Singing was definitely not one of my strengths, but with my newfound confidence I tried out and received the part. I’ve also been an extra in three movies! All of these activities made me step out of my comfort zone again and again, which showed me how to reach lots of goals in my life. The most important lesson that I took from the pageant, however, is

how to stay true to who I am. When entering the pageant, I knew that I did not want to be a stereotypical “pageant girl.” Pageant girls are often seen as plastics, or fakes. I decided to be myself. I learned that there is something more important than looks. It is your presence - your attitude, ability to speak to the public, and comfort in being yourself. You cannot walk through life and not be confident in who you are. You have to be proud of who you are: You!

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The Lesson of Love By: Stephanie Morar, 6th grade, Avondale Middle School,

Auburn Hills

“A

ll right, girls! We are going to play Capture the Flag. The object of the game is to get a belt with two flags and to detach the flags from the opposite team, if they are on your side. While trying not to get your flags detached and keeping the big flag safe, you will also…..” I zoned out from the Capture the Flag leader’s speech. We (meaning my cabin) were in the camp woods, dripping wet, since we had just come from the slip n’ slide, equipped with a foam machine. My eyes were still stinging from the mountains of foam. I shivered, then blinked my eyes a couple times to help me see clearer. The sticks and leaf litter were poking at our bare feet like nails sticking out of the ground. Walking was similar to doing high-tops so that we could avoid the sticks at least a little. Capture the Flag? Shouldn’t be that hard. We got our spots, and I high-topped in front of the flag to my position. “Drrring!” I heard the whistle. I stood up tall; it was time to get serious. My hair was dripping, and my towel offered little warmth for me. Two boys, about eight years old, zipped up to the flag. I took after one kid, wondering why they were not in the elementary school session. How did they get to be with us? “Crrr!” I snatched one of the flags of the kid’s belt. Where was the other kid? The only sign of him was the lonesome tape waving sadly in the wind. Just then, Crystal sashayed over to me. “What are you doing?” she yelled at me. “You’re supposed to be protecting

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the flag!” “Well, if I had more people to help m-” I started, only to be cut off by Crystal’s laughter. “Help you what? Lose?” “I’m trying!” I insisted. “Well, try harder,” she admonished, lifting her eyebrows as she talked. My eyes brimmed with tears. I felt hurt. Don’t be such a sensitive cry-baby, I commanded myself. Just pray. As my eyes started to overflow with tears, my only three words were “Lord, help me.” Then, I heard it. It was like a quiet whisper. You have to show love to Crystal. “Alright,” I responded, under my breath. I will show love to Crystal. I will show love to Crystal. I will show love to Crystal. The thought pounded into my head as the whistle rang again, signal-

eyes at me, followed by her turning to whisper and laugh with her ‘sidekicks’. I will show love to Crystal, I reminded myself. I will show love to Crystal. I will show love to Crystal. I smiled at Crystal, only to be laughed at. She probably thought that I was a walking smiley face that had no clue about what was happening. I wish I could tell her no and no. Now, I had one last thing to do. “Thank you, Lord,” I whispered, smiling. When we got back to the cabin, we started to get ready for bed. I climbed up the semi-creaky ladder and plopped on my bunk, successfully shaking what was under me and shifting everything on my pillow by two inches. Great. I climbed down to retrieve my belongings, set them down, and I started to reflect on my day.

ing the start of a new round. This time, however, I was ready. The same two boys came at me again. This time, I took after the other one. “Crr!” the velcro on the flags yelled as I tore it off. Meanwhile, the other one got the flag and dashed to his side. The game was over. We lined up to go back to our cabin. As we walked there, I saw Crystal roll her

How did I turn this day from awful to awesome? I thought to myself. By learning the lesson of love. If I had not learned to love, I would have learned to hate. Hating Crystal didn’t seem like a good idea. I was glad I showed love to Crystal instead of hating her. After tucking myself into bed, I closed my eyes and fell into the arms of a much-welcomed sleep.

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I Belong Where My Heart Is By: Sophia Catella, 7th grade, Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston

he day had finally come. My parents were going to tell me why I looked nothing like them. Their dark skin and vivid blue eyes didn’t match my pale complexion and bland brown eyes. My friends had been suggesting that I was adopted. I refused to believe them. I would always reply with “Then why do I love them so much?” That was true: I loved my parents more than anything in the world. It wasn’t possible that they were not my parents. Mom and Dad walked into my room while I was pondering my dilemma. “We know you are confused by the difference in our appearances,” my Mom began the conversation. I nodded my head, showing I wanted her explanation. “We’re sorry we didn’t tell you sooner...” “We didn’t think it would matter, but we were wrong.” My Dad interrupted. “We weren’t sure how long we should keep this from you. We didn’t know how you would react.” “What we are trying

to say,” Mom continued, “is that we are not your biological parents. We’ve been fostering you since you were three months old. Your birth parents decided that they were not ready to take care of you. My friend told me about a baby girl who was beautiful and gentle. We knew you were perfect for us, but we didn’t want to adopt you right then. We thought that you should have a say in this decision, when you were old enough. Then we just fell in love with you. The closer we grew to you the more we worried that you wouldn’t want us to adopt you...” I couldn’t think or breathe. This was worse than I had imagined. The fact that my whole life I had been living with people who weren’t my biological or even adopted parents was unreal. I was a foster child. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the truth. “Are you serious? You are not my real parents?” I heard my trembling voice as the truth was overtaking my limp body. “I’m afraid it’s true, Sweetheart. We are sorry it took us this long to tell you. We were...scared to lose you.” My Mom’s expression of sorrow was now spreading across her entire face.

Grandpa

SEPTEMBER 2018

Not knowing how to respond, I blurted out the first thought that had come to my aching mind, “Do you know who my real parents are?” I regretted it immediately. The faces of the two people I loved the most were covered with utter sadness and pain. I didn’t want them to think I was leaving them. “I’m just curious,” I added quickly. “You don’t have to tell me.” “ No,” my Mom replied, fighting back her tears. “We’ve kept enough from you. Your biological parents’ names are Gavin and Jennifer Jones. They live in Detroit. We understand if you don’t want to live with us anymore. It wasn’t right for us to keep the truth from you for this long.” I felt wet warmth and tingling in my eyes - the tears of pain, gratitude, and deep realization that it was only because my parents loved me so very much that they didn’t want to tell me they weren’t my birth parents. They were scared that I would leave them. My heart was overflowing. “No,” I said. “I’m not leaving. It doesn’t matter that you are not my real parents. I love you. Here is where I belong.”

By: Gianna Woita, 4th grade, Woodland Elementary, Troy

y grandpa made me feel like I was important. He made me feel like I was the only one in the whole wide world. He treated me like I was Royal. When I got home from school, he would make me do my homework, and then, when I was done, let me play. He also ran a tight ship while he was babysitting, just like my dad. We liked to tease each other and do puzzles together. My grandpa made me feel like I belonged. Today he is no longer with us. The day we lost him was a very sad day. My mom was at work when she got the news that her dad wasn’t doing well and she needed to fly to Florida. The day my mother got there was the last day in my grandpa’s life. He left us that night. Even though he is gone, we still have him in our hearts. We share memories with each other. In my memories, Grandpa makes me feel very special; he makes me feel that I belong. 7

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M O N E Y M AT T E R S

Meet Our Partners By: Ian Duncanson, Financial Educator II at MSU Federal Credit

Union

eople always talk about the importance of saving money, but why does it matter so much? Money you save now can be used to pay for things you want later. This includes things that cost too much for you to buy right now. It might be a video game console, a summer trip, a new toy, or even a cell phone. Putting money into a savings account lets you build up a supply of money to pay for the things you want or need.

By: Catherine Hurth, Financial Educator at MSU Federal Credit Union

he Credit Union is proud to partner with schools in Oakland County to provide financial education to elementary, middle, and high school students. As an education-based credit union with strong ties to both Michigan State University and Oakland University, the Credit Union is eager to provide financial education to the next generation of students. The relationships fostered in the Avondale, Brandon, and Clarkston School Districts allow the Credit Union to reach youth in Oakland County and provide financial education through a combination of Student-Run Credit Unions, In-School Credit Unions, and interactive presentations tailored to each grade.

The idea of saving money is easiest when you make it a habit. Maybe you get money for your birthday, a holiday, or for doing chores around the house. Each time some money comes your way, why not put a little bit into a savings account? If you get used to always putting a small amount into savings every time you get money, it becomes natural and you can be sure you will build up savings. It’s also fun to watch your money

grow as you add to it. To make things even better, the bank or credit union will pay you a little bit of extra money every month for the cash you keep in your savings account there! That means your savings can grow much more quickly than if you keep it at home. What you do with your money today will set you up for success in the future. We’ll talk about a lot of great tips for managing your money over the next year. Be sure to look for our articles and games in the coming months!

For the 2018-19 school year, the Credit Union will work with HarveySwanson Elementary, Oakwood Elementary, and R. Grant Graham Elementary to provide students with the opportunity to participate in Student-Run Credit Unions. Each elementary school acts as a Student-Run branch where students are “hired” to operate the branch and perform deposits and withdrawals for fellow students. This program provides students a glimpse into the workforce and a hands-on experience with saving money. The Credit Union will also visit Brandon Middle School and Brandon High School on a bi-weekly basis during their lunch periods. While at the

middle and high school, students will be able to process deposits and withdrawals, play financial games, and learn about topics like budgeting and credit. Throughout the school year, the Credit Union will also visit a variety of grade levels across these school districts to provide financial literacy through interactive presentations and games. The topics of these presentations vary depending on the age group, but some of the topics to be covered this year include: effective budgeting and saving practices, understanding your credit report and score, determining needs vs. wants, and coin recognition. To request these free workshops for your school, please email us at financialeducation@msufcu.org.

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Robots By: Kaelyn Nardi,

4th grade, Deerfield Elementary,

Rochester Hills

obots are man-made machines that often replace human labor. They can be programed to do

various things. Some clean, cook, or find things for you. Some help out with things like surgeries. Robots can be helpful in many different ways because they can make our lives easier and better. On the other hand, robots can create problems for people. It is important that people have jobs. When companies use robots to work for them, people will not get the money they need. When people lose their jobs, they don’t

Sophia - Living Technology

By: Sophia Le, 5th grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

hese days, we use our phones or computers to connect us through the Internet to various interesting things. Technology defines our way of living. So why not to make a living robot that can look, talk, and act like a SEPTEMBER 2018

human to be your friend? Meet Sophia, the robot, the first living robot! Sophia is the first living robot that is just like us! Sophia was born on April 19, 2015, and in October 25, 2017 Sophia became the first robot ever to receive a full citizenship of a country. Sophia was developed by Hanson Robotics, led by AI developer David Hanson, and is a citizen of Saudi Arabia.

have money. They can lose their houses. It is important to think about having to live. Having a job basically starts your life. Robots do not have a life. If a robot is working instead of you, there is no point in hiring a person. I like robots; I think it is cool how you can program them to do things. Even though robots can create some problems for people, they can also come in handy.

Sophia was designed to look like Audrey Hepburn; with her “porcelain skin, slender nose, high cheekbones, an intriguing smile, and deeply expressive eyes that seem to change color in the light” (Weller). Sophia now improved from using a wheel to roll around to walking like us, too! Sophia has cameras in her eyes to see faces and make eye contact. She also comes with 60 facial expressions. Sophia can express how she feels. For example, she can show you when she is mad. She can also express when she is happy or upset, just like us. Making a robot that can show how it feels is really hard, but it has happened. Some people thought that Sophia becoming a full citizen was cool or good, but other people weren’t very supportive of this idea. My thought of Sophia the robot having full citizenship in Saudi Arabia is that it was cool. Some people are also scared of Sophia and her artificial intelligence. If we make too many robots, they can take people’s jobs, and if people can’t make money, their lives will be very difficult. But for now, I think it is amazing that someone had the ability to make a robot that can speak, show emotion, and think. This is so amazing that we can make living robot to look like us! Source: Weller, Chris. Meet the first-ever robot citizen — a humanoid named Sophia that once said it would ‘destroy humans.’ Business Insider. October 27, 2017

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VALUE OF STEAM By: Mylan Harris, 9th grade, International Technology Academy, Pontiac

cience, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math are all integral parts of our life; yet, each one has its own individual place and properties. I believe science plays a key role in our everyday living. When we enjoy a comfortable plane flight, we should remember Sir Isaac Newton and his discoveries that gave a start to many inventions and began the scientific revolution. When we enjoy a good dinner, Emmett Chappelle comes to mind; he showed us how to monitor the growth of crops through satellite. When I think of technology, not only do I envision computers, cell phones, and tablets but also cash registers at the

grocery store that now can match your signature without your driver’s license. We are advancing daily in technology. I believe the future with be transformed by technology so that we will be using robots to control the universe. If we are not careful, man will become extinct. Currently, we are training engineers to build robots to do fascinating things, but they can’t give birth to humans. Robots cannot help soothe a human mind like art can. Robots can’t get into your brain and tell you how to paint in order to relax or stay focused. However, robots can work longer, faster, and harder than humans. Understanding of mathematics has also changed drastically over the last 40 years. When I ask my mom or grandmother to help me with Algebra, the reply usually is “What kind of math are

FootGolf So cce r me e t s Go lf

they teaching nowadays?” We can’t survive without math in our lives, whether signing a check or counting vegetables in a grocery basket. Math is here to stay. How we count may change, but at the end of the day 1+1+1=3. Life as we know it will definitely become different whether ten or a hundred years from now. The video games, computers, cell phones, libraries, and many services will be geared more and more towards robotics. There will be robotic dogs, robotic and flying cars in the future. According to engineers, these robots will help make our living much better. Yet, if we really look at the big picture, the robots will make us lazy, leading to more obesity and other health challenges. Technology is a great thing, but human beings should always remember that it has to help them live better, not worse.

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Boys & Girls Clubs

By: Noah Kim, 7th grade, Avondale Middle School,

Auburn Hills

ave you ever been an “at risk child?” Let me tell you, it isn’t very enjoyable. All kids need to have a place where they feel like they belong. That is why there are safe places for kids: Boys and Girls Clubs. The founders of this club were three women, Mary Goodwin, Alice Goodwin, and Elizabeth Hammersley, who started the first Boys Club in 1860 in Connecticut. Believing that boys on the streets should have a positive alternative, they organized the first Club. Character development was the purpose of the experience. Now, Boys & Girls Clubs help millions of kids develop various skills, build relationships, have fun, and feel like they belong. Boys & Girls Clubs offer a safe environment. They provide a safe shelter for children dealing with family dangers or whose parents are not home until late. Kids can come here after school and during the summer. You can spend long

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hours at the club for a very small fee ($50 per year). This club always creates new activities to make kids happy. Kids here are not going to play video games all day; they would rather play 3 on 3 basketball or kickball! There are many programs to

choose from: the arts, education, health and wellness, and more! All in all, every year the members of the Boys & Girls Clubs make this club a place to belong for kids who have family problems. This is a great place to be!

Visit flipspotgym.com for more info "Bring in this ad to save $10.00 off first month's tuition for new students."

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Driverless Buses are the Way of the Future

By: Griffin Grava, 7th grade, Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston

etroit, Michigan, which is often labeled for a lot of unwholesome things, has gotten a new label: the first city to build a self-driving bus. On October 11th, 2017, May Mobility and Dan Gilbertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GEM e6 self-driving bus was born. Although the company is only 9 months old, it has already hired very progressive engineers. They have been working days and nights to make a self-driving bus, as it was made just in five months. The bus can carry 6 people and move at 25 miles per hour using surrounding buildings as landmarks to follow. This is a different concept than the one utilized for many self-driving cars that use paint on roads to navigate. Using road paint for navigation can cause a problem when the road is covered by snow and ice. Buildings, therefore, offer a better solution for navigation. The bus can sense an object 300 feet away. The bus route, which goes by Campus Martius, right now consists of a 10 minute ride from Bricktown Garage to the First National Building. If the bus is to get into an accident, one would get paid a lot of money and all expenses would be covered. The idea for this bus came from its creatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; desire to learn about Artificial Intelligence (A. I.) first-hand. They made an office in Detroit because of its reputation as the Motor City, which seemed like a great way to start this new automotive journey. Furthermore, no one else was close to giving A.I. technology a try in Detroit, so there was no real competition. May Mobility is hoping to expand out of Detroit and reach into the surrounding areas very soon. For now, the technology will stay Downtown, but one day, this might become a great way to commute to work and visit the city for people in the suburbs. Sources: http://www.mlive.com/news/ detroit/index.ssf/2017/10/ autonomous_shuttle_expected_to.html

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BEST GEOGRAPHIC WRITING By: Reiss Kain Griffiths, 3rd Grade, Woodland Elementary, Troy

exico, or the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. Mexico is bordered to the North by the United States; to the Southwest by the Pacific Ocean; to the Southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the East by the Gulf of Mexico. The Mexican symbol is the Golden Eagle. The Mexican Flag was created in 1821. The green stripe means hope, the white stripe means purity, and the red stripe means union. Mexico is full of rich traditions and stories. One of my favorite stories is the story of its creation. According to Mexican folklore, Mexico is believed to be created by two Gods, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. During the first stage of

MEXICO

creation, Quetzalcoatl made a world and Tezcatlipoca spawned jaguars to eat all the people. In the second stage of creation, Quetzalcoatl made the world and Tezcatlipoca sent floods to destroy it.

Some people turned into fish to save themselves. During the third stage, Tezcatlipoca made a world and Quetzalcoatl sent a rain of fire. Some people turned into birds to fly away. During the fourth stage of creation, Quetzalcoatl made a world and Tezcatlipoca sent strong winds to blow the people off of the earth. Some people became monkeys to take shelter in the trees. In final stage of creation, Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl made a new world, the world we have now. Mexico offers sunny beaches, spicy cuisine, hot jungles, and fiesta fireworks! It is certainly a place to visit.

California By: Emory Carter, 5th grade, Herrington Elementary, Pontiac

belong to California! I know this in my heart as I always feel a strong pull to go there. I think being in California would allow me to be free and whole. I believe California, with its beautiful, bright, sunny skies and warm temperatures, will put me at ease and

SEPTEMBER 2018

peace. I want to experience the Golden Gate Bridge. The city of San Francisco, with its hills and scenic views, is an amazing place that I want to visit as well. I imagine the stadiums and arenas that exist there, and I want to see them for myself. I want to be a part of the Warriors, when they win a game, and all of the

excitement that goes along with that. The people are â&#x20AC;&#x153;pumpedâ&#x20AC;? with the feeling of winning, and I want to belong and be a part of it. California, to me, symbolizes many things. It is a place of sunny weather, cultural diversity, many excursions, and the promise of a multitude of great things. It is my happy place. 13

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BEST GEOGRAPHIC WRITING

TEXAS By: Hunter Kauth, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

exas is the second biggest state in America. It is 268,597 square miles. Texas is also known as the Lone Star State. The Alamo is located in Texas in San Antonio and is the most popular landmark in Texas which tourists go to see. Texas is a unique state, which can be seen in its food, entertainment, and sports. In Texas, there are many types of food. The most popular type is Tex-Mex. It is a fusion of Mexican food and American food. Some ingredients include cheese, meat, beef, pork, beans, peppers, and spices. Mexican food came to this state because Mexico is very close to Texas. A lot of Mexican people moved to Texas bringing their culture and food with them. Bull riding is one of the most popular entertainments in Texas. Bull riding originated as

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contests of ranch and horsemanship skills in Old Mexico. Now people watch bull riding at rodeos. There are many people at the rodeos, and there are many rodeos in Texas. The bulls weigh 1,8002,000 pounds each. Bull riding is a major part of Texan culture. Football is also a big thing in Texas. The two NFL football teams in Texas are the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans. Texas is also considered to be the high school football capital of the world. Texas high schools have the biggest stadiums and scoreboards in the country for high school sports. At one Texas high school, Alamo Stadium seats 23,000 fans. Some stadiums cost up to 60 million dollars. Many people attend the football games to cheer on their teams. Texas is an interesting place because it combines a number of cultures that blend together.

Pacific Ocean Creatures By: Jenna Robin, 4th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

epending on where you are, oceans have different creatures. The ocean that has the most unique creatures is the Pacific Ocean. It contains some amazing live that probably doesn’t exist anywhere else. Some creatures don’t have bones and are just gooey. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Giant Spider Crab and Frilled Sharks are two interesting species that live in the Pacific Ocean. Giant Spider Crabs are found in the Pacific Ocean near Japan. Their name in Japanese is called Tacaashi-gani, which means ¨tall leg crab¨. These crabs use camouflage to hide from predators and people who want to catch them. The Japanese people like to eat crabs. Spider Crabs like to eat plants and algae in the ocean. They are very creepy because they look like giant spiders. They can live up to one hundred years. Frilled Sharks are another animal found in the Pacific Ocean. They are named after their big gills. Females are bigger than males. Frilled sharks were not seen in natural habitats until 2004. In January 2007, a fisherman spotted a strange eel-like creature with a mouthful of sharp teeth near the surface. He alerted the staff at Awashima Marina Park in Shizuoha, who later captured the animal and put it in a seawater pool to study. I think the animal is interesting because it has many rows of teeth, but it looks like an eel, not a shark. These are just two creatures that I found very interesting. It is amazing to see just how many unique creatures you can find in the world. www.KidsStandard.org

BEST REFLECTIVE ESSAYS

As We Grow By: Olivia Richie, 8th Grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

remember when I first got this makeup kit. I was only six years old, and I loved it. I played with it almost every day, testing it out on my face in deep, dark tones, using big, fat brushes. I thought I looked beautiful, and now that I look back, I am very glad that I didn’t put it on when I went to school. After a couple of weeks, however, I put it up on my vanity and it sat there gathering dust. I went back to my room recently to get something sitting on my vanity, when my hand brushed on the kit and I noticed how dusty it was. When I opened it up, I saw that the powders had went everywhere and the lip gloss had dried on its surface. I began to wonder how my kit could have gone unnoticed for so long, as if it didn’t even exist. My mom said she used to play with her makeup, too, but she eventually grew out of it. I realized that, like my mom, I had grown out of something that I previously loved. Everyone grows out of something that he or she loves, whether it’s a toy or a kit or any other favorite. When we create memories, we create special moments in our life that shape us into the people that we are. I love to be creative and inventive, and that could have been because of my desire to play and to use the makeup. We also have creative stories that we can tell to our own children, when they act the same way as we used to act. In children’s eyes, they are going to be young forever and always enjoy the things they do. They know that they will always love playing with these certain toys and riding their bikes. Even as they grow, that little piece that loves to be adventurous when they ride their bikes is

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still there. These little children grow into explorers that travel around the world. I may not know the future ahead of me, but I do know that everything around me shapes me in the person I will become. All of the choices I make and things I do today create my tomorrow. My cousin is good example. She plays college soccer and openly admits that she has always loved playing soccer and being competitive in every aspect of her life. She has also participated in science fairs and done cool experiments; now she is an EMT and is training to be a doctor. Her early science experiments might have been childish, but they have led her to where she is today. I think that our childhood follows us, like in a train that picks up cars as it moves along. We are the engine, the main part of the train, that decides which track to take and how fast to go,

but the cars are still part of us. Each train is different, with different types of cars, long ones and short ones, and ones that carry different things. They all help us to choose the right track.

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BEST REFLECTIVE ESSAYS

Fantastic Hero By: Dayionna Buck. 5th grade, Herriman Elementary, Pontiac

y mother is my everyday hero because she takes care of me and she is my best friend. She is independent, caring, funny and hard-working. As a single mother, she has done a fantastic job raising me and my siblings on her own. My mom is helping us with our homework and juggling more than one job at the same time. Day in and day out, my mom gives and does not stop giving. She constantly repeats the daily routine of going to work, prepping dinner, folding clothes, and being an avid listener to her kids. She is overprotective when it comes to rules, because her boundaries make us better people. Whether it be material things or things like the instincts to keep us safe, she’s making sure we have everything we need. I have never met someone who is so selfless as her. She takes time off work to spend

time with my siblings and me. She has always put me first in her life and does everything she could to give me the best life. My mom is the strongest person that I know. She has shown me right from wrong and has provided me with everything I need to succeed. She shows me the difference between real life and pretend, helps me survive in the real world, and, when I’m sad, she tells me everything will be alright. No matter what I do, what mistakes I make, what I say, or how much I upset my mom, her love will never subside. We live in a world where sometimes we don’t realize how hurtful our words can be. Let’s face it, she puts up with me. No matter how big the fight or disagreement, you can always count on her to resolve the issue. I don't know where I would be without my mom. There hasn't been a second when I was left in the dark. She always has my back. Putting up with me is not easy. I am moody, stubborn, and at times, I think I know everything. My mother and I don’t have the perfect relationship. We get in arguments and disagree on a lot of things, but no matter how big

Open Your Mind By: Jaleyna Alexander, 5th grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

o grow as people, we have to be open to trying new things and experiences. This might sound easy, but it is not, because people are often afraid of unknown. To me, to be open means to be confident, to be myself, and not to be nervous, embarrassed, or shy. There are many ways that can help people become more open, but for me, it all comes down to accepting and knowing myself. Being yourself is like being someone who never makes a mistake. If you are someone who believes in yourself and is always yourself, mistakes don’t scare you. You don’t think of them as failures; they are experiences that teach you

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of a fight we get in, we always make up by the end of the day because we both know we couldn’t live without each other. My mother has always said that I should do whatever makes me happy and be the best person I can be. My mother makes me feel like the most important person in the world, because I know she would do anything for me . Words cannot even express the love I have for her, and how blessed I am to have such an amazing mother. Nothing will ever compare to how much my mom has impacted my life. I'd be kidding myself to say that I tell her enough how much I appreciate her. There aren't enough breaths in the day to thank her for all that she has done for me, and all that she will still do for me. I know that no matter how old I grow, my mom will always be there for me. She will always be waiting with open arms to either congratulate me or console me. She is hands-down my biggest supporter and will always be standing at the finish line of whatever race I may be running. I could be crawling across that finish line and she'd still be cheering for me the whole way. I have never felt more loved by any other human than I do by my mom.

something important. I know why it's good to be yourself, because I used to act differently when I was around certain people, and it never felt right. Being shy is one way to know you are not being yourself. If you are shy, you will always be the person who doesn't have any presence. I am working hard on staying open and taking opportunities to try and do things even if I feel shy, especially when I present speeches. Growing requires risk taking. Trying new things can go right or wrong, but as long as we keep on believing in ourselves, we can grow to be the best that we could be.

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BEST REFLECTIVE ESSAYS

Good People By: Giavanna Montgomery, 5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

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ave you ever wondered why some people stand out in a crowd or comfort you in bad situations? What makes him or her a good person - a person who truly cares about other people? The book Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde explains how kindness spreads. When someone shows an act of kindness, the “pay it forward” starts. One act of kindness spreads like peanut butter and jelly on a piece of bread. If the person with one act of kindness could spread that much kindness to everyone, what makes him or her that way? What brings this kindness inside? In the article “How to Be a Good Person,” the writers give some advice. “Determine what being a good person means to you personally. Some people think that being a good person is as simple as not doing harm to another. But it is not always about what you don’t do, but what you do for others. Being a good person also includes helping yourself as much as others.” If being a good person is different for each person, what do I think a good person is? I think that a good person is a person that takes his or her time to listen and to do things for others and puts others first. It is the best friend that anyone deserves to have. When I think about kindness, I think about two people. One person only cares for him or herself and is always jealous of others. The second person cares for others and is always there when you need it most. Which person are you? Which person do you want to be? Kindness is like an entirely different person living inside you. I believe that inside each person there is kindness, whether we want to see it or not, or whether it is big or small. Also, kindness is a gift. When we get it, we feel overjoyed that someone cares and that someone is there to celebrate all of our wins and to comfort us in the hard times. When we give it, we feel overjoyed that we can make a difference for someone else. Everyone deserves a chance to experience giving and receiving kindness at least once in a lifetime. So, next time you see someone that needs some help or encouragement, try to give it to them. Start the pay it forward and see where it take you! 17

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BEST POETRY

Beneath The Surface

Suddenly, my muscles unclenched

When we finally reached the bottom The water was frigid

By: Ella Post,

My leg began to step forward toward the edge of the boat

8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

I squeezed my eyes shut

I teetered on the edge of the boat Salty air blowing through my hair Glancing down all I saw was shimmering blue about to engulf me “Just take a step and you’ll be in the water!” said one of the instructors I was shaking from being freezing and terrified My body was tense I didn’t want to get in But I knew I should My mom had already backed out I couldn’t too

and took a huge step My flipper nearly tripped me, as I began to fall. My arms flew up as gravity pulled me down I plunged into the water Goosebumps covered me immediately from head to toe I, along with with my dad and brother, began to descend using a seaweed coated rope My heart pounded louder with every foot we went down

“Just do it,” I said to myself 30 feet down

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The sand was much softer so deep My eyes were glued to the breathtaking coral that laid before me All I could hear was the bubbles swimming to the top as I blew into the regulator Swimming through countless schools of fish There were blues, purples, reds and greens And yet I was surrounded by a crazy calmness I saw only a fraction of the stunning ocean life So tranquil and relaxed Yet in the nooks and crannies I knew there was a crazy complex world One that I had disturbed

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BEST POETRY

United States: Memories By: Cara Borgerson, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

Sitting on a towel, since the steaming sand would scald my skin. I listened to the seagulls squawk and the ocean waves crashing on the shore. Smelling the salty water and sand reminded me of every beach I´d ever been too. Kids playing in the water with their cries of laughter, People going for a walk because it was too hot to run, and animals begging for food at the picnics under umbrellas. California. The Golden State. My mom, dad and I basking in the sunlight, my brother attempting to body surf.

Hiking up out of, and down in the canyons.

Curiousness flooded me as I saw more and more.

Green, red, orange, yellow, and brown rocks above, below, right, and left, just surrounding us.

As soon as the wave came in, a ton of little tiny holes appeared in the sand

The views- spectacular, the experience - unforgettable.

The repetitive motions of sand caving in and the water caressing my feet was calming.

San Diego and Solana Beach.

The water met the sky and created a bond.

The light blinding my eyes, as it bounced off of the water.

We rooted ourselves in the sand like a new, baby tree,

An overwhelming feeling of relaxation.

and stayed at our spot on the beach for a while.

Our summer vacation. As I sat, I started thinking, about how I got there, who I was with, and what I’d done.

A little later, my mom asked me if I wanted to go for a walk, and I agreed. We started to talk, What was our favorite part of vacation?

Las Vegas and the Paris Hotel.

(The beach)

Stampedes of people crowding the 112° streets.

What was our favorite foods we had tried?

So many different settings Egypt, Paris, Rome, Italy, New York, Camelot and tropical islands.

(Everything)

Macarons, Creme Brulee, Mac and Cheese, French buffet. The Hoover Dam. Taking a tour of inside the dam, and hearing a ton of “dam” jokes. Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon.

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Where do we wanna go next time? (I don’t even know) I began to gather shells, something I have always done since I was little.

then, they were gone.

It made me wonder about what laid beyond where the eye could see. I thought maybe my family and I could find out what was out there. As my mom and I ended our walk, I approached our blanket and settled back in. We enjoyed a few hours more at the beach then headed out. Time to go. Back home. But even though we didn’t want to leave, I knew I would enjoy every moment back in Michigan, even if I wasn’t on a vacation. Because I had my family,

I found a huge variety

(and some shells)

Big, black, rough shells to smooth, colorful, tiny shells.

That all my fun times happened because of,

Bending over to pick one up, I see a tiny hole in the sand.

all my memories are revolved around, And more will be made with.

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BEST BOOK REVIEW

Don’t Judge A Boy By His Face By: Owen Pliska, 5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

ooks aren't just to read and to forget after adventures are over. Good books have lessons that help you become a better person. The book “Wonder” by R.J Palacio falls into that category. The book is a story of a ten-year old boy named August Pullman, who was born with a severe facial difference. He has been homeschooled up the point of starting his 5th grade at Beecher Prep School. People gasp, laugh, point and even say mean things behind his back, all because he doesn't look like them. One of the main bullies in the book is a boy named Julian. He calls August, or Auggie, names like Darth Sidious - a Star Wars character that looks like he has a facial distortion. He also leaves mean notes in Auggie’s locker, like: “I h8 you freak!”

and “Your mommy probably wishes you have never been born. You should do everyone a favor and die.” He shoots Auggie dirty looks whenever possible. And worst of all: he was supposed to be Auggie’s welcome buddy; instead, he is really mean to him. Luckily, Auggie has friends, too. His best friend is a boy named Jack Will, who was also a welcome buddy. One other friend is a girl named Summer Dawson, who felt bad for August and one day sat with him at lunch so they became friends. That's a little about the story, but there is an important life lesson in this book: don’t judge someone by their looks. Just imagine if you were different and nobody talked to you. You have to realize, if you ever see a person like August or any person that looks different, that they are normal people, with feeling and desires for friendship just like you. Most people don't realize that. There is a old saying “Never tell a

book by its cover.” Now we say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Some people made up another version: “Don’t judge a boy by his face.” Those two sayings make sense together, if you think about it. You don’t just choose a book by its cover; you read it to find if you like it. You don’t judge a boy by his face; you get to know the person and his character to decide if you like that person. In “Wonder” there is also a wisdom to “always choose kind.” If there are new people at your school, talk to them. Sit by them at lunch. Become their friend. New kids are always worried, and you should make them happy and welcome.

Who Would Win? Lion vs Tiger By: Nandanram Gopireddy,

3rd grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

ho Would Win? Lion vs Tiger is very interesting, in my opinion. The ferocious tiger is fighting against the deadly lion. Lions and tigers are really dangerous members of the big cat family. Some other animals in the big cat family are Bobcats, Lynx, Cheetahs, Panthers, Jaguars, Leopards and house cats. Between the tiger, the swift creature, and the lion, the king of the jungle, which animal do you think would win? The book gives good information about the two animals: their lives and their physical attributes. Their size is the same, but the lion looks bigger because of its mane. The things that make the tiger special are its sharp claws, sharp teeth and jumping ability. The lion’s hunting strategies are better because lions hunt in prides. I think in this battle the lion will win because the lion hunts better and it is called the king of the jungle for a reason. When a battle starts, the tiger will roar and every animal will side with the lion. The lion and the tiger will bite each other, swipe at each other, but the Lion will win. 20

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BEST FICTION

The MIND OF A SKUNK CABBAGE By: Nicole Schroeder, 6th grade, Avondale Middle School, Auburn Hills

ho would ever think that an average green plant could smell like a slippery, slimy, adorable little animal known as the skunk? Who would ever think that an average green plant would be the low point of a flower’s day? No one, that is until Sir Skunk Cabbage was planted on the side of Clinton River Trail. Hello, my name is Sir Skunk Cabbage. I am a leafy green plant and live on Clinton River Trail. I don’t feel I belong here though. I have ten yellow flowers that live next door, and unfortunately, I also live by deer, a.k.a., the death of me. “Why?” you might ask, “Do you hate the deer so much?” First of all, hate is a strong word, so thank you for using it. Second of all, would you like someone if they thought you were horrid? For every single time a deer walks by and eats my stalk, it looks me straight in the eye, tongue hanging out of its mouth and screams, “YOU ARE HORRID!” If you would feel like you belong when somebody says you are horrid, bless your heart. For if I had a mouth, I would tell those deer that they are horrid, too, for eating my greenest stalk that I worked so hard to grow. The ten lovely yellow flowers that live next door are plotting to move out! All I have ever been is kind to them (which is an accomplishment for I do not have much kindness left), and all they say is, “You’re too STINKY!” I don’t even know what “stinky” means, and I have quite a gargantuan vocabulary (gargantuan is a fancy word for large, if you weren’t sure). I was thinking of

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some of the other words I know that sound similar to “stinky,” like pinky and dinky. However, no “stinky” came to mind. Only words with no meaning can express the loss of ten yellow flowers, I presume. I guess we just don’t belong together. Those black fluffy creatures with the black and white tails stroll along every once in awhile. They give me an air high five. I think it is because we can relate in some ways. We both are left out as well as are told that we stink and are horrid. I cannot wait until the day when we all go to the S.S.R. (Secret Skunk Runaway) together; maybe this place is where I belong. Now night time has come, and I can finally relax. Well, not completely, as deer come out at dusk. However, the moon looks like the smart smile of a skunk, the stars glitter and gleam like a nearby stream, and peace starts to fall on Michigan’s much famous, confusing weather. I start to drift off into dreams of the S.S.R., and peach fullness fills my

pint-sized skunk cabbage soul. 1 month AND 14 DAYS later. . . Sir Skunk Cabbage got picked by somebody, smelt, and dropped into the middle of Clinton River Trail. He felt alone, despised… Would anyone ever love him? Would he ever love anybody? A squirrel came and picked him up and journeyed of into the woods. The squirrel dropped Sir Skunk Cabbage and left him alone…again. Sir Skunk Cabbage was lying alone, having no hope he would ever find love, when a skunk cabbage with biological limbs came waltzing by examining the ground below. This peculiar skunk cabbage picked up Sir Skunk Cabbage and took him to H.F.H.S.C. (Home for Hurting Skunk Cabbages). There, safe and supported by others, Sir Skunk Cabbage went through therapy and ended up falling in love with Miss Stink. They were wedded at S.S.C., where they made their home. And this is how Sir Skunk Cabbage found where he belonged!

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BEST FICTION

The Phone By: Stella Dougherty, 4th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

“S

iri, how do I get to the Detroit Zoo?” asked my dad. My name is Mae Huckleberry. My dad and I were going to the Detroit Zoo, so he checked with Siri. I was not surprised. He asks the phone a lot of questions. Sometimes, I know the answer to the questions, but my dad asks the phone. And sometimes, it really bugs me. I think it bugs my mom, too, because I’m eleven and she still hasn’t given me a phone. Everyone at my school has a phone, it seems. My dad, however, acts like the phone is a person. The phone had already proven not to be smart all of the time. One time, we were driving back to our campsite; the phone was the map. It located a different Willow Hills Campsite, and we ended up an hour away from our actual destination. That experience really got on my nerves. My mom didn’t talk to my dad ever again that trip. I tried telling him that there were other ways than the phone, but he just said, “The phone is smarter than I am.” I didn’t really believe that, though. I mean, when he was a kid, there was no smart phones, and he survived. Now he just surrendered his life to the phone. Sometimes, I think that my dad’s phone is his second daughter. On my tenth birthday, we went to the bowling alley. My mom did not let my dad bring his phone. My dad kept on fretting and reaching in his pocket to get his phone. But, he did see my strikes this time! Otherwise, he would’ve been searching “Bowling Rules” on his phone just to double check that we were playing it right. When we finally got to the zoo, my dad was still looking at his phone while getting out of the car. Suddenly, I heard a loud noise and saw my dad drop on the ground. Apparently, there was a rock that he didn’t noticed, so he tripped and

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fell hard, and he landed on the phone! The object of his devotion was shattered into a million pieces. “Yes!” I said to myself. “That evil little

device is gone!” But my joy quickly turned into another misery. My dad picked up the pieces and put them in the car. “We’re going home,” he said sternly. “But we just drove an hour here, and now we’re not going in?” I tried to object. “We’re going to the Apple store to get me a new phone. Let’s go!” my dad said getting in the car. I knew he wasn’t going to listen, but with all my might, I rooted my shoes in the rocky ground. I stayed silent although I felt the urge to yell. Then I did something my mind didn’t have a chance to process: I stomped out of the parking lot and right into the line to get in the zoo.

“Mae Huckleberry, you get back here right now!” I heard my dad yell after me. I ran back, my mind and heart on fire. “No!” A strong voice came out of my chest. “I’m not going to go to the dumb store just so you can get another smart phone, and never trust anybody but the phone, and never do anything with me or mom ever again!” “I do not do any of that,” my dad seemed puzzled. “Yes, you do! You just don’t pay enough attention to what’s around you to realize it! Every time things go wrong, it’s because of your phone, and when you don’t have your phone, you go crazy!” With that, I promised myself that I wouldn’t speak another word to him again. “You’re getting in the car right now or else I‘ll talk to your mother!” I got in the car slowly, but I knew that mom would agree with me when she heard what I said. Once we got home, mom spoke to my dad. The next day, dad went to get a new phone, but when he came home, something was different. He didn’t go on this phone that much. I’m happy that my dad changed, and he’s now spending time with me and mom. Smart phones might be smart, but we need to be smarter to know how to use them well.

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BEST FICTION

The Story of Liza

By: Olivia Spitznas, 4th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

Dear Andrew, It’s Liza! I have a PROBLEM. It all started well before I met you, and well before I was voted the smartest kid in the 9th grade. It was April 13, 2025. I was eating lunch with my two friends, and we were talking about random stuff. Then this boy Ethan came over and sat with us. “You know, you are pretty smart, right? He said to me. “I am working on a project or more of a hypothesis or theory. Anyway, the world could end… soon” “Um... excuse me?” I said puzzled. “You know there have been attacks in Russia...” Ethan offered. “What kind of attacks?” I still couldn’t understand. “BAD attacks!” He yelled, jumped suddenly, and dashed away! What the heck?! I sat there, and my neck twitched a couple of times. That's normal; I twitch a lot, and everyone SEPTEMBER 2018

teases me about it. After 6th hour was finally over, I walked outside, while everyone else ran, to my house, the LAB. What 15 year-old lives in a LABORATORY?! I went to my room and talked to my dad. “Dad! I just want to be a normal girl!!!” “But you are so SPECIAL!” He responded. I stormed out. UGH. Later that evening, I went downstairs, when I heard “CLUNK!!!! Then I heard my dad rush down the stairs yelling at no one in particular. “I knew, I should have been watching her! She was unsupervised of course; this should not have happened!” He rushed down to get me, I realized. I was laying on the ground, and my dad freaked “they came.” He ran to the center room and started typing extremely fast. Then the giant screen froze and turned black. “DANG IT! They were definitely here!!“ I couldn't remember a single thing. My memory was wiped. My dad just sat there. ”Liza, Liza, what did they do? Liza!“ He cried. So that night I slept at the mechanic, or I mean hospital.

That's the first time I met you and learned that my dad wasn't my dad, but you were! I was so confused. The day after, I went home with you and learned to do things at your house, Population Core, which was a weird name. I had to live with certain rules and weird chores until one day you just said, ”You are smart enough to go to college.” I was still 15. So now, I’m in my dorm writing to you, DAD! You know that eventually these people are going to find out! I mean I twitch ALL the time, and I randomly pass out in the middle of my classes! I know I’m a robot, but normal kids aren't supposed to do that! I always get bullied for being weird, and it sucks! But you're going to fix me, right? You’d better! I saw on the news today that those guys, who wanted to capture me, got put in jail. I don't know how he knew it, but that kid who told me about those attacks… he was right. The attacks were from those guys; they tried to memory wipe their robots! Got to go! Fix me soon! Your daughter, Liza

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BEST FICTION

If My Teacher Were A Robot By: Ethan McMurray, 7th grade, Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston

“W

elcome to class,” announced Miss Aria, as she walked over to the desk at a surprisingly wobbly fast pace to read the attendance. “Allie Dennis?” “Here.” “Adam Samson?” “Umm… He’s not here.” “Barbara Johnston?” Why was she not listening!? I tried again “He is not he-...” “Jennifer Davis?” “HE IS NOT HERE TODAY!” I yelled. “Emma Jameson?” When we finished the attendance, I knew something was wrong. There was plenty of shouting and not a lot of helping on the teacher's part. I didn’t understand why she wasn’t listening to me. She told me not to interrupt once, while she was talking to another teacher, and yet now she was the one interrupting! I got through my other classes just fine that day, but went to sleep worrying. The next morning I woke up for a new, fresh, completely normal day. Remembering yesterday’s frustrating episode, I confidently told myself that it was simply a “misunderstanding” and walked down to breakfast. At school at my locker, I unpacked my backpack, only to realize I had forgotten my homework! Being typically a good student, I walked to class empty-handed and feeling uneasy. Today, nobody dared to say anything about so-and-so having a doctor’s appointment; we just sat there and said, “Here” or “Absent.” Talk about a conversation! I then raised my hand to ask about my missing homework. My hand was ignored. Miss Aria started talking about 24

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literary essays and The Outsiders without even noticing me. It was weird, because I could have sworn she was looking right at my hand. I stretched it even higher just to make sure she could see. People began staring at me. I stood up, but even this didn’t produce any response. Finally, I lost it. “Miss Aria,” I said. “Miss Aria!” The teacher kept on talking. By this point I was frustrated. What if someone had to go to the bathroom? Come to think of it, I had to go to the bathroom! I waved my hands up and down and stood up and shouted as loudly as I could, “MISS ARIA!?!?!” “Ring, ring, ring, ring.” Who knew that this year’s 7th grade Language Arts class would consist of boring attendance with no explanations, an interrupting teacher, and a lot of shouting? The rest of the day was uneventful, but I still couldn’t stop thinking about how annoyed I was with Miss Aria. The next day I definitely wasn’t feeling quite as optimistic as the previous morning, even though the pancakes for breakfast did cheer me up a bit. At school, Miss Aria’s class went as expected: attendance, The Outsiders literary essay, rough draft writing…..You get the point. In other words, everything went perfectly. Well, almost… This kid named Nick, who didn’t do his homework, decided it would be a good idea to blame it on me. Miss Aria was sitting at her desk typing (she was fast!), when Nick walked up to her and presented his false story: I had stolen his homework and turned it in as my own. Two crazy things happened just then. One, she listened! Two, she stood up and shouted, pointing at me, “You have a four-hour detention tomorrow!” Four

hours!? I didn’t even do anything in the first place! What was with this class?! I. Was. Mad. I stormed out of the room swiftly and slammed the door. I headed to the counseling office to get some help. I needed it! “How may I help you?” asked Mr. Coffee, my counselor. “My L.A teacher is really strange...she won’t listen to any-” “O.K., so the usual.” “No, really, she acts like she doesn’t see my hand in the air. She blathers on about assignments without even answering our questions. And she must type something like 1,000 words a minute! It’s like she is a robot!” “Well, she is, right? “Huh?” I stared at Mr. Coffee, expecting him to flash one of his playful grins. “Yeah, she is. She was one of the three robots that we substituted for teachers as a part of budget cuts. We sent your parents an email over the summer.” “Wait, are you kidding?” “No!” “My teacher is a robot?” Suddenly, it all made sense. Her monotone voice, her shiny too-perfect hair, the way she wobbled from desk to desk - everything about her was artificial. “But what happened to Mrs. Penny?” I gasped, thinking of the 7th grade Language Arts teacher from last year. “I told you, budget cuts. Robot teachers are much cheaper to maintain, and they are more accurate and timely with grades,” Mr. Coffee explained. I thought about Mrs. Penny and how every now and then she’d forget to grade an assignment, or she’d go too fast through a lesson on nouns. He had a point...But then, I remembered other things, too: her warm smile, the way she always asked me about my twin sisters, or how I was doing in Track. Miss Aria would never ask me those things… It turns out, there’s a lot more to teaching and learning than just instruction and grades. I hope we all realize this before it’s too late. www.KidsStandard.org

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My Blessing By: Andrew Bratton, 6th grade, Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston

any people believe that having a special needs brother is a burden. To me, however, it is a blessing in disguise. My eight-years-old brother, Jonathan, has a rare genetic disorder called 18p-. This condition, caused by a terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 18, interferes with his ability to do many everyday things that most people take for granted. Jon does not speak, he is legally blind, and he has moderate thinking impairment, which prevents him from clothing, feeding, or bathing himself. While this might sound scary, Jon is able to enjoy

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his life and make a positive impact on those around him. Jon is a blessing to me because he makes me feel important. He lets me hug and hold onto him much more than he lets mom or dad. He follows me around and copies what I do when I am playing at home. Sometimes, he passes a ball with me, but more often, he likes to take the toy I am playing with or the seat I am taking. When I come home from school, Jon is always there to greet me. His expression of love for me makes me feel special. Jon has also helped me mature faster than most kids. Since the time he was born, I had to learn to be responsible. My dad taught me how to watch over Jon and report any health issues he might have. I used to watch him in his crib at night to make sure he rested. Now that Jon is older, I help with feeding him. Jon really enjoys pudding and ice cream, and it is funny to watch him giggle as he eats. There have been times when I had to miss out on an event or getting a toy

I wanted, because we had to be careful with money, but it never really bothered me. As I am now getting older, I really appreciate the chance to help with Jon as he is growing up, too. Finally, Jon shows me how to be unselfish. He never gets mad at anyone. He may become upset when he does not feel well or when he is hungry or tired, but he is never mad at a person, just the circumstances. He does not yell or take my games or toys. Even when he is really hurting after one of his surgeries, he rarely cries. He usually just lays still and whimpers. Jon never holds a grudge when I go away for a week to our church camp or to hike with the scouts, and he is always happy to see me come home. Jon and I belong together. He makes me a better person, and I feel happy to help him enjoy his life just a little more. If you ever see us out at the park or at the soccer field, feel free to come over and meet Jon. I bet he will become a blessing to you, too.

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BEST NON-FICTION

Electronic Drums By: Gabe Van Goor, 5th grade, Andersonville Elementary, Clarkston

can plug in your phone (or other device) to get some music going and then drum along with the music. You can also plug

it into an amp to make it louder. If you are not wearing the headphones and drumming but watching, your cannot hear anything - it is completely quiet. I like playing the electronic drums because I can just play whatever I want and pretty much whenever I want. Another good thing that can come from electronic drums is the easy recording feature that has been added to them. Recording right from the drums is possible - just plug your drums into a computer with a recording program and start playing. Easy as that! Electronic drums are also easier to move because they are smaller and lighter than an acoustic set. You can still move acoustic drums, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harder because they are bigger and heavier. Most professional drummers play acoustic drums because they are more dynamic. Dynamics simply means playing loud or soft, so if you are playing soft and you want a loud CRASH, you can do that. However, if you are just beginning to play the drums, electronic drums are a better choice, and there are lots of drum sets to choose from. Some brands that offer good quality are Yamaha, Roland, and Alesis.

owadays, there are smart engineering designs in pretty much everything. Drums are no exception. Nobody knows the exact date when the first basic drum was created, but drums have been around ever since our ancestors played them: tribes used them in rituals, and later on, drums were used in many military and festive activities. From my experience with drumming, I think electronic drums are better than acoustic drums. There are a few reasons for this. One reason is because they are engineered in such a way that a drummer can plug in headphones and play along with music whenever he or she wants and still get all the sounds. The other reason is that electronic drums make it possible to record what you play. They are also smaller and lighter. If you are playing acoustic drums, other people might not like that because it is loud. With electronic drums, you

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BEST OPINION ESSAYS

Phones and Driving By: Ember Mohrman, 5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

ou are expecting a text message from your boyfriend or girlfriend, and you feel your pocket vibrate while you are driving. You think that it wouldn’t be a big deal if you just took a peek at your phone. You look, then start responding, taking your eyes off the road only for a second. BOOM!!! You just got in a car accident. Driving and texting can cause many different injuries, accidents, and even death. About 1.6 million crashes a year are caused by texting while driving. It is not just your own safety you should worry about, but also safety of others. They share the road with you, and it is unfair to put their lives in danger.

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Ideally, you should keep all electronics away from you while driving because any of them can cause distractions. This doesn’t happen often, however. So some phones now have a “do not disturb” button, which senses that you are driving and doesn’t show a message or call until you get to your destination. Some cars have Bluetooth systems that allow you to talk without looking at or holding your phone. If you don’t have these features, then you can keep your phone in your purse or backseat, so that you don’t see it and get distracted by it. Don’t have your phone out while you are driving, because you never know who might get hurt. 27

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BEST OPINION ESSAYS

VALUE OF STEAM

By: Mylan Harris, 9th grade, International Technology Academy, Pontiac

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BEST OPINION ESSAYS

Learning by Doing By: Grayson Phillips, 2nd Grade, Kurtz Elementary, Huron Valley Schools

n my three short years in elementary school, my classmates and I have been lucky to have awesome teachers that have shown us that we can do anything if we believe in ourselves. They told us we can be anything, and they gave us time to explore things we loved or wanted to know more about. They challenged us to think outside of the box and asked us to do things that they knew would be hard for us. It is by doing these things that I have become the learner and creative thinker I am today. In Kindergarten, we were given time to play. Some people might think that kids have too much to learn in Kindergarten and should just play after school or on recess, but our teacher knew that playing was learning. Some kids played in the kitchen area, pretending to be bakers and chefs. Other kids liked to draw pictures and write captions like a real author and illustrator. School was new for us, so some things seemed hard. Our teacher reminded us that every successful person made mistakes and had to keep trying, so we did, too. We went to first grade still loving to write. Our teachers knew we loved to write even more when we could create books on Google Slides and share them with our friends. They even let us present our Google Slides books to our class. What we loved more than writing was donuts! Our class was obsessed with donuts, so we were really excited when our teachers told us about a bakery that was having a contest to create a new donut for their shop. We worked in partners to

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design and describe our idea and then sent them to the bakery. We waited a long time to find out which entry won. No one from our class won, but we kept coming up with new ideas anyway, just in case they have another contest. In both grades our teachers asked our class to be problem solvers when they gave us different challenges, like figuring out with a group how to stack 22 cups the highest, or the cookie and paper challenge when partners had to work together using one piece of paper, one cookie, and eight pieces of tape to get the cookie as high as possible. The first time we were given these challenges, it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go so well. Our teachers reminded us

that we should learn from our mistakes, learn from other classmates, take risks, and think about other ways we could complete the challenge. A lot of the challenges were about something we were learning about in science, math, or social studies. We learned what we needed in a fun way. I know that as I get older, playing and learning will probably look a little differently. I hear that some of the higher grades have Makerspaces and cool technology that I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used yet. I want teachers to know that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to help kids learn when they let us do something and move. I hope kids remember that even though sometimes projects or assignments seem hard, with a growth mindset, anything is possible. Even though I am only in 2nd grade, I know it is important to have fun and always learn new things so I can have a good life in the future.

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E D U C AT O R S

How Music Education Practices Can Benefit Instruction in Core Subjects The beauty of music education (and this is where it is inherently different from the core subjects) is that there is often no definitive answer and music is not complete without the focus and participation of all performers.

By: Scott Fryer, Director of Bands, St. Clair Middle School, East China School District

efore Spring Break, I was able to organize a performance for the sixth grade band students to play at each of the feeder elementary schools in our district. This was an opportunity to showcase the amount of growth that the newest band members had gained in just 7 months of playing their instruments. Sixth graders arrived collected, organized, and extremely excited to be out of school for the majority of the day. We played roughly 10 selections/pieces in a 30-minute block of time, and they all were engaged in the activity. Something about being a member of that ensemble energizes them, gives them pride, and projects a no-fear attitude while they are navigating an entirely different craft. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sense of community that is tactile - something that my students can feel throughout each rehearsal and performance. Not every minute is perfect, of course; not always we are able to use all 55 minutes of class time effectively; not every student performs at the same level. However, there is something here

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to tap into and possibly utilize in other classrooms. I think what mainly drives my students is the opportunity to perform: the experience of playing their instrument in front of others to demonstrate their learning. This is something I try to include into our daily rehearsals, allowing each band student to take ownership in his or her learning. Sometimes I will have, for example, a group of 8 trumpets share their take on a particular melody, perform as a small group, and then open up a discussion to all students. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ask: What did we like? What did we not like? How did they achieve that sound? What did you notice about the style of their notes? The questions and the discussion can be the key to unlocking the next level for many of my students. Additionally, this scenario is a moment for the performers to take pride in their work and to narrow their focus on exactly what they are doing, which allows them to reflect on their playing from an outside perspective. The beauty of music education (and this is where it is inherently different from the core subjects) is that there is often no definitive answer and music is not complete without the focus and participation of all performers. While I was teaching high school band a couple of years ago, my administrator approached me after a marching band event (otherwise known as a football game) to share that he could not believe how much ownership the students had in their routine. The event took place towards the end of the season, a home game without an upcoming festival, and I felt confident enough in my students

that I could walk away for a moment and the evening would go on without a hiccup. I was surprised by this comment not only because I had come to habitually expect such ownership in my students, but also because my thinking as a music educator never allowed anything less. Students need to feel empowered; they need to know we trust them. Only then will they truly lead. Leadership is an important quality that many teachers strive to develop on their students, and getting students to achieve even simple goals on their own can be a step towards becoming a leader. If we take, for example, the idea that leadership is the key ingredient in a band setting, we should ask the question: can we follow this model elsewhere? In a math class could students demonstrate their learning in front of the class? Right or wrong, their classmates could work through the problem and fix it. Not only does this experience help these students but also reach other students in a different way. It is important to note that this process takes up a considerable amount of class time when it is first introduced, but each repetition generates a faster outcome. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult for us, as educators, to relinquish control over to our students, but at the end of the day, we should be focusing on a student-centered environment and letting them to learn from each other. I personally feel that my students learn much more when I allow more time focused on them rather than me. I also like to bring in outside guests/ clinicians/professionals into my classroom to demonstrate and work with my students. I am always amazed how many professionals in my field are willing to come and work with my band students, at little or no cost at all. I am certain that a similar scenario could be arranged for nearly every classroom and would be something worth capitalizing on for the benefit of all students.

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PA R E N T ’ S C O R N E R

W Maggie Razdar Publisher/Founder

Welcome

elcome back to school! We are thrilled to be starting another great year with you! For the past three and a half years, Kids Standard magazine has featured the work of over 800 local children, parents, and educators. We have also recognized over 400 students as special awards recipients. What’s more, we have seen many students gain confidence and become better writers as a result of sharing their thoughts, ideas, and feelings with others through our publication. We have seen students, enrolled in our multimedia expression after school program, develop growth mindset and incorporate 21st century skills in their learning and writing processes. I have to say, it warms my heart to know that we are able to provide a platform for kids to be seen, heard, and acknowledged for their work! Recently, we have added many other

programs that support our youth, such as mentoring, coaching, and college readiness. We feel that our group of professionals can assist youth through the challenges they are facing today and become a catalyst for empowering young people to impact their own lives and the lives of their communities. We obviously cannot do this without the support of school district administrators and parents. I would like to thank all of the parents who encourage their children to be part of our programs and all of our supporters, sponsors, teachers, and principals who are partnering with us throughout this journey! My gratitude also goes to the families who joined Kids Standard’s End-of-the-Year Celebration in May. We appreciate you and would like to invite you to join our team of collaborators! Looking forward to a great 2018-2019 school year! Thank you, thank you!

Get ahead of the pack with an injury-free body. Dr. Shony Reuven treating a patient

It’s the best feeling when your body is injury-free and balanced, so you can perform at 100%. When you have a nagging injury or pain, performance suffers and your events just aren’t as fun. We’re focused on helping you bring your healthiest, most balanced self to all of your activities. Core Physical Therapy provides comprehensive physical therapy with specialties in the treatment and rehabilitation of the spine, shoulder, knee, foot and ankle. Physical Therapy for Optimum Performance.

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