THE EVERGREEN TREE

Samuel Shin

8th Grade • Lane Technical Academy

you’d think they’d all want to stop but instead they treated each other like a prop one day when all the trees came down they all shuddered and began to frown a month went by, then two, then three yet all the kids still disagreed by some miracle they found some tree the last green they had ever seen it’s vibrant leaves like some god given grace Breathing on their solemn, cold face they all stared at each other, then me then they all embraced us with glee every year all the kids come here when all the trees disappear

to the evergreen tree

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THE QUARANTINE WAVE

Brianna Solis

7th Grade • Rotolo Middle School

Waves, they hit when you least expect them to. Just like this global pandemic. One Friday we all left school not knowing we would not return the following week. And not giving us the chance to say goodbye to the family we were about to leave. This pandemic has affected us in many ways just like how waves have a big impact or small impact. This wave has had a big impact this wave hit like a tsunami and there was not one person prepared. This tsunami has caused us to stay home, not be able to see our friends, our family, and has kept us from not being able to keep our routine. Our routines that keep us distracted. That keep us busy and sane. This pandemic is causing some to risk their lives and the lives they go home to to keep people alive. But let’s not put too much focus on the bad. We can learn things about ourselves. Pick up new hobbies. Learn new things about technology. And learn new things about our families our culture. Let’s focus on how this can change us for the good.

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I WAS FOUND ON A STRAWBERRY FARM: A MEMOIR FOR MY MOTHER

Mary Sotz

7th Grade • Eliza Chappell Elementary School

In the year 1997 Mary Jude and Luis got married, two people truly in love and so happy. They tried for a baby, but in time they found out that Mary Jude couldn’t have children; she was infertile. By the year 2006, Mary Jude and Luis had both come to the acceptance point that they would probably never have children; adoption wasn’t something they could agree on, and they of course couldn’t have biological children, so Mary Jude prayed to Saint Jude, the patron saint of hopeless cases who she was named after. It can’t hurt, she thought.

Mary Jude had a friend named Jim who owned a fruit farm, the main attraction being strawberries. There were 2 parts to the strawberries on Jim’s farm; you could go and just buy fresh picked strawberries, or you could pick the strawberries yourself. Now Mary and Luis had driven to this farm every June for many years, as June is prime strawberry season and Jim was their friend. This year, Mary Jude was going alone because Luis had to work. She was going to stay on the farm for a couple of nights, pick strawberries and bring them home.

A week or so before the trip, Mary Jude got an email from Jim. The email stated that he needed help because there was a young Guatemalan woman working on the farm picking strawberries, but she had been caught without documents and had been taken to jail. Mary Jude felt her heart break for this woman, but she knew there was nothing she could do.

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On June 3, 2006, Mary Jude arrived on the farm. When she arrived, she unpacked and went for a walk. Later that night, she tried to go to sleep but had trouble sleeping. Around midnight, she got up. Not wanting to wake up anybody else, she went outside. Because it was a warm summer night, she laid down on the cool grass and looked up at the sky. “Wow!” she exclaimed. Above her was a sky filled with stars. It looked as if someone had spilled salt on the sky. Mary Jude stayed there in the cool grass staring in awe at the stars. Then suddenly out of the corner of her eye, she saw something bright — a shooting star was crossing the sky.

The next morning Mary Jude slept late and was woken by a knock on her door. It was Jim saying, “Mary Jude, I want you to meet someone,” so she quickly got dressed and went into the dining room. Sitting at the dining room table was Jim and a small girl who Mary Jude thought to be about 14.

“This is Sandra, the Guatemalan girl I emailed you about,” said Jim. It took Mary Jude a couple of seconds to remember.

“Oh, nice to meet you.” she said in Spanish. But Sandra just looked at her shyly.

“She doesn’t speak much Spanish,” Jim told Mary Jude. “Her language is Q’eqchi. She’s from an indigenous community.”

“Oh okay.”

But in that moment, Mary Jude knew she was supposed to bring this girl home. It seemed to flash across her heart, like the shooting star. After talking with her a little, she asked Sandra if she wanted to come home with her, and Sandra, to Mary Jude’s surprise, said yes. They agreed that Sandra would come back to the house the next day with her things.

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The next morning, Sandra was there at the door. She was holding a plastic grocery bag with everything she owned in it. Mary Jude was leading her to her car when Sandra stopped, and in what little Spanish she knew, she managed to say, “I need to tell you something. I’m six months pregnant. I don’t know if that makes a difference, but you should know.”

Sandra’s journey to Jim’s strawberry farm began in northern Guatemala. She was born in a small Q’eqchi’ village in the rainforest. She had 6 older sisters and 2 younger brothers. When she was 19, she got pregnant. She couldn’t tell her family. She knew she would not be able to give her child a good life as a single mother in Guatemala, so she borrowed money and made her way north.

It was a long and dangerous journey. She had little to eat and walked many nights. She worried about the baby. Would the child survive? Sandra was so thin, nobody could even tell she was pregnant, but she was glad nobody knew.

Even Jim didn’t know. Sandra arrived at his farm after a 3month journey. She had been told there was work there picking strawberries. But one day she got caught and was put in jail because she was undocumented. Now you might be wondering how she got out because she did, and I’m happy to tell you that Jim got his community to raise $20,000 dollars to bail her out of jail. That’s amazing, but what’s more amazing is that he did this for a seasonal worker that he hardly knew. And he reached out to friends, sending emails to ask for help. Friends like Mary Jude.

In the car on the way home, Mary Jude called Luis. “I’ve got the strawberries,” she said. “And something else.” Then she told him about Sandra.

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“Well, I guess I’ll meet her when you get here,” he said with a laugh.

Mary Jude thought she and Luis could help Sandra. But after Sandra had lived with them for a couple of weeks, they both felt the same. Sandra was so brave, and so honest. But she didn’t need help. She needed a family, a family for herself and her baby. They could offer her that, and when they did, she said yes.

Three months later, September 2, 2006, I was born. My mom didn’t know if I was going to be a boy or a girl, and she hadn’t thought of a name for me. Mary Jude was with her in the hospital, and when I was born, the midwife held me up to my mom and said, “You have a beautiful baby girl. What do you want to name her?” My mom looked at me and said, “Mary.”

This story is for my mother, Sandra Sotz, the bravest woman in the world.

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UNTITLED

Caleb Tiradani

7th Grade • Rotolo Middle School

As I sit outside, waiting, night begins to fall, As I wait, I try again to ponder the mysteries of quarantine, As I stretch my legs out while I lay on the blanket under me, I then begin to see the conclusions that help me understand. And so I begin, and changing my perspective as I go along, And so I start with the most familiar perspective I know. When you actually can see the stars for yourself, When you can finally do the things that have never been done, When life can finally be discovered, for you’ve always been different, When you can finally see When you finally see the world in a better mood, and human life isn’t too bad. When I can sing my bird songs freely, When the grass is greener, and the baby birds learn to fly, When the worms come out more plentiful, and food can last longer, When my wings can grow longer, and the big rumbles from the gray below, When the noise dies down and we live a happier and more plentiful life.

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When the walks become longer, and the people we love come closer, When they call us and bring more of our kind home, When cats and dogs are searched for, and there is room enough for all, When the rivalry is delayed, and all may find their new home better, When some finally see a good life that the older animals never knew was possible. When we can return the favor and nature can regrow, When the Amazon becomes more lively, When the canals in Venice repopulate with dolphins, When life shows more abundant than ever, and the explanation comes clear, When the life everyone once understood becomes the life they could never dream of. When humans and animals, When dogs and cats, When trees and plants, When earth and sky, When love, When kindness, When generosity, When justice, When everyone and everything, When life itself comes, When for a little while in this universe of wonders,

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When peace at last comes, When we find contentment within our community and love in families, When wars are stopped for a similar purpose and the events have not been found for years, When nature and humans can become friends again, When… As I see the first meteor falling from its perch in the sky, As I sit here alone, As I think to myself, continuing the flow, And when.... And When you see the world clearly, Through the negativity and annoyances of the people over quarantine, Though hate, Though jealousy, Though want and need, And with our community, And with our families, And with pets, And with nature, With every fall there must be a way up With every scrape, a way to heal With every broken thing, a way to fix it With every one there must be another, With life there is hope

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With hope there is kindness With kindness there is friendship And with friendship is community And with community, And with family And with hope And with life You reach the conclusion of Love, the creator of life. A creator of all things. Love, the greatest of human intentions.

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A FAMILY AND COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO ME

Miriam Tsegay

7th Grade • Jane Addams Middle School

Family and Community Three words That mean more than the eighteen letters That represent them Family means to me The people that surround us And love us unconditionally With all our faults and flaws And support us Through all our trials And testaments Community Is like an extension Of family They are the people that surround us At the beginning of our public years They witness those first mistakes First fights And first friends

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They are your world Before you enter the real one Both family and community Are there to guide us In confusion And in the community One helps another Through trouble And mayhem In times of disaster Hate And pain Community and family Almost become one To nurture and care And make your world A better place And soothe the pain That you may face And it’s what makes family and community Special In an incomparable Irreplaceable Way

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THANKFUL FOR PHILADELPHIA

Alaina Werge

8th Grade • Daniel Boone Elementary

I’ve been going to the same house in Philadelphia for Thanksgiving break every year since before I could remember.

It’s one of my favorite places on the planet — the smell of the musty rug sitting there in the same spot for years, the stories of the civil rights movement and the memories that speak from the reddish-brown bricks. The recollections of my grandpa cooking for a lot of people and my uncle going out and shopping in bulk. My grandma in her same apron in the kitchen, smiling as she leans over and tops the huge bowl of sweet potatoes with marshmallows, secretly letting us little ones sneak some. Don’t tell your parents, she’d say. You aren’t supposed to have dessert before dinner. Shhhh. I remember two-liter bottles of soda and the succulent turkey, the doorbell ringing and my cousins and I rushing to answer it, excited to see who would come next. Memories of real, genuine cheesesteaks, ice cream before dinner and new beginnings, the feeling of growing up and changing with the people you love the most.

Everything about that house is special to me. The way you can tell it hasn’t been redecorated since the ‘70s by the same striped wallpaper and green couch. The way the soap is shell-shaped, the way the tile on the bathroom floor looks like flowers if you stare at it for long enough. The way everything feels alive and full of light — almost as if the creator of all things good in the universe painted the house with invisible happiness. It gives me

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a feeling of warmth — as if love itself had been melted and poured into the air vents, as if it’s not only a feeling, but a tangible thing floating from room to room, so real you can almost reach up and touch it as it moves in a cloud above your head.

I love the feeling of twenty loved ones crowding a room together and all their laughter and voices and stories. I can close my eyes and tell who’s who based on the sound of the individual giggle. I love the feeling of happiness and joy — it’s like if you could only pause time and stay there in that one moment, nothing could ever go wrong.

I remember my six-year-old self nodding off and falling asleep on my Uncle Barry’s shoulder after the annual game of cards and a big piece of pumpkin pie. I faded away into contentment as he patted my head and my lullaby was the sound of laughter that filled the home. I remember wishing that I could just be there forever — no past, no future, just the beautiful, perfect now. We went to watch the old-fashioned Christmas light show at the old Macy’s store, which will forever be known as Wannamakers to native Philadelphians, much as Marshall Fields remains unchanged in the minds of Chicagoans. I was mesmerized, staring up at the giant images of plasma candy canes and snowmen dancing around on the screen. The images were so old-fashioned, not fancy like today’s graphics can be, but seeing the pride on the faces of parents sharing the experience of watching the same show they had watched as kids, with their own children, now made me realize how special this shared experience was for all those crowded around me.

People sang Christmas carols outside in the falling snow, and my family and I would walk past and discuss whether it might be too soon to be putting up ornaments. The cold would bite at

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our fingers and noses, but the warmth in our hearts was always enough to protect us from the chill in the air.

The death of my grandmother changed everyone and everything around me. Everything in the home suddenly had more value, more meaning, more memories. There are memories attached to the old, unused box of Jello in the cabinet that we planned on making together and the wheelchair that stays sitting there decaying in the basement that she used to get around towards the end, rusty and stiff. The house itself became more meaningful. Every surface glistens with an invisible coat of paint, a paint that is made of the tears that were shed and the comfort that was given. That table, where I would read to her. She was too weak to read for herself. I remember the spot on the couch where she always sat, the same coffee cup that she would drink out of with a straw. Parkinson’s weakened her muscles until she wasn’t even able to lift it to her mouth. And a year later, when she got pneumonia, her muscles weakened until she couldn’t breathe anymore.

Her memorial service was held in that house. Everyone came dressed in black. Somber. I remember as my ten-year-old self ran up the stairs, screaming. She shouldn’t have died. It’s so unfair. Why did she have to die? My cousin Ben ran up to me, scooping me into his arms, nuzzling the top of my head. It’s okay, love bug. It’s okay.

The house in Philadelphia will forever remain home to some of my most prized, emotional and joyful memories — and I know that I will always have a place to go back to. No matter who enters and exits the doors of my life, that house has become a home to me and will forever remain standing, tall and proud in my heart.

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Things change, and people do too, but together with my family, we can undergo changes and come out even stronger. Whenever I’m the only one standing still, when everyone around me seems to be moving as fast as they can, whenever I’m overwhelmed and in a river of emotions without a life vest, I think about my Philly home. No matter what happens, no matter how difficult and confusing things become, I’ll always have the moments and the memoires I can revisit in my mind and imagination, and that will always be more than enough.

I’ve been going to the same house in Philadelphia for Thanksgiving break every year since before I could remember. When I’m in this home, time stops, and I know that somehow, as long as I’m there, everything will always and forever be alright.

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UNTITLED

Erica Williams

8th Grade • Whitney Young Academic Center

I knew I was always a stick out. I just didn’t know I was this much of one. My parents recently dragged me out to Nashville, Tennessee. I don’t blame them though. I would never blame them for anything. I have the best family in the world. They were always by my side. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

But this was definitely not their best move. It just had to be the summer right before my eighth grade year. We packed our bags and took the 24 hour drive from Salt Lake City, Utah to our new home in Nashville, Tennessee. I didn’t think much of it the first third of the drive. I could always go back and see my one and only friend, Vanessa. I had just gotten her and I wasn’t ready to let her go.

But as the hours passed in the stuffy car and tiny motel rooms, my hope went down. And when we finally got to our new downtown house it finally hit me. I wasn’t just right around the corner from Vanessa anymore. It wasn’t just a quick walk and then I would hear her voice. No. It was a whole 24 hour drive. Twenty four hours of cheap fast food, tiny public restrooms, and the smell of burning gas. I was barely going to see her anymore, was I ever going to see her again?

So here I am on Willow Creek Road in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee. Not Salt Lake City, Utah, but Nashville Tennessee. I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. I was a friendless outcast stuck in Nashville, Tennessee.

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“Do you want to stop unpacking for ten seconds and do something else,” Mom came in laughing.

“I’m good.” I wasn’t really unpacking anyway. I was staring out of the big window in my new room, looking at all the little boys and girls running around the big field in front of all the houses.

Mom followed my eyes and asked, “Do you want to go outside and play? I can unpack something for you.”

“No!” I quickly yelled. “I’ve got it from here, you can go back to what you were doing.”

Mom gave me a concerned look but replied, “Okay.”

It went on like this for days. They always had some type of new gadget. Water guns, lightsabers, swords. But on top of it all I’ve been able to notice this one girl. She would sit on one of the outdoor benches and draw, watching over one of the younger girls. I would sit at my desk and draw too. It would be like I was right next to her, talking with her, laughing with her. Of course none of that was real. I could never approach someone like her.

One day Mom came in and stood next to me as I was drawing with her in my head. “Why don’t you go out there and talk to her?” she asked me.

“She looks busy,” I lied.

Mom let out a sigh and then looked towards me. “I know this move has been hard on you but maybe it would be better if you had someone with you.”

“I do,” I said happily. “I have you and Dad.” She couldn’t argue with that so she just smiled and left.

But what if she was right? What if I should just go out there

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and talk to her. I quickly turned around and ran out to the hallway where my mom was walking away.

“Wait!” I called out to her. She turned around and I made my way to her. “I think I want to go out and talk to her.”

“Okay,” Mom said with a satisfactory grin. “Just go outside then.”

She said it as if it was that easy. Under my breath I asked, “But how do I talk to her? What do I even say?”

I could tell my mom was internally shaking her head but it was an honest question. I just didn’t know how to talk to people. It took me years just to get one friend. “Just ask for her name,” Mom started. “Ask what grade she’s in, what school she goes to, and then drawing. You know you guys both like to draw. You two might have more in common than you think.”

“Okay,” my voice came out shakier than I would’ve liked.

I walked outside and stood on the porch for as long as I could remember. There she was, right across the street, and all I had to do was walk up to her and say, “Hi.” So that’s what I did. It wasn’t as confident as I saw it in my mind. As I got closer I saw the girl’s head raise a little.

“Hi,” I said awkwardly with a little hand wave. “My name’s Kenzie, I just moved in across the street and I wanted to introduce myself.”

“My name’s Malia,” she replied. “I’m glad to see someone finally occupying that house. It’s been empty for as long as I can remember!” Malia laughed playfully.

“Glad to be here,” I laughed along, even if that was partially a lie. “I saw you drawing earlier and I like drawing too.”

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“Yea, it’s just a hobby,” Malia said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and covering her notepad with her sleeve. This was the first time she came off as nervous.

“I really like that sketch of Leona Turner you were doing,” I pointed to her covered notepad. “Sorry that I looked.”

Her face brightened up when I said that name. “You know Leona Turner?”

“Of course, she’s only my idol! Her drawing technique, the comics she makes. She’s pretty much perfect.” At this point I got comfortable on the bench next to her.

The conversation took off from there. Maybe Mom was right... no, she was right. We had a lot more in common than I could ever imagine. I let down my guard, floating off into a world of our own.

A woman finally came out onto one of the balconies and called Malia and her younger sister in.

“It was nice meeting you, Kenzie,” Malia said standing up. Then it looked like something crossed her mind. “Hey, I have something I’m working on for the new school year. I think you would really like it, it’s an arts project. I know it’s kind of my project but if you would like we can work on it tomorrow.”

“I’d like that,” I nodded and then we went our separate ways.

As soon as I got back inside I could see Mom trying to back away from the window as if she wasn’t just looking through it. “Soo, how’d it go?” she greeted me with.

“Good... really good, actually.”

Mom let out a little shriek and turned to my dad sitting at the

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dining room table. “She introduced herself to someone! She introduced herself to someone!” She then turned back to me. “I’m so proud of you!”

A smile formed on my face and I did a playful little eye roll. But inside I was proud of myself too. I was actually able to approach someone.

I met up with Malia the next day. She was sprawled out on the grass with a large poster with a few other girls. Malia introduced me to them as her friends. After the ball got to rolling we got along very well. They also lived very close. I was nervous with the whole situation at first, but I had a lot in common with them too. Then Malia introduced me to the project.

“We’re basically making posters for this one club at a school. This is the main poster,” she said pointing to the big poster in front of her, “And then we need a bunch of smaller posters. Be as creative as you want, this is for drawing and comics club.”

I nodded in agreement and then we all got to work, cracking jokes as we went along. Then I noticed the school mascot that was continuously drawn on the posters. “Hey are these for the Bluford Bulldogs?”

“Yea, do you know the school?” Malia asked, looking up at me.

“Actually, that’s the school I’m going to this fall.”

“That’s where we all go to school!” Malia exclaimed. “This is actually our club we’re making the posters for, I’m the club president.” The group was all excited now. “We’ll show you all around and get you accustomed to everyone. This is going to be so cool!”

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That day ended as soon as it started. I came out of it with three new friends who all truly appreciated me. More days piled on by and then school started. Malia took pride in showing me around and I loved sticking by her side. I started getting used to talking to new people and I would say I was actually breaking out of my shell.

I remember sitting down with Malia one day on her porch. “You know, I used to be bullied where I used to live. I only had one friend, I guess that’s not so surprising though.”

“Why wouldn’t that be surprising. You’re so fun to hang out with and just in a few months have become one of my closest friends.”

“I was so scared to approach you that day when you were on the bench. I actually used to sit in my room drawing pretending I was next to you.”

“I was pretty nervous when you came up to me too,” Malia laughed. “But I’m so glad you did.”

“Yeah,” I laughed along. “I remember me saying how glad I was to be here even though I wanted to be back in Utah so badly. But I’m so glad I’m here and I’m so glad I met you. You’ve made my life so much better and now because of you I now have a whole community behind me. You make me feel so important.”

“That’s because you are... you’re really important.”

I walked up to Mom the next day while she was washing dishes and took her by surprise. “Thank you,” I said.

“For what?” Mom laughed.

“For everything. If it wasn’t for you I would’ve never

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approached Malia in the first place. I would still be stuck in the shell that was holding me back this entire time.”

“Aww, I knew it was in you this entire time. You just needed the push of love.” We both looked at each other smiling. After a little while, Mom grabbed me by the arm and pulled me in. “Now come help me with these dishes!”

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ACROSTIC

Eden Wilson

8th Grade • Skinner West Elementary

God only knows how much trouble moving has been. Over and over apart from old friends Of course, a pandemic just had to come! Great. To Loneliness and longing for familiarity I seem to succumb Every time I get used to something it seems to go.

Has nothing here been truly mine? Actually, it seems before I was doing just fine. No. I’m here now, and it’s actually much better Good thing I can pray, like writing a letter Only then I feel like I have a grip Under all of the smiling, I feel like I’ll slip. Thank goodness one day I found some calm So then I can focus on what’s going on

Good things are happening every day Real-life was calling while I was away Of course, I should call back, if only I knew how Ultimately I’ll figure it out, but I want to know now People are there for me, I just need to reach them

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My friends are not near now, nor were they near then Everyone is at home....

Then, I open my laptop to find a community Everyone sitting in chats, just waiting for me Xeroxed on to my screen are all my friendships They are right there, ready to talk, even

Counting some of the kids that I blocked! All the last 7 months feels swallowed with joy Love is in each message for me to employ Lasting friends aren’t limited to distance

Zip! They are there for you in every instance Over this time I’ll never forget Only few know that we shouldn’t let Mere distance take us and make us its pet.

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UNTITLED

Mica Zandstra

7th Grade • Daystar Academy

I hugged my mom and dad goodbye, I had just been admitted into Lionheart School two months earlier, where we would learn how to control and train our special abilities. Of course, there were other subjects, history, language acquisition and the study of creatures (the one I was most excited for along with unifly lessons where I heard you would get to have your very own unifly or pegasi).

I triggered Lorion while I was in Frogcroak, the ability to lift and control objects. Frogcroak is a school for humans on earth and from the Land Above the Clouds that haven’t triggered their power. The Land Above the Clouds is literally above the clouds, this special home is for humans who have triggered an ability and live, it is beautiful, but probably not how you are picturing it, your picturing fluffy cloud streets and houses made of white puff. Nope. What you should be picturing are huge houses, not made out of clouds, usually stone or wood, and stone streets.

Scouts are sent to earth to find children that are suitable and look like they may trigger an ability. They will be flown to the Above every year for five years until they trigger, if they happen to not trigger an ability they and their family will be brainwashed. If they do trigger they get to live in the Above along with their family. My mom had been admitted into Horsesong, and triggered animaly, the ability to talk and control animals. My dad triggered the same as me, Lorion and went to Lionheart.

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My mom kissed my cheeks. “Be safe Paige,” she whispered.

“I will mom,” I replied hugging her back.

“Remember to call us,” her dad said, grabbing her bags and hugging her.

“I will, every night,” she promised, grabbing her bags.

“Don’t forget Tinsel,” her mom reminded, using her ability, animaly to call the caramel colored puff to her side.

“How could I forget her,” Paige said, picking up the fat guinea pig and placing her into her large pocket on her petite green colored dress, leaving only a lump. I hugged them one last time before climbing into the large carriage pulled by two large white pegasi. I took the seat closest to the back and waved to my parents as my small (for the Above) mossy house surrounded by wildflowers drew out of sight.

Our first stop was about a thirty minute flight and we landed softly on the mossy ground and not far from the main house was the Dreamwood forest. It was beautiful and was told to hold all sorts of mythical creatures. A girl with long blond hair rippling in the wind sprinted down the stone pathway from the large stone house. She wore a sweatshirt that looked three sizes too big and jeans and she carried an overly-stuffed duffel bag. She marched up the carriage steps, shaking the whole carriage when she sat down. I caught myself staring and when the girl looked up, I became very interested in my tall brown boots. She scooted closer. “Hi! I’m Ashya, but you can call me Ash! What’s your name?” The blond girl, Ash said so fast it took a couple seconds for the words to process.

“I’m P-P-Paige,” I mumbled, giving her a weak smile, I can be very shy and don’t bother starting conversations.

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“Sorry, didn’t catch that,” the girl said through her huge smile.

“I’m P-paige,” I repeated a little louder.

“Oh, hey Paige! Excited about Lionheart?”

“Uh...yeah I g-g-guess,” I said studying my small pearl buttons on my dress. I really have no trouble in school, except with making friends. I’ve never really had a friend, I mean one you can tell everything to, and have sleepovers with. I just never have. I much prefer making friends with animals, putting my hand over the small lump in my pocket. Until, I caught Ash staring. It felt like the awkward silence would never end until Ash leapt into another speed round of talking. Honestly, how could anyone speak so fast, knowing what they were saying. She babbled on and on about what classes she was most excited to take and how she was going to make a gazillion friends. It felt like hours until the coachman shouted.

“Hang on tight!” As the pegasi dipped into a dive, plummeting to the ground. This was the last stop they would be making. On every carriage they only picked up three or four passengers to take to Lionheart, this made everything go a lot quicker and they could start their sessions the very next day. The white-winged horses stretched out their wings only milla-seconds before hitting the ground and padded their hoofs on the fresh green grass. Minutes later a girl in a long red dress flowing gently in the wind appeared, her waist-long strawberry blond hair billowing behind her. She looked...like a princess. This obviously made me even more nervous. The girl entered the carriage dipping into the most graceful courtesy I have ever seen. She glided through the isle and took her seat next to Ash.

“Hi! I’m Ashya, but you can call me Ash!” Ash said gleaming.

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“A pleasure to meet you Ash, I’m Scarlet Oak,” The girl said smiling her gleaming white teeth at Ash. I just kept staring at the ground, wishing I could sink into the floor.

“And you are...” Scarlet asked, eyeing me up and down.

“Uh, P-P...” I started.

“This is Paige! She loves animals and is excited to meet all the creatures at Lionheart!” Ash answered for me.

“You like animals, do you have any?” Scarlet asked cheerfully.

“W-well uh...” I started.

“She doesn’t talk much, which is why I answer for her!” Ash said, acting as if she was helping me, well, in a way she was, I didn’t need to talk much then at least.

“Oh okay, I have a griffin,” Scarlet said, still looking at me. My eyes shot up off the floor.

“Really?!” I asked excitedly, then turning red at the surprised look on Scarlet's face.

“Yup, his name is Jer.”

I gave a shy smile, these girls were nice. Maybe there was hope for this school yet. Ash made a gasping sound and Scarlet and I looked to find her face plastered against the glass. “What is it A....” Scarlet’s voice trailed off. “Oh, wow,” she breathed.

I followed their gaze out the windows of the carriage and found BLANK huge shimmering castles surrounded by forest. It was...breathtaking. We kept looking at the magnificent castles until the pegasi dropped swiftly on the ground. Ash was first, shooting out of her seat like her bottom was on fire and rushed out of the door like a dragon was chasing her. “She’s a goofy one,

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am I right?” Scarlet asked, and it took me a second to realize that she was talking to me.

“Yes,” I said, proud of my voice to not sound too shaky.

Scarlet led the way out of the carriage and we found Ash standing in a huge line of kids, waving us over. There was a huge statue of a lion in the center of the huge courtyard leading up to the stunning castle...Lionheart. Our bags were already in our rooms, said the coachman after we thanked him. I patted the pegasi on their soft muzzles thanking them as well. Scarlet was already with Ash when I hurried over to them. We stood directly behind a boy who had way too much gel in his blond hair. “From what I can tell, they are asking for our names and parents' names,” Scarlet half-whispered.

“Ooooooo! I hope they ask for our favorite candy! Course, I’m not sure I could pick just one, I mean seriously, There are soooooo many incredible candies out there!!” Ash said in rapid speech. Scarlet and I just stared at her blakely.

“What?” Ash asked. “From what I've heard, there is a huge candy shop called Wandemanders in the back courtyard! Mmmm, heaven...” Ash said dreamily. We couldn’t answer because it was our turn.

“One at a time, please,” the old lady at the desk growled.

“Nice to meet you too!” Ash said happily. The old lady rolled her eyes and said “Let’s get you over with,” motioning for Ash to step forward.

“Name?” The lady glowered at her.

“Ashya Storm! But, you can call me Ash!”

“Parents?”

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“Sia Storm and Callum Storm!” Ash sounded as if she practiced this. Which did not give confidence.

“Next,” the lady said motioning Scarlet forward.

Scarlet dipped into another of her graceful curtsy and said “I am Scarlet Oaks, and my parents are Brayden Oaks and Helaine Oaks.” She gave a smile with every word.

“Thank you Miss Scarlet, next,” She motioned me to move forward, but I didn’t budge.

“Ok...name?” The old lady looked smug.

“P-p-paige...” I started but the lady cut me off, “you gotta speak up hun, can’t hear ya when ya mumble,” she said impatiently, the kids behind me started to mumble under their breaths.

“P-paige H-hawk,” I said hurriedly.

“Parents?”

“P-pat H-awk, and P-patricia H-hawk,” I said and when the lady nodded and said “next,” I ran off to find Scarlet and Ash waiting for me.

“Come on Paige! Let’s go find the grand hall!” Ash said excitedly pointing to the right hallway.

“Are you sure that's the way?” Scarlet asked, crossing her arms.

“Trust me, I know what I’m doing!” Ash said crossing her arms right back at Scarlet.

“Why do I find it hard to trust people who always say ‘trust me’?” Scarlet asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh come on Scarlet,” Ash said, grabbing hold of Scarlet and

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I and pulling us to the right. Ash was definitely wrong with her hallway choice. It took a far longer time to find the grand hall than it was supposed to. Because when we got there we were at the back of the crowd.

“SILENCE!!” yelled a man with jet black hair and bright blue eyes, the crowd of kids went quiet. “Welcome to Lionheart School, I am your headmaster. You will call me Sir Rubin from this point forward. A few things before we send you off to your rooms. First of all, when classes aren’t in session the classrooms will be off limits unless a professor is inside. Second, before leaving the school grounds you must inform a teacher and get their permission of course. These are the two main things that you will have to worry about. Oh, and one more thing, Wandemanders, our magnificent candy store is only open on the weekends.” Sir Rubin announced. There was a lot of grumbling and groaning from the crowd, especially from Ash.

“You have got to be kidding me!!” Ash yelled, “Candy only on the weekends, this is absurd! I have to stock up!” Scarlet rolled her eyes at Ash.

Sir Rubin waited for the grumbling to settle before announcing. “You will all get your share of candy, but for the time being you will all make your way to your rooms.” He waved his hand in the air and a scroll appeared in each of their hands. The kids gasped. I opened the scroll. “These contain your room number, roommates and your schedule,” said Sir Rubin.

“Yes!” Scarlet yelled. “You're both my roommates!” I smiled and Ash high fived each of us.

“Most of your roommates are the kids you shared your carriage with and two others. Boys and girls are separated though,” Sir Rubin made clear.

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“Yeah, there is a girl named...Jasmine and Alissa in our room also.” Ash said, eyeing her scroll.

“Well, guess we’ll find out who they are soon enough,” Scarlet said shrugging.

“As you may have known, all of your belongings have been delivered to your rooms already. Thank you and enjoy your year here at Lionheart.” Sir Rubin raised his hands while he left and small flakes of...stuff floated down. They looked like...snowflakes but all the colors of the rainbow.

“Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” Ash said her tongue out of her mouth. “Delicious,” Ash sighed dreamily.

“Are you...eating those??” Scarlet asked dumbfounded.

“Uh, YEAH!!” Ash yelled. “They’re called rainblokes,” Ash said, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. “Sorry, they're called rainflakes, try them!” Ash said excitedly. I cautiously stuck my tongue out of my mouth.

“Mmm, they are g-good,” I said happily. I let the delicious flakes of color land on my tongue. The best part was they all tasted a different flavor each according to their color.

“Please start making your way to your rooms!” A lady with black hair and bright orange lip gloss called to the students.

“Come on, we should probably get going,” Scarlet said, grabbing Ash’s arm, pulling her away from the rainflakes, making Ash groan. We followed the directions to room 313.“So who is Alissa?” Scarlet asked, pointing to the name on their scrolls.

“That would be me.” We all spun around to find a girl with elbow length light brown hair and glassy brown eyes staring back at them.

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“Hello I’m Ashya, but you can call me Ash!!” Ash yelled.

“Nice to meet you Alissa, I’m Scarlet and this here is Paige,” Scarlet said with an elegant courtesy. I smiled at the girl.

“Nice to meet you all too!” Alissa said excitedly. “Jasmine and I already chose our beds,” Alissa said, opening the oak door to find a girl with waist length black hair sitting on a bed at the far side of the room.

“Hey, I’m Jasmine, but you can call me Jassa,” The girl smiled.

We said hello and took our choice of beds. I chose the bed furthest to the left side of the wall. I laid all of my clothes neatly in the oak wood drawers. And left one of the drawers especially for Tinsel to stay in. I looked over and saw Scarlet laying her clothes neatly in the drawers, makeup and stacks of books on her nightstand. Ash dumped all of her unfolded clothes in the drawers and was sprawled out on her bed. This was going to be a very interesting year....

This story connects to family because my sister Meghan who represents Ash, my cousin Sadie who represents Scarlet and me who represents Paige made up the Land Above the Clouds when we were younger and have loved to talk and play it ever since. We came up with characters that look like us. Some characteristics that we all have connecting to our characters would be Meghan loves candy just like her character Ash (although maybe not as much) and Sadie loves books just like her character Scarlet and me I love animals just like my character Paige. This story connects us in so many ways and is why I chose to write this short story about it. This is why family is important to me.

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9101112NINTH, TENTH, ELEVENTH, & TWELFTH GRADES

1ST PLACE

3am Realization Hennessy Morales473

2ND PLACE

Of Everything Jo-Hanna Kraal463

3RD PLACE

Unaware Anna Truong517

A handful of the following samples of writing have content that may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

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MY FAMILY

Marisol Arreola

10th Grade • Morton West High School

I love my family This much is true Despite our ups and downs And even when I act the clown They stand by my side always They are my heart They are my soul

This is a truth that will never get old I hold onto so many memories Some good, some bad A cinematic prototype A climactic plot A heroic act A means, to a beginning But never to an end I love my family This much is true

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For they are the essence to my being They are the center to my gravity They are the shelter from my storm

I love my family This is true

Because quite frankly, without them I’d be fuckin’, damn blue.

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FAMILIA

Lizbeth Avalos

11th Grade • Phoenix Military Academy

My family Avalos - Nuestra musica brings everybody to their feet Growing up lo que escuchabas todos los días era el sonido del violín When family members from Texas, Missouri, and Mexico came to Chicago we knew it was about to be a real fiesta, una noche larga Noches llenas de música, niños corriendo y sonrisas Most of my childhood was spent running con los primos Playing volleyball at Gage Park after dad came from work — it was really our family hobby for years Going fishing was what I use to dislike the most, and now I can’t wait for a message from Dad saying, “Vamonos a pescar” Los dias eran mas facil, if I could go back in time I would

My family Ramírez - La religión y el respeto es lo más importante Going to church is what brings our mama and papa closer Dios, la virgen de Guadalupe, el niño de Atocha, gods that my mama told me stories about

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CDs from Mexico, hours and hours of everybody at the jaripeos and bailes — I’ll be there one day There was always those rainy nights with loud thunder, Mama would bring us to the basement stairs and make us wait till it was over — those nights were full of life-changing talks and arroz con leche Mi mama’s chocolate con bolillo, o un café con galletas, my favorite Mama y Papa, los que no te dejan ir de la casa sin comer Our grandparents are the core of the family

Family to me means memories and love like no other. I know I’ll never encounter love as such porque familia solo es una. This is my family and they mean the world to me. Two different families and environments, yet they made me who I am today. I am open minded, respectful, and most of all, appreciative. Esta es mi familia.

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