free! take me home! :)
The Bunk Room Central Florida Florrida
Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL takes on an challenge of a lifetime with a semester of school outdoors!
™ March/April 2012 Vol 5, Issue 3
out Pg 18 e Sc l g a E y r a Zach ie s Pg 22 Cas 50 s k l Wa s For Statee! Pg 28 Peac d r o c e
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Annual Membership $10/Month, Save on EVERYTHING! Bring Your Dream Business To Our Thriving Community Location: 351 & 353 Plaza Drive, Eustis, FL 32726 Toll-Free: (866) 710-5626 Email: info@windhorseworld.com ^^^ >PUK/VYZL>VYSK JVT -)! >PUKOVYZL >LSSULZZ *LU[LY 4 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
Central Florida
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The Bunk Room
Created by Kids
The Bunk Room is a magazine created by kids and read by all ages. Our goal is to inspire kids to love reading and writing. We have readers and contributors from all over the world. In addition to our online edition, our printed editions can be found throughout the United States. Print editions are provided without charge and can be picked up at participating local businesses and institutions. To locate your closest local provider, go to
wHAt*s uP tHis moNTh? rs! hool Outdoo Scch
Features Fe 10 Earth Day Caroline 14, of Maitland, FL is thinking green this spring! For more than three decades, our beloved Earth has been celebrated!
page 14
11 Lift Off! A journey in Space (Camp) as told by Lucas 12, Leesburg, FL!
14 COVER FEATURE! The great outdoors is school for Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL for a semester at the Outdoor Academy in North Carolina.
28 World Record Ballet Hundreds gather together with Madison 12, Sorrento, FL to set a world record on pointe.
Departments 6 Publisher’s Note
Zach Goes For Eagle Scou t
thebunkroom.com/locations
8 Contributors This Issue
The Bunk Room is owned by Dimples Media, Inc. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from Dimples Media, Inc.
8 Margo’s Musings
Please email permission requests to publisher@TheBunkRoom.com.
Guano 18, St Paul, MN shares a heartfeltt moment-in-time as she moves through Senior Stress!
Local editions of The Bunk Room are licensed by Dimples Media and are independently owned and operated. For information about being a local publisher of The Bunk Room, contact Mark Slaby, Director of Licensing at mark@TheBunkRoom.com
page
18
11 What Do Your Think? 12 Day-To-Day
20 Poem! Poem! 21 Crossword Challenge 26 Road Trip! 28 My Future Life
50 0 Mil ile less 50 States 50 We eek ks
30 The Bunk Roomies Notebook
page 22
NEW! Come explore The Bunk Roomies world! Keep up with all the goings-on!
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The Bunk Room
™
Central Florida TheBunkRoomCF.com
Emily JOnes Wells
Publisher, Central Florida
Publisher: Emily Jones Wells Editorial / Creative: Maria Slaby Editor in Chief: Margo Slaby Advertising: Katie Lawless TBRCFL@gmail.com • 407-620-5824 Advertising Design: Courtney Noll Ayers Distribution: CC FL Distribution Gary Wayne • Jim Shipley • Rod Jones The Bunk Roomies......................... Our loyal and diligent writers appearing in this issue: Anna Gazdecki 10, Sorrento, FL Annika Slaby 11, Mount Dora, FL Emma Gazdecki 12, Sorrento, FL Madison Yates 12, Sorrento, FL Caroline Wells 14, Maitland, FL Benjamin Slaby 14, Mount Dora, FL Erik Slaby 16, Mount Dora, FL Margo Slaby 18, Mount Dora, FL Maria Chester 18, Eustis, FL Founders.................................... The Slaby Family, Mount Dora, FL Margo, Erik, Benjamin & Annika Mark & Maria .................................................. The Bunk Room: – Central Florida is published by Write On Media LLC. 407-620-5824. .................................................. All content submissions are assumed to be for publication and become property Dimples Media, Inc., 1515 Old Eustis Road, Mount Dora, FL, provider of The Bunk Room trademark and editorial content. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from Dimples Media Inc. Contact publisher@thebunkroom.com for permission requests. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us immediately. The Bunk Room is limited in liability to a correction in a future issue. All opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers or advertisers. The Bunk Room cannot be held responsible for the products, services or opinions herein.
6 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
These are GREAT days at The Bunk Room! I am so excited to be the new Central Florida Publisher. Since 2008 The Bunk Room (TBR) has been an online magazine. TBR Founders, the Mount Dora Slaby family of six, realized their dream to print the first version in August 2011. We are now expanding rapidly into Orange, Seminole and Lake counties. Our Mar/Apr edition is awesome and we can’t wait to get it into your hands. It’s full of interesting things! Some of our favorites: “Day to Day,” “Poem! Poem!” and “My Future Life” are regular columns. Can you imagine, taking a challenge like Miguel, of having a semester of school outside? (p. 14) My daughter Elizabeth (10) just asked “What happens if it rains?” Read on and find out! More exciting news: Earth Day events happen in April. Caroline Wells (14) reports on the history and how to get involved (p.10). Held Saturday, April 21 (10:00 am-6:00 pm) at beautiful Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando, there will be an active Kids Zone, artist corner, environmental education, food booths, live music, hundreds of eco-friendly vendors and much more! Visit The Bunk Room tent for fun contests and give-aways! I am, along with my whole family, so happy to be a part of this magazine that encourages kids to not only read, but to also have the chance to be published. There is nothing more exciting than to see your words in print! Our goal is to inspire kids to love reading and writing—a worthy goal in this texting age! This edition is dedicated to my parents, Rod and Mary Jones. My three older sisters and I are so fortunate to have Mary Rod inherited their love of the Emily written word. Without Mom and Dad, I would probably not be writing this today. Our deb ut at the Mount D ora Arts Go Jone Festival! s Family !
WeÍre Growing! Wanted Writers!
Go to page 8 to learn how you can contribute your writing. Make sure you also subscribe to our email updates and “like” our Facebook page. Stay plugged in with writing ideas, events and more.
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Maria Slaby
Kids! Join The Bunk Roomies and learn publishing!
Director of Editorial & Creative
From school in the wild, to the wild adventures of becoming an Eagle Scout and, finally, to walking from East to the wild West, this edition of The Bunk Room seems to h have hi hit a
Join us monthly to learn all about publishing and take your writing to the next level, plus much more!
theme. The funny thing is that it wasn’t planned. All our content is written by kids and submitted randomly. We do send Bunk Roomies out on assignment, which is where Maria Chester’s article about
It’s FREE & Fun!
Looking for Community Editors!
Cassandra Curley’s 50-50-50 walk for peace originated, but the alignment of articles that hit our pages is largely fortuitous. Our goal is variety: in subject, writing level and geography. It is hoped
Next Meeting:
that the diversity we show on these pages shines new light on the everyday, and inspires both young and old to embrace the joy of different perspectives! Enjoy!
Friday, March 16 at 7 pm Mount Dora, FL Call for details 352-383-1456 or go to TheBunkRoom.com
Attention Educators The Bunk Room is available for FREE to your classroom! We will deliver an issue for each student in your classroom or organization. Educators throughout the country are embracing The Bunk Room, not only for supplemental reading but for inspiring writing in the classroom and beyond.
TThe Bunk Room
TThe Bunk Roomm Created by Kids
By Kids For Kids
September er Octoberr 2010 ue 3 Volume 3 Issue
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SAMPLE E y February 2011 Vol 4, Issue e1
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™ August 2011 Vol 4, Issue 2
By Kids Created By All! Read
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Sarah tells about her own
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By Kids For Kids adventure!
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September/October 2010 | TheBunkRoom.com | 1
Jonathan 15, workss behind the scenes of a big box office movie set.
Annika 11, splashes her heart out on her Staycation!
Issue In Thto isEagle Scout:
y Rise Journe For The The Vision Dog Blind Write! mies! Roo Kids Bunk The
Go to thebunkroom.com/Educators to sign up for your FREE classroom Together we can build a stronger child. March / April 2 012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 7
Contributors This Issue Anna 10, Sorrento, FL
Zachary 16, Oakdale, MN
Julia 11, Mount Dora, FL
Benjamin 14, Mount Dora, FL
Christina 11, Orlando, FL
Daniela 15, Astatula, FL
Lucas 12, Leesburg, FL
Erik 16, Mount Dora, FL
Annika 12, Mount Dora, FL
Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL
Madison 12, Sorrento, FL
Eddie 17, Orlando, FL
Emma 12, Sorrento, FL
Allison 17, Merrillville, IN
Mary 13, Columbus, OH
Ryan 17, Bellevue, WA
Sabrina 13, Laurel, MT
Goanou 18, St. Paul, MN
Nathaniel 14, La Crosse, WI
Maria 18, Eustis, stis, s, FL
Caroline 14, Maitland, FL
NEW
FREE Bunk Room T-Shirts! Frequent Writer Program Just submit 5 publishable articles and get a cool Bunk Room tshirt! WhoooHooo! Go to: thebunkroom.com/Tshirts
Congratulations to all contributors.
gs
Margo’s Musin
A lot of fun stuff has been going on in our household ho lately! I started the high school's tennis team and a although I have a LOT to learn, I'm absolutely loving lo it! It's so different from swimming---the sport I'm used u to---but I'm super excited to learn!
My brother Benjamin started FIRST Robotics, an international program combining science, engineering and technology. He is absolutely loving it. They have a competition in the beginning of March; hopefully all of their hard work will pay off. I’m sure he’ll be writing about it in an hief Editor-in-C upcomi upcoming issue. He's also just as excited about his car project. Check out his latest Habilis Boy blog (p 30) for new developments in his Bug Car project. Think Camaro. Whoa! It's super cool and he's going to teach me how to drive it (stick shift). Our latest project is our quartet. Mom got us new quartet music. Our favorite is OneRepublic "Secrets." It's so much fun to play; we're really getting into it. Annika and I play the violin parts, while Erik plays the viola and Benjamin plays the cello. It starting to sound so awesome! We’ve been having a lot of fun with The Bunk Roomies too! We’ve got a new home in downtown Mount Dora, FL so we’re able to invite more kids. If you’re not local to Mount Dora, no worries, we video conference! We meet the 3rd Friday of each month from 7-9 pm. We’re having a ton of fun learning the behind-the-scenes of publishing and improving our writing. Check out our thebunkroom.com for more information about that. We’d love for you to join us! (Click on Bunk Roomies) I wish you a fantastic March! Spring break is in the air! :D Smiles! ~Margo
8 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
The Bunk Room Needs You Yes...this whole magazine is written entirely by kids, so come on kids, now’s your time to shine. See your work published!
Submission Guidelines All writing should be original work of the contributor and be considered wholesome and acceptable content for kids aged 8 to 18. All artwork must be original from the contributor. For photographs, please include names of persons in the photos.
Submit Online All work needs to be submitted via our Inbox at TheBunkRoom.com Remember, a parent or guardian’s electronic signature must accompany all submissions. All submissions are the property of The Bunk Room. The Bunk Room reserves the right to edit submissions. The Bunk Room content is published monthly by Dimples Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without permission from the publisher.
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Earth Day The Idea By Caroline 14, Maitland, FL Bunk Roomie Writer It iis hard for me to imagine that people have not th a always practiced re recycling. Research shows tthat in the late 1960’s h having a big car that used a lot of gas was use considered a sign of wealth and factories were pumping pollutants into the air, lakes and rivers without even thinking about it. At that time, people didn’t recycle because there wasn’t a need and only a small part of the American population even knew what “recycling” meant. In 1970 a Senator in Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, wanted to convince people that the planet was at risk. He developed an idea called “Earth Day,” which focused on educating people about environmental issues and things they could do to protect the Earth. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. It helped to teach about water and air pollution, energy conservation and the need to protect habitats for plants and animals. Today, Earth Day is celebrated in over 175 countries with more than 500 million people participating in projects like tree planting, recycling aluminum and paper and trash clean-up. Now, many communities celebrate Earth Day for an entire week. Where I live in Maitland, Florida, this April, we are fortunate to celebrate Central Florida Earth Day (CFED), the largest and longest-running Earth Day festival in the area! Organized by Vegetarians of Central Florida, CFED is intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. The CFED festival, as well as others throughout the country, features kids’ activities to let you know what you can do to help the planet and have fun doing it; there will also be featured speakers, environmental education, concessions, live entertainment, an artist corner, hundreds of eco eco-friendly friendly vendors and much more!
ThinkGreen
10 | TheBunkRoom.com | March 2012
For more information about the Central Florida festival (April 21), visit CFEarthDay.org. Outside Central Florida, check EarthDay.org for your local event schedule.
What Do You Think? What does it mean to be a good friend? Being a good friend means listening to and respecting your friend's opinions, being supportive of what he/she loves to do, and just being nice! Mary 13, Columbus, OH It means being open-minded and being able to listen to other’s thoughts. Erik 16, Mount Dora, FL To me, to be a good friend means to stand up for someone when no one else will, and to care for that person. Madison 12, Sorrento, FL To always be there for the other person. Eddie 17, Orlando, FL
If you were a Crayon, y be? what color would you 3 3 2 1
Being a good friend means listening to people and being supportive. Sabrina 13, Laurel, MT Always be there for them when they need you. Christina 11, Orlando, FL Being there for someone through every good and bad moment in life. Allison 17, Merrillville, IN Someone who is a positive person in your life. Ryan 17, Bellevue, WA
By Lucas 12, Leesburg, FL Recently, I set out on a trip I'll never forget. My dad and I took two planes and a bus to get to Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. We got to camp about 2:45 p.m. First, we went to their dinosaur di area which hi h h had games and stuff to look at. Technically, we sort of snuck in because we had no ticket. We didn't know we needed one, because no one was at the door. We found out later.
Ready for Lift Off
At the space part, they had rides, games, and an IMAX 3D. Day 1was fun, but Day 2 was better. We went on a moonwalk, did MMU (manned maneuvering unit), and went MM to the t IMAX theater to see what the Hubble Space Telescope has seen. The MMU is a Spa machine that spins you around and upside ma down. dow
Also on Day 2, we had a simulated space mission. We had four problems. Well, we failed, technically. First, the space station burned up in the atmosphere. Second, the orbiter shuttle ran over the fake cameraman. Third, we had to pay fake funeral costs for the cameraman. Finally, our crew forgot to deploy the landing gear until after we stopped on the ground. Day 3, the last day,, was the graduation ceremony. I received wings and a pin. We also played space jeopardy and our team won. Our team was called Antares, like the star. So, that was my time at Space Camp.
March / April 2 012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 11
Day-To-Day
What a regular day is like.
By Goanou 18, St. Paul, MN ........................ ..... “Get out of bed and pack all your clothes!” were the very y ffirst words my dad hollered. “I’m so sick and tired of “ always having to do a everything in this house. I e don’t have the time to be d ccleaning and packing your stuff while you’re sleeping all sst day and going out all night!” d
Well Dad... Correction, I do not sleep all day, nor do I go out all night. And for crying out loud, did you have to tell me this at two in the morning? I was sleeping for goodness sake. I’m a senior in high school now and I’m going through the entire college application and scholarship fiasco. My parents just bought a house not too long ago and have been going crazy for the past week. I’m stressing on a daily basis, not only because of them, but because of all these essays I have to write and writing essays ays equals an unhappy Gaonou.
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Anyway, after my dad said aid that, I got up. Picked up my clothes for a little bit and then n laid on my bed. I thought about outt homework and I thought about out life. I tried going back to sleep, ep, p,, but my mind just raced and my y stress level peaked. Ugh, my college applications tions aren’t complete yet because my counselor forgot to upload my paperwork. Oh great, I haven’t practiced my viola for about five days and the auditions for the Music Scholarship application is due in a month. I have like a bazillion essays to write and I haven’t even started on them yet. Wow, life rocks. After rolling around in bed for a while I finally decided that I was wasting my time trying to sleep. I needed a way to release my stress so I got up again to practice my viola.
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As I walked through the kitchen I noticed my dad cooking something for my mom and that was when it hit me: As annoying as my parents may be and as much as they yell at me for no reason, they only want what’s best for me. Right now I may be taking things for granted, but some day I’ll learn to appreciate them for all the things that they have and still are doing for me. I love my parents with all my heart, and that’s that.
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Real Outdoors By Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL Sparks flew as I pounded on the red hot iron. I held the metal I was working on tightly, the heat from the rebar burning into my hand. It took a lot of self-control not to drop the bent piece of metal. I was trying to make a knife at The Forge, an outdoor building located under a small crafts shed, set deep in the campus of The Outdoor Academy. The Outdoor Academy is a semester program run by Eagle’s Nest Foundation where mostly tenth graders live and study for four months in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina. It is a small school located on a huge campus. My semester (Semester 33) had nineteen students. Eleven of them were girls and eight of them were boys. The awkward stage that plagues recently-introduced teenagers melted away in a matter of days. One day after being dropped off, the student body was split into three groups. Given supplies and food, we were immediately sent off to go on a three-day hike. This is only a warm-up for the nine-day trek that would happen somewhere
14 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
around the middle of the semester. Within the first month of the semester, the group also goes on a white water canoeing trip and a rock climbing trip, each lasting the span of a three-day weekend. Towards the end of the semester we went caving and bouldering. The semi-final day of the semester is spent on a solo: an entire day and night dedicated to being alone in the woods. One of the main focuses of The Outdoor Academy is community, something that is not difficult to achieve in the school’s environment. From the onset, The Outdoor Academy introduces Work Crew to encourage a sense of belonging. Work Crew is a weekly community service activity performed on campus. Every week students and staff do some kind of physical work around campus, ranging from activities like planting a tree, chopping wood for our wood stoves, or recycling. The academics are also exceptionally amazing. My classes were math, environmental seminar, English, Spanish and science. My two electives throughout the semester were blacksmithing and string-band. The classes are like nothing you have ever experienced before.
Real Life Challenges These classes consist of having fun while hil llearning, i unlike a school environment which consists of seat-work and rote memorization. In science, for example, instead of looking at a textbook we would run around outside in the woods and observe the natural world directly. Once, in English, we wandered through the woods blindfolded, discovering our surroundings using senses other than sight. In environmental seminar we would spend the entire class period discussing topics such as ethical environmental dilemmas and renewable resources. All of our food was local and delicious. Many of the vegetables and fruits we ate came from our own garden. Sustainable agriculture was practiced. We composted
15 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
everything thi that thatt we could ld for the garden. garden The students would often participate in the kitchen by making soups, salads and baking breads. I would go back to The Outdoor Academy again if I could, but I cannot. What I can do is apply all that I have learned there at home, with my family, friends and community. The Outdoor Academy was an experience that I will never forget. For more information about The Outdoor Academy, go to enf.org/outdoor_academy
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 15
LOOK WHAT'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations to Madison Ryan, Elizabeth Carroll, Lauren Lawless, Elizabeth Chambers, Maddie Youngblood, Lydia King and Michael Holley from South Seminole Middle School for a job well done in their Odyssey of the Mind Competition. On to State they go! ••••• News from Dommerich Elementary School Chiefs On The Run 5K! Congratulations to Julia Weiner for finishing 1st Place for 4th grade girls! Congratulations to Harrison Gault, McLeod Chasser and John Workman for being the 3 top finishers for the 4th grade boys! And a Big Thank You to the Winter Park YMCA for sponsoring this great event! ••••• Congratulations to Caroline Chasser for a GREAT swim meet! ••••• Congratulations to Lauren Lawless from South Seminole Middle School for earning a “Superior” on her flute performance for Solo and Ensemble!
Way To Go!
••••• Congratulations, Representative Bryan Nelson, for receiving the coveted Golden Eagle Award from the Central Florida District Boy Scouts of America! (Submitted from The UPS Store at Rock Springs & Welch Rds, Apopka.) •••••
Shout CONGRATS to your friends & family on this page and watch them beam! Listings $1.00 per word / $20 min. Deadline: April 5
Olivia Lawless would like to wish her very special friends a Happy Birthday!!! Happy Birthday to Kyndall Johnston, Natalie Waldron, Morgan Hansing and Morgan Murray. They all have birthdays in February and March!
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HAPPENING! SPECIAL EVENTS
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Central Florida Zoo Summer Camp and Cub Club Registration begins March 1. Register early! April 7 & 8: Hippity Hop Adventure! April 9-15: Bat Appreciation. More info at www.centralfloridazoo.org or 407-323-4450
Got an event to share? Theyʼll see it here! Listings $1.00 per word / $20 min. Deadline: April 5
Book signing with Jeff Ashton, Prosecutor in the Casey Anthony case, March 10th at Noon. Barrel of Books and Games, 144 W 5th Ave, Downtown Mount Dora, 352-735-1950 or BarrelofBooksandGames.com Big Chief’s Night Out and Silent Auction Dommerich Elementary School, Thursday, March 15th at SoNapa in Maitland. Many exciting auction items to bid on in the silent and live auction plus fantastic raffle items too. Admission is $10 per person or $15 for 2. Each admission will get you 2 raffle tickets and a wristband for ½ price drink specials. Additional raffle tickets will be available for $1.00 per ticket at the event. Food and drinks not included in the admission. This event is open to all. Any questions contact beckygator@yahoo.com.
407-620-5824 TheBunkRoomCF@gmail.com
SunLove Spring Equinox Festival March 18 10a-5p. Family-friendly activities including interactive music & games, Bounce House, clowns, face painting, Free kids Self Defense lesson and yoga lesson. Enjoy organic food, live music, holistic health, healing arts & more! Visit The Bunk Room Tent! Windhorse Wellness Center, 353 Plaza Dr, Eustis 32726. 352-602-4351 or www.WindHorseWorld.com The Central Florida Council of Boy Scouts of America will be honoring Rep Bryan Nelson on 28 March. He is receiving a Golden Eagle Award. The program is written and produced by Apopka Boy Scouts. Contact Senior Director Antoine LaFontant at (407) 703-0261 to sponsor or attend. Pups on the Patio: Local Pet Rescue Benefit April 7, 6p. Downtown Tavares Waterfront. Join us for pet-friendly fun. A “Pawsport” can be purchased for a $10 donation. Pawsport holders are entitled to a free drink at EACH 4 participating restaurants: AL’S Landing, Dockside BBQ, Ruby Street Grille, O’Keefe’s Irish Pub. Details at www.thegreenk9.com or call 352-253-5205. Central Florida Earth Day April 21 10a-6p. Featured speakers, presentations, kids’ activities, environmental education, humane education, animal haven, artist corner, live music and entertainment, food booths, 100+ eco-friendly vendors & much more! Free. The Bunk Room is the exclusive sponsor of the Kids Zone. Be sure to visit our tent! Details: www.CFEarthDay.org Celebrate with us at Christian Home & Bible School’s track as we host the American Cancer Society’s Mt. Dora Relay for Life. April 27th & 28th. It is a 16-hour event that is fun, festive & humbling. We will start at 6 pm on Friday with a Survivor Lap and go until 10 am on Saturday morning. 17 There | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012 food to eat and memories to make. will be games to play,
ted
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Benefit for 11 Local Pet Rescue Groups
WHEN: Saturday, April 7 at 6 pm WHERE: Ruby Street, Downtown Tavares Dog Wash • Barking Boat Tour Pet Characature Artist • Live Music Pets for adoption • Vendors and More Your Pawsport can be purchased for a $10 donation. Pawsport holders are entitled to a free drink at 4 Pet-Friendly restaurants through Dec. 2012! DETAILS: www.thegreenk9.com
352-253-5205 Non-aggressive, leashed dogs are welcomed. Pets should be at least 4 mos old with current vaccinations (including Bordatella) and flea/tick-free.
Journey to Eagle Scout By Zachary 16, Oakdale, MN On a Friday night in January, I stood before the Eagle Board of Review for an hour and a half going over the work I completed for my Eagle Project. At the age of 16, it was my last step to becoming an Eagle Scout. Preparations for my Eagle project began last July. An Ea Eagle project must be done for a non-profit organization. The Scout is responsible for planning and organ carrying out the project including all necessary carry fundraising. My project was a prayer walk consisting of fundr six sta stations for Village Creek Bible Camp in Lansing, Iowa. Iowa
1818 18| TheBunkRoom.com T| hheeTheBunkRoom.com B nkkRRooom Bu ooomm.com .ccomm | August A| uuggMarch uusst 2011 20111/1April 2012 20
Each mulch-covered station was roughly 10 feet by 10 feet including a bench, a raised flowerbed, and an engraved devotional sign. My dad and I have been attending the Father-Son Retreats at Village Creek since I was 8 years old. I have always enjoyed attending this camp, so it was a great opportunity to help the camp out. I joined the Scouting program as a Webelos when I was 10 years old. I never participated as a Cub Scout. Soon, I crossed over to the Boy Scouts and started progressing through the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle. It was not until I volunteered on an older Scout’s Eagle project that I officially decided I would become an Eagle Scout. My parents also inspired me to earn the Eagle g rank no matter how hard or
Challenge and Adventure how long it would take. Completing the twenty-one merit badges, required a lot of time and dedication, but I do not regret any of it. Each of the merit badges and the Eagle project just take a little bit of work everyday. Some of my favorite memories from Scouting are the weekend campouts, high adventure trips, and the weeklong summer Tomahawk Camps. Scouting is a great organization that teaches boys many survival and life skills. It is where I learned to tie all the knots that I will ever need in life. I have benefited from Scouting because it has inspired me to be “trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” That is the Scout law, and I highly recommend all boys to seriously consider joining the Boy Scouts. It is best to join with a friend or two and find an adult Scout leader who is willing to mentor you through the ranks. At the end of April, I was officially given my Eagle Scout pin during my Eagle Court of Honor where friends and family came to celebrate my proud accomplishment with me. Once earned, no one can ever take that away from you. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.
March / AprilAAu August uugu ggu2u012 sstt 2011 201011| TheBunkRoom.com | TTh TheBunkRoom.com heB eBun unkR unk kRoooom.co com| 19| 1919
The World Is Mine e .......................................... ....
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I want to travel the world I am not afraid to take the chance
Da By As niel ta a 1 tul a, 5, FL
My mind is clear and I now see what really matters in life
I see the big picture that was once blocked by so many small details I feel fearless to take the risk I give thanks to God because I know that I am fully blessed and lucky My heart is filled with the same eagerness that encloses hands that hold a million dollars I am flying high up in the sky I look below my feet and realize the world is mine I am a winner in my mind because I have conquered the meaning of life I’ve found my purpose and I am ready to share it with those who surround me Should I care less what is in the mind of my neighbor I am floating on a hot air balloon and I am not coming down My heart is pounding ready to explode with excitement and joy I believe that the world is mine
Spring Air A breath of fresh air Is like spring in a meadow For here I lie Within the white petal daisiess
M
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Which makes me feel a little lazy azy Just to sleep for a moment or two Amongst the stems all curlycue
Do you think you’re the next Maya Angelou? We’d like to see it! Submit your poems through our InBox at TheBunkRoom.com.
20 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
Crossword Challenge: Win a Day at the Zoo! Each week in March, 4 winners will receive a Day Pass to the Central Florida Zoo! Runners-up will receive a Special Bunk Room pencil (designed especially for lefties). Clues in this issue!
ACROSS A CROS
DOWN
2 Dr. Kalidas and staff offer a _____ to health,
1 Since 1938 the Scenic Boat Tours travel through
hope & healing
canals & lakes of what city?
4 Benjamin is also known as "_____ Boy" because he
3 Where to go for the best banana split
is so handy
5 The Outdoor Academy is located in what State?
7 ______ Wellness Center is the place to have an
6 Pop Survey's least favorite crayon color
organic meal & smoothie, practice pottery, and it
10 Broadcasting on the radio, what football team is
is the home of Ice House Youth Theatre
Erik's favorite?
8 The surname of the owner of Family Fun Marine
11 April 22nd is also known worldwide as ____ ___
9 Promoting World Peace, how many miles did
14 What is Barbara's dog's name?
Curley walk in EACH State?
15 What is the color of the Organic Chef's favorite
12 An exciting aerial adventure at the Central
carrot?
Florida Zoo
20 Once an _____ always an eagle
13 The Central Florida Publisher's middle name 16 In 2008 Erik and Benjamin Slaby drafted a little newsletter in ___ ____ ____; thus the name of the magazine you are reading 17 How many students of South Seminole Middle School will go on to the "Odyssey of the Mind" State competition? 18 In the poem Spring Air, what flowers make Julia feel a little lazy? 19 Michael _____ specializes in tile installation 21 A good place to Eat Mor Chikin CrosswordWeaver.com
Send it in! Submit S b your entries to TheBunkRoomCF@gmail.com or fax to 352-383-1029. Each week in March, 4 winners will receive a Day Pass to the Central Florida Zoo! Runners-up will receive a Special Bunk Room pencil (designed especially for lefties). Don’t forget to fill out the form below to participate! Name ________________________________________ Mailing address ________________________________ Email: _______________________________________
By Maria Chester 18, Eustis, FL Bunk Roomie A-Team Writer Peace . . . the elusive quality that humanity has sought for so long. What is true peace and how can we find it? Can it even be achieved? Read on to find how one woman’s quest for peace led her on a 2,500 mile trek of the United States of America.
et Trail, m o C e v l Si GA Atlanta,
Cassandra Curley of Winter Springs, FL, finished the last leg of her groundbreaking journey to promote peace on January 21, nearly a year after beginning the arduous task. Walking 50 miles in each of the 50 states in 50 weeks just in time for her 50th birthday, Curley raised global awareness for unity while simultaneously promoting her book, From Fear to Eternity: A Path to Peace. Armed with her “Supershake,” a delicious high p protein concoction of her own making, and 4 pairs of sneakers she made her way across America. Rather than sneaker dealing with the smog, fumes, and traffic of big cities, she was able to take advantage of one of our country’s most precious resources . . . the National Trail System. pre enjoyed and support of many She enjo j y the company p wonderful people and experienced some of the most wonderfful
50 miles 50 States 50 Weeks
rley dra Cu
Cassan
Learn more at CassandraCurley.com
22 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
Spear
fish,
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beautiful sights this country has to offer while helping communities around the country connect. On one unexpected detour she even got to go to Metropolis, IL, the home of everyone’s favorite hero, Superman!
Can you guess?
Most of the time the weather was ideal, she only got snowed on once! Much of that was due to good fortune and good planning. She started walking in the southern states during the winter, where it was relatively warm and worked her way into the northern states, (like Alaska) during the summer. “I was following the good weather.” Curley said.
Now that Cassandra has completed her trip, she plans on returning to her business, continuing her work with Walk a Mile in Their Shoes (an organization she co-founded which provides aid to children aging out of the foster care system), and to carry on in her goal for peace. “I plan on using the trip as a platform to continue to promote peace and| to write a book about 23 TheBunkRoom.com | March / Aprilthe 2012 journey.” said Curley.
I am walking 50 miles in all 50 states in 50 weeks to remind listeners and readers that we have forgotten our true nature of Peace. As a messenger of Peace, my goal is to bring awareness to those open to seeing the World in a New and Unified way. -Cassandra Curley before embarking on her 50-50-50 walk. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
One of the most challenging aspects of the journey was getting the support needed to make it possible. As a licensed massage therapist she was unable to work during the time she was traveling, but thanks to the generous support of citizens across the nation her needs were met.
March / April 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 23
For less than the cost of a pizza dinner, you can feed a child for a month. The Bunk Room is proudly partnered with an international corporation in an awardwinning effort to end world hunger. Since 2003, over
200 million meals have been provided to children throughout the world, including the United States.
Every 6 seconds a child dies of starvation. Help us help feed the children. For less than the cost of dinner out with your family, you can join The Bunk Room in being part of this world-wide effort to end childhood hunger. nger. Help others. Help yourself. By participating in the social entrepreneur program of Nourish The Children, you not only help stomp out world hunger, you also help fund your own local cause. Learn how helping feed children worldwide can help your family and your community as well. For more information, call The Bunk Room at 352-383-1456. Or email publisher@thebunkroom.com
24 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program
“You’re on the air!” B Erik Slaby 16, Mount Dora, FL By Bunk Roomie A-Team Writer B
Erik
“ “Welcome to the Pasture Sports ESPN Radio!” I recently had tthe awesome experience of watching and being part of a live rradio station show, Pasture Sports Radio. It was very cool! My sister Margo and I were at our dad’s work recently and he suggested we tag along with one of his fellow a employees, Eddie Ray, who hosts an hour-long weekly radio e show at a local station. I was immediately very excited to go to see what really went on at a radio station. When we got there, Eddie led Margo and I down a pitch black hallway into a little room where they had all of the radio recording equipment. We sat down and I looked around the room and saw all of the equipment that was used to record the program. Margo and I met the other two hosts of the radio show, Pat and Seth McBride and they were very friendly and nice. When the radio show started I was very surprised at how everybody there interacted during the show. It seemed like three guys were just having a regular personal conversation about sports and that made me feel more comfortable. As the show went on, Eddie and Pat asked me if I wanted to be on air for part of the show! I was so excited because I had never done something like that before and I thought it would be cool. I was very nervous being on the air but after Eddie asked me a couple of questions I began to become more comfortable. Some questions that I was asked were about the NBA Lockout, how well LeBron James might play, the NFL season and lockout and the Green Bay Packers. It was very exciting and fun to talk about those things because I knew a lot about those subjects--especially the Packers since they are my favorite team. This was a great experience for me. Everybody at the radio station was friendly and I’m very happy that I was given the opportunity to go on live radio and talk about sports! See Erik on the radio!
The Vacation That Cost Me $120! rOAd tR Ip By Nathaniel 14, La Crosse, WI My family recently went on "Road Trip" across the country! We started our adventure by driving 12 hours from La Crosse, WI to o Nashville, TN. While we were there we ate lunch at the Wild Horse rse Saloon. The Wild Horse Saloon is a very famous place in Nashville ille where many country singers come and perform. My dad and I played air hockey and pool together. When we left the saloon we e went to Nashville Cowboy and got cowboy boots. One pair for each of us. My boots are brown Harley Davidson riding boots with silver skulls on them! After the boot store we went to the Grand Ole Opry. When we got there we were disappointed (my family was, me not so much) because it was closed.
Ki d s ! Sh adve are yo u r ntur e!
Sen adve d us you nture r trav !S el InBoxubmit at t TheB he a t 200-4 unkRoom .com 00 w pictu ords. Se nd res to o!
After leaving Nashville we stopped in Lynchburg, nchburg TN to visit the Jack Daniels Distillery. I don't drink whiskey so I didn't think it would be very interesting, but I was wrong. I learned a lot of amazing things. One interesting fact is that the county where Jack Daniels is made is a "Dry" county. They cannot sell the whiskey they make there because it is against the rules. After the tour, we continued driving until we reached Orlando, FL. I was really excited to go to Orlando because I got to spend two days at Universal Studios. One of the highlights at Isle of Adventures was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It really felt like I got to be part of Harry Potter's World plus I was able to drink Butter Beer. It tasted like butterscotch candy, Mmm it was good! We also had the pleasure of meeting the Slaby Family. They are the creators of The Bunk Room magazine. I had a great time meeting Margo, Erik, Benj, Annika and Mr. & Mrs. Slaby. After Orlando, we drove to Melbourne Beach, FL on the Atlantic coast. It was January and instead of snow and misery, we had 80 degree weather. We spent the day swimming in the ocean. I was able to collect seashells and a lot of sand in my shorts. This is the part of the trip that cost me $120.00. After we were done for the day, I remembered that I left my tennis shoes in the changing room. I went back to get them but they were gone. The people who took my tennis shoes were nice enough to leave me my socks and only steal my $120 shoes. Luckily my dad had just bought me boots in Nashville so I did have shoes to wear. Needless to say, it was the down point of my trip, but like all of the other experiences, I have learned a lesson. Next, we headed to St. Augustine, FL. St. Augustine is the oldest city in America and it’s where Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth is located. We got to drink from the fountain. The water tasted awful. After St. Augustine we drove to Charleston, SC. We met up with my grandma and spent the day at Patriot's Point. It’s a national Naval and Maritime Museum and Park. We toured an aircraft carrier, the "Yorktown" and a US Naval submarine. It was awesome. I was so moved that I want to be just like my grandfather, my dad, my mom, my aunt and my uncle and carry on the family tradition and join the US Navy.
Want to sponsor this page? All proceeds go toward The Bunk Room Apprenticeship Program. Call 352-383-1456 or email publisher@thebunkroom.com.
We then headed home on a very long trip. Going home always seems longer than going on vacation. I have many fond memories of our trip.
26 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
MARKETPLACE CLASSIFIEDS CLASSES/INSTRUCTION Piano lessons for all ages. 30+ yrs exp. Maitland. Mary 407-644-4322. Hand-building clay classes for all levels. Raku, smoke fire & burnishing, small sculpture & press molds. 35+ yrs exp. 352-483-3595 or www. loiscrispstover.com Free Martial Arts Lessons? Go to nicknotes.org and give 5 notes to 5 different people and get 30 days of free lessons & t-shirt! Family Martial Arts Center, Mt Dora. 352-383-0898.
WANTED Baby items! The Birth Place, midwifery, needs baby showers items for their mothers in need. All types of baby items are accepted. Bring to The UPS Store, 1631 Rock Springs Rd, Apopka or 213 S. Dillard St, Winter Garden. Pregnancy care info: 407- 656-6938. RV Rental for short distances to be used on wknds at FL nature parks. Must sleep 2 adults & 2 well-behaved Golden Retrievers. Margaret: 407-628-0705 or email: naturalawakenings@earthlink.net
FOR SALE 2005 Bayliner 180 Outboard with Mercury 90 HP. Includes trailer and Bimini Top: $9995. 1998 Sea Ray 190 Bowrider with Mercruiser 5.0 220 HP V-8. Fiberglass floor, bow and cockpit cover with trailer: $7995. 2007 Sun Tracker 21-ft Party Barge Pontoon with 50 HP Mercury: $7995. Call Chris or Jay at 407-699-8383. Treadmill $195.00. Pro Form Model PFTL591040. Like new IFIT. Programable built in Fan. 352-516-0655 or 352-669-4460 Queen-size Wicker Bed Headboard: new & perfect for any princess. $50. Mt Dora or can deliver to you. 407-6280705 or tbrcfl@gmail.com for photo.
FOR RENT New Smyrna Beach Vacation Rental. 1600sq ft condo across from the beach. 2-bed 2-bath with Jacuzzi, fully furnished, garage parking. $125/night, 725/wk or 1650/mo. Carmen 407-227-8987
Baby and Beyond Consignment
Children’s clothing 0-12. Maternity, Baby Gear, Toys No appointment needed! 407-767-8865 525 S Ronald Reagan Blvd Longwood, FL
Now is the Time for Your AC Tune-up!
SERVICES All Organic Food Co-op. Save on fresh produce! Pickup weekly on Thursdays. Kali 352-978-1181, The Om Bookstore at WindHorse. telanalove@aol.com Handyman Projects: I can tackle your “Honey-Do” list and take your chores to the finish line. Flooring, tile install, pressure washing, painting, junk removal, landscaping, cleaning & more! No job too small. Licensed & insured. Servicing all CFL area. Mike Bertone 321-303-7560 $100.00 worth of quality frozen food for $35.00! ONE HARVEST is low-cost grocery program for everybody. Rachel at 352- 2230759 or OneHarvest.com. Dinner is DONE! Monogramming, Embroidery & Screen Printing. Justourlittlesecret. com Please mention this ad! Janice: 407-420-7053. College Park. Personal Computer Services, Onsite available, low rates. Wayne Westcott 407-671-1013 / 407-865-1025 cell Custom Invitations. Wedding invitations & special events. Call QB Lewis at 407- 970-2477. Lewispaperdesigns@gmail.com. facebook.com/LewisPaperDesigns. Tax Prep & Accounting Services, Connell Accounting & Tax, LLC, 2545 South Street, Leesburg, FL 34748, 352-989-0446, Contact Bob Connell.
Mention this ad for our Spring Specials.
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Babysitting Lessons & Safety Training For ages 10-17. Graduates ready to start a successful babysitting venture! Anne Keller / 352-267-5592 MidFlaEdSvcs@aol.com
Developed by the Academy of Pediatrics
Jeffrey K. Pacha, D.D.S., P.L. 320 N. Maitland Avenue Maitland, Florida 32751
407-647-1346
Future Life As an ongoing feature, we invite kids to tell us what their Future Life looks like. Submit articles to our InBox at TheBunkRoom.com 200-400 words.
By Anna 10, Sorrento, FL Bunk Roomie Writer In my future I would like to get married to a nice man who likes animals so that we can have a yorkie poo. I would also like a horse of my own. I have always loved horses. I would like to have kids, but I do not know how many I would like to have. I would go on a lot of bike rides with my kids when they are older. We will be a healthy family. We will live in Florida and they will be homeschooled. We will have passes for Disney so we can go a lot. I will teach them how to read so that they will be bookworms like me. My dream job is to be an actress. That is what I would like my future to be like.
World Record Butterflies! B Madison By M di 12 12, S Sorrento Sorrento, t FL FL Bunk Roomie Writer I recently became one of 245 people who broke a world record. I was shaking, my stomach was full of butterflies and my head was racing as the line started to move and get closer to the area where we would potentially break a world record. Myself, nine of my friends from ballet, plus 236 other people had to stand “en pointe� for only a minute, but for some reason, I was really nervous. ous. The group was made up of some dancers that had d performed earlier that day, some parents, some me random people who had been there to see the e performers and some teachers. The crazy thing g was,, there were even some guys since we needed more people. Everybody was separated into lines so that at the e judges, who were walking around making sure e everybody stayed up en pointe, could see better. ter.. We weren't allowed to hold onto anything or anyone, but for me that wasn't hard. We stood d up en pointe and went through a series of things. It was very simple.
28 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
All we had to do was stand in Sous-sus and put our right shoulder forward, then face front, then put our left shoulder forward and face front again. We repeated this for a minute. If anyone went down from pointe, we would have to do it all over again until we got it right. I was silently praying, "God please don't let me be the one who causes us to have to do it again!" It turned out that no one went down, because we didn't have to do it again. We broke the world record the first time we tried! I don't know why, but for some reason I wanted to do it again! g
29 | TheBunkRoom.com | March / April 2012
The Bunk Roomies! Join Us Behind The Scenes! Learn, Laugh, Do!
Get a front-row seat behind-the-scenes of publishing. Learn more at TheBunkRoom.com Click on Bunk Roomies.
NEW
m riter Progra Frequent W Shiirrttt!! T--S Room T FREE Bunk publishable Just submit 5 t a cool ge ar ticles and ! Go to: irt tsh om Bunk Ro .com/Tshirts thebunkroom
Bunk Roomie Fun! By Emma 12, Sorrento, FL Bunk Roomie Writer
I love being a Bunk Roomie because you learn new things. You learn fun stuff like how to interview people and how to write fun articles! I think writing for The Bunk Room has helped a lot with my writing skills. I work hard on my articles and then I get to see them in the magazine. I think it’s a really great experience to write p fforr a magazine at fo ssuch ucch a young age. Whe I go to the W When mee meetings everyone is laughing and is la having fun. hav h Everyone has E v to talk ssomeone o tto. to o My favorite part pa rt off th the meetings is spending time with old friends and meeting new ones. It’s nice to learn new stuff about people and things in your neighborhood or city. We also get a sneak peek of articles when everyone reads their articles out loud. I hope you come and join us!
30 | TheBunkRoom.com | March //April April 2012
Slice-O-Life Stories
The Bunk Roomies take their first step into the reporting world by interviewing someone they know and turning it into an interesting article.
Barbara With The Quick Smile By Annika Slaby 12, Mount Dora, FL Bunk Roomie A-Team Writer Barbara Miller, the neighborhood “Smiley Lady,” does many things in her life that bring her great happiness. Barbara is the oldest in her family. She has three bothers and one sister. Barbara lives and takes care of her dad, Lee, in Mount Dora, Florida. Barbara helps her dad by getting his food, getting him to bed and so on. She also has two kids that are all grown up and six grandchildren. Barbara has started exercising by taking walks with her sweet dog Suki. “I love being active,” she said. Barbara’s dog, Suki is smart. “Suki is like my clock. She knows what time it is for everything, every day. I plan my whole day around her.” Barbara also does a lot of reading. “My room is full of books.” Barbara was a BIG reader as a kid. “Once my godmother suggested a book that is now my favorite. I fell in love with reading again.” Barbara loves to get out with her friends. Whether it is going to the movies or going to her favorite diner “Soups to Nut Diner,” she has endless fun. So, whether it’s walking the dog, taking care of her dad, or hanging out with her friends and family, Barbara has fun all the time and is not afraid to show it!
Habilis Boy
Habilis means “handyman” and dates back to the classification of early man, known as Homo habilis. That’s when man started using tools and became pretty handy around the house. We have y size: Benjamin. our own resident Habiliss man, in boy
Off Track With Camaro By Benjamin 14, Mount Dora, FL
Excerpt from Habilis Boy Blog. Restoring a ’77 VW Beetle.
Day 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Today I am getting a little bit off track by buying a 1996 Chevy Camaro. The reason I bought the Camaro is because I need to earn money to fund my bug builds. Sometimes it takes money to make money! I plan to fix up this Camaro and re-sell for a nice profit. The owner said the car needs a new transmission but otherwise the car is in sound shape. Today I went to look at it with my sister Margo. The owner wasn't home but his mom was. She let us into the house. Her son was at work. We weren’t inside long, but long enough to want to get outside. There were motorcycles in the living room and the kitchen sink was connected to a dish washer. That was new to me! The house smelled real bad too . . . READ MORE at TheBunkRoom.com Click on Habilis Boy.
Scan Me With Your Smart Phone and watch Benjʼs latest video.
Keep up with Benjamin’s blog. Go to thebunkroom.com and click on Habilis Boy.