CAMP FIRE Vol. 1 by The Cabin, a center for readers & writers

CAMP FIRE

Writing Camps 2014 VOL. 1

CAMP FIRE

Writing Camps 2014 “All you need is: 3 matches, A strong voice, 100 bags of marshmallows, 50 random things that you can stick on a stick, The ability to run, A lot of pies, 10 cups of hot tea, A set table, 1 chandelier. Light a burning fire Scream Roast yummy marshmallows Scream When your marshmallow catches on fire, sit on it Scream” – PARIS HIMMELMAN, from Recipe for Chaos The Cabin is a non-profit literary organization that strives to inspire a love of reading, writing and discourse throughout Idaho. Idaho Writing Camps nurture the imagination and awaken the senses through creative adventures in the art of writing.

Cover photograph: MLENNY Cover design: Jocelyn Robertson

CAMP FIRE

Writing Camps 2014 VOL. 1

CAMP FIRE

Writing Camps 2014 VOL. 1

This is a Log Cabin Book, an imprint of THE CABIN 801 South Capitol Boulevard, Boise, Idaho 83702 (208) 331-8000 www.thecabinidaho.org ÂŠ 2014 The Cabin All rights reserved. Book design by Jocelyn Robertson. Printed and bound in the USA in an edition of 250 copies.

Writing Camps and publication of CAMP FIRE are made possible by generous support from: The Bistline Family Foundation in the Idaho Community Foundation City of Boise Idaho Commission on the Arts KeyBank Foundation Landmark Promotions, Inc. Nagel Foundation Seagraves Family Foundation SOVRN Creative Our generous individual donors and Cabin members

CONTENTS Introduction

• 1

WORD PLAY

• 5

CABIN WRITERS

• 25

WILDLIFE WORDS NATURE WRITER

• 59 • 81

WRITING WILD

• 91

SONG WRITER

• 113

STORY STORY

• 127

URBAN INK

• 139

Teaching Writers’ Biographies About The Cabin

• 188

Acknowledgements

Index

• 191

• 189

• 185

INTRODUCTION Writing isn’t hard if you at least try. — JANE HUTTON, Grade 5 Writing sometimes feels lonely. When we sit at the desk, a blank sheet can get filled up with anxiousness and doubt. Will other people accept what I’ve written? This scary feeling of separateness is one reason so many people, kids and adults, say that they don’t like writing, or worse, that their writing isn’t good. At Cabin writing camp each summer, writing is restored to its right place as something more joyful and communal, a very human activity at which everyone can get good. Students read poems and stories collaboratively to figure out how writers build compelling texts. Inspired by teaching writers, they take up essential writing tools and set off to make their own new work. Write in all five senses. Go for concrete things and actions. Let your similes be wild. Make it better later but for now, keep going. Then they come back together, share first drafts, and learn about what they’ve just written. Each new piece is a proposition, an experiment. Because invention and drafting are treated separately from revision, Cabin writers don’t have to take on the burden of making a perfect text each time they sit down to write. This combination of active artistic instruction, freedom in writing and support from the group allows students to produce a ton of great work. At camp, I see writing students giving themselves radical permission to try. During poet Hannah Rodabaugh’s third grade Word Play camp, I listened to a student named Sophie read the latest chapter in her color story to her peers who were paying what seemed to be unreal-close attention. She’d hardly finished when Ramin shouted, “Is the guy going to find out about the monster!?” “I have the same question. Do you guys think he should?” asked Hannah. Each writer in the room had ideas. Sophie’s story wasn’t done yet, 1

and this was the whole point of her sharing it: to find out from others what was working already in her story, and to gather ideas about where she might go next. Reading and writing are, at root, a creative practice of community, of learning to listen and learning to make new meaning for others. This book represents just a sample of the wildly imaginative, startlingly true work written by this summer’s community of young writers. It’s good. — LAURA ROGHAAR Teaching-Writer and Programs Director, The Cabin

CAMP FIRE

WORD PLAY I see the red walls and my lonely house. I hear the sad organ, which played the saddest song. I taste the lonely ham and the ripe strawberries. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MAGGIE AVEY, Grade 4

TWILIGHT Salma Schwartzman Grade 5, Boise

As I sit here in my room looking for something exciting to look at I see the night sky. I see the moon and its radiant moonbeams shining bright. I see the twinkling stars shining down saying ‘Hi’ As I sit here looking in my window letting the darkness surround me.

FOUR WAYS OF LOOKING AT A RED PANDA Ethan Fung Grade 3, Eagle

1. 2. 3. 4.

Pandas like to eat bamboo They sleep a lot They are playful They can climb on branches

WEIRD STUFF Cord Gibson Grade 3, Boise

Dross – A rare type of moss Sestina – How to say sissy in Cuban Grain Elevator – An elevator made out of multigrain cheerios Eddies – Uncles who are spies for the N.S.A. Krast Ranch – A type of ranch designed for being bad Crappie – a mean/nice crabby crab

THE RIVER DOCK Zosha Kocemba Grade 3, Boise

I see people jumping off a rope swing and into the water of a stream close by. The sound of water like skipping stones and splashes across the skinny water. I taste air in a nature place too. I am able to touch rough bark on a tall tree and feel cottony leaves of a small tree. I am able to smell raw fish and a forrest.

SIX WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE ZOO Rowan Morrison Grade 4, Boise

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

A hyena sleeping soundly. Butterflies fluttering around you. Red panda’s short nose pointing your way as he climbs a tree, with bamboo on the ground for him to eat. A sloth bear walks past the window with your nose on the glass fogging it up. Sugar gliders climbing sticks in their dark cages. Giraffe’s tall necks with brown spots climbing it. With their hoofs click clacking on the ground.

MORNING Jordyn Oldenburg Grade 5, Boise

See the trees, the fern, the cottonwood and the river Smell the fishy smell along the algae and the dirt Listen to the sound of trickling water. Hear the faint sound of a waterfall. Touch the silky leaves or take a seat on the rough and worn out dock. Taste the dirty yet sweet air surrounding us. Aren’t we lucky to live in a world like this? 8

SIX WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE SLOTH BEAR Sandra Luo Grade 4, Boise

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

A slow bear different from all the others, not fit for survival. A nimble beast like a squirrel in the trees. Clumsy, slow as a sloth. Walking on the ground. A cute fuzzy baby sucking on its thumbs, sleeping. Waking up to climb on Mama’s back, restless. In a perfect home, perfect place, you see a black bear. A small dot in the distance. Peaceful, harmed, taunted, nice creature.

THE SAD CASE OF MR. WHISKERS Maycee Everitt Grade 4, Boise

Laura enters the parlor, she sees her mother. Laura is happy to see her mom. But she needs to tell her something. Her mother’s cat dieD. She knows her mom will be heartbroken, but Laura needs to tell her now. “Mother,” Laura said, her mom was playing the piano. When interrupted, Laura’s mom was surprised to see Laura. “You’re up early today.” She said, “Now what did you need?” “Mother I need to tell you something.” Said Laura a little worried. “Okay go ahead.” Laura’s mom said. “You know how Mr. Whiskers went missing?” Laura didn’t wanna say any more, she knew her mom would be devastated and she hates when her mom is upset. “Well he’s dead…” Laura’s mom looked almost paralyzed. She got up from her seat and put her hand on Laura’s shoulder. Tears were rolling down Laura’s cheek. Then Laura’s mom said “It’s okay Laura, I’m not mad or sad, I just want you to know I love you. So what about the cat. We can get a new one. I love you so much Laura.” They both smiled at each other. Laura’s mom wiped away Laura’s tears. This is a love like no other. Rest in peace Mr. Whiskers.

THE MYSTERY OF THE DOG Jazmine Plaze Grade 4, Boise

Isabella enters the parlor she sees her dad sitting on the couch reading. Isabella asked her dad, “Where is the dog Dad?” Dad said “I thought you had the dog. “I’ll check my room.” She said. “I’ll check outside,” Dad said. “I couldn’t find him.” Both of them said at the same time. “I’ll check the whole house.” She said. Isabella couldn’t find him. “Woof, woof”. There you are under the couch taking a nap.

THE RIVER DOCK Esther Davis Grade 4, Boise

The soft touch of leaves. The lovely scent of tall trees that are so fun to touch, The sound of fast flowing water in the river. I imagine that it would taste like slimy lettuce…blah The sound of the water makes me calm. The pretty tall trees are so cool.

THE MOUSTACHE MAN MaeZee Martin Grade 4, Boise

Once upon a time there was a man and he was 94, and his name was Spaghetti, and he was born in Hawaii. He lives with his wife. He likes to swim. He sells cupcakes. He likes to hide from people he does not know. His favorite food is cheese and black olive pizza. His favorite music is rock and roll. And he likes to play with his moustache.

VICTORIAN PARLOR Maggie Avey Grade 4, Eagle

I see the red walls and my lonely house. I hear the sad organ, which played the saddest song. I taste the lonely ham and the ripe strawberries. I smell the candle burning till dawn and my pie cooking away. I can feel the lonely life I had in my Victorian Parlor after he left me for no good reason at all. I had a happy life till then. Then, once he left, I had my lonely life at the sad Victorian Parlor and now my only company is my sad organ. Before he left, we danced and had company all the time, but once again, after he left me, I was the saddest woman in town. I still have that letter he left me that is still closed and will be forever.

MATILDA AND DANIEL Mya Brushey Grade 5, Boise

This is the story of Matilda, Daniel and Emma. Matilda and Daniel were very rich. They had earned money from their parents and Matilda and Daniel growing crops, gardens and raising animals. When they butchered an animal, they sold some and kept the rest for themselves. Now finally, they had enough money to buy their own house, but not just their own house. Their own fancy house. They bought it from an elderly couple named Eleanor and Joseph. They were a couple with no children. When they bought the house, it needed furnishing. Soon after they bought the house, they had a child. Her name was Emma. The only sad thing about this was Matilda got a cold, but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bad. Soon after she recovered, Daniel got the cold worse than ever. Three days after he got the cold, he died. Emma and Matilda were very sad. They recovered from the sadness soon after. After they recovered from the sadness, they had dinner parties all of the time.

THE STORY OF FOUR PEOPLE, A HOUSE AND HISTORY Addie Johnson Grade 4, Boise

My people live in a house that many people like to rent for a time. After a while, they had a girl named Molly. Later, as they were going home, they got in a wreck. Thankfully, the parents were okay but the child was injured badly and had no cure. A few days after, she died. There was great sorrow for a long time. Friends came over a lot to try to make them happier. 20 years later (they were 60), they were getting ready to sell the house. As they were about to take the things in the house down, they heard a knock on the door. Joseph opened it to find a young lady who wanted to buy the house with everything in it. Joseph said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to pay a lot of extra money. And she would only get a little bit of the decoration. If she took all the decorations, they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any left. Later on, they sold the house to the people.

MY EYES Ethan Redford Grade 3, Boise

my eyes look like tree trunks my eyes sound like summer air my eyes feel like grass after a shower of spring rain

MY LIFE AS A QUEEN Paola Trapani Grade 3, Boise

I am moonbeam. I like to relax in the sun. I eat the sunbeams by turning them into sugar. I have a happy life in the sun. At night I go deep down into my roots and go to sleep. My favorite color is hot pink! I stand tall as the queen. I see all the bushes and trees that guard me. 12

NATURE’S WORD Sophi Studebaker Grade 3, Boise

This is a tired and sad moment but my life is getting happier and happier the music is getting faster and faster the cars are rushing by me and the river is carrying the water into the stream. the fountain is like the music in my dream but the grass is so soft like a cloud in the sky That is nature’s word

JESSICA ARMSTRONG Caitlin Yang Grade 4, Boise

My person’s name is Jessica Armstrong. She was born 1899 and murdered 1920. She was murdered by Bryan Christopher. She also was a kind, adventurous girl. She traveled to many places and had a pet dog. She had red hair and blue eyes. Her favorite color was purple. Her parents Nicole Armstrong and Henry Armstrong carved a rock with her name on it in memory of her. Bryan Christopher was Jessica’s husband. They had one child, Stephinia Armstrong. Stephinia was the gem of their lives. Without Steph, they would be stone. But between Jess and Bryan, they are devils to each other. One day, they were going to divorce. They fought over Steph. They still lived in the same house the same day that is also the day Bryan murdered Jess so he could keep Steph. But it turned out that Steph was now an orphan and Bryan lived in jail for 20 years.

THE EXPLOSION Ramin Jan Grade 3, Boise

Nice man, his name is Pool Party, and his pet, Spearmint Gum. They woke up by the clock. They both wore vibrant day lily clothes. It was red and orange. They came in the Juicy Cantaloupe, the robot machine, and it can do anything for you. They went to “Chopped for Shopped,” and they shopped and shopped and shopped. They went home, baked, and ate. And they said, “Bedtime.” Next morning, they woke up in a body. The monster was gross. It had blood in it. The monster growled so loud that Pool and Spear got scared because the monster’s growl was so loud. Luckily, he brought weapons. But he didn’t want to use them. So the man decided to talk to the monster. He said, “Have a good life. Be happy.” “NO!” said the monster. “I will give you money.” “NO!!!” So a zombie came out of nowhere and said, “My name is Lime Pop, and I am going to destroy you. Hahahaha!” Some man in a robot suit came but couldn’t save Pool Party and Spearmint. The man got swallowed, and he flied back up. He saved the man; it was too late, but he couldn’t come out. He tried to make a hole but couldn’t. And Green Crush died. Sparkling Apple came in his suit. His suit was sucky. Before he could get to the man, he died. Animals started running towards the monster and died but hurt the monster so much. 2000 years later, the monster dies. The world shakes. Everybody says, “IT’S AN EARTHQUAKE!” The earth says, “5...4...3...2...1...BOOM!!!” The world explodes. Everybody on the earth dies. Luckily, there were astronauts in space, and they created children. And when the world exploded, there were parts of everything. As soon as it was 2014, the world was created, and the monsters were extinct. And humans were created. And they got a mansion. The humans were different and did different stuff. And everybody lived happily ever after.

I AM A BEAR Luke Pearson Grade 4, Boise

I am a bear. I’m always warm because of my fur. All the animals are afraid of me. I have four legs. It’s unfair because I see humans. They can carry stuff in their hands. It always smells like fresh pine needles. It gets really old. I live in a cave. No one likes to come near it even if I’m not there. It’s really hard to sleep on old rocks, but the funnest thing of all is to take selfies.

ZINGING AND CRANBERRY ZING Kirsten Rayo Grade 3, Nampa

Cranberry Zing is young and loves her pet, Zinging. Her pet is a cranberry. Cranberry’s favorite thing is toss the cranberry. Cranberry Zing has green eyes. Cranberry Zing is going to Zingo Planet. She is going in a red Zing. She is going to wear marigold petals for pants, for her shirt is prairie sage, for her hat is tawny birch, for her shoes is red geranium. Cranberry Zing gets trapped on Zingo Planet, and Cranberry gets her shrink-ray and shrinks the planet; and puts it in a cup; and jumps off of another planet onto Berry Earth, where Cranberry Zing lives; and ate Zingo Planet; and shared the Zingo Planet with her pet Zinging. When Cranberry jumped, it felt like she was flying, and it looked like she was in a berry and smelled like berries when she landed on Berry Earth. It felt like she was falling so lightly and landed on a piece of foam. When Cranberry Zing was talking to her pet Zinging, and Cranberry said to her pet, “How are you?” And Zinging said, “Arf arf.” And Zinging got in his cage. Cranberry Zing was sad until Zinging breaks through his cage but hurt his face and his paw. Cranberry Zing was happy but had to take Zinging to his vet. When Zinging got to the vet, the vet said Zinging died because the bars on the cage had poison inside of them, and when Zinging hurt his face and paw, the poison got inside of him. Cranberry Zing did a funeral and invited Whispering Wheat, Jackfruit, Tawny Port, Tropical Lagoon, Robin’s Egg, Smoothie Green Tea, Mars Red, Cameroon Green, Marigold Petals, Red Geranium, Hazy Sage, and Sweet Mandarin, and everyone gave Zinging flowers.

ME AS A LEMUR Sophie Squyres Grade 4, Boise

I look at my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fur. It collects so many interesting things. When I swing from treetop to treetop, It is so satisfying to have a tail and play In the trees. When I reach my home, my journey from the ground, It is so amazing to swing and climb. My siblings and I race to the top. My mother does not like that, but it makes me happy. Madagascar: a beautiful place with trees EVERYWHERE. I eat leaves from the trees I climb, Fruit and berries from the forest floor, The leaves are so very crunchy, And the fruit and berries so sweet. It would be amazing to be a lemur, You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eat your friends And you can swing from tree to tree.

A DAY FOR A SNOW LEOPARD Ashton Lawrence Grade 5, Boise

Leopards pace from edge to edge of the cage preying eyes watch and cameras flash our eyes watch nervously rapid fire flashes make you half blind you drop down at the sound of your meal dropping to the ground dinner time 16

I’M A SLOTH BEAR Hailey Schafer Grade 5, Nampa

I’m a sloth bear. I like walking on all fours. The ground feels rough under my paws. I don’t really like the taste of bugs. I guess eating is eating. I look at things different than a human. A human might think eating roadkill is gross. Roadkill looks delicious to me. I have an exceptional sense of smell. I can hear predators, and I have big claws to protect myself. I live in a jungle area. I eat anything I can find. I eat in big chunks and swallow. I have sharp claws and teeth to tear my prey. I tear up my food before I eat it. I would like to be this animal because I could be lazy. I wouldn’t like to be this animal because I would have to eat bugs.

MONKEYS Mina Boam Grade 3, Boise

A monkey is happiness swinging across a river. A monkey is hope eating bananas. A monkey is fear singing.

CHRISTMAS DINNER Addison Montgomery Grade 3, Boise

Scarlet White is a 16 year old girl who is having Christmas dinner in her vintage dining room in Paris. They are praying, Annie, Avery, Scarlet, Mom and Dad. Scarlet serves herself as she looks out the stained glass window at the many snowflakes. Her mother grabs a teacup and fork from the cupboard. As she carries them over the fork gets stuck in Scarlet’s curly brown hair. “Ow!” she yells as her mother tries to get it out. Forty minutes later she gets it out. Her father lights the brick fireplace and says “Let’s eat!” Even though the food is cold they still eat it. Her sister grabs the teapot and pours a cup of tea for herself. 17

SERVALS ARE LIKE ANGELS Annelise Quilici Grade 3, Boise

Servals are like angels. They run and play so gracefully. The cubs play while their parents watch above. Their parents hang their tails off of the ledge, the cubs play with the parents’ tails the parents get annoyed it’s time for dinner.

BORED Mira Rosario Grade 3, Boise

There’s rain again. I’m bored. You’re bored. We’re bored. I can’t go outside. You can’t go outside. So we’ll sing songs. “It’s raining, it’s pouring.” No, that’s too boring. It’s fun for flowers but not for me. Lightning flashes, flies buzz, the grass gets greener, suddenly, it stops. Time for me to sprint outside.

THE ELEPHANT Casey Scherer Grade 4, Hailey

The elephant’s trunk goes up in a squeak, as it blows up water. It eats the grass using its trunk as its spoon. The herd travels in a group, so no one gets hurt.

OREO Nate Dabney Grade 4, Hailey

My hamster Oreo is chubby like a grapefruit. He tries to walk through the O, first one foot, then another. He pushes and pushes, but he’s stuck!

THE LITTLE MERMAN Gina Greenberg Grade 4, Hailey

I have three days and if the prince doesn’t fall in love with me I will turn into nothing. I’m thinking when all of a sudden the boat tilts. I’m washed overboard. The prince sees me and turns into a merman and we swim off and live happily ever after.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN TROLLS Penelope Hedrick Hunt Grade 4, Hailey

Once there were seven trolls. They lived in a huge mansion. One day they found a beautiful baby under a big oak tree. The trolls decided to use her as a maid. She was actually a witch in disguise. She was planning to take over the mansion. One day the trolls overheard her plan and banished her forever.

LET US CONSIDER THE FARM Zach Taylor Grade 2, Boise

Let us consider a tiny farmer in a green and purple hat planting a pumpkin. Let us consider if five king cobras could play chess on top of the barn. Let us consider a bald eagle diving down to kill the king cobras playing chess. Was the bald eagle wearing underpants?

WHAT IS SUMMER Reilly Ramos Grade 4, Boise

Summer is like the sun burning fresh waffles off my windowsill. Summer is like a sticky popsicle melting on the ground. Summer is like a fish sunning itself at the bottom of the lake. Summer is like a fresh, new bite of an apple or the last gulp of lemonade. Summer is like feeling the tip of your fingers touch water. Summer is like soft music playing as I drift off to sleep. 20

THINGS TO DO ON THE BACK OF A SNOW LEOPARD Bloom Davis Grade 4, Boise

At sunset, count how many spots he has. Pull the snow leopard towards a venus fly trap and get them into a fight. Pick up a worm and put it on his back so it will tickle the leopard. Make a hissing sound so he thinks there is another snow leopard. In the winter, put socks on the leopard and make him ice skate— his paws will slide around and he will too. Dress the snow leopard in orange and yellow clothing and his style will change. When the snow leopard is snoring, sneezing, and stretching, pour tomato sauce on it. That is what you can do on a snow leopard’s back.

MY STORY Faith Silva Grade 3, Boise

“No!” said Ian, my little brother. “I’m not going to take a bath!” Oh, besides, I’m Marie and everyone in my family is a werewolf. My brother hates baths and this is the story of my life. My brother was in the tub, miserable. It was raining outside and the entire house smelled like wet dog. I was in my room and, ya know, on my phone with my friend Clawdeen. Then it was time for dinner. After that, I invited Clawdeen and Howleen over to play. When we were all hanging out, my brother threw a pink bouncy ball. I couldn’t help myself and just had to run after it! My mom kicked Ian out of the house for that. Then Clawdeen and Howleen had to go so Ian and I went to bed. 21

EVIL MCDONALD’S AT NIGHT Grace Knight Grade 3, Nampa

The people who walk around in costumes give away free food that could be poisoned. Rats dance around and make the whole place smell like wet dog with a moldy banana in a stink bomb. Outside the ghosts whisper into your ear, “Come with me.” You don’t want to go outside so you stand up and ask the people in costumes, “Why did you turn off the lights?” And the man in the Ronald McDonald costume with red lipstick covering his mouth answers, “Ma’am, you have to buy or else you’ll die.” Then he starts to rap. You leave and wave to the sign that makes banging noises in the wind as the next person is welcomed inside. ghosts at McDonald’s like to whisper in your ear only in the night

MY HOME Flannery Streiff Grade 4, Boise

You wake up in the dark chamber of your room craving a drop of liquid to quench your deep thirst. Walking around clothes and toys, the dolls follow every step you take, their shiny eyes staring deeply into yours. Around you are the shadows of wolves in the night and the creeping whisper of wind rustling the leaves. The stench of rotten eggs crawls through the window. Stumbling in a trance you open the door. The creaking you hear sounds as if the dolls are laughing as you fear for your life. Thump, thump, thump up the stairs. Is your thirst really worth all your imagination brings you? the dolls will scare you toys will trip you in the night welcome to my house

CABIN WRITERS One night at 11:59 pm, he heard something “bump” by his dresser. He saw a dark figure. It wasn’t Batman. — AIDEN MCARTHUR, Grade 5

THE CHILDREN OF SOUND Rachel Harbison Grade 5, Boise

The sounds we make do not belong to us. Hidden away are the Children of Sound. Everyone thinks they make noise, but only the Children of Sound can. Children of Sound are the only things that can talk. Hardly anyone knows that they are soundless. In the eyes of the Children of Sound, we are worthless. Little Children of Sound run around, Down in the ocean, up in the forest. Really, no one pays attention to the Children of Sound. Even the smallest bug needs their help butâ&#x20AC;Ś No one seems to care about the Children of Sound. Of course, the Children of Sound tire of their job, For the Children of Sound are Children. Silence is paradise to the Children of Sound. Oh, how the Children of Sound love silence. Using louder sounds takes more Children of Sound. Never has a Child of Sound died. Doing their job forever, The Children of Sound.

THE SPIDERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TUNNEL Ana Rodriguez-Orellana Grade 6, Meridian

As I watched the gaping entrance of the webbed tunnel, it seemed as if it were alive. It seemed to be lunging towards me, invisible teeth glimmering in the light of the windows. Its silky, stringed skin trembling in the air as my breath enfolded it. Black vines of darkness weaved around the strings of light as the deadly figure twisted around to glare at me with imaginary eyes. Suddenly, it seemed to freeze in mid-air, its mouth wide open in an eternal roar. I blinked once and studied the tunnel, the tunnel of spiders. 27

THE DRAGONFLY Sydnie Rice Grade 6, Meridian

I zoomed low over the grass, my gossamer wings emitting a happy hum. The roses had a soothing aroma, making me wonder what it was like to be a huge, clunky two-legged beast. Could they even smell? I alighted on a dark, red rose and thought about how the world was so much bigger than me. This made me wonder. Was this garden of roses all that there was? What if there was more than just this dark shadowy forest and these bright roses? What about those hulking metal beasts with glowing eyes? I hurled myself off the rose and flew towards the tall stone structures.

A MYSTERY IN FIVE PARTS Jane Hutton Grade 5, Boise

There was once a sister and a brother. One day, the brother went on an adventure with his friend. Both of them had a picture of the guys they were looking for. They were all wearing silk teal suits. They found every single man on the bus in the picture, while the Learyites looked on tolerantly, and Babbs got the idea of the Prankster’s Ancestral Mansion. “Mountain Dew!” a man close by yelled. He had spilled his tan coffee (which his brother thought would taste like rough sandpaper) all over his smooth, silk, teal blue suit. This was the man they were looking for! “Uh-oh!” the brother exclaimed in a worried tone. He raced off towards the subway bathroom, which smelled of stale cheese. * The Sister: Public Library* The sister was reading her book, Frindle, when a girl yelled “PANDAS!” She stared at the girl for a moment. Then she went back to her book, but there was a piece of notebook paper on the smooth, white rug. This strange note had the message, “What reasons 28

might have caused this?” She flipped it over. There was a stall with the number two on it. * The Brother: The Subway* The brother stared at his note. “It’s blank!” shouted his friend. Someone nearby started babbling, “blah blah new retirement plan, tsk tsk TV show I loved.” The only part that caught his attention was “…brush the potatoes with oil.” “That’s it!” he murmured. He dabbed oil on the note. “My love, my star,” he read. “Oh no! Not the love planetarium!” “Please do not bring library materials into the restrooms!” the bright yellow sign read. The sister took one long look at her book, but eventually put it down even though she felt it drawn to her like a magnet. Earlier, she realized what the “2” had meant. The 2nd bathroom. This bathroom had a pink brick wall that smelled like roses. One brick was red. The sister placed her palm on the red brick, her hand shaking. She pushed the single brick carefully. CLICK. The brick opened. The paper was dusty, but as clear as ever. The sister read, “Her only regret was that her father could not know the man she would marry.” She suddenly gasped. *The Brother: Love Planetarium* The brother was so busy looking at the map the he didn’t see the boy behind him. “Chicago,” he muttered as he turned. The boy shifted so that he could only see his shadow. But the boy was seen! The brother dropped the dusty old map. “Timmy?” he gasped.

THE ROSE GARDEN Pascal Andreas Grade 5, Boise

The peaceful blue fountains, The bright blazing sun, Walking around, surrounded by roses.

THE ROSE GARDEN Abigail Pagoaga Grade 5, Boise

The summer evening settles down with smells of bright red roses in the dawn. People feel the roses sway around then people see the roses sway down. The water pitter patters all over the ground.

VISIONS Allyson Selander Grade 6, Boise

Lines shoot upward twisted and grown together nothing logical is happening here the lines twist tighter, but layers and layers unroll. Higher and higher they go, until they fray, then unravel altogether. The loose strands hang limp. Suddenly, it is falling, falling, the white surroundings enclose the image, until everything is white, blinding, simple. Powerless, I reach for the stalk of grey, but nothing is there to reach for. I cry out, only to escape my throat and slip away. A hand grasps mine, pulling me farther away from this stalk of grey.

THE LIGHT Ava Wagner Grade 6, Boise

My life is pitch black no light I am invisible I see people with friends and families, something Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never have. I hear people laugh but I cry there is no point in life for me but then I see a light so bright to guide me into a better life.

INVISIBLE Julia Swerdloff Grade 6, Boise

Tears running down my face. No one to care, no one to think. Why? Why me? I sat there no friends, no family, I felt as though cold water was running down my spine. I sat and sat, the rain and tears on my face. A family walks by. The mother holding her kids to keep them warm. A group of friends walks by, they are laughing and giggling. I wished. I wished for a friend. I sat and waited. Waited for what? I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure, and then a girl walked by, she was crying. I wonder why. I stood up. I reached my hand out to try and comfort her, and then I felt her. It was as if a warm blanket was being thrown on me. She looked at me and then said thanks.

THE FINDING Lucille Bush Grade 6, Boise

As I was walking around in the museum, looking at all the art, I would find so much that I liked in all shapes and sizes. I couldn’t find the one I wanted, but I found it, it took a very long time. The one I found was called “The Finding.” It was so colorful in every way there was green, light purple, and dark purple, yellow, pink, blue, brown, white, orange, black and grey. It was so colorful, it was different than other art pieces I have seen and it showed no canvas. There had been other cool art pieces but I think that I had made the right choice, “The Finding.”

BLACK AND WHITE Alina Bertagnolli Grade 6, Boise

As I stare into this picture, although it’s black and white, I can see far beyond. I see people but they don’t see me. I walk impatiently, wanting to get to the water across the sharp, jagged rocks. When I get there, I put my feet in the icy water. I go from hearing the sea crashing into rocks from the silent sound of underwater. I realize a wave crashed into me. I fell in. I poke my head out from underwater and scream for help, but no one answers. I start to cry as I realize right then and there that I’m going to die in the cold, beautiful ocean. 32

RIVER Alexander Desai Grade 6, Boise

the river sounds like the ocean waves against a beach a soothing song a musical piece small waves brushing with the wind, the water is cold. like the arctic, when you taste it it’s like a freezing milkshake with no flavor. it smells like air clear and fresh, never will lose its flavor.

THE DARK Olivia Green Grade 6, Boise

Somewhere in the future, I was walking, slowly, steadily. But nobody knew I was there. My footsteps—soundless. My glum expression was not able to be seen. My friends— friends? What friends? Who said friends? Whoever did, I tell you—I have none. My whole life, I’ve been lost, lost from family, friends, light. Alone in a dark hole—I fell in years ago. Since then, my sight has changed, changed in ways that can’t be explained. I see people as walking figures lucky not to be able to see all the dark that surrounds them. Animals are aliens, alone—like me, their voices lost long ago. I hear voices, but yet, they are just sounds strolling amongst the figures. My eyes float across happy families, talking and laughing. Suddenly, a voice like a ghost—it reaches above the others, grabs my hand, and pulls me up, above the hole, above everything, higher than the dark, up into the blue sky, and then a blinding light drops me, and I fall, pushing everything away, and become alive. Alive in a bright house. With a kind mother who has words like honey, a gentle father with a mouth full of joy, and a brother, a life. No longer in the dark, my light has turned back on.

INVISIBLE Lily Paquette Grade 6, Boise

I am walking around, invisible, somewhere in the past. I always though that being invisible was a great gift: being able to listen to people’s conversations without them seeing me and being free. I looked over to a happy family then three friends laughing. I then realized it would be more fun to be noticed, to be seen, to have a family and to be heard. But, I have none of that. I wish I did. All of a sudden I felt an arm touch my shoulder. But how? I’m invisible! I turned around and there stood a woman, a man, a little boy, and a teenaged girl, and even a dog. This would be the perfect family! Too bad I wasn’t a part of it. Until one day they adopted me! Now I could be seen, felt, and heard.

from THE SEA DIAMOND Hailey Hepworth Grade 5, Meridian

A long time ago, there was a young girl who lived by the sea. Nobody knew her name. She did not know her own name. She did not know anyone. Nobody knew her. But, every day, she would watch people play in the water, dig in the sand, and play games. One day, she decided that she, when no one was watching, 34

would dig a hole in the ground. She went into the cabin she lived in and found a shovel. She found a spot she wanted to dig in and she dug. She dug for hours, days, months. One cold day in April, she was digging, and hit something. She dug it up a little, and then picked it up. She brushed the dry, rough sand off her hand. It shook a little, then settled in her calloused hand. The object shimmered like a diamond. She held it up to the sun. Light shone brightly through the diamond. As it shone through, the light bent, pointing to a spot in the ocean. She found a stick and set the diamond on the stick. She dove into the ocean. It was the first time she had felt the sensation of diving into a wet surface. She held her breath and dove down deeper. When she needed a breath, she began to swim upward, but felt she couldn’t wait. She opened her mouth. She could breathe! And she could talk. She ventured down a large trench to see how everything worked. As she swam she was pulled down by the ankles. As she got deeper, she began to feel deeper, and soon she was unconscious. When she woke, a woman was in front of her. She looked familiar, but the young girl had never seen her before. The woman told her that she was here to help. The woman’s name was Rythia. Rythia told her that her name was Siythia. Rythia told her about the monster that pulled her under. It was called “The Nameless Monster.” Everyone thought Rythia had killed the monster, but turns out she hadn’t. But then she told Siythia the worst part. Siythia was supposed to be dead.

TREE Nathan Maybach Grade 6, Boise

I am a tree. I stretch high above the green world below me. Although I am strong, I can be felled, and many of my companions fall each day. I stay rooted to the spot, my trunk and branches arching into the sky. 35

SCARLET NIGHT ROSE Ethan Board Grade 5, Boise

Scarlet night rose blooms red in the rain stretching for water in the pale sunlight

A STRANGE DREAM Elizabeth Snyder Grade 5, Lakewood

It started with him: the shadow man. He was a pioneer man. He passed away with anger on his ranch. Now, he’s a spirit and he’s not very happy about it. People have reported seeing abnormal things and experiencing a dark entity to paranormal investigations centers several times. Soon, all the centers put these descriptions together. They found the descriptions were talking about the same entity. *** One morning, a pioneer girl named Piper was wandering though the near forest. Her mother had run out of food to cook. She looked up and saw an eagle. As it soared over the open water it fell from the sky. She looked down and she saw a dark figure. It looked like a silhouette of a person. She thought it as her mind playing a trick on her. She picked up the deceased eagle and brought it home. After dinner, she fell asleep. When she woke up, she saw the shadow man and knew that he was real. Suddenly, she felt a shattering pain in her stomach. She lifted her shirt and saw an explosion of faint color. *** “Oh no!” she said, and woke from this strange dream. For her name was not Piper, it was Chloe. She was a young girl in 2002. It was only a dream.

MY HAPPINESS Claire Lane Grade 6, Eagle

I floated my happiness down a river, Past the swan’s pure white flow, Past the robin bird’s singing beak, Down the river so humble and meek, Towards the sunset at heaven’s reach. An owl swoops by, And steals my joy that once could fly. Far up the river it glides through night, Stealing my happiness that shone bright. For now, my happiness is stuck up tight In the glow of the pale moonlight.

MY HAPPINESS Warren Lane Grade 5, Eagle

I threw my happiness into the river. My happiness saw the water, ran out, and fell into the bathtub. When it saw the water gushing from the faucet, it jumped out And went into my body again. So I left it there. A day later, I was taking a nap and a turtle climbed into my mouth And stole my happiness. I chased the turtle, but it was a fast turtle. The turtle went into a large metal turtle home so I followed it. It was a turtle mall with shops and restaurants and a water park. The police saw me and started to give chase, but a clown popped Out and started to do the chicken dance. It got everyone’s attention so I was free, But I forgot my happiness.

THE NEWS Max Liu Grade 6, Boise

One night, the president went to the moon for a trip. Suddenly, he heard a lot of yells coming from earth, so he went back to his spaceship. As it flew, it gave off a warning that it was to explode. The president went out into space on a tether and made his way to the back of the ship. He attached himself to a large chunk of metal and grabbed a parachute. The force of the explosion pushed the president towards earth. The president jumped off the chunk of metal, which kept going and destroyed a satellite. Two loose solar panels from the first satellite destroyed two more satellites! It kept going, a chain reaction, until all the satellites in orbit were gone. The pieces headed toward earth, but exploded in the atmosphere. The news reporters tried to spread the word, but the televisions couldn’t work. The astronauts made new satellites, but it took them two weeks. When the televisions came back on, people were disappointed, but they eventually forgave the president. The president was relieved, and went back to the moon. Everything was fine, until claims about UFO crashes began to occur…

THINGS THAT GO “BUMP” IN THE NIGHT Aiden McArthur Grade 5, Kuna

Not so long ago, in a bedroom not so far away… November 5th, 1995 Simon was a regular boy. Eleven years old. His three favorite things were video games, video games, and more video games. How regular can you get? One night at 11:59pm, he heard something “bump” by his dresser. He saw a dark figure. It wasn’t Batman. In the morning, his brother acted like he was drunk. Simon asked where his candy was, and how dumb his brother was. His brother said he had ate the candy.

CAT SCIENTIST Emma Redford Grade 5, Boise

Once upon a time, a cat named Jamie was a scientist in a castle. She loved the job. Her assistant was a bunny named Lillian. The cat’s profession was studying turtles. Everyday Lillian showed her a better place to find them. One day, Jamie said, “Lillian, this castle is huge. Maybe there is a turtle in the castle?!” “No, there isn’t,” Lillian said. But she went to the closet to get a magnifying glass for a better look. But, when she opened the door…. Jamie’s whole stash of candy buried her! She could not get out for ten minutes! “Help, help,” she meowed, but no one heard her. Meanwhile, Lillian had no idea what was going on. Finally, she heard Jamie and helped her. “Oh well,” she said. “Lillian, can you show me a pond with turtles today?” Lillian said yes so they immediately started off. The pond was three hours away. It wasn’t the best one — there was a better pond with more turtles that was closer — but Lillian was planning to eat Jamie’s candy, and wanted time to do so. She dropped her off, and hop-hopped home as fast as possible. Soon Jamie had a strong feeling that something had happened to her candy, so, when she was done researching, she ran home as fast as she could go. Once there, she opened the closet and there wasn’t any candy. “What happened?” Jamie asked. “I ate it,” Lillian confessed. Then she apologized and Jamie forgave her. To make up for it, Jamie was given all the cat food in the world and Lillian was always nice and considerate to Jamie from then on.

FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON Catherine Ripson Grade 6, Eagle

Have I ever told you the starry story of how you came into my life? The night I saw the footprints on the moon, a shooting star came falling down from the night time sky. The moon glistened in the distance and the stars wondered out loud. As the star fell, I ran to catch it. It fell into my open hands and I cupped them tightly. As I opened my hands I saw The most amazing sight. It was you.

IN A BOX/SADNESS Ayaka Tsukamoto Grade 5, Boise

I hid my sadness in a box My sadness was trapped in a box My sadness wondered what happiness was My sadness felt sorry for me My sadness became smaller and smaller My sadness is now gone A big white cat wandered around me It took something from me I looked for something Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m missing I never found what was missing and went back home When I saw my red fish dying I realized my sadness was missing

WINTER FIRE Joe Woodley Grade 5, Boise

There was a man named John who lived in a desert village and owned the only wooden house. The villagers told him to get a sandstone house, but he always said no. John was a llama herder and he never listened. In the desert, summer was very hot, but winter was freezing cold. One winter day, John made a fire. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing better than a fire in winter, he thought. He left to check on his llamas. They were pretty cold, so he herded them into their llama corral. When he went back, the villagers were all talking to each other. His house was on fire! He could not put it out with water because it was, after all, a desert, and there was barely any. He watched his house burn down.

WINTER Rebecca Metzgar Grade 5, Boise

It is white outside. Here, in my small town in Alaska, it snows every day. Winter, barely different than summer. I wish my family would move away from this cold, hostile environment. Most of my friends moved away last year when there was a lethal storm. The winds were howling and the sky was a dark grey. Windows smashed and buildings crumbled. People died, many people died. I made my parents promise that next year at this time we will at least move to a new house. I remember how scared my parents looked when I asked them where my grandparents were. They had died. My aunt too. Every day, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m afraid to go outside. Afraid there could be another storm.

WILLIAM AND THE CLOTHESPIN Melia Uriarte Grade 6, Meridian

William the Giant searched through the supermarket looking for a clothespin large enough to suit his needs. The very tall, brown-haired beast with green eyes looked high and low—well as low as he could get. “They used to have so many,” he thought, angrily. The Beast For Bargain store got rid of them after most of his species was frozen when an evil gummy-bear shot them with an ice beam. Lost in thought, he hit his head on a light at the top of the store and winced. A small store worker looked up at William. “Can I help you, sir?” “Do you have any ‘super-sized’ clothes pins?” “Umm…I’m not sure sir, but I can ask my manager.” With that, the young Pegasus, who was white with a red tail and mane, flew to the front of the store. William continued looking while he waited. “Tiny-Winy clothespins, Super-Small clothespins, Small clothespins, Medium clothespins, Large clothespins, Extra-Large clothespins…but no Super-Size!!!!” William raged. Just then, the Pegasus returned. “We do have one, sir. It’s in really bad condition, though, so my manager says you can take it for free.” “Thank you very much!” the giant yelled gleefully. He skipped out of the store with his new clothespin, but forgot to duck to get under the door. “Ouch!” William yelped, but it hardly dampened his spirits. He was strolling back to his home, whistling a merry tune, when he realized his clothespin was gone from his pocket. He looked around him, and noticed another giant sprinting away with the clothespin. “Hey!” he yelled. William ran past dwarves and knights, past dragons and elves, past wizards and Pegasi. He continued pursuing the giant that held his beloved clothespin. The thief turned a corner and was trapped. It was a female giant with ginger hair and brown eyes. The two giants’ eyes met and it was love at first sight. Two years later the two giants, William and Kora, got married. Now they live happily ever after in a giant house on top of a hill. They also share a clothespin. 42

DANCING FOREST Nathan Maybach Grade 6, Boise

prancing and howling forest wolves and coyotes prowl like dancing shadows

HCGCGCG Ellie Byrne Grade 6, Boise

bagpipes tadpoles bad person pencil shavings OTB watermelon mutant bumblebee lamppost The Whizzer Eurasia Tiny Guy paper memorial 171 licorice submarine apple Dandelion

THE EATEN HARMONICA IS MAGICAL Mashaal Jan Grade 5, Boise

Jordan had a magical harmonica. If he blew it, somebody within ten feet becomes his servant forever. One day, somebody known as the Red Robber steals it. Then he gets on Unitado (half unicorn, half potato). Unitado goes in search of the Red Robber. He finds him and says, “Where is the harmonica?” The Red Robber said he crushed it with a stone and ate it. “You will pay, Red, big time,” he says, and flies away. Unitado was able to talk, and Red Robber didn’t know that. Jordan asks his Unitado, did he see anything while he was out and about? He said that he saw him throw it in the ocean, and he flew over the ocean with the Red Robber on Unitado. He pushes him off and boom, the harmonica appeared in his hand. He said to Red he’ll give him a second chance. He picked him up and the harmonica disappeared. He dropped Red, it appeared. He did it a couple times and then said, “Red, you deserve it.”

RECIPE FOR CHAOS Paris Himmelman Grade 6, Boise

All you need is: 3 matches, A strong voice, 100 bags of marshmallows, 50 random things that you can stick on a stick, The ability to run, A lot of pies, 10 cups of hot tea, A set table, 1 chandelier. Light a burning fire Scream Roast yummy marshmallows Scream When your marshmallow catches on fire, sit on it Scream Have everyone make anything that you can stick on a stick catch on fire Scream Run around and around Scream some more Hop inside Scream again Try to take the tablecloth off a table without everything else falling off Scream Take as many pies from the fridge and smash into each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces Scream Pour hot tea on each other Scream a lot! Swing from the chandelier, thenâ&#x20AC;Ś Scream

THE WOLF Ella Boice Grade 5, Hailey

He howls at the moon as if it were his companion, as if it were his true love.

SHIFTED Jules Weinert Grade 6, Boise

once a home then the world shifted around it fell away They built ladders then the world shifted around a new color so many walls then the world shifted around they all fell Then a factory then the world shifted around it hit ground they tried everything but the world shifted around so they built a cell tower Then the world shifted around and it stayed still hanging there out in midair it stays the world shifted 46

SQUIRRELS PLAY TAG Ethan Board Grade 5, Boise

Chasing each other through the trees, Squirrels play tag. Running for miles over the ground, Squirrels play tag. Leaping to and from branches for hours at a time, Squirrels play tag.

TRUE STORY ABOUT COPYCATS Nick Fehr Grade 5, Hailey

Nick is the most beautiful name in the world. But there’s only one little problem: PEOPLE ARE COPYING THE NAME NICK!!! I found that out yesterday by the statue of me. Yes, there is a statue of me. A few days later there were a bunch of Nicks. This was a bad case of the copycats.

THE STARS AND COFFEE Isabella Mungall Grade 5, Bellevue

Every year all the creatures in the sea group up and the starfish make music. Tonight is the night and everybody is getting ready to burst through the door! Everybody’s having an amazing time, eating seaweed and shrimp and kelp, and dancing. Here it is what they’ve been waiting for— the stars! They were playing the best music ever and people were dancing on the dance floor and having cake, and cupcakes, and gummy bears. It was time for coffee, and everyone stood still as statues. Stephen, the head singer in the band Stars, tried the coffee and he loved it, and everyone tried the coffee and loved it so much!

SMOKE AROUND US Devon Peterson Grade 5, Bellevue

The eyes of the dark soul of the monster The flames flying through the dark smoke The grin on the face when killing trees The flames turning the animals into flames The fear in the yes and the heart of the smoke The wood turning into dust The air full of smoke, fear, and ash The heart breaks The animals and people running in fear The air as dark as night The water flying on the flames The smoke clears there are no flames

IF I WERE A CLOVER Gracie Peterson Grade 5, Bellevue

If I were a clover the soft wind would whistle my name. If I were a clover, the moon would shine on me always. If I were a clover, the leaves would comfort me. If I were a clover, the little girls would make jewelry out of me. If I were a clover, the little boys would feel me between their toes. If I were a clover, people would lie down on me as on a pillow and watch the clouds walk across the sky. 48

ART Madison Cummings Grade 6, Twin Falls

The jewels on you sparkle like a diamond. You have a tint of purple and blue. But you are as white as paper. You hang like a chandelier in a ballroom. The bird’s eyes are a deep red ruby jewel that sparkles in the light. The wood is so smooth like a stone. Your feathers in place one by one.

THE GREAT THING THAT HAPPENED TO DR. WISSON Adri Meixner Grade 5, Ketchum

“Now look here,” said Dr. Wisson, the great inventor, to his seven-year-old nephew, Tommy, whom is very inquisitive, and who Wisson isn’t very fond of. In fact, Wisson thinks Tommy is a like a herd of buffalo that has just trampled your house. Tommy ruins all of his inventions. Wisson only does one experiment every summer and so, of course, every summer his inventions fail, but this year Dr. Wisson convinced himself it would be different, and so he finished his experiment before Tommy came. “Now look here,” continued Dr. Wisson, “I invented rings.” “Rings are already invented,” said Tommy. “No, no Tommy, these rings transport you to other worlds. Now I’m going to a get the guinea pig for the experiment. But when he walked back into the room, Tommy reached for the green ring. “Stop,” screamed Dr. Wisson, “You’ll ruin the experiment!” Poof! Tommy was gone. “Uh oh, he forgot the yellow ring. He’s stuck on another world! What will I tell his mother?” Then she walked in and all he could say was, “Tommy’s gone.” And all she did was shrug and walk away.

DEAR CHERRY PARFAIT Megan Berry Grade 5, Boise

Dear Cherry Parfait, Your petals feel like silk. You smell like cherries. You are very pretty to look at. You are as pretty as a diamond. Sincerely, Megan

WHAT HIT ME? Marit Kaiser Grade 6, Ketchum

Today is the day I am going to prove myself. I am going to surf Maverick the Wave. I wake up at 5:13 AM, strap my surfboard to my bike, and leave my house. I arrive at the beach. It is 5:49; the swells are mountainous. Waves roll in like thunder, smashing against the rocks. This is my chance. I can do this! I throw on my wetsuit and grab my surfboard. The waves are enormous. I duck dive under the first wave. Right as I come up another wave drags me under. I lose my breath when the first wave hits me. I am struggling against the current. I come up and take a deep breath before the next wave hits me. I am sucked under again. I know what I need to do. I grab my foot and yank off strap that connects me to my board. I come up for air. I reach for my board but I’m too late. I am sucked under again. I fight the wave and come up for air. This time I successfully grab my board and drag myself on right as the fourth wave rolls in. I ride the wave all the way into the beach. That was close, too close. I crawl up the beach, slowly regaining my strength. That wasn’t exactly what I meant when I said “I am going to prove myself,” but I guess it works.

MONSTER Olivia Camilli Grade 5, Hailey

My world, where there are ghost parrots, where boys and girls roam at night. My little parrot. I give him a cracker. That does not satisfy him. He wants my feathers. As I look into his mouth I know I will never see him again! As he takes my feathers I say, Polly my beloved parrot. I love you.

I HAD SOME POEMS Jessica Owsley Grade 6, Eagle

I had some poems that made me happy. I had some poems that made me sad. I had some poems that made me excited. I had some poems. I had some poems that were good. I had some poems that were bad. I had some poems that were okay. I had some poems. I had some poems that were big. I had some poems that were small. I had some poems that were middle-sized. I had some poems.

WALNUT AND INGA Helen Kilgo Grade 6, Eagle

Hi. I’m a German Shepherd and my name is Inga and my friend is a Korean chipmunk named Walnut. Last week, we planned a helicopter excursion. We promised to meet in St. Petersburg. I shall pick up some nuts for Walnut on the way. So I headed out to my flight #929 and Walnut took flight #527. I took connection flight #954, obviously the upper numbers are for dogs only…not chipmunks. I was supposed to arrive at 5:30 but my layover was delayed until 6:30. I arrive and meet Walnut at Nutty Noodles. People stop and stare but I don’t care that I’m a big dog! Walnut is on my back and I can feel that she is nervous. But I’m more excited than ever. “Are you excited?” asked Walnut. “Man, I’m stoked,” I said. We boarded, suddenly we heard loud noises and saw bullets fly. It feels like a shattering noise. Out of the corner of our eye we saw Vladimir Putin, Russia’s evil president. He was shooting an AK-47. One thing you guys might not know about me is my super powers…I can live under water and Walnut can fly. So I dive down and Walnut flies up. I found a potion to shrink me so I could live in my sea anemone home. Underwater I changed the setting for my iDog phone. So we texted. She texted me, “Where do you want to hang out?” I replied, “ Let’s go assassinate Putin.” She said, “Okay, sounds good.” We killed Putin one week later. And all of Russia was happy. Walnut hung out on my back forever. Aren’t we good friends?

SPACE Lily Elsethagen Grade 6, Eagle

There was a void, it was space. First there was nothing, then books and notes, pencils and pens were talking and dancing, laughing and crying. The crayons were doing the salsa and the markers were doing the tango. The frogs and chameleons were doing the waltz. The pizza was gossiping with the cookies, and the cake was playing with glow sticks as they rode snakes and lizards. There is no longer a void. It is life now.

ED SAT ALONE Evelyn Mann Grade 6, Boise

Ed sat alone at the table, head bent. It was dark, but Ed could see the red ball. He rolled it over in his hands toughened from working in the garden all day. The ball was all he could see, the moon on the blackest night, the fire in the dark. Ed remembered the day it had happened, only a week ago. He was working in the front garden, and his trusty dog, Bella, was playing with her favorite ball. While Bella was chewing on the ball it escaped and rolled into the street. It being her favorite ball, Bella chased after it. She didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the car. The car. The ball. Bella. Never would she come scampering down the stairs when the birds started singing. No more Saturday morning dog parks. No more jumping around at dinner time. No more late night walks. It was all over. Next to Ed, a dog formed, black fur as soft as silk, white chest as white as the moon, almost like mist. Bella put her head against Edâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leg and whimpered. She missed him too.

THE VOID Hailee Lepak Grade 5, Boise

There was a void and the void had cool things like raspberries, summer, and fun little games. Skinny jeans and jackets, poems by name. Hawaii, Nevada, and the USA, love and family then downtown Boise. Writing and cooking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much to do. Colors of flowers, the words; I love you.

I HAVE A BROTHER Wonyoung Lee Grade 5, Boise

I have a brother. I have a brother who got sick and threw up. I have a brother who always screams. I have a brother who is very cute. I have a sister. I have a sister who is nice. I have a sister who is mean. I have a sister who plays games with me. I have a brother. I have a brother who is annoying. I have a brother who loves to play Chip & Dale with me. I have a sister. I have a sister who likes fruit snacks. I have a sister who loves to watch TV. They are the same and they change. They are different in different ways. 54

THE BESTFRIEND GROUP Caroline Phillips Grade 6, Eagle

School was okay today. The teacher took me out into the hall for misuse of glue sticks. Who knew that gluing your fingers together was so bad? I also got in a fight with my best friend, Alyssa, because she said she wanted to play with Ashley and she knows I don’t like Ashley. She would call me names like “barfbag” and “boy-lover,” but we usually forgot about it in the morning. Oh, by the way, I’m Delila. I’m 11 years old, and my parents are divorced. It seemed like they had been fighting a lot before the divorce. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day for me.

I WAS STANDING Caden Ravlin Grade 6, Boise

I was standing on the 70 foot cliff under the baby blue sky. I wanted to do the cliff dive, but Fear was right in front of me. Its ghastly white smile crawling into my brain. The smile was somehow pushing me backward into the Idaho wilderness. My family couldn’t see Fear so they were cheering me on. Right as I was about to say “No, I’m too scared,” Courage fell from the sky, saving me from the terrible figure with sharp yellow teeth and bright grey skin. Courage kicked Fear in the stomach and I saw Fear’s dark robe come back and hit the horror underneath. Fear’s skin scattered like ceramics and fell to the ground, leaving only a pile of ash. I turned to thank Courage, but he wasn’t there anymore. I turned back to the cliff. I ran to the edge and jumped. I was only in the air for a few seconds and I was smiling the entire time. The bright blue water hit me and I realized that Courage had given me a gift. That was happiness. I climbed up the wooden ladder and wanted to jump again because this time Fear wasn’t in my way. On our way home, we crashed into a drunk driver. One second my heart was beating. The next second, it wasn’t. Fear had teamed up with Death, and not even Courage can defeat Death. Fear had found revenge. 55

I WALKED OUT OF THE HOUSE Loren Jensen Grade 6, Meridian

I walked out of the house and smelled the crisp air. “Be back by dark!” my mother yelled. I knew it but I took my flashlight because I wanted to explore the creepy cave right outside my house. My brown hair looked like a bear as the wind brushed past my face. I entered the dark cave and flicked on the flashlight. The bright beam blinded me but I could still see slightly. I felt crumbs of rock fall on my head. I turned around but all I saw was red and brown before everything turned white. Beep. Beep. Beep. The timer went off. “It’s ready!” I rushed to the kitchen. I opened the microwave and pulled out a white bag. I shook it, opened it. The steam smoothed my face. The smell was buttery and salty. I put a piece on my tongue and it slowly dissolved. As I was putting the popcorn in the bowl I heard a scream from the dark cave outside. I packed my bag with a flashlight, a bottle of water, a bag of chips, and my dad’s shotgun. I went outside and turned on the flashlight. The beam was dim but I could still see. I entered the cave and saw a coffin-shaped spider web. I dug into it and saw my best friend paralyzed laying there on the cave floor. I felt tears trickling down my cheeks but I needed to go on. Something thumped behind me. I slowly pulled out the shotgun and turned around. Bam! I shot the gun right as I turned around. A brown figure with red eyes lay on the ground dead. This creature was my biggest fear. A five foot spider. What about my friend? I couldn’t just leave her there. I picked her up and put her on my shoulders. I hauled her home and called 9-1-1. They took both of us to the hospital. After a few minutes they came to the waiting room and told me it was too late. She already died. My heart was heavy but I knew I could live without her.

WILDLIFE WORDS Let us consider the trees who yelled, “Goldfish!” in the sweet winter night; the girls who fell off their ugly horses in their jean vests. — PETRA SMITH, Grade 3

LEONARDO DAVINCI Ethan Solan Grade 5, Boise

Leonardo DaVinci is one of the most famous inventors, artists, and geniuses of all time. Leonardo has invented these, out of many things, the tank, flying machine which is not the hanglider, and the Archimedes screw, something to help you get water. My favorite thing he invented is the automobile, which was a wagon with a lever you would turn then the wagon would move. The most helpful thing he invented was the pulley system. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s invented things small and helpful and things prodigious and extraordinary. For many reasons, Leonardo DaVinci is my favorite inventor.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO CANADA! Sydney Hill Grade 5, Boise

I have never been to Canada! Or even spent a day, With all my useless cares, entirely gone astray. A polar bear in a den, Perhaps his name is Ben. I wish, but when would I ever find a polar bear in its den. In a parka so snug in the snow When to Canada should I go. To be honest, I really donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know. How is it in the summer? I think it is a bummer, That I do not know how it is in the summer. The blue ice is cold. It is thick and bold. Always the ice is cold. I would like to go to Canada! Or even spend a day, And all my useless cares might not be gone astray.

MY MOOD Tyler Olszewski Grade 5, Boise

The sun is in my heart like the sun is burning my heart like my heart’s mad and hurting another heart.

HAWAII Malia Backe Grade 6, Boise

I’ve never been to Hawaii to swim in the water to be perfectly honest. Not this year or any year, have I had the time to visit Hawaii. I am likely to be found at a beach to get to go swimming in the water. I’ve never seen the volcanoes that erupted a long time ago. I’ve never danced the hula a dance in Hawaii that dancers dance at the beach. I’ve never had Hawaiian food like pineapple or coconut or other food that Hawaiians eat.

THE SNOW LEOPARD Ella Fearnside Grade 5, Boise

I was nestled into my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soft, warm fur when a shadow fell over the moonlit entrance of the cave. I froze. Fear welled up inside of me like a balloon ready to pop. Then, in one fluid motion, the thing raised his sling and fired. I felt it sinking into my neck. Then, without warning, I fell back into the arms of sleep. I woke up in a musty crate, with my paws tied together. Two voices drifted in from a crack in the wall. The first voice was low and important. He seemed to be saying something to his companion, who would occasionally grunt in agreement.

THE PANTHER Sara Mackenzie Grade 5, Meridian

I find myself in a strange dense place. Then out of the lush green forest, a black panther appeared. It walked to the other side of the jungle road, and when it disappeared, a loud snap of metal and an ear splitting scream from the panther echoed through the forest. I looked to see what the loud noise was and I was surprised by what I saw. The panther had been snared in a steel trap. I examined its paw and thought of my options. I decided to help the panther and slowly walked towards it. I unhinged the trap and left it open for the panther. It took its paw out and looked at me intensely, then disappeared into the deep dark forest. 63

A RIVER William Hupp Grade 5, Boise

A river is like a piece of fabric fluttering in the air. A hill is like a stack of blankets. And in the setting sun brown fields turn to golden fields.

O2 Christopher Beckley Grade 3, Boise

You light the bed on fire, Catch the smoke in a gold bottle. Saw it in half, Catch it in a bottle filled with poison. Drink it then breathe it out. Keep breathing it in until you are new.

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR David Hupp Grade 3, Boise

He ate so much. His favorite food was mint-chocolate chip ice cream He became so fat Fatter than a maple tree So his sisters and brothers They jumped on him like a trampoline They called him Gonzo But his real name Was Bonzo And he didn’t like it. He had enough So he had a race To become the first butterfly Because of all the things He ate His wings were much Bigger than the others. They were the size of maple syrup leaves. They had more colors like Aqua, turquoise, dark red And light orange And he almost looked like A rainbow so he landed on a rainbow And said, “I am the best butterfly of them all. I am the prettiest butterfly of all.” And at the end, he was the best of them all.

TAKING A WALK Ize Upham Grade 4, Boise

There were five dogs. Their names were Maxwell, Teal, Speck, Ozwald and Maggie. They went for a walk. It was a wonderful day. A girl named Izebella met them at the little creek. Izebella said, “Why are you running away?” They said they are so hot and our owners will not cool us off. “We were hoping we would run into you. Can you help us get wet?” Just then, A.J. walked up. Luckily, he did not see Izebella and the dogs talking. He yelled, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IZE?” “I’m taking a walk,” said Ize. “What are those dogs doing?” “How would I know? I can’t speak dog.” “Didn’t your dad say ‘Be home before now?” said Ize, checking her watch. A.J. ran as fast as he could all the way home.

CAPTAIN CHUBY Simon Hill Grade 3, Boise

“What should we do?” said a soldier. “Keep fighting,” said Captain Chuby. Chuby shot his shot. Soon, the battle was over. They won. Chuby had shot over 100,900,000 men, but Chuby had gotten hit on his shoulder. It was bleeding, but didn’t hurt. They went and put a bandage on it. All of a sudden, Chuby, the prairie dog, was on a brown horse and was going to battle. He had a little pointed hat, and a gun, and a little horse. He could see Egyptians with their puny little swords while Chuby had a gun. He started to shoot, then he hit two men, and then a spear flew.

JULIET BROWN Miranda Pierce Grade 4, Boise

One day, in a nice and neat little kitchen, they sat at the dining table, a friendly family. There was a mother named Mrs. Brown, a father named Mr. Brown, and a daughter named Juliet Brown. “Mother?” asked Juliet. “Yes, sweetheart?” replied Mrs. Brown. “What shall I wear for the first day of school this morning?” wondered Juliet. “Umm, anything you want, honey,” replied Mrs. Brown, as Juliet raced upstairs where her room lay. Mrs. Brown began to tidy up the kitchen. As Juliet was digging through her closet, she ran across this beautiful black shirt with this beautiful long skirt that was purple. Her eyes widened in joy. After she had put the beautiful outfit on, she found a purple barrette to match her skirt. Then she put on her one-strap backpack and ran downstairs to eat breakfast. After breakfast, she was driven to school. She found her locker and went to the first class on her list: Math Class. After math class, she checked it off the list, and went to the next class: Science Class. In science class, she made a volcano that exploded, and another person’s volcano exploded and she got covered in slime, so she went to wash it off. After that class was lunch, then Grammar Class. The bell rang for school to end. When she arrived home, she told her mother and father about her day. “It was the best first day of school ever!” exclaimed Juliet. “What is all over you!?” called Mr. Brown. She did not hear what her father had said. Juliet was racing off to relax on the sofa.

MOONBOY Kate Durham Grade 4, Boise

Chapter 1 The bitter smell of smoke filled the air. Fire alarms rang loudly in the small village of Heartstone. Moonboy was hiding in a dark cold valley. He knew that hiding wouldn’t help anything and he would die as soon as it reached him. Maybe the spark is still there, the thought. Before he knew it, the first had reached him. He put all his emotions and energy into lighting the spark. By now the fire had started to burn a hole in his shoe and his foot was numb. In 3…2…1…water shot out of his hands, the fires quickly burned out in the village. Moonboy concentrated again and an orange mist sprang out of his fingertips and the village would be fixed in an hour to a day. He ran out of the valley to his treehouse in the woods. But he didn’t know that Alex Rainstone was watching the whole thing. Chapter 2 “You were right,” said Alex as she rested her head on her hand. “Moonboy Darkwright is a sorcerer.” “Never underestimate me,” said the woman. “Go see for yourself if he is any use to me.” “But,” Alex said nervously. “No. I still control your soul, Alex. Do as I say or your life will no longer be spared.” “Yes, B—“ “Names mean more than words. For all time and forever. Mine is a curse. You shall never say it out loud,” said the woman. And that was that. Chapter 3 Moonboy was dashing through the dreary Dark Woods. Sweat dripped down his forehead in small beads. Almost there, he thought. The small, brown treehouse soon came into view. He slowed his pace. Then he stopped in front of a ragged shrub. Someone was climbing the long ladder to the entrance. This meant trouble. Big trouble. No one would dare enter the Dark Woods even if their lives depended on it. The 68

rumors of Baba Yaga are so strong that Heartstone villagers thought they would turn to cinder if they got anywhere close to the Heart of the woods. Ha! thought Moonboy. The only living humans there was himself and a person in a cottage that looked like a large shack. She never came out since he moved in. Moonboy forgot all about the strange person that climbed into his treehouse quickly. Alex peeked her head out of the small opening to Moonboy’s treehouse. A thin, pale boy was sitting on the ground concentrating. Moonboy, she thought. She looked around. Poor little boy. Only a stool, mat, and rolls. It was true. Moonboy was defenseless against her and Baba Yaga. Chapter 4 Moonboy suddenly looked up at his treehouse. Let’s see if they’re still here, he thought with a grin. He looked up. “Scared to come out?” he said. Silence. “C’mon!” he shouted. More silence. “Okay, I’m coming up.” He started to climb the ladder. A burst of lightning shot out of the entrance. Moonboy quickly used water. “Ow!” someone yelled. Moonboy gasped. “Baba Yaga…” More thunder, but from the sky. Moonboy chuckled. “BABA YAGA!” More thunder. “One more time and I die,” said the girl. “Who’d kill you for saying ‘HER’ name?” “Baba Yaga.” Now, a downpour.

RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS Sage Anders Grade 4, Boise

The butterflies dance through the air, leaving trails of gold there. Indians are making bread, using wheat that they collect. Workers square-dance through the night, while words float out of sight. Happiness is everywhere on this beautiful summer night.

LILA LOO’S AND MILEY MOO’S BIG FANCY ADVENTURE! Charley Beebe Grade 3, Boise

Part One: The Room Thursday was the day three-year-old prairie dog Lila Loo ran away. She wanted to do something exciting. She ran away with her BFF, Miley Mara Moo, a butterfly. Lila was panting in the scorching heat, so she just walked. They walked for days. Actually, Miley flew! They traveled for days, and finally they came to a big building, nothing like anything they had ever seen before. The door was open, so Lila and Miley went in. They came into a huge room. Well, to them it was huge. There was a huge brown organ in one corner. There was a red velvet stool in front of it and next to it was a huge golden-framed mirror. In another corner there was a wooden shelf with beautiful glass statures and cups on it. In another corner there was the same thing. And in the fourth corner, there were three bookshelves with beautiful books on it. On one wall there was an ivory fireplace with a flowered fire-screen.. In front of it, on top of it was a curved bookshelf with two candles next to a gold clock. Two flowery lamps stood on wooden stands next to the fireplace. The floor had a beautiful rug on it, and in the center were velvetcushioned chairs and a flower couch. “Wow!” squeaked Lila. Suddenly, she heard someone squeak, “Welcome, I’m Squeak, and I’m glad you’re here.” Part Two: Squeak “Hi,” squeaked a voice behind them, “Welcome to my hotel.” Miley and Lila turned around. There, in from of them 70

was another prairie dog! “Sorry that it’s big,” it apologized. “I was trying out some magic.” The prairie dog snapped its fingers and the room shrank to prairie dog size! “I’m Squeak,” the prairie dog told them. “You’re my first customers.” “I’m Lila, and this is Miley,” Lila told Squeak. “I was exploring with Miley.” “Sorry for barging in,” said Miley, finally finding her voice. “That’s okay,” said Squeak. “How about you stay with me?” “Sure,” cried Lila and Miley at the same time! “Okay,” said Squeak. “Two dollars please.” “That’s fine,” said Miley. “I’ll pay.” She handed Squeak two dollars. But suddenly, there was a huge CRASH!

HOW TO MAKE A RED PANDA Caitlin Yang Grade 4, Boise

First add a petal from the rose of love Then a feather from a dove Two beads red and black from a native princess a thread from a Chinese dress A fur from a panda with no pain and a horse chain A bamboo leaf and dust from a fairy sneeze Then a big cold pot you might see spot but that’s okay nothing will happen you will stay You finally make a red panda but much more extraordinary

I WANT TO SAVE Courtney Cline Grade 3, Boise

I want to save the lead of my pencil, the twinkle of the stars in the glowing of the moon Petra, the sun of my life, my family, the one part of my life, the home where my heart belongs, save everything, worldwide, wherever save the smile and voice of the wild and everything that follows it, the sweet laugh of pandas, save the hearts of my friends and Petra, the fall of summer bringing to fall my birthday that plays in the leaves, and most of all, I want to save the earth with its wonders and grass with its wonders

PEOPLE Petra Smith Grade 3, Boise

Let us consider the trees who yelled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goldfish!â&#x20AC;? in the sweet winter night; the girls who fell off their ugly horses in their jean vests. Let us consider the doctor who got electrocuted by her aqua green pet turtle named Snap; or the baby who got poisoned by the Picky Poe frog. Let us consider the worms that slither through the craft beads; or me.

ANIMALS IN ME Tyler Johnson Grade 5, Boise

Tigers dance in my tummy. Yellow orangutans swell with mumps in my leg. Lug-nut baboons have loogie contests in my mind. Encyclopedias eat Bill’s elephants in my elbow. Rad elephants disco dance in my face.

LIONS ROAR Brooklyn Severson Grade 3, Boise

Lions roar like stomping elephants In the night Octopi swim at night Normal things happen Sssssss is the sound of daylight

THE NIGHT TIME Camilla Coleman Grade 4, Boise

Let us save the pandas’ ghostly faces. The whales’ blue bodies. Everyone I love’s heart. The animals cute technique. The monkeys’ funny attitude. My room’s structure. The red panda’s red fur. The birds flying in the sky. The trees’ green leaves in summer. The cold snow, and the warm sun in the day. The prayers of the nighttime sky. The stars’ night glare. Let me save these things. 73

I WANT TO SAVE Zachary Erwin Grade 4, Boise

I want to save the flowers that grow in spring, the water that keeps us alive. I want to save the beauty of sports, the people I love, the care and kindness in the world. I want to save the imagination that flows through the world, the rivers, the mountains, the streams, the love, but the thing I want to save most is life. Not everyone deserves everything, but everyone deserves to live.

DEFENDER OF THE EARTH Jordan Agler Grade 4, Boise

I want to save the trees standing tall. I want to save the tigers roaring in the jungle. I want to save the screeching birds flying high. I want to save the library filled with books. I want to save the eagles eating fish. I want to save the people who give us shelter. I want to save the moonlight shining on us. I want to save the animals singing dawn to dusk. I want to save my guinea pigs that are very cute. I want to save my sister who always plays with me. I want to save my dogs that give me exercise. I want to save the bears eating in the river. I want to save my grandma who taught me about fairies. I want to save my mother who taught me everything. I want to save life which everyone deserves.

LIONS Emily Johnson Grade 3, Boise

Lions roar like a motorcycle It is exciting to watch lions On the rock, there is a lion Now the lions sleep Sleepy lions are nice, but playful lions, I like most

THE CROWNED CRANE Finnian Coleman Grade 5, Boise

Its wings are like big open arms ready for a hug. Its red is like the blood of an African god. Its gray is like the shadow that follows it everywhere. Its black is like the night sky it flies in. Its white is like the shimmer of a lake. Its legs are like the long poles holding up its cage. Its hair is like golden spikes atop his head.

I AM Seth Severson Grade 5, Boise

I am the laughter of a hyena at a basketball game. I am the tiger catching a bird. I am the sound of silence of a snowstorm. I am the hand on a paintball gun. I am the cat that falls off a tree. I am the moon of the night. I am the smell of mint. You see, I am alive, I am alive.

A FLYING CARROT Shannon Keil Grade 3, Boise

A flying carrot is in a storm A smiling face is looking at me A cactus is resting calmly A bed is on the ground ready for me

IN MY IDEAL PLACE Leah Beeles Grade 3, Nampa

In my ideal place all the giraffes are pink and black and you can ride on them whenever you want. Everything is candy. You can eat it all. It would grow again. Only your friends and dreamfriends live there. You can talk to the animals. You live in a castle.

IF I HAD TO Breanna Degan Grade 3, Boise

If I had to smell one more thing I would smell a rabbit. If I had to touch one more thing I would touch a zebra. If I had to see one more thing I would see my family. If I had to hear one more thing I would hear a lion. If I had to taste one more thing I would taste cotton candy. 76

MY DREAM LAND Mckensie Mesenko Grade 3, Meridian

I am like a bird. I would have the power to be invisible. Animals will talk like humans. Every animal in my dream land is my pet. All my pets have different names. My favorite pets are the wolves.

COLORFUL WINGS Kylee Erwin Grade 3, Boise

a butterfly dream to have eggs dream to have more friends dream to have nectar dream to have more butterflies of your type dream to have more butterflies dream to have more colors on wings dream to have flowers

WHERE I HAVE LIVED Annabel Lawrence Grade 3, Boise

I used to live in a firefighter, now I live in a Poison Ivy. It is so wet in here, I can barely stand. It touches everything and then makes it itch. I used to live in a helicopter, now I live in a Wallaby. It is so crazy in here and you would think so too. It bounces around so much, I think I’m gonna hurl. I used to live in a deer, now I live in Mo Williams. It often picks up a book, and then sits down on a chair. It sometimes goes into a room, and starts writing down words.

GUMMY LAND Madeline Mills Grade 3, Boise

In my ideal place it is just like Eden but everything is gummy even people. Also everybody speaks gummy bear. Also everybody is friends, no prey or predators. Nobody is mean and there is no jail and the only song is “Everything is Awesome” because everybody is awesome. 78

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I SING Nolie Schneider Grade 3, Boise

When I sing, I am a hawk flying way above the clouds. The other hawks fly away with fear. When I bike, I am a superior star. I am not afraid. When I play soccer, I am a fertilizer can with never-ending fertilizer. When I play softball, I am a full moon, sparkling and shining, in the night sky. When I dance, I am a newborn planet showing my boldness. When I swim I am a penguin with a jet pack. And when I ski, I am a free flower.

NATURE WRITER Fuzz, nothing, tastes like nothing Fuzz again feels like fuzz but this time water like a first kiss, a rabbit’s ear my grandma’s fuzzy scalp after chemo radiation. — HELEN KILGO, Grade 6

I WAS FORMED Jessica Byres Grade 6, Boise

I was formed by the garden where one leaf strangles another to reach the sun unaware that they come from the same plant I was formed by a time of light where composition kept the plant strong Now it is dark the plant must look to its roots many leaves, yet one root in the end, we are all the same I was formed by my parents who are always strong they came far I will go there soon I was formed by the elements who swept me to the clouds where I can look down on the active humanity I was formed by pencil and paper put together to form the most beautiful combination that humanity has ever known

WATER Wonyoung Lee Grade 5, Boise

I wake up, at dawn of the early spring. Dewdrops fall down to the damp earth, making a wet circle. I look up, at the bright, orange sky, imagining if a tsunami or a flood happened. People shouting for help, but hopelessly dying. I shake my head. That wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen. But still, I was worried. Storms will make people stay inside their homes, unhappily. Tears went down my neck. Tears. They were water, too. Waves crashed in the bright, blue-green sea. I suddenly thought people were washing away in the blue sea, like a leaf blowing away in the soft breeze. Cholera. A very dreadful disease from drinking bad water. I thought about beautiful dewdrops, precious drinking water, and soft drops of rain. I smiled. Maybe water wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all dreadful after all. . .

LONELINESS Ellie Byrne Grade 6, Boise

morning mist like a damp gray curtain but no one there to feel it dewdrops on the grass shining like stars but no one there to see them Amazon River full of silent assassins but no one there to stalk a tsunami rushing through like the wrath of Neptune but no one there to drown a still, dark pool like a pit dragging you in but there is no one there above, a rainbow arcs like a gateway to heaven 84

TEACHER Hailey Clark Grade 5, Boise

I used to live in a teacher now I live in yarrow. I pretend that yarrow is my classroom. My kids sit on the little yellow or white flowers. Every day over and over. I used to live in a plane now I live in a bunny. My bunny is different than a plane. A bunny does not have reclinable seats. My bunny is different but perfect. I used to live in a pond now I am a basketball player. It is extraordinary being a basketball player. It is different than a pond. I do not glide in the silky water. I slide on the squeaky floor.

WHITE ROSE Avery Gendler Grade 5, Boise

I used to live in a poet now I live in a white rose I write on the snow white walls that trap me in the endless maze of petals The dewdrops soak my ink and skin and make a black waterfall flooding the rose My words, my thoughts, my secrets gone Writing, thinking, waiting all the same in this white rose

HOME SWEET HOME Nicola Myers Grade 5, Boise

I used to live in a teacher now I live in a Tiger Lily I used to have a classroom But now there are no children Just a small, cramped-up flower for me to live in I used to live in a cloud now I live in a bunny I used to float all around the spacious sky and look down at the world Now I hop around all day I suppose it’s not so scary but I miss the simplicity of before Now I’m not on top of the world anymore I used to live in a pond now I live in a lawyer Before I had space to do something different everyday But not so much anymore Lots of talking is my life Sadly, it’s harder than before

EARTHQUAKE Abigail Peck Grade 5, Boise

I am so good at reading that the characters leap out of the books. I am so good at writing the characters I create leap out of the pages and become alive. I am so good at drawing cake that the cake becomes real so you can eat it. I am so good at being funny that the person I make laugh almost dies because they are laughing so hard. The animals all stop what they are doing and laugh and the mountains laugh so hard that there is an earthquake.

A TALE Emma Schell Grade 5, Boise

I was born. I was born in Hawaii under a celebrated gazebo. I moved to Las Vegas and built the M&M factory. I keep my mom in my heart like a pie. I am awesome. I am so awesome that on my birthday a red star appears elegantly across the sky. I am elegant. I am so elegant that the queen bows elegantly under me. I had a royal party that lasted two years. I am tough. I am so tough that when a softball hit me in the head and cracked my head open I still had a lonesome smile on my face. I wore a tutu to a softball tryout. I love. I love tiger lilies. I love my family. I love my brother, Andy. And most importantly, I love myself.

COLUMBINE Helen Kilgo Grade 6, Eagle

Sight like suicide, as beautiful as Monet and as nuts as Picasso. Oxygenated air, a kiss or rain down your cheek. Buzzing with bees, heels clacking on the cobblestones. Fuzz, nothing, tastes like nothing Fuzz again feels like fuzz but this time water like a first kiss, a rabbitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ear my grandmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fuzzy scalp after chemo radiation. How do you carry on? How do you live in this world? You look so bright and beautiful but your core is dark. We will never know. Will it be too late. We will never know.

WRITING WILD A world for an ant, forests of dark brown trees fill the globe. Identical stars of white snow beauty, lights of millions. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; HAYDEN HINCHMAN, Grade 5

NATUREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOISES Emery Toothhaker Grade 4, Boise

I heard birds chirping to others I heard bees buzzing in the breeze I heard the rushing sound of water I heard the rustling of rocks I heard the wind blowing through the trees It felt like taking a nap It felt like walking on water Bees buzzing Birds chirping Water rushing

MY DAD Edie Johnson Grade 7, Boise

In this one you are Across the seas Fighting, fighting for me In this one you are A knight, a savior of a country Drab colors collide but you are not drab In this one you are A forest wise and protecting The army, a father, a husband Trapped in war Iraq is no place for you In this one you are My dad

BENJI Grace Coyle Grade 7, Boise

In this one you are funny Dancing beside the diving block needing to go potty. In this one you are about to swim as fast as you can. In this one you dive, you will be reaching the surface soon. In this one and everyone you are… loved by me.

BEYOND Sophie Moylan Grade 7, Boise

I looked down to the village I finally see what’s beyond the wall What’s over the mountain Where the river goes I was imprisoned Now I am free.

I AM UNIQUE. NOT ONE OF MANY. Lucy Boam Grade 5, Boise

I am the bright blue sky, not a wet cloud about to rain I am a peak touching the sky, not a valley hugging the ground I am a four leaf clover standing apart, not a clover with three, all the same I am a rock in a circle, in a group, not one alone, all alone I am a window looking out into the world, not a wall blocking it out I am light day, not the dark night I am a flower, bright and colorful, not the grass, still colorful but not bright I am a sign, informal, telling which way to go, not a fork in the long dark trail 94

MEDICINE WHEEL Jessica Byres Grade 6, Boise

North and South East and West all pointing to center where stands a figure small it may be yet strong and smooth driven deep into the rocky soil while dappled sun streams in between the needles of the great pines keeping guard overhead

ONE DAY Max Liu Grade 6, Boise

One day I was standing on a cliff looking at the scenery. I smelled the distinct sagebrush. There was a pond, a street, and hills with sagebrush on them. I could hear the frogs croaking and swallow tails sing. I could see miles away. I could see houses on top of hills. Suddenly a mountain lion came. Without thinking, I jumped off the cliff. Suddenly I was carried by a bunch of birds. They swooped, turned, and flew long distances for thirty minutes. But when the birds saw a swarm of bugs, they began to chase it. Then whoosh, I fell down. When I landed on the native grass, it kind of felt like landing on a pillow. I thought it was so fun, I piled on soft stuff and did it again.

HIDDEN IN THE SHADOWS Soledad Negrete Grade 7, Elko, NV

Hidden in the shadows from all directions lies the directional wheel of medicine. The wheel gives a kiss to whom we miss in all directions. Respects are paid to those who love the free land and helpful creatures. Surrounded by just that, the wheel will be magical. Magic comes from the peaceful enclosure at the edge of a forest where ants, butterflies and bees buzz and slithering bull snakes along with beautiful eagles have their homes. To the east and south lie paths to a fro of the wheel where magic goes to those who love and believe.

SUNFLOWER Sarah Zanot Grade 6, Boise

I get planted, sitting under the dirt, waiting for rain to splash onto the rich soil so I can grow as fast as possible. Finally I can hear the rain start to drizzle. It smells soft and light. I can feel myself growing. A few weeks go by and my sun colored yellow petals are finally there. I am strong and tall but powerful. I feel something weird. Strange bugs start to crawl up me and I realize I’m not sure I can do anything. I wait. Luckily a strawberry spotted their eye before I got eaten. I look down and now I am slowly becoming old, petals falling off and my stem turning brown and shriveling up. It’s becoming winter and my pretty yellow petal days are over.

THE MURKY WATERS Adrienne Kirk Grade 5, Boise

I was coming back from the murky water of the pond. It was getting late. Something started to sound like a deep buzzing coral. I crept closer and pushed through the tall reeds. Then I saw it. Its deep round black eyes staring into mine. It wasn’t the one making the sound so I turned back to go. Suddenly a voice appeared in my mind. It said in a low mumbling groan, “Turn around.” So I turned around and it was staring right at me. The hideous face creeped me out. It said wickedly, “Come closer.” I went closer. It said, “Join me in this murky water.” The next thing I knew, it was pulling me in. I screamed in a loud screeching voice. No one came. I got my senses and said, “Stop.” It didn’t listen. In an encouraging manner, I started to pull, growing more confident every second. I finally went out myself and quickly grabbed the sneaky fish and threw it. Then I walked away, never to see it again.

SEPARATED Kayla Pittman Grade 5, Nampa

I looked around and noticed I was alone. I was separated from my family. The dust in the air felt rusty. I suddenly felt dark and hungry. I knew I had to find something to eat. I walked and walked, then finally found some currants. I picked some off and ate them. They had a bitter and sour taste. As I bit into them the inside oozed out like jelly. I decided to save some for later, because I had to make a basket. Instead, I found a small old basket lying on the soft moist ground. I picked it up and walked over to the red-orange currants. I filled up my basket with currants. I walked around and ate many currants. Next, I decided to make a small, warm shelter. I walked a little more and found an old burnt down village. I fixed up an old house. I saw a small, dark green hill. As I walked closer I could hear faint, dark voices. I walked to the top of the hill and could see people softly talking with each other. I ran down the hill and asked if I could stay. They said yes, I could stay. I could smell the delicious food they made. I found a family to live with, and I lived there for the rest of my life.

THE DRAGON RIDE Myla Negrete Grade 5, Elko, NV

I feel like I’m on top of the world as I’m standing on a cliff in the foothills of Idaho overlooking the swallows, red-winged blackbirds and a pond. The wind is blowing my hair out of my face. I feel like I can do anything from up here. Bullfrogs are croaking and birds are chirping while I listen to their song. I hear people talking, biking, and walking. The breeze suddenly picks up to a strong wind. While I’m wondering how that happened so quickly, I don’t notice a big black dragon with no teeth flying up to me. He throws me onto his back and joins up with a gigantic flock of dragons of all different colors and sizes. They fly up and around hills and mountains, doing flips and somersaults, making me feel like I’m about to get sick. After two hours of this they finally drop me off about ten yards away from my grandparents. I tell them about the dragon ride but they don’t believe me because they didn’t see it, so I keep it a secret but every time I’m alone the dragons take me on another joy ride.

MAUI Ellie Lickley Grade 4, Boise

White sand on the beautiful beach. Saltwater rushing in the ocean to the beach. Kids are playing in the water. And dolphins play in the water with bubbles and friends.

THE DARKLING BEETLE Aurora Keene Grade 5, Boise

I was walking down the gravel trail at night when I heard a bloodchilling growl. It came from the tall grass to the right of me. Through a gap in the grass I saw two beady eyes staring back at me and a black form crawling slowly to the trail. I knew that I had to find a darkling beetle to save my white dog from getting very sick, and this couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand in my way. I growled back at it and started to inch along the path again. The animal stepped out on the trail once I was a safe distance away and I could see that it had two black circles around its eyes and a grey and black striped tail. It stood there until it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see me anymore over the low-hanging underbrush, then slowly stalked back to wherever it came from. I sighed and walked steadily on. My grandfather would make a cure for my dog, somehow using the rotten stench from the darkling beetle, and all I had to do was find it. I stepped over rocks and small trees. I finally felt my foot hit something, and a foul smell followed. I jumped to my hands and knees, and felt around. I saw the beetle in the moonlight and put it in the jar that I had brought along. I raced home, ignoring the threat from the raccoon, and gave the beetle to my grandfather. He made the antidote and my poor little dog was saved. I have never needed to go to that place at night again.

CABO Caroline Crow Grade 4, Boise

You hear the sound of water rushing to the shore, destroying sound castles. Children screaming, laughing, crying, having fun. Their parents yelling at them, “Time to go home, So and So!” You’ll feel the peach colored sand covering your hands and feet making you dirty. To feel the bright sunlight tanning you by the minute. To experience dolphins playing with their bubbles, in the bright blue water.

CRAZY EXCITEMENT Allie Bruce Grade 3, Boise

I stuffed my excitement into my room. My excitement escaped and jumped into me. It looked like a spirit. My excitement took me to a pond. It pushed me in as I yelled. My excitement pulled me out and told me to do a cannonball. I thought it said belly flop. My excitement sent me running around the house, screeching like an owl. By then, I was completely flushed. My excitement carried me to my room and fell asleep. It woke me up at 5:00 in the morning. I was tired of being excited. Just then happiness took over me.

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I AM Kaisa Nilsson Grade 4, Boise

I am the clear splash of a young girl as she flies into the cold water. I am a delicate snowflake drifting to the icy ground. I am the crisp strokes of a pencil on paper. I am the determined fierceness of a snow leopard on her hunt. I am the bright red of a strong rose in spring. I am the warm, white sand on a beach. I am a red leaf on the hard ground. I am the clear splash of a young girl as she flies into the cold water.

I AM Elsa Deutsch Grade 4, Boise

I am the warmth of the sun in summer. I am the glowing sky on a spring day. I am the scoring player of the soccer game. I am the shining medal of the winning team. I am the shining golden eyes of a soaring hawk. I am the darkness of a cave and the eerie water dripping. I am the cushy green grass in the meadow. I am the swift cheetah on the savannah. I am the comfy bed in my bedroom. I am the shine of the moon at midnight. I am the fall of the rain in spring. I am night and day and everything in it. I am the life of the world.

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THE PEACEFUL GREENBELT PATH Wonyoung Lee Grade 5, Boise

People walking peacefully on the Greenbelt path Colorful birds humming beautifully as they fly around The bright burning red leaves starting to fall down on the path And the smell of wet dirt hangs in the air.

THE HAWK AND THE LIZARD Emma Brechbuhler Grade 4, Boise

Let us consider the hawk and the lizard that became best friends and then the lizard ate the hawk for his dinner; or the giant dandelion that was born 1,000 years ago and is still living; or the rainbow sock that is made of pockets… Let us consider the young juniper tree that has no friends because he looks like a 2,000 year old hawk; or the World Animal that is a mix of every animal in the world; or the yellow and blue shirt that looks like a green shoe… Let us consider the beach bag that has an oak leaf as a friend; or the lizard that wears every clothing in the world and still looks skinny… Let us consider…

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I WANT TO SAVE Ashlynn Conn Grade 4, Boise

I want to save the taste of the golden currants. I want to save the smell of the wild rose. I want to save the color of the Red Cliffs.

THIS IS FAMOUS TO Kate Rose Salber Grade 4, Boise

The worm is famous to the green plants; it helps to make good soil for the plants. The nectar from the beautiful flowers is famous to the buzzing bees. The dead brown trees are famous to the red wildfire. The blood is famous to the mosquitoes. The tree is famous to the green leaves. The cottonwood tree is famous to the cottonwood. The beautiful song is famous to the bird. The wild is famous to the wonderful wild animals. The air is famous to the plants, bugs, animals and people too. Food and water is famous to living plants, animals, people and other living creatures. I am famous to myself. I am happy to be myself. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be famous. I just need to be myself. The Earth is famous to you. Where you live is on Earth. 103

STRETCHED TREE McKinley Kirk Grade 6, Boise

I saw a tree today as sturdy as an ox covered in rich chocolate and dressed with long branches The tree was old as old as 100 its shape stretched and twisted and turned The tree had sap sweet and rich pine needles draped all over the branches I saw a tree today

BEES Roger Moore Grade 7, Boise

I produce honey I have yellow and black stripes I dream of being the best bee Some of us are in the outside world and some in confined spaces I hope someday I will be released from this prison. 104

THE MOUNTAIN LION Lila Ray Grade 5, Boise

The mountain lion dreams of catching the mountain goat on the ledge. He licks his lips and creeps up on his prey. He gets closer and closer. Then he pounces on his prey.

RED TAILED HAWK Hank Lodge Grade 5, Star

Red tailed hawk’s tail is redder than a strawberry. His beak is so sharp that it is able to tear you apart. Talons sharper than a lion’s claw. If you see one, be careful, because he might hurt you. His eyes are able to see 50 miles and catch fish under the sea. Able to hear you as you speak up to 40 miles if you think. Do not hunt one because it’s illegal, and he will tear you apart with one single heart. They may look mean, but they’re just trying to protect themselves from human beings. Red tailed hawks may look mean, but sometimes so do we.

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HAIR Leo Berliner Grade 5, Boise

Chapter 1 Mike Rogers was having a sleepover with his best friend, or so people thought. At 3:00 a.m., Mike snuck out of his house and walked into the foothills, but not before checking his awesome hair. After about one hour of walking, Mike saw a mountain lion! Suddenly Mike got a bad feeling that his hair was messed up. Chapter 2 Mike screamed and kicked the lion in the gut. Quickly, Mike pulled out his hair-salon-in-a-bag and checked his hair. He saw a strand of hair sticking out of his awesome Justin Bieber hair! After three hours of fixing his hair, it was finally perfect! He began walking when this really annoying kid, Bill, saw him. Before Bill could say anything, Mike yelled, “Look, a unicorn!” then ran. Later than night, before he went to sleep, Mike decided to have an Elvis look. Chapter 3 When Mike woke up, he thought that this whole adventure thing was hard on his hair and he should go home. Just before he got home, he saw Mike and Bill at the door talking. Dang! That ruled out going home. He thought, “Where should I go? How will I earn money?” Then it came to him. He would build a hair salon! Right after he did his own hair. What was more perfect than a mullet? Chapter 4 After he did his hair, Mike set up his hair salon in a bag. And who was his first customer? His mom! There was one vital choice that he could make to avoid being detected…wash out his hairspray. And so Mike did something no real man should do, he took off his hairspray! Luckily, the only thing Mike’s mom looked at was her son’s beautiful hair. Chapter 5 The he realized something – his mom might recognize his voice, so he decided not to talk. His mom thought differently, but 106

he knew he got his hair from his dad. So with half of a 12-pack of hairspray, her hair was decent. He would have made it undetected, except he tripped, and out of instinct yelled out, “My hair!” When his mom looked over, he knew he was busted. Mike tried to run, but his mom was too fast. “That’s it! No more hairspray!” Three hours later, Mike felt horrible. His mom had shaved his hair and wouldn’t give him his mirror. What would he do?

NATURE Alice Boerner Grade 4, Boise

I saw the rusty rocks sitting on the ground, the rabbits hopping violently. The owls made noises as loud as you could hear while the weeds were blowing in the wind. The light-purple lavender so strong, the golden currants so sweet it makes it just as neat. The rocks are just so tough. Sweet voices of birds chill the air.

DANDELION Hayden Hinchman Grade 5, Boise

A world for an ant, forests of dark brown trees fill the globe. Identical stars of white snow beauty, lights of millions. The center of this world is a sea urchin. A clear beach ball with a mahogany center. A jellyfish core. A snowball that is dirty. When the stars blow away, the eye of a bug looks directly at you. This world is held tall by a small green tube.

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ZOMBIE RAMPAGE Cord Gibson Grade 3, Boise

Today, a spooky day on Zombie Pond. A ship carries radioactive energy from space when the civil war starts. Union troops march out of the woods and the battle erupts. During the fight, zombies come and eat the brains of the troops, turning them into dragonflies. The cargo ship gets hit by a cannon and goes down. Slowly, slowly, zombies crawl toward the radioactive space dust. When they get to the stardust, all of a sudden there is a flash of white light and the whole pond now smells like fungi. The zombies have been turned into mutants! Then the zombies go into the city and turn people into evil mutants! Zombies keep on coming, keep on coming out of the pond with virus powers. In orbit around Earth, Captain Marso, head of Martian Stardust, watches the zombie rampage from an image satellite. “I have decided to send the fifth fleet to help those Earthlings,” he says. The Je-taun class assault shuttle blasts the zombie mutants back into the pond, ending the civil war. Captain Marso is triumphant, so he says, “Now this is over zombies will not strike again — back into the pond.”

INSIDE A MOUNTAIN Paola Trapani Grade 3, Boise

You are in a mountain. Dolphins click and echo from below in the ocean. Jump in so they can lead you somewhere. Then, as you will see, they take you to a dolphin castle. Go inside. Lavender and pine are in the air let them tickle your nose. See the Lady Bug Queen in her throne. Her dark black dots shimmer in water, her red wings shine like rose petals. She has a cup of fry sauce and licks it with her tongue. Night comes before you know it. Go outside with the Lady Bug Queen and start jumping, swinging, and swimming. Put your hand on her shoulder so she can show you back the way you came.

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NIGHTTIME SCARE Anna Olson Grade 4, Boise

There is a blackbird in the distance, perched on the wooden pole, bossing around the baby birds sitting on the ground, cold and dusty. Then, a terrifying sound a frog makes a splash in the pond, like dropping a bucket of water. Sagebrush everywhere, grabbing at other plants. It smells like wet leaves and nature. And it smells like rotten compost, the pond. A bullfrog with a deep voice sounds like he is going to come and get you. A dead ghost crawls out of the pond, his feet dragging behind him, leaving a trail of water and green slime. The ghost has a grin so mean on his face, his skin so pale. He flies over to the red-orange cliffs and writes symbols that only ghosts can read. living in the pond are ghosts that whisper secrets to fish and bullfrogs The birds were squawking, communicating with each other, of what I did not know—I couldn’t speak bird. The dirt flew up, tickling my nose, from the dry creek. I heard people come from behind me, disturbing my tranquility. They said “hello,” but I did not answer. I had always been quiet, but today I didn’t want to talk at all, let alone steal a glance at them. I wanted to be alone in my own little world. I stood up and walked further, following the sandy creek to a smaller, quieter bridge. Different signs lay ahead—the path gave me an option. I chose to ignore it and pursued the stream of loose sand and rocks. Finally, I came upon a small bridge, and when I stepped on it, I noticed the trees curling over me like hands about to pluck me off the ground. They covered my view of the sky, but I didn’t mind, and I let the darkness swallow me whole.

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ALONE IN THE FOOTHILLS Molly Elliott Grade 7, Boise

This is supposed to be a challenge that involves bravery and courage, but all I’m focused on is getting home. I scan the foothills. They look a lot different in the dark. The place that I knew so well has been transformed into a dark hole. Harrison, my adventure camp director, has dropped off all of the campers into the foothills. Our goal is to find our way back home. I can’t tell where I am, and the night is becoming darker. Instead of sitting and sulking, I decide to make my way down the trail. The birds seem to be laughing at me as I take a step and slip. I get up quickly, but as I try again, my foot gets caught on a rock, and I start to tumble down. “Ouch!” My body is tumbling down, down, down. Then, I suddenly screech to a stop. I ache all over, but my elbow is in the most pain. “I have to get up,” I tell myself. I think about my cozy bed and the icepack I’ll be able to get at home. These thoughts pick me up off the ground. I stand and start limping down the sandy path. My elbow is bruised and swollen. My legs are tired. I still trudge on. I hear a twig snap, and I spin around. There, behind me, is a mountain lion. “Ahhhh!” I scream and race through the woods with my hurt elbow glued to my side. I can’t see anything. It seems like the darkness is swallowing me whole. I jerk to the side of the path as the mountain lion lurches towards me. “That was a close call,” I say out loud. The mountain lion strikes again, but this time I am ready. I jump into a ditch, and cover my head. The mountain lion is confused, and he runs off down the trail. “Hooray!” My confidence is boosted as I realize that I have just fought off a mountain lion. “I can do it. I will make it back home.” I start up another steep hill. As I reach the top, I look around. I 110

almost faint from joy. “It’s my house,” I whisper. I sit down for a minute. Then, I sprint to my door. It looks as welcoming as a melty chocolate chip cookie and a cool glass of milk. I run inside, my strength suddenly back. My family is happy to see me and eager to hear the story.

ALONE Paris Davis Grade 9, Boise

She came out here to be alone, to feel alone. She didn’t mind the sand in her shoes or the leaves in her hair. She never found it a problem to get lost out here, being surrounded by dried-out creeks and shaded trees was a dream. She’d sit alone, hidden by the tall grass, and would listen to the sounds of the wind shaking the trees. She never understood the meaning of life, but only to live.

NATURE Isabella Herman Grade 8, Boise

I sat on the bridge in silence. Well, I was silent while nature was not. The birds were squawking, communicating with each other, of what I did not know—I couldn’t speak bird. The dirt flew up, tickling my nose, from the dry creek. I heard people come from behind me, disturbing my tranquility. They said “hello,” but I did not answer. I had always been quiet, but today I didn’t want to talk at all, let alone steal a glance at them. I wanted to be alone in my own little world. I stood up and walked further, following the sandy creek to a smaller, quieter bridge. Different signs lay ahead—the path gave me an option. I chose to ignore it and pursued the stream of loose sand and rocks. Finally, I came upon a small bridge, and when I stepped on it, I noticed the trees curling over me like hands about to pluck me off the ground. They covered my view of the sky, but I didn’t mind, and I let the darkness swallow me whole. 111

SONG WRITER Since when, is it a competition? Since when, is it so cruel, for a girl to want to win, and no one else to lose? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; KENNIS LIBERTY, Grade 7

THE STONE A Collective Composition by The Cabin/Rock School Camp Grades 5-9

The puddle finds a guitar within the stone, as the puddle ripped open, the stone it died. The puddle jumps into the stone the puddle felt like rockin and rollin, the stone it died. The puddle had a nuke, and the puddle went kaboom! And splashed the stone, with nuclear waste. The stone found istself right by a puddle, the stone it jumped right into the puddle, the stone it died. (And made the rolling stones!) Kick a stone and fall into dirty water, it’s just my luck today, I guess that’s what I get for dreaming, my days away. The puddle finds a guitar within the stone, The puddle ripped right open, the stone it died.

I’VE BEEN LEFT BEHIND Hope Schuler Grade 10 , Boise

I’ve been left behind before, gathering dust, standing by the door. Waiting for you to say, why don’t you go away? I live my life with the knowledge, that nothing can ever last. Judging everything in front of me, with evidence from my past. I’m sorry if that’s unfair to you, but can’t be hurt when you move on. 115

WHO CARES Hailey Hepworth Grade 5, Meridian

Who cares, who cares if you are pretty? Who cares, we’re all worth it. Who cares if you’re beautiful? Who cares? Can you tell me who cares?

I’M MISSING Lukas McTeague Grade 5, Boise

I’m missing thirty bullets, and I lost my gun. I am going to die, better run before the night!

DEMONS DREAMED Chris Holstine, Lukas McTeague, Charlie Taylor Grade 5-6, Boise

I’ve been told, of a gnarly time, when demons were slaves, and people were fine. Then one day, the demons dreamed, of a world ruled by their demon queen. Chorus Devil king, died of bad luck. The people saw, their chance to raid. So with all their power strong, they rose right up, and sang this song. 116

THE WORLD IS MACARONI Faith Wargo Grade 7, Boise

Some doggie once told me the world was macaroni, so I took a bite right out of the ground. Then some bunny once told me the world was macaroni, so I fell for it all over again. So I took a bite right out of the ground, Then somebody once told me the world was macaroni, so I fell for it all over again. So I took a bite right out of the ground. Then some ducky once told me the world was macaroni, so I yelled at him for all of his lying, and he ran away from me crying. I took a bite right out of the ground and it tasted like macaroni, so I felt really bad. I caught up to the ducky and said that I was sorry, and that the world was macaroni, so the duck took a bite and said it was yummy. So I yelled: The world is macaroni! Yah!

REBOUND Langley Harding-Swartley Grade 6, Boise

You shoot me down without hearing what I have to say. You say go home, and give it all away. Sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard, to understand life. You say just to give up, give up, but I will always rebound. You say to just give up, give up, give up, but I will always rebound, and come right back to the top. 117

GUACAMOLE RAP! Mattison Warren Grade 5, Boise

You can eat it on a chip it’s my favorite kind of dip. You can make it mild, or you can make it spicy. I like to eat mine with my favorite kind of Icee!

LUCKY Abby Elsethagen Grade 9, Eagle

My foot hits the ground, I never thought I could be real. Didn’t worry myself, cause it was almost through. Don’t even worry ‘bout me, I’m not as dumb as I seem, I could try to come around, but I’ve never been to bright. Chorus I’ve never thought that I was lucky, didn’t think I’d ever be, thought that I could hold on better, but I slipped on the first try. Poised, a hand above my head, gripping tightly to my world, see the rippled collide. How does it feel to be free? (Chorus Repeats)

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MACARONI RAP Mattison Warren Grade 5, Boise

It’s a noodle, it’s cheesy and yummy in my tummy. It’s yellow and sometimes it makes me feel mellow. Macaroni is good to eat, it gives me tingles down to my feet. If you’re too skinny or a little boney, you better go eat a bowl of macaroni.

SPOTLIGHT Jordan Jenkins Grade 5, Meridian

Chorus I’m coming into the spotlight, out of the dark. I’ve made a fire, out of a spark. I don’t want to hear your mean remarks, so get out of my way, I don’t want to see you today. I don’t want to see you today. You always put down my dreams, don’t wanna see you anymore. I’m not part of your scheme, don’t wanna see you anymore. I scream and shout, but you don’t hear me. I’ll punch it out, but you don’t see me. Bridge You can cry me a river, you can cry till you die. I guess that’s too bad for you, because I’m gonna fly.

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UNTITLED Stacia Mers Grade 5, Boise

Ice cream flip-flop, straight to the hop, hang’n with my friends, cause my friends are so hot, ya swim’n, for a beach’n Ya, we flip-flop, straight to the hop, now we’re not gonna live, any other way, no we’re not gonna live any other way. Ice cream flip flop, straight to the hop, hang’n with my friends cause my friends are so hot, ya swim’n for a beach’n. Ya we flip-flop straight to the hop, no we’re not gona live any other way, no we’r not gonna live any other way, Swim’n for a beach’n. Swim’n for a beach’n.

IN THE MIRROR Kennis Liberty Grade 7, Boise

I’ve got 100 mindsets and a total lack of rules. Imagine what I cold do, with the right kind of tools. I could fly so high, the birds couldn’t touch my wings, but until I try, I could do some other things. I could sing in the shower and on my own. I got a mindset to write a new tune. I could dance in the mirror, sing my own song, write a new tune, and everyone would sing along. Since when, is it a competition? Since when, is it so cruel, for a girl to want to win, and no one else to lose?

LIFE RAP! Mattison Warren Grade 5, Boise

You might be blue, feeling sad or even mad, but push through and in the end you’ll be feeling glad. Some people say it’s hard to get through it, but life isn’t so bad, I know you can do it! Throw your hands up in the air, like you just don’t care it’s life....life...what...it’s life....life....What!

GREEN AND BLUE Skyler Allen Grade 8, Boise

Chorus/Intro: Oohh, oohh, oohh, oohh, oohh, oohh, oohh. X 2 Can you see the forest, how it glows with some green? Can you look in the ocean, how it waves with blue? Chorus: Green and blue, green and blue. Look at the mountains, how they glow with ice tops. Can you see the sun waves “hi” with orange flames. Chorus: White and orange, green and blue When you look at the ground, don’t you see some dirt, it is magic when, the purple shows of the petals. Chorus: Brown and purple, white and orange, green and blue. When you look in a cave, don’t you see some gold? When a lion roars, don’t you see it’s red mane? Chorus: Gold and red, brown and purple, white and orange, green and blue. But that’s not the end of the story, now there’s one more color left, When you look around the room, it may be hard to find, but when come to a conclusion, you find it is you. Chorus: Green and Blue

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MORE Abby Elsethagen and Hope Schuler Grade 9, Boise

Chorus Oh what we got we want more, than what we got, we want more, than anything in the world. Oh what we are we are more, than what they see, we are more, and soon we’ll show all the world. I’m ready to fly again, but I know, the future holds, something so wonderful, beautiful, incredible, oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh. Something so wonderful beautiful incredible. And so, the anchor holds, so far from home, and I know. I just know. Oh, what we got we want more, than what we got we want more, than anything in the world. Oh, what we are we are more, than what they see we are more, and soon we’ll show all the world. And the darkness starts to close in, so thick I think I’m choking.

And now it’s over, now it’s over. Oh, but we’re still livin in a daydream, attempt to leave reality, but now it’s over, now it’s over, oh is it really over? Is it really over now? Chorus repeats.

GOING BACK Mackenzie Allred Grade 8, Boise

Chorus How am I to stay away, when you’re always in my way? How am I to stay away, when you won’t do the same? You make it so hard sometimes, to move on from you, and I don’t understand why, I can’t go on. Oh I’ve tried and tried, but still can’t get by. And I don’t understand why, I can’t go on. (Chorus) I don’t know why, my life is on rewind, and every time I look in your eyes, I go back through time. (Chorus)

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ME! Hailey Schafer Grade 5, Garden City

It’s always so graphic, on this side of the mountain, but on the other side, it’s so clear. I have to choose where I’m going, to be who I want to be, but for right now, right no-o-ow, I’m just gonna be me-ee-ee. O-oh-oh-yah. I’m just gonna be me. Just gonna be me.

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STORY STORY Of course I expected a comedy. We all seem like funny people, it’s going to be a comedy! But the first thing I heard was apocalypse, which I was not expecting but not against. — ETHAN ELLIS, Grade 8

WAIT, WHAT? THIS IS NOT HAPPENING Ethan Ellis Grade 8, Boise

Everyone has a moment in their life where, just “this is not happening,” right? This is my “this is not happening” moment. I was in a theater lab sitting downstairs in classroom A — you know, the one with the purple doors. So I was sitting down there with a class of about 11 kids. Of course I expected a comedy. We all seem like funny people, it’s going to be a comedy! But the first thing I heard was apocalypse, which I was not expecting but not against. But over 5 intensive weeks the comedy I had hoped for turned into an action/thriller involving people putting too much trash in the ocean resulting in acid rain. Now try to understand, my character named Ted was talking to a character named Onyx, a bit of a name change huh? Anyways, it was the third night. Full house, about 150 people. In the scene I was telling Onyx that my group has someone that can tell when the rain is coming but she said, “Ha, ha, OK. Right. Sure.” And I was just supposed to say, “Don’t believe me, just wait.” The only difference between that and what I actually said was I stuttered, paused and got very red. At the time my mind was racing for a reason why this had happened and still to this day I don’t know why I did what I did, because I had read the play hundreds of times. There was an awkward pause. The theater was dead silent. I eventually recovered myself, enough to keep going with the scene. But I guess you could say it was a personal fail only for me, because none of the other actors noticed and neither did the audience, so I got off easy. So this is my “this isn’t happening!” moment for my life. I’m sure, being me, I will have more. But thanks for listening.

LOST: GOING OFF COURSE Lainey Rehkemper Grade 8, Meridian

Last winter, my dad and I decided to go up to Bogus Basin to ski. Little did we know that, instead, we would get lost. It was 129

my second time, and I wanted to try some green runs, ones a little harder than the bunny hill. We went on one green one, and we were having a great time until we decided to go on a run that we believed to be open, but which, as we later found out, was actually closed. I knew something was wrong when the dirt on the run was stopping us from going down. When we finally got to the bottom we saw a chairlift and breathed sighs of relief. Until we saw that said chairlift was not even working. To make matters worse, we couldn’t see another person in sight. I knew that we were lost. Somehow we found a way out of there, I can’t even remember how. After a while, we found another, working chairlift. Finally, we were getting somewhere—or were we? We asked the guy running the lift how to get back to the lodge easily. He said, “Just take this lift back up to the top and there will be some easy runs to take you back to the lodge.” Apparently, his idea of “easy” was a lot different than ours. As soon as we got off the chairlift, we saw two options. Either we could take a blue run or a black diamond run. I nearly cried. As I said, it was only my second time and I wasn’t a very good skier yet. Also it was my dad’s first time on snowboard. Obviously, we went for the “easier” one, the blue one. I was freaking out though. The wind was strong and blowing snow into my already freezing face. I tried to stay calm, and eventually we did get through the run. But this adventure wasn’t done with us yet. At the end of the blue run, we were greeted by a very steep hill. As I looked down at the slope of slippery white snow, I thought, oh no. For the next hour (or that’s what it felt like, anyway), I tried to get down the hill in vain again and again. Finally, we got back to the lodge. That is one adventure I will never forget. So, next time you go skiing, make sure the run is actually open before you go down it, and stay on course.

PICKLE: BEING STUCK IN A JAM Samuel Gillespie Grade 7, Boise

Have you ever been the guy who was caught in the middle, aka, in a pickle? Well that happens to me sometimes, but this was by far one of the worst times.

Not long ago, maybe last year, my two friends and I were all playing in the backyard of my house. I don’t really want to point fingers, so I shall call them thing 1 and thing 2. My history with these guys goes way back to preschool. So yeah, we have been friends for quite some time. All was well at first but then they had a disagreement and called on me to be the deciding factor. I stood there. I went blank and just stood there, not knowing what to say. So, in my silence, they started fighting. When I returned to earth, I was shocked to see them in an all-out slugfest on the ground. So I tried to break it up, but that does not work very well. So I went to go find the biggest water gun I have. Before, they were in a battle on the ground. Then, they were both soaking, lying shocked on the ground. “I am the Equalizer,” I thought. My whole take away from that was you can’t control a lot of things, and still end up being the person in the pickle. Really, you can do one of two things: work things out, or go and find the biggest water gun you have.

SERVED: DISHING IT OUT AND EATING IT UP Josie Pape Grade 8, Boise

Letting my uncles and my dad bring my cousins and I on a “vacation” trip was a pretty bad idea. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, but this? This was a bit much. First, let me introduce you to my family. I have a dozen cousins who, at the time, were between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. That kind of explains itself. So my dad and his two brothers decided to prove everyone wrong, and take all of the cousins for a vacation in McCall, only later to realize it was one the worst mistakes in their lives. So we drive up to this cabin, and it’s tiny. For 16 people anyway. That was the moment I realized, “This is going to be a disaster.” And disaster it was. Bad things struck over and over again. One of us had gotten their ears pierced. Those got infected. Breakfast included fish. Every day. We went on hikes, and whoever hiked the farthest got an award. I guess they thought if they treated us like dogs, we would somehow behave or something. I don’t know. Men. *Sigh*

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Kids slept in sleeping bags on the floor, and complained of stiff backs the next morning. I guess what mattered was the great “quality time” we were getting. But slowly, my uncles and my father got more and more worn out. Their brilliant idea wasn’t so great. With only a couple of days left, they decided to take us on a fishing trip. My dad and his brothers were great fisherman, they all did it as a kid. But we weren’t so great. Still, they took us on a gruesome hike to get to this fishing lake. So we arrive and instead of fish and water there were frogs. Everywhere. I don’t know how they could possibly find fish in this lake. But they did catch a few. Anyway, my cousin Sophie fell in love with these frogs. We finally compromised on letting her have a tadpole. Brilliant idea. Until we had to listen to her shaking this tadpole around in a water bottle the entire way back. Very pleasant. We all piled out of the car and dropped like flies. We were that tired. But Sophie was so excited, because she still had her “pet” tadpole she named Pepper. Very clever. She went into the kitchen and moved it into a coffee mug instead of a water bottle. So my grandpa walks in and decides to make coffee in an identical cup. So instead of drinking coffee, he drank tadpole water. Now all 12 of us stared, open-mouthed, at my grandpa. But the funny thing was, he didn’t flinch. Moral of the story is: Don’t let the men take you camping for a week.

PLAYTHING: TOYS AND GAMES Rose Thompson Grade 8, Boise

Babysitting is a well-known job that can be performed by almost anyone, unless they’re a drug dealer. Apparently, it’s supposed to be easy: You feed the kid, maybe you play with it for awhile, then you send it over to a friend’s house until a few minutes before the parent comes home. And you get paid for it! But this one job wasn’t that simple. For one thing, this kid’s friends came over to his house, and this child may have been a chainsaw murderer in the making. You see, he had an artillery of Nerf guns in his garage, his own pocket knife (did I mention he had six?), and he knew the 132

location of all the knives in the house. By now you’re asking, “Dude, Rose, then why did you babysit for him for an entire six months?” Well, of course his parents paid really well, and they let me eat all of their food, but mostly I was just too awkward to tell the kid’s parents I wanted to quit. But that gradually changed as the kid became more and more violent around me. He pulled my hair. He shot me with Nerf bullets. A few times it got so bad that I had to lock myself in the bathroom to get away from him. And every time I summoned the courage to quit, he would be a perfect angel for the next few days. The turning point came when I realized that I wasn’t the only person who had to deal with this demonic child’s behavior. It started with a joking conversation between him and my mother when she asked him in a teasing tone, “So, any fights at school today? Anyone get sent to the principal’s office?” He replied with disturbing enthusiasm, “Yeah, it was me!” And proceeded to tell his heroic tale of how he had kicked over a little girl’s sand castle and afterwards how the principal had made him a deal that if she didn’t have to see him again for a week, he would get a sticker! Then he fell silent, realizing that it was probably a bad idea to tell a story like that to an adult who could retell it with full credibility. Soon after that incident, I explained to his parents his behavior and promptly quit. I also learned a very valuable lesson in childcare: don’t get sat by the baby. And don’t become a child’s plaything.

CRAZY: LOSING IT Rachel Willey Grade 7, Boise

I used to think that going with the flow (aka popularity) meant that you had to be someone you weren’t. For me, that meant I had to be overly crazy. When I was in 6th grade, I thought that I wanted to be popular. So I pretended to be a crazy person. I was so crazy that I would walk up to random classmates and wave my arms and say things like, “Mustache cash trash bubble brains!” Yes, it got that crazy. But I let it get that crazy because all the popular kids would 133

be crazy and everyone would accept their craziness. Eventually though, I saw that nobody would accept anyone else’s craziness. I didn’t stop, though. Instead, I became more insane. I would be loud and outrageous. I would say random things at any random time. I would keep up the craziness even though I didn’t get accepted into the inner circle of popularity the way I wanted to. Somehow, my dad found out about me pretending to be someone I’m not. So he sat me down and started asking me about what I’m like at school. I answered him with the simple, “Crazy.” He finally got to the point with, “Rachel, popular kids are popular because they put other people down. Popular people don’t have real friends. They have people who say that they are their friends when really they’re just competing with each other to become the alpha.” After that talk, I changed my perspective on the popular people. I didn’t want to be popular anymore. I wanted to be me. Soon enough, I found friends who accepted who I was. I don’t think I’ll even want to be friends with really popular people, or be one. I learned that going with the “real flow” doesn’t mean that you have to be someone you’re not. Just be yourself. No crazy needed.

PERFECT: BEING RIGHT, BUT GOING LEFT Clarissa Wilkes Grade 8, Boise

There’s a Pink song called Perfect that explains the pains of perfection. The music video shows a girl with depression who carves the word perfect into her forearm. At one point, I was that girl. In my life, I felt I needed to do everything absolutely right without a single mistake ever made. Months before I told anyone, I had been drowning in a sea of indescribably extreme hate of myself and my mistakes. As the days went on, I tried to find a way to deal with the pain engulfing my heart and soul. Eventually, I found solace in the flesh of my body. Or rather, under my skin. The first time I took a blade to my skin was in my shower, as I thought about the previous events of the day. Soon after, it became a habit. I still have the scars. After my parents had found out about my situation, I went to tell my friend, Morgan, about my plans for the next month or 134

so. When we met at the end of the block, we hugged and I told her what happened at my school. I told her the truth. The girls had called me a freakish emo, a creepy weirdo, and told me to kill myself. I didn’t tell them about my need to cause pain on myself, but I had told an old friend. She told everyone in my grade. When I would ask the teacher to go to the bathroom, she would yell, “Look at the emo freak! She’s gonna go kill herself in the bathroom!” When I did come back to the class, she would yell, disappointed, “Awww, she came back alive.” When I would go to my seat, she would whisper to me, “Do me a favor and die already.” The teacher would never notice. I told Morgan all of this and the rest that they did to me at school. She looked at me and said, “They’re wrong. You make my life a better place.” I responded, “I’m not perfect. I’m not good enough.” “You don’t need to be perfect,” she told me. At that moment, I broke down crying. It had hit home. Perfection is useless. She understood, she knew, she was my friend. She cared. Now I know perfection is useless and doesn’t exist.

FAIL: MISTAKES AND MISFIRES (aka Vacation Bible Hell) Eve Jensen and Mae Davis Grade 8, Boise

MAE: Have you ever started a job that you immediately failed at? EVE: That’s what happened when we volunteered to be counselors at vacation bible school. It started out when Mae took two little girls into the bathroom. MAE: When I came out there was only one little girl. I grabbed her hand and ran out of the bathroom screaming, “Eve!” EVE: We searched everywhere for her, but we couldn’t find her. Finally, we circled back to the bathroom, and there she was, curled up in a potted plant. MAE: By the end of the week she had successfully hidden in two

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separate plants, which had to be some kind of record. EVE: The second time was outside during games. MAE: We thought she had been kidnapped. We got the supervisor of the whole camp and we were all fanning out. EVE: Surprisingly, she was in a bush. Now we are going to talk about how we handled a crazy child. MAE: There were about 5 kids in our group but the most important one for this story is Luke. At the beginning of the week, Eve was really shy and would say things gently, like, “Luke, let’s pour the water in the cup, not on Mae’s face!” EVE: Towards the end of the week, we were playing a game that involved foam pool noodles. Luke picked one up and repeatedly smashed the volunteer with it. MAE: By this time, Eve had totally dropped the shy act and was all, “Luke! Stop hitting him with that stupid noodle!” EVE: Yep, we had him in our group the next year, too. MAE: Yeah, and that year was interesting too. Luke refused to go into the girls bathroom, so we had to get a guy counselor to bring him in for us. EVE: We nicely asked a guy counselor that was about 15 to bring him to the bathroom. MAE: We thought he would just do it, but instead he said, “What’re ya gonna give me?” EVE: Going back to the bush hider, Annie, apparently that’s not the only place where she likes to hide. MAE: One time during story time the lights were turned off. She ran away and hid behind the curtain. EVE: We didn’t notice the whole time until we started gathering up the kids to leave. 136

MAE: And I was like, “Where’s Annie?!” EVE: We found her hiding behind the curtain and told her not to do it again, but that doesn’t always work out. MAE: Well, that’s life for you. EVE: It seems like we have told almost every funny moment, but one. MAE: The Jello incident. EVE: One day at snack time, our group was all sitting adown and eating when Luke suddenly snatched some other kid’s Jello. MAE: He started shoving it down his throat, but Mae had time to say, “You know, Jello has horse hoofs in it.” EVE: He got this shocked look on his face and put it down quickly and started scratching his tongue to get it off with a napkin. MAE: That was probably the best thing I could have said. EVE: OK, so that’s the end of our story and remember. MAE: That’s what happens when you volunteer at vacation bible school. Fail!

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URBAN INK We tried the wings, we tried the planes, we tried the jumbo jets. What finally worked was quite surprising: some catapults and nets. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MAL LAYNE, Grade 8

THE LINK Owen Ruggeri Grade 8, Hailey

Most people think that coral is pretty ocean life. Well, it is pretty, but it serves a deeper purpose. Humans already take it and break it. This is bad, but this industry will be an elephant compared to others. Scientists were wrong when they said coral is alive, they detected something else. Coral is the link between a parallel universe and us. The parallel universe is quite similar, but not exact. In the other universe they do the same actions but say different things. So if you talk to your friend about sports, they will talk to their friend about something else. So if you talk into a piece of coral, the parallel you will also. This enables you to have a conversation with yourself. This could be used for a multiplicity of things, ranging form advice to just entertainment. Maybe we could get scientific discoveries through this. Infinite, the possibilities we can use through this simple little piece of coral. Now, are you going to go talk into a piece of coral?

MAPLE TREE Zachary Krause Grade 7, Boise

I am a maple tree. Every year I lose my friends But I also get new ones. But sometimes I look around And see no more trees. Then I wonder. Why must I be the tree to give sap to all of the wanderers? But then I notice that the trees that used to be there Are actually all around me. They are in the wanderersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; houses And their sap is in the ground And the leaves that used to be here are now food for all of the animals. So really, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never been more popular.

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THE VIEW FROM HERE Chloe Falk-Henderson Grade 8, Boise

The city Where people live and die laugh and cry, Where machines moan and groan shine and whine, Where the view is yours and mine all the time the city, Where I’m on my own, and all alone.

SHADOWS Nick Dabney Grade 7, Hailey

In my house where monsters prowl things that scare you are common. When you think that something is there, look again, it may not be there. Every time I turn a corner I see something lurking in the dark that’s coming closer. Then again, maybe it’s not. Anything that’s in the dark that makes a sound I will hear. Just a crunch, that’s all it takes to scare me half to death. But when I turn on a light, I feel a slight sliver of safety, but when the power goes OUT, I don’t feel so safe anymore. Because anything in the shadows can take you by surprise, can catch you when you’re off guard, but its most important power is the power to scare.

DARKNESS Jack Keating Grade 8, Hailey

There are monsters inside us, oh yes there are. Monsters, they eat and they crawl, devouring a conscience from the inside. All of us have them, oh yes we do. They’re big, they’re small; they come in every size. And none of us can escape them. Monsters will always win over. You fight and you fight, but that is only postponing the inevitable. Yes, there is nothing we can do. Everybody has a little monster, I know I do. And if you feed them, they will see out through your own eyes. Eventually, our society, our world, will come crumbling down around us, seen through our own eyes, and the monsters will be content. Soon life as we know it will be made up from nothing but the monsters of inside.

MUSIC Jade Schachtell Grade 7, San Francisco, CA

So fast and upbeat, it plays, making me want to get up and dance, bringing a thrill no one can ever fully explain, though through all this I’ll try. I makes me smile, tickling my brain. I could stand here all day, swaying, singing, but in time the smallest thought brings me back to earth, to the cold of the world. But, I take the happy, warm feeling of the music back into the world with me. I walk out into the cool, damp city feeling I can’t stand this hard life without my music. I listen and linger, as the last of the final song. I feel pushed, tuning up the volume in my mind, letting it take me, wonderfully. The music, it fades, and I know it must end and finally I let the door swing shut and shove me back in to the big world once again.

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BLUE Amelia Board Grade 8, Boise

The tall and widening view is stunning, My hands pressed against the ropes, holding me back as the city of Boise spreads below like a map. Trees stand tall and proud against The mountains. Wind steals my breath and rips my hair from its braid. The sky is a quilt of the purest blue, pure blue.

STAIRS Javin Schwartzman Grade 9, Boise

This is a double helix staircase, twisting and turning as it goes, whatever happens it must keep its pace, or its undying rhythm will go cold. If you step into the room you will see the double helix staircase. Sweeping back and forth exactly like a broom. The double helix staircase will take you to your desires but do not break this ecosystem for it is held together by a fragile lace. This is a double helix staircase moving this way and that. It is a means of passage to any desired place. 144

THE LETTER Isabella Fox Grade 7, Boise

Mum died two weeks after pops got his big break. She was ill for three years, but she held up so long we were all surprised when she didn’t come home from the doctor that night. Especially my younger brother, Elliot. Pops might have said something to us if he wasn’t stuck in his room the first couple of weeks, but now he just pretends everything’s fine, that we’ll make it without her. But I’m not quite sure. Pop works for the newspaper, a couple of blocks from home and tells us whenever you need something come by, but Elliot and I do not want to bother him. For one, he’s just saying that to be a good dad and two, he’s been down in the dumps since mama passed and his work is plummeting. He got a huge promotion, but just can’t pull through. A couple weeks before mama died she came to papa’s office and organized everything for the promotion interview. He hasn’t messed with it since the papers are stacked perfectly. All his mail is in a pile and the press is perfectly oiled. All the posters on the wall are peeling but mama put hickory oil on them so they look better than usual. I went to his office the other day to collect the mail and I saw his aprons that mama always told pops to bring home so she could scrub them. Hanging on a coat rack I see a hat mama got him. Above that hung a picture of Elliot, pops, and me, the day he taught us how to work the press. Mama was so proud; she took the picture. I wish she was still here. The Carters next door bring us food every weekend and invite us over for Sunday brunch in their fancy Victorian house. Huh. Mama would make fun of them all the time when she had a little too much. It’s not the same without her. It never will be.

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TUMOR Lillian Knudsen Grade 8, Meridian

He walked along the desert moonlight. She walked along the oceanic sunlight. He knew what was to come. She walked confused. It was inside both of them. They wandered slowly and limped, the tumor slowly eating at them, a tumor of the heart, a tumor of the brain, a tumor of the soul. He knew what was to come. He knew at the fault of the tumor that he saw the beautiful moon. She did not know at the fault of the tumor this would be the last time she saw the majestic ocean. They knew recovery doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen. As she looked in his cloudy emerald eyes, as he took his dying breath, all at once for in her life, since the appearance of the tumor, she knew the tumor would take the ocean but where she was going there would be nothing but.

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USED BUT CONFUSED Ellie Seidl Grade 7, Boise

I see people stare at me not knowing I can see them too. I watch the world slip by. I see how people act showing different emotions but I still donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know mine. I watch people break me and build me up again. I feel people paint me over and over again. But yet, I feel used. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just there for someone to hang pictures and hold up buildings. I hear conversations of people talking about things I would never understand. I can almost taste the freedom I might never get. You might have guessed, but yes, I am a wall.

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TRUTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LAST LETTER Hallie Hinchman Grade 7, Boise

My dear Rebecca, When you look yourself in the eye in that old dusty mirror of yours, do you see a smile? A lovely, young, hard-working, happy woman? Do you see the mask that covers your face? The untrue being you wish to be? That you hope others see when they look at you? Or, can you discard the faux beauty, the wonderful life you wish you felt, and see what I see? I see the victim of all wants and needs, the young dear that has so much to offer, yet the one who lets others burden her. How I know the truth of you is of unimportance. What matters is what you do with what I have told you. Listen. Act. Be the true and best Rebecca. Sincerely, The Truth

CRUEL WORLD Camden Mullens Grade 7, Boise

I am in a world of darkness I have never seen, and yet my surroundings are as vivid as a yellow flower against a gray sky. I do remember though, something of the painful prick of the needle that got me here staring at the scales, and trying to figure out justice. A sword is next to me and it is my only weapon, but for words. I have never seen it, for I have always been blindfolded. Cruel are people, for theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve once again tied me up, never to see, only to feel. This is my prison. But, some hope carries me far, and I will not give up. I will not fade, even when the others that surround me are long gone. A wreath of justice and victory adorns my heard, for I am Nike, goddess of victory. This is something I hold up in my own proud way, though despite it, I will never see this confounding and cruel world. I wish I could fully let you understand, just how this makes a goddess feel. 148

I AM & I AM NOT Alexandra Tonder Grade 7, Boise

I am the petals on a flower reaching for the bright blue sky I’m not the grey clouds filling the city with darkness I am the flowing river going through the little city I’m not the red rusty old railings Standing on the bridge I am the sweet smell of a colorful patch of flowers and I’m not the screeching sound of an almost broken down car about to start

APPRECIATE Ian Woodley Grade 7, Boise

John woke up feeling grey. He was worried at first but he decided that it was just his eyes playing tricks on him. John’s world was grey all day so he decided that once he slept the world’s colors would come back. He woke up the next morning and everything was still grey. The grass, the plants, the food, the house were all various shades of grey. John was scared now. He thought and thought of what to do and he then decided to search the world for something that was colorful and once he found whatever it was he would stay with it the rest of his life. John searched and searched the world but he could not find a colorful thing anywhere. Then, just when he was about to give up, there it was, right in front of him. Color. A girl. At first John didn’t think the girl was pretty or beautiful but he decided to stay with her because he missed color so much. Then one day John found her beauty and he looked at her and thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world. As soon as that happened all the world’s colors came back. He realized all he needed was one beautiful girl to make his whole world beautiful. 149

BREAKING MY BONES Katherine Genther Grade 9, Boise

I love broken toes. And being a dancer hasn’t always been so hard. It has always hurt, but not like now. Constantly hammered by what? I don’t know, but really, does anyone? but I know I have duties as a performer. I often blame myself for dancing professionally so young. I work and work 34 hours a week to reach it. My ultimate goal. Broken toes. I love broken toes. That’s how I know I’ve done right. Everyone is pleased. But be careful. Dance is all fun and games until you enter that vicious world. So be careful what you wish for. One day you might get whipped.

THE FISHER OF MEN Mia Trebbi Grade 8, Boise

You cast your line. Within seconds, your entire boat is bucking up and down, up and down. You grab your old, worn rod, holding on, trying to reel in while death-gripping the sides of the boat. The fishing pole attached to the side of the tiny 7’ by 4’ vessel pulls forward, tipping the craft over. You fly forward, bumping your head on the bottom of the luke-warm lake. You float up, gasping for air – precious, luxurious, air. You know you can’t make it all the way up by yourself, so you grab the lone hook in the water, tugging hard, hoping you’ll be towed upwards. Your hopes come true, and you’re yanked to the surface, and you once again breathe. As you turn to your rescuer, you gasp in horror. You 150

realize you have been fished up by a giant fish. He sits, propped up, human size. Soft flesh from his head meets with tough skin, meets with bones in his fins and back, and multi-colored scales cover it all in bright patches. He pulls up, and the hook slides into your soggy flesh. “Eegah!” you shriek. The fish only smirks before he opens his slit of a mouth and says, “Do you see what you do to us?” He grabs your injured hand and pulls you on board. You close your eyes, heaving, spitting up water, laying on your back as he etches something into your injured hand. You open your eyes. You are floating in the water, on your back, next to your flipped over boat. You whisper, “It was just a dream …” As you exhaustedly paddle back toward your boat, your hand pulses in pain. You look down. The hook sits in your hand, and you look up, stricken. Written on your hand is, “Do you know what you do to us?”

LODGEPOLE PINES Caleb Elliot Grade 9, Boise

towering trunks extend upward like a never ending race for height perfect cylinders of efficiency reaching to the bright blue sky pillars of wood cast shadows over the ground forcing others into darkness providing their own green needles with light cooling the seeding ground

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INDOCTRINOLOGY Vinny Johncox Grade 8, Boise

I know that I am breaking Godwin’s Law but there is an eminent social thaw within our society and our culture where monotony pecks every dying sense of individuality like a vulture In schools we watch tapes from the 40s of Nazis Hail, mindless obeying orders like cold, dead zombies then we rightly criticize and mock but what we fail to realize is that we are the same kind of bird, different flock we are pressured to be creative but since birth events from authority have been mainly initiative we are taught never to question our nation This is true indoctrination North Korea spreading lies when the same thing happens, upon our very eyes no matter you be right of left from a young age personality meets its death we’re taught that as long as we fall nicely in line our futures will be just fine It’s time to focus on the sound of utter shock because a culture shift waits upon the door knock knock knock

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WHEN I WAS Nathan Avey Grade 7, Eagle

When I was a thought I was anything and everything, yet I was nothing. I was able to fly above the sky, but still I was nothing. I could sink beneath the earth, but still I meant nothing. I could be the simplest feeling of joy, but then I meant something.

THE SMILING CITY OF BOISE Maris Toalson Grade 7, Meridian

Men and women dressed in suits and dresses hustle to a destination unknown to the masses. Buildings of concrete, brick, and glass tower above crowds and crowds and crowds. Cars, trucks, SUVs and busses drive along black, paved roads, dispensing a mix of chemicals and gasses into the atmosphere, intoxicating the air. Dozens of trees are planted into the soil of the earth, providing shade to homes housing people and animals. In the distance, snow-capped mountains adorn the landscape, and cover themselves with a gray hazy cape. A slight breeze flows through the air, chilling the skin of the population. When all of the senses of Boise come together, it seems as if the city smiles.

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THE PIGS THAT FLY Mal Layne Grade 9, Caldwell

They said we couldn’t do it, they made it very clear, ‘cause when you have big pink snout, it’s hard to get up here. We’ve tried and failed countless times, we discarded all our gear, but when we put our hooves together, humans came nowhere near. If you simply do not know just how we pigs got way up high, just listen very closely and come down to our pig sty. Despite what they have told you, or what they may have lied, we pigs, in fact, are airborne, way up here in the sky. We tried the wings, we tried the planes, we tried the jumbo jets. What finally worked was quite surprising: some catapults and nets. While our rides up there are brief, in fact, we still protect our heads. We wear helmets and padded clothes, or else we’d end up dead. Now, because we went to great extents to soar through clouds and snow and rain, you humans should be nice to us and never eat pork again.

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For pigs are quite the animal, we’re smarter than you think. Our diets include everything to eat and slurp and drink. Who would know just where we’ve been? Our meat cannot be clean. Cow meat, we’re sure, is better, and our muscles are not lean. Our point, we think, is clear by now: pigs are just too cool to eat. And how we fly and use teamwork, we pigs are hard to beat.

ONCE Josephine Miller Grade 7, Boise

Once a girl strolled into a bright blue box 20 mice inside All she could hear was the pounding of waves All she smelled was the scent of a bear climbing upon her All she felt was the flapping of butterfly wings All she could taste was salt dripping down her face Rolling, tumbling, turning and flipping, she still managed to come out like a bird spreading his wings for the first time

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A GIRL Shea Pearson Grade 8, Boise

A girl no older than seven climbed into the window not later than dawn What she heard was cussing and bottles shattering What she saw was the man she called dad out cold on the floor What she felt were the tears rolling down her cheeks and hitting the ground All she tasted was the salt of the tear drops She smelled the strong scent of booze She remembered when her dad had loved her Now here stood a teen who fell before she could fly.

A LITTLE GIRLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PEBBLES Mackenzie Allred Grade 8, Boise

A little girl walked up to a pond one day with five pebbles in her hand. She was going to throw them in the pond like her dad had done with her before he died. She decided to save the last two, one for her and one for her dad, for the end. She looked in the pond, the reflections of the trees around her looking back. Slowly an image formed on the face of the water. It showed him holding a small baby girl close in his arms. After a moment, she kissed the first pebble and threw it in the water, disrupting the image into ripples and the tops of the mountains became white. A few moments later, another image appeared. It showed her dad and the baby covered in cake with presents around them. 156

She kissed the second pebble and threw it in, distorting the image until it was gone. Moments later, a third image appeared. It showed the little girl in a princess dress, riding her father like a magical horse. She kissed a third pebble, but accidentally threw in one of the last two pebbles. When she realized this, she sat down and began to cry. She cried for a while until an idea popped into her head. She stood up and walked to the edge, still clutching the small pebble in her hand. She threw in the pebble and then jumped in after it, looking up at the sky that had changed to a fiery red. She saw the mountains her father had talked about climbing and slowly, she drifts to sleep. Now the sky always glows in her memory.

THE FAMILY Cleo Walker Grade 8, Boise

Now I swim Breast stroke, freestyle Mom watches. I do Krav Smell of sweat. Ai Ai Ai we yell. Gray and red walls. Tombstone pads and kicking shields. Mom watches. Zane and I wrestle. Mom watches. Mom is a beautiful peacock able to run but then must go to the water and ruffle her feathers To use as a fan. Then we danced, played like squirrels, bounced like roses in the wind. Zane and I listen to the laughs Then Crash Mom keeps going.

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IT ALL STARTED Talia Duke Grade 7, Boise

It all started in a library. Amanda wears a red zigzagged shirt; unusual for what she usually wears. She usually wears something more exciting or more colorful. She also has on skinny jeans, even though it’s the hottest day of the year. When people walk by, she smiles her best, but she’d rather be home crying and eating as much food as she wants. She swivels in her chair, looking at her phone, looking at the pictures of her when she was a kid. “Excuse me Ma’am, where are the magazines?” a woman says. “Huh, what? Oh, sorry Ma’am, say that again?” “Where are the magazines?” “Over there by the fiction books.” “Thanks. And since when have you been here?” the woman says. “I’ve been here since December.” “Huh, never noticed.” More aggravated than she already was, one, because she was interrupted from looking at her photos, two, that lady works here and she never even noticed me. The light fades on her phone like the light of her happiness slides away. She unlocks her phone, looking at the pictures. She was sitting on a park bench with her great-grandma, eating popsicles. Her grandma calls. “Hey Grandma,” Amanda says. “It’s okay Sweetheart. I just wanted to let you know that necklace you sent her a week before it happened…” “Yeah?” “Well, I buried it with her at the cemetery.” “Oh Grandma,” Amanda says. A tear or two dripped down Amanda’s face. “Thank you Grandma; you made my day. Will you stay with me forever Grandma?” The grandma started to cry and says, “I’ll do my best.” They say their ‘I love yous’ and goodbyes. The woman’s day ended happily, but the next day she would just keep thinking about her great-grandma not being with her. But, she would fight with herself inside, saying “She will still be with me in my heart.”

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THE LONELY DREAM Catie Dodson Grade 7, Eagle

I see it. It looks like a jungle but it changes every time. The vines move and try to grab me. They are lonely. They need something. They need attention. I meet the wanderer who’s faceless and cloaked in black. He wants me to stay. But I don’t want to. He grabs my wrist. Wanderer shrieks, “Stay!,” then disappears in black fog. I have to leave this place. I have to leave my dream. I try pinching myself. I doesn’t work. The I am being pushed by an invisible creature towards a cliff. I know this should wake me up. But I am scared to fall — even though it is a dream. I have no time to think about it. I am pushed. I look at the ground when I am falling and close my eyes. I wake up panting and sweating. “It was only a dream,” I keep saying to myself. “It was only a dream.”

THE TREE OF LIFE Charese Kelly Grade 6, Boise

The tree shows light summer spirit. The tree is the life of the town. The tree keeps the people going, their minds thinking, and the smiles coming. The tree is ever growing. People can climb forever and ever. Way beyond where you can’t see is hundreds of people who are just like you. They think the same way, they know each other the same way, they die a world, continent, community, they are a crew.

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SHIELDED BY MY OPTIMISM Samantha Gipson Grade 7, Caldwell

In a cold glass room I met with despair yellow eyes like uncut diamonds long thrashing tail slicing the mirrors ears twitching impatiently and raptor feet grating at the invisible floor And I stood meeting her amber gaze She pinned me to the ground in a moment broad shoulders rippling with muscles claws dragging blood from my chest filling my veins with her cancer she took a stick of charcoal in her mouth and, shaving at it with razor teeth, drew mercury lines on my wrists jabbing at the vulnerable skin I breathed in her bitter scent as she lowered her face to mine and kissed me with anger but she said not a word as she released me How unlike a cat, I thought as I scrambled away too slow to escape her second blow how true is it that monsters play with their food The pain was unbearable as she scraped at my eyes and agony dripped from my nose and she kicked at me with her strong haunches triumphantly raising a claw she prepared to take her prey at last it grazed the hairs at the nape of my neck but I felt no strike I opened my bleeding eyes feeling sharp blackness dripping in

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Somehow the celling shattered seeping through on the ground like liquid metal was a beam of white light fresh and clean and savory It held despair by the scruff She screeched and clawed and struggled just as I had moments before and in a flash she was gone Dog eat dog, I suppose. Sometimes I still wake in that glass room and I see her waiting in the shadows feet frozen like granite the moment I find her flaming eyes I am shielded by my optimism.

3 COVERED WALLS Grace Gaddis Grade 8, Boise

It started with an idea, a hope, a vision. A black dot on a white canvas. A dot becomes a line, and a line becomes a design. One design starts another. In memories of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father, shapes and lines, black and white. Each mark its own statement, but lost in the pages and chapters of story. It ends. Like every book, every drawing, every dream. You wake up, close the cover, put your pencil down, but people can see what you left behind. Artwork, for someone else to find.

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I KNOW Davis Hatton Grade 6, Boise

I know that actors are rich. I know that my friends have secrets. I know that fire is bad. I know that all things die. I know that everyone I know knows something I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. I know everyone hurts. I know that everyone feels. I know my mother loves me. I know not to be mean. I know a lot of things, but the world is big.

ONLY THREE Meaghan Duncan Grade 9, Boise

Only three, I cupped her palm My voice came out in a confident rasp Something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d hear from a smoker, not a toddler As I whisked around through The crowds with a pear smile She held my hand as if it would melt her fingers A permanent look of worry adorned her face She kept this smile safe on her lips And cheeks next to her nose While I pranced around her feet The cages around held what was supposed to be wild But was trapped by the need of manmade amusement It was the zoo with overpriced half melted ice cream And pens that smelt like foreign manures But they held celebrities from cartoons And rhymed picture books It was how we spent our hot summer days My cheeks too pink from the glare of the sun And hands sweaty linking to hers She smiled, her wrinkles dispersing like birds And I immortalized the moment for years to come

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42 YEAR OLD ME Angus Baird Grade 8, Boise

I was here. It was me from the future who had come to tell me something! Yet he has not delivered the message until today he wrote the note…Just yesterday he took a glance at me and looked surprised, though not so much…however, he got a coffee and frantically left leaving me with an idea of who he was…Honestly the door was unlocked.

ODE TO THE PEOPLE WHO WALK SLOWLY IN THE HALLWAYS AT SCHOOL Megan Rice Grade 9, Meridian

I’m enchanted by the slow progress of your feet. It is an honor to be trapped behind a whole line of you I totally love being late to class, it’s the best You pay such close attention to the people around you Your conversations with your friends are as exciting as the speed At which you walk Did I mention how amazing it is to be late to class? Really, why wouldn’t you walk at the pace of a snail? It’s not like you have anywhere to be The way you just completely stop for no reason whatsoever Makes me swoon When I finally get past you and have to stop again For another bunch of your kind, it’s simply fantastic I can’t sleep at night anymore; I can’t stop thinking about you I absolutely can’t wait for next year so I can see you again! I talked about how great it is to be late to class right? Because it’s just terrific.

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SOUND CONSTRUCTION Isaac Benson Grade 7, Boise

Clang CLANG! clang clang. It sounds like a marching band. Clang CLANG! clang clang. It sounds like a blacksmith. Clang CLANG! clang clang. It sounds like a hammer against nail. Clang CLANG! clang clang. It sounds like a world of sword against sword.

WHEN I WAS A BIRD Brinn Waibel Grade 7, Boise

When I was a bird I flew through the wisps and the puffs of the clouds like a child dancing in and out of the crowds with drops of dew upon my wings I laugh with a chirp, my melody sings. When I was a bird I rested my wings, my eyes, and my song and the moon shines bright like a silent white gong in my jumble of sticks and leaves I silently dream in my forest of trees. When I was a bird I ate The poor worms from the dark earthy ground Every time a victory like a treasure found When it disappears I face my fears And soar to the clouds again

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MONDAY MORNINGS Asia Jenkins Grade 7, Boise

Oh my dear Monday Mornings, How I wish you were here Oh Monday Mornings, How I wish you were Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Oh Monday Mornings, How I love a new week of school. Oh Monday Mornings, How I love a new week of school. Oh Monday Mornings, How I love waking up at seven. Oh Monday Mornings, How I love the Junior High schedule. Oh Monday Mornings, How I love P.E. at eight. Oh Monday Mornings, How I love you all.

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WHY Josie Pape Grade 8, Boise

Why can’t the green leaves be purple, Why do the rolling green hills all look the same Why do the clouds float like linen sheets Why does the sun’s amazing beauty hurt our eyes Why does the soft grass stain our feet Why does the soft summer air tickle our noses Why is outside called outside? Why does the ocean hit the shore. Why are trees different looks or sizes Why can’t people be like the trees, all of their differences making them beautiful in others’ eyes Why can’t nature talk? Why does the beauty of the sunset only last for a minute Why does a tree have birthday rings? Why don’t we have birthday rings? Why does nature speak for itself, doing whatever it wants? Why do we feel the need to control this?

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LIBRARY Sha Sha Kingston Grade 7, Boise

The library isn’t just a one-way path, it’s a bloomed pasture. It’ a tunnel of darkness leading to light. It’s a storage of memories you can uncover with curiosity. Fresh pages of lines can create a river of music that reflects up to the clouds and then falls as water droplets to the parking lot. Remember hearing the water currents flowing as adventure you can look forward to. Ahead is a song of power nested between thin stories. In the distance you can feel a lifetime of images. Climb into the future with the library. It’s a royal place of love.

THE BREADTH OF BOISE Mike Larson Grade 9, Pullman

In front of me the green trees and the roofs peeling up and the mountains as the backdrop – inspiring me, making me feel so small. To the left, BSU, heavy tall buildings, and in the distance dry desert. To the right, towering cranes over a construction site, green trees, and the wide dry expanse above Boise.

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STAR SAILOR Natalie Buffalin Grade 8, Boise

Like a storm the star sailor passes into a hate-free place pure where love is the answer.

BLACK DOLL (WALLS) Madison Carter Grade 9, Boise

The world we know today isn’t as we knew it just yesterday. I started out as a little black and white paper doll, and now I am on a wall full of art. I was only seven, when I was playing a song called another dream on the piano. It was a sad, dreary song about life on a wall. When all of a sudden I disappeared into the paper of the wall where every word told a story. I can’t tell you how I ended up here, but I knew right off I had to find a way to escape these three endless walls, where every word tells a story, pictures in black and white, lines that never end. Twenty-eight days to finish a rusty door handle … We’re lost in the words of art, lost in the three endless walls.

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(from) REMEMBER Katherine Nicholes Grade 8, Meridian

August 15, 2008 Dear Henry, I haven’t seen you since the incident, and I still regret it. I remember how hard I punched, but I don’t remember why. I write to you because I want to apologize. Please forgive me. With love, Shallene As I dropped the letter in the mail box I wondered if I really should have told him why. I punched him as hard as I could because he was making fun of my friend. Henry was my friend, too, just not as good of one as I thought. I was sixteen then, and I’m twenty-two now. I still have dreams about it to this day – trying to get a good opening to slap Henry in the face, then just choosing to hit him as hard as I could. He was put in the hospital for a month and a half with a broken nose, and a busted up foot from when he fell to the cement as he tried to run away. Later that week I got a letter back. August 20, 2008 Shallene, I forgive you for what you’ve done. But, I won’t forget it. Meet me for coffee at that one café we’d go to all the time down on 5th and Main. Best, Henry I met Henry for coffee that day, and we talked. All I remember is finishing our conversation and walking out the door. I woke up in the hospital myself, what seemed only a day later. I saw Cristina and asked how long had I been there. She replied, “About a year.” I sat up abruptly, faster than I should have. I looked around, and there was Henry, standing with two cops beside him. He wore handcuffs around his wrists. I could only stare. And that’s when he kicked me in the face, and was pulled out of the room. I lay back, and wondered how long this futile war would continue… 169

THE AWESOME LETTERS Faye Wilbur Grade 9, Boise

Dear Sollux, I’m having the most awesome time ever. Me and Batty have been having a super awesome vacation adventure. I know I left kind of suddenly, but don’t worry, I’ll be back soon, and we can have our own AWESOME time, just me and you. If you’re wondering why I left, it’s because I just needed a break from all those messy awesome problems people were always asking my advice on. I promise the awesome me will be back soon. Your Moirail, Batty Troll p.s. Please make sure Vriska doesn’t do anything un-awesome to tavros – while I’m gone! Dear Sollux, Today me and Batty actually ran in to Vepeta, and it was so much fun. She was chasing after a particularly big squeak beast, and had just pounced when I swooped out of a tree and landed on her and the squeak beast. It was so FUNNY. We laughed and chatted for what seemed three hours. I had the most FUN. After that we caught a few more fun squeak beasts. Then we had a super fun bonfire (it was huge!). While we were doing that Vepetas and Batty had lost of chatting and hunting. Finally, she went home and I fell asleep in the tallest and funnest tree in the whole forest. Your Moirail, Batty Troll p.s. Tell Terezi I might stop by there hive later this week for lots of fun. Dear Sollux, Today I went to the beach. I’m not sure if I like it much. The sand and the sea soak up all the noise and it’s hard to see. I ran into Gramzee. I’m not sure how I feel about him either. He makes Tavros happier, but on the other hand, whether or not he does it purposefully he makes Malika sad. Of course, he also has a lot of his own problems. We were talking, and at some point he was laying down on the sand and his shirt rode up. Sollux, I could see

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all of his ribs. I would come and bring him food every Day, but his hive is too far away unless I rode Batty, and she definitely wouldn’t fly there and back every day. Hopefully, I can figure something out. Anyway, the ocean was beautiful, at least what I could see of it. Your Morail, Batty Troll

1944 Annika Linguist Grade 9, Meridian

Eight People one annex They live in fear They are hidden from Hitler, from the Nazis. Kraler, Meip, Elli keep the secret. Keep them safe. Give them food and Supplies and Shelter. A traitor unknown Turns in nine. They soon will die. One survives – A father. A young girl’s legacy lives on. 171

SENT THROUGH THE MAIL Cate Knothe Grade 8, Boise

June 1 James, It has been a very long time, and I haven’t seen you since the crisis. I know you are wondering why I am writing this, and why you should even look at it. But James, I need your forgiveness. I can’t keep living like this, even if I am living in a wonderful place like Boise. Please, James, forgive me. Love, Ari Nichosen June 28 James, Today I thought of you. I was out hiking in the forest by the foothills and I remembered how much you loved nature. Then, nature reminded me of your beautiful cabin, and the crisis. James, you don’t know how sorry I am for what I did. I need your forgiveness, James. Please write back. Love, Ari July 9 James, Today I thought of you again, on this glorious summery day. Your brown, sandy colored hair, your clear blue eyes, but most of all your crisp smile. James,I know you probably hate me for those things I did. But, even though I did commit some awful actions, the words Cecelia fed you were lies. In my postcards here to come I will tell you the real truth. It is your choice to believe me, or take them as utter lies. But, I’m begging you to just hear me out. Love, Ari July 11 James, So here it is, the real truth, if you’ll believe me. It all started that one day two years ago when I first met Cecelia. She was cool and 172

confident, everything I wasn’t. She took me to parties, got me addicted to cigarettes, and played all of us, big time. She wasn’t who we thought she was. She was a con woman. By the time the crisis happened, she had stolen all of my money, sold my possessions, and left me on the streets. I shouldn’t have trusted her. I stole for food and begged for money; that’s when I came to you, James. I will continue in the next card. Hope you are doing well. Love, Ari James, When I came to you that one night I knew you would help me because you were the sweetest person I had ever met. I was right, you let me stay at your cabin and gave me food for a queen. But, Cecelia became jealous, because James, she loved you. So, she stole my pack of Camel cigarettes, lit one, and caught your beautiful cabin on fire. As the log cabin laid as ash, the Fire Department told you it was arson and that they had found a burned pack of Camel cigarettes by the arson spot. Cecelia convinced you it was me, and you believed her, despite her lack of evidence. You told me you never wanted to see me again and I left, heartbroken. I love Boise, but I miss you, James. That is the truth. Ari August 4 James, So now you know the real truth. What will you do with it? I know it’s been hard on me keeping it in all these years, but now I feel the heavy weight being lifted off me in time, and feel that you’ll contact me. I know you have the information. I love you, James, and I probably always will. Ari

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PERSPECTIVE Mae Davis Grade 8, Boise

As you climb higher and higher, it doesn’t feel like Boise. It feels like a picture of some vaguely familiar city. You start feeling insignificant, realizing that each of the cars going by has a person in it, and that person has a life. They could be an accountant, or a guy who wears plaid pants on Fridays. It makes the city feel fake, like one of those towns on the toy train tracks that kids love so much, but at the same time more real than ever. It makes you think that in every one of these buildings, there is a person, and you don’t know that person, and you may never see or understand them, but still they are there.

THIS MAN WHO IS YOU Curtis Bohlscheid Grade 8, Boise

A man stood still, no one knew him, he stood waiting, alone. Click Clack. Although he is young, his life is only his life, and his life is coming near its end. Click Clack. The train closes in. The train closes in. Will he jump? Will you? Click Clack. It’s almost here… 174

LOOKING FROM ABOVE Ruby Berliner Grade 8, Boise

Miniscule cars move along, small enough to fit in my hand, the drivers cooperate with one another, not knowing anything about the others at all. Trees take over the city, adding colorful splashes here and there, they frame the buildings and highways, making the city look like Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gem. Buildings lay scattered around at impressive, towering heights, windows mirror-like and clear posing in the middle of our city, they see everything. Foothills rise and fall haphazardly lining the city so nicely, a hazy blue sky completes the image, looking, like me, from above.

SEARCHING FOR STARS Emma Griffith Grade 9, McCall

Star sailors searching for stars. Snowmen fighting global warming. Cats hunting fish in cold rivers. Rifles BANG! behind wolves.

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ROBOT IN FLIGHT Griffin Gettman Grade 8, Boise

The robot is leaping from the known, jumping from a cliff, falling and falling so freely. This calls to me and shows me that you cannot be afraid to go outside what is comfort and ease. We are so often full of doubt, but no matter who tells you that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, you must do what you feel is right.

THE ZOMBIE PAINTER Cade Johnson Grade 7, Boise

The zombie painter has a gun and a paintbrush. She stands on zombies. (Why on earth would a painter have a gun?)

BOISE Mason Kirk Grade 7, Boise

Boise is such a strange little city. So many bikers and hikers and trails that are gritty. Boise is a city we love and revere. So please, everyone, keep Boise weird. 176

ALL BECAUSE OF THE GAGGED MAN Abigail Griffith Grade 7, McCall

The man was quickly walking toward me as if there was a huge secret to tell. I wondered who he was. I had never seen the man before. He was a tall black man with small tattoos on his forearms. Before we could say a word to each other someone came and gagged him and was out of sight, leaving behind no trace, not even a scream. I continued walking toward the McDonald’s and when I looked up and saw the fortunate sign reading, “Victoria Secret angels wanted. Hiring NOW.” Trying to forget the disturbing happenings of just moments earlier, I cleared my head and leapt into the store to ask for an interview. It was the same short, just-graduated gal who had interviewed me for the job a couple of times in the past, when I had stepped here, crossing my fingers, and hoping to follow my dreams. This time she looked at my dark brown eyes and anxious pose, and said, “You again? I think I told you last time, lose some weight and gain some height and then, only then, will we consider you.” My heart dropped once more.

THE VIEW FROM UP HERE William Lodge Grade 9, Star

The city is full of cars, big and small, all going taking people to work, or the store. There are so many full trees across our city’s landscape, tall and green and swaying in the breeze. I see a mass of buildings – banks and offices and schools and hotels. Big brown foothills protect the city like a rolling wall of dirt. The weather is perfect blue with a nice cool breeze that picks up speed as we climb higher to gaze down at all the little people on the streets, going to eat or to work or simply to live well, in our beautiful city of Boise.

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THE VIEW FROM HERE Catherine Waddell Grade 8, Boise

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful, really. The busyness down on the streets. The serenity up in the buildings. Cars and people rushing around like little worker bees, desperately searching for their next flower. But look past all of the modern things in the city. Look to the mountains, look past the mountains. Turn around. Look behind you. Look above you. Look below you. Listen to the sound. Not the sounds of cars and construction, but the real sounds of Boise. The laughter, the music, the sound of people having fun. So, slow down little worker bees, and look around. Soak in all of the looks, sounds, smells, tastes, all of the feelings of Boise.

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DARKNESS Chloe Ponder Grade 9, Boise

My monster is one of many shades. Some days he is content with the world, other days he deeply despises it. He runs to me, pulling on my arm beside me. “Come play! Come play!” he chants. I dismiss him, denying any participation in his demented games He beams at me in my slumber planning his next move. “Come to me,” he whispers, “Your soul is dying.”

INNER DEMON Michael Vessel Grade 9, Star

My inner demon wails in pain, it is time for him to take control. Smashing windows, throwing things, inside him hate is always in full. My inner demon is causing trouble always making the wrong decisions. The walls start to shake and crumble for everyone to see him. My inner demon is on a rampage stealing souls of the innocent. I grab him and put him in a locked cage but his life is never going to end.

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SALTY AIR Mattie Duke Grade 9, Boise

Each rock laying in the sand opens a new gate into my soul. The waves sing beautiful melodies with each splash of the cool, smooth sea water. The smell of salt and ocean lingers in the air, filling my lungs and opening my mind. Each part of the beach teaches me.

CRASH AND BURN Kaia Waselewski Grade 7, Boise

As the dust cleared, policemen rushed toward the wreck to help the man. I looked over Anneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoulder to get a glimpse of him. The policemen moved the wounded horse off of him. It took four of them to move the struggling mare. She gave a pained whinny as another few cowboys treated her. The plane had flown too low, and the mare kicked up and ran into another horse. It had fallen with the rider still on her. I think the rider was smashed. A policeman with a mustache grabbed another policeman and rushed over to the rider. The man cried out as the police picked him up and practically dragged him away from the barbwire fence that had him hung up. The photographer ignored the air show planes and snapped pictures of the man and his saviors. The policeman shot the photographer a threatening look, and the camera stopped clicking. The rider yelled and the policemen set him down. I rushed forward to see. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pretty. The rider had scratches on his face from the barbwire, his face contorted in pain. The 180

policemen came forward with a medic. He set his bag down and asked, “What’s wrong?” I gave him an outraged look and said, “Just help him!” The doctor glared at me and I avoided his gaze. My mama always said my mouth would get me whooped one day. I turned back to the rider. He was smiling. “Feisty on,” he mumbled. I grinned despite myself. I opened my mouth to say something when I was pulled back, away from the man. “Paisley? What’d I say about talkin’ rudely to authority!?” my mama yelled. I looked at her guiltily and glanced back. I had no clue that that my adventure was just beginning…

THE SOUNDS OF THE CITY Willow Smith Grade 9, McCall

As each car passes it brings along its own kind of rumbling sound. The tires smack the pavement like the sound of a slow drum solo. If you hold your breath you can hear the gentle trickling of the hidden stream. There’s a canvas of color all around me. Green grass, pink blossoms on mahogany shaded tree branches. The aroma of soils, a mix of rotting bark and freshly-cut grass rise up all around me. The bench beneath me stands rough and splintery. And I am surrounded by rhythmic sounds, beautiful sights, and earthly smells. Life, right now, couldn’t be any better.

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THE MOUNTAIN Easton Anderson Grade 9, Boise

A mountain stands its roots all torn from the hole that burrows straight through his soul. The hole that burns the hole that eats. It eats his core melts his veins takes his soul takes away his soul takes it away far, far away until he dies his stone all gone stolen away by a hole of rage.

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TEACHING WRITERS’ BIOGRAPHIES Adrian Kien grew up in Elko, Nevada and Missoula, Montana. He has authored several chapbooks and collections of poetry, most recently, The Caress is a Letter of Instruction. He teaches poetry at Boise State and is a teaching-writer with the Cabin’s Writers in the Schools Program. Amanda Bennett attended Hamilton College and received her MFA in fiction from Boise State University, where she now teaches. Her most recent work has appeared in Confrontation, Alice Blue’s Shotgun Wedding series and The Boisean. Amanda enjoys dragons, the periodic table, bad movies with dancing, and good movies with Paul Newman. Cassie Angley lived in New York City where she wrote, produced, and often performed in more than 12 original plays and musicals. Most recently she performed her play Finding the Michaels off Broadway at the San Francisco Marsh. She’s worked as a teaching artist for almost a decade. Christian Winn is a fiction writer, poet, journalist, and teacher. His fiction has appeared in McSweeney’s, The Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row Journal, and many other journals. He is the author of a collection of short stories called Naked Me. He is the founder of the Writers Write fiction workshop series and curator of Modern Campfire Stories. He teaches fiction writing at Boise State University. Daniel Stewart has authored a collection of poems, The Imaginary World. A variety of publications have featured his poems, including Educe, Lonesome Fowl, Puerto Del Sol, Prairie Schooner, and Rattle. Recent work appeared in the anthologies REDUCE and Thrush Poetry Journal: an anthology of the first two years, and is forthcoming in the journal, Sixfold. 185

Elena T Tomorowitz has been published in magazines such as Guernica, The Moth, The Collagist, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Fugue, and others. She received her PhD in English and Creative Writing from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Writers and teaches at Boise State University. Emma Arnold is a comedian, published author, and storyteller. She is the Artistic Director and host for Boise’s beloved live storytelling event, Story Story Late Night, as well as a frequent headliner at comedy clubs around the Northwest. When not touring, she lives in Idaho, where she keeps children and bees with varying degrees of success. Hannah Rodabaugh received her MA from Miami University and her MFA from Naropa University’s Jack Kerouac School. Her work was included in Flim Forum Press’ anthology: A Sing Economy. Recently, her work has been published in Used Furniture Review, Similar:Peaks::, Smoking Glue Gun, and Nerve Lantern. Her chapbook, With Words: Verse in Concordance, is forthcoming from Dancing Girl Press. Heidi Kraay is a playwright and MFA candidate at California Institute of Integral Studies who loves bridging genre gaps through collaboration. Her published work includes Kilgore (Independent Play(w)rights), Survivors (theBOISEAN), and several poems and stories. Her plays have been presented locally, regionally and in NYC. Jessica Holmes is a lifelong word nerd and driving force behind Story Story Night, Boise’s popular live storytelling program. Also the owner of Jessica Holmes Copywriting, she makes up marketing words in every medium for ad agencies and businesses. She won the inaugural “Boise’s Funniest Person” stand-up competition. Katie Fuller is in the MFA poetry program at Boise State University. She holds an MA in English from the University of Maine where she also edited the journals Stolen Island and Paideuma. Her poems have appeared in WSQ and SP CE, among others. Katie enjoys the mountains and the sea. Kerri Webster is the author of two books of poetry: Grand & Arsenal (winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize) and We Do Not Eat Our Hearts Alone. The recipient of awards from the Whiting Foundation, the Poetry 186

Society of America, and the Idaho Commission on the Arts, she has taught in the MFA programs at Washington University in St. Louis and Boise State. Lacey Daley grew up in Buffalo, New York and has since moved west to pursue her MFA in fiction from Boise State University. Her work has made the pages of FUSION, Prairie Margins, and recently received first place in the 2014 Glenn Balch Award. She is currently serving as the Associate Editor of The Idaho Review. Laura Mei Roghaar is a poet and educator. She teaches writing at Boise State and at The Cabin. She holds a BA in English and Communication from UC Santa Barbara and an MA in English Literature from Boise State University where she is also a candidate for the MFA in poetry. Her first chapbook of poems, SISTERHOUSE, is out from Dancing Girl Press. Megan Williams is a poet, editor, teacher, and arts organizer. When not encouraging young people to be weird at the Cabin’s Idaho Writing Camps, she runs GHOSTS & PROJECTORS. a poetry reading series and serves as the program administrator for Big Tree Arts. Once upon a time, her work appeared in Tin House, Vinyl Poetry, PANK, and Mudlark, among other journals. Mollie Ficek is a Midwestern girl, raised between the lakes of Minnesota and the plains of North Dakota. Her work has appeared in the Mid-American Review, Hawai’i Review, New Ohio Review, Four Way Review, Bayou Magazine, and Another Chicago Magazine. Presently, she lives in Boise with her partner Michael Capel and their pup, Rusty. Nicole LeFavour has been adventuring with Idaho’s young writers and teaching for The Cabin for as long as she can remember. She writes fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry and earned an MFA from the University of Montana in 1990. Her fiction and essays have appeared in magazines and anthologies including the North American Review and Go Tell it on the Mountain. Reggie Townley is a writer and musician working out of Boise. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Boise State University, and writes novels, short stories, and poetry. Along with his work in text, Reggie writes and records original music, to date, he has recorded five albums. 187

ABOUT THE CABIN The Cabinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to inspire and celebrate a love of reading, writing, and discourse throughout Idaho and the region. Each year, The Cabin serves about 500 members, more than 2,000 children and youth, and about 30,000 people through educational and cultural programs. Programs for young people are the largest part of The Cabinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work. The Cabin has transitioned from a young literary organization to a cultural anchor in Idaho and serves diverse constituencies through:

Readings & Conversations an annual lecture series featuring worldclass authors.

Writers in the Schools (WITS) which places professional writers in classrooms across the state.

Writing Camps offering creative writing adventures for youth and adults.

Writers in the Attic an annual publication opportunity for local writers.

Read Me Treasure Valley an invitation for the community to read the same book.

Literary activities such as visiting author workshops, readings by

Idaho authors, and other programs for readers and writers of all ages.

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ACKNOWLEGEMENTS Cabin Writing Camps touch the lives of hundreds of young people and adults each summer due to the talent of our teaching writers, the generosity of funders, and the gifts of time and support from volunteers, interns, board members and community partners. Thank you to teaching writers Adrian Kien, Alan Minskoff, Amanda Bennett, AK Turner, Bill Pettitt, Cassie Angley, Christian Winn, Danny Stewart, Elena Tomorowitz, Emma Arnold, Hannah Rodabaugh, Heidi Kraay, Jessica Holmes, Katie Fuller, Kerri Webster, Conor Harris, Lacey Daley, Megan Williams, Mollie Ficek, Nicole LeFavour, Reggie Townley, Tracy Sunderland and Valeri Kiesig. Many thanks to our 2014 interns and volunteers: Alexandra Ruxton, Allison Allen, Anne Buckley, Catherine Kyle, Claire Jussel, Coen Jardine, Colleen Brennan, Erin Fenner, Gabrielle “Nails” Nelson, Henry Price, Henry Shafer-Coffey, Jelena Borak, Jesse Remeis, Jonathan Warren, Kate McNeary, Lilly Dorr, Madison Nagel, Malorie Bennett, Megan Gehrke, Nikita Schwarztman, Phillip Bode and Sylissa Franklin. The Cabin’s Board of Directors also provides encouragement and support for camps each year through their committed service. A big thank you to our friends throughout the state who provided venues, learning opportunities, and field trip locations to our campers: Big Tree Arts and Conor Harris, Kristen Smith and Megan Williams, Boise City Department of Arts and History and Karen Bubb, Boise Contemporary Theater, Boise Rock School and Jared Goodpaster, Boise Weekly and Jessica Murray, City of Boise Parks and Recreation, City of Boise Sesqui Shop and Karl LeClair, Flying M Coffee, Idaho Botanical Garden and Elizabeth Dickey, Idaho Historical Museum, Jack’s Urban Meeting Place and David Standerford, Lisk Gallery, Moon’s Café, 189

Story Story Night and Emma Arnold and Jessica Holmes, Sun Valley Center for the Arts in Hailey, The Boise Art Museum and Terra Feast, The Crux, The Fine Arts Center at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, The Foothills Learning Center in Boise and Kristin Lundstrom, The Herrett Museum, The Poetry Show with Daphne Stanford on Radio Boise, The Record Exchange, The Timbee Hall Recreation Center in the Fort Hall Shoshone-Bannock Reservation, WTC Marketing and Dustin Verburg and Kate Smith, and Zoo Boise.

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INDEX A Agler, Jordan • 74 Allen, Skyler • 121 Allred, Mackenzie • 123, 156 Anders, Sage • 70 Anderson, Easton • 182 Andreas, Pascal • 29 Avey, Nathan • 153 Avey, Maggie • 11

B Backe, Malia • 62 Baird, Angus • 163 Beckley, Christopher • 64 Beebe, Charley • 70 Beeles, Leah • 76 Benson, Isaac • 164 Berliner, Ruby • 175 Berliner, Leo • 106 Berry, Megan • 50 Bertagnolli, Alina • 32 Boam, Mina • 17 Boam, Lucy • 94 Board, Ethan • 36, 47 Board, Amelia • 144 Boerner, Alice • 107 Bohlscheid, Curtis • 174 Boice, Ella • 46 Brechbuhler, Emma • 102 Bruce, Allie • 100 Brushey, Mya • 11

Buffalin, Natalie • 168 Bush, Lucille • 32 Byres, Jessica • 83, 95 Byrne, Ellie • 43, 84

C Camilli, Olivia • 51 Carter, Madison • 168 Clark, Hailey • 85 Cline, Courtney • 72 Coleman, Camilla • 73 Coleman, Finnian • 75 Conn, Ashlynn • 103 Coyle, Grace • 94 Crow, Caroline • 100 Cummings, Madison • 49

D Dabney , Nick • 142 Dabney, Nate • 19 Davis, Mae • 135, 174 Davis, Bloom • 21 Davis, Esther • 10 Davis, Paris • 111 Degen, Breanna • 76 Desai, Alexander • 33 Deutsch, Elsa • 101 Dodson, Catie • 159 Duke, Mattie • 180 Duke, Talia • 158 191

Duncan, Meaghan • 162 Durham, Kate • 68

E Elliot, Caleb • 151 Elliot, Molly • 110 Ellis, Ethan • 129 Elsethagen, Lily • 53 Elsethagen, Abby • 118, 122 Erwin, Kylee • 77 Erwin, Zac • 74 Everitt, Maycee • 9

F Falk-Henderson, Chloe • 142 Fearnside, Ella • 63 Fehr, Nick • 47 Fox, Isabella • 145 Fung, Ethan • 7

G Gaddis, Grace • 161 Gendler, Avery • 85 Genther, Katherine • 150 Gettman, Griffin • 176 Gibson, Cord • 7, 108 Gillespie, Samuel • 130 Gipson, Samantha • 160 Green, Olivia • 33 Greenberg, Gina • 19 Griffith, Abigail • 177 Griffith, Emma • 175

H Harbison, Rachel • 27 Harding-Swartley, Langley • 117 192

Hatton, Davis • 162 Hedrick Hunt, Penelope • 19 Hepworth, Hailey • 34, 116 Herman, Isabella • 111 Hill, Simon • 66 Hill, Sydney • 61 Himmelman, Paris • 45 Hinchman, Hayden • 107 Hinchman, Hallie • 148 Holstine, Chris • 116 Hupp, David • 65 Hupp, William • 64 Hutton, Jane • 28

J Jan, Mashaal • 44 Jan, Ramin • 14 Jenkins, Jordan • 119 Jenkins, Asia • 165 Jensen, Loren • 56 Jensen, Eve • 135 Johncox, Vinny • 152 Johnson, Cade • 176 Johnson, Emily • 75 Johnson, Tyler • 73 Johnson, Addie • 12 Johnson, Edie • 93

K Kaiser, Marit • 50 Keating, Jack • 143 Keene, Aurora • 99 Keil, Shannon • 76 Kelly, Charese • 159 Kilgo, Helen • 52, 89 Kingston, Sha Sha • 167 Kirk, Mason • 176

Kirk, Adrienne • 97 Kirk, McKinley • 104 Knight, Grace • 22 Knothe, Cate • 172 Knudsen, Lillian • 146 Kocemba, Zosha • 8 Krause, Zachary • 141

Moore, Roger • 104 Morrison, Rowan • 8 Moylan, Sophie • 94 Mullens, Camden • 148 Mungall, Isabella • 47 Myers, Nicola • 86

Negrete, Myla • 98 Negrete, Soledad • 96 Nicholes, Katherine • 169 Nilsson, Kaisa • 101

Lane, Claire • 37 Lane, Warren • 37 Larson, Mike • 167 Lawrence, Annabel • 78 Lawrence, Ashton • 16 Layne, Mal • 154 Lee, Wonyoung • 54, 84, 102 Lepak, Hailee • 54 Liberty, Kennis • 120 Lickley, Ellie • 99 Linguist, Annika • 171 Liu, Max • 38, 95 Lodge, William • 177 Lodge, Hank • 105 Luo, Sandra • 9

M Mackenzie, Sara • 63 Mann, Evelyn • 53 Martin, MaeZee • 10 Maybach, Nathan • 35, 43 McArthur, Aiden • 38 McTeague, Lukas • 116 Meixner, Adri • 49 Mers, Stacia • 120 Mesenko, Mckensie • 77 Metzgar, Rebecca • 41 Miller, Josephine • 155 Montgomery, Addison • 17

O Oldenburg, Jordyn • 8 Olson, Anna • 109 Olszewski, Tyler • 62 Owsley, Jessica • 51

P Pape, Josie • 131, 166 Paquette, Lily • 34 Pearson, Shea • 156 Pearson, Luke • 15 Peck, Abigail • 87 Peterson, Gracie • 48 Peterson , Devon • 48 Phillips, Caroline • 55 Pierce, Miranda • 67 Pittman, Kayla • 98 Plaze, Jazmine • 10 Ponder, Chloe • 179

Q Quilici, Annelise • 18

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Ramos, Reilly • 20 Ravlin, Caden • 55 Ray, Lila • 105 Rayo, Kirsten • 15 Redford, Emma • 39 Redford, Ethan • 12 Rehkemper, Lainey • 129 Rice, Sydnie • 28 Rice, Megan • 163 Ripson, Catherine • 40 Rodriguez-Orellana, Ana • 27 Rosario, Mira • 18 Ruggeri , Owen • 141

Taylor, Charlie • 116 Taylor, Zach • 20 Thompson, Rose • 132 Toalson , Maris • 153 Tonder, Alexandra • 149 Toothaker, Emery • 93 Trapani, Paola • 12, 108 Trebbi, Mia • 150 Tsukamoto, Ayaka • 40

S Salber, Kate • 103 Schachtell, Jade • 143 Schafer, Hailey • 17, 124 Schell, Emma • 88 Scherer, Casey • 18 Schneider, Nolie • 79 Schuler, Hope • 115, 122 Schwartzman, Javin • 144 Schwartzman , Salma • 7 Seidl, Ellie • 147 Selander, Allyson • 30 Severson, Brooklyn • 73 Severson, Seth • 75 Silva, Faith • 21 Smith, Willow • 181 Smith, Petra • 72 Snyder, Elizabeth • 36 Solan, Ethan • 61 Squyres, Sophie • 16 Streiff, Flannery • 22 Studebaker, Sophi • 13 Swerdloff, Julia • 31 194

U /V Upham, Ize • 66 Uriarte, Melia • 42 Vessel, Michael • 179

W Waddell, Catherine • 178 Wagner , Ava • 31 Waibel, Brinn • 164 Walker, Cleo • 157 Wargo, Faith • 117 Warren, Mattison • 118, 119, 121 Waselewski, Kaia • 180 Weinert, Jules • 46 Wilbur, Faye • 170 Wilkes, Clarissa • 134 Willey, Rachel • 133 Woodley, Joe • 41 Woodley, Ian • 149

Y/ Z Yang, Caitlin • 13, 71 Zanot, Sarah • 97