The Bunk Room 7 Rivers Region
™ March 2012 Vol 5, Issue 3
TA K E M E H O M E ! I’ M F R E E !
Annika 11, splashes her heart out on her Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL Staycation! takes on an challenge of a lifetime with a semester of school outdoors!
an’s Jord ar Hunt Coug ie Cass 50 s k l a W s For e Stat e! Peac
Pg 18
rd Reco d l r o W t Balle
Pg 22 Pg 28
Find The Differences There are 10 differences in these two photos. Can you find them? KIDS! Want to see one of your photos here? Submit your best photography and we may feature it in our “Find The Differences� activity page. Send your photo to images@tglmediagroup.com.
2 | TheBunkRoom.com | March 2012
Cool Cooper!
Thanks to Axell and Isaac from Holmen, WI for sending us a picture of how they celebrated “Dress Up Your Pet Day”! Cooper never looked so good!
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 3
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7 Rivers Region
™
The Bunk Room
Created by Kids
The Bunk Room is a magazine created by kids and read by all ages. Our goal is to inspire kids to love reading and writing. We have readers and contributors from all over the world. In addition to our online edition, our printed editions can be found throughout the United States. Print editions are provided without charge and can be picked up at participating local businesses and institutions. To locate your closest local provider, go to
wHAt*s uP tHis moNTh? ors! School Outdo
Features 10 Earth Day Caroline 14, of Maitland, FL is thinking green this spring! For more than three decades, our beloved Earth has been celebrated!
page 14
11 Lift Off! A journey in Space (Camp) as told by Lucas 12, Leesburg, FL!
14 COVER FEATURE! The great outdoors is school for Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL for a semester at the Outdoor Academy in North Carolina.
28 World Record Ballet Hundreds gather together with Madison 12, Sorrento, FL to set a world record on pointe.
Departments 6 Publisher’s Note
Cougar Hu nt! Feel the th rill!
thebunkroom.com/locations
8 Contributors This Issue
The Bunk Room is owned by Dimples Media, Inc. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from Dimples Media, Inc.
8 Margo’s Musings
Please email permission requests to publisher@TheBunkRoom.com.
Guano 18, St Paul, MN shares a heartfelt moment-in-time as she moves through Senior Stress!
Local editions of The Bunk Room are licensed by Dimples Media and are independently owned and operated. For information about being a local publisher of The Bunk Room, contact Mark Slaby, Director of Licensing at mark@TheBunkRoom.com
page
18
11 What Do Your Think? 12 Day-To-Day
20 Poem! Poem! 26 Road Trip! 28 My Future Life
50 Miles 50 Stat es 50 Weeks
30 The Bunk Roomies Notebook NEW! Come explore The Bunk Roomies world! Keep up with all the goings-on!
page 22
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 5
The Bunk Room
™
7 Rivers Region
TheBunkRoom-7Rivers.com Publisher: Jeremy Fisher
Jeremy Fisher
Publisher, 7 Rivers Region
Well the “Madness” is upon us and no I am not
Editorial / Creative: Maria Slaby
talking about basketball (For those of you who
Editor in Chief: Margo Slaby
care, basketball bores me. I wrestled in school
Advertising: ads@tglmediagroup.com Advertising Design: The Good Life Media Group
and basketball players were just guys who couldn’t make the wrestling team) I am talking about the madness of spring. It brings the hope of new beginnings, the promise of summer to come and a whole lot of dirt, mud and slush. All that being said, it is a far cry better than snow and cold. In this month’s issue you will be able to
The Bunk Roomies......................... Our loyal and diligent writers appearing in this issue: Anna Gazdecki 10, Sorrento, FL Annika Slaby 11, Mount Dora, FL Emma Gazdecki 12, Sorrento, FL Madison Yates 12, Sorrento, FL Caroline Wells 14, Maitland, FL Benjamin Slaby 14, Mount Dora, FL Erik Slaby 16, Mount Dora, FL Margo Slaby 18, Mount Dora, FL Maria Chester 18, Eustis, FL Founders.................................... The Slaby Family, Mount Dora, FL Margo, Erik, Benjamin & Annika Mark & Maria ..................................................
see some local talent. Two of the articles written are from local authors. Make sure and take the time to read about their adventures. In addition to our local writers, The Bunk Room – 7 Rivers is enjoying profound success in our area. Because of that success we have been able to place thousands of these magazines into the hands of youth all over the 7 Rivers Region. If you are currently not getting the magazine ask your teacher about subscribing and we will make sure to get it into your hands. In addition you can find copies throughout the area in Retail establishments and in your local libraries. Thank you -Jeremy
Maria Slaby
Director of Editorial & Creative
The Bunk Room: 7 Rivers Region, is published by The Good Life Media Group. ..................................................
From school in the wild, to hunting the wild,
All content submissions are assumed to be for publication and become property Dimples Media, Inc., 1515 Old Eustis Road, Mount Dora, FL, provider of The Bunk Room trademark and editorial content. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from Dimples Media Inc. Contact publisher@thebunkroom.com for permission requests. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us immediately. The Bunk Room is limited in liability to a correction in a future issue. All opinions expressed in these pages are those of the writers or advertisers. The Bunk Room cannot be held responsible for the products, services or opinions herein.
to have hit a theme. The funny thing is that
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and finally, to walking from east to the wild west, this edition of The Bunk Room seems it wasn’t planned. All our content is written by kids and submitted randomly. We do send Bunk Roomies out on assignment, which is where Maria Chester’s article about Casandra Curely’s 50-50-50 walk for peace originated, but the alignment of articles that hit our pages is largely fortuitous. Our goal is variety; in subject, writing level and geography. It is hoped that the diversity we show on these pages shines new light on the every-day, and inspires both young and old to embrace the joy of different perspectives! Enjoy!
WeÍre Growing! Wanted Writers! Go to page 8 to learn how you can contribute your writing. Make sure you also subscribe to our email updates and “like” our Facebook page. Stay plugged in with writing ideas, events and more.
TheBunkRoom.com
Facebook.com/ 7Rivers ............................ Facebook.com/ thebunkroom
Join Us at Olive Garden Join us at Olive Garden, where our passion for creating delicious Italian cuisine is matched only by the joy of sharing it with you. From hearty new entrées and savory appetizers to old favorites like 2011 Darden Concepts., Inc.
unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks, our chefs have created an abundance of flavors that will satisfy your senses and lift your spirits.
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t are very importan Well child exams g in alth and well-be for the overall he y include: of your child. The
Keeping Kids Healthy Is it time for your child’s checkup? Mayo Clinic Health System pediatricians provide care in La Crosse, Onalaska and Holmen. They are specially trained in the care of children from birth to college age.
To make an appointment, call 800-362-5454.
history ✔ Child and Family ✔ Review of any current problems ✔ Review of child’s ss developmental progre ✔ Physical exam ✔ Immunizations guidance ✔ Age-appropriate for a healthy lifestyle
Franciscan Healthcare www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 7
Contributors This Issue Anna 10, Sorrento, FL
Jacob 14, Onalaska, WI
Julia 11, Mount Dora, FL
Benjamin 14, Mount Dora
Christina 11, Orlando, FL
Daniela 15, Astatula, FL
Lucas 12, Leesburg, FL
Erik 16, Mount Dora, FL
Annika 12, Mount Dora, FL
Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL
Madison 12, Sorrento, FL
Eddie 17, Orlando, FL
Emma 12, Sorrento, FL
Allison 17, Merrillville, IN
Mary 13, Columbus, OH
Ryan 17, Bellevue, WA
Sabrina 13, Laurel, MT
Goanou 18, St. Paul, MN
Nathaniel 14, La Crosse, WI
Maria 18, Eustis, FL
Caroline 14, Maitland, FL
s
g Margo’s Musin
FREE Bunk Room T-Shirts! Frequent Writer Program Just submit 5 publishable articles and get a cool Bunk Room tshirt! WhoooHooo! Go to: thebunkroom.com/Tshirts
Congratulations to all contributors.
A lot of fun stuff has been going on in our household lately! I started the high school's tennis team and although I have a LOT to learn, I'm absolutely loving it! It's so different from swimming---the sport I'm used to---but I'm super excited to learn!
My brother Benjamin started FIRST Robotics, an international program combining science, engineering and technology. He is absolutely loving it. They have a competition in the beginning of March; hopefully all of their hard work will pay off. I’m sure he’ll be writing about it in an hief Editor-in-C upcoming issue. He's also just as excited about his car project. Check out his latest Habilis Boy blog (p 30) for new developments in his Bug Car project. Think Camaro. Whoa! It's super cool and he's going to teach me how to drive it (stick shift). Our latest project is our quartet. Mom got us new quartet music. Our favorite is OneRepublic "Secrets." It's so much fun to play; we're really getting into it. Annika and I play the violin parts, while Erik plays the viola and Benjamin plays the cello. It starting to sound so awesome! We’ve been having a lot of fun with The Bunk Roomies too! We’ve got a new home in downtown Mount Dora, FL so we’re able to invite more kids. If you’re not local to Mount Dora, no worries, we video conference! We meet the 3rd Friday of each month from 7-9 pm. We’re having a ton of fun learning the behind-the-scenes of publishing and improving our writing. Check out our thebunkroom.com for more information about that. We’d love for you to join us! (Click on Bunk Roomies)
I wish you a fantastic March! Spring break is in the air! :D
Smiles! ~Margo
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NEW
The Bunk Room Needs You
Yes...this whole magazine is written entirely by kids, so come on kids, now’s your time to shine. See your work published!
Submission Guidelines All writing should be original work of the contributor and be considered wholesome and acceptable content for kids aged 8 to 18. All artwork must be original from the contributor. For photographs, please include names of persons in the photos.
Submit Online All work needs to be submitted via our Inbox at TheBunkRoom.com Remember, a parent or guardian’s electronic signature must accompany all submissions. All submissions are the property of The Bunk Room. The Bunk Room reserves the right to edit submissions. The Bunk Room content is published monthly by Dimples Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without permission from the publisher.
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Earth Day The Idea By Caroline 14, Maitland, FL Bunk Roomie Writer
It is hard for me to imagine that people have not always practiced recycling. Research shows that in the late 1960’s having a big car that used a lot of gas was considered a sign of wealth and factories were pumping pollutants into the air, lakes and rivers without even thinking about it. At that time, people didn’t recycle because there wasn’t a need and only a small part of the American population even knew what “recycling” meant.
In 1970 a Senator in Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, wanted to convince people that the planet was at risk. He developed an idea called “Earth Day,” which focused on educating people about environmental issues and things they could do to protect the Earth. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. It helped to teach about water and air pollution, energy conservation and the need to protect habitats for plants and animals. Today, Earth Day is celebrated in over 175 countries with more than 500 million people participating in projects like tree planting, recycling aluminum and paper and trash clean-up. Now, many communities celebrate Earth Day for an entire week.
Where I live in Maitland, Florida, this April, we are fortunate to celebrate Central Florida Earth Day (CFED), the largest and longest-running Earth Day festival in the area! Organized by Vegetarians of Central Florida, CFED is intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth’s environment.
The CFED festival, as well as others throughout the country, features kids’ activities to let you know what you can do to help the planet and have fun doing it; there will also be featured speakers, environmental education, concessions, live entertainment, an artist corner, hundreds of eco-friendly vendors and much more!
ThinkGreen
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For more information about the Central Florida festival (April 21), visit CFEarthDay.org. Outside Central Florida, check EarthDay.org for your local event schedule.
What Do You Think? What does it mean to be a good friend? Being a good friend means listening to and respecting your friend's opinions, being supportive of what he/she loves to do, and just being nice! Mary 13, Columbus, OH It means being open-minded and being able to listen to other’s thoughts. Erik 16, Mount Dora, FL To me, to be a good friend means to stand up for someone when no one else will, and to care for that person. Madison 12, Sorrento, FL To always be there for the other person. Eddie 17, Orlando, FL
If you were a Crayon, what color would you be? 3 3 2 1
Being a good friend means listening to people and being supportive. Sabrina 13, Laurel, MT Always be there for them when they need you. Christina 11, Orlando, FL Being there for someone through every good and bad moment in life. Allison 17, Merrillville, IN Someone who is a positive person in your life. Ryan 17, Bellevue, WA
By Lucas 12, Leesburg, FL Recently, I set out on a trip I'll never forget. My dad and I took two planes and a bus to get to Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. We got to camp about 2:45 p.m. First, we went to their dinosaur area which had games and stuff to look at. Technically, we sort of snuck in because we had no ticket. We didn't know we needed one, because no one was at the door. We found out later.
Ready for Lift Off
At the space part, they had rides, games, and an IMAX 3D. Day 1was fun, but Day 2 was better. We went on a moonwalk, did MMU (manned maneuvering unit), and went to the IMAX theater to see what the Hubble Space Telescope has seen. The MMU is a machine that spins you around and upside down.
Also on Day 2, we had a simulated space mission. We had four problems. Well, we failed, technically. First, the space station burned up in the atmosphere. Second, the orbiter shuttle ran over the fake cameraman. Third, we had to pay fake funeral costs for the cameraman. Finally, our crew forgot to deploy the landing gear until after we stopped on the ground. Day 3, the last day, was the graduation ceremony. I received wings and a pin. We also played space jeopardy and our team won. Our team was called Antares, like the star. So, that was my time at Space Camp.
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 11
Day-To-Day
What a regular day is like.
By Goanou 18, St. Paul, MN ........................ “Get out of bed and pack all your clothes!” were the very first words my dad hollered. “I’m so sick and tired of always having to do everything in this house. I don’t have the time to be cleaning and packing your stuff while you’re sleeping all day and going out all night!”
Well Dad... Correction, I do not sleep all day, nor do I go out all night. And for crying out loud, did you have to tell me this at two in the morning? I was sleeping for goodness sake.
I’m a senior in high school now and I’m going through the entire college application and scholarship fiasco. My parents just bought a house not too long ago and have been going crazy for the past week. I’m stressing on a daily basis, not only because of them, but because of all these essays I have to write and writing essays equals an unhappy Gaonou. Anyway, after my dad said that, I got up. Picked up my clothes for a little bit and then laid on my bed. I thought about homework and I thought about life. I tried going back to sleep, but my mind just raced and my stress level peaked.
Ugh, my college applications aren’t complete yet because my counselor forgot to upload my paperwork. Oh great, I haven’t practiced my viola for about five days and the auditions for the Music Scholarship application is due in a month. I have like a bazillion essays to write and I haven’t even started on them yet. Wow, life rocks. After rolling around in bed for a while I finally decided that I was wasting my time trying to sleep. I needed a way to release my stress so I got up again to practice my viola.
As I walked through the kitchen I noticed my dad cooking something for my mom and that was when it hit me: As annoying as my parents may be and as much as they yell at me for no reason, they only want what’s best for me. Right now I may be taking things for granted, but some day I’ll learn to appreciate them for all the things that they have and still are doing for me. I love my parents with all my heart, and that’s that. Tell us what your day is like! Submit your Day-to-Day article to us through our InBox at TheBunkRoom.com. About 200 to 300 words.
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Suduko!!! Easy
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Crossword Craze!!!
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4. What you wish for people 5. Emerald color 6. Leafy vegetable 8. Patrick drove them out of Ireland
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March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 13
School in the
Real Outdoors By Miguel 16, Coral Gables, FL
Sparks flew as I pounded on the red hot iron. I held the metal I was working on tightly, the heat from the rebar burning into my hand. It took a lot of self-control not to drop the bent piece of metal. I was trying to make a knife at The Forge, an outdoor building located under a small crafts shed, set deep in the campus of The Outdoor Academy. The Outdoor Academy is a semester program run by Eagle’s Nest Foundation where mostly tenth graders live and study for four months in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina. It is a small school located on a huge campus. My semester (Semester 33) had nineteen students. Eleven of them were girls and eight of them were boys. The awkward stage that plagues recently introduced teenagers melted away in a matter of days. One day after being dropped off, the student body was split into three groups. Given supplies and food, we were immediately sent off to go on a three day hike. This is only a warm-up for the nine-day trek that would happen somewhere
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around the middle of the semester. Within the first month of the semester, the group also goes on a white water canoeing trip and a rock climbing trip, each lasting the span of a three-day weekend. Towards the end of the semester we went caving and bouldering. The semi-final day of the semester is spent on a solo; an entire day and night dedicated to being alone in the woods. One of the main focuses of The Outdoor Academy is community, something that is not difficult to achieve in the school’s environment. From the onset, The Outdoor Academy introduces Work Crew to encourage a sense of belonging. Work Crew is a weekly community service activity performed on campus. Every week students and staff do some kind of physical work around campus, ranging from activities like planting a tree, chopping wood for our wood stoves, or recycling. The academics are also exceptionally amazing. My classes were math, environmental seminar, English, Spanish and science. My two electives throughout the semester were blacksmithing and string-band. The classes are like nothing you have ever experienced before.
Real Life Challenges These classes consist of having fun while learning, unlike a school environment which consists of seat-work and rote memorization. In science, for example, instead of looking at a textbook we would run around outside in the woods and observe the natural world directly. Once, in English, we wandered through the woods blindfolded, discovering our surroundings using senses other than sight. In environmental seminar we would spend the entire class period discussing topics such as ethical environmental dilemmas and renewable resources. All of our food was local and delicious. Many of the vegetables and fruits we ate came from our own garden. Sustainable agriculture was practiced. We composted
everything that we could for the garden. The students would often participate in the kitchen by making soups, salads and baking breads. I would go back to The Outdoor Academy again if I could, but I cannot. What I can do is apply all that I have learned there at home, with my family, friends and community. The Outdoor Academy was an experience that I will never forget. For more information about The Outdoor Academy, go to  enf.org/outdoor_academy
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 15
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Check out
See how Axell and Cool Cooper on page 3! Isaac from Holmen, WI celebrated Dress Up Your Pet day on page 3!
TRIVIA
4
First right answer wins 10 FREE Super Cool Bunk Room Pencils!
Name the city in the world that resides at the lowest sea level. Tell us the level.
5
11
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TRIVIA
Plant A Flower Day
12
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18
First right answer wins 10 FREE Super Cool Bunk Room Pencils!
25
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How many sharps are in the G major scale?
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Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
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Ear Muff Day
26
International Earth Day
13
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Look WhatÍs Happening!
7
National Potato Chip Day
14
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20
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National “Joe” Day
National Crown Roast of Pork Day
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Email us your answer. trivia@thebunkroom.com
Waffle Day
6
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Email us your answer. trivia@thebunkroom.com
Johnny Appleseed Day
Dentist’s Day
Fragrance Day
21
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27
Something On A Stick Day
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March
28
THURSDAY Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day
FRIDAY
1
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Popcorn Lover’s Day
8
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Everything You Think Is Wrong Day
15
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National Goof Off Day
22
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Smoke And Mirrors Day
29
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Old Stuff Day
SATURDAY
2
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Panic Day
9
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Everything You Do Is Right Day
16
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National Chip and Dip Day
23
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Take A Walk In The Park Day
30
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Peach Blossom Day
3
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Middle Name Pride Day
10
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Saint Patrick’s Day
17
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National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day
24
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National Clam On The Half Shell Day
31
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The Thrill of the Hunt By Jacob 14, Onalaska, WI I have developed a great love for hunting due to my dad raising me in the outdoors. From a very young age, my dad has taken me out hunting and fishing. When I was 10 years old, I got my Hunter Safety license and soon after my dad had me booked for a New Mexico mule deer youth hunt. This was the first animal of my hunting career. Since then, I have hunted several animals in various locations. Christmas 2009, I received my first cougar hunt. This hunt was purchased through Two Dog Hunting Outfitters. We left for this hunt the week after Christmas. When we arrived in Utah, I met my guide Josh Horrocks. The guide is the person that knows the area and the animal well. He helps you get your animal. The first thing we did was ride the snowmobiles all morning into the mountains to find our cougar. Soon after we got into our grounds we found tracks. We released the hounds and began our hunt. When you hunt a cougar, you use hunting dogs specially bred to chase the cats. These dogs wear collars that show where they are on a GPS tracking device the guide keeps. After two full days of hunting, we had the
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Grrr cougar treed. The dogs will chase the cougar so long that they will climb a tree to rest and the dogs surround the tree to keep it there. The entire time they bark and try to get at the cat. When we got to the tree I had to shoot my cougar in the neck with a pistol. I was supposed to be using my bow, but it was too rough of country to carry it. The cat jumped out of the tree and bailed off a 200 foot cliff. It landed and kept on running, I never saw it again. It was disappointing, but that is a part of hunting that can't be avoided. One year later, again at Christmas, I received my second chance to get my cougar. It was with the same outfitter and guide. We left Christmas night and began hunting two days later. At 5 am. on the first day, we found fresh tracks. We released the hounds and chased the cougar until 5 p.m. It was finally treed just before dark. We literally ran down the mountain to reach the cougar in time. We got to the tree minutes before dark, I used my .357 pistol, and dropped the cougar there. There is nothing like the thrill of successfully ending your hunt. To capture the memory of this second chance hunt, we had the cougar hide mounted at Pederson's Big Game Taxidermy. It now hangs on the wall in our living room. Thank God for second chances.
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 19
The World Is Mine ..........................................
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I want to travel the world I am not afraid to take the chance My mind is clear and I now see what really matters in life
Da By As niel tat a 1 ula 5, ,F L
I see the big picture that was once blocked by so many small details I feel fearless to take the risk I give thanks to God because I know that I am fully blessed and lucky My heart is filled with the same eagerness that encloses hands that hold a million dollars I am flying high up in the sky I look below my feet and realize the world is mine I am a winner in my mind because I have conquered the meaning of life I’ve found my purpose and I am ready to share it with those who surround me Should I care less what is in the mind of my neighbor I am floating on a hot air balloon and I am not coming down My heart is pounding ready to explode with excitement and joy I believe that the world is mine
Spring Air A breath of fresh air M Jul By ou ia Is like spring in a meadow nt 1 Do 1, r a, For here I lie FL Within the white petal daisies
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YO U R S O U R C E F O R C O M P L E T E
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Which makes me feel a little lazy Just to sleep for a moment or two Amongst the stems all curlycue
Do you think you’re the next Maya Angelou? We’d like to see it! Submit your poems through our InBox at TheBunkRoom.com.
20 | TheBunkRoom.com | March 2012
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608.498.4474
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March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 21
By Maria Chester 18, Eustis, FL Bunk Roomie A-Team Writer Peace . . . the elusive quality that humanity has sought for so long. What is true peace and how can we find it? Can it even be achieved? Read on to find how one woman’s quest for peace led her on a 2,500 mile trek of the United States of America.
et Trail, m o C e v l Si GA Atlanta,
Cassandra Curley of Winter Springs, FL, finished the last leg of her groundbreaking journey to promote peace on January 21, nearly a year after beginning the arduous task. Walking 50 miles in each of the 50 states in 50 weeks just in time for her 50th birthday, Curley raised global awareness for unity while simultaneously promoting her book, From Fear to Eternity: A Path to Peace.
Armed with her “Supershake,” a delicious high protein concoction of her own making, and 4 pairs of sneakers she made her way across America. Rather than dealing with the smog, fumes, and traffic of big cities, she was able to take advantage of one of our country’s most precious resources . . . the National Trail System. She enjoyed the company and support of many wonderful people and experienced some of the most
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beautiful sights this country has to offer while helping communities around the country connect.
On one unexpected detour she even got to go to Metropolis, IL, the home of everyone’s favorite hero, Superman!
Can you guess?
Most of the time the weather was ideal, she only got snowed on once! Much of that was due to good fortune and good planning. She started walking in the southern states during the winter, where it was relatively warm and worked her way into the northern states, (like Alaska) during the summer. “I was following the good weather.” Curley said.
Now that Cassandra has completed her trip, she plans on returning to her business, continuing her work with Walk a Mile in Their Shoes (an organization she co-founded which provides aid to children aging out of the foster care system), and to carry on in her goal for peace. “I plan on using the trip as a platform to continue to promote peace and to write a book about the journey.” said Curley.
I am walking 50 miles in all 50 states in 50 weeks to remind listeners and readers that we have forgotten our true nature of Peace. As a messenger of Peace, my goal is to bring awareness to those open to seeing the World in a New and Unified way. -Cassandra Curley before embarking on her 50-50-50 walk. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
One of the most challenging aspects of the journey was getting the support needed to make it possible. As a licensed massage therapist she was unable to work during the time she was traveling, but thanks to the generous support of citizens across the nation her needs were met.
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 23
For less than the cost of a pizza dinner, you can feed a child for a month. The Bunk Room is proudly partnered with an international corporation in an awardwinning effort to end world hunger. Since 2003, over
200 million meals
have been provided to children throughout the world, including the United States.
Every 6 seconds a child dies of starvation. Help us help feed the children. For less than the cost of dinner out with your family, you can join The Bunk Room in being part of this world-wide effort to end childhood hunger. Help others. Help yourself. By participating in the social entrepreneur program of Nourish The Children, you not only help stomp out world hunger, you also help fund your own local cause. Learn how helping feed children worldwide can help your family and your community as well. For more information, call The Bunk Room at 352-383-1456. Or email publisher@thebunkroom.com
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Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 25
The Vacation That Cost Me $120! rOAd tR Ip By Nathaniel 14, La Crosse, WI
My family recently went on "Road Trip" across the country! We started our adventure by driving 12 hours from La Crosse, WI to Nashville, TN. While we were there we ate lunch at the Wild Horse Saloon. The Wild Horse Saloon is a very famous place in Nashville where many country singers come and perform. My dad and I played air hockey and pool together. When we left the saloon we went to Nashville Cowboy and got cowboy boots. One pair for each of us. My boots are brown Harley Davidson riding boots with silver skulls on them! After the boot store we went to the Grand Ole Opry. When we got there we were disappointed (my family was, me not so much) because it was closed.
Ki d s ! Sh adve are yo u r ntur e!
Sen adve d us you nture r trav !S el InBoxubmit at t TheB he a t 200-4 unkRoom .com 00 w pictu ords. Se nd res to o!
After leaving Nashville we stopped in Lynchburg, TN to visit the Jack Daniels Distillery. I don't drink whiskey so I didn't think it would be very interesting, but I was wrong. I learned a lot of amazing things. One interesting fact is that the county where Jack Daniels is made is a "Dry" county. They cannot sell the whiskey they make there because it is against the rules. After the tour, we continued driving until we reached Orlando, FL.
I was really excited to go to Orlando because I got to spend two days at Universal Studios. One of the highlights at Isle of Adventures was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It really felt like I got to be part of Harry Potter's World plus I was able to drink Butter Beer. It tasted like butterscotch candy, Mmm it was good! We also had the pleasure of meeting the Slaby Family. They are the creators of The Bunk Room magazine. I had a great time meeting Margo, Erik, Benj, Annika and Mr. & Mrs. Slaby. After Orlando, we drove to Melbourne Beach, FL on the Atlantic coast. It was January and instead of snow and misery, we had 80 degree weather. We spent the day swimming in the ocean. I was able to collect seashells and a lot of sand in my shorts. This is the part of the trip that cost me $120.00. After we were done for the day, I remembered that I left my tennis shoes in the changing room. I went back to get them but they were gone. The people who took my tennis shoes were nice enough to leave me my socks and only steal my $120 shoes. Luckily my dad had just bought me boots in Nashville so I did have shoes to wear. Needless to say, it was the down point of my trip, but like all of the other experiences, I have learned a lesson. Next, we headed to St. Augustine, FL. St. Augustine is the oldest city in America and it’s where Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth is located. We got to drink from the fountain. The water tasted awful. After St. Augustine we drove to Charleston, SC. We met up with my grandma and spent the day at Patriot's Point. It’s a national Naval and Maritime Museum and Park. We toured an aircraft carrier, the "Yorktown" and a US Naval submarine. It was awesome. I was so moved that I want to be just like my grandfather, my dad, my mom, my aunt and my uncle and carry on the family tradition and join the US Navy.
Want to sponsor this page? All proceeds go toward The Bunk Room Apprenticeship Program. Call 352-383-1456 or email publisher@thebunkroom.com.
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We then headed home on a very long trip. Going home always seems longer than going on vacation. I have many fond memories of our trip.
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 27
Future Life
As an ongoing feature, we invite kids to tell us what their Future Life looks like. Submit articles to our InBox at TheBunkRoom.com 200-400 words.
By Anna 10, Sorrento, FL Bunk Roomie Writer In my future I would like to get married to a nice man who likes animals so that we can have a yorkie poo. I would also like a horse of my own. I have always loved horses. I would like to have kids, but I do not know how many I would like to have. I would go on a lot of bike rides with my kids when they are older. We will be a healthy family. We will live in Florida and they will be homeschooled. We will have passes for Disney so we can go a lot. I will teach them how to read so that they will be bookworms like me. My dream job is to be an actress. That is what I would like my future to be like.
World Record Butterflies! By Madison 12, Sorrento, FL Bunk Roomie Writer I recently became one of 245 people who broke a world record. I was shaking, my stomach was full of butterflies and my head was racing as the line started to move and get closer to the area where we would potentially break a world record. Myself, nine of my friends from ballet, plus 236 other people had to stand “en pointe” for only a minute, but for some reason, I was really nervous. The group was made up of some dancers that had performed earlier that day, some parents, some random people who had been there to see the performers and some teachers. The crazy thing was, there were even some guys since we needed more people. Everybody was separated into lines so that the judges, who were walking around making sure everybody stayed up en pointe, could see better. We weren't allowed to hold onto anything or anyone, but for me that wasn't hard. We stood up en pointe and went through a series of things. It was very simple.
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All we had to do was stand in Sous-sus and put our right shoulder forward, then face front, then put our left shoulder forward and face front again. We repeated this for a minute. If anyone went down from pointe, we would have to do it all over again until we got it right. I was silently praying, "God please don't let me be the one who causes us to have to do it again!" It turned out that no one went down, because we didn't have to do it again. We broke the world record the first time we tried! I don't know why, but for some reason I wanted to do it again!
March 2012 | TheBunkRoom.com | 29
The Bunk Roomies!
Slice-O-Life Stories
Join Us Behind The Scenes! Learn, Laugh, Do!
Barbara With The Quick Smile
Get a front-row seat behind-the-scenes of publishing. Learn more at TheBunkRoom.com Click on Bunk Roomies.
By Annika Slaby 12, Mount Dora, FL Bunk Roomie A-Team Writer
NEW
Barbara Miller, the neighborhood “Smiley Lady,” does many things in her life that bring her great happiness. Barbara is the oldest in her family. She has three bothers and one sister. Barbara lives and takes care of her dad, Lee, in Mount Dora, Florida. Barbara helps her dad by getting his food, getting him to bed and so on. She also has two kids that are all grown up and six grandchildren.
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Barbara has started exercising by taking walks with her sweet dog Suki. “I love being active,” she said.
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Barbara’s dog, Suki is smart. “Suki is like my clock. She knows what time it is for everything, every day. I plan my whole day around her.”
Barbara also does a lot of reading. “My room is full of books.” Barbara was a BIG reader as a kid. “Once my godmother suggested a book that is now my favorite. I fell in love with reading again.”
Bunk Roomie Fun!
Barbara loves to get out with her friends. Whether it is going to the movies or going to her favorite diner “Soups to Nut Diner,” she has endless fun. So, whether it’s walking the dog, taking care of her dad, or hanging out with her friends and family, Barbara has fun all the time and is not afraid to show it!
By Emma 12, Sorrento, FL Bunk Roomie Writer
I love being a Bunk Roomie because you learn new things. You learn fun stuff like how to interview people and how to write fun articles! I think writing for The Bunk Room has helped a lot with my writing skills. I work hard on my articles and then I get to see them in the magazine. I think it’s a really great experience to write for a magazine at such a young age. When I go to the meetings everyone is laughing and having fun. Everyone has someone to talk to. My favorite part of the meetings is spending time with old friends and meeting new ones. It’s nice to learn new stuff about people and things in your neighborhood or city. We also get a sneak peek of articles when everyone reads their articles out loud. I hope you come and join us!
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The Bunk Roomies take their first step into the reporting world by interviewing someone they know and turning it into an interesting article.
Habilis Boy
Habilis means “handyman” and dates back to the classification of early man, known as Homo habilis. That’s when man started using tools and became pretty handy around the house. We have our own resident Habilis man, in boy size: Benjamin.
Off Track With Camaro By Benjamin 14, Mount Dora, FL
Excerpt from Habilis Boy Blog. Restoring a ’77 VW Beetle.
Day 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Today I am getting a little bit off track by buying a 1996 Chevy Camaro. The reason I bought the Camaro is because I need to earn money to fund my bug builds. Sometimes it takes money to make money! I plan to fix up this Camaro and re-sell for a nice profit. The owner said the car needs a new transmission but otherwise the car is in sound shape.
Today I went to look at it with my sister Margo. The owner wasn't home but his mom was. She let us into the house. Her son was at work. We weren’t inside long, but long enough to want to get outside. There were motorcycles in the living room and the kitchen sink was connected to a dish washer. That was new to me! The house smelled real bad too . . . READ MORE at TheBunkRoom.com Click on Habilis Boy.
Scan Me With Your Smart Phone and watch Benjʼs latest video.
Keep up with Benjamin’s blog. Go to thebunkroom.com and click on Habilis Boy.
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Mention this Bunk Room ad and receive a special discount!
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Culinary ACADEMY Level I: The Basics grades 6-8 july 16-18
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ABC
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ABC’s of Conservative Investing An Educational Course for those ages 50 and up
Thursday and Saturday Classes Starting Soon
What You Will Learn Through This Course
Call 608-406-2188 to find out a class schedule today!
• The three aspects of a financial decision • The Six Wall Street Myths
Location
Viterbo University 900 Viterbo Drive La Crosse, WI 54601
Tuition
Tuition is $39, spouses may attend for no cost. An additional book and workbook for your spouse may be purchased for $19.
Call 608-406-2188 today!
• How to determine your personal risk tolerance • How to develop a retirement budget • How to develop your ABC Investment Profile • The Three Rules for Fixed Principal Assets • How to develop an income plan for your retirement • What questions to ask a potential advisor