TO THE
2000-2001 SCHOOL YEAR

My middle name
Amazing at math
The nice kid
Terrific at soccer
He is good at baseball
Excellent at drawing
Winner at everything

Excellent
Lovely
Independent
Zesty
Awesome
Beautiful
Eyes are hazel
The best girl
Helpful

Dylan's friend
Excellent at football
Radical at math
Excellent at baseball
Kind

Happy is my favorite feeling
Excellent at math
Absolutely great
Terrific at talking
Hurricane I was in
Europe is my favorite continent
Radical I am

Special person.
Agreat person.
Marvelous me.
School, I like.
Olive-lover
Nice kid.

Birthday was September 18.
I think softball is cool.
A clever girl.
Nice girl
Cool girl
An intelligent girl

Super at art
Amazing at cheering
Marvelous at sketching
Amazing at farming
Not too good at softball
The best at being me.
Happy in my room.
Awesome at loving my family

Smart
Excellent at math
Eggs are my favorite
Marvelous
A good person

Molly is my friend
I am a good person
Can ice skate
A nice girl
Has a cat

A great person
Likes to play with her best friends
Incredible
Could run fast at track at long distances
Excellent

Nice
I'm an excellent goalie
Cool
Happy
Oatmeal is my favorite
Loving
An egg is my favorite
Smart

A nice person
Nice
Does like to play Pok'emon
Really likes playing
Excellent at Pok'emon
Went to Disney World

Nice
I like school
Tall
Your friend
A lucky person

Animals I like.
Love my sister.
Is good at sports.
Sports I like.
Happy I am.
Apples I like.

Derek's friend
Your friend
Likes to play with friends
A great friend
Nice

Super smart
The best at math
Excellent
Pennsylvania is where I camp
Has a great brother
A craft-master
Nice
Interesting
Excellent singer

Math wizard
A good guy
The best
The coolest
Has a dog
Eats fast
Won a hat

Jello is good
Young
Octopus lover
The best girl
Has been to Disney World
Intelligent

HALLOWEEN HAIKUS

COUPLETS

Jyothi and Demetra

She is interested in science the most.
I'm really freaked out with a ghost.

She is good at getting excellent grades at school.
I am a little good at swimming in a pool.

She is fascinated with astronomy a lot.
I am not interested in grammar taught.

However, we both are great at math.
And we both like to have a bubble bath.

Heather and Micah

She is as cute as a little bunny.
I am nice and really funny.

She is pretty with her blonde hair.
I am cute with my little stuff bear.

She is beautiful with her blue eyes.
I am very cranky when I say "Hi".

However, we both are very cute.
And we both truly like fruit.

Seema and Alice

I am very smart and really nice.
She is very scared of mice.

I am friendly, good, and funny.
She is a person who likes money.

I am a girl who likes to eat.
She is a person who enjoys meat.

However, we both are fun.
And we both like to play in the sun.

Bianca and Nicholas

He is very cool and very funny.
I am very fast like a bunny.

He is a good student in his classes.
I am very smart and wear glasses.

He is a hockey and soccer player.
I am a person who wears lots of layers.

However, we both like to play in the snow.
And we both know how to sew.

Dylan and Samson

He is nice, truthful, and very tall.
I am clever, smart, and extremely small.

He is funny, has a Chinese religion and is a best friend.
I am crazy, a gameboy lover, and when I run-I never end.

He is a cereal eater and likes Smores.
I am a person that lost two teeth and get air galore.

However, we both are friends.
And we both know our friendship will never end.

Nitya and Alisha

She is very nice to me.
I am fond of ice tea.

She is extremely smart and cute.
I am a fan of the flute.

She is a great friend!
I am good at blends.

However, we both are fun!
And we both like the sun!

Derek and Andrew

He is a good catcher at baseball.
I am happy when I get toys at the mall.

He is a friend who has a mind.
I am weak but am very kind.

He is a person who likes eating apple cores.
I am a person who doesn't like closing doors.

However, our personalities are the same.
And we both like a good game.

Samantha and Lucille

She is nice, kind, and very sweet.
I like that because I love sweet meat.

She loves to see those little smiles.
I could even here her giggle for miles.

I am happy when she is funny.
She is like an overgrown black and white bunny.

However, we both like to dance.
And we both like to hop and prance.

Matthew and Jay

He is a person who is great at math.
I am good at making a path.

He is a good student in school.
I am a student who didn't break a rule.

He is a smart kid at home.
I am a person who doesn't use a comb.

However, we both are good at things.
And we both feel like kings.

Beth and Stephanie

She is always very kind to me.
I am very fond of TV.

She is cute and has pretty brown hair.
I am in love with eating a pear.

She is considerate, smart, and is filled with love.
I am certainly not into bugs.

However, we both are really good friends.
And we both are awesome at back bends.

STORIES

LIFE EXPERIENCES

India is fun to go to. I like to go to India because my grandparents live there. I like to go on the horse carriage. Autos, which are taxis, take you slowly everywhere. In conclusion, I think you should take a trip to India.
One time, when I went to India, I saw the zoo. It has all the animals: lions, giraffes, zebras, monkeys, and birds. There are cars that take you around the place. My cousins and I went on this steep slide that leads into mud. We went on it at least two times and got dirty. There was also a roller coaster for people my age and younger. It was a small ride but went around it a few times.
My cousin from Virginia, Renu, is younger than me. She is a funny person. At the zoo, she was feeding the monkeys some bread. I wanted to give them some food too. However, I wanted to go on the slide instead.
I can't wait until I go back this July!

By Seema

Hawaii is a beautiful tropical island in the Pacific. It is pretty because there are many special things and places. I also think Hawaii is lovely because they have a different culture from others. There are beaches, palm trees, ranches, and volcanoes. That is why I enjoy the scenery.
Last year, I went to Hawaii during the summer. So my parents, sister, and I went to Waikiki Beach. This place is crowded because there is nice water and fish. That day the water was cold. It was kind of boring at first because there was nobody to play with. Then an idea came to me. My boogie board was nearby. I was able to ride a giant wave towards the shore until I fell off. I got a huge cut when I scraped my elbow on the sand. The bleeding stopped when my mom gave me a band-aid. The boogie boarding continued until I heard an ice cream man driving by on the road. My mom gave me money to buy some ice cream.
Afterwards, my family took a cruise over to Molokai Island. There is horseback riding, biking, gliding, and a triathlon. We went swimming in the ocean. We saw and touched a couple of dolphines and manta rays. Our souvenir shopping included: a CD, postcards, and a hat.
We will be going back during the holidays with a friend!

by Matthew

I think Illinois is a very hot place! You need to bring an umbrella to block out the sun. The weather feels like a fireball! Swimming and ice cream become very useful. If you go to Illinois, you will roast!

My Uncle Michael lives in this northern state. He is a tall, strong, and nice person. He works for the Navy. About two years ago, my grandmother, mother, and I went out to visit him.

At the building, where my uncle works, I saw through a window a bunch of people exercising. They were doing pushups, sit-ups, and climbing ropes. My uncle was in a different group. He had to wear strange glasses because of the rule: No Contacts Allowed! I witnessed his friend Davis (He had weird glasses too!) in the same group. Davis was very nice to me.

My grandmother, Mom, Davis, Michael, and I then went to McDonalds. I had chicken nuggets and a root beer.

I wore my legs out walking and standing in a museum we went to. It was a place full of pictures of people in the Navy

I thought Illinois was fun and was glad to see my uncle.

by Heather

The National Museum of History is an educational place to travel to. It's a wonderful place for learning things that happened a long time ago. You can read about dinosaurs, money, or Native Americans. There are many interesting things to do. In conclusion, I think you should go visit this place.

Last summer, I went to the National Museum of History with my friend David. At first, it was boring waiting in a long line for tickets. However, after I saw everything at the museum, it got very appealing.

My dad was telling us all about the exhibits. He was telling us how the tribes made their weapons. Dad also described how early Asian people used shells as money. However, he wasn't with us when David, Mom, and I saw the dinosaurs.

After we finished, we got back in our car. David and I ate some lunch. I remember a water fountain near the entrance of the museum. It was a spectacular sight! After eating, we dropped David off at his house and went home. We made it home at 6:00. It was late enough to have another meal!

This story I just told you happened after I finished second grade. The museum was a great place to visit. I even had a picture of my mom and I standing in front of the museum's entrance!

by Samson

Helen's house is a very nice place to visit. It is little but comforting. I feel that way because it is peaceful and quiet. This home is like a tiny cottage. You can see lots of deer and rabbits there. Now do you believe me?

One day, we had burning weather. Helen, who is my cousin, was right outside getting ready to plant flowers. My brother and I came down our hill to see her. I said to Helen, "Can we help?" She answered,"Yes!"

After thanking her, we started to plant some pansies. My cousin wanted to remove two big bushes from the middle of the garden. They were taking too much room for the flowers. Then we dug and dug. All of us were sweating so much. I tried very hard to get them out. Finally, the shrubs came out! They were planted into a different garden.

All three of us went inside to get some ice cream. We had firsts and seconds of chocolate and mint chocolate ice cream. Yum! Yum! Then we went back to work. The planting had to be done.

I enjoy helping my elder cousin with housework. Therefore, I like going to her house!

by Samantha

India is fun to go to. I like visiting this country because my grandparents live there. Horse carriages are exciting to ride. India has awesome homes. In conclusion, I think you should take a vacation to this place.

I went to a zoo in India. There I saw all the animals. There were giraffes, elephants, zebras, and tigers. Afterwards, my aunt and cousins had ice cream and soda. We were stuffed. All the people my age and younger went on a roller coaster at least two times. Next, my family went on a step slide that leads into mud. It was a dirty place to be.

My cousin was enjoying herself feeding the monkey. I really wanted to also give food to the monkey but I would rather be on the slide. I just kept going down into the mud. It was so much fun!!

by Seema

Vermont is the best place to go skiing. They never have any ice patches on the slopes. On the bottom of the slopes, there is a coffee shop. They have an awesome kids program. In all, you should go ski in Vermont.

In Vermont, I have a snowball fight every year. My cousins Hayley, Marc (the younger one), Ryan, Justin, another Justin, and I build a snow fort. The three older boys try to keep the wall up by adding ice and rocks. The rest of us practice throwing snowballs at a tree. Our hard snowballs are filled with ice. We make sure the field is clear before we toss them.

We usually stay at the same ski house each winter. It is made of logs and is bigger than them own house. There are plenty of rooms so that twelve people can stay there. There is a deck in the backyard. The winter warriors start our fight here. Our parents are standing on the ground. When the kids actually have their battle, we don't use ice because it can injure someone.

We call ourselves the "Rollens" and the parents name themselves the "Rockens". All of us chant before we start the snowball contest. "ROCKENS" "ROLLENS" "ROCKENS" "ROLLENS"!

Then we start. Both teams pitch snowballs from the deck down towards the ground. It's hard but we usually play one round. Afterwards, we take a five minute break. Then there is: a second round, twenty minute break, snack time, third round, five minute break, and the fourth round.

It's so fun! The Rollens usually win! Later on, everyone goes down our hill on sleds. We have fun! There is a snow party at the bottom of the hill. There is snow thrown at each other and all around.

We will have a snowball fight every year. On the second day, we also ski a lot. I love skiing, especially with Hayley and Marc. We have a wonderful time! I love Vermont!

by Stephanie

My mother is a pleasant person to be around. She says nice comments about my schoolwork and when I help her in the kitchen. I also like her because she gives me a donut or Taco Bell food when she gets home from work. Mom is usually patient when I do something wrong. My mother is fine!

About five years ago, my mom showed a video to my older cousin and my sister. Half of the movie was from the summertime. The other half was about my sister's birthday party. At the birthday party, my sister's friends were playing limbo. I enjoyed that part.

However, the part of the video about the summertime was annoying. In that part, I sand a preschool song. There was also dancing along with the Indian music. When I saw this part, I started giggling. My sister was jumping around. Every two minutes, my cousin would burst out laughing. I just sat there while everyone was enjoying the video.

After the video was over, everyone but my sister and I got tired. I was happy because they wouldn't be able to see another tape!

by Jyothi

STORIES

MAKE-BELIEVE

The Olympics were fun to watch on television. The gymnasts do awesome flips. I enjoy seeing all the divers. I especially like the costumes that they wore in the ceremonies. That's why I had my eyes glued to the screen.

Once, I was having fun being in the Olympics. I was a great athlete in gymnastics. The first event was the uneven bars. There were two bars with a space in the middle. In order to win first place, a person had to jump over and swing on both bars.

There were many lights and cameras in the arena. Thousands of people were cheering me on. I was wearing a red, white, and blue leotard because my team was from the United States. I was a bit nervous but still felt good. My routine was perfect! The audience absolutely loved me.

It turns out, the gold medal was mine. It was the best time of my life. I always tell friends about how much fun it was. I am planning on going back to the next Olympics and win another gold medal.

by Micah

I think the Olympics are cool! They are excellent because there is an awesome setting. The Olympics are in different place with different people. In conclusion, you should watch them.

There was a game between my team, the United States, and Brazil. Unfortunately, someone hurt himself after getting tripped. Our entire team had to kneel down because our coach told us to.

In the second half, we were winning easily. My coach decided to move me from goalie to a position in the middle of the field. One time I was able to pass the ball to my teammate. He was able to score with the pass. The score was now 7-0. For a while, the ball went back and forth. Each team was not able to score.

Then all of a sudden, Brazil was able to score when one of their players faked the goalie with a bicycle kick. A bicycle kick is when you flip backwards and kick the ball. It is a very hard thing to do in soccer.

After they finally scored, our goalie punted the ball to me. Then I passed it to another teammate in the middle. When he received it, Brendon dribbled towards the other team's net. With his left foot, he kicked the ball into the net.

The final score was 8-1. We beat the best soccer team in the world! The United States won the gold medal, which we took home. The gold medal is now hanging on my shelf.

by Nicholas

The Olympics is hard to win. There are lots of people competing with you. You have to practice as hard as you can. All athletes have to be strong. Therefore, try your best and you just might win a medal.

One day my friend, Nicole, mentioned to me,"Are you going to the Olympics?"
"What day does it start?" I said.
"It starts next month." She answered.
I stated, "I think I'm going to try it out for the first time."
Nicole said, "See you at the Olympics."

The Olympics were in New York. My parents drove me there in a car. I was happy because I had the chance to win a medal. My event was in the 800 meter run. I prepared for this by running against my cousin.

The stadium was filled with people staring at us. Stretching my legs was important. The shouting was loud! The track seemed so long! The official told the runners to stand at the starting line. He shot the gun into the air and the competitors ran. It was very depressing at first, cause I was in fifth place. I tried and tried to go a little faster. I still was behind the leaders. The good news was third place was now mine.

There was only a half a lap left. Finally, first place was coming closer to me. In first place was Nichole Blueflowers. She was from Australia. This woman was the fastest person there. However, I was able to pass her before the end of the race.

After the race was over, I went to the big stage to represent my country. There was the singing of the national anthem of Brazil. Everyone clapped. My cousin, who also ran, finished in third place. She was very happy I made it!

by Alice

The Olympics are cool. You could do any events that you are good at. The games there are easy to play. You could win some medals. That's why the Olympics are awesome!

John and I were on a team in the Olympics. We were playing soccer one day. The two of use were not doing that well. However, the team was still in the game. There was not a lot of time left in the game. All of a sudden, one of the players on the other team kicked the ball towards John, who is our goalie. It was a high kick into the corner, but my friend saved it. John then punted the ball to centerfield, away from the goal. One of my teammates tried to kick it, but missed. Six seconds were left on the clock. I got the ball and shot it into the net. Just then, time ran out. We won the game!!

The gold medal was ours!

by Jay

The Olympics is a very difficult sporting event to win the gold medal. There are many tough actions to carry out. There are many other people who are also trying to win. Another reason why is it hard to win is because it happens so fast! In conclusion, not many competitors own a gold medal.

At the Olympics, I was on a volleyball team. I enjoy hitting the ball over the net. Also, there is a lot of movement. The United States girls' teams had 10 players. There were: Katelyn, Jennifer, Heather, Emily, Stephanie, Gabrielle, Nicola, Nitya, Seema, and myself. Our team was very good. We won most of our games.

In the championship game, the U.S. played China. There were thousands of fans at the court. They wanted to see us finally beat the Chinese. The other team served first and was able to get the lead. However, we played a lot harder and came back. On the last point, Heather passed the ball nicely to me. I was able to spik the ball for our 15th point.

Our team jumped up. They cheered loudly. The celebration turned into a party. We won the gold medal! Afterwards, we went to a store to have some ice cream.

The Olympics was a pleasure to be at!

by Beth

Baseball is a healthy sport. A player has to run when he goes around the bases and to chase a ball. Throwing the ball gives you strong and flexible are muscles. Catching and hitting needs good eyesight. In conclusion, you should go try.

Now, I will tell you about my Olympic experience...

The United States baseball team has very good players. It has won the most gold medals. I was the starting catcher on this team. My strengths were hitting homeruns, blocking balls that are thrown into the dirt, and catching foul balls. My weaknesses are running and sliding. I am important to the American crew.

We were in the championship game. Our opponent was Japan. They were just as good. Louis Macalson, our starting pitcher, had three strikeouts in the first inning. So things started off well. It was our turn to bat. Michael Mays, the centerfielder, hit a three-run homerun. The crowd was booing because we were playing in Korea, which is next to Japan. It was my turn to bat. The pitcher did not feel too good! The manager went to talk to him to see if everything was o.k. I ended up hitting the ball to the second baseman who made an error bobbling the ball.

Later on in the seventh inning, the score was 3-2. A new pitcher was in the game for our team. Zachary Thomas allowed a homerun to tie the game. Then Zachary struck out two batters to end the inning.

The bottom of the ninth inning, I was up again. Japan was now ahead 5-4. There were three players on base. The Japanese pticher threw a curve ball. I smacked it into left centerfield. The fielder was not able to catch it and it got by him. I was able to score the winning run. Our team was happy for me!

The United States Team earned the gold medal for baseball.

by Derek

ESSAY CONTEST (Why I Love Montville)

The activities in Montville are great. When you play and lose you still have a good time. Every person is a good sport. We have soccer, basketball, swimming, and tennis. Therefore, put yourself in one of these fun events.
The houses here are very beautiful. These big houses have many different colors. The rooms are large and creative. See, they are a pretty sight.
Montville has a pretty neighborhood. There are colorful flowers in the parks. People decorate their houses and trees nicely during the holidays. The grass is green and always cut. All in all, it is absolutely lovely.
by Nitya

Our stores provide much for the town. The clothing stores never runs out of good things to wear. Barbers here always cut the hair the way you want. There are food stores that are always open. That's why you should go to stores in Montville.
The people in this town are kind. They say polite words. Nobody ever starts a fight with anyone. People are nice to the wildlife. Therefore, you can make good friends with people here.
The schools in Montville teach good things. The teachers provide kids a good education. They try to tell us to follow the rules. They teach us Math, English, Science, and Social Studies. Wouldn't you like to go to this school?
by Samson

The schools in Montville are really fun! The nice teachers help you with work you don't know. They have lots of nice kids! The teachers have the best projects and experiments! That's why you should go to a school in Montville.
Montville has the best activities! You'll have something to do everyday! You won't get bored when running in track or taking painting classes. You learn a lot in girl scouts. Therefore, sign up for an activity!
Montville is a very quiet town. You could easily sleep at night. It is simple to concentrate on your school work. You don't hear cars beeping, car alarms, or sirens. I think you should move to Montville>
by Alice

My friends in Montville are good to me. They play with me a lot. We talk at lunch. They're funny and we laugh and laugh. That's why people in Montville are nice.
In Montville they have a lot of activities to do. You could ride bikes. Or try a new sport like soccer, baseball, football, or hockey. There is plenty of space to jumprope and play tag. In all, Montville is filled with action.
In Montville, they have lots of animals to see. They have clean habitats. They also have lots of food to eat. Most of them are very healthy. That's why you should go look at our wildlife.
by Jay

TERSE VERSES

1. Samantha asks, "What kind of mystery do you find where you dig up gold?"
2. Heather asks, "What do you get when you cross someone scary with sunglasses?"
3. Alice asks, "What is a rude color?"
4. Derek asks, "What is a percussion instrument that buzzes called?"
5. Jay asks, "What is a rolling round thing that is eaten called?"
6. Jay asks, "What kind of small, white animal makes people laugh?"
7. Jyothi asks, "What is a plant that messes up everything?"
8. Jay asks, "What are two content relatives called?"
9. Matthew asks, "What do rodents gamble with?"
10. Matthew asks, "What's something square and fun to play with?"
11. Seema asks, "What's part of your body that's on the beach?"
12. Derek asks, "Who is a grown-up that's cool?"
13. Samson asks, "What is a sailing animal called?"
14. Nicholas asks, "What amphibian likes to go out really early?"
15. Jyothi asks, "What is a simple machine that spreads out?"
16. Stephanie asks, "What is a yellow animal who's smart called?"
17. Dylan asks, "What do you call a trail of numbers?"
18. Douglas asks, "What is a tired animal called?"
19. Jay asks, "What is something unhappy that you write on?"
20. Douglas asks, "What machine has spots?"
21. Dylan asks, "Who is swimmer that wins a race called?"
22. Jyothi asks, "What is a dirty red liquid?"
23. Alice asks, "What is an awesome drop of saliva?"
24. Jyothi asks, "What is hurt water?"
25. Samantha asks, "What kind of bowl do you put old bullets in?"
26. Heather asks, "What do you get when you cross a baby with a person who is sneaky?"
27. Jyothia asks, "What stories have eyes?"
28. Alice asks, "What is a chubby, flying animal?"

ANSWERS TO TERSE VERSES: