Let's Make East The Best It Can Be! by SS

“What bugs you?” I was asked this summer. The first things that I thought of were stuff like; people who don't like chocolate, sunburns, the color orange. But the more I started thinking about it the deeper my thoughts got and I eventually made my way to bullying. Bullying was really common when I was little even though I didn't notice, kids would make fun of other people if their name was different or hard to pronounce, the kids would be made fun of if they liked different things, ate different foods at lunch, didn't have as many friends, they made fun of other people's height, and how much they weighed. At the time I didn't notice anything was wrong, but looking back at it now I wonder how we let that happen, why was that normal?

My younger sister Sonia (9) has a bone disorder called Osteogenesis Imperfecta (aa·stee·ow·jeh·nuh·suhs im·pr·fek·tuh) better known as O.I. or Brittle bone disorder. What O.I. basically does is make your bones more fragile than average so they break or fracture a lot more often and it usually results in short body structure. In simpler words: She's short.

And some days she’ll come home sad because someone on the bus pushed aside and said, “move kindergartener”. Or she’ll be really sad or grouchy at night-time because some older kids held the bathroom stall shut when she was trying to get out. At the time when kids around me were being bullied it seemed fine, like it wasn’t that important, it was just a joke. But now I see how much bullying impacts the person who is getting bullied.

Now in middle school bullying is a lot more straightforward and sometimes more physical; resulting in fights. People can obviously see that someone is being bullied or bothered by someone else. I have always tried my best to stand up for other people even in hard scenarios, and try not to make fun of other people even if I meant it as a joke.

But now I want to go farther, this fall I'm starting to work with my school to make a new anti-bullying club that will work on inviting guest speakers to talk about bullying at school, be a safe space for students to talk and be themselves, and the group will overall help make my school a better place that is comfortable and safe to all the future students who attend there including my sister. I've heard the saying “one person cannot change the world” but isn’t it one person who starts it all?

Ignore by RE

A tornado of feelings meant to be shared.

Scraping, pushing, against my heart.

Twisting in ways unimaginable to my mind.

Telling me to let it free.

I push it to the back of my mind and let it roam in the jail of my brain.

It breaks free and runs to my mouth and tries to force its way out.

I try to think of things to scare it away but fail just making it stronger.

I try to push it to the abyss of my mind but just add more feelings to it.

Now it only screams one word: Hate.

It runs around like a toddler that learned a new word screaming it: Hate. Hate. Hate.

I don't want to let the feelings go but I feel like I have to.

It pushes its way down to my stomach and jumps around like it's in a bounce house.

I tell myself it needs to be freed but I don't want to do it.

I have to let it free.

It's wreaking havoc everywhere.

No. I can't.

I try one last time to push it away.

I gather my strength to try and push it to the depths of my mind.

I succeed, but I fail to fully trap it.

I leave it roaming around and collecting new emotions letting it grow bigger and stronger.

I feel down, thinking I failed and I'm worthless or it's unstoppable.

That only encourages it more.

Now it's running around with more negative feelings screaming discouraging words.

Now the only thing in my head is: that I'm not good enough.

Because I'm not.

I'm just a kid who isn't strong enough or powerful enough or good enough.

This just encourages it more.

I know I can't let it get out of control but I think: What if I do?

I shake my head and tell myself to focus.

I lose focus when I hear it running around with new words.

I tell myself to ignore it and get rid of it.

So, I do.

I tune out and focus on the real world, not what it's doing,

I feel it shrinking smaller and smaller.

I realize all it wanted was attention.

I should have just ignored it.

Black Mamba Comes Back To Life! by AC

NBA L.A Lakers MVP, Kobe Bryant comes back to life!

Police have noticed a person in a black hoodie with a basketball is roaming around Los Angeles. Police try to catch him but later their ankles are gone and they are dead. 

Police and S.W.A.T members have noticed that the suspect is bald and has brown skin. Police have tried to shoot and even snipe him but he has such good reflexes that the bullets miss him.

Police officer Davis said, “If he is Kobe I will never shoot him. He should live a new life on his own. I don't know why people want to kill him.”

Police are not 100 percent sure if this is Kobe, but if he is, the Police will get a $45,000 fine and he will get to choose if he wants to go to the NBA. If he wants to play, he will automatically join the team he wants to play on. Also, the suspect has been wearing black Kobe sixes (new Kobe shoes) and purple and yellow pants., and wears a purple and yellow shirt underneath his sweatshirt.

Night in the Woods by AV

Alexa and her older brother decided to go on a walk in the woods at night because they were bored. Once they entered the woods, Alexa got scared and told her older brother to leave but he didn't listen to me. Alexa told him again but this time he said nothing but look. They would have never thought that we would have seen such a sight, a dead person.

Her brother said, "let's turn back!" We tried running back but got separated from each other and couldn't find the way back to our house. But after a couple minutes of searching Alexa heard a loud scream from behind me but before she could scream, she was yanked away by her brother who said to never look the creature in the eyes.

The moment you see his eyes your body becomes a part of the monster. My brother also said that that wasn't the only person he had killed. While trying to find the way home, he saw at least 50 others. 

"This creature has committed homicide, and we are his next targets. 

But suddenly they hear rustling, and we decide to stay still and not utter a word.

Couple minutes later, my brother accidentally falls out of their hiding spot and gets exposed to the creature. Alexa didn't look until the thing had left. Once the creature left, I looked down and saw him dead like the others. Alexa wanted to let all my tears out, but she couldn't, or the creature would know she's here.

Ten minutes later Alexa jumped down from the tree and saw her brother's body up close but when she looked a little closer at the body there was a message on the body that read, "I know where you are hiding. I see your every move. You can't hide.”

 Alexa instantly started crying because she was the next victim, and he knew where she was. She heard rustling behind her, and she looked the monster IN THE EYE and never forgot that moment the rest of her life.

*This story has been edited for appropriateness for a G-rated Website.

Anti-violence pill! by EP, RR, KP

Person 1:Introducing..the anti-violence pill! With this new technology, you can go from this: with a sports commentator voice; {person 2 about to smack person 3 over the head with a book, brings it down}; {Person 1 *turns to face Person 2 and Person 3, they freeze in place}

Person 1: NO. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. (cough cough) anyway- this:(points at chaos freezing in place, person 3 about to be hit in the head by a book) To this!

(person 3 and Person two trade books and shake hands, you can tell person 2 is upset that violence is no)

Person 3: now I don’t have to fear leaving the house! (person 2 creepy smile with a thumbs up facing the crowd, they look at each other smiling and continue to trade books and talk)

Person 1: symptoms may include, vomiting, diarrhea, being smothered by a strange man in your sleep, bloating of the intestines, a swollen head, allergic reaction may include death or a crippling fear of ducks. Do not take this pill if you are allergic to this pill. If emotional damage occurs, contact your local necromancer.

Person 3: oh look! a duck! (pointing at a random human in the audience)

Person 2: (runs out of the room screaming, VERY DISTRAUGHT)

Person 3: no wait!! I didn’t mean it! (running out behind person one

Person 1: (sighs deeply, pinching bridge of nose. Walks out of the room) behind them)

Person 1,2, and 3 stick there heads back into the door: the anti violence pill (SUNG)

All In Your Head by IS

Kat woke t0 a loud voice in her head. For a few moments she just sat in bed, refusing to open her eyes. She didn’t listen to what the voice was saying, but it sounded nothing like her own drowsy thoughts. She groaned, coving her face with her blanket. “Shut upp..” She muttered to the voice in her head.

The voice paused for a moment. “You can hear me?” The voice said slowly, in a much quieter tone of voice.

Kat was already falling back asleep, so the voice yelled out something else and woke her up again. She sat up grumply, finally giving in and forcing herself to get up. She yawned, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “What time is it..?” She muttered to herself as she glanced at the small black alarm clock by her bed, grabbing her small black-rimmed glasses. “4:32am” It read as the numbers came into focus.

“You’re finally awake.” The voice in her head grumbled, “took you long enough.”

“Who are you-?” Kat said out loud quietly, looking around her room for the source of the voice. “And why did you wake me up at 4:00 in the morning??”

The voice tutted, “I’m not in your room.”

Kat paused, she glanced over at her window before asking, “Then.. where are you? And how are you talking to me so clearly if you’re not in my room?” Her voice was skeptical.

The voice paused, “I actually don’t know where I am.” The voice said slowly. And Kat raised an eyebrow.

“Well.. who are you, then?” She asked slowly, fidgeting with some of her hair.

“Oh, my name is Phillip.” He replied.

Kat nodded a bit, “I’m Kattie, but you can call me Kat.” She said, still glancing around her room to try to find him. “And.. what do you mean by you.. ‘don’t know where you are?’”

Phillip went quiet for a few moments before replying, “I’m surrounded by darkness. Except for- well, it almost looks like a screen, but basically, I can see what you see, I’m pretty sure.”

Kat paused, “What?” She asked again slowly, thinking that she misheard him somehow. “So.. what you’re saying is that- you're in my head?” Kat said out loud, something clicking in her mind.“Huh.. maybe,” Phillip said slowly, “but.. how?”

HOW TO: Make A Hat by OB

1. Get the left corner of the paper and fold it so that it will touch the other side
2. Then cut the bottom that looks like a rectangle.
3. Then get the big triangle and open it up. Then make it face like a diamond with the fold going through.
4. Then fold it so that it will look like a plus sign in a diamond then open it up.
5. Then face it like a diamond again and take the top part and make it fold in the middle and do that to every single pointy part.
6. Then make it face like a square and flip it over so that it will look like an envelope then open up the big triangle then fold the small triangles in place of the big triangle then fold the big triangle so that you won’t see the little triangle then open it up.

Materials

1. A blank sheet of paper 8.5x11
2. scissors

20 Interview Questions by OB

What is the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?

What is your favorite sport? And why is that sport your favorite?

What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you?

Do you know anyone famous? If you do, who?

What is the best thing that has ever happened to you?

Have you ever been in charge of something super important? If you have, what were you in charge of?

What is the most important thing that happened to you?

What is the most painful thing you have ever experienced?

What is the saddest thing that happened to you?

What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?

Have you ever been trapped somewhere scary? If you were, where was it and how did you get trapped?

What is your favorite TV show? And why is it your favorite?

Have you ever been valedictorian?

What is your favorite book? And why is it your favorite?

Have you ever been to another state, country, or continent?

If you could have any superpower what would it be?

What is your favorite place in the world?

As a child what was the first thing you ever wanted to be?

If you couldn’t be a teacher what would you be?

What is your favorite food?

A Bad Person by AM

I’m a terrible human being and do you want to know why.
I love to slam the door on faces and never say hi.
It’s fun to be rude and say mean things from time to time.
My newest rude thing to do is to mix honey with lime.
People love to accuse me.
But do I care no I'm just a bad person that fills me with glee.
It’s important to also be nice sometimes
And if you can please say them in rhymes.

Flight Mayday by AC

THE FOLLOWING IS A WORK OF HISTORICAL FICTION. All incidents, and names are completely the creation of the author.

THIS IS FICTION!

On July 22, 1989, Qantas Airlines Flight 23-usl was flying from Perth to London flight was scheduled for 12:30 Am to 6:05 Pm (17 hr 35 min flight).The plane was a Boeing 747 (largest plane till 2007) 400 passengers 2 pilots, 1 backup engineer and 7 crew. The plane took off at 12:43 am… But at 4:53 am 3 engines busted due to too much gas. Both pilots and 7 crew did not notice. But one aircraft engineer noticed on his way to London for a project. But he had headphones on and there was no fire. The plane was slowly descending but 1 engine was still there.

Then at 20,000 feet pilots noticed and panicked but they put the plane on autopilot. But autopilot can only work with 3 or more engines working. Then the plane hit 10,000 feet now there was no going back. There was an airport in 15.76 miles but they would just barely make it at full speed. So they tried… and 3.63 miles away the plane had an instant descent at 5,247 feet to 2,569 feet. Then the plane…………… crashed into the control tower at the airport. Killing 753 people. And at that exact moment terrorists were raiding the control tower. The entire airport blew up 5 seconds later killing 45,624 people. There was 1 survivor on the plane Hudson Mcarthy nobody knew about the crash, so police didn't come for 16 days. Hudson had a ripped shirt and a broken leg, and he stayed hungry for 16 days. The only food he ate was 1 chicken leg. Then Hudson got taken to the ICU for 2 months. Then on August 16 1989, United Airlines Flight 3087 was flying from India to the United Kingdom. At 6:21 am the United Airlines flight had a visibility issue and landing gear issue. The plane was a Boeing 767. Then at 6:28 the plane…………… crashed directly into United Cross Hospital. Surprisingly there were only 6 survivors 4 Doctors 1 Nurse and Hudson Mcarthy. People were surprised that Hudson is still alive. Hudson needed to be taken home. He flew 25 years later on March 8 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370.

There were 227 passengers and 12 crew members. The plane lost radar and was flung into the south Indian ocean. No one survived. The search that is happening till this day.

Summer is something no one can beat by SS

The fresh summer sky is beautifully bright
Not a singular school bell heard around
The cheers and songs full of lots of delight
Oh my, oh my what a beautiful sound

The bright green trees sway in the shining sun
Everyone wants to be outside today
The kids run around having lots of fun
They don't want to go to school now,NO WAY!

Pool, beaches, parties and other fun things
With ice cream and lots other sweet treats
The fun never ends with friends on the swings
Summer is something that no one can beat

With hard work at school and lots of learning
Summer is something that we are earning

Personal Essay by CP

Six-and-a-half time out of ten, I'm watching cable tv and an R rated horror movie comes on as a commercial.

This should stop. Just imagine a 7-year-old kid is watching his favorite baseball team beat up on their rival. Then a commercial comes on. with a nice catchy tune about burgers...then out of nowhere a scary trailer comes.! The kid closes his eyes but not in time. This kid will have a hard time sleeping tonight just because of a minute-and-a-half of a horror commercial. This has to stop.

The scenario I described has happened to me a multitude of times in my 11 years of life. I know that there are plenty of people who like horror movies.

I have no problem with horror movie trailers on adult targeting programs and channels.

But do we really need them to be a trailer for a G rated movie at the movie theater? 

The answer's, "No."

But one thing that really bothers me about this is when a tv channel says it's playing “a family friendly program” and then five minutes, later whoop-de-do a horror movie trailer!

I'm not saying these things happen all the time, in fact in my area I think the number is going down, but we can make them go down more. People can keep watching horror movies and trailers, but if channels keep putting horror trailers on sites that young children watch, we might be giving children a hard time.

And that's not ok.

The Farmers Market by AM

When I was 5 years old my mother had been invited to her first Farmers market. If you don’t know what Farmers market is, it’s a group of small businesses that set up stands in our park. My mom has a small business Indian - Meal - Kit or IMK for short. I was so excited when we got there, I was going to help my mom sell her stuff! But like every other kid, I got distracted easily. While I was exploring the market I smelled something wonderful like a mix of pancakes, candle scents, rolled ice cream, and more! The fresh dew on the morning grass provided a fresh sensation which was also pleasing to look at. A little ways from our family’s stand was a food van, but instead of a window it came out as a staircase with toys, games, and ice cream. The van was called Kids Cavern and had a couple of adults watching over the kids there. I secretly scammed the lady saying I had two siblings getting two popsicles (my sister was at home)!

I was wandering around the far end of the market and I saw an old lady sitting on a bench alone. Well not completely alone, but with a bag of apples surrounded by squirrels? I asked her why she was sitting alone, and she told me she wasn't. She said she was feeding the future generation of pests. I asked why and she said “everyone has an important role to play in this community and mine is keeping these cute pests under control” she said in a playful tone.“But how do you figure out what your job in the community is?” I asked in wonder. “ You know when you find something you are good at.” “So you are good at feeding squirrels?” I said confused. “ Ha ha no, I just took the job no one wanted!”

I walked back to my mom’s stand and thought about what the old lady said. About being a part of our community, and what you could do to help. So that day I was my mom’s salesperson, that was going to be my job in the market. I loved to talk to people and didn't mind being said no to. By the end of the day we had sold all of our food and drinks! I told my parents what had happened earlier with the old lady, and they were proud I helped.

Breaking News by CP

“I'm Corren Jacobs with daily news. Scenes of terror in Rio today. When four, 15-story alpacas used the colossal Christ the Redeemer statue as a couch to watch 3 movies.

“The leading theory about the alpacas is that they came from Neptune on a mission to watch as many Adam Sandler movies as possible. Why is still unknown.

“When the alpacas arrived, they grabbed their 5-story flat screen and ran up to the statue. When they got to the statue, they proceeded to knock down the monument, place their flat screen on the ground and sit on the fallen statue and watch 3 Sandler movies.
“More on this subject later. Our next segment: kittens: Are they secretly trying to take over the government?

"The answer may surprise you,” said Corren Jacobs.

Sleeping by AM

I’m about to go to bed and I hear a little creak.
I wonder what it is then there's that sound again a small eek.
All these soft sounds are getting louder surrounding my head.
I wish my eardrums stopped working. I wish they were dead!

I think about the soft warm sand with cool waves on the beaches.
But suddenly I get surrounded with cold slimy leeches.
What about the lovely winter wonderland?
Global warming puts snow and winter in high demand!

I try to think happy so I may relax.
Suddenly my math teacher asks me for 10,000 math facts!
What about the calm peaceful nights full of rain.
The pressure of that builds itself into a gigantic hurricane!

Suddenly I woke up from my midnight distress.
Maybe tomorrow night the nightmares will be less.

Stirians by OB

Hi, my name is Christy but you can call me Chris. I live in a place far away from earth and we are called Stirians just like humans are called people. I was born in Polimpia which is in the country of Gardina. In Gardina I wouldn’t say we were human nor would I say we were creatures. I would say we were humans with powers so we thought that the humans would accept us in their world so we built something that would teleport us to earth but when we got there the humans acted like we were invisible and when we told them that we had special powers they just thought we were humans that do magic tricks. So they said to show them a magic trick but then we told them that we actually had powers but then they told us jokingly of course you can, now do one of your little magic tricks and we kept telling them we had real powers multiple but the humans eagerly wanted a magic trick so one of the humans pulled out a gun and said, “Do a magic trick and no one gets hurt.” At that time we didn’t know what gun was so we just stood still while people chanted magic tricks over and over again. Our country was a peaceful place but some Stirians would get mad a little too easily. So there was a girl named Lucy. She was small and in Gardina small Stirians were the most powerful. So when the crowd kept chanting she didn’t like the sound of them so she said, “STOP CHANTING.” And the crowd said she's just a little girl. What does she know? When she heard that she got furious and she had fire powers so she burned the nearest building which was a bank and that was the only bank that people put their money in in the village. When the people saw that all their money was gone they started shooting their guns immediately! Every single Stirian that went to earth died. After that, nobody went to earth again and they destroyed the teleporter. So we kept living our lives and were kind to each other and serving each other but the judge said that we could never ever go beyond Gardina. And everybody agreed because they were scared that they were gonna die. But anyway I was just being born when the whole incident happened and my mom didn’t tell me anything about it because she didn’t want to scare me. When I turned 3 in Gardina we would start school when you were 1 and we were also smarter than humans and at 3 I was already doing division and at school we were going on a field trip and I sat by my best friend on the bus.

Popular Makeup Brand Found To Contain Lead! by RR

In a shocking turn of events, hundreds of young girls have been rushed to hospitals across the USA from the same symptoms as lead poisoning, and the only common ground between these victims is the use of the popular makeup brand known as “Drunk Elephant”. Scientists working alongside the university of cosmetology and school of toxicology have found that although Drunk Elephant has not listed lead as a possible ingredient, lead dye is being used to color products such as lipsticks, blush, eyeshadow, foundation, and many others.

As the FDA is scrambling to recall these products as fast as possible, the brand Drunk Elephant is flying off shelves due to its recent popularity with the youngest generation, known as “Gen Alpha”.

[REDACTED], a patient at St. Flyngor Youth Hospital and victim of Drunk Elephant’s wrongdoings, comments on this problem, stating:

“This is crazy! I mean.. Didn't we find lead poisonous like a billion years ago? I can't believe stuff like this is still happening.”

The founders of Drunk Elephant have yet to respond to the scandal and have since gone missing. The police chief of USA federal investigators states:

“We believe they have gone into hiding, with the recent events and the fact that all their possessions are also missing, including a car.”

Although the first confirmed case of lead poisoning from Drunk Elephants products was May 23rd of This Year, at the time of writing 800 girls under the age of 14 and 200 others have been brought to hospitals and found to have lead in their bloodstream. Cases are rapidly rising and many hospitals are panicking, for they haven't had the space for this many people since covid 19 first started.

If you or a family member have used or own a Drunk Elephant Product, Immediately call the FDA cosmetology hotline at: (248)-434-5508

This is completely fake and for entertainment purposes only.

If you are taking this seriously, don't.

Eat, Eat, and Eat S’More! by IM, and SS

Different foods being eaten everyday
Rice, Hamburgers, Tacos, and so much more
Delicious foods, but kids push it away
They try to throw the food out of the door

Just try a bite you might find it super nice
McDonalds is nice, but try something new
Try these new foods, you’ll be cool as ice
Eat all these new foods, they won’t taste like poo

Eat, eat, and eat everyday it’s okay
Joy comes from trying and eating new foods
You should start eating in the month of May
Try all of these amazing cool foods dude

It’s okay to eat a lot 'cause you slay
If you are happy, you can eat all day

One Time When I Was Six Years Old by AC

One time when I was 6 years old, I was biking with a helmet down a kind of steep hill, and I hit a Ferrari. I blacked out for 3.69 seconds then I yelled at the driver more then my brother yelled at me. I also cut my head in half but that’s not important.

Bad.
Then it was recommended to get stitches, but I didn’t.
Instead, I got bandages.
I also got an injection in my thigh
The houses on the hill were yelling STOPPPPP to me but I didn’t hear so I crashed.
Three days later was my birthday party

The War In These Walls by KP and RR

Violence is not the key to our problems
Conflict is not the resolution of our issues
Fear is not the condolence in a state of panic
We should feel safe in a place of belonging
We should not have to fear the violence
Or the constant reminders of death
We should not have to fear the loud bangs of guns
Echoing through these halls.
The constant anxiety of hiding behind a door
The only security now are these walls,
But even they seem to chant MORE
MORE VIOLENCE
MORE PANIC
MORE CONFLICT
MORE DEATH
More to fuel the machine.
The small conflict between two measly foes
Turns into a raging war...
We all cry out to the sky
To feel safe, WE need more!!
More kindness!
More relief!
More peace!
More LIFE!
More to truly grow again.
The massacre of a school shooting,
The reassurance of a hopeful safe time.

The world heats up and we get uncomfortable by PT and AM

The world heats up and we get uncomfortable.
There are so many problems that the world becomes frustrated with its helplessness.
We created this messed up world for years, and are only trying to fix it now.
People don’t do anything that could help, because “One person can’t make a difference”

But,
In reality, that's how a ‘difference’ starts.
One person makes a change that other people might consider smart,
And more and more start making that change.
Ever heard “Try, Try, again?”
More often than not you don’t find that answer on the first try.

So,
Keep going.
You are bound to fail, so why give up, if that’s expected.
This is untitled for the people who try but aren’t acknowledged for it.
The unnamed heroes that are fighting for something other than themselves.
They’re fighting for the next generation.

Life by A and A

I see good,

I see bad,

I see life, 

I see death, 

I see rich, 

I see poor,

I see problems,

I see miracles, 

I see depression, 

I see happiness,

I see losses,

I see achievements,

I see sunshine, 

I see rain,

I see success, 

I see failure, 

I see peace, 

I see chaos

I see.love, 

I see hate, 

i see trust, 

I see betrayal,

I see generosity, 

I see greed,

I see good,

 see bad.

Roses Are Red... by ???

The Contents of the Poem are not appropriate for this blog and were removed by the Blog Administrator.

Turtle Tidy-Up Guide by M and O

Turtle Tidy-Up Guide

Things that are clear and float in the sea

Are a turtle's favorite thing to eat.
But plastic and trash might as well be
A tasty jellyfish down in the sea.
They take a big bite and they swallow it up,
But then it gets tangled, and then they get stuck.
So be aware of what you do,
Because turtles are important too.
Bins for trash are all over the place,
So take a little time out of your day
To put on some gloves and pick up the trash,
If you were the turtles, you'd have a blast
Watching a giant fix up your yard,
If ants can do it, it's not that hard.