Dances are my life.

Dances make me feel better. Music makes me happy when I'm sad. Me and music are like IPods and earphones. We can't be separated.

As I walked into a party, the music was loud. So, so loud. Almost too loud. My head started moving without my knowing it. I smiled and said hi to everyone I saw.

Happiness danced in my head. I felt relaxed and wanted to dance with everybody. I knew I wouldn't, though, because I'm very shy. I found a chair and sat and listened to the music. I felt good.

After the dance, I went to the bus stop. The bus dropped me off at a place where there was no music, school. I tried to sing, but I didn't find my rhythm. All the fun was missing. I pounded on anything to create my own music, but an old woman told me, "Could you shut the fly up!"

"Okay, Okay," I said. She looked like she was 59,000 years old. Then I told her, "If the music is too loud, you're too old."

She stood up and walked towards me.

I ran because I thought she was going to beat me up. While I was running, I saw a computer in a small room. I knocked on the door for 5 minutes, but nobody opened the door. There was music playing on the computer. I opened the door; nobody was there, so I went towards the computer. I sat on a red chair with chains; it was a cool chair. There was a music video playing on the computer; it was a Hip-hop song. I like Hip-hop music, so I listened and thought about the lyrics. I realized that without music, people get old. They are not happy. They are angry all the time. Life would suck if there was no music in this world.

I knew I had to act. So I grabbed the laptop and ran to the front office. I ran to the speaker and pushed the button. I lifted the laptop up to the microphone. The music sounded over the speakers. People stopped. They didn't know what to do. They started cheering, and cheering, and cheering. Everyone was happy. They were alive. The principal and teachers realized this, and decided they liked this.

From that day on, music was allowed in school. Everyone listened to music.

Music makes me happy when I'm sad.

Music and me are like IPods and earphones.

My head starts moving without my knowing it.

Happiness dances in my head.

I feel relaxed and want to dance with everybody.

I try to sing, but sometimes I can't find my rhythm.

I feel like all the fun is missing if there is no music.

I realized that without music, I feel old,

I'm not happy,

I am angry all the time.

Life would suck if there was no music in this world.

I am happy when I listen to music.

I feel alive.

Music rocks like rock & roll.

~Jassiel

Sports Are Life

Everyone should play sports. They are good for you. I promise you'll feel healthier when you are playing. And, it's fun!! Get off the couch and get on a team - NOW!!

"Sports are Life"

Sports are life.
Playing
spOrts is
thRilling for me.
being aTletic make me feel
Strong

They mAke me feel good
They make me feel stRonger
I likE to go and compete

I Like to meet new people
run, swIm, and jog
getting Faster and faster
I lovE sports

Sports are life!


“Swimming”

I am there
sitting on the edge of the pool
thinking too much about
the race.
I am buoyant about being
on first team,
thinking about
our first meet.

In my swim suit,
with my cap on my head,
I put my goggles on
and am ready for my race.
I felt excited.
I climb onto the diving board,
bend down, and grasp the front of the board,
listening for the BEEP.
I splash into my lane,
arms dig into the water,
legs kick, propelling me forward.
I start my freestyle race.

When I heard my coach say,
"Nice job!"
it made me feel
really
happy.
I Wanted -

to win!

The day of our first meet
I felt
nervous,
butterflies in my belly.
My dad and
all my sisters
were waiting by the locker rooms,
smiling.

When the race director said,
"Take your marks...
Get set...."
BEEP
I dove into the
water.
I swam
as fast as
I could,
and when I finished,
I scrutinized the score board:

3rd place.

I was proud.
My dad was
proud.
"Good job."

But -
I was slower
than I felt.
I was a turtle that day
compared to the others,
So -
I worked hard...
learned...
"I can do this today...
tomorrow...
I will always work hard!"

Finally,
The day came.
They said,
"Take your marks...
Get set..."
BEEP.
Confidently,
I dove into the
water.
I swam
as fast as
I could.
When I finished,
I again scrutinized the score board:

1st place
out of 7 other swimmers

I was
PROUD.
It was more than what
I had imagined!

“Diving”

I am
excited to not only know
how to swim
but also
DIVE.
It was my dream
coming true.
I was proud.
My parents were proud.
I was learning how to do
a lot of
new dives
all at once.
I loved my coaches.
They were
really
patient...
even if
I messed up
and smacked the water.


I wanted to progress.
My dad promised,
"You will become a great diver!"
I wanted to get a
4 out of 6 points
at my next meet.
My highest score was a
3.5.
Since the day
when my coach said,
"You are diving!"
I was so excited,
thinking only of diving...
but two days later
the coach said,
"You're not good enough..."
My last two dives
weren't good enough.
My legs were not straight
so I could not dive in the next meet.

I was upset.
Even though I was cut
from the diving team,
I knew that they had given me a chance,
an opportunity,
to dive.
I am motivated
to improve
for next season.

“Volleyball”

Without knowing how to play
I was so nervous.
I was going to play
with my family
and they would see that I was
not good
at Volleyball.
But
I wanted to play.
Doubt plagued me.
What about if I mess up?
or I hit it too slow?
or We lose, and
it's all my fault?

I decided to work hard and
show my family
I can be good.
in volleyball, too.
I discovered that
when I work hard,
I improve.
“Basketball”

I start the season
without any idea of how to play,
but I knew I had my friends
and my coaches
and my brother
and my dad
to show me the moves.
I learned to dribble,
do a layup,
pass, and
shoot free shots.
Like I did in
other sports,
I worked hard and
played hard.
I wanted to be good.
I wanted play with my dad
in the summer...
and win!

~Nancy, 7th grade

Music Survey

Please take my music survey. The results will be posted on this site in a couple weeks.

Flat Belly Tips by Alejandra

Having a a flat belly is a good thing. Imagine if all people had a flat belly: they would be healthier and more flexible. People would be happy and life would be great.


Did you know that sassy water can make your stomach flat? To make it you will need 8.5 cups of water, 1 tablespoon grated ginger (a spice), 1 medium cucumber, 1 medium lemon, and 12 spearmint leaves. Making this drink is easy, just follow these directions. First, cut the ginger into the smallest pieces, or another option is to buy a bottle of powdered or grated ginger, and add a teaspoon to the water. Second, cut a medium cucumber into smallest pieces, and add them to the water. Third, squeeze a medium lemon in the water. Fourth, add 12 spearmint leaves to the water. Finally, mix everything and drink it the next day. I know, it's a lot of water! Be sure you are close to a bathroom because you will need to pee! Sassy water is healthy and really easy to make!


Eating healthy is another way to get a flat belly! Here are three tips. First, no meat! If this is too hard for you, eat chicken or fish. Second, the Flat Belly Diet tells people to eat a lot of MUFAs. "What are those?" you are probably asking. They are food rich in monounsaturated fats. What? Examples of MUFAs are dark chocolate and nuts. This is why mole is good for you! Third, they recommend that you spread out your meals with four 400 calorie meals. This helps to keep your hunger under control. Examples of 400 calorie meals can be found . Make sure you check all the calories of everything you eat before eating. Eating healthy is hard, but it's worth it.


Exercise will make your stomach flat. There are four exercises you should do. First, check out these exercises. They might look easy, but they are not! These exercises are hard, but once you do it, you will be able to do it again and again! Now do these exercises. Most of the people do exercise wearing sweats. I think that's a good idea so that people can lose more weight and calories because they will make them sweat. These exercises should be done the right way, so look at the pictures carefully.


This is healthy diet. It takes water, healthy foods, and exercise to be able to have a flat belly. I know this is hard, but it will make a difference! Go for it! A flat belly can be YOURS!

by Alejandra

When I see a kid who is EMO, I see goodness. I see a cool person who will understand me a little bit. I love how EMOs dress and how they look. Sometimes it is about clothing. She might be wearing black from head to toe, and her hair will be straight. Other times it is about her presence and energy. Sometimes, someone who is EMO will be quiet, calm. She will not be annoyingly loud and chatty. Those people make me want to scream, "SHUT UP!" EMO came from the word "emotions". Adults think it is the worst thing, but we know that EMO represents how difficult and thoughtful emotions can be. Emotions are hard to understand because of the thoughts they create and the way they made us act. They make us feel bad, confused, sad yet sometimes good!

Emotions can be strange and wonderful. Anger and hatred cause my tears because I can't do anything, and I don't know what to do. Unhappiness is when I'm not satisfied with the things I have, which makes me feel sad and bad. Confusion makes me not know what to do or what decision I should make. Love is a feeling that everyone wants to feel. Love is a beautiful feeling; love makes people happy. It tickles my stomach, but sometimes love can hurt. When all of these feelings are around at the same time, life is weird.

Real friends are people who are like your sisters and brothers. You can have fun with them, but they are not only for that; friends are people who are with you when you need them. They can help you with your decisions, and they make you think better by telling you the consequences and giving you ideas and thoughts. They support you. Everyone needs a friend.

Real friends can be horrible too. They might think that they are helping you, but sometimes they don't; they just make you feel bad. They sometimes don't help, won't listen and that makes people feel bad, angry and disappointed. Friends sometimes leave you out, alone. They prefer other people. Also, they can be blabber mouths, telling your secrets to other people then the other people tell other people and so on. You need a lot of friends so when you are not talking to one, you have another to be with. Even though friends can be horrible, you need them.

Life won't always be easy, fun, or fair. Friends won't always be nice. Knowing this helps when it happens, so you know it won't last forever. Then when life is easy, fun, and fair, you'll appreciate it more.

Your friend,
Alejandra

by Nidiyare

Emotions are a roller coaster. They bounce back and forth, up and down. The constant changes make me want to scream and throw up, even thought I hate the acidy taste. Sometimes they make me feel depressed, and other times they make me elated. When they go down, I feel depressed. When they go up, I feel elated. Feeling sad is inevitable, or certain to happen, but there are ways to make myself happy again, which I will share with you.

Friends are the ticket off the roller coaster. There are three ways friends can make me feel happy. First, when we are all together, I feel stronger. When I am feeling strong, I can laugh and my negative emotions go away. Second, when we go places together, I forget about everything that was making me sad and angry. My friends and I go for walks, to the movies, or to each others' houses. Third, spending the night together is the best way to feel better. When my friends call me to spend the night, I feel it is going to be a good night. When we are all together and talk about our sadness and angers, we all help each other because we understand each other perfectly. We share connections that we have. When someone tells about her angry mom, another person might say, "That is just like MY mom!" It feels like we have the same mom and the same experiences. When I am with friends, I feel supported and sadness and anger disappear. Sadness and anger make me feel lonely, but I know that I don't have to be alone because I have my friends. You will feel better by being with your friends, too! I'm thankful for my friends who help me feel better.

Doing sports is something really important to me to keep my emotions up. There are three reasons sports work. First, when I swim, it makes me feel relieved. When I am feeling relieved, I relax and forget about my negative emotions. Second, when I run, I feel powerful, like nothing can beat me. This makes me feel strong, like I can reach my goals. I run when I feel stressed or when I feel weak. Third, another sport that I love to do is sleep. I know what you're thinking, "Sleep is not a sport." But I disagree. In my opinion, sleeping is a sport because it keeps my emotions up. When I dream, I forget my angers and I dream good things, and I feel that I'm flying in the clouds. Some times I dream about funny things and I laugh in my sleep, and I don't even know that I am laughing. Sometimes I don't like to sleep because I may have bad dreams. I know that I don't have to worry because when I will wake up and go to sleep again, my bad dreams will go away. I love the dreams when I get rid of my obstacles. I LOVE to sleep because when I wake up, I feel energetic and happy, and I am ready to start a new day. Sometimes, my mom tells me, "You sleep too much. You have to do something else." She doesn't understand that I love to sleep because it makes me feel good. I encourage you sports to make you better.

Being with friends and doing sports makes me feel better. When I do all of those things, it makes me feel full on the inside. Friends and sports bring me happiness and keep my emotions up, and when they go down, they help me feel better. You should you should build your friendships and get involved in sports so you will never feel alone or sad. If they work for me, they will work for you!