Young Writers Project was thrilled to encourage the THIRD sort-of-annual Vermont (NH) Writes Day on February 7, 2012 in which students, teachers, administrators, staff, guests and other assorted adults in a variety of organizations took seven minutes out to write something. Congratulations! YOU ALL are writers!
This site is now closed for further posts and comments, but please explore, continue to give this wonderful writing audience! If you have additional writing you wanted us to consider for publication, email sreid(at)youngwritersproject.org
Our latest count is that 69 schools participated. Please check the "Participating Schools" list on the right and if you don't see your school's name, please email Geoff Gevalt (me) at ggevalt(at)youngwritersproject.org
We will be publishing some of the best work from this day in our Newspaper Series carried each week by St. Albans Messenger, Burlington Free Press, Essex Reporter, Colchester Sun, Rural Route Today, Charlotte News, Addison Independent, Rutland Herald, Stow Reporter, Waterbury Record, Times Argus, Valley News, Brattleboro Reformer and vpr.net, Vermont Public Radio's Web site.
We want to thank all the teachers, students, administrators and school friends who made this day so much fun for so many. Many schools had everyone write at the same time and in one, there were groans throughout the building when the announcement was made to stop. NO!! was the collective outcry.
Proving, once again, that writing can be fun and can engage students!
When i was walking to school i sow something in the corner of my eye so i went to pick it up. And something was rong it was just a boxs but it was heve. So i went home and opened it and there was a I POD in it. I was so happy that day my mom said "are you felling well?" I was felling fine. So that night i trid it on and it had alot of stuff on it. So the nexted morning i told my mom and for some resne she was happy it is mine i found it i ceep it.
On the way to school yesterday
By: Alejandro Segura
On the way to school yesterday I discovered the most amazing statue. It was of a beautiful catamount. And then I saw something. It looked like a puma, but a puma. That’s not possible all the only things look like pumas in Vermont are catamounts, and they all went extinct. Then it moved. Oh my god. Catamounts are still alive here. T should get a picture of it, and then send it to the press.
The first thing I remember is tacos and how crunchy and tasty they are.
And how it made me feel like a real Mexican at a restaurant,
Saying the usual to the waitress.
And she would be like “O.K.” while she is writing the order down.
A hard shell with meat, cheese, beans, lettuce, extra sour cream.
So delicious and satisfying in my mouth.
When will this end?
Has seven minutes always been this long?
No. Of course not.
But, why now?
Why of all times is this seven minutes the longest of my life?
Maybe the clock broke.
Maybe people don’t know how to read time.
That’s probably true!
It was raining.
It was pouring
And the trees were blowing.
Houses were falling.
People were dying.
The power was out.
The candles were lit.
And for one moment when Irene hit
We were all united,
Helping each other in some way.
When people went missing
We were looking.
When the power came on
We helped clear the roads.
When the powerful storm hit
We were one.
Connected and strong.
Although Hurricane Irene didn’t last long
It will never be forgotten.
It helped us in many ways,
And damaged us in others.
It flipped our world upside-down,
Then flipped it right side-up.
We are OK.
We are strong.
We cannot be brought down.
Dear Irene
Why do you cause destruction,
Wiping out trees and homes in which people live out their lives,
Loving,
Laughing?
Why do you make the waves furious
With every hissing breath you take
And the words you say so harsh?
Why do you bring such dread and despair
In your ugly shades of gray and black?
Irene, why do you do the things you do?
You destroy our trees, our homes.
Why destroy the things we’ve come to love.
Why?
Do you want us to feel sorrow when you destroy our peace?
Why do you have a cold heart,
With your soul an empty void?
Why, Irene?
Why?
By doing what you do
You make us a stronger community.
Working together to stitch this open wound.
And we begin to feel grateful
For the beauty of each day.
The sun,
Moon.
The stars at night.
Irene, do you want me to see what you see?
I cannot. For I am only human.
Why do you do this to us?
Are you trying to prove your point,
That even when times are bad
There is hope?
For it is true -
When times are bad
There is hope.
I see that hope
Day in and day out.
I was doing my homework.
But then I got to school
To do my schoolwork.
That’s why my homework wasn’t done.
It was seven minutes after midnight.
The dog was lying on the grass in the middle of the lawn in front of Mrs. Shear’s house.
The crickets were chirping outside my window.
The night was still.
My cat was lying next to me on the bed, purring with delight.
Everything was silent but the whisper of the winds.
Nothing more than a “whoosh, hushh.”
Minutes passed with a sound of a clock ”tick, tock, tick, tock.“
It was now 12:45 am.
The crickets silent.
My cat stopped purring.
Clock still ticking.
Wind stopped “whooshing and hushing.”
Nothing more than night.
This morning when I first walked into school I had this sneaking suspicion that I was forgetting something. My mind was shut, it was eight o'clock so, I couldn't figure out what it was. I went to homeroom, then class after class. It was recess, then it was lunch. Study hall came quickly after. During that time I had to figure out the mystery. So, I started to look through my planner. Then, there it was the homework that I so desperately needed. But, where was it? Through my backpack, through my binders, through my locker, I looked, but nothing. It was lost forever, worth twenty-five percent of my grade. I looked at the clock, I had an hour. Then I remembered, the most horrible memory ever.
(But I was just being dramatic!)
This particular assignment had originally taken me two hours though, it was a three hour assignment. I was never going to get it done, and I was not going to fail this assignment. At the least I was going to have to take a late. So, I began to think. Think about the most master-mindful plan I was going to have to think up.Ever! I thought and thought for a really long time. Then it hit me!
Two grey squirrels and a whole clan of reds
Had irritated me till I thought I'd lost my head
They'd scattered my seed far and wide,
Carting it all over the countryside.
Out came the BB gun, I was going to win this fight.
No pesky little rodent was going to test my might.
And as I stared at those two grey's, choosing which went first,
With the draw of some primitive drive causing my thirst
Out of the corner of my eye a crimson color burst
A little red squirrel
Hipping and hopping
Flipping and bopping … stopping … looking
Tail dropping
From stonewall to tree. Now where would he go?
Lots of grass between here and there
I think them grey squirrels knew
Slow, stop motion … you move with grace
Flip, flop, tail drop … head up silhouette
Closer and closer you get to that tree
You're going to climb up there, I know
So you see,
Sure as can be, you make for the tree, you burst with glee!
I made it … I made it.
I'm so close almost at hand, two against one, I have a plan.
Gonna get those seeds, man 'o man!
Higher he goes and I watch, what is he doing I wonder?
He already can see – what's that noise, screech
What could it be ….
Oh, maybe he's smarter than me!?
That little red squirrel, it's imitating a hawk
And the gray squirrels freeze … going very still.
When i walking home yesterday i found a 100doller bill it was just sittin there on the side walk so i thought that i would keep it because i dident get paied yet and i needed monny for bills. so when i gabed it i put it in my pocket and started to walk the rest of the way home. When i got a feew blocks away from were i found the 100 dollers. I triped. but there was nothing there that i could trip on. then all the suddent i was getin jumped by a hole bunch uf mobs. i was not scared i wasent gunna be afraid because i only found the hundred dollers on the ground and thats all i had for them to take. Then they disepered! i wasent hurt. then i reached in my pocket and it was there. But gess what i woke up. darnet!!!!!! it was all a dream!!! The EndbBy Tony Phillips
Walking to school yesterday I discovered the most amazing thing. I was flyin gin the sky with some cranes and then I saw a statue of Spiderman setting a web at Batman. Then there were these ducks who were fighting one another. Then a tornado sucked me up and brought me to the ocean where I saw some orcas, romoras, and a sperm whale swimming by with a shark! Then I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was in space seeing meteors, planets, and aliens with ships holding an astronaut.
This morning when I first walked into school I had this sneaking suspicion that I was forgetting something. My mind was shut, it was eight o'clock so, I couldn't figure out what it was. I went to homeroom, then class after class. It was recess, then it was lunch. Study hall came quickly after. During that time I had to figure out the mystery. So, I started to look through my planner. Then, there it was the homework that I so desperately needed. But, where was it? Through my backpack, through my binders, through my locker, I looked, but nothing. It was lost forever, worth twenty-five percent of my grade. I looked at the clock, I had an hour. Then I remembered, the most horrible memory ever.
(But I was just being dramatic!)
This particular assignment had originally taken me two hours though, it was a three hour assignment. I was never going to get it done, and I was not going to fail this assignment. At the least I was going to have to take a late. So, I began to think. Think about the most master-mindful plan I was going to have to think up.Ever! I thought and thought for a really long time. Then it hit me!
This particular teacher wasn't the brightest, the smartest, or the wisest. So, I hoped that I could get this one by him. So, I just sat and thought about my not so genius, hopefully not going to let me fail, master-mindful plan. Then it was time to unveil my most likely going to cause a disaster idea...
"Homework! Give me all your homework children!" Mr. Lockwood called in his high pitched "manly" voice. "Show time" I thought out loud to myself.
"Yeah, hi Mr. Lockwood" I said.
"Why don't you have your homework young lady?" He asked, in the most irritated tone I had ever heard.
"Why?" I gulped through my throat which felt like it was closing.
"Ahem!" I said, a little too loudly. Roxy and Amber glanced at me. "A-Amber are you drooling?" I said. "Wha-? Oh." She muttered, wiping her chin. "I can't help it!" she whined. "Look at him!" she pointed at a dude strolling the beach. "Eh. Not that cute." Roxy said in a bored tone. "What is it with you people and hot guys?" I said with a laugh. "Oh! Look! He's coming over here!" Amber squeaked. "Oh no." I said. "Hey, cutie." Amber said softly. "Come here." "Oh god..." I muttered. Suddenly she pulled him close... And kissed him on the lips! I stared in open-mouthed, stunned silence while Roxy gagged. Suddenly, she lurched forward and threw up on the guys back! He turned around and glared at her. "Sorry ugly." Roxy muttered with a smirk. "Dude, not cool." he growled.
Skid! Rush! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Going to be late! I ran into room 2B, the social studies class. I slid into my desk just as the bell rang. DING! I froze, motionless in my seat. I had not done my project! THE project. You know… the one worth like 40 million points? It was gone. Gone. Lost forever, well, never actually lost, because it didn’t exist. But, boy was I sure to be in trouble! The teacher walked in. Mrs. Gottswallop. She had the history of being the meanest teacher in the history of our middle school. She scowled at us, and said,
“Did all of you do the project?”
“Yes, Mrs. Gottswallop.” Some of us murmured.
“WELL, we can only be sure of that when I collect them. Projects out!” Mrs. Gottswallop walked around the room, collecting people’s work. When she got to my desk, Mrs. Gottswallop stared at my empty hands. “Paper OUT, Mr. Jameson! Unless you have a good excuse, there will be a consequence of two weeks detention!” I gulped.
WAIT THERE WAS MATH HOMEWORK! How could it be I forgot my homework. What should I say. I need to think of something quick. Theres no time to do it now. I will have to say something that didnt happen. I will make up a believable excuse.
I will have to say that "I finished my homework but I couldn't get it in because when I finished my homework I layed it on my desk went to bed woke up and found that my homework was not there. So I went down the hall and found my homework half eaten right next to my dog. My dog had eaten my homework so I couldn't redo and it was unreadable so I could not hand in homework in those conditions and that is why I do not have my homework with me today."
The teacher looks at me like Im crazy.I feel like she doesnt believe me. My face is bright red. I cant believe I just lied to my teacher. What will I do if she knows Im lieing. Then she starts to burst out laughing. Im shocked what is she laughing at, this is not funny at all. Then she says, "Alright you can have another day to finish it."
If I were ever to meet someone from the past or present,I would meet someone from the past,my great grand uncle. His name is Samuel G Kingsberry. I never got to know him, I never met him. Only my parents ever met him. Them and the rest of my dad's side of my family who were alive at that time. I want to meet him because I was told he was funny. I was told he was a nice, and kind person. I heard he always cheered people up when they were feeling down. So what if I did meet him? What would it be like? Or what was it like? Well when I met him he was tall, and constantly had a smile on his face. I had lunch with him at a fast food restaurant. He told me a few jokes. I guess he was a lot like me. I asked him a few questions witch he had no problem answering. Somethings like,"What was your school like then?",or,"Where did you live?".
He is a funny person and I know that without anyone telling me. He would be nice to meet but, sadly he died a long time before I was born. So I may never get the chance to meet him. Or maybe I will, maybe sometime when I leave this earth I may meet him and the rest of my family who passed on. Oh well...I guess I'll never know.
Written By,
Samuel G Kingsberry
7th grade
"I forgot it at home, Mrs. Snow."
"I'll call your mom and ask her to bring it to school. OK?"
"My mom is at work and very busy at this time."
"OK, then. Bring it on Monday. OK?"
"Yes, Mrs. Snow."
Monday ...
"Did you bring it?"
"Oh ... My dog chewed it up."
"But ... you don't have a dog."
"I got one! I named him Bad Dog. Because he is very bad."
"Let me give home a call."
"NO!!!!!"
"Why not?"
"When I was walking to school I just remembered that a man in a black tophat stole it from me. He took off and he... he... he... slapped me and ran away. That's why, Mrs. Snow."
"I'll give you another packet of your homework. Ok?"
"Yes."
A few weeks later...
"Where is your homework?"
"My ... oh ... oh ... I ... my backpack blew up?"
I was just about to go to school
My homework was ready to go
What happened then I am confused
I really do not know
I left the room for just one minute
Going to brush my hair
I only went up to my room
When I returned it wasn't there!
I searched up and down and all around
Until I finally spotted it
I saw it flying all around
There was no way I could stop it
My homework had sprouted wings
It was flying everywhere
I ran around chasing it down
It just seemed not to care
It flew outside into the wind
And got carried right away
Someday someone will find it
All the way in L.A
What happened to your homework?
Well, um think of something fast...
Let this silence last...
I was getting dressed in the morning my homework all out and ready
then suddenly it was replaced with a pile of spaghetti
I heard it run down the stairs
I tried to chase it I really did
Me all red in the face
It ran out the door
As I slipped on the floor
I peered outside nothing there
I looked up into the sky
As I saw a little spaceship fly by
I am sorry I really tried
Next time this paper-loving monster comes
Um well.....I will run a little faster
It would not be fair to count this late
Just because of my fate.
If I could go back in time I would go to Jurassic period. Because I would like to know how cave men lived and I would like to try and survive for at least one day. I would go back there because I've always been interested in dinosaurs and the movies Jurassic park. I would rather go there as a T-Rex because they were the king back then. I would go back in time and find out what actually kill the dinosaurs and cave men. I would learn how the cave men hunted and how they discovered fire! The time that is most fascinating is the Jurassic time and we know little about what really could have happened and what the dinosaurs really looked like and how they acted. These reasons are why I want to go back to the Jurassic period for at least a day.
The Wiledist
Excuse Ever
this is the wildest excuse ever so here it goes: last night i was kidnapped by evil alien's and almost ea tan. so i escaped by poising them with poisoned homework. they were homework eating monsters but the asinement was so vile in made there heads bole up. then i got it back but some acid got on it but i was going to hand it in anyway. then i got mugged and the pirson who muged me stole my homework and Thu it into the lake. So champ the lake Champlain monster ate it but then i rewdid it. then my mom ate it but my dog wanted to eat it so my mom and my dog fought over who got to eat my homework. then my roof collapsed so i couldn't redueit again.
The Wildest Excuse
What is the wildest excuse?
Not 'my dog ate my homework' that's been said too much
Not 'I flushed it down the toilet' only a silly person would say such
Not 'I was doing it on a roller coaster and it flew out of my hand' that would sound silly
And definitely not ' It was eaten by my friend Tilly'
But definetly the the wildest excuse ever is.....
'A caveman hopped in his time travel machine and came to the 21st century and was fasinated by my homework so he took it home and then aliens abducted him and took the homework to galaxy 3,256,783,629 and shreded it so it flew away in a million pieces never to be seen again.'
The first time I saw you... I never thought we'd ever really come this far. I never thought you'd look at me the way you do. That you'd love me the way you do. I'd never imagine it'd feel this goo to be with you. Here. Now...
But now I know that I love you... And that's all I could ever ask for...
You know that feeking when you really, trul, love somebody... But it's not easy? People try to tear you apart for their own selfes reasons...? Well I do. I know it well. I've been going through it for a while now. My name is Shiloh. I'm senior in high school... and I have a secret. A secret that no one but the one I love knows... I secret that I'm not even sure I should be trusted with. But lest start at the beginning...
It was any other normakl day. Got up, got ready, left for school. The usual. But when I parked my car and got my bag out from the back seat and flung it over my shoulder... There was someone there. Looking at me. We locked eyes. It couldn't look away. But then he was pulled away from our glance by a friend. And it was over.
I walked into the school with an image of the boy still cought in my head. It vanished as I was startled by Logan. My very best friend sence I was like 2."Hey," she said with a smile."What are you looking at?" She tryed to gollow my gaze that led nowhere... then I looked up.
"Oh... Nothing. Just spacing out. I'm tired. Didn't get alot of sleep last night." I smiled, trying to push his now appearing image out of my mind. I opened my locker, took my books out, and ploped my bag into my locker.
That summer, the trees swaying side to side with each whisp of the breeze. The lake water barley brushig aginst my feet. The warm summer air combing through my hair. Hot summer sun wrapping me in its warmth, comforting me, putting me at peace with the world for a moment. While the rest of the world was moving, I wanted to stop, make this last forever. That hopeful feeling of the school year to come, but the dreadful winter ahead. Make this moment of tranquility and peacefulness last forever. As I lay down to sleep that last night before the next day, for it brings chaos at school, I will dream of that summer.
The first thing I remember was you. It wasm't all lovey dovey, I was mad but why? Truthfully I don't know why, it doesn't make sence, but I remember I was mad. Who were you and why were you there sitting on my floor, it didn't make sence to me.
You started talking to me but I couldn't hear you, why? This is confusing I want this memory to end but it won't. "WHO ARE YOU!?" I sceamed over and over but you couldn't hear me. You kept talking, I didn't listen. I told myself to move but I was helpless it was only a memory.......
"He's back!" a deep voice yelled. The image of the girl left me and I was still in my room laying on the floor with scattered pills, wait your coming back. The man and the pills left. I couldn't tell if this was the same memory or if it was a new memory. I must be going crazy, I told myself.
This time I really saw you, you had black hair and not the fake I'm going goth hair, no it was real and as beautifull as the night sky. Your eyes were different then any I have seen, at first I saw blue then a little gray, green maybe I couldn't tell. You were crying, why, Why are you crying? I wanted to get up and make you fell better, comfort you, but my body won't work so I sat on my bed and watch you cry, I'm in pain now.
This all feels like I'm dreaming but it feels too real, I wish it were a dream then I would wake up. I kept watching you, when you moved to look over at me I saw the shame in your eyes, it's enough to leave me breathless. Your sleeve started to slide off your shoulder, you lifted a perfect blue nail and delicatly moved the purple silk back up to your shoulder.
When I was little, I was told to shoot for the stars. One day my uncle, Todd Bell, was bouncing this big ball around. I asked to use it and he said, " Yes..." Then he was laughing at me because i had never seen a basketball before. He taught me how to dribble the ball at a very young age. The next day, uncle Todd came over again. He had it! He had the basketball! He took me out into the driveway and all of a sudden i stopped. Standing next to me, was this big, tall, staue like thing with a big blob of string at the top. I walked out in front of it and just stood there looking up at it. My uncle gave me the ball and reminded me, " Meghan, Put the ball to your chest, look up at the hoop and jump, push the ball out of your hands and push it up towards the hoop. Shoot, shoot for the stars. "I put my arms to my chest with the ball in my hands, looked up at the hoop and jumped. The ball leaped from my hands and went up towards the sky. I closed my eyes. "SWISH!!!!" Thats all that I heard. I quickly opened my eyes. " It went in!" I screamed. I did a little victory dance. Tht was my second day with a ball, and my first day shooting, or thats what i thought it was called then. My first shot, I made!!!
Open eyes, staring ahead. Cool water flows past, currents change, water falls ahead, in line with my vision. Scales sparkle, sunligjt makes them dance. Reeds tickle. Flip my fin, start a coursetowards home. Small schoo, swims past, rippling through the water. Look out for fliers! My silent message is sent, met with murmers of agreement. Memories of Fliers many sharp fins, poking to the water. Thoughts falsh. Food is needed soon. As I think, a shiny object falls in water. Is that food? I swim towards object, biting down. Pain floods my mout, I break the waters calm roof. Towering shapes lean over me, pink with blue, laghing voice. Red flashes, dissapointed sound. A shape comes down. Suddenly I am in the water, flip my fin, swim away, Splash behind me, friends arrive, I leave the area of pianful food and strange noises. My cares leave with the rushing currents. I slip away, into the darkness and safety, water rushes past. Flows in cool kindness.