I used to be the best kid, the best daughter, the best student; I used to be so good until I got into alcohol.

I used to be the best kid, the best daughter, the best student; I used to be so good until I got into alcohol. My life changed completely. I got into a lot of trouble. I went to boot camp. I got away from my family, and my mom got real disappointed with me.

I was in the party with my friends, one of my hommies’ boyfriends came to the party and brought Bacardi, and my friend started to drink with him. She invited me to do it, and … I did it. I got drunk, really drunk, and I didn’t know what I was doing. The next day my friend told me what happened. I did a lot of stupid things, but I liked it because it made me get out of my world even just for some hours. So I kept doing it almost everyday.

One day we were at her house, and she got out a bottle of vodka and package of marijuana. I got scared about smoking, but I just took the bottle and started to drink until I didn’t know what I was doing. We got out of her house, and when we were walking out of my complex, a police man took us and drove us to the police station. He made my mom come and her mom too. He took us to a military thing that I don’t know the name, but all I know is that it was the hardest thing I had to do in my life. Since then I have never taken drugs or alcohol or anything else.

I learned my lesson so good because we had to clean, wake up early, and many more things. Now my mom trusts me again, and I really know what is good and what is bad. Now I know the people I should hang out with.

By a middle school student

I would like to be an inspiring actress, model, and singer.

Everyone has an idea of what they’d like to be when they grow up. I know what career I’d like. I would like to be an inspiring actress, model, and singer. Why? I’ll give you three reasons. One, because I love to dance, act, and sing. Second of all, people say I’m really good at those three particular things. Lastly, I want to become a famous one day so I can be rich, and so I can be on TV.

First of all, I will tell you why I want to tell why I want to become an actress. I really love to act. Also, my friends say I’m a good actor. I remember one day my friends came into breakfast, and they saw me crying. I wanted to fool them so I said that I had a serious disease, and I was going pass away in one week. They were all depressed. That’s when, I couldn’t hold the laughter in, and I busted out laughing. They were kind of mad because I tricked them, but they laughed along.

Secondly, I will tell you why I want to be a model. Every time I walk down the street, people always give compliments. They either say “you’re are a beautiful girl” or “you should be a model”. Also, I am tall with long legs. In my free time, I pretend I’m a model. I dress in my older sisters flashy outfits and act like I’m in a show. It’s hilarious because I always trip in their high heels.

Finally, I will tell you why I want to be a dancer. One, I dance really well. My best friend Mya always teaches me a lot of the new dance moves, but then I put my own little twist in it. Also, anywhere I am I will start dancing for no particular reason. It’s a habit. Another reason I just love to dance; it’s what I do. It tells people about my personality. I’ve been dancing since I was in my mom’s stomach.

Now you know why I want to be a singer, dancer, and actress. If you don’t remember, let me summarize for you. First, is because I love to do all those three things. Second is because people say I’m really good. Lastly, is because I want to become famous in those things so people can know me and admire me. Also, so I can make a lot of money! Now since I told you my careers, what are yours and why?

By L. J., a middle school student

I’ll tell you what I want to be. I want to be a judge.

What do I want to be when I get out of school? I’ll tell you what I want to be. I want to be a judge. Why. One reason I want to be a judge is because they get good pay. Judges make at least $80,000 a year. Now to me that’s good money. I could live with that.
A second reason I want to be a judge is because so many people are being blamed for crimes they didn’t commit. I think that isn’t right. We shouldn’t be putting innocent people behind bars. The real criminal is still out there. And he is going to keep committing crimes. That has to stop.
The third reason is kind of like the last reason, but not quite. There are so many criminals out there, and I want to have them put in jail. When I become a judge, I will make sure that they are put behind bars and give them what they deserve. And when they beg for clemency, I will tell them, “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.”
My last reason is ever since I was little I admired them. I always wanted to wear the long black robe and sit on the high bench. It has been my dream for ever. And I will do what ever it takes to become a judge.
Well, those are my reasons why I want to be a judge. Good pay, keep innocent people out of jail, put real criminals in jail, and it has been my dream forever. I hope my reasons are good enough for you. And I promise you I will be a judge some day.

By J. W., a middle school student

All of us face challenges in life. I know I do.

All of us face challenges in life. I know I do. I’m going to tell you three challenges I faced in my lifetime. One of them is, the first time I been to E.A. The second challenge I faced was when I was entering middle school. The last challenge is when I moved to another city.

My first challenge I faced was when I first went to E.A. I didn’t think it really mattered, so I didn’t go. That’s when E.A. called my dad, and they brought me to E.A. The first thing I thought was “man, these teachers are mean.” Later on, after I got used to it, it didn’t seem like nothing. They taught interesting things and did fun activities.

My second challenge was when I first entered middle school. All I could think about was, “Am I going to be popular?” or “Are people going to accept me?” As my sixth grade year went by, I made a lot of friends, and I found out that I was more popular than I thought I would be.

My last challenge I faced was when I moved to Immokalee. I missed all my friends. The first thing I did there was make new friends. I didn’t have time to lose. My first friends I made were named Mona and Donald. The school I went to was called Village Oaks Elementary. I made a lot of friends and a lot of enemies. That’s when things got out of control. The recess teacher didn’t like me, and they taught me things from Lake Park I already knew. So I moved back to Naples, and I was really overjoyed. My friends were really happy to see me.

Now you know what challenges I faced. Let me summarize for you. My first challenge I faced was the first time I went to Enhanced Assist (E.A.). The second challenge I faced was when I entered middle school. Te last challenge was when I moved to Immokalee. What challenges did you face and what lessons did you learn?

By L. J., a middle school student

My challenge is moving.

My challenge is moving. When I moved from California, I had to deal with a lot of things like a new school. You might have experienced this; you might be like me when I moved to my new school. I had to deal with classes and teachers when I was supposed to be in the 8th grade hallway I ended up in the 6th then I walked into the gym when I was looking for the lunch room. Another thing was leaving my close friends behind. I didn’t know anybody so I always stayed quiet or walked quickly to my next class.

Another thing is new people to meet. At my old school if people didn’t know you, they would ask you “ay mija or girl what is your name, and I would tell them my name, and we would just talk about things. When I would see them in the hallway, I would say, “Hey, what it do.” Even if they didn’t know you, they still showed you respect. Now people talk about you like crazy, “Hey, have you seen the new girl?” or “Oh my gosh were is she from?” and “Eww, I don’t like her!”

Another problem is a new neighborhood not every body acts sunny side up. Not every one is going to like me. I understand that, but you don’t have to be a snob about it. Hello, welcome to the real world. Another thing is a new home I mean who wants to wake up and walk into the closet when your looking for the bathroom. Aghhh, that’s annoying. Well now you know what happens in the real world, and that’s why I hate moving.

By I. T., a middle school student

One challenge I faced in my life was learning how to play the sport Paintball.

One challenge I faced in my life was learning how to play the sport Paintball. That was two years ago, and now I’m on a team and winning tournaments. I’m going to tell you about my challenge in learning to play Paintball.

One challenge I faced in learning to play Paintball was learning what bunkers are which. Bunkers are the objects you hide behind so you don’t get shot. For example, back left is in the back row of bunkers on the left corner. There can be a total of 50 bunkers on a field and I had to learn all of them!

Another challenge I faced was to learn the rules of a game. There are different types of paintball. The one I play is called Speedball, which is basically a flat piece of land with bunkers filled with air. There are at least 10 rules of the game that you have to know so you don’t get penalized. For example, an obvious one is that if you get shot, you’re out. And if you wipe the paint off then that is a penalty.

Another challenge I faced was learning the maneuvers of the game. Before the ref starts the game, you and your teammates come up with a plan that will help you win the game. To go with that, I had to learn the different positions a player can play. There are five different positions you can play and you need to know them in order to win.

In conclusion, learning to play Paintball was a challenge in my life. But that was two years ago and now I’m on a novice team and winning tournaments for cash prizes.

By L.C., a Middle School Student

When I went to middle school, it was hard to make new friends.

When I went to middle school, it was hard to make new friends. When I was in the 7th grade, there were many kids that didn’t have any friends. I only had one friend, and it was hard to even get two friends. In my life I face many different challenges. It’s hard, but I try. When I passed the 7th grade, I went into football. It is the hardest sport ever. I was a line backer in football. Another challenge that I have faced is when I was eleven years old I had a best friend, and his name was Joy. He was nine. I faced the biggest challenge of my life. When Joy and I were walking down Lunar Street there were these two 15 year old boys who beat Joy up every time he walked down Lunar. So march 15, 2002 I was walking with Joy and the two kids were standing right where they always stand. So they came up to Joy and one said I am going to punch you right in your mouth. I stood up for Joy and hit both of them in there face and from that day on I never saw them again. So that was the biggest challenge I have ever faced in my life. All of us face different challenges in life. One challenge might be making new friends. Another challenge might be how to play sports or a musical instrument. So next time you write you should write about facing different challenges.

By K. M., a middle school student

This is some advice for Middle School Students.

This is some advice for Middle School Students. Don’t get in trouble and get good grades.

These are some subjects. My favorite subject is Math. I love Math because my Math teacher is cool and I like to do division and other things. Math has been my favorite subject since first grade.

My second best subject is Social Studies. It is fun because you can do experiments that are cool. Social Studies is very easy except for the tests. We read and do vocabulary. Some tests are easy because it is open book sometimes.

In Middle School you can play sports. The sports are, Optimist Basketball and Optimist Volleyball. Optimist sports are good because you stay out of trouble when you’re playing. When Optimist Basketball came, I stopped getting in trouble because of it.

These are some tips I have for Middle School Students.

By: D.J., a middle school student

What are my ideas for helping Middle School Students?

What are my ideas for helping Middle School Students? Well some of my ideas are when students are in class, they will have to behave and not talk back to the teacher. And also the students should do their work when the teacher tells them to.

I see students in class that don’t behave when the teacher tells them to. So I came up with some ideas. If all the students should behave in class or if the students don’t behave, they will get disciplined. That is one of my ideas for some Middle School Students.

Well when I am doing something wrong in class, I will tell myself to count to ten. When I am alone counting to ten, I will calm down, and I will behave. Just yesterday I gave advice to a twelve-year old boy. I told him when the bell rings for lunch just walk out of class and don’t walk around campus because all you are doing is getting your self into trouble. So that is all the ideas that I have for Middle School Students

By: K.M, A Middle School Student

The person whom I respect the most is my step dad.

The person who I respect the most is my step dad. He is caring, always well organized, and he is funny. If you were to meet him, you would truly understand why I respect him so much.

My dad is truly the most caring person I’ve ever met. I have a little sister and brother, and he is always sure to put us first. Also no matter what we do or how much trouble we get in, we always know that he will never leave. He not only is he caring he is well organized.

My dad is always organized with everything, it’s almost like he has a chip in his brain. He always knows where everything is and what to do about things. Also, it’s like he can read my mind; he always knows how I’m feeling. Another one of the reasons I respect him so much is how funny he is.

My step dad has a way of always making things better, For example, when my sister broke her ankle he made jokes like, “They are going to cut your foot off, or what’s that smell.” She laughed the whole time. He can make anything seem like a happy time.

So if you had a step dad as great as mine, wouldn’t you respect him? I don’t always show respect to him but I truly do on the inside.

By C.T. a middle school student

How I get respect from my family and friends?

How I get respect from my family and friends? I get respect by being honest to my mother and my grandma. When I talk to my mom, she will say use inside voices. It does not bother me much, but I wish I could talk louder inside. So when my mother tells me to use inside voices, I say, “Yes, mom.” That is one way how I learn respect. When I get home from school, I take out the dog every 30 minutes. I don’t have a problem with doing any of it. Honesty, on the weekends I will stay the night at a friend’s house. His name I Josh and he is a 15 years old the same age me. Sometimes when it is late at night Josh and I will go to parties, and we will stay at the party for over 30 minutes and we have so much fun. After the weekend is over, my mother will ask me many questions about my weekend. Well, when I went home, my mother was waiting for me to walk into the front door. As soon as I walked into the front door, my mom was waiting right in front of the door. She said, “Let’s sit down and talk about your weekend.” Well she said, “Where did you go?” I said I went to a party, and we had so much fun. We ate lots of food, and we did lots of other things also. My mother asks if I did any drugs, and I said no I don’t do drugs. She said are you being honest. I said yes mom I am why. She said thank you for being honest to me. So that is how I get my respect, and that is how you get respect. My grandma is one of the best lady’s in the world. I have to give her all the respect I have in my body. Why she is 67, and she is getting older by the day. When I ask my grandmother for something like money, she will give it to me, but I only ask for money one time a week. She just said don’t ask for money every week. See I leaned how to respect others, and I know what I need to do in life.

By K. M., a middle school student

R-E-S-P-E-CT…Tell me what it means to be R-E-S-P-E-C-T-E-D.

R-E-S-P-E-CT…Tell me what it means to be R-E-S-P-E-C-T-E-D. Now who hasn’t heard that song right? Well, just because we’ve heard it, doesn’t me we do it. Most people have no respect for others, and I find that very rude. We’ve all heard that we have to respect our elders and to respect our mom and dad and our big brother or sister. But there is someone in my life that I have full respect for and means a whole lot to me. And that is my grandmother. I don’t remember even one time when I disrespected her. And I’m sure glad I never did because I wouldn’t have liked the consequences either. My grandmother has taught me many things because I spent most of my life with her since it was just her and me and my mom for a few years. But I really know what respect is and how I learned it.

My grandmother taught me many things. But one of the most important one was respect. When ever I tried to speak up to my mother or I tried to do anything that was way against my education, she gave me this look that’s indescribable, and that was all it took for me to just shut up. I don’t remember questioning those looks either. She told me to never speak up; to never shout out, and to never do anything that was out of proper behavior. She was a manner addict. She caught every move I made wrong. But she didn’t scream at me because she didn’t believe that I would learn that way. When I made the same mistake twice, then that’s when I got it. But of course my grandmother let me have fun. She wasn’t like someone you had to be scared of.

Whenever my family and me had company over, she would just act normally at what they did. She wouldn’t freak out just right then in front of them. But when everyone had long been gone, she would sit down with my mother and talk all about how these people have no manners and this and that and it was gossip that I just couldn’t stay awake to hear it all. Even the slightest thing bothered her. You would never see my grandma doing such a thing like wiping herself with the sleeve of her jacket or burping or screaming. She always said yes and no, and she always talked in a low voice. She would have proper language and big words, very sophisticated always for a woman her age. When she and I were alone with my mother sometimes, she would act cuddly with us and tell us many things and play with me, and she read me bed time stories. I think she was the best person in the world.

When my motherand I came to the U.S, I remember scratching the floor of the airport and drowning it with tears because I had to leave her. I told my mother many times that I wanted to go back and never return. I just wanted to live with my grandmother, and it would all be fine. She taught mostly all I know because my mom was always at work. She drove me to school, she ironed my clothes, picked me up, and helped me with homework, cooked for me, and on top of that, she had a job. She was my second mother. She was super grandma.

So to sum it all up, my grandma is one of the most important people in the world. I respect her a lot because of everything she did for me when I was a kid. She never left me, she helped me through everything, and she was my guide. And to disrespect someone who has been there for you when you needed her? That sounds like such a crazy idea to me!

By I. S., a middle school student

When I was nine years old, I had a grandma that treated me with lots of respect and lots of kindness.

When I was nine years old, I had a grandma that treated me with lots of respect and lots of kindness. Sometimes I would come home from school and she would ask me if I would like to go out to eat. She would say that if I don’t go with her it would hurt her feelings, so I always said yes. My grandma was the best lady in the world, and I always respected her with all my heart. March 1, 1998 was the last time I saw my grandma. My mom was very quiet for 15 days. Then when I went into my mom’s bedroom, she was sleeping so I let it go for the next few years. Then when I was 12 years old, I asked my mom, "Where is my grandma?" She said that she was dead. I said to my mom why did you not tell me that five years ago? She said that she felt that I was too young to understand. So when my grandma died, she left me a note. "Kyle, I love you very much, and I will never forget about you. I will love you forever and ever. Love, grandma. "

By K. M., a middle school student

I have some rooms in my heart. One is the memory room for family members who have died.

I have some rooms in my heart. One is the memory room for family members who have died. My little cousin Nae-Nae was only 6 years old when she died. She was a victim of a hit and run accident. I will always miss my little cousin. My Granpa is another one I’ll miss. He died of cancer when he was 60. He died in his sleep when I was living with him. My great grandmother nanny died of old age. I miss her, too.

My other room is for my hobbies. My favorite hobby is basketball because it is fun and I’m very good. My brother is one of the best basketball players in the state and in his school. Basketball gets a lot out of my mind and makes me very happy. My other hobby is football. I like this because I can tackle people hard. It gets rid of my stress. My last hobby is baseball. I’m good at pitching and hitting the ball. I like to hit home runs and strike out players.

My friends are in the other room. I have a friend I’ve known since I was born. We are 16 days apart; he is older. We do everything together. He is fun to be with and he makes funny jokes.

By D.J., a middle school student

My heart has a blueprint like a house and three of the rooms are filled with ...

My heart has a blueprint like a house and three of the rooms are filled with hobbies, places, and people who are important to me. My favorite hobbies are football and basketball. I love these sports because I love playing them and they are about running. I love to run and be constantly active. My favorite places are Chicago, Kentucky, and Florida. I love going to Chicago because I get to see my family. If I go during the winter I’m in for a good time when it snows. Kentucky is best during the summer.

By O.C., a middle school student

I have a lot of rooms in my heart and out of 100 I have three special ones.

I have a lot of rooms in my heart and out of 100 I have three special ones. My family is in the first room. I adore my mom, dad and brother the most. I also adore my girl because she is special, pretty, and a good dresser. The third room holds my clothes.

My mom cooks for me and makes sure I get up in the morning for school. My dad takes me to lots of places and buys me stuff. My brother teaches me how to play sports and gets me stuff, too. I love my family.

By J.T., a middle school student

My heart has 3 important rooms that are filled with good and bad memories.

My heart has a blue print like a house. My heart has 3 important rooms that are filled with good and bad memories. These rooms are my school, my old house, and Jesus. The only people that are in any room are Jesus, grandmother, my brother, and my aunt.

I have so many memories in my life and heart that have happened at my school. There are two sad memories. The first one was when I got arrested for fighting, and the other was when I got a call to the school office that my grandmother had passed away.

My room is full of memories these days. My old house is part of my memory. My old neighborhood had some bad memories and good ones. There are memories of people getting shot, kids selling drugs, and a husband beating his wife everyday. Good memories include kids having fun outside without fighting or getting shot.

One of my all time favorite good memories is Jesus Christ. He’s my savior because he died for us. He loves us and it makes me cry when he died on the cross for our sins.

By S.P., a middle school student

If you lessen the work, we’d behave.

If you lessen the work, we’d behave. Just believe me. I need time to think. You don’t give us that time. We also need to take less hours off, too, to let us get some sleep. If you did this we would respect and not talk back. If we get more sleep we can do more work and not get in trouble.

By J.P., a middle school student

If you had a chance to change your school, would you?

If you had a chance to change your school, would you? Well, I have a couple ideas like having better sports, better computers, and different classes. With more sports kids can keep in shape. Football, basketball, and soccer are cool sports. New computers would help because most of the students wouldn’t like to use a computer from 1985. When we need information, we can’t use these computers. Different classes would be nice instead of the same old classes. Having a class where we just discuss issues would be neat, or a class where we can leave school for one week. Our school needs an upgrade.

By L.S., a middle school student

Schools can improve on classes.

Schools can improve on classes. The class is too long. It should be no more than 45 minutes long. When a class is long and boring, like if you didn’t hear what the teacher said, you won’t know what to do for the whole class time. Sometimes when you raise your hand the teacher says, “I’m not going to say it again.” So, you just sit in class bored.

There should be fun classes, not only P.E. and cooking class. I would love to learn how to speak French, Spanish, and Italian. They should offer these kinds of classes. I would be excited to go to this kind of class. I wouldn’t have to skip and get caught with my friends then be sent to E. A. waking up at 4:30 a.m.

By E.G., a middle school student

Kids in my school worry most about the FCAT and semester tests.

Kids in my school worry most about the FCAT and semester tests. These tests make students have mini heart attacks because they think about them too much and study their pants off. Tests don’t keep your grades up; how much you improve keeps your grades up. Failing a test hurts your grade pretty bad.

The FCAT is really bad for kids over the 3rd grade. FCAT makes kids fail because the day before the test everybody is scared and they struggle with the test. If they fail, they have to go to summer school which is like probation because you can’t leave the school until you learn your lessons or whatever you did wrong on the FCAT.

Teachers should make study groups because some people don’t know that they are doing. Some kids just day dream all day and don’t learn anything. If you put two average kids in a group with two A students for two weeks, the average students would get smarter and smarter. They wouldn’t have time to day dream and would get better grades.

Tell your teachers about these ideas because they can really help kids with the FCAT and semester exams. These ideas could help F students.

By J.M., a middle school student

I know some important changes my school needs to make it better.

I know some important changes my school needs to make it better. It needs new supplies, more lunch hours, and more activities. My school needs more supplies for classrooms and the gym. It needs more desks, notebooks, textbooks, and other things for art and P.E. like basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and clay, glue, and other art supplies.

My school needs more time for lunch. We have 30 minutes for lunch. This is not enough and kids complain that they go back to class and didn’t have enough time to eat. Sometimes teachers let kids out of class late, so they have even less time to eat.

My school needs more sports because some kids are not involved in lots of athletic activities because schools don’t offer many.

By S.P., a middle school

Letters to loved ones in England from the Pilgrims after they landed in the new world in 1620

Dear Patrick,

I was on a trip to Cape Cod and stayed with British strangers until we had a house and jobs. Jobs in Cape Cod are hard to get even if kids have to work. If kids work we still won’t have enough money for food and clothes. My family and I were on a boat for a couple of days with hundreds of passengers. It was raining and snowing and really cold. The weather was in a pattern over and over again. Most of the people on the boat got sea sick and we started to run out of food. We stayed in Holland.

Holland was not a slave territory and both of the kids were slaves for a man called Master William Brewster. He was a very mean man in public, but in private, he was nice if you didn’t get on his bad side. William Brewster never made my daughter work; at least that’s what she told me. We found out that Master Brewster tried to be our friend after that. Jonathan Huggs bought my son and Master Brewster treated my daughter like a slave. One morning three gun shots went off and Huggs just killed my son. I was so mad I couldn’t handle myself. After my son’s death, December 1, 1620, we continued our journey to Cape Cod. After 2 weeks we made it to the free country.

Ever since we landed, everything has been going great. I miss my son, but we have a house, jobs, and we have a roommate called Henric. He is British and works in a factory to help pay the bills.

By J.M., a middle school student




Dec. 2, 1620

Dear John,

So far on the journey we have been trying to pass time. It is hard as it is with all these people. There isn’t much food and people are getting sea sick. We’re landing soon so the people will be able to grow food and get some fresh air.
We are near present day Boston where we started the Plymouth Colony. Winter is miserable. I can’t say I like it. When the weeks pass, there is rain, sleet, or snow. We built a meeting room and a few small houses.
Since landing we have been talking to the Indians. They have been nice to us. They have helped us plant food like corn, beans, and squash. We told the Indians to come and have a feast with us.

By J.R., a middle school student




Nov. 30, 1620

Dear Linda,

Girl, you won’t believe where I’m traveling to or who with. Well, I’m going to Plymouth, Massachusetts near Boston with the Indian guy named Squanto. Oh my gosh, it’s such a long journey.

Plymouth is crowded. It’s a new world with everybody walking around. There are men on horses riding from place to place. We met Squanto who taught us many things. The new world is alright, but it is boring at the same time. The food is nasty and you use fish for fertilizer. People die from starvation in the winter.

Anyway, Squanto and I do lots of work because it’s almost winter and we don’t have food. The minute we got to Plymouth, we started learning how to grow food so we could eat for the winter. We grew corn, beans, and squash.

By S.R., a middle school student




Nov. 30, 1620

Dear Eugenie,

On my way there really wasn’t much to do. I slept through most of it. But I met some really cool people and had a nice conversation. Some of them I hardly knew what they talked about. I saw some cool sights and the water looked cool.
What I saw were some Indians. Some of them looked really weird. The place was sort of boring. The Indians were showing me around but I only saw some kids working. I talked to them about my family. They thought it was cool. I saw some really cool things. While I was there I had my first Thanksgiving meal. It was not that fun and the food did not really taste good. I wish you could have been here.

By S.L., a middle school student




November 29, 1620

Dear Sheldina,

So far I have to say my journey has been alright. There are lots of people, but it’s cold and I’m by myself. I have no one to talk to; the loneliness makes it worse for me. I wish you were by my side. Some little kids are separated from their families. I feel sad for them but there’s nothing I can do for them.

The canals are so pretty. There are all kinds of people. I have made new friends even though it’s hard for me to talk to them. I don’t speak their language. The foods we eat are fish, deer, and goose. The winter is not nice.
I have been doing a lot. I even met some real Indians. I miss you so much. Thanks to the Indian men we can grow corn, beans, and squash. Don’t worry about me; I’m fine.

By E.G., a middle school student.




Nov. 28, 1620

Dear Pancho,

We are safe in the new world. The journey was totally yucky. The new world is great, and I’ve been doing a lot of things since the landing. The journey was so boring and disgusting. I couldn’t stand the smell. There was nothing to do but wait until we got here. The food was awful. A nasty biscuit chipped my tooth.

The winter is so terrible. People are dying of starvation. Other than this, the new world is okay. Since winter I have been fishing. I love this but when I catch a fish I never touch it. They are so slimy. I’ve also been playing games and spending time with the Indians. They are so cool. I love these people.

Maybe you can come and visit us in the new world.

By E.S., a middle school student




Nov. 30, 1620

Dear Lucas,

We are safe in the new world. The journey was long and horrible. I will never forget it. We landed on the coast of Cape Cod. I thought there would be people living in the new world, but there were only Indians. I am glad that we landed here.
I’ve made myself a cottage. We met an Indian named Samoset who does not speak much English. He brought a friend, Squanto, who spoke English to translate for us. He taught us how to grow corn, squash, beans, and make bear traps. We are holding a feast and inviting all of Squanto’s friends and family.

By O.C., a middle school student




Nov. 30, 1620

Dear Michael,

All 42 of us are on a journey to Plymouth Rock and we are still on the water. We all just want to get there in time. The ship just got to Plymouth Rock and we are going to find many different things.

We arrived and have found that there are many different things. They have different kinds of wood and they have gold. They have lots of new stuff. We met many Pilgrims and became friends. I met an Indian named Squanto. He was the biggest man in the group. This new world is nice.

By K.M., a middle school student




Nov. 30, 1620

Dear Tavian,

We just started our journey to Plymouth, MA on November 2, 1620. It was cold at night and warm during the day. I saw a whale. It was big and I was surprised because I have never seen a whale up close. I also saw sharks circling under the water. I don’t know what kind of sharks they were though.

We have reached land; today is November 13. We are in Plymouth, MA near Boston. It is full of Indians. After I settled in I went outside and made an Indian friend. Once I got to know him I asked him to teach me some words. He agreed. I learned “geode morgen” which means good morning. The Indians are very kind to me and they treat me with respect.

One day Squanto and I went hunting for wild bears and cows. I shot two bears and Squanto shot four. I really had fun. That was my first time hunting. Today Squanto taught me how to make a spear. The first one I made didn’t come out too well, so I put that one aside and tried again. My second one looked just like Squanto’s. He also taught me how to throw the spear. A tree was the target. I hit 5 out of six shots.

By D.M., a middle school student

My school is trying to get everyone and there family to participate in a TV free week.

My school is trying to get everyone and there family to participate in a TV free week. Well, I for one am against. Everyone seems to want to paint out the negatives in TV rather than the positives. And yes there are positives to TV such as stress relief, helpful programs, and the news.

First, of all stress relief is one good thing about TV. Believe it or not some people just seem to like to kickback and watch some cartons after school or a long day at work? Stress is supposed to be one of the worst things to your body. But it also puts people in bad mood which isn’t a good environment to be around. If just chilling out can bring you down and relieve stress, I say go for it.

My next, reason why I don’t agree with the TV free weeks is because there are plenty of helpful programs on TV. If you’re having problems in your relationship or at home or something, you can turn on the channel to Dr. Phil or Oprah to get advice on how to solve that problem. There are also many educational programs like history channel that we can benefit from.

My final reason that I don’t support the TV week is because of the news. The news is a very useful tool that many Americans use everyday. It would be a shame if someone plan out huge day and when it finally gets there it ends up raining. What if America was being attacked by terrorist but no one in Florida knew because they weren’t watching the news.

In conclusion I don’t support the TV free week because of stress, helpful programs, and the news. Well how can you get some of the positives about TV, you decide whether you want to be apart of the TV free week.

By B.L. a middle school student

I do not believe on turning off the T.V. because it will help us with life.

I do not believe on turning off the T.V. because it will help us with life. T.V. is the best because what if we want to know what’s happening to our country, T.V. is the answer. People need T.V. because T.V. helps us with our life, and the T.V. needs us.

Although I agree with this idea, I still won’t like it because T.V. and videogames is all I do. To go outside but turning off the T.V. will be hard for me because sometimes I need to watch my gospel channel on Sunday. And there won’t be any because the T.V. is off and when there’s no school now and what I will do. T.V. is like a 1,000,000 million dollar for me because you’ll be rich in watching T.V.

If we don’t watch TV for weeks that will be a very bad thing because what if a tornado or a hurricane is coming now how would we know most people do not have radios so most people will probably lose there lives because the T.V. was off. Most people shop on television instead of driving to the store and buying it like what most people use to shop will be bad for them.

Not watching TV for a week will also be cool because you could get to know your family better and have family meetings and talk about school and how your day was. So not watching TV is probably a great idea. For most of us we know are families really well and have family meetings at the time at suppertime so some of us won’t agree.

I still won agree because with kids are so called teens would be boring playing outside all day and probable get sick from the sun. Most people swimming and catch pneumonia and get real sick and die because the TV was off for a week. TV is every person's best friend because you watch TV for news and cartoon. When Bush is giving speeches and elections, all kinds of stuff like that are important to us. So it’s your decision TV watch or not. I’m not forcing you to watch it so good luck.

By: J.M. a middle school student

Everyone in the world looks up to at least one person.

Everyone in the world looks up to at least one person. I look up to more than one, but someone that has a big influence on me is Mr. Simmons. Mr. Simmons is a great authority figure. He makes me laugh, always hears my side of the story, and everyone I know respects him, Mr. Simmons makes me laugh. Saying that’s an understatement, really. He has a brilliant mind, and he uses it to make jokes.

Even in the toughest situation, Mr. Simmons has helped me get through by simply making one comment. Before he left Oakridge, I looked forward to hearing his jokes everyday, whether I was in his office, in the courtyard, watching the morning news, or even passing by him in the hallway, he was there saying something funny. Secondly, Mr. Simmons is the fairest dean I’ve ever met in my life. No matter what, he’d always hear me out. He wouldn’t make any final decisions until he heard my side of the story and to me that’s one of the most important things a dean can do.

Fairness is a very good quality to have, no matter who you are. Lastly, everyone respects Mr. Simmons he doesn’t let middle schoolers push him around like some other dean do. He demands respect, and that’s why he gets it. Even when there are about 300 teenagers in the cafeteria, ho doesn’t give in until every single mouth in that cafeteria is quiet. Even people who don’t like Mr. Simmons respect him. I think part of the reason he gets so much respect is because he gives so many other people respect.

All in all Mr. Simmons is a great guy all around. I’ve known him for 3 years, and I give him full credit for helping me survive my middle school years. I refer to him as my “best friend”, but he’s more than that because he has taught me so much. He makes me laugh, hears my side of the story, and is respected by one and all. I seriously love that guy because he’s so great to everyone.

By: M.W. a middle school student

The person that I respect and admire a lot is my teacher, Mrs. Peterson.

The person that I respect and admire a lot is my teacher, Mrs. Peterson. The reason that I respect and admire her so much is the she is a good person. I also admire her because she has a lot of perseverance. The third and final reason I admire her is because she shows good character traits.

As I said, she is a good person, she helps people and she is kind to everyone, she helps people less fortunate than her during Christmas time by organizing “toys for tots” drive. She helps people with work that has nothing to do with her subject so they would fail. She is very helpful with everything

The second reason I respect her is because she preservers in everything she does. She is over 60 years old, and she is still a teacher. If a file gets erased or she likes a book, she will keep it until it is finished.

The third and final reason that I respect her is. she shows good character. She is always honest and trustworthy. She is a model for the character traits of Collier County and she always exhibits them.

In conclusion Mrs. Peterson is my roll model that I admire and respect. She is a good person with a lot of perseverance that shows good charier.

By B.W., a middle school student

I admire Bowwow so much he is loamy, cute, and he is a good singer to me.

I admire Bowwow so much he is loamy, cute, and he is a good singer to me.

I like Bowwow because he is very famous on all of his behind the scene videos; he’s always singing something slick. And he is always making the director laugh a lot. Bowwow to me is my idol I love him. I wish that I was with him.

The next reason why I like him is because he is so cute. I like his smile he has white teeth and some pretty lips. I also think his cute because his pretty dimples. And he has that big smile to with it, that’s why I love him.

The best reason why I like Bowwow is because he is a good singer. I love his voice when he sings it sounds like, he has a deep and mermen voice at the same time to make his voice even better.

I have told you why I like Bowwow, now you can stop reading this and tell me how you felt about the essay.

By a middle school student

One challenge that I faced was moving to Florida.

Everyone has faced a challenge in their lives. It could be joining a sports team, first time in high school, or coming to this country. One challenge that I faced was moving to Florida. This was a challenge because I had to make new friends, get used to the new school, and find a new house.
Moving from California to Florida was hard because I had to make new friends. Kids were different here, and I didn’t know what they liked and what they did for fun. Then I met some kid who was playing football, and he asked me if I wanted to play. After that I had no trouble making new friends.
Getting used to my new school was not very hard. When I came to Florida and went to school, kids were behind, so I already learned the things they were just learning.
Finding a place to live was another challenge. My family drove around for days trying to find a house, but there were only apartments or hotels available. We finally found a house and had enough money to buy it. After that life was easier.
I have overcome the three challenges that I faced: making new friends, getting used to school, and finding a place to live. This was a good experience/lesson I will remember.

By E.S., a middle school student

Do you like to be challenged? Do you like hard challenges? I was challenged in E.A

Do you like to be challenged? Do you like hard challenges? I was challenged in E.A. The first challenge was getting up early. The second challenge is knowing and following the rules. The last challenge is trying not to go to E.A. again.
I had to get up at 5:00 a.m. E.A. started at 7:00 a.m. The good part was we got out at 1:00 p.m. My bus picked me up around 6:00 a.m. Knowing the rules and following directions was a challenge. I couldn’t put my hand on any part of my head. I had to stay in my seat and not pound on my desk. I had to raise my hand when I wanted something.
I have to remember to not do what I did that got me in E.A. I have to be a good kid and not hang around with the wrong crowd. I have to join clubs.

By C.J., a middle school student

One challenge I faced when I was a small child was learning to ride a bike.

One challenge I faced when I was a small child was learning to ride a bike. I learned with the training wheels how to peddle and ride. Then the training wheels came off, and I was left to ride on my own. It took me a few tries, but after a little practice, I was able to ride a bike. I still had a few slip ups here and there. I learned the best way to avoid something is just to get down and do it. It was one of my first accomplishments, and it was a good one.

By B.W., a middle school student

It was an August day the first day of school.

It was an August day the first day of school. I was out of elementary school and in middle school. On my first day I thought it would be hard for me to find all my classes. I also thought that all the teachers would hate me. I was wrong. Let me tell you the truth behind my first day of 6^th grade. When I got to school that day I was so happy. I would see my friends, I would meet new teachers, I would get to know the staff and the Principal. When I got to school I didn’t see all my friends, but I saw a couple of them. When I saw my two best friends we all jumped on each other. We were so happy. We all went to get our schedules and compared them to see if we had the same classes. We didn’t and we were really mad. Then I saw a friend I hadn’t seen for a long time. Of course we hugged. I was so happy to see her at school

Unfinished By W. S., a middle school student

My first day of 6th grade was horrible...

My first day of 6^th grade was horrible because it was pretty boring. I didn’t really know anyone; it was my first day of school in the U.S. I came from Colombia, so I was very shy. Kids came up to me and asked me my name and if I wanted to sit with them. This made me nervous. I had a schedule but didn’t know where to go. I was lost. Kids asked me questions, but I didn’t understand English. I didn’t have a clue about what was going on that first day in class. The teachers kept speaking to me because I was lost and didn’t know what the other kids were doing. The teacher thought I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t understand English. I had to call my mom so she could help me. After a week of school I kind of understood what the teachers and kids were saying and I was more comfortable.

By D. D., a middle school student

One event that I had that was special was family fun night.

One event that I had that was special was family fun night. There was dancing, games, and the family sat and ate and talked to each other. The one thing I liked about this night was that the family played music and we dance to only hip hop music. There was dancing, karaoke and cute boys that I liked. My favorite song for dancing was “Get Up!” by Chamilleionaire. I can relate to this. I loved the games at family fun night, especially where we threw a ball at the bulls eye to make someone fall in the water. That made me laugh to see someone fall in the huge tub. When someone fell the machine played something slick like “you’re not doing too well under there,” or “sorry for ya,” and “no goodbye.” The last event that was special was eating and telling jokes to make the family laugh. And man, they cracked up.

By D. H., a middle school student

In life there are many firsts.

In life there are many firsts. Some things people remember vividly; others people completely forget. One of my firsts is my first day of middle school. I didn’t know what to expect; I couldn’t decide what to wear, and I felt out of place.

In elementary school I was at the top of the chain. Being a big, bad fifth grader was what I lived for. Man, did I think I was cool. But that’s only natural considering the fact that I was surrounded by younger kids. Even thought I was very nervous, I was thrilled to finally be going to middle school. I had no clue what to expect; no idea what I was in for. Were people going to be mean to me? Was I going to be bullied? Maybe I’ll fit in with the big kids . . .? Clueless and shaking with excitement, I took my first step on the campus.

The night before my big day had been spent picking something to wear. I hate making big decisions because I’m so darn indecisive. I don’t know anyone besides myself that would spend 4 hours picking an outfit. It seemed so important to be wearing the perfect outfit to make the perfect impression. Now I look back on it and feel silly, but then it was important. As I stepped on to that campus wearing carefully chosen white flip flops, a red flowered shirt with little bows at the end, and a flouncey red skirt, I felt ready to take on the world. My face bore no makeup, but my hair was neatly shaped and combed. I was ready.

When I got there I felt out of place. Everyone was running around with their friends, hugging old buddies, screaming, and they knew where they were going and what to do. They were all really tall, too. I was barely 4 ft. 11 in. and I felt short. Not knowing what to do I sat down and observed everyone around me. Soon my friends got there and we went to the gym to get our schedules.

Eventually I found my classes (after getting lost) and my teachers seemed nice. I had lots of classes with my friends and it was good. I loved middle school. My day was great and I had so much to tell my parents. Now I can’t wait to go to high school, but this time I won’t be nervous. High school, here I come!

By M.W., a middle school student

I remember the first day of middle school.

I remember the first day of middle school. Everybody looked so grown up; it wasn’t like elementary school. Middle school was the best for me. I finally learned how to be more independent.

Since 4^th grade I always wanted to be in middle school. Elementary got really boring for me. We were treated like little babies. I guess I was tired of that. But then came my day. I moved on to 6^th grade. For me it was magnificent. I couldn’t believe I was in the 6^th grade.

In middle school you meet more people who end up being your friends. The teachers look nice and are really good. The Principal is really cool. The food in middle school is good. The classes are great. You get more than 2 classes and they are with different teachers. You don’t have to spend all day in one class. Another good thing about middle school is the food. It’s tastier. I like the fried chicken; that’s my favorite. The broccoli is good, too, because there’s cheese on it, and I love cheese. The lunch ladies are nice.

This is why I was excited to go to middle school. It’s cool and everybody loves middle school.

By M.E., a middle school student

A special event that I remember is my first day on the football team.

A special event that I remember is my first day on the football team. I chose this event because it’s my favorite sport. When I signed up I started later than the other kids. I didn’t know anyone and was pretty shy. Then I met the coaches; they introduced me to the team. The next day of practice everyone got their pads except me. After four days of watching them do hit and run plays I finally got my pads and was able to hit with them.

After a week of hitting we started learning the plays and the holds on the offensive line. It took me awhile to understand what the coach was talking about. Soon we put anybody in different positions and just ran the plays. We spent about two weeks doing drills, hitting and running plays. The coach was ready to tell us what positions we would play. I remember that I played first string, left tackle then switched sometimes to left guard. Also on defense I started on first string nose guard then moved to first string defensive tackle. After we got everything settled we ran plays. Then we started our games.

In conclusion, this event has been one of my favorite memories because I met new friends, learned football, and had fun!!

By E.S., a middle school student

I was super excited because I made the soccer team.

I was super excited because I made the soccer team. My mother had gone with me to give coach the paperwork and to pay for my uniform (an extra small). I tried it on; she said it looked great even though it felt a bit large. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. My mom kissed me goodbye and told me she had to go somewhere.

It was time to get out on the field and I was excited as ever. It felt exhilarating. We started with some exercises – jumping jacks, push ups, and sit ups. These exercises were a cinch for me but I was beginning to tire a little. After exercises we ran drills and then scrimmaged. This is where the problem started.

I was okay at soccer, but not as experienced as the others, not to mention being the SMALLEST on the team as well. Coach brought out some knee padding and other pads for the scrimmage. I tried on almost every pad there and did not find one that fit. Coach told me to hold on because he had something for me. He returned with pads that seemed just my size. I tried them on and they fit perfectly. I was so happy then coach said that they belonged to his youngest son. What a moment. No one seemed to mind, but to me it felt like everyone was watching me.

We began to plan the game. I, of course, was not doing too well. Coach paused the game and pulled me and Jose out (Jose is only the cutest, best player on the team.). Coach told the rest of the team to continue and he asked Jose to run some drills with me. I did them better than ever before. That’s when coach noticed what was making me play poorly; I was nervous playing in a big group.

I kept going to practice and after awhile I improved. We had a couple games and I got a chance to play. Jose gave me some practice drills to run with him. So that also helped me improve my soccer skills.

By A.C., a middle school student

When I first signed up for softball, I had no idea it was going to take me as far as I am today.

When I first signed up for softball, I had no idea it was going to take me as far as I am today. I have been to various world series tournaments, but to get there it takes learning, physical and friendship skills. This has definitely been a challenge to be where I am today.

In order to go out for this sport you need to be in the best shape of your life. Not necessarily weight wise, but you need your lungs in shape for all of the physical endurance ahead. You should be physically healthy inside and out. If you have asthma or some kind of breathing condition, you don’t want to pass out on the field. You may be painful and sore starting out, but eventually your body will adapt.

Learning all the basic techniques and lessons in softball takes years. Drill after drill and lap after lap, eventually you will coach on. Sometimes learning so many different lessons in softball can take 10 years to master or sometimes only a couple years, like me. I started when I was 11 years old and now I am 12 and have been on many important softball teams. Applying all of these skills takes time, but in the end it’s worth it.

Making new friends may seem like a challenge for many people. For me and many other girls, softball has opened a whole new opportunity. Since I started I’ve met girls from 7 years of age to 14 years old. Most of them are good friends of mine. I met my best friend through softball. I get to hang out with her at practice, tournaments, games, opening days, ceremonies, and world ceremonies. We enjoy spending time at hotels the most.

Softball has been one of my biggest challenges I have faced yet.

By J.C., a middle school student

Challenges in my life may include meeting new people, going to college, and facing things in my lifetime.

Challenges in my life may include meeting new people, going to college, and facing things in my lifetime. Meeting people is not always easy but in your lifetime you’re going to meet new people. It’s not that hard meeting new people. I meet people all the time, so if you try it may be it won’t be so hard. Going to college will be a big challenge because there might be things you don’t know. This will be hard, like meeting new people. Facing unexpected surprises in the future will also challenge you. These are a few challenges you might face in the future.

By J.B., a middle school student

Can you ride a bike?

Can you ride a bike? So can I! I learned when I was about 5 years old. This all started on my 5^th birthday. I was sitting at a table on the lanai at my aunt’s and uncle’s house. I was just about to blow out the candles on my cake when suddenly my Dad came out riding a little blue Mongoose. I completely forgot about my cake and went out in the backyard and hopped on my brand new bike. I thought I was cool because it didn’t have training wheels. As soon as I hopped on and took the first pedal, I dropped to the ground and broke my wrist. So I went to the hospital and got a cast. Six weeks later I got my brand new Mongoose and hopped on again. This time I actually had help. My family and I went out to my aunt’s and uncle’s house. Once again I tried to learn how to ride that bike. The keyword is “tried.” I fell and fell and fell and fell. Finally I got just the right balance and rode like the wind. All that work and frustration paid off though. Every day I ride my bike all over the place, to my friend’s house, to the movies, to the park, anywhere.

By Z.S., a middle school student

So far in my life one of the most difficult challenges was learning how to skateboard.

So far in my life one of the most difficult challenges was learning how to skateboard. First, you have to learn how to stay on the board and not fall off and get hurt. Second, you have to find what gear and what safety stuff to have. Third, you have to try to learn new tricks to get better.

First, you have to learn how to ride the board and not fall off. So you have to either get lessons or teach yourself. You have to get lessons or teach yourself. You have to get the right shoes that grip your board right. Then you have to buy the right clothes so if you fall, your clothes will help you out by not getting cuts or anything. After that, you must learn how to control you balance so you don't fall off the board.

Second, you have to find out the right gear and environment so you don't get hurt. So you probably would get the helmet and pads for your elbows and knees. Then you should get pants so if you fall you won't get cut of scratched. After that you should get long sleeve shirts for you arms.

Third, you have to start trying tricks and learn new skills. Like you have to start going for new tricks over big things so you can get better and not be scared of anything. Also you have to learn where to put your feet to do a trick and land which is really hard to learn. Then you can start to practice your tricks until you get them really good so after that you can try and learn something new.

Well, I have just told you the difficult challenge that I have learned so far in my life. And I have told you three reasons why it was so hard. First, it was how to ride the board. Second, I talked about the gear to get so you don't get hurt, and third, I told about how hard it is to learn how to do tricks.

By C. O., a middle school student

There have been so many challenges throughout my young teenage life...

There have been so many challenges throughout my young teenage life, but there was one challenge in particular that was very difficult, ballet! This was a hard situation, but I love ballet. It took me years to overcome this challenge, and there was an excellent outcome to this.

I loved ballet ever since I was two. I use to love to dance (I still do!). My mom one day decided to sign me up for ballet class. I was four years old. Picture me eager and also the anticipation was killing me! But as I stepped into the gym with my mother I never would have guessed what was ahead of me.

Secondly, it took me years to overcome this challenge as I learned more and more in ballet. I realized that it was a lot of hard work. One position that I absolutely hated was the tippy toe (as some may say). My ballet teacher use to make us do that over and over again. After a day of doing the "tippy toe," my toes would be all bruised up. My favorite position was the famous plie. As a young girl, I loved doing "animal exercise." that is when she yells out an animal and you act it out.

The outcome of four years in ballet was amazing. Now I can mix Hip-hop with ballet. Also I can stand on my "tippy toe" for more than a minute. Ballet taught me to be free and let the music take control of me.

Hence the challenges have been so rough throughout my young life, but ballet was the most challenging. Ballet took me years to overcome and there was a great outcome to my four years in ballet. I never gave up no matter how much my body ached. You should never give up either because you don't want to end up the rest of your life wondering!

By C. G., a middle school student

This year I got into the band and we had to pick an instrument.

This year I got into the band, and we had to pick an instrument. I picked the sax. I picked the sax because of the beautiful sound it makes. When we had to learn how to play our instrument, I was scarred. When it was my turn, I did good, and I wasn't scared any more. It turns out that I'm one of the best sax players in my band class.

By O. G., a middle school student

Hi, I am a student at G. Middle School, and I have so many challenges to face.

Hi, I am a student at G. Middle School, and I have so many challenges to face. I got basketball to face, and also I have grades to face, and one more thing to face is playing with team mates. Those are some challenges I have to face. How am I going to fix that? Read the story, and I will tell you. Here we go!!

My first challenge to face is being on the basketball team. Look, I am at Enhanced Assist (In School Suspension) for five days. Guess what, I can’t go on school campus or I will get arrested. So let me put it this way, I’m missing five days of practice. So I am probably not going to play the first game. That’s going to be a killer. We might lose or win. Also if we lose, that is going to be on our stats. Some teams might have no losses, and we might have one.

My next challenge to face is my grades. I really need to keep them up. I am tired of having an F in science. I do my homework, but the tests are hard. I study, but I forget the words and the definitions. I have a D in language arts, but in math I have a big shinny B. Geography is sort of easy and hard. Those are some challenges I have to face.

My third challenge I have to face is playing with my team mates. I am sometimes showing off. But I do it because I can. But I pass a lot, and they still call me a showoff. Bit I don’t care as long as they are my friends. I don’t care.

These are some of the challenges I have to face.

A middle school student

I will never forget the first football game of the regular season.

I will never forget the first football game of the regular season. That was when we first got our pads and positions. My position was fullback. We got helmets, shoulder pads, knee pads, thigh pads, and butt pads. We need all of these pads so we won’t get hurt, or injure a muscle, or anything else. The pads protect the parts of our bodies where we get tackled. The helmet protects our head and neck.

The coaches give us positions so we will know where to play in a game. This way no one gets confused. The coaches assign you a position where you’re best. You might have more than one position like offense and defense, or offense and special teams, or defense and special teams. The more positions you have the better you are.

If you try your hardest and the coaches see that you give 100%, they will let you start. During practice you have to do your best. Effort is the key to starting in a game. In a game you get a different jersey, pants, and pads. People are able to come and watch you play if they want.

You now know about why coaches give you pads and a helmet, why you play a certain position, how to start in a game, and what happens at a game.

By R.J., a middle school student

One thing that I love to do is go to the movies with my friends.

One thing that I love to do is go to the movies with my friends. It’s fun, the movie is not that expensive, and I get to see my old friends there. Don’t you love going to the movies? My friends and I always go to the movies and have a good time. We play in the arcade; this is fun, too. Paying to go to a movie is not that expensive. It only costs $9 for the entrance. If you want to eat you would have to pay more money. A movie is the cheapest place you can go to have fun. Other places charge a lot of money and then you don’t even have fun.

I’ve gone to movies a lot and I always see my old friends there. We say hi to each other. Now that I have moved to a different school, I see a lot of old friends at the movies. This is one of the most important reasons I go to the movies. You should try going to the movies. I promise you’ll like it.

By R.G., a middle school student

I'm trying to improve my school in many ways

I’m trying to improve my school in many ways so kids can be comfortable and don’t have to worry a lot. I think this would make the teacher’s job better.

One thing I want to improve at East Naples Middle School, my school, is the lunch. Lunch is horrible. Sometimes the food is rotten, it tastes really bad. The chips taste bad. The ladies in the cafeteria should at least have something new.

Also the dress code should be removed. Let kids wear whatever they want. A uniform won’t keep kids from getting into trouble. Kids don’t even like wearing uniforms.

Physical activities are good for kids. Kids at my school should run a couple of laps. They should play sports like soccer and football.

By M.E., a middle school student

My school needs these improvements.

Manatee Middle School needs a lot of improvements! Some areas that we need improvement in are school hygiene, working together, and fund raisers.

First, school hygiene. Most of the time when I go to the school bathroom, it is gross! Someone should be in there and clean it more often. The lunch tables sometimes still have food from the last person who ate there. When I was walking with my friends in the hall, I stepped on gum! That’s also why the hall should stay clean.

Second, we need more working together! We students need more activities, so we can work together. One thing we can gain from that is social skills. The more students that have social skills the less students are shy.

Third, fund raisers would be a great idea. Personally I think the students at Manatee MS would have fun with this. Probably and hopefully students at my school will join. All of us working together would be great!

Manatee Middle School needs a lot of improvements like school hygiene, working together, and some fund raisers. I could just picture all MMS students working together, can’t you?

By C.G., a middle school student

What do you like to do for fun?

What do you like to do for fun? Well I'll tell you what I like. I love football games. I love to go to football games because of the people, food, and success.

To begin, I like football games because of the people. People at football games don't come to be shy, they come to have fun. That is what they are about - fun. No matter how crazy and fun they are, they are very loving people. They care for you like you are their own. Everyone is like one big family. They are always going to be kind, and that is why I love the people at the football games.

Next, I love football games because of the great food. You are not going to see and taste the same old thing there. So many different types of food are there. Of course it is going to taste delicious because they have such great cooks. Everyone brings a little of this and little of that and next you know we have enough food to feed the world. So of course you get seconds and maybe even thirds. You can even take some home. This is the second reason why I love football games because of the food.

Finally, the last reason why I love football game is because of the success. It is not always about who won and who did what. The thing that really counts is that tried and gave it your all because we still are going to love you if you lost or won. So we don't congratulate one, we congratulate all because like I said before we are all one big family. We don't forget others, we all stick together.

Now you can see all the reasons why I love to go to football games. I love the people, food and success. I hope that I have convinced you to want to go to a football game and be part of the football family.

By S. T., a middle school student

What I like to do best is play basketball with my friends...

What I like to do best is play basketball with my friends or family because basketball is a sport that almost everybody likes to play.

The second sport I like to do is play baseball with some friends and family members. It is fun because you run a lot, and it is fun to play.

The other thing I like to to set on my computer to listen to music and do my homework and just sit there sometimes and watch TV.

Another thing I like to do is to go fishing with my family members and friends because you can do some little contest on who gets more fish.

Another thing I like to do is to play with animals like my favorite animals like dogs, horses, and all kinds of animals. After school I ride my bike with my friends around and then I go home on my bike. In the morning I go to my friends house on my bike. This is my favorite thing to do is horse back riding because I have done it since I was three years old in Cuba, but my horse was stolen, so I got another one but in Cuba.

By A. P., a middle school student

As a football player, I think football is the best sport I can think of.

As a football player for the Bengals, I think football is the best sport I can think of. Having the ball, being a running back, and being a quarter back are the best things.

To begin with when you have the ball, it is an excitement because you never know when you will get hit by another player. But you have got to be careful because you can get hurt if you don't get hit in the right spot.

Also being a quarter back is a great position. You will mess up but all you have to do is to get some good blocker that won't let anyone pass them, and you will be sure to catch the ball.

Last but not least, the most important player is the running back or full back. The running back will sometimes get most of the points like Mike V, a running back for the Falcons.

Being a quarter back, a running back, and having the ball are all important to me. Try it you may get a kick out of it.

By L. S. M., a middle school student

Everbody has a favorite thing to do well. I like football.

Everybody has a favorite thing to do well. I like football. There are lots of reasons, but mine are you get to have all your friends around. It is just a really fun sport, and you get to experience new things.

First of all everyone knows it is fun to have your friends around and most likely you can't play a game without them. Playing football is a good game for you and your friends. It is also a good team work game, something for you and your friends to work on.

Secondly, it is just a really fun sport. Me I take football seriously because it is a sport I love. Sometimes I feel like playing all night. Once you really get into the game, it is fun for everyone.

Third of all I know I love experiencing new things in the sport. One time I was the kick receiver and I was playing against some of the hardest people. I must have junked each of them two times, and I made a touch down one time as a kick returner just like the Super Bowl. It was awesome time and of course we won.

In conclusion, you can see I love football, and there are many things to like about it. I love football and maybe you can too. My favorite team is the Steelers you can probably tell by the bracelets I wear.

By a middle school student

Everyone has something they enjoy doing.

Everyone has something they enjoy doing. My favorite activity that I not only like to do but also like to watch is soccer. The game really brings out something in you and makes you want to play. The excitement of watching the game as they pass the ball and the thrill of when they kick it to the goal and miss it by an inch just makes you jump out of your seat. But I like it because it is fun, it is good exercise, it teaches you a valuable lesson in life, and it is very thrilling to watch with family. I’d be fine if soccer was the only sport in the world!

I like soccer because when you just sit and watch, you don’t know what is going to happen unless you know the team’s ability. My absolute favorite soccer team is the F.C Barcelona. That team has one of the best players in the world, Ronaldihno, Eto, Messi, Rafa Marques, and many others. We enjoy watching them trick the other players when they make them think they are going to pass the ball but actually keep it to themselves but at a distance. And when they kick it behind their back and make it go forward with his feet, we just find that completely amazing. They and his jaw dropping moves could make anyone enjoy soccer.

Another reason why I love this sport is because it is fun. When you play outside with your friends, you want to play the best you can because you want to win. So then that means picking the best players that you can. Of course I always get picked because this game has been in the family for about 3 generations. My father played soccer for a team until he graduated college, my grandfather played soccer as well, and so did my great-grandfather. But since I am my daddy’s only little girl, he passed it on to me. This sport involves a lot of running and getting into shape and that is what I’m trying to do because I really enjoy this game, and if I want to play it to my full potential, I need the body to do that. You run a lot which gets you into shape, but also you are just having fun with your friends not thinking about anything else but “ how am I going to make that goal”, or “ who should I pass it the ball to”, and it just builds up excitement in you.

This game also brings you together because all of the players that I mentioned come from many different places in the world. You learn to get along and work with one another and you forget about the racial differences. I also love this game because when you are playing, you learn things like team-work or just how to basically control the ball. You need to know the tricks your opponent will throw at you so you can catch them with no problem. Team work is something very important in life because you can’t do everything by yourself. Many times when you want to make the goal yourself, your friends or whoever you might be playing with calls you a ball hog, or they might think your selfish, but maybe your so caught up on the game, you don’t realize what your doing! That has happened to me many times but, as they say, “There’s no I in TEAM”.

So to sum it all up, I love this sport because it is thrilling, it is fun, it is good exercise and it makes you learn a valuable lesson in life. If you’re actually really into it, you might get somewhere in life with this game.

By I. S., a middle school student

The reason why I am here is to tell you my favorite thing to do

The reason why I am here is to tell you my favorite thing to do and one of them is to hang out with all of my friends. The second one is to hang out with my family. The third one is being at the mall and shopping with my friends and family.

I really like hanging out with my friend and spending time with them. I love all my friends even if they are mad at me or some thing. But you should always be there for your friends when they have your back you need to have their’s, and it’s good hanging out with your friends because they encourage you to do good things, but not all friends are like that some just might be using you just to get some thing or some one from you. But you should know when you have a friend like that, not all friends could be trusted but you should know if you could trust your friend.

The second thing I like to do is being with my whole family because not all people have a chance to be with there family. I feel bad for the people that don’t have a family to see every day or year. Because something might of happened to them or they live far far away but being with your family is a good thing and doesn’t matter if they are boring they are the most important in your life. Having a family is good to see every day or year because of the other people in the whole world don’t get to see none of there relatives.

The third things I like to do is going to the mall and go shopping with all my friends. I love shopping at the mall with my friends getting new stuff and looking good that’s the second most important in a girls life.

By a middle school student

Wouldn't You Like to Have a Shorter Day at School?

Wouldn’t you like to have a shorter day at school? Well I would love to improve school by having a shorter time in school. One reason that would be a good idea is because a lot of people have things to do at home. Another reason is so we can have time to be with our friends. The last reason is because we get tired having a long day of school.

Do you have things to do sometimes? When I get home from school I always have to do chores. Having eight hours of school really takes up too much time. That’s a reason I would want the school day shorter. You would also have places to go for example the dentist. Sometimes school gets in the way of that. When we get home, we also have to do our homework. If we have a shorter time in school, we would have more time to do our homework.

We have a long day of school. This means you would probably be tired. If we have a shorter day at school, we would have time to sleep when we got home. So if we have time to go to sleep, we would be ready for school the next day. We have enough work at school so we need to get some rest. There are just too many hours of school.

I would love to spend more time with my friends. I know every one does. If school were shorter, we would be able to spend time with our friends. We would go to some fun places like the movies. That would be pretty cool to go to the movies with your friends after school. We would go to the mall. That’s another place my friends and I hang out at. The park is also a fun place to be with your friends. But school is just too long to do all those things.

Now you know why I would want school to be shorter. We have things to do at home. We get tired of school. Last but not least so we can hang out with our friends. Can you imagine if we had a shorter time in school? Everything would be different. That’s how I would improve school.

By R. G., a middle school student

Everybody Has a Favorite Thing To Do

Everybody has a favorite thing to do. Well let me tell you about the things that I like to do. See I love to watch football, and I also like to play football. Three years ago I was in football. Every time I played football my parents said that they would come so when they would come they would cheer me on. When my parents cheer me on, it helps me play football better.

When my friends come over my house, they always want to play football and so we do. When we get to the football area, we all get ready and we pick teams. After we are done picking teams, we start the game. Well, two years ago on a Sunday in 2005 my friend Michael C. got injured in a car accident. When I was told that my friend Michael just died in the hospital, none of us new what to do. I sat in a chair for two hours.

The summer of fun. When summer came everybody had so much fun we had every thing to do none of us would be bored for a while till summer was over. So when the time came that all the kids in the town would come to just play football that was so cool I could not believe it one bit at all. So all the kids wanted to play football but just not football they all wanted to play just me only.

When it was time to play football, I said one by one so I said the first one come to the stand and play. So the game started one by one.I was winning and betting every body then at the end of the game there was the meanest kid and the oldest kid in the town I said ok lets go so I went past him and I saw a way to go so I took that way and I beat all the kids in town and I also won 85 dollars..

So that is what I like to do and that is what I am going to do in my life. I am going to play football. I think I will make a lot of money in life that is what I want to do. When I get into high school, I will have many many goals. That is all I have to tell you so when you get a chance you should think about what you what to do in life so now I can do what I want to do.

By K. M., a middle school student