The Thanksgiving Contest Winners and Assembly

Hello future readers,

I hope all of you had an outta site Thanksgiving. I know I did. You're probably all wondering who won that "What I'm Thankful For" contest, right? Well....I wasn't one of the winners. It's kind of a bummer. I really thought my composition would win, but you see, a lot of kids wrote about their moms and my composition just didn't stand out. But my mom was super proud of me anyway. I got a good grade on it, so my mom took me to Sam's Snack Shack for a hamburger and then to a movie. See? I told ya she was the grooviest mom ever! Anyway, the winners for the 4th grade was April from my class, and Crissy from Mrs. Johnson's class. Even though I was kinda sad for me, I was happy for my friends. So on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, we were all seated in the auditorium, waiting for April and Crissy to read their winning compositions. Wendy was sitting in the front row. She was so proud of her sister and couldn't wait to hear her read.

Mrs. Johnson was backstage, giving April and Crissy last minute instructions on how to project their voices and stand up straight.

 After the Color Guard led the Pledge of Allegiance and "America The Beautiful", and the teachers made the usual announcements. they talked about the contest and what it meant. They said it was a really hard decision, because all of the entries were really good. So starting with the second graders, the winners came up on stage to read their compositions.

They were right...the compositions were all pretty good, but I was waiting to hear April's and Crissy's. Finally it was the 4th grade's turn. and the teachers announced Crissy Cooper from Mrs. Johnson's class.

In her composition, Crissy read that she was thankful that she was a catalog model, and how her mom drives her to all the photoshoots she needed to go on, and how she's saving money to buy herself a car and for going to college someday. She was thankful that she got to travel to some interesting places, and even though she misses hanging out with her friends, and just being a regular kid, she says she has lotsa fun posing for pictures and that she's thankful for the opportunity to make money at doing something she loves.

I'm really proud of Crissy too, even though I miss hanging out with her and all our sleepovers and stuff. It's easy to see why she's a good catalog model. She's one of the prettiest girls I know. Next the teachers announced April Miller from Miss LaSalle's class.

April was thankful that she had survived the car accident she was in, and that she could walk now. She told how a couple of years ago, she was running errands with her dad in the next town, when a pickup truck ran a red light and smashed into their car on the passenger side where April was sitting. Her dad only had cuts and a bump on the head, but April legs were practically crushed. She had to move away from Springfield with her dad, so she could go a special hospital for all the operations and physical therapy she had to get. She really missed her mom and her sister Wendy, but she practiced every day how to walk and did her exercises so she could come home to them.

I looked down at Wendy while her sister was reading. When she got to the part about how she kept exercising and practicing her walking every day, no matter how much it hurt. I could see Wendy grinning from ear to ear, because she was so proud of April for not giving up.

April went on to say that a year after the accident, she came home to Springfield, walking on her own. She still has to do exercises and go away every six months so that special hospital can check her out, but she's very thankful she's home with her family. After April was finished the whole 4th grade cheered, and Wendy cheered loudest of all!

When the assembly was over, all the kids who won and their moms went backstage to take pictures. My mom brought me backstage so she could congratulate everybody and take some snapshots of her own!

 
                                    (My mom took this one of Wendy and April).

                                 
            (Then my mom took one of the 3 of us. Don't we look like sisters?)

                                (Mrs. Cooper took this one of me and Crissy.)

It was a really groovy assembly, and even though I didn't win, I was really happy and proud of Crissy and April for getting up and reading the stories to the whole school. They do have a lot to be thankful for. And so do I. My mom says we shouldn't only be thankful on Thanksgiving, but all year 'round, every single day for all the things we have and the people in our lives. I'm thankful for my mom, and for all my far out friends. Happy Thanksgiving, future readers!

Until next time,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

The "What I'm Thankful For" contest

Hello future readers!

Outta site! Thanksgiving is coming! And that means there's not only groovy stuff going on at home, (with my mom and me cooking!), but also groovy stuff going on at school, too. We made turkeys out of clay and fake feathers in Art class, the teachers announced we're gonna have pumpkin pie in the lunch room this week, and they also announced that we're having a :What I'm Thankful For" contest at school. All the kids from 2nd grade to 6th grade have to write a composition about what they're thankful for. Two kids from each grade will be picked to be the winners. Those kids will get a chance to read their compositions in assembly on Wednesday, and their stories will even get printed in the Springfield Gazette, (that's our town's newspaper) for the Sunday paper next week! Isn't that the coolest thing ever? This past Tuesday, Kim came over to my house so we could work on our compositions together. Since her parents had gone to buy a new refrigerator, Kim was gonna spend the afternoon with me and stay for dinner. She's going out of town after school this Wednesday, so her family can spend Thanksgiving with her aunt in upstate New York.  I'm gonna miss her. She spent her very first Thanksgiving in Springfield with me a couple of years ago, and she was with me last Thanksgiving too. So I'm glad we could hang out before her trip.

I had been thinking since last week, (when the contest was announced), what I was gonna write about. I do have a lot of things to be thankful for, I have a lot of friends, I live in a nice house, I have lots of toys, and good things to eat. I really like my school and my teachers...but I think the very best thing of all I'm really thankful for is my mom.

I know most kids have a mom and a dad, and I just have my mom.  My dad died in a car accident while my mom was still pregnant with me. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to have a dad. I have my Uncle Richard, and even Kim's dad, Jeff, since her parents are really good friends with my mom., but it's not the same. Still I'm pretty lucky. My dad left all his money to my mom in his will even before she got pregnant. Even though my mom has a job, she has enough money now so she only has to work part time when I'm in school, She's always around when I need her. She lets me do groovy things like have parties with my friends and stuff. And she's a really good cook! I think my mom is just about the best mom in the whole world!

Kim is writing about being thankful for all the great friends she's made since she moved to Springfield. Not just me, but all the kids in the 4th grade...even the boys!

It took us almost 45 minutes, but I think we both came up with some far out compositions. Then my mom told us to set the table for dinner.

And man, what a dinner! We had lasagna, garlic bread and salad. Yummy!

Yep, Mom's a super cook, alright! And we even had eclairs from the bakery for dessert! Right on, Mom!

After we finished eating, we went to my room to play until Kim's parents came for her. I turned om my radio, and took out my Minnie Mouse jigsaw puzzle.

My mom gave me that puzzle a couple of years ago after I spent my whole allowance buying Easter candy for my friends, and pretending I was the Easter Bunny. See how dynamite my mom is?

I like doing puzzles, but I always have to make sure Boomer doesn't jump on my bed and mess it all up.

Kim's parents picked her up before we got a chance to finish the puzzle, (darn it!). But it was a school night and she had to go home. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that I'm one of the contest winners. It would be so groovy to have my composition printed in the newspaper! This is gonna be a really busy week, future readers, but I promise to tell you all about who won next time!

Until then, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

Dodge Ball

Hello future readers!

On Friday in Gym class, we played Dodge Ball. In case you don't know what that is, let me clue you in. In Dodge Ball you have 2 kids standing on either side of the floor and a bunch of kids sandwiched in between them all spread out. One kid on the end has a ball. They have to throw the ball and hit the kids in the middle who are jumping to get out of the way, or "dodging" the ball. If a kid gets hit, they're out. Now you're supposed to aim and hit people below the waist, or where you wear your pants. Above the waist doesn't count, and neither do your hands, 'cos they can be up or down. Anyway, Danny and Shante' were the throwers and the rest of Miss LaSalle's class was in the middle.

Robyn was the first one out, since the ball hit her foot.

Then Shante' had the ball and we all had to turn around.

April was out next. She got hit in the waist.

Danny had the ball again. About face!

This time he hit Stephanie. Only he threw the ball so hard that it knocked her down!

We all gathered around Stephanie and asked if she was alright.  She said she got the wind knocked outta her, but she wasn't hurt.

Danny just hung back looking kinda embarrassed. I know he didn't mean to throw the ball so hard.

Stephanie picked up the ball to give to Danny and said "Here Danny, that's a do over" And he said, "What do you mean, that's a do over? I'm sorry I hit you so hard, but you're still out."

Stephanie told him since the ball hit her in the stomach and not below the waist, it didn't count. Danny got mad and told her the ball hit her waist so she was out!

Miss LaSalle saw the whole thing and told Danny the ball hit Stephanie in the stomach. Only Danny started to argue with her, and said it hit Stephanie in the waist.  Miss LaSalle told him that he had to sit on the bench for the rest of gym class for being a poor sport and arguing with a teacher.

Danny just sat there looking mad, kicking his feet and grumbling. Miss LaSalle told Stephanie she could take Danny's place, and throw the ball.

Later when we were lining up to go back to class, I heard Danny tell Stephanie he was sorry he acted like such a jerk. Stephanie told him it was OK, and that he should save that arm for pitching in baseball! Haha!

I'm glad Stephanie and Danny made up so fast. I don't like to see my friends fight with each other. Sometimes when some of them have arguments, they don't talk to each other for days.  Then some of us take sides and it just turns into a big mess. I can never do that. I'd rather say I'm sorry and get it over  with.  Danny admitted he was wrong and everything was cool again. I don't think he likes being mad, or having other people mad at him.

Until next time, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman