Students Earn Publication
The following eighth grade students' essays were chosen to be published in "Celebrating What is Important to Me" by Creative Communication.
"Over half of the eighth graders' essays were chosen to be published. I'm so proud of these students in that they are able to see their hard work pay off! It is a great accomplishment to be a published writer," stated Mrs. Holzwarth, Middle School Language Arts Instructor.
The 8th grade essays are below for your reading enjoyment.
Life Changing
by Nick Paulsen
Have you ever had to move in your life? If you have, did you move from a town, city, state, country, or even continent? Also, if you have, you know how it feels to leave your friends and maybe even close family behind.
When I was younger, I used to live across the ocean. I was born in a place, not heard of often, known as Tajikistan. My adopted parents were from America and Germany so we often flew to Germany for frequent visits.
So moving wasn’t a big deal when I was three or four. Then when I was about five, I made the biggest move with my family. We flew over the Atlantic Ocean to The United States of America. We lived in Wisconsin where I went from kindergarten to third grade.
By then, I already had friends so the moving was much harder for me since I understood what was going on. I lived in a city so moving to a little town called Saint Francis, Kansas, was a tremendous change for me.
When I came to Kansas, everyone was always talking about farming. When you move from a city, the transition is hard to make. People like different things than you do.
Some people love to move. Missionaries are a great example of people who like to move. Some people move for business because they have found jobs. Others even move just to live closer to friends or family.
When I came to St. Francis, my family didn’t have any friends or family in the area. So moving to where you don’t know people is not fun! Have you ever moved somewhere where you don’t know anybody?
Skateboarding
by Dennis Potter
There is a sport in this world that no one really thinks is a sport. This sport is called skateboarding. Skateboarding can be a hobby for others also.
When you skate, it makes you feel passionate of knowing how to skate and what it is. Skating takes thinking most of the time because you have to know how you are going to do a trick. If you do a hard trick, you would have to learn how to kick the board correctly. Skating is a really hard sport, only because if you do a trick, you need to know how to perform it.
Skateboarding was invented in California by a group of surfers in the 1900’s. They invented it because the waves were too weak to surf at the time. At first, they called it street surfing. After they made newer boards, they started calling it skateboarding.
There are many brands for skateboarding, too. Some of the best, in my opinion, would be DC, Active, and Girl. Most pro skaters will use Girl, Active, DC, or their own brand. Tony Hawk is a pro skater and he uses his own skateboarding brand.
There are also many more pro skaters. Some really famous ones would be Tony Hawk, P.Rod, Rob Dyrdek, and several more. There are skaters which some people don’t know. I have a really close friend in California named Zack Acosta. He would be called a semi proskater.
In this essay I told you some facts about skateboarding. There are many more facts about skating. Maybe you could try skating someday. Skating is really fun in my opinion. If you were to skate, would you think it’s fun?
Technology Today
by Jake Faulkender
When you think about electronics like Kindle, Nook, Apple, Mac, PC, HP, and other small electronic makers what comes to mind? You will be shocked by what is going on in these companies because it is insane. Billions and billions of dollars are made a year in these organizations because there is such a high demand for these devices.
Between now and 30 years ago, the advances are astonishing. We, as average Americans, don't look at it that way though. We are always complaining how our iPhone is not working right. That our laptop is frozen. We cannot even comprehend what work was put into designing electronic devices.
I do think some people are attracted to new devices so they can see how the electronics have adapted over the years. That is one reason I get iPods, iPhones, and tablets. People think the devices are the only things that have changed. If you look at the format of websites, you will see they have changed just as much as the devices.
The reason these electronics are expensive is actually not the equipment, but the labor and the time it took to create and develop. The equipment actually is not that costly. Most of the money is actually going to the people who put them together, not the people who make the parts.
Apple is getting a lot of our money by making iPods, iPhones, iPads, and even laptops. We just keep getting them without even thinking where the money is going. Do you ever think about where your money is going when buying an electronic device?
The Transition
by Trayton Doyle
Have you ever switched from a sport you did not like very well to a sport you loved? If you have not, then let me tell you, the wait seems to take forever to change seasons. It did for me anyway from basketball season to wrestling season.
The reason I love wrestling is because of the contact and the aggressiveness. Wrestling also tests to see who is the better wrestler between my opponent and me. Another reason why I love this sport is because it is only my opponent and myself. The reason I like having only us two out there is because if I make a mistake, I can only blame myself. Also, I can not rely on another person to do something on the mat to help me.
The practices of wrestling are to condition, improve technique, and get stronger. You have to do this everyday, no matter how badly you do not want to, you have to. That is, if you want to improve everyday. While in basketball, we condition and practice on shooting form. To be honest, I would rather do wrestling practice, no matter how hard we have to work.
A reason I do not like basketball as much is because I have to rely on other people too much. Although that builds my trust for people, I would just rather be by myself. Another reason I like wrestling more is because in basketball there is not enough contact.
But do not get me wrong, I do not hate basketball. I like both sports because there is competition, and I like competitive sports. I just enjoy wrestling more than basketball. So would you rather go for a sport that is just you and your opponent, or one where you have to rely on your teammates for help?
Moving to St. Francis
by Luin Norris
One day my mom told my siblings and me we were moving when school was over. We didn’t quite understand why we were moving so suddenly. She explained she couldn’t pay bills anymore and she was falling behind on rent so we had to move.
The first day of summer I woke up bright and early to load our trailer at noon. I remember the time because we had just finished lunch. My family and I thought it would be a “peaceful” ride. We left Wichita to head north to Newton and as we were passing through Newton, chaos ensued.
Our trailer had come loose from my brother’s truck and spun around the highway crashing into the barricade and someone’s car. The trailer ended in the ditch on the other side of the road. My mom called U-Haul and told them what happened. They sent another trailer, but it wouldn’t be there for six hours. After waiting for about two hours, we decided to leave and come back for it later.
After all that happened, it was a fairly great ride. We arrived in St. Francis at about nine or ten o’ clock. My brother went back to get the trailer while we got settled in. The next day my brother came back with the trailer and we finished moving in.
I’ve lived in St. Francis for a few months now and I really enjoy it. I didn’t like it at first because I didn’t know anybody, but now I know many of people. Have you moved far from a place you called home?
The Day I Gained an Angel
by Matthisen Witzel
My life seems perfect. I have heard about teenagers committing suicide, but never imagined it could ever affect me. I was very wrong. I remember everything so vividly, from the phone ringing to my mom’s scream. I had no clue Abe, my cousin, was ready to go to heaven.
It was such a surreal moment; I felt like I was in a dream. A flood of emotions went over me. I didn’t know if I should cry, scream, or just sit and take it in.
I felt I needed some answers for closure. At that time in my life, my faith was really strong. Although, I remember crying to God out of anger and confusion. I’m just longing for the day when I get to ask Abe “why”.
When I found out he died, for almost a year I was terrified to be in my own house. I refused to sleep, and I never wanted to be alone. More than anything, I was terrified of death.
I realize how different my life would be now if Abe was still here. He will never get to see me play sports, play my guitar, or dance. It is still so hard to think about him. He was a huge part of my life. I know now, I can overcome any challenge which gets thrown at me; due to, my guardian angel.
I have no fear of dying now. I know I will see him very soon. My life will never be the same, but I gained a pretty great angel. What would be your first thought if you lost your best friend?
Teamwork in Sports
by Luke Lampe
Do you rely on others everyday? I do, almost everyday in sport practice. I also rely on my teammates at sporting events. These sports can be football, track, wrestling, or basketball. Let me tell you about my teamwork in sports.
I think there is teamwork in all sports in my junior high life. Even in wrestling, my teammates give each other the support to win every match we get set with. In wrestling, or any other sport, how would I get better without practice from my teammates? Without practice, how would I be ready for future competition?
In team sports, you have to trust everyone on the team to do their part. You must trust the man next to you in football or basketball so he will help you through the tasks in the game. In team sports; such as basketball, you have to communicate on what play to do next. You can’t leave any teammates out of the loop.
In any sport, you must also push each other to get better at anything and everything possible. You can push each other by practicing as a team. By practicing as a team, you improve on the skills your team is having problems with.
In whatever sport you do, your team can’t forget about the whole point of sports, and that’s to have fun. If you and your team don’t have fun playing the game, no one will even try to get better at anything. The whole part of anything in life is having fun in doing what you do.
In my life, I depend a lot on teamwork, whether it be sports or school. The one thing which makes me love sports is the way my teammates and I work together. Also we have fun playing the game. So do you rely on others everyday of your life?
The Lake
by Madison Tice
Where is your favorite place to be? If you could be there all the time, would you? My favorite place is the lake. Why? The lake is where I can try new activities, make new friends, and become closer to my family. At the lake, I can use my strengths to become superb at a skill.
In one year I have met two girls who have become my best friends. During the summer, we did everything together! We learned to double and triple ski, knee board, and slalom ski. In three months we accomplished skills we never thought possible. Being at the lake makes us tired. We have to use every muscle to not fly off the tube and skis. These activities make everyone tired by the time Sunday rolls around.
What’s the best part about the lake? To me, it’s accomplishing the one sport that seems to be impossible at the beginning of the summer. The first time I stood up while skiing was the best feeling. That is the moment when I felt as if I could accomplish anything. Would you ever go to this wonderful place if you had the chance?
A Football Life
by Martin Beikman
Have you ever watched someone with over 16,000 rushing yards or 110 touchdowns in 12 years? He was known as the “Sweetness” Walter Payton. He was born on July 25, 1954, and died of cholangiocarcinoma cancer on November 1, 1999, at the age of 45. The man was a true born athlete; anything he tried he excelled in. He gave 90 percent of his time to be the best athlete of his time. His motto was “Never Die Easy.”
In his early days, Walter did not play football because he did not want to compete with his brother Eddie. His junior year the coach recruited him after his brother graduated. The coach said with his speed and strength he could play.
He continued through two years of college. He was drafted to the National Football League in 1975, first round the fourth pick to the Chicago Bears. His first game was not successful with zero yards on eight carries, but he had the mind set. Even he did not succeed in the first game, he was one of the best running backs of all time.
When you are the best ever, it is easy to be full of yourself. That’s something he never did. That is why I think he was so great in his days. This football player will never be forgotten because he was the best. Have you ever found what you truly love to do everyday until the day you die?
Run Like the Wind
by Emileigh Dinkel
Do you like Western or English Riding? There are many different types of riding, but Western is my favorite. I love Western Riding because there is more speed and power using the horse. It is also more freely done. In Western Riding a WOW factor is wanted with lots of colors and for some girls, maybe bling. You want to wear anything that will draw attention to herself while in the ring.
The difference in the tack is the saddle and bridle. The saddle is made with a horn so when you’re roping animals you can tie the rope on the horn. The bridle should have a curved bit when riding for a Western event.
Reining is supposed to be a precise pattern performed by the horse and rider in circles at a lope. Then the rider is to change into a gallop with a fast or flying change in the lead. In reining, you need to have rapid spins, rollbacks, and finally a sliding stop which is always a crowd pleaser.
Another Western event is cutting which represents the “cow sense” a horse has. A horse and rider pick an animal out of a herd. Once the animal is picked, the rider relaxes and the horse has to keep the animal from going back into the herd.
Barrel racing is when a horse and rider have to complete a clover pattern while going around three barrels at a gallop. If the rider knocks down a barrel, he or she will be given extra time.
These are just a few Western events I have listed. Western Riding in my opinion is better and more free to do than English Riding. What’s your favorite speed event?
A Different Kind of Story
by Devin Patton
Have you ever heard of Comic-Con? Do you know what a con is? Con is short for a convention. Conventions are where fans go to meet with other fans. Last year more than 100,000 people attended Comic-Con.
There are many different genres of fans ranging from science fiction, horror movies, card games, and cartoons. These followings are usually referred to as fandoms. Webcomics, a comic on the internet, has recently become very popular.
Homestuck is an interactive webcomic which began in 2009 and now has 6,581 pages. It took me about three months to read. While I was reading, I was always surprised at how complex the plot developed, and how diverse the characters’ personalities were. An interactive comic means the reader has to have control of what’s going on inside the story. This is something which doesn’t happen often in storytelling. Also, while I was reading the comic, I was being introduced to conventions and the fans.
At Comic-Con there are panels of artists, who work on the comics to come talk about what they do. Sometimes they’ll even talk about what they're planning in the future. There are also panels where people will do interviews in cosplay. Cosplaying means fans dress like characters and pretend to be them. The audience will ask questions and the cosplayer has to answer in character.
Conventions are a really fun way to meet friends and learn new things. I’ve made many close friends through reading and conventions and I hope to make more. Are you an artist? Would you like to join?
Run Fast Like The Wind
by Chad Sherman
What type of running do you like? There are many types of running like cross country, track/field, and long distance. I like long distance running because it is fun to see how long I can run for.
Running develops my muscles and keeps me in shape. When running, it builds the muscle in my calves, legs, and thighs. It also makes my stomach much tighter.
There are many benefits to running. Benefits to running are potential weight loss, cardiovascular and respiratory health, which reduces the risk of a disease. Another benefit of running is to increase metabolism. Running is frequently recommend as therapy for people with depression and addiction.
There are many types of events which running takes place in. Some events are track/field, road running, and cross country running. In track/field you can do sprints, middle and long-distance, and hurdling. In road running, you run for a long distance such as in the Bolder Boulder or know as the BB, CoulderBolder, and the Muddy-Buddy. In cross country running, you are on an obstacle course which is covered with mud or grass. It sometimes goes along with track/field.
Some great running techniques are upright posture and slight forward swing, stride rate, and stride types. Upright posture and slight forward swing are spectacular when running. When leaning forward, it places the person’s foot to the center. This brings the foot center mass toward the middle, which avoids injuries.
Stride rate and stride types help a runner. The speed at which the runner moves may be calculated by multiplying the steps per second. The types of strides help long distance runners use more relaxed strides. When sprinting, runners tend to stay on their toes and bring their legs up.
When I run, it keeps my body in spectacular shape. I have been running for a long time. This helps with my anger when i get really mad. I love to run! Why don’t you try to run?
Country Living
by Jylian Laten
Have you ever lived in the country? Do you have any family who lives in the country? I currently live in the country. Ever since I was little, I have lived in the country. The only time I have ever lived in town was when I lived in Sidney, Nebraska. My family and I lived there for about three years.
My mom and dad work for a farmer. My mom takes care of the bills, checks, and during harvest time takes care of the truckers’ tickets to be filled out. My dad does everything from driving a tractor to checking sprinklers. He is the main person who takes charge of checking the sprinklers. Every morning he has to check the sprinklers; if one stops working, then he fixes it. He usually runs the tractor and grain cart during harvest.
My grandpa is a farmer and lives in Bridgeport, Nebraska. He mainly does cattle, but has a few fields of corn and wheat by Sidney, Nebraska. In the morning, he starts the loader and tractor. After they’ve been running for a while, he can start using them to mix feed for the cattle. In the afternoon he eats lunch and goes back to work.
My aunt and uncle are farmers too and raise horses. They live in the sandhills of Nebraska. My uncle has to fly an airplane to check his fields and the cattle he owns. We go there very rarely to see them, but when we do they are always hard at work.
Do you want to live in the country?
Life About Corgis
by Zoe Sundstrom
Have you ever heard of a corgi? Corgis are dogs bred to herd sheep and cattle. There are two types of corgis, Pembroke Welsh Corgis and Cardigan Corgis. The difference between the two types of dogs is that the Pembroke Corgi has a short tail, and the Cardigan Corgi has a longer tail. The Pembroke Corgis are more common than the Welsh Corgis.
Corgis are named for the county in Wales where they originated. Cardigan Corgis have their own origins in Roman Britain. Pembroke Corgis were introduced to Wales by Flemish weavers in the Middle Ages.
A corgi’s life span is 12-15 years and the average corgi weighs around 26 pounds. A corgi’s height is anywhere from 10-12 inches. Corgis are great dogs for herding animals because they are so short and when the animals kick, their feet will go right over their head. They are fast dogs and are very helpful if you need help herding your animals.
I have two Pembroke Welsh Corgis and they are great dogs. I love to take them on walks and play catch with them. I enjoy spending my free time with my two dogs because they are so fun to be around. They are very playful and energetic. They are also great show dogs. I have shown both my corgis in competitions and have received grand champion the three years I’ve shown them.
Corgis are very well-behaved dogs and great around children. I got my first corgi when I was nine years old and my second when I was eleven. Corgis are my favorite breed of dogs. If you plan on getting a dog soon, I would recommend getting a corgi. You will not be disappointed if you get one. Are you planning on getting a corgi?
Basketball
by Tate Busse
Have you ever played the awesome game of basketball? Basketball is my favorite sport because it takes a great work ethic and is fun to play. To be great, you have to give a 100% effort every time you play or practice. To become an awesome basketball player, there are drills to work on daily.
To have a chance at a great basketball team, you have to have awesome team work. You need players to build up your teammates when they do something wrong. Another great thing to have on your team is someone who is a leader and makes you do your best every day.
For my two years of junior high basketball, we won at league my first year and received fourth my second year. I was lucky both years because I had great teammates to play with. My seventh grade year of basketball was my favorite. That year we only lost one game. We also won the championship game to end our season.
I think basketball is such a fun sport to play because I get to be around my teammates and compete. In basketball you have to work hard everyday in practice to show your coach you are working hard to improve. Basketball is a sport you can never stop practicing because you can always get better. Do you have the work ethic to be a great basketball player?
