July 10th, 2009
When the nice weather marks the coming of summer, many kids start to go out to play. There is street hockey, soccer, basketball, tennis, baseball, cycling, swimming, and hiking to keep us busy in the summer break. These activities are so exciting and fun that sometimes we forget the safety rules.
One sunny day in May, I went to the park just down the street with my brothers. We played in the playground, raced each other in the field and had a lot of fun. Until, my brother suggested a jumping competition where whoever jumps the farthest wins. The light pole cast a long, straight shadow onto the pavement. It seemed the like perfect place, with a line to mark where to start jumping. My brother jumped first but then moved away from where he landed. His first jump didn’t count so he had to jump a second time. This time, he made a great, long landing and stayed where he was, wow, that was challenging.
I got competitive so I ran and jumped with all my force. I ended up flat on the ground with blood gushing from my left palm, arm and leg. The cut on my leg was very deep, about a whole centimetre. While running back home, blood dripped all over my shirt and shoes. My daddy helped me disinfected and bandaged my wounds. We thought that it’ll be okay as long as we stopped the bleeding but it turned out, one month later the skin on my palm and arm were back to normal because the cuts were just on the surface layer. However, the cut on my leg healed into a hideous scar in a pink/red colour which sticks out like a small but long bump.
It was probably too late to visit the family doctor but we went anyways since my daddy blamed himself for not taking me to get stitches at first. However, my doctor said that it’s nothing to regret about, there’s 80% chance that the scar would be the same result no matter if I got stitches or not because it’s a keloid. Unfortunately no treatments or cosmetic surgery are 100% successful and in some cases may actually cause the scar to be worse.
I wasn’t on my bike, I wasn't on my rollerblades, I was on my two feet. Who would’ve guessed I could “kill” myself like that? I wasn’t being careful; I hadn’t noticed that the pavement when downhill beginning from where the shadow marked, in fact, I never thought of how unsafe it was to jump on pavement in the first place. My brother got lucky twice and didn't fall in his landing but no such luck for me, I fell hard downhill. But I’m still glad that the scar is just on my leg, if it’s on my face, it’ll surely be a mental disaster for a girl like me.
Another mistake, another experience, another lesson learned; playing outdoors is awesome fun but always remind yourself to stay conscious, safe and think before you act!
Friday, July 10, 2009
A Terrible Mistake
July 10 2009
Three summers ago, I made some bad choices which changed my life, forever, but I learned a valuable lesson. Everyday, I relied on watching television all day long to keep me from boredom. From right when I wake up till just before I go to sleep, I sat right on the couch with my eyes glued to the screen. I even unconsciously learned the timetable of the shows on favourite channel by heart.
Sometimes, if my parents get home and tell me to turn off the T.V., I would curl up in my bed and read a whole stack of Archie Comics. They were my favourite books to read at the time and I really enjoyed them.
I was always too busy watching T.V. and reading Archie Comics to pass the time that I didn't pay any attention to my parent’s warnings. Thinking back, I can recall them constantly telling me to go outside to play with my brothers or take a break every once in a while so I don't continuously stress and tire my eyes so much. Still, I didn’t care or think about the consequences so I kept up my routine throughout the whole entire summer vacation.
Finally, after all those days and weeks, it was back to school time. I got to see all my friends again and I was even glad to have homework again but noticed that my eye sight was worse than usual. When I tried to copy off the board, the words appeared fuzzy and blurred. I either had to squint or move up closer to see them properly. When I told my parents they scheduled an appointment with the [eye doctor] for me. Unfortunately, my vision was ruined and I had to get glasses. From not needing glasses before the summer vacation, my eyesight extremely worsened to 225 degrees in just approximately 2 months. For the next two years, I acted as if I don't need glasses so I only used my glasses part time and only if I needed to see something important off the board, T.V., or projector screen at school. That wasn’t a good choice; I strained my eyes by not wearing glasses full time so when I had a check up last year, my vision worsened extremely once again but to 400 degrees.
By not taking my parents’ warnings seriously I have to deal with, and deserve, the consequences of being stuck with bad vision and wearing glasses full time. Let me tell you, I absolutely hate glasses! Even now, I don’t like to take pictures with glasses on, pretending that I don't have them. Maybe I’ll consider laser eye surgery when I’m an adult, but it’ll be a long wait till then. So let me warn you, never ever spend your summer vacation watching TV or reading all day, everyday. Take the time to enjoy the outdoors or go to the park with some friends; just as long as you rest your eyes, because if not, you’ll probably regret it like me.
Three summers ago, I made some bad choices which changed my life, forever, but I learned a valuable lesson. Everyday, I relied on watching television all day long to keep me from boredom. From right when I wake up till just before I go to sleep, I sat right on the couch with my eyes glued to the screen. I even unconsciously learned the timetable of the shows on favourite channel by heart.
Sometimes, if my parents get home and tell me to turn off the T.V., I would curl up in my bed and read a whole stack of Archie Comics. They were my favourite books to read at the time and I really enjoyed them.
I was always too busy watching T.V. and reading Archie Comics to pass the time that I didn't pay any attention to my parent’s warnings. Thinking back, I can recall them constantly telling me to go outside to play with my brothers or take a break every once in a while so I don't continuously stress and tire my eyes so much. Still, I didn’t care or think about the consequences so I kept up my routine throughout the whole entire summer vacation.
Finally, after all those days and weeks, it was back to school time. I got to see all my friends again and I was even glad to have homework again but noticed that my eye sight was worse than usual. When I tried to copy off the board, the words appeared fuzzy and blurred. I either had to squint or move up closer to see them properly. When I told my parents they scheduled an appointment with the [eye doctor] for me. Unfortunately, my vision was ruined and I had to get glasses. From not needing glasses before the summer vacation, my eyesight extremely worsened to 225 degrees in just approximately 2 months. For the next two years, I acted as if I don't need glasses so I only used my glasses part time and only if I needed to see something important off the board, T.V., or projector screen at school. That wasn’t a good choice; I strained my eyes by not wearing glasses full time so when I had a check up last year, my vision worsened extremely once again but to 400 degrees.
By not taking my parents’ warnings seriously I have to deal with, and deserve, the consequences of being stuck with bad vision and wearing glasses full time. Let me tell you, I absolutely hate glasses! Even now, I don’t like to take pictures with glasses on, pretending that I don't have them. Maybe I’ll consider laser eye surgery when I’m an adult, but it’ll be a long wait till then. So let me warn you, never ever spend your summer vacation watching TV or reading all day, everyday. Take the time to enjoy the outdoors or go to the park with some friends; just as long as you rest your eyes, because if not, you’ll probably regret it like me.
Summer Time, Party Time!
July 10, 2009
Parties are the perfect excuse to have all your friends over. School’s out but now doing nothing is getting boring and there’s too much spare time! Planning an awesome party may seem like a lot of work, but actually it’s very simple.
Last week, I asked my parents to have a summer party. They said that it’s fine as long as I’m organizing the whole party by myself and they don’t have to host it for me. With the help of internet, I sent my summer party invitation to about 30 people. It was so quick and easy; it took less than 5 minutes.
Given that it’s not a party without a lot of food, I jotted down a long shopping list for my parents to buy:
- French Fries
- Frozen Pizzas
- Smiles
- Marshmallows
- Chips
- Hot dogs
- Hot dog buns
- Hamburgers
- Hamburger buns
- Sodas and Juice
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Honey Dew
- Strawberries
- Oranges
- Corn
- Ice Cream/ Popsicles/ Freezies
- Chicken Wings
- Paper Cups and Plates, napkins and cutlery
Since I have to do mostly everything on my own, the foods that will be served are very simple. I’m not the best cook in the world; in fact my only skill is baking (which I learned in cooking club at school.) Luckily, my mom agreed to help fry some chicken wings.
On the day of my party, it was the perfect weather for a water war in my backyard. I blasted the radio while everyone fought to use the hose and water guns, getting super drenched. The water was extremely cold but we didn't care because our clothes dried so quickly in the sun that we almost didn't need to change.
We also raced to the park to play grounders, tag, and basketball. It was fun but we became all sweaty so we raced back to my house to cool down in the basement. We watched a movie then played many games of Twister, Spin the Bottle, Truth or Dare, trying to “rap” and cards all the way until 11 o’clock at night. Food was served at a table through-out the whole day but not even half was eaten. The pizza, fries, chicken wings, sodas, corn and ice-cream all disappeared, but there were lots of leftover hamburgers, hotdogs, marshmallows, chips, etc.
It was a fun, simple and easy party to organize, even for an eighth grader like me. So when there’s nothing to do during this summer vacation, you can invite all your friends and host your own cool party!
Parties are the perfect excuse to have all your friends over. School’s out but now doing nothing is getting boring and there’s too much spare time! Planning an awesome party may seem like a lot of work, but actually it’s very simple.
Last week, I asked my parents to have a summer party. They said that it’s fine as long as I’m organizing the whole party by myself and they don’t have to host it for me. With the help of internet, I sent my summer party invitation to about 30 people. It was so quick and easy; it took less than 5 minutes.
Given that it’s not a party without a lot of food, I jotted down a long shopping list for my parents to buy:
- French Fries
- Frozen Pizzas
- Smiles
- Marshmallows
- Chips
- Hot dogs
- Hot dog buns
- Hamburgers
- Hamburger buns
- Sodas and Juice
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Honey Dew
- Strawberries
- Oranges
- Corn
- Ice Cream/ Popsicles/ Freezies
- Chicken Wings
- Paper Cups and Plates, napkins and cutlery
Since I have to do mostly everything on my own, the foods that will be served are very simple. I’m not the best cook in the world; in fact my only skill is baking (which I learned in cooking club at school.) Luckily, my mom agreed to help fry some chicken wings.
On the day of my party, it was the perfect weather for a water war in my backyard. I blasted the radio while everyone fought to use the hose and water guns, getting super drenched. The water was extremely cold but we didn't care because our clothes dried so quickly in the sun that we almost didn't need to change.
We also raced to the park to play grounders, tag, and basketball. It was fun but we became all sweaty so we raced back to my house to cool down in the basement. We watched a movie then played many games of Twister, Spin the Bottle, Truth or Dare, trying to “rap” and cards all the way until 11 o’clock at night. Food was served at a table through-out the whole day but not even half was eaten. The pizza, fries, chicken wings, sodas, corn and ice-cream all disappeared, but there were lots of leftover hamburgers, hotdogs, marshmallows, chips, etc.
It was a fun, simple and easy party to organize, even for an eighth grader like me. So when there’s nothing to do during this summer vacation, you can invite all your friends and host your own cool party!
Imagining China
July 6, 2009
This summer I will be boarding Air Canada flight to China for a 7 week vacation with my mom, brothers, grandma and grandpa. We’re leaving on the morning of July 12th and coming back on August 30th - just a week before school starts. Too bad my dad has to work so he can’t come with us; it would be way more fun if my whole entire family was taking a trip together. Poor dad’s even going to have to spend his birthday without us. (Don’t worry, we’ll celebrate his birthday over the phone!)
When I was just a baby (5 months old) my parents brought me to China so my grandparents could take care of me. I came back about a year and a half later when my grandparents got accepted to immigrate to Canada. I also visited China with my grandma and grandpa when I was four years old, but this time with my little brother as well. During my stay, my aunt Shao-Wei got married and I was one of her flower girls.
Thinking back, I realize I don't really remember much of the environment and the people I met in China as a little girl. Only a few blurred memories here and there, but none which are vivid. Most of the things that come to mind when I think of China is what my friends and family have told me. This summer I plan to explore shop, meet many relatives and friends, and take pictures to remember the (hopefully) amazing time I will be having with my family.
Since we’re leaving for China soon, my dad suggested that my brothers and I should write about our expectations of China. When we come back to Canada, we write about how our experience in China was, to compare the two thoughts. Hmm, what an interesting idea! That got me curious about how different my two journal entries will be. Now you know the reason I chose to actually sit down and write this when I should be playing at the park on a beautiful, sunny day like today.
First things first, how do we get to China? The airplane of course! Normally, waking up at 6AM in the morning is definitely a major struggle for me. However, I have a feeling that won’t happen at 6AM on July 12th 2009. Knowing that I’ll be so excited the night before the flight, I probably won’t get any sleep at all but still be wide awake to go to the airport early next morning.
Since the airplane ride will take more than a day, it better be fun. Well, at least not boring, you know what I mean? Hopefully the food is decent but if not, I will try to survive on the 6 small packs of gum that mom packed for the ride. Ha-ha. My friends told me that there’s a mini personal TV for every passenger on the plane so I’ll probably be eating, watching movies, eating, listening to music, eating, sleeping and eating once again. Yes, I’m a lazy “pig”, so good thing there’s a washroom! (My brothers are lazy pigs too). My grandma told me some scary stories about people getting stuck to the toilets in airplanes because when they flushed the air sucked their butts to the bowl. That better not be true or happen to me. To end off my expectations of the flight, I’ll list some hopes of the seating arrangements. I don't want to get motion sickness so a window seat for me please! Also, not to be mean, but I better not be seated next to a stranger with any of the characteristics following: questionable hygiene, annoying, has H1N1/flu, and last but not least is too funny/creepy/scary. (Credits to my brother Jeffery for helping me think of the last few very important ones)
When I arrive in Hong Kong, I will be taking the bus all the way to Guang Zhou to my aunt Shao-Wei’s home to settle down. My impression/thoughts of China aren’t really great. I’m thinking dirty sidewalks, countless bugs everywhere, getting bitten by those bugs everywhere, lots of rain (which I hate), hard wooden beds, crowds of (sweaty and smelly) people, getting lost in the sea of smelly people, mean/rude shopkeepers, needles whenever you are sick, etc. Hopefully this isn’t all true, but I’m sure I’ll be in for a surprise. My parents warned me that in China it’s really hot and humid, not to mention that many homes don’t have A/C installed. How different from Canada! In our country, it’s more on the cold/cool side but practically every home has A/C. Now that I’ve listed a bunch of my (very depressing) impression, I will try to be optimistic and say at least one positive thing for me. I get to use a cell phone in China! (just in case I get lost), whereas I’m not allowed to have one in Canada.
During our visit, I’m guessing that we’ll be going to Yum Cha and seeing lots and lots of relatives and friends every single day. Wow, how boring! Good thing we’re going to shop a lot too. It must be a very different shopping experience from Canadian shopping. I heard there are street markets/shops everywhere instead of shopping malls. Bargaining is also going to be a new skill for me. My brothers and I are also looking forward to visiting the zoos, museums, theme parks, sight seeing and taking lots of pictures in the many cities we’ll be visiting (Guang Zhou and Hong Kong but also possibly Beijing and several others). When I come back, I aspire to proudly say that I’ve improved greatly in my Chinese and that I’ve been to the remarkable Great Wall of China so I’m not such a disgrace to dear China! Ha-ha. Most importantly, I wish to have an awesome vacation with lots of wonderful memories/experiences and gifts to share with my friends and family back home in Canada.
So after we get back, what next? First day of High School for me! Can’t wait!
This summer I will be boarding Air Canada flight to China for a 7 week vacation with my mom, brothers, grandma and grandpa. We’re leaving on the morning of July 12th and coming back on August 30th - just a week before school starts. Too bad my dad has to work so he can’t come with us; it would be way more fun if my whole entire family was taking a trip together. Poor dad’s even going to have to spend his birthday without us. (Don’t worry, we’ll celebrate his birthday over the phone!)
When I was just a baby (5 months old) my parents brought me to China so my grandparents could take care of me. I came back about a year and a half later when my grandparents got accepted to immigrate to Canada. I also visited China with my grandma and grandpa when I was four years old, but this time with my little brother as well. During my stay, my aunt Shao-Wei got married and I was one of her flower girls.
Thinking back, I realize I don't really remember much of the environment and the people I met in China as a little girl. Only a few blurred memories here and there, but none which are vivid. Most of the things that come to mind when I think of China is what my friends and family have told me. This summer I plan to explore shop, meet many relatives and friends, and take pictures to remember the (hopefully) amazing time I will be having with my family.
Since we’re leaving for China soon, my dad suggested that my brothers and I should write about our expectations of China. When we come back to Canada, we write about how our experience in China was, to compare the two thoughts. Hmm, what an interesting idea! That got me curious about how different my two journal entries will be. Now you know the reason I chose to actually sit down and write this when I should be playing at the park on a beautiful, sunny day like today.
First things first, how do we get to China? The airplane of course! Normally, waking up at 6AM in the morning is definitely a major struggle for me. However, I have a feeling that won’t happen at 6AM on July 12th 2009. Knowing that I’ll be so excited the night before the flight, I probably won’t get any sleep at all but still be wide awake to go to the airport early next morning.
Since the airplane ride will take more than a day, it better be fun. Well, at least not boring, you know what I mean? Hopefully the food is decent but if not, I will try to survive on the 6 small packs of gum that mom packed for the ride. Ha-ha. My friends told me that there’s a mini personal TV for every passenger on the plane so I’ll probably be eating, watching movies, eating, listening to music, eating, sleeping and eating once again. Yes, I’m a lazy “pig”, so good thing there’s a washroom! (My brothers are lazy pigs too). My grandma told me some scary stories about people getting stuck to the toilets in airplanes because when they flushed the air sucked their butts to the bowl. That better not be true or happen to me. To end off my expectations of the flight, I’ll list some hopes of the seating arrangements. I don't want to get motion sickness so a window seat for me please! Also, not to be mean, but I better not be seated next to a stranger with any of the characteristics following: questionable hygiene, annoying, has H1N1/flu, and last but not least is too funny/creepy/scary. (Credits to my brother Jeffery for helping me think of the last few very important ones)
When I arrive in Hong Kong, I will be taking the bus all the way to Guang Zhou to my aunt Shao-Wei’s home to settle down. My impression/thoughts of China aren’t really great. I’m thinking dirty sidewalks, countless bugs everywhere, getting bitten by those bugs everywhere, lots of rain (which I hate), hard wooden beds, crowds of (sweaty and smelly) people, getting lost in the sea of smelly people, mean/rude shopkeepers, needles whenever you are sick, etc. Hopefully this isn’t all true, but I’m sure I’ll be in for a surprise. My parents warned me that in China it’s really hot and humid, not to mention that many homes don’t have A/C installed. How different from Canada! In our country, it’s more on the cold/cool side but practically every home has A/C. Now that I’ve listed a bunch of my (very depressing) impression, I will try to be optimistic and say at least one positive thing for me. I get to use a cell phone in China! (just in case I get lost), whereas I’m not allowed to have one in Canada.
During our visit, I’m guessing that we’ll be going to Yum Cha and seeing lots and lots of relatives and friends every single day. Wow, how boring! Good thing we’re going to shop a lot too. It must be a very different shopping experience from Canadian shopping. I heard there are street markets/shops everywhere instead of shopping malls. Bargaining is also going to be a new skill for me. My brothers and I are also looking forward to visiting the zoos, museums, theme parks, sight seeing and taking lots of pictures in the many cities we’ll be visiting (Guang Zhou and Hong Kong but also possibly Beijing and several others). When I come back, I aspire to proudly say that I’ve improved greatly in my Chinese and that I’ve been to the remarkable Great Wall of China so I’m not such a disgrace to dear China! Ha-ha. Most importantly, I wish to have an awesome vacation with lots of wonderful memories/experiences and gifts to share with my friends and family back home in Canada.
So after we get back, what next? First day of High School for me! Can’t wait!
Valedictory Address 2009
June 24th 2009
Dr. Berg, Mr. Oabel, teachers, friends, family and fellow graduates. Today is the big day, we all get together to celebrate and honour all the hard work and achievements of our 2009 graduates of Milliken Mills Public school. My name is ***** ***, et je m’appelle Irene Lai. We are honored to be your valedictorians at this ceremony.
Thank you to our peers for giving us this opportunity to represent all of you. We want to let everyone know that Milliken Mills is a wonderful school, everyone is so friendly and we have exceptional teachers and staff. From kindergarten to grade 8, these terrific ten years have gone by so quickly. Step by step, with the help of our teachers, we’ve finally reached this destination today. So please give all our fantastic teachers a big round of applause!
Also, thank you to the parents and family members for caring, supporting, encouraging and helping us get through all these years. Without your involvement, we cannot succeed. So please give another big round of applause for our parents and familles!
8 years ago, a little girl brought home some seeds from her grade one teacher. The teacher wanted her class to learn how plants grow from a seed to a flower. It seemed like a very easy task to do; just put the seed in soil, add water and watch it grow. The little girl was very serious about this project. Everyday, the first thing she did after school was water the soil to keep it moist. Day after day, a whole week passed, but nothing happened. The second week passed, and still, nothing. Just as the little girl was about to give up, she suddenly finds a tiny green thing which has sprouted. After seeing that discovery, she was so excited; dreaming about the day her flower will bloom. She busily checked and checked and checked on her little plant. But everyday, it was still a tiny, fragile plant which seemed to be taking forever to grow up. She asked her teacher why, and she told the little girl that plants need sunlight, water, nutrition, and a lot of patience to care.
During our ten years of elementary school, we have picked up small pieces of wisdom bit by bit; the wisdom of science, the wisdom of art, the wisdom of math, the wisdom of languages, and the wisdom of finishing homework in the morning just before they're due.
We started out as little kids on our very first day of Kindergarten class and from then on, our school became a big part of our lives. It has been 10 years since then and today the little girl understands the other meaning of her first project. Students are like the tiny plant; our families and teachers provide us with endless care and love so that we become energetic teenagers.
As part of the grade 8 English class, I can think of many memorable experiences at our school - good and bad, happy and sad. One not so pleasant was cleaning out the gym storage room. You do not want to know what we found there! Just be glad it’s clean and organized now. The grade 8 English class also lead the Legacy walk. This was a walk to raise money for the Markham Stouffville Hospital. These past years we had the opportunity to go on two amazing grad trips. Last year we travelled all the way to Ottawa. Visiting the Parliament Hill was an experience of a lifetime. This year we participated in various fun and exciting team-building activities at Brock University’s natural science camp.
Also, today we’re proud to have the first ever grade 8 French Immersion class graduating from Milliken Mills Public School. Parents, membres de la famille, enseignants et amis, aujourd'hui nous sommes fiers d'être la première classe en Français Immersion pour obtenir un dipolme de l'École Publique Milliken Mills. Nous ne pourrions pas l'avoir sans votre soutien.
Notre temps à cette école a été rempli de beaucoup des souvenirs mémorables. Des discussions de la classe, en utilisant Moodle sur l’Internet, en faisant des équipe pour les projets et en jouant des instruments à l’orchestre intermédiaire, nous avons ensemble fait notre année scolaire un grand succès! On ne peut pas oublier nos supers voyages de ski en février! On ne peut pas oublier notre voyage de graduation à l'Université de Brock, bien que les aliments ont semblé succulents, cela a goûté affreux! On ne peut pas oublier le déjeuner-de-Merci de nos enseignants, c'était la meilleure pizza jamais!
Together we celebrate this special day; the once tiny plant has now grown into a thick plant filled with buds waiting to bloom. This year we are at the top of the ladder, as the big kids. Although next year we’ll be back at the bottom, high school will be a new challenge and adventure for us. You know what they say, “When one door closes, another opens.” Dear parents, teachers and friends, we promise to be brave, striving to be our very best and work harder and harder. The flower will bloom and together we will succeed again! Ensemble nous allons réussir encore!
Thank you!
Merci beaucoup!
Dr. Berg, Mr. Oabel, teachers, friends, family and fellow graduates. Today is the big day, we all get together to celebrate and honour all the hard work and achievements of our 2009 graduates of Milliken Mills Public school. My name is ***** ***, et je m’appelle Irene Lai. We are honored to be your valedictorians at this ceremony.
Thank you to our peers for giving us this opportunity to represent all of you. We want to let everyone know that Milliken Mills is a wonderful school, everyone is so friendly and we have exceptional teachers and staff. From kindergarten to grade 8, these terrific ten years have gone by so quickly. Step by step, with the help of our teachers, we’ve finally reached this destination today. So please give all our fantastic teachers a big round of applause!
Also, thank you to the parents and family members for caring, supporting, encouraging and helping us get through all these years. Without your involvement, we cannot succeed. So please give another big round of applause for our parents and familles!
8 years ago, a little girl brought home some seeds from her grade one teacher. The teacher wanted her class to learn how plants grow from a seed to a flower. It seemed like a very easy task to do; just put the seed in soil, add water and watch it grow. The little girl was very serious about this project. Everyday, the first thing she did after school was water the soil to keep it moist. Day after day, a whole week passed, but nothing happened. The second week passed, and still, nothing. Just as the little girl was about to give up, she suddenly finds a tiny green thing which has sprouted. After seeing that discovery, she was so excited; dreaming about the day her flower will bloom. She busily checked and checked and checked on her little plant. But everyday, it was still a tiny, fragile plant which seemed to be taking forever to grow up. She asked her teacher why, and she told the little girl that plants need sunlight, water, nutrition, and a lot of patience to care.
During our ten years of elementary school, we have picked up small pieces of wisdom bit by bit; the wisdom of science, the wisdom of art, the wisdom of math, the wisdom of languages, and the wisdom of finishing homework in the morning just before they're due.
We started out as little kids on our very first day of Kindergarten class and from then on, our school became a big part of our lives. It has been 10 years since then and today the little girl understands the other meaning of her first project. Students are like the tiny plant; our families and teachers provide us with endless care and love so that we become energetic teenagers.
As part of the grade 8 English class, I can think of many memorable experiences at our school - good and bad, happy and sad. One not so pleasant was cleaning out the gym storage room. You do not want to know what we found there! Just be glad it’s clean and organized now. The grade 8 English class also lead the Legacy walk. This was a walk to raise money for the Markham Stouffville Hospital. These past years we had the opportunity to go on two amazing grad trips. Last year we travelled all the way to Ottawa. Visiting the Parliament Hill was an experience of a lifetime. This year we participated in various fun and exciting team-building activities at Brock University’s natural science camp.
Also, today we’re proud to have the first ever grade 8 French Immersion class graduating from Milliken Mills Public School. Parents, membres de la famille, enseignants et amis, aujourd'hui nous sommes fiers d'être la première classe en Français Immersion pour obtenir un dipolme de l'École Publique Milliken Mills. Nous ne pourrions pas l'avoir sans votre soutien.
Notre temps à cette école a été rempli de beaucoup des souvenirs mémorables. Des discussions de la classe, en utilisant Moodle sur l’Internet, en faisant des équipe pour les projets et en jouant des instruments à l’orchestre intermédiaire, nous avons ensemble fait notre année scolaire un grand succès! On ne peut pas oublier nos supers voyages de ski en février! On ne peut pas oublier notre voyage de graduation à l'Université de Brock, bien que les aliments ont semblé succulents, cela a goûté affreux! On ne peut pas oublier le déjeuner-de-Merci de nos enseignants, c'était la meilleure pizza jamais!
Together we celebrate this special day; the once tiny plant has now grown into a thick plant filled with buds waiting to bloom. This year we are at the top of the ladder, as the big kids. Although next year we’ll be back at the bottom, high school will be a new challenge and adventure for us. You know what they say, “When one door closes, another opens.” Dear parents, teachers and friends, we promise to be brave, striving to be our very best and work harder and harder. The flower will bloom and together we will succeed again! Ensemble nous allons réussir encore!
Thank you!
Merci beaucoup!
Book Report: Little Secrets - Playing With Fire
Summary
Little Secrets - Playing with Fire by Emily Blake is about how little secrets can cost you big trouble. Alison Rose thought her life was pretty good except that her family doesn't get along with each other and that her parents pretty much doesn't acknowledge her. One day, however, there was a ring on the door bell and when she opened the door everything happened in a blur and changed her life dramatically.
Alison opened the door to FBI officers who arrested her rich, strong and stylish mom, Helen Rose, and accused her of embezzlement and tax fraud. With her complicated family background, the only person Alison could turn to is her cousin and best friend, Kelly Reeves.
Kelly was secretly overjoyed that Aunt Helen was arrested. She then convinced Alison’s boyfriend (Chad) that Alison is going to dump him and got him to be with her instead. At school, Alison was humiliated she found out that she was betrayed by both her best friend and boyfriend, along with all the gossip about her mother’s arrest. She ran into the bathroom where she came upon old best friend Zoey.
Zoey decided to play along with Alison, furtively planning to abandon her and let her hit the rock bottom when she became most vulnerable. Even Tom thought it was strange for Zoey to suddenly “forgive” Alison and be all friendly with her. He was also jealous that after years of having a crush on Kelly, Chad ends up with her just like that.
Still unsatisfied, Kelly caused malicious drama for Alison and Zoey. Alison wasn’t about to give Kelly the satisfaction of her breaking down so she focused on bouncing back. Eventually, Kelly found out that Zoey had (accidentally) burned her last school down. Kelly told Tom, who was so shocked by what sister had done that he blurted it out loudly to Zoey and they made a big scene in front of everyone.
With some guidance from her tutor Jeremy, Zoey decided to actually forgive Alison since she was probably just influenced by the totally nasty and evil Kelly. Anyhow, Alison was her only friend and they needed each other so they became best friends once again. Back at school, Kelly was furious that rumours and gossip about Alison and Zoey blew over too quickly.
Back at the Diamond estate, Alison and Kelly had a dinner reunion with Grandmother Diamond. That evening, while eavesdropping, Alison discovered a deep dark secret Aunt Christine and the rest of the family had kept quiet about. Then, Alison looked for her grandmother to ask her some questions. She spotted her disappearing into the pool house when suddenly an explosion boomed through the room and giant flames where spreading. The entire pool house was on fire! … (To be continued in the sequel)
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Character Descriptions
Alison Rose - the goody two shoes daughter of the infamous Helen Rose. She thought there were two things she could count on: her best friend and cousin, Kelly, and the fact that everyone else in her family would stop at nothing to destroy one another. However, after being deceived by her best friend, she doesn't know who she can trust.
Kelly Reeves - popular, spoiled and manipulative Kelly is Alison’s cousin and so called “best friend” since they were little kids. She thrived on scandal; watching it, living it, creating it. After the notorious arrest of Alison’s mother, she plans to take down her perfect cousin both at school and in the real world. Her first move is Chad.
Chad - he’s sweet and handsome, Alison’s perfect boyfriend. But lately he feels like his relationship with Alison is drifting apart. Also, seeing an opportunity to hook up with her cousin Kelly, not only will he be dating the hottest girl in the school but all the popularity and money that comes along with her is pretty overwhelming. Just as long as his secrets are safe between him and his best friend Tom, he has nothing to worry about.
Zoey Ramirez - Tough Zoey just returned to Silver Spring and is new at Stafford Academy after being expelled from her 5th boarding school due to a terrible incident. Now she’s back and seeking her long awaited revenge on Alison who betrayed her years ago at the worst possible moment. Will she be strong enough to do it?
Tom Ramirez – Smart and funny Tom is giving his weird and unpopular twin sister, Zoey, the cold shoulder after her return from boarding school. He’s also caught in between tempting a choice that will change his life. Will he stay loyal to his best friend or will he betray him for his girl?
Let the drama begin…
---
Book Review
Little Secrets: Playing with Fire.
By Emily Blake
Review by Irene Lai
Fiction
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be part of a family who owns half the town? Well that's the life of Alison Rose, all the fame and fortune. Yes, being her is pretty awesome but with all the good things, there’s also the bad side. Alison’s parents are always too busy for her, and her relatives only care about getting Grandma Diamond’s fortune. One moment, her life was pretty much alright but then her mother gets arrested, her best friend and cousin Kelly backstabs her and everything else turns another direction. Little Secrets – Playing with Fire is complete with a twist of lies, betrayals, drama, doubts, secrets, revenge, suspense and more drama.
This book was very enjoyable because it made me wonder about how Alison will deal with all her problems and what scheme Kelly is planning next. Alison is one of the reasons why I love this book because she makes me able to imagine the things she sees and feel the way she feels. “How could Kelly do this to her? Why was Kelly doing this to her? What had Alison ever done to Kelly? Alison’s despair turned quickly into rage. She wanted to scream.” It’s very commendable how she stayed strong even in her worst moments and she didn’t lose her pride when everyone at school was gossiping and spreading rumours about her. Emily Blake wrote this book with just the right amount of suspense, it’s a real page turner.
My favourite part of the story was when Alison discovered a huge secret regarding Kelly and Aunt Christine that she wasn’t supposed to know. That secret answered a few of my curiosities from the novel earlier on that had a connection to the secret. It’s also interesting that Alison knows something that even devious Kelly doesn’t, especially since the secret specifically affects Kelly.
If I were to change any part of this story, I would include more of Kelly’s perspective. This book is very stereo-typical, with the popular blonde girl being the mean girl and the “innocent” brunette girl being the one the mean girl’s trying to overthrow. I think it would add more intensity if this book is written in a way that it’s less obvious to decide whose side you should take, making the reader think more.
I rate Little Secrets: Playing With Fire 5 out of 5 stars and I recommend this novel to those readers who love watching television dramas. The story line is alike to “the O.C.” with all the juicy plot twists but is more suitable for a younger audience.
Little Secrets - Playing with Fire by Emily Blake is about how little secrets can cost you big trouble. Alison Rose thought her life was pretty good except that her family doesn't get along with each other and that her parents pretty much doesn't acknowledge her. One day, however, there was a ring on the door bell and when she opened the door everything happened in a blur and changed her life dramatically.
Alison opened the door to FBI officers who arrested her rich, strong and stylish mom, Helen Rose, and accused her of embezzlement and tax fraud. With her complicated family background, the only person Alison could turn to is her cousin and best friend, Kelly Reeves.
Kelly was secretly overjoyed that Aunt Helen was arrested. She then convinced Alison’s boyfriend (Chad) that Alison is going to dump him and got him to be with her instead. At school, Alison was humiliated she found out that she was betrayed by both her best friend and boyfriend, along with all the gossip about her mother’s arrest. She ran into the bathroom where she came upon old best friend Zoey.
Zoey decided to play along with Alison, furtively planning to abandon her and let her hit the rock bottom when she became most vulnerable. Even Tom thought it was strange for Zoey to suddenly “forgive” Alison and be all friendly with her. He was also jealous that after years of having a crush on Kelly, Chad ends up with her just like that.
Still unsatisfied, Kelly caused malicious drama for Alison and Zoey. Alison wasn’t about to give Kelly the satisfaction of her breaking down so she focused on bouncing back. Eventually, Kelly found out that Zoey had (accidentally) burned her last school down. Kelly told Tom, who was so shocked by what sister had done that he blurted it out loudly to Zoey and they made a big scene in front of everyone.
With some guidance from her tutor Jeremy, Zoey decided to actually forgive Alison since she was probably just influenced by the totally nasty and evil Kelly. Anyhow, Alison was her only friend and they needed each other so they became best friends once again. Back at school, Kelly was furious that rumours and gossip about Alison and Zoey blew over too quickly.
Back at the Diamond estate, Alison and Kelly had a dinner reunion with Grandmother Diamond. That evening, while eavesdropping, Alison discovered a deep dark secret Aunt Christine and the rest of the family had kept quiet about. Then, Alison looked for her grandmother to ask her some questions. She spotted her disappearing into the pool house when suddenly an explosion boomed through the room and giant flames where spreading. The entire pool house was on fire! … (To be continued in the sequel)
---
Character Descriptions
Alison Rose - the goody two shoes daughter of the infamous Helen Rose. She thought there were two things she could count on: her best friend and cousin, Kelly, and the fact that everyone else in her family would stop at nothing to destroy one another. However, after being deceived by her best friend, she doesn't know who she can trust.
Kelly Reeves - popular, spoiled and manipulative Kelly is Alison’s cousin and so called “best friend” since they were little kids. She thrived on scandal; watching it, living it, creating it. After the notorious arrest of Alison’s mother, she plans to take down her perfect cousin both at school and in the real world. Her first move is Chad.
Chad - he’s sweet and handsome, Alison’s perfect boyfriend. But lately he feels like his relationship with Alison is drifting apart. Also, seeing an opportunity to hook up with her cousin Kelly, not only will he be dating the hottest girl in the school but all the popularity and money that comes along with her is pretty overwhelming. Just as long as his secrets are safe between him and his best friend Tom, he has nothing to worry about.
Zoey Ramirez - Tough Zoey just returned to Silver Spring and is new at Stafford Academy after being expelled from her 5th boarding school due to a terrible incident. Now she’s back and seeking her long awaited revenge on Alison who betrayed her years ago at the worst possible moment. Will she be strong enough to do it?
Tom Ramirez – Smart and funny Tom is giving his weird and unpopular twin sister, Zoey, the cold shoulder after her return from boarding school. He’s also caught in between tempting a choice that will change his life. Will he stay loyal to his best friend or will he betray him for his girl?
Let the drama begin…
---
Book Review
Little Secrets: Playing with Fire.
By Emily Blake
Review by Irene Lai
Fiction
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be part of a family who owns half the town? Well that's the life of Alison Rose, all the fame and fortune. Yes, being her is pretty awesome but with all the good things, there’s also the bad side. Alison’s parents are always too busy for her, and her relatives only care about getting Grandma Diamond’s fortune. One moment, her life was pretty much alright but then her mother gets arrested, her best friend and cousin Kelly backstabs her and everything else turns another direction. Little Secrets – Playing with Fire is complete with a twist of lies, betrayals, drama, doubts, secrets, revenge, suspense and more drama.
This book was very enjoyable because it made me wonder about how Alison will deal with all her problems and what scheme Kelly is planning next. Alison is one of the reasons why I love this book because she makes me able to imagine the things she sees and feel the way she feels. “How could Kelly do this to her? Why was Kelly doing this to her? What had Alison ever done to Kelly? Alison’s despair turned quickly into rage. She wanted to scream.” It’s very commendable how she stayed strong even in her worst moments and she didn’t lose her pride when everyone at school was gossiping and spreading rumours about her. Emily Blake wrote this book with just the right amount of suspense, it’s a real page turner.
My favourite part of the story was when Alison discovered a huge secret regarding Kelly and Aunt Christine that she wasn’t supposed to know. That secret answered a few of my curiosities from the novel earlier on that had a connection to the secret. It’s also interesting that Alison knows something that even devious Kelly doesn’t, especially since the secret specifically affects Kelly.
If I were to change any part of this story, I would include more of Kelly’s perspective. This book is very stereo-typical, with the popular blonde girl being the mean girl and the “innocent” brunette girl being the one the mean girl’s trying to overthrow. I think it would add more intensity if this book is written in a way that it’s less obvious to decide whose side you should take, making the reader think more.
I rate Little Secrets: Playing With Fire 5 out of 5 stars and I recommend this novel to those readers who love watching television dramas. The story line is alike to “the O.C.” with all the juicy plot twists but is more suitable for a younger audience.
Book Report: The Year of Secret Assignments
October 4th, 2008
Summary
A grade 10 English assignment forces two rival schools to become pen-pals to celebrate “the Joy of the Envelope”. When “Snobby” Ashbury Academy students, Lydia, Emily and Cassie wrote letters to “low-life” Brookfield High guys, Matthew, Charlie and Sebastian, things didn't turn out as they expected. They’re bonding soon leads to abusive letters, crazy happenings, and secret missions, lock picking, and mistaken identities. Things were going pretty well; at least until someone or a group of people decided to vandalise Brookfield over night…this means WAR!
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Could the main character exist in real life?
Yes, the main characters could exist in real life. Lydia, Emily, and Cassie may be real because they are all just grade 10 students featured in the book. They go to school, do homework, have problems, and their lives are pretty much the same as an average 10th grader. They talk and think like people in real life. They also don't have any “superpowers”. I suppose the thing about them that’s most different from real life is how they know how to pick locks, and can do all these mischievous things like setting off the smoke-alarm sprinkler system without being caught. If they exist in real life, I think that they would be the type of people who are fun to hang out with but at times get in trouble. They are laid-back, funny and are always on some kind of little adventure.
---
Letter to the author
Dear Jaclyn Moriarty,
I really enjoyed reading your book, “The Year of Secret Assignments”. I think it’s very cool that the whole story made up of notes, notebook entries, diary entries, transcripts, mail and all kinds of interesting things. Its layout really helped captivate my attention.
One of the main things I’ve learned from reading “The Year of Secret Assignments” is to not judge people before you get to know them. Ashbury Academy students think of all Brookfield High students as “uncivilized” and “dangerous”. While Brookfield High students think of all Ashbury Academy students as “snobby”. However when they actually get to know each other as pen pals, they were proven wrong.
Another thing that I’ve learned is that if I’m ever threatened or being abused in any way, I should tell people I trust right away. In this case, Cassie, who didn't tell anyone, got hurt emotionally by” Matthew Dunlop”. It wasn't until her friends found out that she got help.
In this story, Paul Wilson accused and acted as a witness that Lydia, Emily and Cassie are the ones who are responsible for vandalising Brookfield High. Although Lydia, Emily and Cassie had nothing to do with vandalising, the teachers and other adults of authority believed what Paul Wilson says, because he has a way of words, making everything he says sound true. This situation is about how it can be unfair that people who are accused are “guilty until proven innocent”.
Overall, I’m glad that I picked your book off the book shelf. It kept me amused and turning pages, yet I got experience from those characters in the books. I learned from their mistakes and their accomplishments.
Sincerely,
Irene Lai
---
INTERVIEW.
He’s a former Brookfield student and was the form 10 captain as well as star of the school drama. He is…Paul Wilson!
Q: Paul, for you letter exchanges with Ashbury student, Cassie Aganovic, why did you use a pen name?
A: About the pen name, I felt like creating a new identity to make a boring school assignment more fun. At first I only intended to threaten her so she would stop writing letters and end our communication so I won’t have to “celebrate” the “Joy of the Envelope” or whatever it’s called but I didn't want to give out my real name. Later on, I realized that she’s hopeless and she would just keep writing to me anyway so I just played along. I know this might sound pretty ruthless, but at the time, it occurred to be a great idea.
Q: How did you come up with the pen name “Matthew Dunlop”?
A: Actually, it’s quite random how I came up with that name. I was just thinking of my annoying 5 year old neighbour, Matthew, who keeps following me and asking me a lot of lame questions. Also, I was staring at the back of the shirt of this guy who sits in front on me in my English class which had the word “Dunlop” written on it.
Q: I have heard you trashed the Ashbury High and put the blame on three innocent Ashbury girls. Would you like to comment?
A: Hmm, although I did get caught in the end, it was worthwhile. Those snobby private school losers deserved it.
Q: Why would you think Ashbury students are losers?
A: They are! I used to have a girlfriend from there. I trusted her and everything but then one day I caught her with another guy. She told me I misunderstood and said she can’t believe I could think such a thing. So I went and apologized and everything because I was so sorry that I blamed her for cheating on me. But then just a week later I caught her with the same guy again. So I went right up to her and demanded an explanation. Guess what she said? She said: “Sorry, Paul. I just don’t have the feelings for you anymore” and just dumped me like that. She even lied to me the first time I caught her and I even apologized for what I thought I was supposed to be sorry for when she’s the one who should be sorry.
Q: So trashing Ashbury High was your way of getting back at your Ex. Girlfriend?
A: Uhhh… no comment.
Q: Since you left Brookfield, are you adjusting well to your new school?
A: Yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine here. The teachers are great and it’s far from Ashbury High. I made lots of friends and they are very fun to be with, although I have to say I do miss my friends at Brookfield.
---
Recommendation
I would definitely recommend “The Year of Secret Assignments” to other grade 8 students. This book was a very interesting read. For an instance, how many books can you find that is completely made up of letters, notes, mail, news bulletins, diary entries and all sorts of writing?. I didn't find many. Also, the madcap things the characters in this book got to do in this story (like all those secret missions) are probably what some students would fantasize of being able to do.
The main thing that’s negative about this novel is that since this story is told in three different perspectives, it was somewhat confusing and I sometimes had to flip back and read it over.
From reading this book, you will travel into its world. Meeting and getting to know the characters and learning with them throughout the story as you read on. This is the type of book that you simply can’t resist putting down.
I would rate “The Year of Secret Assignments” 9 out of 10!
★★★★★★★★★
Summary
A grade 10 English assignment forces two rival schools to become pen-pals to celebrate “the Joy of the Envelope”. When “Snobby” Ashbury Academy students, Lydia, Emily and Cassie wrote letters to “low-life” Brookfield High guys, Matthew, Charlie and Sebastian, things didn't turn out as they expected. They’re bonding soon leads to abusive letters, crazy happenings, and secret missions, lock picking, and mistaken identities. Things were going pretty well; at least until someone or a group of people decided to vandalise Brookfield over night…this means WAR!
---
Could the main character exist in real life?
Yes, the main characters could exist in real life. Lydia, Emily, and Cassie may be real because they are all just grade 10 students featured in the book. They go to school, do homework, have problems, and their lives are pretty much the same as an average 10th grader. They talk and think like people in real life. They also don't have any “superpowers”. I suppose the thing about them that’s most different from real life is how they know how to pick locks, and can do all these mischievous things like setting off the smoke-alarm sprinkler system without being caught. If they exist in real life, I think that they would be the type of people who are fun to hang out with but at times get in trouble. They are laid-back, funny and are always on some kind of little adventure.
---
Letter to the author
Dear Jaclyn Moriarty,
I really enjoyed reading your book, “The Year of Secret Assignments”. I think it’s very cool that the whole story made up of notes, notebook entries, diary entries, transcripts, mail and all kinds of interesting things. Its layout really helped captivate my attention.
One of the main things I’ve learned from reading “The Year of Secret Assignments” is to not judge people before you get to know them. Ashbury Academy students think of all Brookfield High students as “uncivilized” and “dangerous”. While Brookfield High students think of all Ashbury Academy students as “snobby”. However when they actually get to know each other as pen pals, they were proven wrong.
Another thing that I’ve learned is that if I’m ever threatened or being abused in any way, I should tell people I trust right away. In this case, Cassie, who didn't tell anyone, got hurt emotionally by” Matthew Dunlop”. It wasn't until her friends found out that she got help.
In this story, Paul Wilson accused and acted as a witness that Lydia, Emily and Cassie are the ones who are responsible for vandalising Brookfield High. Although Lydia, Emily and Cassie had nothing to do with vandalising, the teachers and other adults of authority believed what Paul Wilson says, because he has a way of words, making everything he says sound true. This situation is about how it can be unfair that people who are accused are “guilty until proven innocent”.
Overall, I’m glad that I picked your book off the book shelf. It kept me amused and turning pages, yet I got experience from those characters in the books. I learned from their mistakes and their accomplishments.
Sincerely,
Irene Lai
---
INTERVIEW.
He’s a former Brookfield student and was the form 10 captain as well as star of the school drama. He is…Paul Wilson!
Q: Paul, for you letter exchanges with Ashbury student, Cassie Aganovic, why did you use a pen name?
A: About the pen name, I felt like creating a new identity to make a boring school assignment more fun. At first I only intended to threaten her so she would stop writing letters and end our communication so I won’t have to “celebrate” the “Joy of the Envelope” or whatever it’s called but I didn't want to give out my real name. Later on, I realized that she’s hopeless and she would just keep writing to me anyway so I just played along. I know this might sound pretty ruthless, but at the time, it occurred to be a great idea.
Q: How did you come up with the pen name “Matthew Dunlop”?
A: Actually, it’s quite random how I came up with that name. I was just thinking of my annoying 5 year old neighbour, Matthew, who keeps following me and asking me a lot of lame questions. Also, I was staring at the back of the shirt of this guy who sits in front on me in my English class which had the word “Dunlop” written on it.
Q: I have heard you trashed the Ashbury High and put the blame on three innocent Ashbury girls. Would you like to comment?
A: Hmm, although I did get caught in the end, it was worthwhile. Those snobby private school losers deserved it.
Q: Why would you think Ashbury students are losers?
A: They are! I used to have a girlfriend from there. I trusted her and everything but then one day I caught her with another guy. She told me I misunderstood and said she can’t believe I could think such a thing. So I went and apologized and everything because I was so sorry that I blamed her for cheating on me. But then just a week later I caught her with the same guy again. So I went right up to her and demanded an explanation. Guess what she said? She said: “Sorry, Paul. I just don’t have the feelings for you anymore” and just dumped me like that. She even lied to me the first time I caught her and I even apologized for what I thought I was supposed to be sorry for when she’s the one who should be sorry.
Q: So trashing Ashbury High was your way of getting back at your Ex. Girlfriend?
A: Uhhh… no comment.
Q: Since you left Brookfield, are you adjusting well to your new school?
A: Yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine here. The teachers are great and it’s far from Ashbury High. I made lots of friends and they are very fun to be with, although I have to say I do miss my friends at Brookfield.
---
Recommendation
I would definitely recommend “The Year of Secret Assignments” to other grade 8 students. This book was a very interesting read. For an instance, how many books can you find that is completely made up of letters, notes, mail, news bulletins, diary entries and all sorts of writing?. I didn't find many. Also, the madcap things the characters in this book got to do in this story (like all those secret missions) are probably what some students would fantasize of being able to do.
The main thing that’s negative about this novel is that since this story is told in three different perspectives, it was somewhat confusing and I sometimes had to flip back and read it over.
From reading this book, you will travel into its world. Meeting and getting to know the characters and learning with them throughout the story as you read on. This is the type of book that you simply can’t resist putting down.
I would rate “The Year of Secret Assignments” 9 out of 10!
★★★★★★★★★
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