By Harmony A.

I think we should have a Female Empowerment club at school. To first start off I see people all the time mistreating girls at school. Boys will make really rude jokes that hurt girls feelings. Boys will also make inappropriate jokes. Boys also will say that boys are stronger than girls.  People wear down girls’ self-respect and Female Empowerment club will show girls how to deal with those problems. The next reason is that some girls are scared to talk about things that happen at school. I think some reasons that girls feel like than can’t talk to anyone about this is because someone might make fun of them or tell someone else. Female Empowerment club will let girls talk about what they’re scared about freely without any judgment. The next reason is how some girls are shy and don’t talk. Female Empowerment club would do trust exercises for the girls who don’t know each other so they would have a stronger bond. The next reason is that some girls really think they stand out in a bad way. Female Empowerment club would celebrate their good differences. There would be no age limit. Some clubs only are for 7th graders or 7th and 8th graders. Sixth through eighth grade could be in the club. I know that we should have a Female Empowerment club. This will help the school be better and more in unison.

By Megan P.

Have you ever got burnt by something hot? I have and it was not fun at all. If you thought I got burnt by a little candle, that is wrong I got burnt by a motorcycle. Yeah, a MOTORCYCLE! You are probably saying that it would hurt and it did. I was young and stupid but it was kind of cool through my experience. I was either in first grade or second grade, I can’t remember. It all started with me hula hooping in the garage just having fun. My dad was off at work and I was waiting for him to come home. I really wanted to see him because he was always gone all day. Sometimes I wondered if he would ever come home. My mom said to me “Dad is home!”  I ran outside into the garage to meet him there. I was jumping up and down as my usual self. When I hugged him he smelled like he was playing outside. He smiled when I hugged him and then I started to smile too. My dad went inside and I was out in the garage with my sisters. I didn’t know where the motorcycle was so I just kept hula hooping. My leg brushed the pipe of the motorcycle and burnt me. I started to scream and cry so hard cause it hurt so bad. My mom and dad carried me inside and put me on the table to bandage my burn up. I was very happy because I got to go to Rita’s after. So that is how I got burnt and I still have it today. My parents said that it might be there forever. I thought it was cool how I could tell my story if someone asks what the burn was from. 

By: Mrs. Risser

That’s me. I am your teacher. And I am not supposed to talk. At all. Is this even possible? During the middle of a school year? Maybe. On the first day, with about 85 people you’re meeting for the first time? Sounds tricky.

I’ve suffered with bouts of laryngitis since I started teaching, usually when I’m getting sick. By the end of a school year, I can sense my voice getting tired. However, summer has always been the magical time that heals everything. Not this year.

I began to worry after a few lunches with friends that left me sipping gallons of hot tea on a 90 degree day just to recuperate. This has been the summer of a sore throat that just won’t go away.

Thank goodness for Mrs. Weiand. I mean Mr. Weiand is great and everything (yay exploding things!), but his wife might have saved me from a lifetime of damage to my moneymaker! She suggested I go see the doctor, gave me some information from her experience as a vocal coach, and made me feel normal for going to the doctor for a “sore throat” (I have a tough image to uphold here people).

Long story short, I passed out in the doctor’s office.

Something about sticking a camera through my nose and down my throat just wasn’t working out for me. Luckily the doctor was able to see that I have a callus on my vocal cords before the lights went out and that kind nurse had to bring me a pack of M&Ms and some water.

So here I am, anxiously awaiting the first day of school. Excited for all of the new ideas and planning I did over the summer. Ready to see the faces that make me love coming to school everyday and now meeting some new ones. And adding to this list – terrified and befuddled -because how in the world am I going to do it all without talking?

There may have to be a microphone/headset involved and if that’s the case you’re all just going to have to pretend I’m Beyonce. Tell the others.

Your wings already exist. All you have to do is fly.

— Unknown

I’ve been meaning to start a blog for our class or for our school for years now. Each year it’s the thing that gets put on the back burner. Even my own attempts to blog have fizzled into oblivion.

This year is the year our blog is going to take off.

I’ll get us started with a post that I’m sure many of you will find interesting and ridiculous about my summer. Then the rest is in your hands. Any student: past, present, or future who would like to contribute to the blog is welcome! All you have to do is submit your post to me through GoogleDocs by sharing it with jennifer_risser@l-spioneers.org.

Please make sure you include a title, your name (or let me know you’d like to remain anonymous) and any pictures you’d like published with the piece. I will post the piece as it is, so make sure you’ve proofread to the best of your ability.

Readers of the blog will be able to comment on your work. Comments will be monitored by me and inappropriate or ill-intentioned posts will be deleted and reported.

Please help us make this a place where our voices can be heard, celebrated, and made stronger together.

Happy writing!