Volume 2, Issue 4

April 2011

Highlights in this Issue: • Poetry Month • Internet Safety

presentation * New Mascot

revealed

Contributors:

Elizabeth Siok

Morgan Bacik

Kendall Keahey

Kelsey Austin

Ore Akinpelu

Sammi McWethy

Susie Lu

Brionna Skakal

Keri Nguyen

Gavin Youker

8340 Soule Road Liverpool, NY 13039

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www.liverpool. k12.ny.us/webpages/

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Soule Road Middle School

Welcome to The Heart of

Soule Online

Student Journal!

J.Zolick

of revision, she said. Fortunately, Yeomans has good friends including Laurie Halse Anderson (author of Speak and Twisted) and Bruce Coville (popular scary story author) in her writers group. They meet once a month to encourage each other and discuss new ideas about books.

All of the students who heard Yeomans speak, read her novel. The story Rubber Houses is about a young teenage girl who lost her brother and lives with grief. Everything reminds her of him, especially baseball. The writing of the book is more like poetry. Ellen didn’t plan on her book being written in poetic form but the idea came from advice one CONTINUED PAGE 2…

Rubber Houses Author Visits with 8R Students

By Elizabeth Siok

On Friday, March 11, thirty

students from the 8R team, met young adult author, Ellen Yeomans. Students were invited to meet the author after they finished studying poetry and reading her novel Rubber Houses. Gathering in the library for almost an hour, students were able to hear how Yeomans began her career and how the story of Rubber Houses came about.

Yeomans talked about the true meaning of becoming a writer. She explained that sometimes you don’t plan on writing and certainly never think of it as a career. That’s exactly what Ellen thought when she was a student in high school. Now she is now writing and publishing books year round.

Currently, Ellen Yeomans is working on a historical fiction book for young adults filled with magic. For her, this is a new kind of style and it is involving a lot of research. The story takes place in Newfoundland in the 1920’s. A tsumani threatens a remote village but is this strange occurrence a result of magic? Yeomans asked the 8th graders for some advice on the possible title. She was not sure whether or not to name the title Storm Catcher, Storm-catcher or Stormcatcher. She allowed us to vote. The majority of students choose the title Stormcatcher; as one word. The group thought it was funny when Yeomans explained that she uses too many dashes in her writing. “It’s great to have a good copy editor,” she said.

The process of writing a story takes about a year and involves plenty

Author Ellen Yeomans shared writing advice with students from the 8R team who read her book.

Heart & Soule/ Volume 2, Issue 4 / Page 2

CONTINUED PAGE 1 … of her teachers once gave and the idea just took off. “I love this book,” said Kyra MacIntosh. “It makes me think of how lucky I am and how I want to hug my brother everyday.”

Yeomans also talked about the cover of the book. Authors usually don’t have the privilege to come up with cover ideas. Sometimes, they don’t even choose the title. In the case of Rubber Houses, at first she was thinking of the title Signals and Rubber Houses was a later choice suggested by her agent. Once she saw the cover proof, she determined the title to be a perfect fit. The visit by Yeomans was encouraging to the students in Mrs. Colabello’s classes. She advised this group to read and write often and to experiment with different types of writing styles. It was a special treat to hear from Yeomans and receive advice by someone who clearly loves what she does.

The new SRM Mascot and logo has been selected. Congratulations to 8th grader Tyler Raymond. His image of the Spartan is the new SRM mascot. Last month, students were encouraged to design the logo. Tyler was chosen as the winner by members of the Student Council. So, what is a Spartan?

Spar·tan (spär tn) adj. 1. Of or relating to Sparta or its people. 2. also spartan a. Rigorously self-disciplined or self-restrained. b. Simple, frugal, or austere: a Spartan diet; a spartan lifestyle. c. Marked by brevity of speech; laconic. d. Courageous in the face of pain, danger, or adversity. n. 1. A citizen of Sparta. 2. One of Spartan character.

A. Curtis

Many dangers come from technology. One of them is cyber bullying. It’s the number one problem in middle schools, even though many kids do it. People need to be aware, so New York State Trooper, Jack L. Keller came to Soule Road to speak to students on March 4. He spoke about online problems such as cyber bullying and sexting. He told the students how to protect themselves from online predators and how to be safe when using technology. “Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t say in person,” said Keller. He spoke about statistics, how it affects young people, and how victims feel. The majority, 56% of girls were frustrated. Boys also felt frustrated . They reported feeling scared (49%) while only 25% of girls were when it came to cyberbullying, according to Keller. Even though the information was shocking, Keller told the students even more. “Every time you send or receive something, there is a tracking number.” Many were surprised and Keller told them ways to prevent it. He said don’t add fuel to the firer. Make sure it’s a real cyber bully. Don’t keep it to yourself. “There’s nothing wrong with saying STOP,” he said. After the presentation, Maddie Guard said “I don’t like [cyber bullying}. It doesn’t seem right to bully someone. It just seems dumb and it should stop.”

Be Safe Online A Presentation on Internet Safety By Morgan Bacik

The Heart of Soule, a member of the Empire State School Press Association is published exclusively online and periodically by the students of Soule Road Middle School, Liverpool Central School District. It is intended as a vehicle to inform, educate, and entertain the student body. Opinions expressed are those of the students and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration, Mr. Sheitz or the adviser, Mrs. Colabello. Have a story idea? Let your English teacher know! Writers are always welcome!

Heart of Soule/ Volume 2, Issue 4/ Page 3

APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH The Heart of Soule celebrates with original poems

GOAL! By Ore Akinpelu

Lunch Detention by Kendall Keahey

As I sit in this class With nothing to do I put my head down With no gum to chew I bored as heck And way too tired And want to leave With great desire It’s just me, a sprite And a bag of lays Oh my sweet Jesus I hate these days When I did something wrong Like talk and did I mention? I hate this class And I hate lunch detention

~

Phweet! Goes the whistle and we’re off Tousling for the ball Gone in a puff In just seconds I get the ball This is where it starts Fun and all I’m sprinting now Ball in tact No one can catch me That’s a fact I could feel the adrenaline Running through my veins The excitement much more Than I can contain Here comes a defender, wait, no three! But don’t you think they’ll stop me I dribble through not one, but two Then nutmeg the last one Who has no clue Now it’s me and the goalie Face to face The momentum so slow No one dared to chase I’m in position to shoot the ball And just when the keeper begins to fall Swoosh! I hear the ball in the net I scream so loudly You’d think I’d won a bet At first I thought I had lost my hearing Because no one in the stands were cheering For now I wish it had all been a dream Because it was then and there that I realized I had scored for the other team!

Do the right thing When nobody is looking

Do the right thing When your friends are not

People may pressure you

But don’t let them get to you Because it won’t make a difference

And life will be the same

Don’t forget Your breath is too short

To be living regrets Do the right thing

When nobody is looking

- By Gavin Youker

Heart of Soule/ Volume 2, Issue 4/ Page 4

You see them running You hear their thundering footsteps

They understand this is what they are born to do They move flawlessly

You feel their spirit in the air But can you tame it? -By Sammi McWethy

A Roast to Thee By Susie Lu

The epitiomy of perfection Protector of the meek Flawless as a diamond Defender of the weak Trusted to protect, Trusted to be true. But covers its true face, Bringing justice to the few. This book gilded gold, Is not all as it seems. The words written in blood, The pages stained with greed. This lovely siren Sings not but of corruption. A Pandora’s box, Brimming of just destruction. Destructor of lost dreams, On which its path is paved. Not the helper of the helpless, But savior of the saved. So from the heartless, A toast to thee without repent. And from the hopeless, A roast of thee, the government.

The old willow tree

stood crouched over in the wind. Her bare arms still,

Waiting for the day it could end.

At night she cries and weeps, At day she shares her story.

her arms reach out, Reminising her former glory.

In the lovely cave,

Beside the blue lake, The willow still lives.

She is well respected, and loved For the shelter that she gives.

By Keri Nguyen

H A I K U The river goes forth into the distance I find myself quite weary

-Keri Nguyen

Thoughts of a Warmer Day By Kelsey Austin

A time when bees bother us,

When kids are never in a fuss, The sun shines bright all day,

The kids play and play, An occasional barbeque,

Or a dip in the pool, The ice cream truck sounds, Children on the playgrounds.

Summer laughter,

and midnight walks, The smell of sunscreen, And Freshly cut grass,

A day in the sand, The warm breeze, Roasting s’mores, What’s not to love,

With thoughts of a warmer day.

Heart of Soule/ Volume 2, Issue 4/ Page 5

I Think About It All The Time By Brionna Skakal I think about the future I think about the past I think about if me and you Were ever meant to last I think about the good times I think about the bad I think about the day That you made me sad I think about the small things that we did I think about the memories from when I was a kid I think about the things you said That made me blush till my cheeks were red I think about how you made me laugh so hard I’d cry But most of all, I think about the ways you lied!