KidzEra your world your voice
2014 Vol.
2
Table of Contents
World Focus p. 10
InkSlinger
p. 4 p. 14 p. 8
p. 6
Jokes and Fun
p. 12
Pic-O-Rama
2
SOS
Top Artist
Talk Back
about. ditor, don’t know E e ra w E t z a id th K r g Dea ppenin re’s a lot ha e th t: u c e do. e oming Here’s th nderstand. W u ’t n o d this was c e w w k e n in k th . s le Adult ple—peop ear about it m h a x to e y r d fo a , re ing n’t al Global warm just thought we were sometimes this is a re y t e u h thing, b for years! T be a good n a c is th s bad Sometime ld how to t . o e n c n are e to annoya war? Kids s we lik e m e ti e th m o t . s u n’t mature What abo cts since re e a p x e e w e n eryo means it is. Ev play, it d n a d n y, right? r jump arou to see us fo ps never pla d -u e n e n w y ro e g th e . I think It’s not lik ur strengths o te a m ti s re Adults unde can be. d nd who we , Rhode Islan a re a e w ol, Newport o o ch S wh le d id son M Pearl E., Age
om 10, Frank E Th
Talk Back
Dear Pearl,
Thanks for yo ur letter. You raise a good think is so co point. And h ol about Kid ere’s the thin zEra: it’s a b included, to rilliant show g that I see how tale ca se n for everyone, ted and sma about what’s adults rt kids are, h going on and ow much th how much th ey We are very p know ey ca re about the wo roud to be ab rld. le to bring yo and your con ur voices, you cerns to a glo r dra bal audience people of all . We consisten wings, your writing ages on how tly get feedb im pressed they ack from Never under are by the ki estimate you ds of KidzEra rself. And rock . -Editor on. 3
SOS
I’m doing really bad in one of my classes and it’s close to the end of the school term. What should I do?
My advice is... Uummm that sucks. Do you get on OK with your teachers? Do they do extra credit? Sometimes teachers let us go see plays and stuff for extra credit. So you should ask about that. Submitted by: HoldFast6
How bad is really bad? Like, what happened? Well, since you can’t answer, I’ll just say that you should do all your assignments that you didn’t do and hand them in even if they are really late. Better late than never! Submitted by: Mibbles
Go in and talk to your teacher. Ask if you can do extra credit. Ask for an extra study guide for the final. Just try to convey that you take your grades seriously and want to do everything in your power to raise your grade. Hopefully your teacher will work with you to come up with something! If your teacher doesn’t give you any opportunities for extra credit, just do your best on the final. In the end, one bad grade is not that big of a deal. You can do better next term. Good luck! Submitted by: CharlieTheCat
s p i T y d u t S e m o s e ’t w ou don y A f i l o 7 cho after s r o s s a l
er c . her aft c ss. a e t r e class ou om cla m r y a f s o g t e n i h k in t eth 1. Tal riends nd som f a e t s r m e o s und efore a b p with u y o a r d g dy f the te a stu oursel a y e y r b C . y 2 stud ry and a r b i the l o the e from m a g 3. Go t a up t. ! Make g n i big tes y d r stu th you you study. i w are n u ef Snacks o help ! t s 4. Hav r k c e t a t t ma od sn subjec me go o s e v . u ha tter ure yo ying success s e no ma k , a t d a u h t t 5. M s bout ant for good a l e import e f and r best u o y y st. r ro! ays t on a te s i e om a p 6. Alw r d f a r p l g e r ou for h n. what y rk, ask y more ofte o w t ’ don stud things tor you and e s e h t o tu essee 7. If is, Tenn eone t m Memph o l, s o o h d c Fin dle S :
ted by
hat get t and brate g n i dy o cele t h stu roug , be sure h t e r r o a f u g n yo e aimin S! whe I r And you we g like TH e n i d h a et gr som with
Submit
Give Advice!
way Mid
2, Ridge
., Age 1 Meila G
Inkslinger
hidden universe Inside my notebook is a world of Stories, Waiting invisibly to appear. Thousands of poems, angry, Slamming at the doors, Begging me to unleash them.
A page, drowning in my words, Searching for the perfect moment to Change someone completely.
There is blank paper, Waiting hungrily for my hand To feed it thoughts.
Submitted by: Sophie B., Age 12, Fox Lane Middle School, Pound Ridge, New York
My entire universe, drafting its myths; My pounding heart exploding with emotions.
on being a writer Being a writer gives me a chance to express myself. When I write, I’m not only the writer, I am the character, too. When I write, I leave earth and enter my story. Everything I think, I write. I am the director who tells where the story takes place, what everybody says. When I write, I’m trapped in my story. On Monday, I can be in a jungle fighting tigers. On Friday, I can be next to a pyramid. I can do anything when I write. Submitted by: Mara V., Age 9, Herzl/RMHA School, Denver, Colorado
Tiger submitted by: Patrick C., Age 11, Arvida Middle School, Miami, FL Ship submitted by: Demi T., Age 9, St Albans Primary School, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
poetry hides Poetry hides in dreams sifting through minds during slumber— in trees, soft verses in the swaying olive-colored leaves— in a rainbow each color a sweet tune and rhythm— in my dinner steaming ideas drifting through the kitchen— in my heart my thoughts and emotions forming stanzas as I feel them.
submit your Writing!
Submitted by: Olivia W., Grade 6, Weston Middle School, Weston, Connecticut
poemflower When a poem drifts down, And floats above your head, In its soft, warm golden light— Catch it quick! Grab it! Squeeze the fresh juice from Its soft petals and Watch the golden light seep Slowly from the poem.
Now pour the pure juice Into your Black inkwell. Watch the purity mix With the mucky mess Of sticky, jet-black ink. Fill your pen And write A poem.
Submitted by: Sophie B., Age 12, Fox Lane Middle School, Pound Ridge, New York
7
Top Artist
Rachel F.
submit your art!
NoahArk INSPIRATION: Cartoons, Manga, animation DESTINATION: Around the world, but especially Japan! RAVES: Chocolate, Brave, Let It Go FAVES: Snow, leaves, color, weather GOALS: Being a billionaire TIPS: Keep practicing. I am your support!
Keca love
See back cover for Keca Love’s inspirations and more! 9
World Focus
o t s l e v a r T ROMANIA
Everybody thinks of Romania, especially Transylvania, as the place where Dracula lived. My dad was born and raised in Romania, and my family has taken several trips there to visit my dad’s homeland, relatives and many friends. My most memorable trip was when we went with my Aunt Helen, my mom and my dad. When we arrived in the Romanian airport, my grandma and my dad’s friends greeted us with big bear hugs. My grandma has short, black hair like my dad, but she is very old and wrinkled. My grandma wore a beautiful yellow dress. She looked like a yellow sunflower. I don’t speak Romanian but some day I would like to speak a little bit. When my dad and his family and friends talked in Romanian it sounded like jabbering crows to my mom and me. While the grown ups talked, my mom and I looked at the airplanes hanging from the ceiling of the airport. From the airport, we drove in a very old car, as old as the hills. The car had no seatbelts and no airbags—it was made in the 1970’s! The body of the car was rusty and dented. Sitting on the seats of this car was like sitting on a hard block of solid cement. Chug, chug, chugga, chug!!! along we went. Even though it was old, it still got us to where we wanted to go—my grandma’s apartment in Bucharest. Grandma’s apartment looked like an ancient antique house in New York. It was a mouse house—really tiny. Together we drove through a maze of streets to Brasnov and lunched at a wild game restaurant serving lots and lots of fresh meats. They had boar, deer, steak, pheasant and chicken. I had a repast of boar meat with a very special BBQ sauce that had a hint of wine. It had maximum flavor and I cleaned my plate. My grandma had pheasant with mashed potatoes. The restaurant looked like a hunting lodge with the heads of the kinds of animals they served displayed on the walls. After a few days, we went to a deluxe hotel in the mountains. The hotel was a 10
Fast facts ROMANIA
• Has a border on the Black Sea • The captial is Bucharest • The official currency is the Romanian Leu or Lei (plural) • Romanian is the official language, with English as the most popular second. German is also commonly used in the Transylvanian region.
massive building sleeping in the mountains of Romania. Staying at this hotel was like living in a giant’s castle with cavernous rooms and KING-SIZED beds. In the hotel restaurant, I saw a girl looking at me. I’m pretty sure she was attracted to me—I could tell from the dreamy look on her face. She was pretty. I never saw her again and I’m sorry that we never talked. I looked for her the next morning but unfortunately she had already left. While on our way back to Bucharest, we stopped at Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. The eerie castle loomed on the edge of a mountain, a massive building lurking in the shadows of the Romanian mountains. Inside it was beautiful, with polar bear skin rugs on the floor, on the walls and in front of the fireplace. Most people think of Dracula as a vampire but he was a king. After the castle, we went to my grandma’s apartment in Bucharest to say our goodbyes. We said goodbye many times and with many of those bear hugs. I know we will return soon because we go there every year to visit my grandma. And just for the record, there are no monsters in Romania! Submitted by: Jonathan D., Weston Middle School, Weston, Connecticut Castle submitted by: Andrea P., Age 8, Zakladni Skola, Prague, Czech Republic
submit your Travel Stories!
12
Lake and tree photograph submitted by: Allison M., Age 10, Lillian Schumacher Elementary School, Liberty, Missouri
Pic-O-Rama
Siamese cat photograph submitted by: HaiPoo
of spring!
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l l a c u o y o d e t h a t h n i W n a m w o n as ? t r dese Jokes & Fun
submit your jokes! Sphinx photography submitted by: Dylan H., Horizons K-8 School, Boulder, Colorado Snowman submitted submitted by: Ryan Y., Age 10, Our Lady of Grace School, Fairview, New Jersey Puddle submitted submitted by: Andrew M., Age 13, Our Lady of Grace School, Fairview, New Jersey
! e l d d A pu Sub
11real
: Lydia
d by mitte
m r a w p e w to ke
Ho
t u o g n a h 1.
‘suuuuup.
Wow, our coats are so cute!
this winter
with dragons Totally. That being said, I ‘m soooooo glad winter’s almost over!
Dragon submitted by: Cameron B., Age 9, Panther Run Elementary School, Wellington, Florida
Background pattern submitted by: Karlac, Grade 8, R.L. Stevenson Middle School, Los Angeles, California
2. w
s t a o c e t u c r a e Girls submitted by: Lydia11real
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Drawing submitted by: Keca love
e v o l a ec
ids pyram ture t a a n e r d the g e an s in lif ruins and l i a t e it the The d ION: gypt to vis mething T A R I sun INSP ATION: E zen, Say So rs and the e N I e o lf! Giv DEST : Candy, Fr snow, flow e s r u o y , S RAVE : Hot cocoa rt teacher give up on a S T ’ E n FAV ing a t, DON LS: Be making Ar ove! :) A O G r When to imp TIPS: f a chance l yourse
K
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