In Your Own Words An Anthology of Writing By Sixth Grade Students The Mamie Fay School PS 122 Spring 2019 Anna Aprea, Principal Teachers Ms. Irene Pappas Alicia Anabel Santos Jonathan Hernandez Teachers & Writers Collaborative Writers-in-Residence 1 To see your young author published in our magazine please visit teachersandwritersmagazine.org. TEACHERS & WRITERS COLLABORATIVE (T&W) partners with New York City schools and community-based organizations to offer dynamic creative writing programs led by professional writers. Since 1967, T&W has worked with more than 750,000 K-12 students and more than 25,000 teachers at schools throughout New York City; published more than 80 books and an online magazine about creative writing education; and provided free resources for students, teachers, and writers on our website (www.twc.org). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This residency was sponsored by the EHA Foundation, New York City Department of Education, and Teachers & Writers Collaborative (T&W). T&W programs are made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. T&W is also grateful for support from the following: Amazon.com, Aroha Philanthropies, Bay and Paul Foundations, Bydale Foundation, Cerimon Fund, Charles Lawrence Keith and Clara Miller Foundation, Con Edison, E.H.A. Foundation, Hans and Ruth Cahnmann Family Fund, ING Financial Services, Jerome Foundation, Kenneth Koch Literary Estate, Laura B. Vogler Foundation, Leonore Gordon PD Arts and Wellness on the Go Fund at Stonewall Community Foundation, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, New York Community Trust, Rizzoli, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Simon and Eve Colin Foundation, Solon E. Summerfield Foundation, Wells Fargo, William T. Grant Foundation, and friends of T&W. A Teachers & Writers Collaborative Publication Copyright © 2019 2 INTRODUCTION 7 The Mamie Fay School PS 122 6th Grade Writers 8 CLASS 501 10 Catinca Balasov 11 Inderpreet Chahal 13 Sophia Choudhury 15 Shaila Crescimanno 17 Salem Dervisevic 18 Mateo Fabella 20 Aaron Ha 22 Tanzeem Hasan 24 Fayrouz Heikal 25 Hyder Ismail 27 Justyn Jimenez 28 Reema Kaur 30 Bela Kirjak 31 Cynthia Kyaw 33 Natalie Lai 35 Micah Liu 37 Philip Lopez 39 Fiona McLaughlin 41 Lejla Mulic 43 Gregory Onaldin 44 Sonam Pema 45 Ava Pusing 46 Lance Rodriguez 47 Shayra Shoshi 48 Jeremy Tang 50 Isabella Taxilaga 51 William Thitithamasak 53 Ella Walsh 55 Suri Wang 56 CLASS 504 58 Taosif Ahmed 59 Jisha Barua 60 3 Sara Batutis 61 Maysha Chowdhury 63 Noah Cummings 65 Lisa Dascalu 66 Andrew Dickerson 67 Lucia Fraga 69 Puja Ghosh 71 Mariam Hossain 73 Tasnim Islam 75 Emily Kane 77 Aimal Khan 78 Gabriel Law 79 Kati Lobel 80 Joshua Lou 81 Maleha Marjana 83 Nabil Mazumder 84 Rea Milo 86 Yassin Mohamedy 88 Eugenia Perdikis 90 Franklin Rigoutsos 92 Kevin Rodrigues 94 Alexander Rodriguez 96 Mullika Saha 98 Sophie Scialla 99 Diego Shirazi 101 Anzam Siddek 102 Sofia Spyropoulos 104 Tamara Tesovic 105 Max Williamson 107 CLASS 506 108 Tasnia Ahmed 109 Owen Anderson 111 Timothy Ching 112 Alyssa Chung 113 Hayam Elazhary 115 4 Kacey Guthrie 116 Armin Haque 117 Sarah Haque 118 Ryan Huang 120 Will Itskovich 121 Alexander Kasapis 123 Tazriam Khandoker 125 Samuel Libert 127 Alyssa Luk 129 Katerina Martinez 131 William McGarvey 133 Tenzin Menlha 134 Tasnim Muheta 135 Shihab Noah 136 Mohamed Ommran 137 James Rednic 139 Seba Selim 140 Sophia Shakarov 142 Marissa Talushllari 144 Maisha Thakur 145 Aidan Wong 147 Tenzin Youdon 148 Tanvi Zakir 150 Andy Zhao 152 CLASS 509 153 Syeda Ali 154 Jennifer Arriaga 156 Prajusha Azeem 157 Araf Chowdhury 159 Serena Crescimanno 160 Angelyn Diep 161 Eilean Faltin 162 Oliver French 163 Alexandra Gaal 164 Margareth Girsang 166 5 Raida Hasan 167 Joy Herman 168 Myron Hill 169 Tawseef Jadid 171 Kenneth Jusuf 172 Azana Karim 173 Melda Kayatekin 175 Huda Khan 176 Miles Lehoczki 177 Naveen Mathew 178 Geneva Mommaas 179 Saymaa Nazrul 180 Gabriella O’Neill 182 Paul Perdikis 183 Dionisio Rolls 184 Humza Shah 185 Luke Skouras 187 Kartik Wahlin 188 Charlotte Wyles 189 Joel Yoo 190 Jocelin Zhuo 192 PS 122 ARTISTS 197 CLOSING THOUGHTS 198 6 Introduction Cover art by: Natalie Lai When considering a name for our program and the anthology, we thought about something catchy - something that might stick and, hopefully, be embraced by the students. As we brainstormed, we went through a list of phrases and terms. “In your own words” is a common expression, but it can be interpreted in a variety of ways. The students of P.S. 122 represent a rich diversity of cultures and backgrounds as well as a diversity of voices and experiences. We were both curious and excited to see how these talented students would respond to our various warm up activities, writing prompts, and assignments. We were not disappointed, nor were we prepared for what they produced. The students took us on a journey where we time traveled to countries; they wrote haikus, elegies, epistles, fiction, and non-fiction. They wrote praise poems honoring where they are from and to the people/things they love. What you are holding is a body of work that our students began in November. We are happy that this anthology exists, if nothing else, as a testament to them. It contains their wittiness, humor, fears, hopes, concerns, imagination, and insights. Some of it is touching, personal, thoughtful, or serious, but it’s all them in their own words. P.S. 122 Writers, we are so proud of you! Love, Ms. Alicia Anabel Santos & Mr. Jonathan Hernandez 7 The Mamie Fay School PS 122 6th Grade Writers Class 501 Class 504 Balasov, Catinca Ahmed, Taosif Chahal, Inderpreet Barua, Jisha Choudhury, Sophia Batutis, Sara Chowdhury, Maysha Crescimanno, Shaila Cummings, Noah Dervisevic, Salem Dascalu, Lisa Fabella, Mateo Dickenson, Andrew Ha, Aaron Fraga, Lucia Hasan, Tanzeem Ghosh, Puja Heikal, Fayrouz Hossain, Mariam Ismail, Hyder Islam, Tasnim Kane, Emily Jimenez, Justyn Khan, Aimal Kaur, Reema Law, Gabriel Kirjak, Bela Lobel, Kati Kyaw, Cynthia Lou, Joshua Lai, Natalie Marjana, Maleha Liu, Micah Mazumber, Nabil Lopez, Philip Milo, Rea Mohamedy, Yassin McLaughlin, Fiona Perdikis, Eugenia Mulic, Lejla Rigoutsos, Franklin Onaldin, Gregory Rodrigues, Kevin Pema, Sonam Rodriguez, Alexander Pusing, Ava Saha, Mullika Rodriguez, Lance Scialla, Sophie Shirazi, Diego Shoshi, Shayra Siddek, Anzam Tang, Jeremy Spyropoulos, Sofia Taxilaga, Isabella Tesovic, Tamara Thitithamasak, William Williamson, Maximillian Walsh, Ella Wang, Suri 8 Class 506 Class 509 Ahmed, Tasnia Ali, Syeda Anderson, Owen Arriaga, Jennifer Ching, Timothy Azeem, Prajusha Chung, Alyssa Chowdhury, Araf Elazhary, Hayam Crescimanno, Serena Guthrie, Kacey Diep, Angelyn Haque, Armin Faltin, Eilean Haque, Sarah French, Oliver Huang, Ryan Gaal, Alexandra Itskovich, Will Girsang, Margareth Kasapis, Alexander Hasan, Raida Khandoker, Tazriam Herman, Joy Libert, Samuel Hill, Myron Luk, Alyssa Jadid, Tawseef Martinez, Katerina Jusuf, Kenneth McGarvey, William Karim, Azana Menlha, Tenzin Kayatekin, Melda Muheta, Tasnim Khan, Huda Noah, Shihab Lehoczki, Miles Ommran, Mohamed Mathew, Naveen Rednic, James Mommaas, Geneva Selim, Seba Nazrul, Saymaa Shakarov, Sophia O’Neill, Gabriella Talushllari, Marissa Perdikis, Paul Thakur, Maisha Rolls, Dionisio Wong, Aidan Shah, Humza Youdon, Tenzin Skouras, Luke Zakir, Tanvi Wahlin, Kartik Zhao, Andy Wyles, Charlotte Yoo, Joel Zhuo, Jocelin 9 Class 501 10 Catinca Balasov ODE TO WRITING The click of the keys rattles through my Take on wild adventures, fingers. And experience a time in their life where everything The “scritch-scratch” of my shrinking changes. pencil A blast of warmth flows through my veins Echoes through my ears and soothes my mind. Where I know a new adventure awaits. Worlds of different wonders, Imagination and fantastical thoughts hold the reins of Different people, my mind Different ways of life And I can be whoever I want to be when my pen is Orbit around my heart, glowing in hope, pointed to a page. Hope that they will become known and loved. I pass down my wits, my impatience, my fierceness Heroes and cowards To the subject of my unique story. Cocky teens and valiant boys When I write Gallop through my mind I am who I want to be Flying with over torn cities And I am who I CAN be. Or thrashing spears at brutal enemies When I write I am not alone for survival. And I feel joy pulsing through my body All types of people face different struggles, For all I need lies in the fate of my creativity and an obeying pen. ELEGY TO GRANDPA I see pictures of you My heart groans; my soul weeps. With me. Every second spent with you was precious. On sunny days -- laughing, playing. You were funny and calm. Oh, back then, all was perfect, life was a gem. You were all I ever needed. We played your favorite songs made by the When you were gone King of Rock himself I was only five. While I bounced alongside you, playfully twisting Little did I know I would see you no more. the childish steering wheel I wish you were here Of that blue car that I still see today. To twirl me in the air as I pranced down from the We cried for you. graduation podium. I still long for you. I wish you were here Why did you have to go so soon? To tell me you were proud of me, to hug me in adoration. I regret all wrongs I did to you; They say you are gone, but I know that is wrong. Want to reverse the pencils I threw at you.