Connecticut Student Writers Volume xxxii Monochrome Portrait by Meajah Edney Academy of Aerospace and Engineering Back cover, La Flor by Dana Cortes JM Wright Technical High School Editors and Readers Director: Jason Courtmanche Graduate Assistant: Sophia Buckner Undergraduate Interns: Senior - Olivia Grossman Junior – Sammy vanValkenburg Sophomore - Julianna Iacovelli Editors-in-Chief: Megan Murphy, Enfield High School and John Martin, Wethersfield High School Section Editors: Grades K-2: Marcy Rudge, Annie E. Vinton School Grades 3-4: Erika Hanusch, South Elementary School Grades 5-6: Alex Rode, Ledyard Center School Grades 7-8: Kelly Andrews-Babcock, Killingly Intermediate School Grades 9-10: Katie Pitts, Rockville High and Amanda Flachsbart, South Windsor High Grades 11-12: Danielle Pieratti, South Windsor High and Terri White, South Windsor High Submission Selection Committee: Amanda Abbott Lopez Marc Zimmerman Sarah Aceto Julianna Iacovelli Courtney Baklik Mollie Kervick Deanne Battle Catherine Kotula Rhianna Bennett Kim Kraner William Biel Lyric McVoy Katie Buldoc Kaylee Mootz Victoria Clarizio Amy Nocton Alexandria Clarke Holly Richmond Jane Cook Ted Richmond Kate Craven Elizabeth Simison Jessica Cullen Denise Stemmler Becca DiPinto Kiedra Taylor Peter Dovidaitis Sammy vanValkenburg Sandy Geres Ashley Walters Amanda Gervais John Wetmore Olivia Grossman Shannon Williams Table of Contents Foreword …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1 Kindergarten Raina Senthilkumar, CREC Museum Academy – “Penguin at Christmas Time” ……………………………………………………………………………..……2 Jackson Plourde, CREC Museum Academy – “The Christmas Tree” ……………………………………………………….……………………………………….………3 Maggie Carew, North Street School – “Raining on Halloween” ………………………………………………………………..……………………………………….……….3 Steven Cecchini, Verplanck Elementary – “The Whole Universe” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….3 Ethan Schreiber, Annie E. Vinton School – “Unicorns” ……………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………….4 Patrick Stewart, International Magnet School for Global Citizens – “Winter” …………………………..…………………………………………………………..4 Owen Gietzen, Northeast Academy – “Bumblebee Rescue” …….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 Warren Vadas, Annie E. Vinton School – “Untitled” ………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………4 First Grade David Harbec, Annie E. Vinton School – “Peace Everywhere” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5 Carter McHugh, Bakerville Consolidated – “All About LEGOs” ……………………………………………………………..…………………………………………..……6 Yandi Castaneda, Glastonbury East Hartford Magnet School – “Soccer” ……………………………………………..………………………………………………..7 Juliet Cruz, CREC Discovery Academy – “Catching a Reindeer” ……….…………………………………………………..…………………………………………………7 Yosof Hassan, CREC Discovery Academy – “Solar System” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8 Josiah White, Glastonbury East Hartford Magnet School – “Bust the Beat” ……………………………………………………………………………………………8 Akif Biyikli, Annie E. Vinton School – “Untitled” ……………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………….8 Sam Woodward, CREC Discovery Academy – “The Day my Friend Left” ……………………………………………………………………………………………….8 Second Grade Olivia Perlmutter, Anna Reynolds School – “Paradise!!” …………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………….9 Graham Gietzen, Northeast Academy Art Magnet School – “The Secret Recess” ………………………………………………………………………………….10 Jayliannis Rosa, Anna Reynolds School – “What about me?” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11 Nina Radoniqi, North Street School – “The Sunflower” ………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………….11 Arleen Sandhu, CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering – “Twilight” ………………………..…….……………………………………………………….11 Adele Morgan, Tootin’ Hills Elementary School – “Portrait of Rocket” …………………………………………..……………………………………………………..12 Caleb Beach, Goshen Center School – “My Sister, Harper” ………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………..12 Salella Senethep, North Street School – “All About School” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12 Adele Morgan, Tootin’ Hills Elementary School – “All About Dogs” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 Third Grade Annabelle Hobbs, Central School, Simsbury –“Paris” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14 “Black” …………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………15 Anushka Ramesh, International Magnet School for Global Citizens – “The Ichthysaur” …………………………………………………………………..15 Divijia Adhikary, Crystal Lake School – “The Dried Leaves of Autumn” ……………………………………………………………………………………………….15 Nayan Varma, International Magnet School for Global Citizens – “A Day in the Life of a Homo Erectus Family” ……………………….17 Maya D’amato, Wells Road Intermediate School – “The Christmas Cat” …………………………………………………………………………………………….19 Maeryn McDonald, Annie E. Vinton School – “Untitled” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………….19 Naomi Amsterdam, Central School – “The Field of Daisies” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………20 Fourth Grade Cara Jia, Annie E. Vinton School – “Untitled” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21 Adelaide Gritzmacher, Tariffville Elementary School – “Stop Global Warming!” ………………………………………………………………………………..22 Jenna Schwarz, Squadron Line Elementary – “Drawing Squares” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………23 Olivia Auriantal, Annie E. Vinton School – “Untitled” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………23 William Kim, Tootin’ Hills Elementary School – “Bullies” …………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………24 Maggie Littler, Gallup Hill School – “The Farewell of Fall” …………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………25 Zoe Callahan, International Magnet School for Global Citizens – “Native Americans of the Northeast Region” ..……………………….25 Tramy Phan, Anna M. Reynolds Elementary – “An Angel Cried” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….26 Fifth Grade Reva Narayanan, Glastonbury East Hartford Magnet School – “Rumors” ……………………………………………………………………………………………27 Lucas Gomes, CREC Discovery Academy – “The Huge Slide: Winters’ Lesson” ……………………………………………………………………………………28 Savanna Singh, Morley Elementary – “Soaring” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………29 Lyra Ritner, Brooklyn Middle School – “Love” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………29 Rocco Anthony Pascale, Brooklyn Middle School – “Middle School” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..29 Tommy Hennessy, Bulbee Elementary School – “The Fishing Trip” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….31 Ronan Trace Curran, Brooklyn Middle School – “Alone with a Zombie Skeleton” ………………………………………………………………………………32 Amelia Ditzel, Woodstock Middle School – “Noticed” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….33 Sixth Grade Hailey Salen, Ledyard Middle School – “Earth Blob” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………34 Elia Amaro, Greenwich Academy – “I Am From” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….35 Pema Kennedy, Ledyard Middle School – “My First 500” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………35 Eric Richmond, Leonard J Tyl Middle School – “Riptide” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………37 Abby Ditzel, Woodstock Middle School – “Global Warming” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………38 Danny Royce, Crystal Lake School – “Fire” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….38 Natalie Chin, Timothy Edwards Middle School – “Ready or Not” …..………………………………………………………………………………………………………39 Sandhya Sudarsanam, Westside Middle School – “The Beauty of Neuromusicology” ………………………………………………………………………..40 Emma Rose Pongetti, Ledyard Middle School – “The Girl in Midland” ………………………………………………………………………….…………………….41 Seventh Grade Melina Velendzas, Talcott Mountain Academy – “Me” ………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………42 Maylyn Lannucci, East Granby Middle School – “Milly” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..43 Mary Lynch, Mansfield Middle School – “If the Fireflies Break Loose from the Stars” …………………………….…………………………………………44 Katherine Taborsak, Schaghticoke Middle School – “What Happens to …” ………….……………………………………………………………………………..46 Katie Smith, Killingly Intermediate School – “Uninvited Guests” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….46 Ariana Pourkavoos, Talcott Mountain Academy – “The Burnt Marshmallow” ……………………………………………………………………………………47 Samantha Henske, Bedford Middle School – “Life in a Different Key” ………………………………………………………………………………………………….48 Brooke Vazquez, Vernon Center Middle School – “Noose” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………50 Eighth Grade Leo Mahlke, Schaghticoke Middle School – “We Will Rise” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………53 “The Interview” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………56 “My One-Year Closet” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………62 Hebah Habib, Martin Kellogg Middle School – “White Dwarf” ………………………………………………………………………….……………………..……………54 Isabella Wang, Irving A Robbins School – “Bubbles” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..54 Elsa Nocton, Mansfield Middle School– “Hansel and Gretel” ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….59 Angelina Wisdom, Grace Academy – “This I Believe” ………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………60 Ninth Grade Audrey L. Finn, Pomperaugh High School – “Audrey Hepburn” …………………………………………………..………………………………………………………64 Lillian Westerberg, Rockville High School – “The Ghost of the Holocaust” …………………………………………………………..………………………………65 Victoria Mitchell, Rockville High School – “One Last Sign” ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..68 Annabel Brown, ACT Magnet