Megan A

Where were you in this photo?

This is me at the United Nations when I was at the International Day of the Girl which was pretty awesome.

What did they do there?

It was mostly just presenting about the giant world issues that are happening for girls.

Why did you want to go to this event?

Counter to popular belief, I actually am a girl and I went there because of activism, I guess.

Did you meet any interesting people there?

It was really crowded and I couldn’t get to meet the people I wanted to meet because they were being swarmed by other humans but there were some cool people.

How did you find out about this event?

Miss Bengels!  (That human!)

What did you enjoy about it?

There two girls there who were presenting interpretive dance about the girls and what they were going through and they had singing parts and that was pretty cool.

What issues were most important to you at the event?

There was some pretty deep stuff that happened there. Miss Bengels told me that I was going to leave angry and I left angry.

Why were you angry?

Because still there is some bad stuff going on in the world and girls are getting married at like nine and that’s not cool at all.

Was there anything hopeful that you heard?

There a presentation about Malala and how she did some cool stuff and there was education now because of Malala and that’s important. Also there was a girl who was doing something with her Girl Scout troop for girls who were living in different countries who don’t have as many rights.  She was giving them coloring books and crayons that they could color inspirational messages. That was pretty awesome.

How do you hope to make the world better?

Tacos for everyone!  And also, there should be more rights for people, because if you are taking away people’s rights just because you think they’re stupid, that’s not cool. It’s like saying that “because I’m on a diet, you can’t have cake either.”  That’s not cool.

If you had the chance to go again, would you?

Yes! Yes! 100% yes!

Gina H

What was your inspiration for the toucan?

It was for my mom because she really loves animals-- that’s also for the turtle, too-- because she had a lot of work and I wanted to do something to make her smile. That’s why they’re laminated. I put them in my presentation for art.

Why did you do the one with all the shapes and colors?

Well, I was inspired by my best friend’s older sister. She drew something really awesome with a lot of shapes and colors and I thought it was really pretty, so I decided to try one for myself.

How do you feel when you are creating art?

Well, I feel pretty calm and happy, like I don’t have anything to do so I’m just there, doing what I want.

Do you get stressed out if you have to erase a lot?

I don’t really stress out because whenever I draw, it calms me and makes me happier, when I am stressed. So if it comes out bad, I don’t stress. I’m kind of a perfectionist when it comes to marks and eraser smudges but I just fix it!

What else do you draw?

I can draw cartoons, and really fun, bubbly happy stuff, flowers, and sometimes people.

What inspires you to draw?

What motivates me to draw is pretty much the people around me and what I see, and my Grandma and my Mom, they were really good drawers and they inspired me to do what I like to do and they have a really big effect on me.

How has your drawing changed since you came to the middle school?

It’s definitely changed a lot because I’ve learn a lot about values and shading and how to use color and contrast, other than just drawing doodles.

Liz B

 What were you doing?

It was a pumpkin carving contest at Black River Roasters. It’s owned by my friend’s parents.  The people working there didn’t know me, though.

Did you win the contest?

  Yes I did!

How many people were there?

   Me! I showed up and no one else was there. That’s why I won.

Do you think you would have won anyway?

  Well, duh! Obviously I am a better pumpkin carver than anyone in my town!

What did you win?

  Since it’s a coffee shop, nothing, because my parents don’t like me drinking coffee.

What are the eyes made out of?

 White pumpkins.

Did you name your pumpkin?

   Yes.  Its name is Patricia.

How long did it take you to make it?

  Thirty, forty-five minutes.

What did you use for it?

   It’s pumpkins and the hair is kale.  My mom just came home with kale and she told me that it spoke to her and that I should use it… those were her exact words.

How did you carve the smile?

   I carve the parts that were in-between the teeth and then I chipped off the outside skin on the teeth.

Where did you learn your pumpkin carving skills?

    My dad.  

Did you end up eating the pumpkin?

  No, I did not eat the pumpkin.

Anjali V and her Cousin

Who’s in the picture with you?

My baby cousin, Samara.

How old is she?

She’s two years old.

What do you have in common?

We both love to spend time with each other and I love to play with her.

How often do you get to see her?

In the summer, we saw each other once or twice a week, but now that school started, we see each other like once every three or four weeks.

Does she say anything funny?

She always calls everybody “MEAN” even though she doesn’t know what it means. She even calls her dog and her toys “MEAN” but she doesn’t know what it means!

What’s her favorite toy?

She loves playing with her Minnie Mouse set.

How does she remind you of your own childhood?

Well, whenever I see pictures of me doing stuff and what I looked like, she looks like that and does similar things to what I do and we have common interests.

What advice do you have for her?

When she grows older, I hope she will be herself and that she won’t let anyone change who she is.

Do you follow that advice yourself?

Yes.

Megan's cousin, Cassie B

So how many chickens do you have now?

Eight. Csirke (pronounced “chirka”) and Clucky are the ones in the picture. Clucky is the yellowy brown one and Csirke is the grayish one with Elvis hair.

How long have you had your chickens?

I've had one batch for 1 1/2 years and another for a half year.

What are all your chicken's names?

The first batch is Goldie, Flame, Gretel and Gozor the Destructor, the Destroyer of Worlds. The second batch is Csirke, Clucky McCluckface, Feathers McGraw and Betsy.

What's the best part of having chickens?

They're really funny. One time they had a moth in their chicken gazebo and they all tried to catch it.

What's the worst part about having chickens?

The poo.

What have you learned about chickens that you didn't know?

They're smart and they can have five toes.

Do all the chickens have different personalities?

Yes. Csirke likes to fly onto cars, and Clucky likes talking. Gretel likes to chase moths.

What are your chicken's favorite food?

They like alfalfa sprouts and mealworms.

Bryce C and Luke F

How long have you been playing baseball?

Bryce: Three years

Luke: Five

When did you take this picture?

B: We took the picture June 9th, 2016.  That was the night of the Splash Out and we missed it to go to the baseball game and I was on the verge of not going to the baseball game.

L: If you weren’t there as catcher, then they would have gotten a few more bases because you got a few guys out who were stealing.

How good are you?

B: I’m a decent hitter and a good catcher.

L:  I’m a great hitter and an outstanding shortstop.

How does baseball make you a better person?

L: Because you do teamwork.

B: You’re friends with people on the other team, and if you’re behind the plate like I usually am, and your friend is up at bat, you want to cheer them on even though you’re on different teams.

Are you both on the same team?

L:Yes! Look at our shirts!

Why do you have trophies?

L: This was the championship game. It was the first one for both of us, ever winning.  

B: I had the game winning hit.

What role will baseball play in your future?

B:  I will be able to be more athletic and maybe coach a little league team.

Amber M

How old were you when this was taken?

I think I was eleven.

What’s the story behind the picture?

We were at a hotel. It was on a road trip to North Carolina.

Why were you going to North Carolina?

To visit my grandma and my cousins.

Were you guys matching for a reason?

No. We were wearing those because my grandma gave them to us and we wanted to show her that we liked them.

How often do you get to see your grandma and what do you like to do with her?

I see her maybe twice a year and we usually go to stores with her and pick flowers in her garden and play board games.

Is there a special reason you got those pajamas?

I think it was for Daphne’s birthday.

Are you close to your sister?

Yes. She’s really cute and I can’t resist when she asks me for something.  She was four in that picture.

What kinds of things does she ask you?

She asks me to help build Legos with her and she asks me to write stories for her, since she doesn’t know how to write stories yet.  She asks me to help her with doing crafts.

What’s your favorite craft to do with her?

Probably making bracelets because she always has funny ideas of what she wants to wear. She’ll  choose the bright pink and purple as the main colors for beads with random colors mixed in.  She says that the other colors are “boyish”.

What’s your favorite part of having three siblings?

Probably that I get a lot of entertainment from them and I also get to have my own time when they are doing something else.

Silvana V

When did you first read Harry Potter?

I’ve been obsessed with it ever since first grade, rereading it every once in awhile.

Who is your favorite character?

Probably Hermione Granger because I admire her work ethic and because she is a strong female protagonist.

In the Harry Potter books, who do you relate to most, and why?

I relate most to Hermione because she presents herself as a very confident person and I feel like that’s what I want to be. She also has her weak moments and I think it’s good she’s able to show that, too.

Do you remember first meeting your grandma?

She has been an important person in my life for my whole life. I don’t remember meeting her. She actually gave my first pair of earrings because she was the only one to know I was a female before I was born.  (She asked the doctor but my parents didn’t want to know. They wanted it to be a surprise.)

How much older are you than your sister?

My sister and I are three years apart but it feels like much more because we are in different parts of our life. As she is entering the awkward tween years of her life, I have a little bit more experience in existential crises.  In fact, I have one going on right now.  Why not ponder our existence!

What do you like best about family vacations?

I think the sense of unity is really important considering these are people I am related to by blood and I know I need count on them if I need anything! (That sounded selfish, but it’s true! They can count on me, too!)  If my sister calls me and needs money for the book fair, I’m like, “Hey! I’ve got you!”

Devon G

Were you close to this horse?

I love my horse.

What is your horse’s name?

His full name is Frostline but we call him Falcon. He has a nickname that me and my mom call him: “Fal-cony da Pony”

Is it your horse?

We lease him, as in I get to ride him.

How long has it been since you saw him?

I actually saw him last night. I rode last night.

When did you get him?

August 7th.

How long have you been riding?

Him? Since August, but I say that I’ve been riding since before I was born because my mom was riding her event horse when I was in her stomach, and I started riding when I was like three, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

Can he do tricks?

Yeah, he jumps and I’ve trotted around with no reins which means I have no control except my body itself; I’m not holding on to his head.  He’s so good, he’s just perfect, so it just feels kind of normal.

Is he a show horse?

He was actually a really fancy hunter pony. I haven’t done any shows with him but my mom wants me to get into some shows.

What kind of horse is he?

He is half Welsh, quarter Arabian and quarter … wait… what is my pony?... I think he’s a quarter thoroughbred.

How old is your horse?

He is sixteen years old.

Are you competitive?

Not really.

How do you feel when you are riding a horse?

I feel alive and I feel good because that’s kind of my happy place. It just makes me feel important.