2007 Splendid Review (Spring) - Texas Children`s Cancer and

A gift of
Poetry
POEMS
Spring
2007
What I’m Gonna Do
I’m gonna dig down deep
I’m gonna end my day late
I’m gonna skip over the sea
I’m gonna tell the world
my opinion
I’m gonna pray the bad times are over
I’m gonna dance till the sun goes down
I’m gonna sing till I have no breath
I’m gonna rush towards the future
By Devon, 15
Recipe for Love Pie
Ingredients: kisses, hugs, kindness, hearts,
the color red, flowers, butterflies
Directions:
Mix together 2 cups of kisses with 1 heart.
Add in 4 teaspoons of hugs.
Stir for 2 hours.
Pour in 1 cup of butterflies.
Crumble up some daisies.
Blend all of this with a spoon until smooth.
Next add the color red.
Put the mixture into a pie pan and cook.
When it’s done, sprinkle with kindness.
Serve this Love Pie to all
your friends!
By Aletria, 14
God is Next to Me
I lost my wedding ring
My brown dog ran away
My truck fell in a ditch
Cockroaches are in my bed
I cry til I can’t anymore
I’m sinking in the quicksand
I think my back is broke
And my boots are all torn up
My wife broke up with me
I have to eat dog food
They had to tow my truck
And someone stole my horse
But I’m gonna make it
God is next to me
I will rise from the ashes
God is next to me
By Luis, 9
My Name
Map and mark
Ants and acorns
Rabbit and run
Yes and yell
Joy and jump
On and on
These are the things that
Make my heart spin.
By Mary Jo, 6
Too Much Stress
Too much stress
Hours and hours of bags of blood
Always tired
Loving nurses
Always kind
Saving lives
Saving me
Energy again
Miles to run
IV’s
Always mine
By Isha, 13
Hayrides and Horses
Hayrides and horses
Apples and apes
Yogurt and yo yos
Heaven and high-tops
Airplanes and astronauts
Yellow and yelling
These are the things
That makes my heart
Dance!
By Haley, 8
Home
Grew up in Ethiopia
Playing soccer in the dirt
Wearing plastic shoes
And a white t-shirt
Tricking up my friends
When I kick that ball
I pass it down the field
Like it’s against the law
I dribble and I kick
The ball, it hits the pole
Everybody yells my name
And me, I take a roll
I get off the ground
The sky—it looks like rain
I kick it in the goal
Hurray, I’ve won the game
I miss my home so much
I want to go back home
By Edris, 15
Princess
Princess
Fabulous
I like to dress up in high
Heels and necklaces and
Skirts and hats. I want
To wear diamond rings
And bracelets and put a
Crown on my head. I want
To carry a purple purse.
I want to look fabulous!
By Haylee, 4
Mi Vida
Mi vida
Oh yes
My vida
Mi vida es dura
Mi vida es bella
It’s hard to be the oldest
Changing diapers
Making bottles
It’s hard to be the oldest
Chasing babies
Cleaning house
It’s hard but I still love it
Laughing loudly
Smiling, playing
It’s hard but I still love it
Tios, tias
Abuelitos
By Alicia, 11
Who I Am
Pink, polka dot nails
Deep, chocolate eyes
Bright, red cheeks
Big, beautiful smile
That’s me, Megan!
Lovely, soft laugh
Smart, mega mind
Flexible, athletic body
Happy, healthy heart
That’s me, Megan!
By Megan, 11
The Animal Poem
Snakes that squiggle along the ground
Turtles that move slowly
Alligators that bite
(Not me, I hope!)
Iguanas that move quickly
Sharks that chew their meat
Elephants with great big trunks
By Staise
I Wish
I love my
Red and white
Bike with
Streamers.
I pedal fast
All around.
I wish I
Could ride it
To my grandma’s
House. I wish!
By Stephanie, 5
Supergirl
Pets her dog Mikey
Cleans her room
Plays with her toys
Loves vanilla cake
Likes to color
Loves the color pink
Blows bubbles
Listens to RBD
Works puzzles
Is a princess!
By Evelyn, 4
All About Me
AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
Weird Interests
I’ve been interested in infectious disease since I started watching
the TV series House. It came on when I was hospitalized for B-cell
non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It’s interesting that the human body
can tolerate so much and then change when you’re sick. Whatever
you have, there are symptoms and the body acts accordingly. I’ve
read Bitten and A Woman with a Worm in Her Head. My nerd father
introduced me to this kind of medical book. The first one I read was
called Gifted Hands about a surgeon. Then I read When the Air Hits
Your Brain and that had more humor. The more I read about surgery
the more I realized I did not want to go into surgery. I also remember
Fever, a book about the Yellow Fever outbreak. It’s historical fiction
and prompted me to read The Coming Plague, which are short stories
about everything from AIDS to Ebola. I’m kind of a paranoid person
so I wouldn’t want to do surgery on someone. I am also too emotional.
I’ll either do oncology because I had
cancer or infectious disease, because
I’m interested in that field. I’d like to focus
on research but I’m social so I want patient interaction, too. I find
that people are so interesting, and when you see them in pain or at
their worst, I’ve discovered that they can shine.
By Chloe
The Cover Ain’t the Book
This year I’ve gotten really deep into music. My friends and I listen
to hardcore, which a lot of parents call devil music. When my
friends’ old band crashed, we decided to start our own. My friend
plays guitar and my other friend plays drums. I sing vocals for the
band. My voice is crackly today because we had practice yesterday
and it involves a lot of screaming. I have to work my vocal chords
because this is my first time as the band’s vocalist. We’ve already
written about 6 songs.
Most hardcore is about being negative and about hating. We’re trying
to create more uplifting, inspirational music to raise people up
when they’re down. I got the idea because at church the pastor’s
I prayed
about it, and then came up with an
idea to use music as a way to reach
out to kids who don’t feel like
they’re worth a hoot.
son said he was concerned about my generation.
I’ve noticed that most parents think “emo” and “Goths” are just
about hating. They stereotype all the kids who listen to this type of
music because of the clothes we wear. They hate the names of the
bands we listen to, like Dead Before Dark. But, there’s more to us.
Lots of hardcore bands are straight edge, which means they don’t
do drugs or alcohol and they save themselves for marriage. So,
don’t judge a book by its cover.
I understand that some hardcore music is bad and that the lyrics
are negative but I use the music as way to reach kids who can’t be
reached in other ways. Personally, I listen to the hardcore for its
rhythm and its beat. I really hope my music will touch some of the
kids who feel worthless and so far down. I want my music to be
good enough to bring them back up.
By Corey
My Brother: A Warrior
The annoying beeping of the heart rate monitor was becoming all too familiar.
The cold hospital floor chilled the soles of my feet as I walked over to my
brother’s bedside to make sure everything was alright. He muttered of a
headache and asked for some Tylenol. I paged the reception desk, and after
a few short beeps a voice came from the speaker. “Can I help you?” enthused
the receptionist, with a very energetic tone of voice for three o’clock in the
morning. “Yes, can you send the nurse in?” I asked. “Okay, sweetheart, I’ll
let her know that you called —” CLICK! I made my way back to the couch
where I had lain before Cody had interrupted my sleep and thought of
how great life was before all of this had happened, before the tumor.
Cody has been an extremely strong figure in my life. We always worked
together through everything. Whenever either of us had a problem, we
worked side by side to make sure that no one got hurt. I can remember one
time in particular when mom was baking brownies in the kitchen. “Okay,
you knock the lamp off of the table and start crying so that mom will come
see what is wrong, and I’ll snatch us some dessert!” he whispered into my
ear, pointing out exactly what he wanted me to do. Nothing could stop us!
We were two of a kind, both spinning, like gears operating in unison. I never
thought that anything could stop all the wonderful times. The room was dark,
and the light from the outside gleamed through as the nurse opened the door.
I was only able to make out the silhouette of the tall, slender shadow. By the
time she reached my brother’s bed, my eyes had already adjusted to the light.
The nurse was wearing an all-white lab coat with a stethoscope around her
neck. “Cody, on a scale of one to ten, how bad does your head hurt?” she
asked him.
“About a five or six,” he murmured into his pillow. After the brain surgery
and removal of the tumor, Cody could barely do anything on his own. The
nurse and I had to help him sit up so that he could swallow without choking.
Sitting up completely drained him of all his energy. I took the medicine into
my hands and placed it onto his chapped lips. He grabbed the cup of water
and swallowed the pills by himself. We softly laid him back down into the
same crevice that his head had previously rested in before he sat up. The nurse
left the room, and I continued to sit and think about what I could do to help.
On the tenth floor of Texas Children’s Hospital I heard a car pass by every so
often on the corner of Fannin and Holcombe. The sound overcame me with a
strange feeling of sudden loneliness. I concluded that if I were in my brother’s
position I would want someone with me at all times. After all, the hospital is
a scary place. I decided that as long as he was in the hospital that I would not
leave his side.
For three straight weeks, room 1023 was my home. I can still remember
the nurses’ routine schedule. She would come in every hour to check his
vitals, and every four to give him medicine. I didn’t get much sleep. The
bothersome noises of sick children crying down the hall did not allow for
an easy snooze. Every time Cody needed to use the restroom I would page
the nurse, help him up, and walk him to the toilet. I ordered his meals, and
even ate a couple with him. He needed me, but the more I stayed with him
I realized I needed him just as much. As time went on, he slowly recovered.
Cody impressed the doctors, but they still seemed worried that the fluid in
the brain was not going to flow normally on its own. They scheduled another
surgery in order to put in a shunt, a tube that goes under the skin from the
brain to the stomach. This would help pump out the extra fluid built up in
his brain. The surgery went well, and a week later Cody came home.
Sadly, I wasn’t able to stay with Cody for the entire time he was in the hospital.
School started three days before he came home, and I moved to Galveston to
start my first year of college at Texas A&M. Leaving for school meant that I
would be further away from my brother. The transition from constantly sitting
by his bedside to visiting once a week for a few hours was devastating. I’m
sure that Cody enjoyed seeing something different besides the hospital’s
plain white walls. My family told me that when they opened the door to the
house, there were dozens of balloons and flower arrangements waiting for him.
I am now in my second week of school, and I still call to see how he is
doing every day. I wish I could be there with him now more than ever.
He has started radiation and chemotherapy in order to make sure that the
cancer does not grow back. The once outgoing, fun, adventurous and loving
fourteen-year-old-boy that I knew as my brother is now hidden inside a
body that cannot even raise a left hand. I know in time everything will turn
out fine, but seeing someone that you love in a condition such as this only
brings pain.
My brother is a warrior. He has endured more setbacks than anyone else
He is my hero, and I will always
love him. I have learned how valuable time really is, and now I wish
I’ve ever met.
I had spent more of it with him while he was well. Our lives are completely
different now, but this experience will not be one that we regret. My family
and I will remember this as a moment that changed us forever.
By Shane, 18
Before and After
Princess Nena
I was in training camp doing speed and agility drills.
I wanted to be a wide receiver.
The check-up was a surprise.
I thought it was dehydration, but it turned out to be more.
I had a brain tumor.
Victoria is two years old. She loves to shop and go to
stores. She rides in the cart and points to things she
likes. She also loves the color pink. She has lots of clothes
that color, but she’s picky about what she wears. If we
don’t let her sleep enough, she’s grouchy. She will cry
and fuss and be mad with her mom. She’s smart.
Everything changed in a flash.
I still have double vision.
I have to have radiation and chemotherapy until
November of 2007.
Nothing is the same.
People stare at me.
I have no hair.
I’m in a wheelchair.
I want to play football again.
I want to dive for the ball on the field, then run
for a touchdown and score.
She already knows her colors
and how to say her name,
and she can speak Spanish
and English.Victoria is the only child, so she’s
spoiled! She looks up to her auntie Corina. When she
dances, she tries to copy her. She also loves her uncles
and gets very happy when she sees them. We hope she
gets well soon and never has to come back to the
hospital and grows up to be a good girl.
By Erica
By Cody, 15
My Three Favorite Sports
12 Things About Me
I like baseball and flag football and basketball. The first time I
ever played baseball was at the YMCA. I probably ran the wrong
way around the bases. But I got better and learned the rules.
When I was about eleven, my team was called the Astros. I played
shortstop, and I always hit grounders. We were pretty good.
I recently lost twenty pounds by eating spinach and exercising.
I have hemophilia and the toughest part about that is the
infusion every three days.
I played flag football at the YMCA, too. You have to grab the other
team’s flags to score points. To be good at flag football you have
to be able to run and catch. One time I caught the ball, but I
didn’t know I was supposed to run so someone pulled my flag.
Whenever I pulled someone’s flag, I rolled on the ground. One
time a guy on the other team was running fast, but I caught up
with him and grabbed his flag before he made a touchdown.
I’ve never played on a basketball team, but I play with my brother
and stepbrother at home. It’s fun. I like shooting. I’m good at
I love, love, love spinach.
I can burp on command and fake pop my nose.
I always wear a watch.
I have social anxiety, but I don’t have stage fright.
I got the “Most Dramatic Actor” award once.
My cousin Ryan is a famous baseball player who plays
for the Cincinnati Reds.
One of my bad habits is biting my nails down to the cuticles.
I died for twenty seconds once. It made me not take life
for granted.
I got lost temporarily off-slope at Whistler in Vancouver.
I’m good at rollerblading and ice-skating.
hitting the net—swish!
By Riley, 12
By Carlos, 13
Futbol
I love sports because
they keep me busy and they’re
good exercise.
I started playing soccer in
kindergarten. My dad bet me that if I scored three
goals I could get a dog. I won the bet. I named my new dog
Chico and I still have him. I played for a little over a year but
then I got leukemia. The medications made me weak so I
couldn’t play. At the end of second grade it went away. I started
feeling stronger and played a little bit. I had to start from the
bottom up learning to play again. I really like to watch matches.
One of the best I’ve seen was between Mexico and Jamaica.
I was rooting for Mexico and they won. I also saw Guatemala
and South Africa play and they tied. One player I admire is
Ronaldinho who plays for Brazil. He’s one of the best in
the world.
By Luis, 14
Dream Come True
The Game of Football
I like football because my daddy played. He taught me how
to catch and throw. I know how to tackle and kick, too.
I remember once when I was playing football my big brother
tackled me and hurt me. We had to go to the doctor and I asked,
“Can I play football on the
PlayStation? And the doctor said, “Yes.”
When I was better, I went outside to play real football again.
When my big brother got the ball, I tackled him as hard as I
could. After that, I won the football game. He got mad and cried.
“Have you ever
made a wish?” I said, “No.”
One day the doctor asked me,
So the doctor put me on the list for Make A Wish. About two
months later they called my dad to say I was next on the list.
I came to the hospital for an appointment and they called me and
took me to the lab. The Make A Wish lady was there and I was so
happy. She asked me, “What is your dream?” And I said I wanted
to go to Walt Disney World. Then they gave me tickets for my dad,
my mom, my two brothers, and me. When we went there, we had
so much fun. I loved the castle and Epcot and Universal Studios.
I want to thank everyone for making my wish come true. I hope
that other families who haven’t been anywhere yet will ask Make A
Wish for a dream, too.
By Melissa, 12
By Hennessy, 9
My Journey
Hotel Pools
I like swimming in hotel swimming pools. I love the hot tubs.
If I stay in too long, I get dizzy and my hands get wrinkly.
After the hot tub, I jump in the pool to cool off.
I can do
flips underwater. My sister splashes me and
I splash her back. Then I get out to dry off. If I’m outside,
I put lotion all over me, and I relax in the sun. I think my papa
taught me how to swim in a hotel pool on vacation once. I like
swimming there better than outside because there are no snakes.
By Carmen, 8
I attend South Houston High School in Pasadena where I’m a
sophomore. I’m taking my basic classes in pre-AP. That means
pre-advanced placement, and they prepare me for college. The
hardest subject for me right now is Algebra II. It’s difficult because
the problems require lots of steps. The teacher guides us down the
right path, but he lets us make our own mistakes. My favorite class
right now is Health Science Technology. It’s a medical class, which
I think
I’d like to be a pediatrician and help
sick kids. I was interested in medicine before I got sick
I enjoy because I want to work in the medical field.
but getting sick really motivated me. It’s been a year since I was
diagnosed. One of the most challenging parts is the blood test.
I hope one day I’ll be well and get the chance to work here.
By Nelly, 16
My Melody
Baseball and Hunting
Just about everyone in my family plays baseball—my dad,
my brother, my sisters…I’ve been playing all my life too.
Even as a kid, I’d run around
with a ball in the house. Some of my
earliest memories of baseball are getting hit in the eye and
playing until I was exhausted. Right now I play for Grant
High School. I play second base and pitch sometimes.
I listen to music 24/7. I have an MP3 player and it’s
always next to me. I download songs by artist on Livewire
like Danity Kane, Beyonce, and Christina Milian.
Sometimes I listen to music at night when I’m trying to
fall asleep. When I’m in a good mood or at a party, I like
I don’t just listen
to music. I make it. I’ve been in the
to listen to music too.
choir for four years. I’m a first soprano. This year I sing
for my high school choir. I had to try out at the beginning
of the year. I had to sing the scales for one of the choir
directors. I wasn’t very nervous because I’d been in a
good middle school choir. One of my goals in life is to
get a music scholarship for college. Music right now is
my life.
By Shayla, 14
I also do a lot of fishing in ponds, rivers, and lakes with my
brother and cousins. When I was eleven years old I caught
a nine and a half inch bass in a pond behind our hunting
camp. I also like to hunt deer, ducks, and squirrel. I go deer
hunting with my dad, brother, and cousin. I go duck hunting
with my brother and squirrel hunting with my brother and
cousin. Once I killed a nine-point buck when I was nine
years old. I hunt with bow and arrows, 243 rifle, and a
twelve-gauge shotgun.
By John Michael, 14
My Football Season
This year I played football for
a team called The Saints. We were
good. We even made it to the playoffs. I was a wide
receiver, which means I had to run fast and catch. I was
not able to finish the season because I fractured my rib.
I was at practice. I caught the ball and then someone hit
me from behind. His facemask hit my ribs. I didn’t know
they were broken, but they kept hurting so much. I went
to the doctor and they did an x-ray. It was broken. At
the end of the season there was a party and we all got
trophies. What a season.
By Isaac, 11
Life as an Actor
Strange Puppies
My name is Madison Lynn, and I live in a town called Sour Lake
near Beaumont, Texas. I live with my mom and NeNe and Paw.
We have two dogs Lil Bit and Bruiser. They eat funny things!
Bruiser likes to eat coffee and yogurt and anything that fits
in his mouth. Lil Bit likes ice cream and yogurt and apples
and green beans (she’s pickier). My NeNe says they are her
I say they are spoiled rotten!
But we all love them.
Since I was two or three, I’ve been acting and doing commercials.
A lot of my early work was done in L.A., where I used to live.
I moved to Houston a few years ago. You might be familiar with
my work here through my performance as Chip in Beauty and
the Beast performed at the Hobby Center.
I’ve always been interested in singing, dancing, and acting.
I think it’s work, but it’s fun too. I like observing the different
ways that people write plays and also experimenting with
diverse ways to perform a role.
babies.
By Madison, 6
Dodging Balls for Fun
I love dodge ball because it’s cool
and I can play it with my friends.
I remember playing it for the first time on a Saturday. We used
a trampoline. I got on the trampoline and jumped and dived
and bounced while my friends pounded me with balls. I didn’t
get hit! It was a lot of fun trying to dodge all the flying balls. I
like practicing this game with my friend Miguel. Today I was
sick so I couldn’t go to school. I stayed home and played dodge
ball until I had to come to the hospital. If I feel okay and get a
good report I want to play again when I get home.
By Efrain, 15
One of my most embarrassing moments as an actor was in New
York with Sage Door Manor. We were rehearsing Into the Woods
and I missed my cue because there was some loud music on next
door. I had to apologize to the director who had them turn down
the music.
One of my most memorable moments was the very last curtain
call for Beauty and the Beast. I felt like I had really achieved
something amazing.
One surprising thing that some people don’t know about theater
is the billion people backstage that make it possible. There are
people whose only job is to pull ropes or make wigs.
In the future I’d love to be on
Broadway. To get there you need
to work hard and do your best.
I’d love to be in Putnam County Spelling Bee— that would
be so cool.
By Zachary, 11
My Favorite Sport
My whole family likes soccer. My dad plays, but it’ll be his last
year. I’ve been playing ever since I saw a soccer ball. I like it
I like offense
the best because it’s when you score
goals. Everything’s happened to me playing soccer—I’ve
because it’s a sport where you run a lot.
gotten hit in the head, sprained my ankle, made a lot of goals,
lost by a lot of goals, and tied. I like going to professional soccer
games. When I have the money, I go. The first time I saw the
Houston Dynamos, I was so excited, but they lost. My favorite
team is Club America from Mexico. I never miss a game!
By Edward, 14
My Dream
I started playing football when I was about seven years old.
I played with my older brother. He taught me how to catch
the ball while running backward and to throw it. I like football
because you have to run and it’s good exercise. Sometimes I
watch it on TV. One of my favorite teams is the Houston Texans.
I like their offense. I want to play football for my school and
someday go to UT where the Longhorns play. I try to practice
with friends and get better. When I miss something, I re-do it.
At school the coach has me play running back during recess.
I like that. You have to be fast. I also like playing wide receiver.
I think
football is fun, and I dream I’ll play
it at UT someday.
You have to be good at handling the ball.
By Jesus, 11
On the Field
I’ve been playing football for about one year. I like it because
you can hit and tackle people. You can’t do those things off field
or you get in trouble! I was on a team called the Buccaneers.
I played offense, wide receiver.
It’s a pretty hard position to play.
The only game we won was the first one. The coach said a lot of
stuff when we lost, which was all the time. We had cheerleaders
and one of the girls was in my class. I can’t play football right
now, but I watch it on TV. I like college football. The UT
Longhorns are my favorite team. Last year they won the Rose
Bowl with Vince Young. Someday I’ll be back on the field too.
By Nathaniel, 12
My Little Sister
I come from a family with five girls. I’m the third. The littlest
one is Victoria, and she’s four months old. It was exciting when
she was born. She would cry a lot and wouldn’t let my mom go to
sleep. We had to change her diapers so many times a day and we
had to make her bottles. She has big eyes and black hair. She likes
to take naps and suck on a pacifier. Sometimes my mom gives
her cookies to lick. She also eats Gerber oatmeal. My mom feeds
her because she’s scared I might give her too much. She likes
when we bounce her. I like my little sister, but I don’t
want anymore.
By Emily, 9
Babies are a lot of work.
My Dog, Montana
Untitled
I like playing T-ball because I won the championship. In the
last game we played the Red Sox. I hit the ball over the base
and I ran and no one got me out. I was the last player and our
It was a fun day but practices
are long. My dad says I have to play softball next year.
My dog chases me wherever I go. She is a big, black lab that
is the same age as me! I put her on her leash and hook it
I love on
her and feed her puppy treats.
on my Barbie Jeep to take her for a walk.
She loves me and protects me from strangers. Sometimes
she is bad and takes Daddy’s shoes out into the grass. She
digs in the flowerbeds and my mommy gives her a spanking.
She barks at night. We lover her very much!
team won.
By Courtney, 5
By Logan, 6
Our Family
The two oldest of us were born in Pakistan, but the two youngest
sisters were born in Houston. Sometimes we miss the foods we
used to eat in Pakistan—tikka biryani, a rice dish, and haleem,
a gravy, and mango lassi, and roof afza. We also miss our
cousins, our grandparents Dada and Dadi, and our friends.
We remember that all the houses
were made of brick and we lived
by the sea. It barely ever rains there. When it rains,
everyone is happy! We are Muslim and we celebrate Eid.
We pray and give gifts. Sometimes we miss the country where
we were born.
By Ghaffar, Shagufta, Sarah, and Kelly
My Hobby
I started reading a lot in fourth grade. I remember the
Goosebumps series. They’re mysteries. I still like to read
mysteries, like Vampire Breath. It’s about a boy and a girl
who go in a basement and see a coffin with a bottle that
has yellow smoke coming out of it. It’s vampire breath
and underneath there’s a vampire who is pale and has
been laying there for 800 years. This story didn’t scare me.
I like the thrill of mysteries. The
one that I’m reading now is called Lord of the Shadows by
Darren Shan. Sometimes I’ll read for eight hours and only
take breaks for lunch and dinner.
By Jessenia, 13
Musical Inspiration
Three Things about Me
I remember the first time I ever saw a clarinet. It was at my
friend Margaret’s house. She’s about a year older than me
and she plays in the symphonic band at school and all-region
band. My brother Geoffrey also used to play. These two
were my inspirations. The first time I ever played was at
a try-out where I played two different instruments, the
saxophone and clarinet. I did really well with the clarinet
and I’ve been playing it ever since. The hardest part about
the clarinet is not squeaking. Also, if you play awhile, your
jaw gets tired. This Thursday I’ll be in a Christmas concert
I have a goofy dog named Maggie. She’s a golden retriever and
we’ve had her about one year. We got her when she was a puppy.
Maggie likes to sneak onto the furniture and hide under the
blankets and eat your socks and open your Christmas presents.
She’s mischievous. She weighs more than me.
I’m first chair. To be
first chair you have to take a test.
You have to play a line out loud in
front of everyone. Usually, I’m not nervous
with the school band.
I play baseball and my favorite position is second base because
there’s a lot of action. I remember one coach who is really mean
and all the kids try to hit the ball in his direction.
I think
baseball is a family thing. My dad
plays and my family comes to all my
games.My favorite team is the Atlanta Braves.
unless I have a bad reed or I didn’t practice. This Thursday
we’re playing “Jingle, Jolly Christmas” and “Up on the
Housetop.” I think I’ll continue with clarinet for a long time
because I love music.
I like watching Japanese “anime” cartoons. My cousin got me into
it. I like the show Naruto. It’s kinda a Ninja Academy where they
train fighters. They have certain villages that they come from and
they wear headbands to symbolize their village. I like it because of
the action comedy.
By Emily, 12
By Shane, 10
No Limit and Beyond
The first time I did cheerleading I was in kindergarten but then
I stopped and didn’t start again until seventh grade. The squad
I first started with was called No Limit. It was small at first and
we practiced at a gym. The practices were physically demanding.
We had to really stretch our muscles. After awhile they got easier,
but they also got more frequent. As we neared competition we
would practice as much as five times a week. It’s a lot of fun at
competition. As you’re waiting backstage you feel nervous and
hope you don’t mess up. Once you get out there, you just focus.
We do stunts, builds, dances, cheers
and jumps. Each routine has to have a variety of these
skills and they last about two and a half minutes. I was on the No
Limit team until the end of eighth grade. Then I tried out for high
school cheerleading. They have three squads at my school —
Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshman. They decided not to have
Junior Varsity so it was more competitive. I made the team one
month before I got sick. I was surprised and happy to make the
team. I’ve gotten to cheer at some of the games. It’s been a tough
part of my illness—not cheering. I hope I’ll make it again next year.
By Nicole, 14
Once upon
a time
SHORT STORIES
Woofy the Cat
Once upon a time there was a kitty named Woofy. It was
orange and its fur was soft and it had a magic power. It
could do anything!
One day some men kidnapped Woofy. They stole her to give
her to a boy who wanted a cat. At first Woofy was scared. She
arched her back and hissed. But then she started to like the
boy. She purred. At night she always missed her old home. She
meowed a lot and felt sad.
One night she decided to become invisible and run away
She could run a billion
miles a minute with her special
powers. When she got home, she saw all her brothers
back home.
and sisters. Best of all, she saw her mom Vanilla and her dad
Garfield. She cuddled with Garfield, Jr., Bob, Vanilla the
Second, and Fiona, her brothers and sisters. After that,
she lived happily ever after with her family, her tuna, and
two kinds of every toy.
By Randal, 5 and Brianna,
Untitled
A long time ago there was
a dinosaur named Louis.
He liked to play Ring Around the Tree and soccer with
a rock. One day he hit his head on the tree when he was
playing and he got a headache. He had to go to the doctor
and the doctor cut open his head. Louis was sad. He cried
big tears. His mama had to take him back to Houston and
he had to stay in bed to get better and he couldn’t play
with his dino friends. Finally, he got better, again. He ran
outside to play, but he hit his head again so he had to go
back to the hospital. The doctor said, “You busted your
head open.” He put a Band-Aid on it. Then the doctor
told Louis, “You be careful.” But Louis wasn’t careful.
He split his head open again! The doctor said, “This is
the end of this.” Then Louis went home with his mama
and this time he was careful. He played with all his
friends and never went back to the hospital again.
By Alicia, 5
Dear Santa,
Dear Santa,
Could you bring Irene de la Luz Martinez make-up
from The Princess and a Princess computer? Also,
would you bring my sister, Linda, a Barbie computer
and make up from The Princes. Lisa wants skates
because she likes to play outside. Javier wants lots
of colors. He’s the littlest. That’s my whole family.
Please bring my mom a computer and my dad a
radio. They would like those things.
Thanks to
Albert and Ethel Herzstein
Charitable Foundation
Kiwanis Foundation of Houston
LGR Foundation Community
Fund No.1
My whole family has been
good, except for one.
The Search Foundation
Love, Irene (7 years old)
Clarence Westbury Foundation
Valero Energy Foundation/
Valero Houston Refinery
is published three times a year by The Periwinkle
Foundation, Writers in the Schools (WITS),
and the many talented young writers at the
Texas Children’s Cancer Center.
The Periwinkle Foundation changes the lives of
more than 3,500 children with cancer and other
life threatening illnesses each year. Children, ages
3 to 21 heal emotionally through the Periwinkle
camping, art, and creative writing programs.
For more information,visit the
following websites:
www.periwinklefoundation.org
www.writersintheschools.org
www.texaschildrenshospital.org
The Periwinkle Foundation
presents
Making A Mark
Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s
®
An exhibition of art and creative writing
by children touched by cancer and
blood disorders.
www.periwinklefoundation.org
www.writersintheschools.org
www.texaschildrenhospital.org