Falcon Ink. Spring is here! April 3, 2017

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1 Falcon Ink Spring is here! April 3, 2017 A Rattling Run By: Lexi Traylor I stand up, roll my ankles, crack my neck, rise to my toes, take a deep breath, and slowly blow it out. I can do this. Right? First meet of the season, new event. Not a big deal. Right? Right. Before I know it, it s time to get ready to run. I bounce along the rubbery track, my nerves and excitement giving a spring to my step. I look around at my competitors as I set myself up in the blocks. All about the same size as me. That s good. I try to force my brain to only focus on the task in front of me. The hurdles stare me down. I try to glare back just as fiercely, but that s kind of hard once you realize everyone is probably thinking you re weird for giving an inanimate object the stink eye. Hey! someone screams from the sidelines. I immediately identify the voice as my best friend s. I look over at her. Just don t trip, okay? You ll be fine, I know you can do it! I only give a slight smile in response. I push my long hair out of my face and unwrap it from around my neck as I return my attention to the black and white. Don t fall, don t fall, don t fall. I brace myself against the block. My fingers were going slightly numb at the tips from the cold, and my shoulders were all tightened up. I needed to relax. The girls around me seemed uncomfortably close, much more pressing than the running in End of Winter This story was inspired by this season of Track and an interview with Randi Nichols, 8th grade Track team member. practice. The hurdles were looking taller than ever. I can do this. RUNNERS TO YOUR MARKS! The silence in between calls was awful. The tension was eating away at me and pain was beginning to form in my hands from the pressure placed on them, thanks to the blocks. SET! I ve got this. My vision tunnelled to only the track. BOOM! My body reacted before my mind did. I had already pushed off and started running by time I comprehended the starting gunshot. First hurdle was coming up fast. I tried not to hesitate before leaping over it. I might have shut my eyes during the flight. Oops.I had cleared quite a few obstacles already when I remembered to breath. I began to focus on taking good breaths, in and out.maybe I should have worried about that less. I should have also not felt so accomplished as I met the last hurdle. I kicked my leg over, feeling triumphant, but not high enough. Whack.Ka-shing, ka-shing. I face planted to the lovely sound of the rattling defeat. I was half paying attention to the groan of the crowd, the other part of me listening to the pain in my ankle. I tried to pull myself up off the ground. I was going to cross that line. But I crumpled back down when the ache flared into shooting pain as I put weight on the foot I seemed to have hurt. A lump formed in my throat and my eyes stung, but I would not cry.i was just contemplating crawling to the end when I felt a hand grip my arm. I whipped my head up to see who it was. Come on, I m not going to leave you here, one of the other runners grumbled. I didn t know her name or even what school she was from. What? I asked stupidly. The girl rolled her eyes. Don t make me regret this. Then she slung my arm over her shoulder and hauled me up. I didn t say anything the whole time. What do you even say to something like this? Everyone else had already finished and were gaping at us incredulously. The crowd had gone creepily silent. All eyes were on me and my opponent as we staggered towards the finish. My mind was swimming. I couldn t understand why this girl was helping me. Would I have done the same? Thank you, I whisper to her as our feet pass over the line, together.

2 Bare-handed reach to catch April's incoming curve. Leap higher than you thought you could and Hold: Spring, Solid, Here. by Eve Merriam Mrs. Boggs Spring Poetry Photography By Grace Todd and Parker Dowty Spring time Winter is coming to an end Where new beginnings can bring new friends Jumping in puddles Having lots of fun The day has only just begun -Anonymous

3 STAFF APPRECIATION CORNER Interviews conducted by: Emmalee Cecil Mrs. McGuire How long have you worked at Graham? 13 years Who do you teach? Seventh graders Favorites My favorite part about making a difference is the people I am with everyday! Interesting Facts I drive with the sunroof open even when it s (lightly) snowing or raining. How long have you worked at Graham? 24 years Who do you teach? Students with multiple disabilities Favorites My students and aides who help out in my classroom. They are AWESOME! Interesting Facts Originally I was planning to be a flight attendant and not a teacher. Toward the end of my senior year I decided to go to a 4 year school to teach. Best decision I have made. The Cliff

4 My mom and I were walking we came across an inviting cliff it seemed to call for me I wanted to climb it I thought it would be breathtaking at the top she told me she already climbed it it was my turn now I placed my foot on the rock and slipped while climbing the sun hit me hard Ouch! I gripped onto slippery rocks and almost fell a little more climbing... I made it! I did it! not as amusing as I thought wish I wouldn t have climbed so fast I glanced down and my mom, she was gone EXTENDED METAPHOR POETRY Growing Life is a seed that Needs to be fed To sprout Life is a sapling learning how to rise on its own Life is a tree We grow and mature But when we stop growing on the outside It doesn t suggest We ve perfected growing It just means we re done Growing out of that branch -Hunter Burns - Hayli Terry Lost Girl I am a lost girl.

5 Nowhere to go. Nothing to see. You re talking Loud. But I can t Hear a word you Say. And I can t feel the Emotions in my own head. Getting criticized by all the bullets from your mouth. I m lost. All I hear are the thoughts and voices in my own head. If I feel All I feel is: the pain the anger the sadness the heartache and... the rejection. I am a lost girl and Neverland is my only home. -GMS Student Poetry Connections Connecting your writing to other works, but making it your own, can be very powerful! This poet was inspired by Ruth B s Lost Boy. See if you can notice the parallels, including the allusion to Peter Pan. Lost Boy There was a time when I was alone Nowhere to go and no place to call home My only friend was the man in the moon And even sometimes he would go away, too Then one night, as I closed my eyes I saw a shadow flying high He came to me with the sweetest smile Told me he wanted to talk for awhile He said, "Peter Pan, that's what they call me I promise that you'll never be lonely, " and ever since that day I am a lost boy from Neverland Usually hanging out with Peter Pan And when we're bored we play in the woods Always on the run from Captain Hook "Run, run, lost boy, " they say to me Away from all of reality Neverland is home to lost boys like me And lost boys like me are free Neverland is home to lost boys like me And lost boys like me are free

6 Social Studies Projects Students in eighth grade created projects that demonstrated their understanding of their learning about the inventions created during the Industrial Revolution. Students work was showcased in the GMS lobby. Check out these awesome creations!

7 This Year s Spring Musical Get your tickets NOW! Speak with Mrs. Setty or Mrs. Trenor about tickets. Be sure to look for Graham Middle School s Drew Neeld and Jake Ludlow on the stage!

8 COMIC STRIP Jeff Reed