Mindful and open minded
Intent on discovering my own path, I
Crave communion with the natural world through
Hiking, running, camping and travel
Express myself through artistic exploration,
Love solitude and peacefulness yet
Embrace the companionship of others

Michele Julien,
Santa Barbara CA

My name say it all
I'm
Creative
Hard working and honest
Energetic
Loving and
Eager to live life fully

Michele Martin,
Santa Barbara CA

The following poems were submitted by Mr. Rao Threadgill’s 3rd Grade Class at Monte Vista School in Santa Barbara, CA:

Many people are nice to her
Airplanes are her favorite transportation
Rides her bike a lot
Every day she plays with her friends
Swimming is her favorite sport
And she loves reading

Maresa Tucker, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Excellent
Radiant
Intelligent
Cute
And


Lovable
Opal
Magic
Embarrassed
Lovely
Intense


Erica Lomeli, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Cunning
And
Resourceful
Artistic

Snaps Photos
Able to play Sonatina by memory
Delights in swimming
Energetic
Likes cats

Cara Sadel, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Like a vine of
Ivory, in the
Sun, born to run
Always as fast as she can


Lisa Garcia Nespor, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

A wonderful girl who loved
Spring
Her mom
Loved spring also
Every day they picked
Yellow violets


Ashley Van Meter, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Nice and Happy
In every way
Cool, fun and
Kind every day
Yes that’s Nicky

Good boy
Reads good
Everyday
Energetic in any way
Nicky is so good, the best at
Soccer
In any field
Down any street
Everyday Nick is neat, neat, neat

Nicky Greenside, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Jolly
Underweight
Lovable
Impatient
Active
Normal
Nice
Elementary school

Julianne G., Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

The class was also asked to write acrostic poems about somone or something that they like:

CD-Roms
On-line chat,
Memory of thousands,
Powerful programs,
Useful Utilities
To word processing to model buildings,
E-Mail
Ram and CPU
So many things to do!! What do I do?

Andre Sayre, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Sometimes it rains, but rarely
Under umbrellas at the beach.
Many people sleep
Much more sun than other seasons
Every person seems to love the season
Running through the sprinklers


Maresa Tucker, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Jumping the highest
Olympic shooting
Running the fastest
Dunking the best
Always wins
Never misses

Jeremy Jay, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Always good, sometimes
Realistic sometimes Abstract, it even
Tells a story


Lisa Garcia Nespor, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

Sprinting across a field and completing a race
Popping over a high jump pit
Over the sand of the long jump pit
Running in a race
Training for the next event

Evan Ohlemutz, Monte Vista School
Santa Barbara CA

The following poems were submitted by Felicty Swerdlow's 9th Graders at Duarte High School in Duarte, CA:

Always paying attention
Pretty and for special people, has affection
Really kind to others
Instead of watching Bobby's World, I
Like Animaniacs 'cause it's funnier

Besides joining
A lot of sports activities
Relaxing is what I do best
Reading and studying is not my style, so
I might not do well on tests
Overall people say I'm fun to be with
Small and a brat is my little sister, Sabrina

April Barcenas, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Kind and caring to everyone
It's a wonderful quality
Most people would see
It as old-fashioned love

Cupids...
Over her...waiting for a
Young love for her to share her
Kisses with
Everyday...yet
No one would
Dare try to understand
All that she's feeling
Loving and
Letting go

Kimi Coykendall, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Bright as the sun.
Ready to have some fun.
Always has her chewing gum.
Never sleeps, wakes up late.
Dad has a birthday cake.
In which I really love to bake.

Happy is what I'll always be.
Always out on a shopping spree.
Loving all my family.
Living my life to be free.

Brandi Hall, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Can play sports, especially basketball on the
Hard indoor courts.
Reading books
Is not for me.
So I just sit back and watch TV.
Tennis is
One of my favorite sports,
Particularly when I
Have on my cool NIKE shorts
Eating is fun for me, especially
Roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy.


Just
One
Nifty,
Enthusiastic
Special kind of guy.


Chris Jones, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Terrific in every way
Remembered by all who see me
Educated when I want to be
Nice to some who are nice to me
Innocent always never in big trouble
Something special, something smart
Every so often bad to the bone

Forever happy
Always in a good mood
Rich is what I want to be
Rich is what I shall be
Incapable of doing anything wrong
Smiling, that's what I do.

Trenise N. Farris, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Not late to class
Is eager to learn
Career, her major choice
Out on every turn
Looks after kids by the many, with money she
Earns


Writes stories, a lot!
Imagination alert
Needless to say, even
Kind to the dirt.
Long hair, to the inches
Exceptionally fine
Musically talented
And not enough time to
Never shut up!


Nicole Winkleman, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Is
Smart
And loves to
Be with friends
Excellent in
Lots of things.


Mostly always happy
Obviously sweet
Respectful
Extends a helping hand
Never gets in trouble
Oh! and she's unique


Isabel Moreno, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Always alert
Never resting
Too busy for you but
Happy to see you
Obviously nice
No, it's not true
Yes it's because of you!

Anthony Ramos, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Very kind
Enthusiastic
Really nice and hard working
Outstanding
Never mean
Into music
Caring, capable
And a good listener

Very friendly
Enjoys free time
Loving and appreciative
An understanding person
Sweet
Chocolate's the best
Out's the place I like going on weekends

Veronica Velasco, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Never gives up
Always trying my best
Determined to make parents happy
Intends to go to the Olympics
Alive and always kickin'

Buys a lot of clothes
Important to be on dad's good side
Put's a dent in my dad's credit card
I'm agressive when playing b'ball
Always annoying my friends
Loves to bother people
Apple a day keeps the doc away
Kind to animals
Alive and always kickin'

Nadia Bipialaka, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Enjoys talking back to his mother
Really hates reading chapters
Always beating on his brother
Never saying sorry after


Happy when he works with his hands
On time to school
Loves going places and
Zebras, how cool!


Eran Holz, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Kind with people. Born in
August. Very shy.
Rich from inside
Is always smiling. Loves her
Mother. Loves her father.
Experiences new things when she goes farther

Meets guys
Is always nice.
Guys have always been her hobby
Used to have a pet named Wally
Explains a fake excuse when she comes home late.
Loves to party.

Karime Miguel, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Doing sports all the time
Always playing sports
Never boring
Intense
Extra tall
Lazy (sometimes)


Mr. Sports
Athlete of the Decade
The one and only
The best
Heck of a nice guy
Ever present in the opponent's mind
Will be eager to play
Sports freak


Danny Matthews, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

Radical
Artist
Clever
Hilarious
Enthusiastic
Loving
Lunatic
Eager

Brave
Energetic
Adventurous
Intelligent
Nice
Imaginative


Rachelle Beaini, Duarte High School
Duarte CA

The Collective

by Danny Burke

The collective stretches on forever
in a sea of black and metal gray.
Soulless members live again; never
performing the tasks the Queen hath said.
Working toward perfection through assimilation
incorporating a culture's existence and wisdom.
They flow unmolested toward their ultimate destination
the same perfection as a well cut prism.
Those with souls prepare for battle
to protect their individuality.
For they know the collective is similar to cattle
a group stripped of personality.
The collective mind is controlled by a single
whose control is far from docile.
Their rhythmic song which makes the spine thus tingle
"We are the BORG. Resistance is futile."

A Break From Reality

by Jerry Ruple

Sit in front of my big screen T.V.
With six speakers facing me.
I pop in a VCR tape
then I sit back and I wait.

Fast forward through the coming attractions
Getting ready for the action.
Now time for the feature presentation.
For this moment I have been waiting.

The popcorn to my left, soda to my right.
Sitting back in the sofa, I view the sights.
Watching and listening to all the sights and sounds.
Not missing a detail that might be profound.

My feet on the foot rest,
the remote on my chest.
I lie back
ready to see the best.

The movie is coming to an end.
The credits roll up on the screen.
Now I fall asleep
After living a dream.

A Basketball Player

by Chad Cowger

As a basketball player he was
Better than all the rest.
Setting a screen
by looking mean.
Getting a lot
By blocking one's shot.
The air he soared
by grabbing a board.
With a dunk
you become a hunk.
As the star
you will go far.

But life after Basketball
Is about the one, not the all.
The one who is the family man
who takes care of the home land.
The one who changes the baby
so mommy can be lazy.
The one who takes trips
with the kids on his hips.
The one who has a life
with children, dog, and his wife.
This is the man
the family man.