The Schiff Shift

The bell rang that day and we sat in our seats,

We weren't really expecting anything neat.

I couldn't wait to 'meet' our temporary teacher.

However, she was a familiar creature.

Okay class, this is Miss Schiff, say hello!

Yes, Miss Schiff, who I already know.

She was my cheerleading coach when I was small,

Not just some lady I met at the mall.

Same person as before, she really hadn't changed,

Teaching dance moves, then English class, what a wide range!

She taught us well, I learned oh so much.

Reading poems, doing blog assignments and such.

A cheerleading coach, a teacher, and of course a good friend,

I didn't realize her time here would be coming to an end.

We know we will miss her when it's time for her to go,

And Soon enough it's back to Mrs. Collentine-- uh oh.

Fever 1793

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson is a great novel that I have read. It falls under the category of historical fiction.

This story takes you through the everyday life of the main character, Mattie, who was a teenage girl during the Yellow Fever outbreak in the late 1700’s. At this time, America was a young nation, and in all of the confusion, the last thing the people needed was an epidemic. But sure enough, as the mosquitoes buzzed around them, the contagious disease became a fear in the minds of many. As if the fear wasn’t hard to live with, many people lost their loved ones to the disease. While Mattie helped out with the family store, she had to deal with all of the chaos that was brought on by this plague, and to keep faith that everything would eventually return to normal. Placed in her situation, an average person would probably have given up or lost hope, but she kept going. Although it is a fictional story, the tales of many victims of the Yellow Fever are portrayed by Fever 1793.

I enjoyed Fever 1793 for numerous reasons. The story is intriguing in the way that it builds suspense, and it is interesting that similar events actually occurred during that time in the United States. Mattie is a typical teenager, which makes the story even more interesting. I felt that Anderson did a great job in portraying events that actually occurred at that time in the history of the United States.

This novel is a great read for anyone who likes American history or even just an enjoyable story. It is written in time intervals, the chapter titles being dates, making it seem authentic. Fever 1793 is full of action and suspense, and it also provides some historical accuracy.

Along with her tremendous writing displayed in Fever 1793, Laurie Halse Anderson has released 6 other novels. These included Speak (1999) and Twisted (2007), both of which have received awards.

400 Meters of Determination

On Wednesday, April 15th, Jackie Follety ran in a 4x400 relay. She was accompanied by three of her teammates from the girls track team at New Milford High School. This relay took place at a track meet held at New Milford High School.

In the 4x400 relay, four people run 400 meters each, or one lap around the track. For many mid-distance runners, this relay seems like a piece of cake. However, for a sprinter, running 400 meters can be a difficult task. Jackie usually runs the 100-meter dash, which is her specialty.

Before the race, Jackie was quite nervous. “I’m particularly nervous about this relay because my stamina simply won’t allow me to sprint 400 meters. I’m going to have to pace myself and hope that the girl that I run against does the same. The last 200 meters are going to be hard for me, but I’m going to put my best effort in for my team.”

The event was going to begin in a matter of minutes, so the relay team got together to go over a few things. The other girls seemed just as nervous as Jackie, since none of them specialized in mid-distance. Two of the girls were sprinters and one was a hurdler. They quickly practiced handoffs and decided the order in which they would run.

One of the distance runners would start the race for New Milford. The girls lined up to start, and the gun went off. As the two teams ran their first leg of the race, the coach for New Milford stepped on the track to give Jackie a few words of advice. From the expression on her face, you could tell that she was still nervous.

The distance runner in the first leg of the race had gotten a good lead, and her handoff was smooth. Jackie started running, cutting into the first lane of the track. She was running at a good pace, but she began to look tired as she reached the 200 meter mark. As she approached the 100 meter mark, her facial expression made it seem as if she was about to burst into tears.

Teammates and fellow students as well as parents all cheered her name in good faith. She didn’t look back to see where the other girl was, but everyone who was watching knew that she had a good lead on her. In this race, the last 100 meters were meant to be a sprint. She would take a few fast paced strides and slow down, and this pattern continued until the handoff. She was at the end of her stamina, and it was apparent that she couldn’t go for much longer.

Approaching the girl who would run the third leg, Jackie reached out her arm to finally get rid of the baton, and it was received by her teammate. As soon as the baton left Jackie's hand, she collapsed on the grass beside the track. A few of her teammates checked to make sure she was okay, and everything was fine. She had run 400 meters in 70 seconds, which wasn’t bad. She was proud of herself and her teammates for putting forth their best effort.

The third and fourth leg of the race went by, and the girls placed first in their heat. Although there were only 2 teams in the relay, the girls had every reason to be proud of themselves. None of them were conditioned to run this race, and they had all done their part very well.

After running this relay, Jackie has decided to expand her horizons when it comes to trying new events. “Although I was really dreading this relay, I’m happy that I tried it. It was a great experience, and my teammates were there to encourage me all the way. I wouldn’t want to miss out on anything that I might enjoy, so I hope to try some more new events this year in track. Even if the 4x400 meter relay may not be my best event, I’m always up for a challenge.”

Cell Out Concert

My new owner was so happy to have me and she didn’t let go of me. We drove all the way to Baltimore together, and she used me constantly. When we arrived, we started walking to the concert. It was unseasonably warm out, and we loved it. We were going to the Arctic Monkeys concert, which promised to be a lot of fun. We had to wait on line for over an hour She put me to work, texting her friends about her excitement. She was ecstatic to be so close to the stage. We had an amazing time there.

"Pressing On" by Relient K

I think we're going somewhere, we're onto something good here.

Growing apart is something that I always used to fear.

However, right now our relationship is better than it ever was.

How I feel is so hard to understand, I don't think anyone does.

Somewhere back there I left my worries all behind.

As soon as I met you, I knew that you were one of a kind.

I never thought that you would feel the same way,

But thanks to you, I love each and every day.

We're going and I'm never knowing, never knowing where we're going,

But maybe it's better that I'm curious and never knowing.

All the best things tend to happen by surprise.

I don't need to know as long as I'm special in your eyes.

We're onto something good here, and we're gonna make it after all.

I truly believe this because I know that you would never let me fall.

Don't just go by what I've said above.

Because we both know that words alone can't explain our love.

A Picture is Worth 55 Words

Getting out of bed is much more difficult than usual.

Falling back into bed, forcing myself to stand up.

Not straightening my hair, too much work today.

Not too much homework, then came Wednesday.

Track practice shortens my homework time,

Tryouts for a softball team,

Retaking a lost test.

I need rest.

Waiting for

Friday.

"An Unheard Cry"

I chose the title "An Unheard Cry" for this chapter because of the peoples' inability to hear Madame Schachter's warning. Although her cries were audible to the people, they assumed that Madame Schachter was delusional. She screamed "Fire", but upon looking out of the windows of the cattle cars, the Jews saw no fire. They shut her up and ignored her message, only to find out later that it was true. When they arrived at Auschwitz, Madame Schachter was finally silent. They realized that she had been right all along. Madame Schachter's cry had not been heard, and now the cries of the Jews wouldn't be either.

All that the Jews wanted was for Madame Schachter to be quiet. They refused to believe that there was actually a fire, because they could not see it. "Once more the young men tied her up and gagged her. They even struck her. People encouraged them: 'Make her be quiet! She's mad! Shut her up! She's not the only one. She can keep her mouth shut . . .' " (Wiesel 24) It is sad that the Jews were trying so hard to silence her cries, when they really should have listened to her. This quote says that they even went so far as to hit her, and that everyone was encouraging this. If they had not been so ignorant, they would have appreciated the warning.