Fairfield Center School

Vermont is a wonderful place. However some of the people are even more amazing. most of those amazing Vermonters have a lot of character. Let me tell you about a few things that Vermonters value. about let me tell what the most important thing is to me about Vermont and how growing up in Vermont has affected my life and outlook.

Would I live in Vermont in ten years if I could? You bet I would! Vermont is my home, the icing of an Oreo cookie. There are many reasons why I would live in Vermont ten years from now. I would come back because I couldn’t imagine living any where else but Vermont. I also love the country, and I have lived here my whole life. These are three of many reasons why I would come back to Vermont in ten years.

What do I love about Vermont? Well, that’s easy… I love many things here, but there are two that are my favorite. I love our beautiful four seasons we get to experience, with our different four seasons, you go from snow, to mud, to green grass and to leaves that cover the ground. Each season has its own good qualities and bad. Also, I love the small community here in Fairfield where you know practically everyone you see. Every person you pass, they seem as if they are a relative because they know you so well. They normally ask “How’d your game go last night?” or “When is your next game so I can cheer you on?”

An Unlikely Vermonter
By: Ryan Miller

I’ll be honest; Vermont is not my ideal place. I don’t really like the outdoors; I’m really a city person. I just love the city. I grew up on the North Shore outside of Boston and even though I was little, I loved going into the city. On Friday afternoons my mom and I would often take the train into Boston, leaving from the small station down our block. I watched the tall buildings slowly appear then disappear as we entered North Station. From there we would often meet my dad at the Science Museum; my favorite exhibit was the big dig. I was always amazed by the complexity of so many things in the city. Then, five years ago my parents decided to move to a small town in northern Vermont called Fairfield. The two thousand census tallied 1,800 residents. Even though I was only seven, I was far from pleased.

The wind blowing in my face even though we are not going that fast. The mortars roaring as the tires climb the hill. Whoosh! The tires start to roll faster as we head down the step slope. Here we go I could almost wave my hands up in the air but I might look a little crazy. Sound like a roller coaster ride at Disney land? Well that’s not exactly what’s taking place. I’m in rural Fairfield, Vermont as an eighth grader in the local school. Don’t worry if you don’t have a clue where that is because half of Vermont doesn’t. I know it may be hard to believe but this is just another Friday after school where I get to enjoy being a Vermonter. My dad and I are going down the road named after my ancestors on our four wheeler. Before you read this you probably thought that Vermont was just a rural area that has nothing and does nothing. Yet when you actually look around you’ll see Vermont (especially Fairfield) is kind of like Disney land.

Splat!
Went the egg as it fell to the floor,
Blat!
Went the dog when he licked up the splat,
Swish!
Went the mop as it mopped up the blat,
Floom!
Went the child as she slipped on the swish,
Scrape!
Went her elbow as she went floom,
Wahhh!
Went the child when her elbow went scrape,
Hush!
Went the momma as the child went wahhh,
Rrrring!
Went the phone as the momma went hush,
Woof!
Went the dog as the phone went rrrring,
Meow!
Went the cat when the dog went woof,
Splat! Blat! Swish! Floom! Scrape! Wahhh! Hush! Rrrring! Woof! Meow!
And it all started with the Splat!

Splat!
Went the egg as it fell to the floor,
Blat!
Went the dog when he licked up the splat,
Swish!
Went the mop as it mopped up the blat,
Floom!
Went the child as she slipped on the swish,
Scrape!
Went her elbow as she went floom,
Wahhh!
Went the child when her elbow went scrape,
Hush!
Went the momma as the child went wahhh,
Rrrring!
Went the phone as the momma went hush,
Woof!
Went the dog as the phone went rrrring,
Meow!
Went the cat when the dog went woof,
Splat! Blat! Swish! Floom! Scrape! Wahhh! Hush! Rrrring! Woof! Meow!
And it all started with the Splat!

What is the most important thing to you about your life in Vermont? This is a question I get asked when my relatives come to visit, their inquisitiveness overloading with questions, inquiries, and wonders about Vermont. So, this one's for my relatives...To be a Vermonter is a great honor. I love my hometown of Fairfield, love the people in it. I love knowing faces as we drive by cars on the road, each new face smiling and waving hello, just passing by, commuting to their next destination. We all know each other. I love my town and my Vermont. The season's changes in Vermont are most the important things about Vermont to me.

Life,
As beautiful as a flower,
Alone and simple,
As beautiful as a poem,
That Shakespeare wrote,
As beautiful as good,
Wonderful,
Amazing,
Life is hard to explain,
Lets just say its,
Great,
Because anything, anything can happen,
To anyone at all,
Or anything,
Imagination is endless................

Life,
As beautiful as a flower,
Alone and simple,
As beautiful as a poem,
That Shakespeare wrote,
As beautiful as good,
Wonderful,
Amazing,
Life is hard to explain,
Lets just say its,
Great,
Because anything, anything can happen,
To anyone at all,
Or anything,
Imagination is endless................

Silver Stars

By Olivia Pelletier
Fairfield Center School, Grade 6

Late night,
Mid October,
Lying there,
My back on the dew-covered ground,
A pillow of grass underneath my head,
My nose chilled by the light wind,
Coyotes howl in the distance,
Frogs croak goodnight to their families,
Owls hoot to each other,
Bats swoop overhead,
Silver stars glisten above,
Sparkling with light,
Twinkling with laughter,
Smiling from ear to ear,
Dancing with the moon,
Thousands of miles away,
I can feel their joy,
Warming me on the inside,
Kissing each other with their silvery white lips,
Watching the world from their high pedestals up in the sky,
Knowing that everything is alright
For them.

Winter,
Shining white flakes of snow fall,
Glistening on my eyelashes,
The bitter cold wind whips my face,
But still a warm feeling spreads inside me,
The deer prance among the snow,
Playing,
Squirrels chitter among the trees,
Talking,
Birds sing their song of happiness,
Joyful that they are here,
In this delightful,
Swirling,
Wonderland of snow,
Together,
Not worrying about tomorrow,
Or the day after,
Or next Tuesday,
This is my winter dream,
Togetherness,
Happiness,
And Love.

A Football Game for a Football

By Austin Goodhue
Fairfield Center School, Grade 5

Hi, I am Footie Football and I am going to tell you what it is like for me in a football game.

Well, first there is the kickoff. That is when the they kick me to the other team at the beginning of the game. NO, don’t send out Dozer to kick me. No please don’t. .Oh no, he’s mad and when he’s mad it really hurts. Here it comes! Ouch! Weeeeeeeeeee it’s a high booming kick downfield.

Then there is the return -- that is when the other team tries to run back the kick.

“Oh no here he comes. Run kid run. Run faster! Ouch."

Now they are doing their plays. They are doing a running play.

Don't waste a tree!
use the back side of the paper,
Don't waste a tree!
When you cut down too many trees it causes a caper,
Don't waste a tree!
Never through paper out,
Don't waste a tree!
Recycle with out a doubt.
Don;t waste a tree!
Buy recycled products,
Don't waste a tree!
It's not just all about us!
Don't waste a tree!
You need the trees,
Don't waste a tree!
Way more than you need your car keys.
(We need clean air to breathe.)
Don't waste a tree!
Did you hear me?!?
I said ,
" Don't Waste A Tree!!!"

Let Me Tell You What I've Seen

Let me tell you something real. Maybe you have heard ghost stories,but there probably not real. Ghosts don't just haunt scary, old, abandon houses or mansions with organs. Ghosts have the freedom to haunt wherever, whenever, and whoever they want. The other scary and strange creatures are the ones you really need to stay away from. So if for once you want to hear (read) the facts, keep reading.
It all started one night when I was 8. When I was little,I knew that there were mummies in my big brother's room and the boogie man was in my basement. I would never have thought that my room had scary secrets of its own.
My Mom had just said,”Good night Lauren. Sweet dreams!”. Then she turned out the light. After that she went to bed with Dad.

It was dawn, the ground was heavy with frost. I was gathering wood for the fire. It's very hard to gathering wood in the fall. I usually have to go deep into the evergreen forest to find fallen limbs. But I was going deeper then I ever before, deeper then anyone had gone before, I thought. Not many people went anywhere near the evergreen forest, it was said to be haunted, but I didn't believe a word of it. The stories they told about this place tell about this place get wilder, and wilder every year. I chuckled to myself.
I realized all the trees were striped bare to the bone. Then I realized I was following footsteps, well not really footsteps more of a cloak gliding across the ground. I decided to follow the footsteps a little while longer the sun still wasn't up was strange because it usually rises early this time of year.

HAUNTED
One day my friend Jordan and I went for a bike ride on Pumpkin Village Road. We came up to this really old scary rotting house. Most of the red paint was off but some of the red paint was on the house and the shutters were crooked and the grass was really tall.
Jordyn said “I see somebody in the window”.
I didn't believe her but then we started to ride away and a lady in this really fancy old ripped pink,yellow, and red striped dress and no shoes came out of the house screaming and yelling “GET BACK HERE YOU ROTTON KIDS”

HAUNTED
One day I was at my Grandma’s house. I heard a big “THUMP—BANG!” Grandma and I were both downstairs no one else was there. Grandma and I went upstairs. We looked in every room… to door to door. There was no one there.

All the sudden there was a knock at the door.
I said, “I’ll get it.”

I went downstairs to the front door there was no one there.

Grandma yelled “Therese, who was it”?

I yelled, “There was no one there” we both yelled “THE HOUSE IS HAUNTED… I’M SCARED”.
My grandma is scared to stay at her house because after I left the sounds had started again. My Grandma lives with me right now. She has lived with me ever since that happened. Grandma has never put one foot in that house after that day because it’s haunted.

One night I was waiting for Will. It was 2:00 at midnight and I was thinking that he wasn't going to show and then I heard leaves crackling.
I looked back and saw a shadow creep behind a bush. I stood up as fast as I could. I started to hear voices. I started to walk over to see where the shadow creeped over to and when I looked it was gone. Then I heard Will's voice. I ran over to meet him. I was sweating and my face was as red as a strawberry. When he saw me he asked me if I was OK. I said I was fine but I was still wondering what that shadow was from but other than that my day was fine.

Some Secrets Should stay Secret
It was 10:30 p.m. Jake and Zach were in a graveyard that was supposed to be haunted. People said dead people were there; of course there were, it was a graveyard!

Jake had dark brown hair and was wearing a gray t-shirt, running shoes, white pants and a Boston Red Sox cap. Zach had blond hair and wore the same as Jake except the hat.
“Suppose there are any goodies around here you know, besides corpses?” Jake asked.

“Plenty of fake curses,” Zach said.

“Have you noticed that building before?” Jake said.

They both looked at the building in the eerie light. They ran toward the building and Zach tripped.

“What did you trip over?” Jake asked.

“ I don’t know,” Zach replied.

They searched the area and then Jake tripped.

“You, OK?” Zach asked.

“Yeah. Uh, I think I found it.”

Who

Who’s alive, who is dead?
Who is up and out of bed?
Who is thinking, who is dreaming,
Who is wishing, who is scheming?
Who is wed? Who is not?
Who’s in love? Who has fought?
Who is reading, who is talking,
Who is cleaning, who is walking?
Who is drunk, who is greedy?
I sure hope it’s nobody!
Who is preppy, who is boring?
Who is singing? Who is snoring?
Who is shopping? Who wants to buy it?
Who is going on a diet?
Who is riding, who is driving?
Who is having fun skydiving?
Who has 100 grand?
Who is playing in a band?
Who is poor, living off the street?
Who has no shoes on their feet?
Who is crying, who’s upset?
Who is telling them not to fret?
Who has lost a loved one,
And can’t bear it any more?
Who is standing by their side,
Through pain and suffering galore?
Who is scared, who must worry?
Who is rushing, who must hurry?
Who is lounging, who’s relaxing?
Who’s e-mailing, who is faxing?
Who is swimming, who is diving?

IF

By Ryan Miller
Fairfield Center School, Grade 7

Flying.
Fast through the air like a bullet.
With this comes the gift of freedom, able to go wherever I please.
Whenever I want something, I can go get it, speedily zooming from place to place.
If not for this reason, for pure fun.
Flying fast and slow.
Flying straight up into the sky.
Flying loops and steep-banked curves.
Flying above the clouds, seamlessly passing through these giants of vapor.
Time really does fly.
Flying on and on.
Skimming the endless clear sky.

Indecision

By Leslie Roberts
Fairfield Center School, Grade 7

Sometimes I wish I could fly all around,
Through the air all day.
Turn loop-de-loops,
Jump through hoops,
With the birds I’d play.

But flying has its dangers, too,
Soaring through the air,
Getting sucked into jet engines!
Dangerous, but rare.
Always follow a buddy system,
Never fly solo.
You could get hurt or injured,
Don’t fly too high or too low.

Maybe flying’s not the thing for me,
I’m not so very brave.
But having the power of reading minds,
Might make me rant and rave!
I wonder what people think,
Compared to what they say,
I’d love to try and read minds,
Any time of any day!

I could tell if that guy likes me,
I could see what cards she has.
I’d know what my presents would be!
I could see if he likes funk or jazz.

But if I could read minds, in fact,
I’m sure that I would hear,
Something not so very nice,
Or something very queer!

Being Able to Read Minds

By Johanna Paradee
Fairfield Center School, Grade 8

Being able to read minds
Is almost like pulling up blinds
A hole that you want to peek inside
But afterward want to hide
Never able to unlearn
I wish I never had the yearn
To be able to read minds

Soaring, flying, high above the ground.

Like a flash he’s at that place

Wherever he wants to be.

He’s free, he’s gone,

To where no one will see.

The flying kid,

The oddity,

But no, he’s gone, he’s free.

He’s free of all obligation,

And of all the people

Marking him as different.

They don’t understand;

He’s just like them,

But still they still call him unusual.

They won’t accept

His abilities,

He has to change!

Forsake his ways,

But no,

He’s gone,

Free.

Part I
What fills me up with stress
Is something that you would not normally guess

It’s something every week we get
That has a time limit set

It’s the Young Writers Project that stresses me
That fills me so with misery

It’s supposed to be optional for us to do
Yet I don’t think my teacher has that clue

For if we do not do it we will fail
There are no other options- not even bail

What’s this? She’s passing a new one out?
Great, now I have to think of something to write about!

Part II
Finally my stress is relived
But not by what I once believed

Before I wrote how it I hate
And how once it ended it would be great

I wrote how it is optional for us to do
And how my teacher does not have a clue

But now that the end is here
I don’t see as much reason for cheer

Because they have been published
More and more
They do not seem like such a bore

And now I don’t mind as much you see
The amazing (and dreaded)
Y.W.P.

The whistle blows
The team hits the floor and begins
How long it will last no one knows
But I don’t want to do it ever again

My legs start to burn
Up and down they will not turn
I don’t know how much longer I can do it
I wonder, will he ever let us quit?

Moving my feet as fast as I can
Time ticking by
As slow as a turtle in the sand
I think I am going to cry

But the end is near
So there won’t be any tears
For up goes his hand
Now I can finally stand

Today, just another day
Like any other
Wake up
Get dressed
Fix myself breakfast
Go to another stressful day at school
85% on a science test, hmm….
Will my friends like me today?
Or, will I be the odd girl out like usual?
Come home, find myself
Doing most of my chores
Fighting with my mom
Sister being annoying as always
My parents screaming at each other
Cry myself to sleep
That is the story of my life

Light touches the bleach white snow
As dawn breaks
Just as a sliver of light sparkles on each snowflake
As the sunrise dances across
The horizon
Each ray of light
A beeline to its spot
Residing on the branches and the ground
The snow glistens
With shine, blinding my eyes
Everything sits still
Quiet

Sweet sap smothers my hands while I collect
Unevenly fill the buckets to unload
Gathering generally everyday with the usual gang,
getting many loads
Arriving with the accurate amount to achieve perfection
Ready to refill the pans and return to boiling
Instantaneously the sticky maple syrup’s essence fills the sugar house
Never ending hours of work done, now for the finished product
Going gladly with the gang to a gathering for some golden syrup!