3. Discovery

I truly learned about the world during my experience in Boulder, Colorado, for Odyssey of the Mind. Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition involving students from kindergarten through college, who work at length to solve a predefined problem and present their solution at a competition. I joined the program in October of 2004, with our task being to create two vehicles that could bypass a certain obstacle course. Five months of hard work later, my group put our machines to the task, and not only successfully completed the course, but also garnered the title of second place, which entitled us to compete two months later in Boulder! After much debate between parents, we finally opted to go for it, and compete at World Finals in May, with people from around the globe.

One day I was walking down the road and I saw a group of people walking to the woods. They looked like a police officer or detectives something like that. I decided to try to see what they are looking for. So I tried to sneak behind them so they wouldn’t know that i am there. So I followed them for a ways with out them noticing me at all. We had to of walked for miles and when we finally stopped it was out in the middle of no where. They stopped near some cave and they walked into it. It was a large cave and it was all lighten up.

The explorer rushed through the bushes hacking his way
He knew he would find a great discovery today
A discovery so great that the world would stand in awe
Looking at his findings so new and raw

He was on an island seven thousand miles away
From any modern civilization known today
He had on a shirt filled with stains
Covered in dirt and thousands of sand grains

He heard a growl and then a ferocious roar
He ran away from the tiger as he swore
He jumped over a tree with a loud scream
The scientist rushed away from the ferocious tiger that could demolish his dream

“Ouch” said the man who would discover an object greater than gold
“Woaaaah” screamed as he fell into a hole
Where am I what happened, he asked to himself
He thought he was ruined; he would never gain his wealth

He felt for the ground and looked for a light
He couldn’t see anything a monster blocked his sight
He saw flames and smoke rise out of the air

Football Jack Farrington

Football is much more than just people getting hit very hard while they run almost heroically down the lines of the field, or quarterbacks throwing massive passes over the heads of four or five blitzing linebackers as they move in to tackle him. Football is a sport that brings you closer to everyone around you, through both the hard times and the moments of glory. As my first year playing football, I have found that I’ve become closer to many of my teammates, than to kids I went to elementary school with for eight years.

Football Jack Farrington

Football is much more than just people getting hit very hard while they run almost heroically down the lines of the field, or quarterbacks throwing massive passes over the heads of four or five blitzing linebackers as they move in to tackle him. Football is a sport that brings you closer to everyone around you, through both the hard times and the moments of glory. As my first year playing football, I have found that I’ve become closer to many of my teammates, than to kids I went to elementary school with for eight years.

My First Ride
By Murphy Baker
Rice Memorial High School Grade 9

In life, people have moments that are unforgettable, days that irreversibly change their lives. I had that happen to me the day I took my first horseback riding lesson. It was the moment that riding became a dominant part of my life.

September 11, 2001 proved to be a fateful day, not only because it was the tragic day that the twin towers collapsed, but it also was the day of my first riding lesson. I cannot remember a time in my life that I have not wanted to ride, and the day my mom told me that she found someone who would teach me at the age of seven, I was thrilled! After school, I put on my jeans and boots and went to Neverland Farm in Hinesburg. Once there, I was told I would be riding a big, chestnut thouroughbred named Highlander. He was the sweetest thing and I loved him from then on. I could not reach his back, which made putting the saddle on him a challenge, but one that I never minded.

Jake Maynard
Ms. Parent
Honors English
Discovery Paper

The Discovery

I was on a cruise ship because I beat LeBron James in a killer game of one on one. Winning the ticket was very cool and the fact that I got to miss school was an added bonus. I knew I would have a lot of work to make up but I said to myself, “what the heck?,” and off I went. Little did I know what was lying beneath the four story tall 250 foot long boat.

Discovery Essay

Sean Salimi
Miss Parent
Honors English 9
10/8/08

I truly learned about the world during my experience in Boulder, Colorado, for Odyssey of the Mind. Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition involving students from kindergarten through college, who work at length to solve a predefined problem and present their solution at a competition. I joined the program in October of 2004, with our task being to create two vehicles that could bypass a certain obstacle course. Five months of hard work later, my group put our machines to the task, and not only successfully completed the course, but also garnered the title of second place, which entitled us to compete two months later in Boulder! After much debate between parents, we finally opted to go for it, and compete at World Finals in May, with people from around the globe.

People Watching
Caitlyn McCain

I sat looking out ahead of me. Hours had passed since my arrival—or it felt that way at least. My cell-phone had long since died and it wasn’t a horribly dreary afternoon so I walked outside and sat on the bench.
I’m sure I looked odd. Just this girl gazing around on the busy market street. I found that when you pause and forget about everything, you begin to notice a lot. You observe people more than normal. I didn’t know one of them, yet my eyes trailed behind them as they passed.
They came in groups or alone, it didn’t matter. One lone man sat on the ground a few feet away, he was tucked neatly against one of the store buildings. His voice was like a dying car. It sputtered and cracked as he sang and strummed away. People just went by him. They didn’t see him. They had no reason to pay any mind to some old man on the street and his lullaby.

The Real Sea World

Offside

The whistle blows
All play stops
“Ref what’s the call?” someone asks
“Offside” is the reply

Don’t ask me what it is
I must confess I do not know
The coach says I was off
I’m not sure what she’s talking about

At the next practice
Coach asks
Does everyone understand
What offside is?
Everyone nods their head
Well, everyone except me

Stuck inside my turtle shell
Too embarrassed to say
I don’t know what offside is
I feel like a fool

At the next game
A player from the other team
Says, “you know you’re offside”
I remain silent
Unaware of what she means

It happens a lot that game
Many players are off
So the coach decides to
Explain what it means
To be offside

In the game of soccer
The offense from my team
Can not be the last player
In the goal box
Before the goalie
When the ball gets passed in
Or they will be
Offside

I understand everything
After the explanation
I am never offside
From that point on

Remo Plunkett October 2, 2008
YWP Discovery Prompt Honors English 9

Sam and his men found a lake,
Not long after 1608,
“We’ll name it for me,”
His men all agreed,
And now it is named for his sake

The wonderful lake was a reef,
Long before any Indian chief,
Upon it some battles were fought,
And many large fish to be caught,
Today no more coral or chief

We’ve even got a white whale
Discovered while building a rail,
Some men came upon it,
And thought something of it,
And now its complete tip to tail

No more warships patrol the lake,
Now it’s ferries for the citizen’s sake,
Much fishing is done,
Some enjoy the sun,
Fun for all to partake

There is some suspicious activity,
Champ is quite the celebrity,
He rarely is seen,
Some say he’s mean,
I’m convinced it’s because he’s wary

By Paul Cirignano
Land Woe!

Discovery

Does true discovery even exist?
Is there anything that’s been previously missed?
Is there anything that’s never been seen?
Or does discovery something else mean?

Is it something I’ve never seen before?
Is it something that just touches the core?
Is there even a definition, cut and clean?
Or is it something different for you and for me?

Can you discover things that are definite, for sure?
Or can they be things, incredibly obscure?
Things that are not, completely concrete,
Things that are not, clear cut and neat?

What can I discover, when I look out my door?
What can I discover, there must be so much more?
What can I discover, discoveries can’t be too hard to find?
What can I discover, just using my mind?

We can discover without even knowing,
With each new discovery, eyes start glowing.
And that is when our discoveries begin,
When we realize what our minds have let in.

Have you even been able to go explore the world under water? When I was in eighth grade, I experienced it for the first time. My parents took my siblings and me to the British Virgin Islands. My parents had both been there a couple of times together in the past, but this was their first time bringing all the kids along. Before we could go, my parents made us all take snorkeling lessons together so that we were comfortable in the water. I was so excited to go because I had never been down to the Caribbean before but I had heard so much about it. Once we got there, we rented a catamaran which is a sailboat with two hulls. I had never seen water so pretty and blue and I couldn’t wait to get going. Every day we sailed to a new island. The first day we went to Peter Island. I jumped into my wetsuit, snorkel and goggles the first chance I got. Right when I got in I felt the cold and salty water on my body. When I opened my eyes I could see everything.

Have you even been able to go explore the world under water? When I was in eighth grade, I experienced it for the first time. My parents took my siblings and me to the British Virgin Islands. My parents had both been there a couple of times together in the past, but this was their first time bringing all the kids along. Before we could go, my parents made us all take snorkeling lessons together so that we were comfortable in the water. I was so excited to go because I had never been down to the Caribbean before but I had heard so much about it. Once we got there, we rented a catamaran which is a sailboat with two hulls. I had never seen water so pretty and blue and I couldn’t wait to get going. Every day we sailed to a new island. The first day we went to Peter Island. I jumped into my wetsuit, snorkel and goggles the first chance I got. Right when I got in I felt the cold and salty water on my body. When I opened my eyes I could see everything.

CHRIS’S AMAZING DISCOVERY
By: Danielle Rogers

His smell getting you down?
Does he dress like a clown?
No zip when it come to s*x?
Then you need some RID-EX!

Just the thing to ditch his butt
Invented by a dude who knew what
It would take to lose the hex
Buy yourself some RID-EX!

Chris was his name
Erasing his wife was the game
So he came up with a cure
That was so totally pure

It helped with his ex
It was called RID-EX.
To put that jerk in flight
Buy some RID-EX tonight!

By: Danielle Rogers

I discovered my love of horses
When I was five
I had a book full of them
That I wore out
From turning
The pages too much.

The affection I have for equines is genuine
Cause they would calm down
When they saw me.
I discovered it when I was vacationing
In Saco, Maine.
But why me?

Could it be my great connection?
Or how I make them relax,
Feel good in their stalls
And feed them treats
Or is it that a horse feels
How much I want to be with them?

The first horse was Talat
We shared a bond; he knew when I came
Only I could make him relax
Talat was black
And a Morgan breed.

I understand horses better than boys
‘cause horses are smarter than males.
A horse has never hurt me.
Because they would never use me
As a back up plan.

How I Discovered My Best Friend

By Mikayla St. Germain
BFA Fairfax, Grade 7

I discovered my best friend at the Champlain Valley Fair in 2005 with my mom. My mom brought her friend Stefanie who brought a girl named Alexis. We did not talk to each other at the beginning because we didn't know each other. After a while we both asked if we could go on the ride called "The Caterpillar." I thought that it was pretty cool that we both wanted to go on the same ride at the same time. We didn't want to sit with strangers and we didn't want to go by ourselves so we went together. That was the first thing that we realized that was the same about us. After we got off "The Caterpillar" it was like we had known each other for our entire lives. We were talking and laughing and telling funny stories about our parents. It turns out that we were a lot alike and a lot different at the same time. I heard that that is the foundation of a great friendship. We had a blast that day at the fair.

My Go-kart

By Kevin Farmer
BFA Fairfax, Grade 7

The first time I rode my go-kart was awesome! I zipped down the driveway swinging the back end around and around, then zipping to the side doing doughnuts. It was wicked! I was roaring around the lawn at 35 miles per hour, spraying up water from the wet lawn. It was exhilarating. For days afterward all I wanted to do was ride the go-kart. When we ran out of gas we called dad down to fill up the tank. Then it was Ethan's turn to drive. Dad started it and we jumped in and sped away. Wahoo! The word discovery comes to mind when I think about that first moment that I rode my go-kart. I had never ridden a go-kart before and it was fun, new and exciting. When I first rode my go-kart it was a true discovery.

Once when I was at my friend Jeremy's house, we went out into the woods to cut down some trees for his dad. It was my first time cutting down a tree, and we discovered that by having both of us chop on either side of the tree, it makes the work a lot more enjoyable. We also cut much faster this way. In addition, the cutting made a rhythm by which we worked. Every time the first person made a cut, the second person added on, and then the first person would hit the wood in time to the second person's chop. That was the first time I ever cut down a tree. The feeling of seeing the big tree fall after working so long brought us both immense satisfaction in the work. We couldn't wait to start on the next one.

A Losing Battle

By Dylan Spencer
Chelsea Public School, Grade 11

A million cars must have gone by that day. Every one of them pedal to the metal as if it were a race, and me, I was stuck at my godparents' house. My parents had gone to see my grandmother in the hospital, where she was getting chemotherapy. They had called the night before and said she was doing great and would be home in the morning. The way I figured all of those cars were headed to see her.

At the end of fourth grade, my parents made a decision that changed my life forever; they enrolled me in summer theatre. I won the part of rainbow and porcupine and had a great time learning about the craft of theatre and meeting some nice people. Ever since, I have been heavily involved. I have been featured in roles such as an orphan in Annie, an owl in Pinocchio, spring in King Arthur’s Christmas and many more wonderful and intellectually challenging roles. Theatre gives me a chance to think about the problems of the world(s) in any given play and develop my mind more by listening to my peers and having creative discussions. Theatre was the best discovery that was made.

I wish I knew who I am,
and where I'm going.
But all I know is where I've been
and how I got there.
And I wish I could say that Sossina Gutema is my thing, her ups and downs, ins and outs are all apparent to me...heck, I wish I could say I never talk to myself, but then I'd be lying. I could tell you a thousand things that I've learned, things I've discovered each and every day. I could tell you hundreds of things you don't want to know, about people you've never met and things you've never experienced. And I wish I could tell you who I am,
and where I'm going,
but all I know is where I've been
and how I got there.

Discovering Lake Champlain

By Maria Burt
Fair Haven Union High School, Grade 9

Vermont’s history is full of discoveries. Throughout time, people have discovered slate, granite, marble, maple, arrowheads, fossils and, if we look back far enough, we even have evidence of the discovery of our largest body of water, Lake Champlain. The saying holds true, you can find anything if you just dig deep enough.
The best way to explain the discovery of Lake Champlain is to elucidate some things about the person who discovered it. After all, the lake is named after him. Do you know who I’m talking about? If you said Samuel De Champlain, you are absolutely correct.

Discover

By Lucy Pappas
Renaissance School, Grade 5

Hiking over green mountains
until you can see
the gleaming lake.

Climbing through snowy passes
and paddling heavy canoes.
Making peace with the natives,
praying that they will accept the treaty.

In a deserted office, focus on math.
Even a slight distraction
and your mind goes blank.

Sailing for many days,
seasick, homesick,
But you finally can see land!

In a laboratory, feeling the sweat
drip down your forehead.
Creating a medicine that will cure
a spreading disease.

Creeping around in an echoing cave,
the sounds of your shoes,
squeaking slowly.

Samuel de Champlain,
Lewis and Clark,
Albert Einstein,
Christopher Columbus,
Sir Alexander Fleming,
Myself.

Discover things.

Imagine what it would be like if you went on an adventure and you arrived at the mountains, forests, lakes, and rivers of a place like Vermont. Being in a place like that, with so much wildlife around you, would be dazzling.

This is what Samuel de Champlain experienced. I have to believe he thought he was one of the luckiest men alive because he was one of the first to discover this place that is full of beautiful things. With only the sound of the birds to listen to, he could observe the land all day and just explore where he was.

So as we approach the quadricentennial of Samuel de Champlain coming to Vermont, we should think about how lucky we are to live in a place like this, with all of the animals and plants around us.

So even though Samuel de Champlain is long gone, I thank him mostly for two things. One, finding the place we call Vermont, and two, well, I think you can guess it. Giving the lake a name, Lake Champlain.

Discovery

I am called Rowtag, which means "fire" in my language. I am a translator for the great Samuel de Champlain. I am a Wendat. The French call us "Huron" because they say our hair is bristly. Champlain discovered many things on his voyages to North America. We Wendat guided him through our culture.
We made Champlain discover many things. He likes hunting, but has much to learn. We showed him how to use everything from an animal, even the parts white men waste much after a hunt. We also taught him how to trap deer in large numbers. First, we have men beat sticks together to make much noise and drive the deer in one direction. Then, we use fences with only one hole in the middle to trap and kill them. The French say Champlain is a great explorer, but we Wendat aren't so sure. He says he discovered a lake and gave it his name, but we've known about that place for many years now. And one time, he got lost for two days in the woods.

Alex
You arrived
from Ethiopia
the day before Halloween.
You came on a plane
from your homeland,
to the airport in Burlington, Vermont.
Mom met you there
and took you home.
We were all
sitting
on the floor
carving pumpkins,
laughing,
having a good time.
The door opened
with its usual
clatter.
I looked up.
There you were,
glancing nervously around the room.
Everyone stopped.
Stared
with curiosity.
Jayne broke the awkward moment
with an exclamation.
"Alex!"
Seeing you
put millions
of thoughts and questions
in my head.
They chased each other around my brain.
One word stood above them all.
One word.
Sister.

Brr. I dipped my feet in the cold waters of lake champlain.I looked out to the beautiful lake. It sparkled in the setting sun. All of a sudden I slipped off the dock! And I could't swim.

I tryed to swim my way back up to the surface but I had swallowed to much water and couldn't see. Then I passed out. My last thought was I'm going to drown.

When I woke up I felt water spraying on my face lightley and the wind rushing in my ears. I slowly opened my eyes I was looking in to the sky. I got up and looked all around I was in the middle of the lake I was happy I was still alive but stuned that I was in the middle of the lake on something that was moving ... fast! I turned my head to see what I was ridding on and stared in shock.

I was riding on the back of champ! I couldn't belive my eyes.Soon we were back on the shore and I got off and champ swam away.