Jenna's Stories Featuring: The Real Story

The Smartboard

2009-06-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

Our classroom has had so much fun this year with the smart board! We have done quizzes, and presentations, and Google Earth, and have been taught from the internet all on the Smartboard. We used the Senteos to take three quizzes. One on religion, one on art and a suurvey. It is a good way to get a classroom's attention! Everyone is interested in it because it is technology. We have made a powerpoint on an artist that we have all had to study and show where they had lived on Google Earth. It was so much easier to do than setting up a projector every time we had to present. It is also good for the trees because it does not waste paper. The Smartboard is a good way to teach kids!

Everything was fun to do this year because we did alot of it on the Smartboard! The quizzes that we did today were the best! (You probably don't hear that very often either.) It is interactive and keeps our attention no matter what we're doing! We even made something to take our attendance with! We have taken notes, done quizzes, used the internet, done presentations and over all, learned! If I were to choose, I would have one in every class!

Keep the Smartboard in our classrooms!

~Jenna

My Favourite Days

2009-05-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

It started out as a normal, ordinary day at the Rider game; then it turned out to be my favourite day! I went with my family, uncle, auntie, and grandparents. It was a bit after half time when a woman came around to see who could cheer the loudest and who had the most Rider spirit. Luckily, this was the day mom, Cara and I dressed up in our “Saskatchewan Pirate” costumes. That was the song that was played at every home game at the fourth quarter stretch. With the help of our uncle, who has a really loud voice, we grabbed her attention.

She came over and told my sister, mom and I, to follow her to a place by the stairs. We followed her there, and appeared on the Max Tron! My mom was selected for a chance to win a car at the last Rider home game! Thus, the story plays out like one would expect.

Later, we went to the final home game of the year, and my mom had to compete with nine other people to win a car! There were big balloons set out on the field and each one had a mini foam football with a number on it inside. They had to pop the balloons, and line up in the order of the number on the football that they got. My mom had number eight on her football, so we wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t win the car, because she was the eighth person in line.

They all picked up different keys from a bucket, and took turns getting into the car to try to start it. All the people preceding my mom couldn’t get the car to start! It was my mom’s turn to go up, and all she was thinking was, “How do you start a standard?” She got help from the people who organized the contest, and the car roared to life! While our family was screaming and jumping up and down, she drove around the field.

The End
By: Jenna

Editors:

Ashton
Cara
Mom

2009-01-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas Story

2009-01-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

Memories

This Christmas in 2008 was the last one that will feel complete. My Granny and Grandpa are selling their farm and will be in a new house soon. We all are very sad they are too old to take care of the horses, garden, grass, and the leaves that fall off the trees. There were memories there since my mom was a child, so we decided to make the best of this year because it was the last traditional Christmas. We woke up one morning to play tackle football in the snow. After that was done with our clothes soaked as if we jumped in a lake, we enjoyed Christmas Eve. We only slept for seven hours that night because we could not wait for Christmas morning. Everyone finally woke up. Everything was immediately erased with the most beautiful sunrise that was barely sneaking past the tips of the trees. We were happy that we were spending Christmas there before they sell the farm in the summer. We realized that this Christmas will be the one that we will remember the most. This will be our favorite and special memory.

By: Jenna V.P.
Grade 6/7
Mrs. Perrey’s class

Editors –

~ Ashton Buzash
~ Shaya Moffatt
~ Mrs. Perrey

Bob Boyer and Barbara Meneley

2008-12-03T19:57:00.000-08:00

Bob Boyer
Rank: Five out of Five Stars! *****

Bob Boyer was born in 1948 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, where he continued to live through out his life. He began his artistic career at the University of Saskatchewan. When he was in high school, his friends thought that he was a very good artist, but Bob didn’t want to become an artist. He wanted to travel around the world with his job as a surveyor. So, when he finished high school, one of his friends applied for him at the U of S, and he was accepted. He decided to go, and while he was there, he discovered his artistic abilities. From there, he became a world famous artist in 1968, when he was just twenty years old. Bob began to paint landscapes, to abstract paintings, to blanket paintings. His work was like nothing I have ever seen before! It was wonderful!

This picture is one of my favourites (bottom). It is called “The Mountains, the Night, and the 49.” The colours are very bright and I like the fact that there are many different shapes and sizes. The cross in the middle represents the ‘Morning Star,’ which is the four directions. It is in very many of his pieces and is important to him. You will also notice with his artwork that if you fold the left side over the right side, that they are perfectly the same.
You are amazing Corrine, who showed us around and explained the paintings and let us do many activities. I was very pleased to understand what each painting meant and stood for. Thank you for explaining his past and how he came to be an artist!

Barbara Meneley
Three out of Five Stars ***

Barbara came to my school one day to make origami paper boxes, (top) which were for a sculpture that she was making. I thought it was going to be a sculpture of a city. Frankly, I had to ask what it was in order to figure it out. When I knew what it was, I could understand it. It was a city, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. It wasn’t my favourite, or my least favourite either.

By: Jenna

EDITORS: Ashton and Shaya

Ballet

2008-11-19T14:29:00.000-08:00

31/2 of 4 stars

This ballet was one of the best I have ever been to. The choreography was absolutely amazing!
Most of the music and choreograhpy was straight from Regina. The dancers were very good at their parts. You would never see one person out of syncronization. The costumes were very original, but I was hoping to see more colour on them all.

It was genius to start off with a classic preformance! The dancer there was extremly talented. Nice job to the organizer, Connie. To show the audience what the tutu was called and to show them what the shoes did for the dancer was very good. Nice interaction with the audience to show us moves right from the dance.I would go again and again if I could.

I liked the fact that there were many props and lights. It kept the audience attentive. I thought it would be very boring and showing us the same thing over and over again. WRONG! There were many different types of dances and many different costumes. There was a dance from last year which was choreographed by a famous man in Europe. It was dedicated to the lead singer of Queen. Very, very, very nice!

Cut and paste poem

2008-11-18T09:17:00.001-08:00

Shel

Shel is a place where the sun burns the flowers and the wind bends the TVs.
Grass grows on the street where the children bite the cheese.
The children are hypnotized by a fantasy. Walk, walk, walk, away.
Leave this dark place known as Shel.

By: Jenna

Haiku Poem

2008-11-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

The birds fly swiftly,
Amoung the cloudless sky,
Near the mountains high.

By: Jenna

The Real Story

2008-11-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

The Real Story

I woke up today not knowing where I was. At least I knew my name and the year. My
name was Alex Knotofz and I lived on the streets of Oxford while it was 1900. My head ached like it was hit with a sledge hammer. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. There were many lights in my head that were sparkling different colours, but they began to fade. I was in a filthy ally with a dumpster and a ton of graffiti on the walls of the buildings. My mouth tasted like vomit and beer. Not many people were here and almost all the lights were off around me, and the air was crisp and cold. There was a light fog which was not too bad for November weather. I tried to get up, but fell. Then I tried again while using the wall for support. My hands were numb, so I put them in my pockets to warm them up.
My stomach was growling with hunger. I seriously needed some food, I was starving! At first, I checked the dumpster. There was nothing worth eating there, so I sat down at the edge of the ally on the cold ground, begging for money whenever I could. When I had collected around one dollar, I walked towards a nearby store to settle my growling stomach. As I walked in, I caught all of the attention from the near bystanders. I mumbled that I do have money, and they all looked in different directions and were on their way again. I got some vegetable crackers and then walked over to the cashier who gave me a deadly glance. While I showed him my money, he began to relax completely. I slammed the crackers onto the register, and he jumped . Gently this time, I put the money I had collected down onto the register as well. He gave me my change as I walked out in a hurry, and jogged to the ally to eat my food there so no one would watch me as I ate.

I was then done, so I collected money for a drink for I was parched. This time, I got three dollars. I lazily walked towards the liquor store with my money laid out completely flat. When I was near the front doors, a hand reached out to stop me. I turned around, ready to punch that person right in the face. Then I looked up at him and noticed that he had an army uniform on with grey hair which was cut short, light tanned skin, blue eyes, many badges on his jacket, and shiny black boots which shone on the few lights around us. He asked me if I wanted to change the way I was living. I automatically replied with a loud, “YES!” Everyone began to stare at us while he told me to follow him. He went to a thrift store and bought me gloves, pants, a shirt, a jacket, shoes and everything I needed. We walked back to the liquor store and he told me to meet him back here the next day when the sun is right above me. He told me his name was General Williams, then he was gone. I thanked the Lord he was real.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I walked back to the liquor store the next day, with the sun straight above me as I
glanced around until I found him. He was waiting for me on a bench in the same spot as
last time. Our eyes met and he motioned me over as I walked toward him. I stood there as he asked me a question that would change my life forever. He asked if I wanted to join the army.
For me, the question was unexpected, but now I saw why he was so kind to me. I
thought about it, and realized that I could have money, a home, water, a bed, lighting, all I
ever dreamed of. As I daydreamed, I subconsciously agreed while he said he would make an exception and sign me in. He told me that I needed to work hard everyday. I thought some more, and I still agreed. He told me that I had to come with him right away. I followed him to his building.

It was big with brown rocks on the outside wall and the inside was amazing! It had tile flooring the colour of sand, with cream coloured walls and many windows. There were several lamps and plants scattered along the walls, with colourful flowers on the tables and desks. It was disturbingly quiet in this building. There was a woman sitting at a black desk. Her hair was quite short with blond in her dark brown bangs. She was wearing a uniform quite similar to General Williams’ who was walking beside me. Also, she had a tag on her jacket that indicates her name was Sheila. She pulled him off to the side and they both started to whisper. They each started shooting glances my way. I knew they were talking about me. She went back to her desk looking a little bit angry. Then she said, “Welcome aboard,” though she was clearly unhappy.

He took me into his office to have a word with me. I sat down on a chair that was much
more comfortable than it looked. He stared at me for awhile with his fingers interlaced
as though he was praying, with his thumbs resting on his chin. I was not worried, for he had a relaxed expression on his face. He said I was going to need extra training to do this, and that I was going to live here until I could rent an apartment. I was relieved since I hated it outside because it was cold out in November.

His mood changed and he was now stern as he said that I must train with him every
morning until Christmas, which was my first break. Then it would be back to work again. I then agreed and he motioned for me to follow him, so I did. General Williams showed me the bathroom, my bedroom where I was going to sleep and the room I would eat in. My bedroom had a few blankets, a sofa, desk, some plants and a dresser. He then offered me some everyday clothes and some gym clothes and I gladly accepted them. Also he instructed me to put the gym clothes on and meet him in front of the bathroom. From there he would show me the training station. I changed quickly, as I was anxious to see what I was going to face in that room. My mind pictured an obstacle course. I met him back by the bathroom, trying to prepare for what was waiting for me.

Just as I had guessed, there was an obstacle course. There were tires, ropes, a climbing
wall and everything one would expect. He said he would start slower and do only the
tires on the first day, and if I was feeling well enough, some of the ropes later. We walked toward the tires and he explained how they worked. I tried the first time, and as I fell, he laughed and said that maybe I should just do some laps for awhile. As I started to jog, he stopped me and showed me the proper way to jog: head up, back straight, eyes forward, and keep a slow and steady pace. I started, and he told me I was doing fine for the first time. At first I did forty laps before he told me to take a water break. I went to the water fountain and took a long drink, for I was exhausted already!

He walked over to the tires and demonstrated how it was done. I watched him go through
the course. He told me to put one foot through each tire first. I did it without falling or tripping and I began to get exited. He warned me that it gets harder, and then I gulped. Now I had to jump from tire to tire, and repeat that ten times. I was panting when I was done. He gave me more things to do with the tires, and I was regretting this right now.

I was done my training for the day, so I went to shower. My clothes were wet with sweat
as though someone had thrown them in the ocean! When I was done, I put my clothes
into a laundry bin and put a towel around myself and walked towards my room. I dressed
into some new clothes and went to have lunch. General Williams stopped me and told
me to meet him in his office when I was done. I ate some soup and then headed to his office. He was sitting at his desk doing paper work, but he looked up as I walked in. General Williams smiled at me and put down his work. He told me I was doing well for my first time. Also, he mentioned a way I could make some money. He was going to fire the janitor if I was willing to work in his place. I said I would do it, but I did not want him to fire the janitor. As I explained that would work with him so that I could train, he happily agreed, and sent me off to work.

I started to mop the floor with the janitor. He asked me my name and I replied with, “Alex.” His name was Jeremy. He wondered why I was interested in the army. I told him how I used to live on the streets and begged for money from strangers and then met General Williams. For I had been through some rough times, and he had as well. His wife passed away eighteen months ago. She died from cancer. My heart went out to him. He added that he had a six year old daughter and an eight year old son that he now had to take care of himself. I thought how hard it must have been to break the news to his children about their mothers death. He mentioned that the girl’s name was Amanda and the boy’s name was Willy. I began of daydream about what I would name my kids if that should ever happen.

Just then General Williams came out of his office to tell us where to clean next; he smiled and then said the showers. They were about the dirtiest place in the entire building. I was dreading what I would face. They actually weren’t that bad. I walked in with my sponge, but there wasn’t a lot of soap scum, but lots of dirt. After that we had more hallways to clean… a lot more.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I woke up in my bedroom around 5:00 AM to begin my training. Today we were doing
the rope, tires, laps, weights and other similar exercises. The laps and tires were hard, but
the ropes and weights were even harder. I had tomato red hands from rope burn and more
blisters than you can ever imagine. My muscles ached, and I could tell I would be stiff
tomorrow. The rope I had to climb was at least seven metres high with knots on it for
arm and foot holds. I never kept track of the pounds of weights I lifted, but I guessed it was about 10-20 pounds for the arm weights, but for the two armed weights I couldn’t even guess. To make it even worse, I fell off the rope nine times before I made it to the top. I dropped the weights six times. When one of them fell, I thought I broke my leg it was so heavy!

Janitorial work was the same as last time, hallways and showers, except this time I also
had to do all of the bathrooms! I went to eat lunch before I did all that. My usual soup
was very healthy for me; beef, potatoes and vegetables. Delicious! I washed it down with a protein drink and began to do my job as a janitor with Jeremy. The bathrooms were very messy, but the rest wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. We swept the hallways and then mopped. Jeremy taught me the proper way to sweep and mop, I had no clue before.

As soon as the jobs were done, it was night time again. I felt as though I was going to
have to get used to this routine. Then I changed my clothes and got ready for bed. It was a warm night, and there was no sound. I crawled into my bed and slowly drifted off to
sleep.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I woke up at the same time as usual. Today General Williams said I was going to use a
pellet gun and shoot many targets. I was fine with that, but then he added in that I was
going to be joined by a group of twenty others. My jaw dropped, then quickly snapped
back shut. First, he was going to show me, alone, how to hold and shoot the gun and how to get down into a lying, crouching position and back to a standing position very quickly. I was glad I learned this now because if I had learned that with a group, I may have gotten embarrassed.

They all came in, and I felt so puny next to them. Their muscles were huge, and they all
had their army uniforms on as they walked by. Obviously they were going to have to
change their clothing. They all filed into the shower room to change while they were whispering and glaring at me. I was glad I had already changed into my gym clothes. They all came out three minutes later looking even more muscular than before, and all automatically went into the gym and grabbed a pellet gun. I followed their lead.

General Williams came in and told us to line up in rows. We all did as we were told. He
took us all into a booth one at a time and commanded us to shoot the pop-up targets.
“Oh, snap!” The first person had nailed them all, which was much better than I was
going to do. I was third in line shaking like a leaf. The person in front of me went. I got butterflies in my stomach. He nailed them all as well. As he walked away, General Williams introduced me to everyone. They welcomed me. I walked into the booth and hit six of the ten targets and felt that I had failed, but when I got out, everyone was clapping. They said that for everyone’s first try they got about three out of ten. I didn’t feel as bad anymore and went to the back of the line smiling.

After that we went to the room with the tires and ropes. We finished them and then went
to the weight room. All of their muscles made me feel like a shrimp. The weights were
the same amount as last time. When we were dome, I showered, changed, got a drink,
had lunch and then filled in for my job as a janitor. I was so tired. Jeremy and I got to talking again as usual. I was beginning to think we would be good friends soon. Before you knew it, we were done. I went to my room and got ready for bed and I fell asleep easily, because I had had a huge day today.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The next ten months went on like that. Practising, working out, doing my job as janitor, everything repeating everyday. I kept getting better and better at everything I did.
Weights were easy, and same for laps, ropes and tires. The shooting course got tougher,
but I was shooting tens in no time. We went on a course where you alternated from
standing, to crouching, to lying down. I aced that easily. We then got our own paintball
course to practice for when it would be the real deal. I never got shot once. Also, I became the best of friends with Jeremy too.

I was doing my job as the janitor, talking it up with Jeremy. Even after ten months, we
always had something to talk about. My name was called on the intercom. I was to meet
General Williams in his office. So, I walked down to his office, curious if I had done
something wrong. As it turned out, I had not been cleaning the bathrooms as often
as was needed. I said I would fix that and began to leave, thinking that was all. He
stopped me and looked me straight in the eyes as he said, “You are going to war in
Ypres, in Belgium, to fight in World War II.” My heart stopped as I was quite surprised by the pop up question. Before my eyes, my life flashed back to when I lived on the streets, begging for money, this building, training, janitorial work, and to this moment. I stared at him in disbelief as my jaw dropped. His face seemed apologetic and stern if that can be possible. I felt that I still had to prepare more, but I had had lots of time. Then, I closed my jaw and repeated his words again and again in my head, wishing that they would somehow change. ‘You are going to war in Ypres in Belgium to fight in World War II.’ As I continued thinking those words for several minutes, I let them soak into my mind. I did not know what to make of it, but what I did know, was that this was only the beginning. This is the beginning of my life in the army and the real story.

I was going to fight against the Germans and their leader……..Hitler.

TO BE CONTINUED IN…….
The Truth of it All
By: Jenna Van Parys
Mrs. Perrey’s classroom

Coming Soon…

Editors: Grayson, Ashton, and the totally awesome Mrs. Perrey