Ms. Angila Kirkessner, a sixth-grade communication arts teacher at Hannah Penn Middle School, submitted these free verse poems from “one of my very inspired future book authors.”

By Kelvin Colon
Subject: Mindfulness
Title: THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN ME

There’s more to life than me.

Saw a feather on the ground today.

Remembered that there’s more to life than I can see.

When I’m trapped inside this bubble that is my world…

Sometimes I am unaware that there’s more to life than me.

By Kelvin Colon
Subject: Mindfulness
Title: IF THERE IS A THIRD WORLD

If there is a third world I must exist in the second.

Seems I’m neither here nor there.

Living on a stairway that leads neither up or down.

Sometimes wondering how long the second world will be around.

Hannah Penn Middle School students who were named to honor rolls for the second marking period of the 2010-2011 school year are:

DISTINGUISHED

Grade 8: Joshua Mackley, Rayne Dickson and Shani Thomas.

Grade 7: Abigail Acevedo and Danielle Dubbs.

Grade 6: Jose Alvarado, Domanique Ilgenfritz and Lisa Nguyen.

HONOR ROLL

Grade 8: Ensely Arocho, Brenda Calixto-Morales, Alexis Dowling, Bryce Kruger, Kearra Mines, Karina Ortiz-Gomez, Courtney Senft, Tianna Sexton, Natalie Sola-Garcia, Brittany Troup and Keeshon Washington.

Grade 7: Malaisha Banks, Salona Brown, Christine Castillo, Josfel Castro, Regina Clodfelter, Tyler Colon, Kaia Copeland, Madeline Dominguez-Rodriguez, Desiree Edmonds, Makayla Grothe, Trina Jackson and Tia’Juana Murray.

Grade 6: Karen Alonso-Navarette, Esperanza Alvarez, Rachel Beard, Kalonji Emile, Tatiana Gallero, Rosangely Garrastegui Irizarry, Melody Maldonado, Emoni Perkiss, Samuel Rodriguez-Habana, Manuel Salgado-Miranda, Christian Ritter, Jessica Vu, Bryce Swearingen, Dalila Vu and Christopher Whack.

Grade 5: Luisannia Aguero, Elizabeth Arnett, Marcus Banks, Sincer Carter, Dior Edmonds, Shyheim Freeland, Zane Garrison, Isamar Grenea-Lopez, Azhane Green, Alfonso King, Taylor Madge, Logan Masenheimer, Nadya Matthews, Angel Olavarria-Pagan, Kaile Oyler, Julio Pascual, Brian Perez, Kaliyah Raffensberger, Michelle Rivera, Yarelis Rivera, Kathyangerissa Rivera Diaz, Marion Ross, Yaxel Santiago-Rodriguez, Quaisear Simmons, Louis Smith, Teresita Squire, Katalina Svay, Kiara Tiru, Tiffany Tollinche, Alexis Tomes, Kimberly Valentine-Jimenez, Chevele Wickard and Amiyah Woodard.

Ms. Angie Kirkessner, a character education teacher at Hannah Penn Middle School, York City School District, submitted this essay (Jan. 26, 2009), written by one of her seventh-grade students.

If you were elected as President of the United States of America what would you change about our present conditions regarding our country? List a minimum of 5 things.

Topic: President of the United States
By Malachi Muhammad
Grade 7
Hannah Penn Middle School

1. I would change our gang problems because where I am from gangs are basically everywhere around where we live. I mean it is so rough around here that you cannot go outside because you run the risk of losing your life. That is why I want to change our neighborhoods to eliminate the dangers associated with gangs.

2. I would also change our economic struggles because I come from a house that does not have a lot of money and I understand what it is like to not get what you wanted for Christmas or for your birthday. I do not want anyone else to experience what I have.

3. I would also change our problems surrounding warfare. I am opposed to the idea of people fighting over stupid things such as oil and land.

4. I would also change our environmental problems and mandate recycling to produce pencils, paper, and other items.

5. I would improve our school funding programs because I believe that all students (especially inner city students) deserve better equipment such as up-to-date textbooks, pencils, and computers. You really have to care about schools to improve the quality of education they provide.