Earth

www.kidsstandard.org
ISSUE 8 | DECEMBER 2015
Peace on Earth
People we
admire
PAGE 21
Parent’s
PAGE 23
Interview
PAGE 7
THE
Motivate. Activate. Celebrate.

FEATURE
Index:
Feature .................................................2
Nature...................................................4
Poems....................................................5
Food......................................................6
Interview .............................................7
Art..........................................................8
Travel..................................................13
Living..................................................14
Mindfulness.......................................16
College Voices...................................18
Parent’s Corner................................19
Educators............................................20
People we admire .............................21
Educators............................................22
Parent’s Corner..................................23
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When the World Becomes Our Backyard
A
few weeks ago, our magazine
received an email from a teacher in
the Netherlands. In his desire to share
his students’ voices, Jan van de Ven, a teacher
at an elementary school in Vierlingsbeek, told
us a heartfelt story about refugee children
who are among 700 people sharing space
in a building next to their school. Coming
from war zones, such as Syria, Afghanistan,
Somalia and Eritrea, these children have been
touched by something so incomprehensible
that most of us will never experience in our
lifetimes.
Thankfully, their experiences are far removed
from our kids, many of whom have
never heard of any of these countries. In light
of the recent events and ongoing refugee
controversy, should we disturb their peace
by telling these untold stories?
From a privileged standpoint of many born
in America, this disturbance should not be
necessary. For numerous local communities
across our nation, which for a long time have
been self-contained and self-reliant, it seems
clear that children need to be protected from
a world of violence and suffering. Young
people need to grow up feeling safe and
undisturbed.
By the same token, the world today is
no longer a place where what happens
in one part of the globe doesn’t affect
another part. Our immediate social environment
has expanded radically, shifting
from families and local societies to the entire
world.
I would claim that a fragmented mindset,
oblivious to a bigger picture, cannot serve
kids well in the world where they are going
to live. Young people today require preparation
to deal with such prevalent issues
as poverty, energy crises, disease, and yes,
above all, human conflict. No one nation can
tackle it alone.
To strive, humankind needs world citizens
capable of taking actions on matters of global
importance. Veronica Boix Mansilla, a principal
investigator in the Global Studies Project,
Harvard Graduate School of Education, links
living in the 21st century with the need to
develop a global self - “identity and sense of
belonging to see ourselves as participating
actors in a rich global matrix.”
Arina Bokas
Kids’ Standard Editor
& The Future of Learning Host
To be sure, in the world of tomorrow, our
growing generation of digital natives will
collaborate, adapt, and interact cross-culturally
with people from all over the globe. In
doing so, they might cross their paths with
those of the refugee children’s, whose stories
seem so removed from us today. The ways
in which their lives might intertwine and
touch each other could prove to be beyond
our wildest dreams.
Sensitivity to perspectives and feelings of
others is a prerequisite to form successful
relationships of any kind. By giving our children
the gift of a different vantage point, we
are giving them the lens through which they
can take a deeper look at themselves. It’s all
part of our world, part of humankind, and
indeed, part of us all.
STUDENTS’ STORIES
Tasnim, 11, Syria
There is a war in Homs (Syria). The police
killed my dad. We fled because there were
tanks and guns. I saw a girl crying all by
herself. Now, I learn Dutch very fast! We
play outside and, like in Syria, we play soccer
together. I would like to become a doctor
for babies.
Aggelos, 11, Albania:
My dad and my mom come for Albania.
My dad died. We went by bus from Albania
to the Netherlands. I live in the asylum
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FEATURE
center in Overloon, and I have a lot of friends.
I want to have a big family with 2 kids.
Hazim, 10, Syria
People were throwing grenades; I heard
them explode. We went by boat from Syria
to Turkey. Then we went to Oranje in the
Netherlands and stayed there for 8 months.
Now we have a beautiful new home in St.-
Anthonis. I really want to become a soccer
player.
our house and went to Hungary; a lot of people
went there. This is my house in Kosovo, I
really miss it. We walked all the way through
Germany to the Netherlands. In school I love
to play soccer.
Bashir A, 10, Libia
I went with my family on the boat from
Libya to Italy. My dad, mom, sisters, brother,
and I had to leave Libya because the houses
were on fire and there were lots of guns and
pistols. In my classroom is a foosball table. I
love it! I hope to buy a big fancy car when
I’m older.
Ahmadmalak, 11, Syria
My dad is a photographer. He made pictures
of the war. Lots of kids died when a
bomb fell on our house. My mom is sick;
While most students at my school began
their lives with a blank page and the whole
world at their feet, the children at the asylum
center had to leave their lives behind. Yet,
regardless of their experiences, they are still
children: children who lose their erasers;
children who sharpen their pencils 6 times
a day; children who love to joke with their
teachers, disagree with each other, and to
laugh and talk together. They are children
who are eager to work hard and, in no time,
learn a new language; children who have new
hopes and beautiful dreams. These children
are only looking for one thing - being a kid
again!
JAN VAN DE VEN
Berg en Beek Basisschool,
St.-Anthonis, the Netherlands
Durim, 9, Kosovo
I used to played soccer in Kosovo. We left
she has cancer. She had a surgery in the
Netherlands. I hope we will get our own
house soon for my dad, mom, sister and me.
Marian, 12, Afghanistan
In Afghanistan there was a war going on.
That’s why we fled and also because my dad
was injured during an attack. He was a BBC
journalist. My dad, my sister and I share a
room in a building of the asylum center. I
dream of our own house where we can sit
outside and eat together at the table.
December 2015
3
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NATURE
Helping the Earth
BY: LAUREN
CHOJNACKI
5th grade Bailey Lake
Elementary, Clarkston
Schools
A
lot of tragic things happen on Earth as a result
of what we, human beings, do. The number
of living animals and forests is dropping. We
are making and throwing away a lot of trash. This
may not sound very important, but it’s a huge thing
because nature is part of the world. If you hurt it, it
may never bloom again.
What can you do to help our world? Have a green
thumb and help plants and animals. Don’t destroy
plants for fun or any other reason. Animals are just
like you and me, but shaped differently, furry, and
eat food on the ground. Treat animals nicely and
softly because they’re living things, too.
There are trash cans and recycling bins everywhere.
They are two different things. Don’t throw
away what can be recycled. You can save many natural
resources by doing this. If you miss the bin with
your trash, please go back and pick it up because it
can fly in the wind and an animal might eat it and
get sick. Help people when you get a chance. It’s just
the nice thing to do. Be nice to others, animals, and
nature.
Polar Bears
BY: CARALYN HASS
4th grade, Bailey Lake Elementary,
Clarkston Schools
One problem that the world is facing
today is global warming. There are
many reasons why people should
take it seriously. One of them is that the
climate change is affecting the polar bears. We
are losing polar bears quickly.
Polar bears’ drained-out-color fur is very
thick and keeps their giant body warm so
they can survive in the cold winter land.
They hunt for food - they eat seals - and it
takes a lot of patients and time. Polar bears
are normally independent. Mothers stay with
their cubs until mothers
think that cubs are ready
to go out into the world
by themselves. Polar bears
spend more time in the sea
than on land.
The global warming is
making less time for polar
bears to hunt seals because
the ice needs to be frozen
so they can walk and hunt
seals and to not starve. So if
it stays warm longer, there
is less time and food polar
bears get. This makes the
polar bears lose 15 pounds.
The population on Hudson
Bay, the second-largest bay in the world that
is usually frozen over from mid-December to
mid-June, has gone down more than 20 percent,
because of temperature changes.
Scientists have worked really hard to find
the solution to global warming. There is no
one thing that can solve it. Every person in
the world has to help.
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POEMS
An Image
Of Peace
BY: EMILY VALENCIA
4th grade, Bailey Lake
Elementary
Clarkston Schools
A shiny little lake, sand between your toes.
Fish having fun, and the cool wind blows.
Up with my finger, I spot something with my eye.
Some colorful seashells, at the shore is where they lie.
I pick them up, I examine them now. But one seashell
is moving, my cat started to meow.
I picked it up and examined it some more.
Then everything turned silent,I wanted to explore.
I looked up, it looked so beautiful.
A shiny lake and geese flying in the distance, the sun
shining bright and no clouds in the sky.
It felt so peaceful, I can say.
I have been so peaceful since that day.
BY: TIMOTHY O’DANIEL
8th grade,
Clarkston Junior High School
The Eiffel Tower looming above
The line extending, a snake at the tower’s base
The tower, forever reaching for the sky.
My excitement draining, time in line drags slowly on
The seconds as minutes, minutes as hours, an hour is
eternity
Finally it ends! The ascent is here!
My excitement grows the tower’s pattern spirals past
We reach the top and I dash out the doors
Onto the outer platform, leaving the elevator behind
“Come on, come on,” I shot to my family
I reach the railing and the world stops its spinning.
Paris is a sea, spreading away from me
The Eiffel Tower, my island, and I am the ruler
Not whipping winds, but a gentle breeze plays around
me
The sun smiles warmly down, it doesn’t burn
My heart beats with the exhilaration of being so high
Paris, a beauty a wonderful sight, creates feelings of
happiness and joy and light.
The rooftops glisten in the shining morning dew
The design of the city creates a colorful quilt of
buildings
Leonardo da Vinci couldn’t paint such beauty
Pigeons are droplets of gray paint roosting
The buildings united, they rise and fall in waves
The rising sun backdrop paints everything glowing
If only this moment would last forever.
But alas, as I turn around
The sight is leaving, the end is found.
Back, back into the doors of dullness
Down I go, back to the real world
But forever I will remember that beautiful sight
And know that we can be more than a darkening blight.
December 2015
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FOOD
Foods from Japan
BY: ANNABEL MALYS
Independence Elementary,
Clarkston Schools
Japan has a lot of great
foods. One food they
enjoy to eat is sushi.
Sushi is raw fish served on
rice seasoned lightly with
vinegar. It’s in the variety of
flavors and textures despite
sushi’s lofty image, it has a
humble origin.
In Japan, miso soup is as
important food for breakfast
as coffee. It’s a heavy
soup of dashi, miso and
tofu. It often includes a variety
of vegetables, seafood
and meat. A good miso
soup balances ingredients
that float with ingredients
that sink.
Finally, this is Edamame!
Edamame are little beans,
and they have a soft wrap.
Edamame is also known as
soy beans. Soy beans have
been used for hundreds of
years as a major source of
protein.
-Source: http://www.
japan talk.com/jt/new/
japanese food list
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INTERVIEW
It’s Not About Me;
It’s About Us
Interview with Chris Turner
Independence Elementary Principal, Clarkston Schools
Mr. Chris Turner has been the principal at Independence Elementary in Clarkston since it opened seventeen years ago.
This is a school that I attended for the first six years of my K-12 journey. I am very grateful for the opportunity to go back to
my elementary school and interview my former principal. - Emily Cabadas
BY: EMILY CABADAS
11th Grade
Clarkston High School
What is your favorite memory of
being a principal?
Every year brings great memories, but
something I’ll remember forever was the
process of getting Independence Elementary
started, literally from the ground up. I was
present at the groundbreaking ceremony in
1998, and was a part of the process of constructing
the new building from the very
beginning. I also had the opportunity to hire
almost all of the staff members and help the
school grow into what it is today. This has
been a labor of love for me; just about everything
at the school has had my hands on it.
It’s a good feeling when people say positive
things about Independence; however, we’re
always working to improve, and when there
are problems, they’re mine as well.
Why is it important to nurture
Global Awareness early in life?
With the development in technology that
puts information at our fingertips, we are no
longer an isolated community or state; we
are part of a much larger picture. We want
our students to learn this early on, and to
develop a sense of empathy for how people
live in other cultures. I believe this is an important
characteristic for our young people to
have. Even though we are only an elementary
school, developing understanding and compassion
in our students is very important.
“We want our students
to learn this early on,
and to develop a sense
of empathy for how
people live in other
cultures.”
What are your views on Global
Competence?
Lately I’ve become more concerned about
an “all about me” attitude. “Selfies” are an
example. Until recently it was rare to take a
picture of yourself. The focus was on others.
When we become globally aware, we learn
that it’s not about me individually, it’s about
me as a member of our community, our state,
and our world. What’s most important is
us. The importance of relationships, caring
for others, empathy, and understanding, are
what we want to teach our children. These
dispositions often lead to a desire to make a
difference in our world. This is where global
competence happens - understanding global
issues, such as running out of natural resources,
and doing something about it. We
try to develop a sense of interdependency
and community beyond just ourselves.
What specifically do you do at
Independence Elementary to nurture
Global Awareness and Competence
in children?
We can think globally and act locally.
At Independence Elementary we’re very active
with Academic Service Learning. Every
teacher has been trained in strategies to
incorporate Academic Service Learning projects
into their curriculum. Our S.O.C.K.S
(Serving our Community Kids’ Style) day
provides every student an opportunity to be
involved in a project that is focused on serving
others and developing a sense of community
beyond ourselves and our school.
Every activity or project is tied directly to
curriculum standards. We place a high value
on giving our students opportunities to serve
others and get a sense of the impact they can
have, even at a young age.
December 2015
7
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ART
Cameron Smith,
5th grade, Pine Tree Elementry, Lake Orion
Brigit Plancon,
4th Grade, Independence
Elementary, Clarkston
Andrew Parker
4th grade, Orion Bank Elementry
Lake Orion
Jilliana Lehman
4th Grade
Independence Elementary, Clarkston
Laura Walch
5th grade, Pine Tree Elementry
Lake Orion
Brigit Plancon
4th Grade
Independence Elementary, Clarkston
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ART
Haley
Campbell,
4th Grade,
Independence
Elementary,
Clarkston
Megan McLain
5th Grade, BLE,
Clarkston
Lauren Chojnacki
5th Grade
BLE, Clarkston
Elizabeth Beem
6th Grade
Waldon Middle School, Lake Orion
You don’t need any experience,
just send us some work you are
proud of.
This is your Magazine!
Submit your work via email to
kids@kidsstandard.org
Haley Campbell
4th Grade, Independence
Elementary, Clarkston
December 2015
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TRAVEL
Love Knows No Borders
BY: HANNAH ROBERTSON
11th grade, Clarkston High School
At the age of fifteen, you would never
really expect someone to ask you a
simple but stumbling question, “Do
you want to build a house...in another country?”
This past summer, building a house for a
less fortunate family through the organization
Project Mexico became what I decided to really
do. On July 7th, at around 4:30am, I hopped on
a plane with my mother and a few other close
members of St. Mark Orthodox Church, in
hopes to contribute to the world.
We stopped in San Diego, California, first.
There, the roads were paved and the houses
hit higher than a mountain. People were happily
biking, riding their mopeds, and walking.
There were outdoor cafes and shops with
windows fully open. This pleasant scenery had
changed abruptly, however, as we began to
cross over into Tijuana, Mexico. From the car,
bouncing on roads made of dirt, all I could see
out my window were
miles upon miles of
houses, stacked on
one another and built
on top of landfills. In
disbelief, I watched
numerous people sitting
on the corners of
streets pleading for
pesos. It truly was a
shocking sight to see,
which kept bringing
one word into my
mind - poverty.
As we approached
St. Innocent
Orphanage, where we were staying for the
week, I began to comprehend the setting. Not
being able to contact anyone outside of Mexico
was really nothing compared to a lack of other
“conveniences” we took for granted. Noelle,
the instructor for my group, explained how
things around there worked: warm water was
limited; toilets could not be flushed with toilet
paper in them; there were no electric outlets
and almost no indoor seating, except for the La
Tienda, which means “The store” in Spanish.
Sleeping only in a sleeping bag, in a tent, every
night and waking up to eat rice, beans, and tortillas
in the morning, was the routine. Makeup
or flat ironing my hair no longer applied while
I had never felt more
internal wonder than
when I realized how
my actions and my
presence in the world
had affected this family
for the rest of their
lives.
in Mexico. What did apply, however, was teamwork
and love.
It was more than a privilege to do this
work with team members from other Orthodox
churches around the United States. They traveled
from many states to contribute to the same
cause as I did, and I bonded with them like with
no others. They became my best friends, if not
my family, throughout this journey. I woke up
with them, sat with them, ate with them, and
worked with them.
Throughout the week, we continuously
worked on the house. Day by day, it was a
new step as harder work was required than a
day before. Around day three, I met the family.
The mother's name was Karen, and her little
girl, about 6 years old, was named Brisa. They
helped us build their new house. During lunch
breaks, I spent time getting to know Brisa and
later would help her spread stucco around the
house.
Stucco was made
of concrete, dirt, and
water. It was incredibly
difficult to mix
and usually required
four people to rotate
mixes. We had to
smack the concrete to
make the floor and
contract the amount
of air bubbles left behind
to prevent cracking.
Everything was
done by hand; there
was no electricity to
guide us. So each day felt a lot rougher because
we grew very tired. But we didn’t stop until the
house was finished.
Standing in the house, holding the keys to the
future of this family, and knowing how secure
they would feel in the home which all thirty of
us had built with every ounce of love we could
give, was the most defining moment of my entire
life. I had never felt more internal wonder
than when I realized how my actions and my
presence in the world had affected this family
for the rest of their lives. It was while I was
building a life for others that I was re-built into
a more tolerant, loving, open-minded person.
Love knows no borders.
December 2015
13
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LIVING
My Lesson from Mexico
BY: SARAH MAILLOUX
4th grade, Paint Creek Elementary,
Lake Orion Schools
The year of 2009 was a very eventful
year in my life. My dad came
home one night with very big
news: because of his job, there
was a very important thing he had to do
in a different part of the world, in Mexico.
And we had to come with him. We packed
our bags, flew 2,074 miles, and landed in
Saltillo, Mexico - a place which we would
call our new home.
We knew that adjustment would take
some time. My sister, brother, and I had to
learn at least a little Spanish in order to go
to school in Mexico. We kept our house in
Michigan because we knew we would be
coming back eventually. My dad told us it
would be three years.
After two years, we had adjusted,
made many friends, learned new things,
and felt at home in Mexico. Then one day,
when my mom was picking me up from
school, I noticed that her eyes were puffy
and red. The first thing she did when she
saw me was to hug me. Her grip was
tight, and I could remember her whisper
to me, “We’re moving back…”
This was very sudden to us. It had only
been two years; we expected three. We had
two days to pack up and leave Mexico.
The reason we moved was because the
area where we lived had gotten very dangerous.
My dad and his company decided
that it wasn’t safe for us anymore there.
We arrived back to Michigan, to
our old house. Everything was different
and strange. We had to adjust again. So
much had changed, we had changed, but
after a while, it felt like home.
Living in a different country was an
important experience (sometimes I wish
we stayed for the last year) because it
has taught me how to adjust. Unexpected
things happen in life; I know now that no
matter where I am, I can make the best of
every situation.
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We Can Change the
World
BY: MALAYA MOJICA
5th grade, Bailey Lake Elementary,
Clarkston Schools
There have been too many frightful events around the
world lately. These events cause people to feel scared. I
strongly believe that many people who do bad things, act
this way because they want to make others feel afraid. And this is
what bullying does. Maybe they grew up as bullies, or they have
been bullied and want to let others feel how they felt, but it’s all
about creating fear. This is why I think bullying in all its forms is
a big problem in our world and we all need to step in to stop it.
Bullying might not seem that serious, but it impacts someone’s
life. There are many ways that bullying can hurt a person. It
can bring a person’s confidence level down, hurt their feelings,
or even cause physical pain. Being bullied can prevent people
from accomplishing certain goals they might have achieved, had
it not started. It makes people live in fear. Bullying can be on the
internet, at school, home and basically anywhere. That is why it
is especially dangerous.
Bystanders are those who are watching people being mistreated
but aren’t doing anything about it. Usually, in most bullying cases,
there are bystanders involved. If you happen to be a bystander
yourself, you should stop being a bystander by befriending and
standing up for the victim and telling a trusted adult.
If you’re being bullied, you should always tell a trusted adult
and, if you can, ignore the bully. Bullies aren’t doing anything
that can make them successful in life. Instead, they are negatively
impacting your life and theirs.
If you are a bully, you don’t have to stay a bully. Everyone deserves
a second chance. You can stop bullying and apologize to the
person or people that you have bullied. Just because someone did
something wrong, it doesn’t mean that he or she is a bad person.
If a bully wants to change, forgive him or her.
Peace starts where we are. We can choose to stand up for those
who need help and forgive those who hurt us. If you see someone
being bullied, have been bullied yourself, and especially if you
have ever been a bully, help stop the pain. We can change the
world if we have the will.
Peace starts where we
are. We can choose to
stand up for those who
need help and forgive
those who hurt us.
December 2015
15
Publication INC.

MINDFULNESS
KINDNESS
Leads to Peace
BY: ELLA CADY
5th grade, Pine Knob Elementary
Clarkston Schools
What is kindness? Kindness,
like peace, can be really
hard to find these days.
People think kindness is not important,
but one act of kindness can make someone's
entire day and lead to friendships
and understanding.
Kindness can means different things
to different people. Some people believe
that kindness is about being nice to
people and not judging. Others think
kindness means helping people in different
ways. I believe it is about both
caring and acceptance.
Kindness creates confidence because if
someone says something nice about you,
you will feel appreciated and confident.
That compliment makes you feel good
about yourself and the world around
you. Kindness not only helps you, but it
helps others feel good about themselves,
too. When people feel good with each
other, there is peace.
Kind words cost nothing; yet they accomplish
many things. Be kind!
STRONG AND KIND
BY: MIKAYLA ROGER
5th grade, Blanche Sims Elementary,
Lake Orion Schools
When people treat other people poorly because
they look differently or believe in different
things, our world doesn’t know peace. Years
ago, people with light skin treated people
with dark skin like a lopsided, cracked lollipop. They treated
them like they were different from everyone else, like they
were worse than them. That wasn’t true.
Rosa Parks had dark skin, and she was tired of being
treated poorly. One day she sat on a bus, when the driver
and a man with light skin came to her. “This man needs your
seat,” the driver said. They thought light skinned people
should get better seating on the bus. “No!” Rosa said, arguing
that she was not in a seat reserved for whites. When Mrs.
Parks defied this order, the police came and took her away.
On that day she stood up for herself and people like her. She
took a stand. Ruby Bridges was a young girl who became
the first dark skinned student to attend a school for kids
with light skin as part of a special program. Judge ordered
that she should go to this school. Two men walked in with
her into the school because light skinned people were angry
and screamed at her. They did not want her coming to their
school. A crowd of people stood yelling, but Ruby walked
on and did not say a word. Every day there would be someone saying
bad things to her. One day while walking into the school, Ruby
stopped. Her teacher saw her out the window. “What is she doing?”
Ruby’s teacher thought. When Ruby finally came into the school, her
teacher asked, “Why did you stop?” “I was praying for those people
in the crowd,” Ruby replied. Ruby did the right thing. She prayed
for those people who were unkind to her and did not say anything to
them.
Does it matter if one’s skin is dark or light? Does it matter
how one looks? We all are people. Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges
stayed strong and showed kindness even though people were mean to
them. World needs people who can stay strong even when it is hard
and stay kind even when people are cruel. Be a Rosa. Be a Ruby.
16 www.KidsStandard.org
Publication INC.

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COLLEGE VOICES
Going Global
BY: SPENCER BUNTING
Underwood International College
University at Yonsei, Seoul
Clarkston High School Graduate,
Class of 2012
I
am a senior in Underwood International
College, University at Yonsei, in South
Korea. I major in International Studies
and Political Science, planning to graduate
in June of 2016. While studying in
South Korea and Japan, I have met numerous
students that attended long running
International Baccalaureate (I.B.) international
schools. I was impressed to find that
many of these individuals were multilingual,
possessing adaptive personalities, far
reaching networks, and ambitious plans.
More often than not, these students referenced
their experiences living abroad as the
fundamental factor that enabled them to
hone their language skills and grow their
professional networks.
Although University-level education in
the United States is superb, there is a plethora
of excellent universities, which students
interested in a global career should research
and consider when submitting their college
applications: Underwood International
College at Yonsei University, Scienes Po
in France, Hong Kong University, and
Australian National University, to name a
few.
It might be somewhat intimidating to take
this step, and I can relate to that. I have
to say, however, that the once remarkably
alien environment of Seoul has become
remarkably familiar now that I better understand
the Korean outlook on life, societal
expectations, and the problems that arise
therein.
What helped me most of all was the I.B.
program at Clarkston High School. This
intensive two-year program provided me
with a balance of rigorous assessments and
innovative challenges. During those two
years, I was encouraged to rapidly update
my problem solving methodology. More
importantly, I found that I needed to seek
insight into innumerable perspectives from
which problems may be viewed. This set of
skills is applicable to daily life.
When considering what learning opportunities
could help prepare today’s students
for a global marketplace, I would say that
learning another language is a must. Schools
need to increase the total number of languages
offered and make proficiency in a
foreign language a requirement to graduate.
Though specific target languages are
preferable, vast experience in most major
When considering what
learning opportunities could
help prepare today’s students
for a global marketplace,
I would say that learning
another language is a must.
Schools need to increase the
total number of languages
offered and make proficiency
in a foreign language a
requirement to graduate.
languages is quite useful. For instance, I
struggled with learning Korean at first, but
my five years of learning Spanish provided a
solid foundation of language development,
which has helped gradually improve my
Korean proficiency.
I believe that each student has to have
international exposure. Often, students put
forth tremendous effort learning a second
language during secondary school, only to
squander this hard work by staying well
within predominately English-speaking
communities. Spending a semester or even
a year abroad could yield serious benefits.
Exchange programs could pave a path
toward proficiency in students’ relevant
second language, as well as provide the
opportunity to explore the possibility of a
professional future abroad.
18 www.KidsStandard.org
Publication INC.

PARENT’S CORNER
The world is waiting! Kids learn to love
what their parents love. If they are part
of their parents’ love of travel, they will
learn to appreciate it as well. Transatlantic
flights? My kids behave better than many
adults I’ve seen. A new means of transportation
(bus, metro, tram) in new foreign countries
they meet with excitement. They make
fast friends with children who don’t speak
their language. They start to regard the
world as a whole, not as divisions of land,
people, cultures, and languages.
The world becomes an ever-increasingly
friendlier place the more one travels. I don’t
ever want my children to feel that there’s a
place where they can’t go or something they
can’t do because it’s “different.” So why do
we travel? Because I don’t want my children
to fear the world. They belong to this world,
and this world belongs to them!
THE WORLD IS
WAITING
BY: KELLY TEAGUE
Parent Bailey Lake Elementary
Clarkston Schools
I
was recently asked by another parent
why international travel is important
to our family of four. Aren’t our children,
ages 7 and 10, too young to appreciate
different cultures, languages, art,
and food?
I think these are things that one can enjoy
regardless of age. But to be really honest
about why we travel with our young children,
I have to say that it’s to teach them to
not be afraid. Not be afraid of differences:
people who look, talk and dress differently
than we do; cities that are overcrowded and
run on confusing transit systems; food that
may sound familiar on a menu, but look
and taste altogether different; words and
sounds that are completely incoherent to
our English-accustomed ears.
To truly travel— to become a traveler,
not just a tourist—one must verge outside
of his or her comfort zone. Yes, we’ve been
approached by haggard, toothless beggars
in Italy; yes, we’ve had half of our group
miss a metro stop in Paris, thereby splitting
our party in two at rush hour across the city.
And yes, these experiences have proven to
our children that they can handle it. They
can manage when things go wrong or seem
frightening. These experiences helped them
acquire the skills they will need to go off on
their own one day and explore this great,
beautiful world.
The world becomes an
ever-increasingly
friendlier place the
more one travels. One
starts to regard the
world as a whole, not
as divisions of land,
people, cultures, and
languages.
December 2015
19
Publication INC.

EDUCATORS
Creatures of Habit
or Creatures of our
Habitat?
BY: JESSICA CLELAND
Language Arts Teacher
Clarkston Junior High School
Most of us are creatures of
habit. We are engrossed in
our daily lives, and the consistency
of going through
familiar motions can be somewhat comforting.
I will be the first to admit that for a
long time my daily life has been predictable
- little interruption, little disruption. Ralph
Fletcher, educator, author, and writing guru
challenged me to see my life and the world
with a wider lens, all through a simple suggestion,
“Live a writer’s wide awake life.”
This got me thinking about my role as an
educator as well. How many of my students
are creatures of habit? Most likely, they, like
me, are comfortable with going through the
motions of life. How can I help students
wake up? How can I help them widen
their lens, not only of their own world, but
their lens of the global world to which they
belong?
I reached out to a friend, the Head of
Olympia Schools in Vietnam. Together, we
made a goal to connect our classrooms, and
as a result, each of my classrooms is now
globally connected.
Global Connections Through Google
Classroom. My 9th grade Language Arts
class is currently connected to 9th grade
students at Olympia Schools. By using
Google Classroom as a common place to offer
shared learning experiences, both teachers
have the ability to guide and invite
interactive student conversations by posting
assignments and questions. Students ask
questions, respond to each other’s writing,
and read and review resources
related to both of our grade level
curriculums. Students are sharing their
thinking with one another about their lives,
cultures, and global issues.
Global Connections Through Google Docs &
Digital Storytelling. Students in one of my 8th
grade classes are working to capture and tell
another person’s story. They dig deep for
reasons this person’s story matters, connect
it to what the bigger human story might be,
and finally recognize how stories of others
can help them learn about themselves and
their place in the world. To achieve this, they
are interviewing 4th grade students from
Clarkston, Vietnam, and China via Google
Docs, and then using this information to
create a digital storytelling project that will
showcase the stories. These projects will be
shared with all classes involved.
Pen Pal Global Connections Through Google
Docs and Blogger. My two 8th grade classes
are exchanging communications with 8th
grade students in Vietnam. They are sharing
information about themselves and their
culture through Google Docs and Blogger.
This brief excerpt from a Google Doc sums
up the excitement of their exchanges:
HI!
I was so excited when I saw your response! I was
in math and I saw this, I was like, I HAVE to
read it now! I love to shoot hoops….Also, don’t
worry, I do not like parsley either. Mac and
cheese is the best! I had it for dinner last night;)
And I have so much from bath and body works
too!!! I love the Beautiful Day scent. So, what is
school like for you?
Bye! -Maddie
Hi Maddie!
I was in Math when I saw your response, too.
Sorry that I didn’t reply to you sooner.
Beautiful Day is my favorite scent, too. It smells
so good! School is quite interesting in my opinion.
I have a tons of friends and they help me
a lot! I think we should talk more but it is not
convenient to chat on Google Drive. I hope that
we will be BFF =))
Bye! =Thuy Trang=
My hope is that through these class-toclass
global connections, students will expand
their cultural awareness, widen their
global lens, engage others in conversation
about global issues, and become agents of
change in the world. I hope that they will
no longer be creatures of habit in their lives
and classrooms, but wide-awake creatures
of our mutual habitat. As their teacher, I
will soon interrupt my daily teaching routine
to travel to Vietnam and to present my
students’ learning story at an International
Conference on Blended Learning and
Innovative Teaching. Imagine what knowledge
and “disruptive” ideas I might bring
back!
20 www.KidsStandard.org
Publication INC.

PEOPLE WE ADMIRE
Role Models
BY: KEIRA TOLMIE
5th grade, Pine Knob Elementary,
Clarkston Schools
Our world needs positive role
models. Role models are people
whose actions and behaviors
set good examples for others
to follow. They give kids and adults
someone or something to dream and live
up to. Not only do these people let us see
the good in the world but they also help us
become good human beings by teaching us
how to act and how to be the best we can be.
I am fortunate to have a large family with
40 cousins who are older than me. Over
the years, they have been my inspiration to
become kind, hard working, and accepting
as they are. One of my cousins, Dr. Greg
Tolmie, is the role model that every child
should have. Greg grew up in Ontario,
Canada, and attended the University of
Western Ontario for his undergraduate education.
Then he continued on to receive a
Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. “He graduated
at the top of his dental class as the gold
medalist in dentistry” (www.tolmieortho.
Role models are people
whose behavior helps you
paint the picture of who
you want to be yourself.
com). He opened his own practice,Tolmie
Orthodontics, right out of school.
Greg helped guide me toward my dream
job: an anesthesiologist. I chose this profession
because anesthesiology relieves pain.
He showed me how wonderful working
within the healthcare field can be. When I
came to his office, I was amazed that he had
the opportunity to help people every day.
From then on, I knew right away what I
wanted to do.
Greg is one of the major inspirations in my
life. He has given me the drive to persevere
and grow into the best person I can be. Since
I have been given this opportunity to have
someone to look up to, I truly believe that
all kids deserve to have a role model like my
cousin Greg.
Role models are people whose behavior
helps you paint the picture of who you want
to be yourself. To this extent, having a role
model is the best way to find what inspires
you and helps you set your future goals. A
role model doesn’t have to be someone in
your family; it can be anyone who inspires
you to grow. If all people are pushed to succeed,
we could live in a happier world.
December 2015
21
Publication INC.

EDUCATORS
After Paris,
A Different Kind of Global Education
Thom
Markham
CEO, PBL Global
With the event in Paris,
something’s changed
in our world. It’s not as
if we and our children
don’t know about terrorism,
or refugees, or the
general level of chaos permeating the landscape
of politics, economics, technology, and social and
family relationships. But something has changed.
There’s a sudden, strong whiff of hate and fear in
the wind.
The first lesson for any teacher is that hate and
fear are the enemies of learning. Beliefs limit and
narrow perspectives. When fear wells up in the
body, passes through the heart, and travels to the
hindbrain, the brain responds by swiftly focusing
on survival, not creative response. The resulting
isolation is not brain-friendly—it leads to a hardening
of the pathways of antagonism, difference, and
eventual violence, and to abandonment of another
fundamental of learning, joy.
Education doesn’t mix well with politics, but beyond
politics and the domain of honest argument
lies the sacred territory of human connection. That
connection is now being tested.
What to do, as a teacher?
In these days, it is necessary to step outside the
bounds of education and look for guidance. Each of
us must look in the direction that suits us, but kind
and forgiving words abound, in every religion and
philosophy. For example, the Vietnamese Buddhist
monk, teacher, and author Thich Nhat Hanh has
written of the “morality of belonging,” in which the
highest moral good in a global world is to embrace
one another.
In fact, there is no other choice possible now. The
route of difference and division in a globe shrinking
by the minute will be a disaster—and that is
not the world we wish to leave to our students.
Establishing a global circle of care should be the
fundamental, passionate, non-negotiable response
of every teacher to the news.
Another, more operational, choice can back up
this commitment in the classroom. Continue to
invest in building the skills and knowledge necessary
to craft the world anew by teaching science,
social studies, writing and reading, and other fundamentals
necessary to live and act well. But focus
as well—or perhaps commit to a higher and more
pronounced focus—on those qualities that make
us uniquely human and are equally necessary to
overcome the natural animosities of our tribal past.
Treat emotional skills as real skills, not ‘soft’ skills.
Highlight and impress on students the traits that
can lead us out of a wilderness: empathy, inspiration,
creativity and sensitivity.
Be aware, also, that the economic measurements
and data driven ideas that underlie the present
work in classrooms, while useful in many ways,
will not save us. Belonging and caring do not arise
because one is better educated or holds a higher
degree. Like all morality, those qualities come
from the generation that leads the learning for the
younger generation. There has always been a particular
responsibility for teachers to help maintain
and further the social good, but the responsibility
weighs heavier now. It’s time to practice, preach,
and teach the “morality of belonging.”
22 www.KidsStandard.org
Publication INC.

PARENT’S CORNER
Frohes neues Jahr
Buon anno
С Новым
Годом
From the President
Feliz año
nuevo
Happy
New Year!!!
あけまして おめでと
う ございます
Maggie
Razdar
Publisher/Founder
As we are coming to end of
2015, It gives me a great
pleasure to be founder of an
organization that is providing
a platform for students, parents, and
teachers as well as professionals, to showcase
and share their writing through critical
thinking and creativity.
I just wanted to say how truly grateful
I am for your participation with submissions
and readership.
And let me say one last time, thank
you! Thank you! Thank you for all of your
help making our magazine such a huge
success!
I thank all of our directors, volunteers,
parents, mentor students and teachers
that inspire and motivate their kids in
creativity and critical thinking and making
their lives more meaningful!
From Kids Standard: Wish you Warm
of joy, glow of prosperity, Sparkle of happiness………
May you be blessed with all
these and more!!
کرابم ون لاس
新 年 快
Godt nytår
Bonne
année
Happy holidays
Merry Christmas
Happy Hanukkah
December 2015
23
Publication INC.

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Books Are Fun
are proud supporters of
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in the distribution area
will be used to support the excellent publication.
to have Books Are Fun in your schools
Contact
Steve Martin : 810-240-1531