Mrs. Wilkes has Marathon Stamina Inside the ... - Norfolk Academy

The Halls are Alive…with Yodeling
By Jaden Baum, Staff Writer
The NA musical this year will be the Sound of Music. This funny, entertaining
show is a musical set in Austria in the 1930s, during the rise of the Hitler and the Nazis
in Germany. It was made popular in the movie version starring Julie Andrews, which won many Academy
Awards. The story is about Maria, a nun in a convent. She is sent to work as a nanny for Captain Von Trapp
and his seven rambunctious children. Maria charms them with her voice and happiness, and soon she,
Captain Von Trapp, and the children become a performing singing group. All seems well, until the
Germans seize control of Austria, putting the Von Trapps in danger. To find out what happens next, see the
Sound of Music with a little NA style! One of the most well-known songs has the line, “The hills are
alive…with the sound of music.”
There are previews and performances in the afternoons and evenings from February 23 to February
27. Many of the performances are already sold out!
This production of the Sound of Music is special at NA. Thirty years ago, in 1981, NA performed
the Sound of Music for its musical. This year is its 30 th anniversary!
Being a Lefty is All Right with Many Students
By Jamie Levin, Staff Writer
February 2011
Many students in Norfolk Academy’s Lower School take on life as lefties, or as south-paws, as it is
sometimes called. One thing is certain: students who are left-handed may be smaller in numbers than the
majority right-handers, but lefties are all extremely proud of it. Being left-handed has been a part of their
lives since they could pick up a crayon and tell what felt comfortable. But it hasn’t always been easy, since
they are living in a righty world.
“Most things are built for righties…like serving utensils and golf clubs…so some lefties are taught to
use their right hand which makes them work messily,” comments Mrs. Smack, teacher of 2GB. Also writing
lefty can be messy and cause lead to end up on the side of your hand, because your hand drags across the
paper. This can also be a problem when writing on a white board.
“When I write on a white board my hand can sometimes erase what I just wrote,” says Emma
Somers of 4GB.
On the other hand, so to speak, being a lefty is very unique because the amount of righties overtakes
the lefties. Being a lefty in a righty world can also work as an advantage because you gain skill in both
hands. Cutting with a knife becomes easier when you are a lefty because you don’t have to switch hands in
between cutting and eating. It adds comfort when writing lefty, because you are writing across the page
instead of off it. Being left handed can also have an advantage in sports.
“In baseball, when the pitcher is righty, and you are batting lefty, the ball comes at you in a way that
makes you hit better,” says Graham Barbour of 6A, who writes righty but plays sports lefty. In tennis, being
left handed is also an advantage because, in the lefty’s serve, the ball spins away from the righty opponent’s
backhand, which is generally the weaker stroke.
Life isn’t only lefty for students and teachers in the Lower School; there are about 682 million in the
world, including former president Bill Clinton, rappers Eminem and 50 cent, actress Angelina Jolie, and
media star Oprah Winfrey.

The Great Pencil Debate
Grab Your Favorite Pen(cil) and Give Us Your Opinion
By Carter Furr and Oliver Denk,, Staff Writers
When you sit down to write, what’s in your hand? Do you prefer a nice,
traditional yellow pencil, or a piece of plastic that dispenses lead with the click of a
button? After an unscientific sampling of students and a few teachers around
Norfolk Academy’s Lower School, we found that mechanical pencils are preferred
over traditional pencils.
People like mechanical pencils for many reasons, including that they are
easier to use because they do not need to be sharpened. All you have to do is push a button and more lead
comes out, while sharpening a pencil requires a trip to the often-noisy sharpener, which can disrupt class.
Also the mechanical pencils last longer and look better. They don’t break as easily as traditional
pencils and they are easy to grip, and feel comfortable.
While there are advantages of having a mechanical pencil, there are also disadvantages. When
mechanical pencils run out of led you have to buy more, which can be costly. Students have to be careful
about which lead they choose. “Premium lead promotes premium performance, while shoddy lead promotes
shoddy performance,” Mr. Kastrounis, 6 th grade teacher. Also, if you push too hard while writing then the
lead will break, and if you push too hard while erasing, lead pops out.
Wooden pencils do have some avid fans. Mrs. Driskill of 2A says that mechanical pencils are
frustrating and unreliable for young writers, like the second graders in her class. Many people like having a
fresh No. 2 pencil in their hands each day. “There’s not much that is more satisfying than a good wooden
pencil… except maybe a Reese’s cup,” said Mrs. Driskill with a laugh.
Bargain hunters tend to favor wooden pencils. They are cheap, and you can buy quite a few for a good
price. While preferences can be debated, wooden and mechanical pencils share one
important thing in common; neither one has any lead! The core of a pencil is made
up of graphite, a non-toxic mineral.
What type of writing implement makes your words flow? Let us know your
preferences for wooden pencil, mechanical pencil, or pen by writing a Letter to the
Editor to express your opinion. Each letter must have the date at the top, a greeting
(Dear Bullpup Editors,) and a few sentences about your favorite writing tool and why
you like it.
Please sign the letter with your name and your homeroom. The letters can be put in
the BULLPUP LETTER BOX in the B-trium or in Mrs. Diskin’s mailbox. We will
publish some of the letters we get!
Reporters of the Bullpup News thank you for participating in the annual
compliment issue. We loved typing them! Happy Valentine’s Day from
Jaden Baum, Oliver Denk, Savannah Dotolo , Carter Furr, Jamie Levin, Julia
MinderLindley Richardson, Helen Shaves, Ryder Wagnon

Mrs. Wilkes has Marathon Stamina
Inside the Classroom and Out
By Helen Shaves, Staff Writer
Mrs. Wilkes, teacher of 5C, leads an interesting life…
It all started in California where she was born and raised along with her
two older sisters. She moved here in northern Virginia at the age of eight and
loved basketball and dancing. While in high school, her favorite subjects were
English and math and she was on the field hockey and basketball teams.
Mrs. Wilkes went to William and Mary for college where she majored in
government and minored in women’s studies.
Prior to teaching, Mrs. Wilkes worked at a camp and volunteered in the Habitat for Humanity
organization. She went to Guatemala and Nicaragua where she built homes for those less fortunate.
She now lives with her husband and her dog, Scout. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkes named her “Scout” after the
character in To Kill a Mockingbird, because they both share love for the novel.
Before coming to Norfolk Academy, she taught fifth grade in Washington, D.C. for five years. If Mrs.
Wilkes couldn’t teach, she said that she would work in carpentry. She says it interests her but does not love it
as much as she does her fifth grade students! The reason why she picked fifth grade is because they have a
great sense of humor, they are excited to learn, and they are not too independent yet. “They also aren’t as wild
as you crazy sixth graders!” she said laughing.
When Mrs. Wilkes is out of the classroom, she is on the run! Her favorite running is in marathons and
she says she will be running the 8K this year. She also recalled the time she ran a marathon with her sister and
says it was her favorite running experience. She also loves to read historical and contemporary fiction. Mrs.
Wilkes has recently began to love outdoor non-fiction novels. This includes stories about climbing Mt.
Everest like in the books by Greg Mortenson.
Say hello to Mrs. Wilkes if you have not yet!
Start
Finish

1A
To Nate DeLorenzo: You are a really good soccer player.
To Axel Patzer: I like how you kick the ball all the way down the field.
To Thomas Harbison: You are a good baseball player. You also give good reports in class.
To Henry Martin: You are a very good speller and a nice person to be around.
To Carson Zabler: You are a good student. You were a good junior sports student.
To Jackson Howell: You are a good friend to your classmates.
To Oliver Jones: You are a nice guy since you are a clown.
To Ethan Standing: You are nice to me every day. Thanks!
To Reed Ramirez: I really liked your boy of the day report.
To Connor Purcell: You are so funny and smart.
To Nicholas Rose: You are a nice friend. You are also a good soccer player!
To Coby Simpson: You are a good soccer player. I like the way you play at recess. You play fairly!
To Lee Shearin: You are very good at sports.
To William Bland: You are a good friend.
To Tommy Crooks: You have nice handwriting, and you are a good reader.
To Ian Fitzgerald: I like the way you are silly! You are taller than me! You are a good friend!
To Averell Stith: You help classmates when they get hurt by getting
the teacher.
To Evan Old: You are very nice and compassionate. You are a good
friend.
To Jacob Cress: I loved your boy of the day on Thomas Jefferson!
To Luke Boran: Luke is a really great friend. He plays well at recess
and he is a great soccer player.
1B
Kenneth Whitehurst: You are a good friend and a really fun person!
David Bashara: You are one of the best soccer players I’ve ever seen!
Rohan Nagabhirava: I like talking to you at lunch.
Joey Clarkson: You are a nice friend. You tell funny jokes and are good at math.
Nash Menden: You are a good tag player and a good friend.
Charles Hobbs: Charles is so nice. I would go to school on the weekend if he were there.
Butler Standing: Butler is good at soccer and a good runner. He also has good tricks on the playground.
Timmy Butler: You are a great soccer player!
Charlie Russell: Charlie you are very smart and you are so good at football.
David Smythe: You’re good at soccer and you are very nice.
Gavin Goss: Gavin is kind to others and he is good at dodge ball!
Mac Grace: You are good at spelling, and good at boy of the day!
Alex Clunan: Alex is good in math and is a great friend.
Nathan Tran: Nathan is a good friend. He plays zombie tag well too!
Ross Hope: You are a good soccer player. Thanks for being my friend.
Jacob Bakkar: You are good at monkey bars.
Benjamin Farpour: You are one of the nicest boys in our class!
Jett Falk: You are a very good reader and a good friend.
Josh Darrow: I like your hair and you are funny!
Andrew Trinder: You are a nice friend and a good soccer player.

1GA
To Cate Ware: You are so cute.
To Lauren Harwood: As soon as I met you, I knew you were so nice.
To Camille Roberson: I like the dresses you wear to school. You are really nice. You are a good artist.
To Wynne Elser: You always wear gorgeous head bands.
To Lauren Weinstein: I love your hair. You are the best friend.
To Millie Van Slyke: You are nice and friendly.
To Olivia Galiotos: I love your clothes and the curls in your hair.
To Selden Fiveash: You’re so sweet!
To Jessica Ezieme: I love the clothes you wear every day.
To Catherine Gregoire: Your hair is always pretty and you are always kind. I love being your classmate.
To Leah Greenzaid: I love how you are always focused in class.
To Mary Cameron Somers: You are very smart and a great friend.
To Helene Schulwolf: I like how you dress. You have pretty hair. You are fun and nice.
To Avery Britt: You are a great friend to me.
To Brogan Land: I love your hair and you are nice outside.
To Sacha Konikoff: You are so nice.
To Emma Clark: I love the color of your eyes.
To Olivia Wallace: I love your pretty brown eyes. You are a lot of fun.
To Elizabeth Rainey: You are so supportive, kind, special, nice, and always
willing to help me. You are a good friend.
To Kayla Wilson: I like how you swim fast. You are also a good friend.
To Virginia Gill: I like you because you are helpful.
1GB
To Makenna Doyle: You are a great friend. Happy Valentine’s Day.
To Rachel Thetford: You are a great friend and a great swimmer.
To Grace Antonio : You make me smile when you laugh.
To Claire Vu: You are a great friend and I like how you helped me cut out my feathers.
To Emmaline Prodan: I like you because you smile every day.
To Carey Stredler: I like you because you are funny and you make me laugh.
To: Michelle Sanford: I like the way you are, you are nice and friendly to me.
To Zoe Dukas: Thank you for playing with me and yesterday you raced very good.
To Syndie Simon: You are kind and generous.
To Julianne Hood: I love you because you are nice to me and very smart.
To Mariana Duarte: You are always happy and you bring sunshine to the classroom.
To Jasmine LeClair: You are so kind and smart. You are so fun and I wish I could be your friend
forever.
To Brooke Synder: Thank you for putting back stuff when I am finished with it.
To Jill Ghormley: I love way you’re always helpful to everyone in our class.
To Anna Cathryn Perry: You are very thoughtful and very helpful.
To Emma Hugo: Emma, you are fabulous at counting and amazing at math. I like sitting at your table.
To Emmie Land: You are nice and kind. Happy Valentine’s Day!
To Sarah Jacobs: Thanks for being a good friend in class.
To Kendall Pagach: I like sitting next to you at lunch.
To Lily Mersel: I like you because you play with me outside every day and you’re funny!
To Emily Graham: You are my friend because you are smart and nice.

2A
To Peyton Randolph-You are very, very, funny.
To Brooks Jarvis-You have the magic touch. You’re the best at sports. If you see Brooks say wow.
To Robert Lucas-I love how you know your dinos, so I can always count on you when I need to know one.
To Liam Michaels-You’re funny because you always talk about cheese.
To Connor Villers-You are silly and good on the soccer field.
To Justin Green-You can really run fast.
To Franklin Reid-I think you are very funny.
To Alex Stern-I think you are nice and helpful.
To Patrick McCracken-I like you, because you like the Trojan War and play Star Wars.
To Trey Mills-You shoot very well in basketball.
To Michael Lucas-You are a very kind and helpful person. You are a great artist too!
To Carsen Harrell-You are a great friend, because you listen to your friends.
To Riley Dorroh-I like that you are good at Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
To Keon Tavakoli-You are the best sports player at recess.
To Danny Schein-You are a good friend, because you help people.
To Max Pollio-I like how you play outside with me with fake swords and guns.
To Christopher Ascuncion-You are very smart and intelligent.
To Patrick Purdy-You’re great at football.
To Henry Campbell-I like that you are good at a lot of sports.
To Joey Silva-You include everyone, friend or not, and you are fun to play with.
2B
To Bryce Burton: You are funny.
To Cullen Campbell: I bet you’re good at hunting, you are also very nice.
To Taylor Fox: Taylor, You are a great soccer player!
To Barr Gill: Barr, you are really nice. I like you a lot
To Aidan Graham: You are really, really, really nice.
To Jens Islev-Petersen : You are an expert on Star Wars and Legos!
To Adam Knapp: You are a really, really, really good friend.
To Gabo Landaeta: You are a great friend. Oh, I like your cake pops. They are very good! I like you.
To Ned Lewis: You are really nice and funny.
To Rishi Manghat: You are a very smart boy! J
To Dylan McGruder : Dylan, you are very funny and are great at sports.
To Frank Mercer: You’re good at soccer.
To Dayton Ott: You are a very good soccer player.
To Chris Signorelli: You are very funny.
To Mark Southern: You are really funny.
To Ellis Stedfast: You are very good at sports!
To Nate Ternes: You are nice to me.
To Charlie Walker: You are a great soccer player, I hope we win our tournament. Happy Valentines!
To Josh Warsaw: You play baseball very well.
To Graham Webb: You are a good friend.
To Matthew Wetmore: You are very good at soccer.

2GA
To Reed Miller: You are a special student and a good friend to everybody.
To Phoebe Montagna: You have a great voice and write amazing songs.
To Sophia Rice: You’re a great sport and you’re good at climbing the ropes in P.E.
To Michela Jones: You are very good in basketball.
To Ella Deans: You are so funny!
To Sierra Gilliard: You are fun and inspirational. You are a great friend.
To Tate Crawford: You are so sweet and you are kind and caring.
To Kate Ruffin: You are very friendly.
To Darby Jones: You are awesome and funny and very smart and you are good at math.
To Erin Clayton: You make me laugh when you are funny.
To Emma Johnson: You are an awesome soccer player.
To Alexandra Kerr: You are a great person because you care about others.
To Kelsey Briggins: You are so funny. You make me laugh.
To Kira Stewart: You are so kind and you are great at standing up for yourself and other people.
To Nila Talley: You are a playful, sharing girl.
To Peyton Long: I love how you ask questions that make me laugh. They make me sing.
To Lonni Howard: Your jokes are really good and funny. I think you are really good at making them.
2GB
To Finlova Berry: You’re a great swimmer.
To Molly Rufffin: You’re a great jazzer.
To Ella Borte: You are so stylish
To Jackie Gall : You make me smile and laugh.
To Anna Melley: You make me laugh in a lot of ways.
To Kalli Meagher: Kalli, you’re very stylish and you always make me laugh.
To Layla Mersel: Thank you for teaching me it’s ok to laugh.
To Emma Howerton: You are sweet, funny, stylish, and lovable.
To Grayson Fiveash: When you laugh you make my heart feel good even when I’m sad.
To Haley Holland: I like the way always care, you have a warm heart.
To Parker Hanley: You are a very good friend and listener in school every day.
To Olivia Danielson: Your smile brightens my day.
To Eliza Hogeland: You make me laugh and smile. You’re amazing.
To Bayler Glenn: You are stylish. You dress fancy.
To Jordan Pagach: You are very fun! I love to play with you on the playground. You are so funny.
To Brayden Fox: You are very sweet and really funny! You are a good friend to me. You work
hard.
To Jenifer Permenter: I love it when you make me laugh and when we play together.

3A
To Asher Baum: I like how you are so energetic.
To Paris Bredehoft: I really enjoy having you in my class. You are a very fun friend.
To Nikolas Chrones: I admire how you like to share your knowledge.
To Colin Dowd: Colin, you are very good at reading.
To Aiden Feigenbaum: I like how you always pay attention.
To John Grégoire: You are great at football and basketball.
To Jarod Haley: In P.E. and recess you are the one that I think tries the hardest.
To Hunter Harwood: I think you are really thoughtful about others.
To Benjamin Koen: I love how much effort you put into your artwork (it pays off!).
To Nosa Lawani: You are a loyal, hardworking, and nice friend.
To Spencer McCraw: You are a great friend.
To Sean Miller: You are really good at games and you play fair.
To Max Minder: I like how you are cooperative with a group and kind to other classmates.
To Cole Moore: I like how competitive you are.
To Jacob Saffold: I think you are very creative. You are very good at drawing.
To Ben Shine: You are good at acting!
To William Smythe: You are good at bonus words on spelling tests and you have neat handwriting.
To Landon Snyder: I like how you always volunteer in class.
To Myles Twyman: You are an energetic, funny, and adventurous friend. I’m glad you are in my class.
To Isaiah Whitfield: I think you are a very kind person.
To Mark Williams: You are very good at being a leader.
3B
To Shrey Vachhani: You are a great football player because you can catch well and you are a fast runner.
To Wyatt Pleming: You are a great center in football and a great friend because you are nice and honest.
To Aidan Dowd: I love how you run really fast at recess.
To Jed Rainey: I love how you always make something fun and I like your shoes.
To Andrew Rachels: You are a very powerful kicker in football.
To Ethan Thurmond: You are very funny in class.
To Nathan Vu: I think you are really good at math.
To Guil Ware: I love how you are friendly and very nice because you help out and you are good at sports.
To Sam Stanton: You are a great swimmer and you are great at sports.
To Zack Howard: I think you are very good at sports. Also, I think you are funny.
To Drew Moore: I really like the color of your braces.
To Ben Walling: I like your shoes and how you work. I love #20 because that is my dad’s favorite number.
To Drew Duffy: You are a great football player because you always hike the ball.
To Charles Frazer: I think you are great at sports.
To Max Rosenblum: You are very good on the track. You are very tough and fast.
To Matthew Fisher: I like how you are creative and share your Lego’s with me.
To Noah DeLorenzo: I really like how you are always funny about things. I also enjoy your funny faces.
To Kyle Mele: I think you are a very nice person and you are very funny. You are a fast runner.
To Carlon Ford: I love that you were my first and best friend.
To Chris Clunan: You are great at soccer and math. Your report was amazing and your number model was
awesome.
To Richard Dodge: I think you are very good at being on our team even if you don’t get the ball a lot.

3GA
To Lily Purdy: You are really funny. You are also athletic, a great swimmer, and very nice.
To Rio Ciuffo: I love the way you laugh!
To Esha Mohan: You are very smart!
To Sophia Wachtmeister: I like you! You were a good panda on seminar day!
To Karina Dick: you are always so kind to me!
To Camille Foley: You are the best gymnast I know.
To Leah Smith: I think you’re a very pretty person and a very nice person too.
To Morgan Aufenger: You’re fun, playful, nice, kind, helpful, and you’re a good friend.
To Sally Meek: You are a great friend and a fun person to be with.
To Lauren Absher: You are a very fast runner in P.E.
To J.R. Herman : You’re funny and fun to be with.
To Sarah Hamaker: You are always so funny, and I love having you in my class.
To Delaney Troyer: You are so nice, fun to be with and funny.
To Lelia Ottinger: You are a great singer and a fast runner. You are very kind!
To Olivia Reis: You are so pretty.
To Alex Konikoff: You are really funny.
To Shreya Nagabhirava: You are funny and sweet.
To Ellie Jones: You are very helpful.
To Julia Duarte: I love how you think of others before yourself.
To Laura Read: You are always generous.
3GB
To Lauren Beckman: I admire that whenever something comes in your way, you just ignore it!
To Sydney Beverly: I like how you always cheer me on. I always want to do better when you are with me.
To Sarah Bimson: Your red hair is so beautiful! You are so flexible. I admire that about you.
To Jasmine Brown: I admire you, because you are always happy and you are respectful.
To Katherine Chang: Thank you for being so kind to me through the years.
To Allison Comess: I admire that you are respectful to others, intelligent, and diligent.
To Kacey Cooper: I admire how you are funny, silly, and respectful. You are also very, very kind.
To Lily Crawford: You are quiet, but you speak loud to people’s hearts.
To Gracie Dougherty: You are a great, kind, respectful citizen.
To Raegan Fitzgerald: I respect the fact that you never talk back or say mean words.
To Natalie Goodwin: What I admire about you is that you are always helpful and kind.
To Catherine Hobbs: I like that you are always nice and happy.
To Sammi Jacobs: I admire that you help make everything fair, and you make others feel better.
To Meredith King: I respect how you never give up. Even if you do, you just say, “I’m going to do it again.”
To Tobi Oliver: I respect the fact that you are very thoughtful.
To Katherine Smith: I admire your love of reading and your artistic abilities.
To Regan Reynolds: I like your beautiful curvy hair and your taste in dress.
To Rose Steingold: I admire how you try hard even if you are on crutches or have a cast.
To Olivia Webster: You are very smart and very good at the rock wall and ropes.
To Sophie Wilson: I admire that you are so funny and helpful.

4A
To Mathew Bonner: You are really good at baseball.
To David Byler: You are the funniest person I know. You are really good at sports.
To Balthazar Denk: I think roses are red, violets might make blue, but I know you are awesome, and I look up to
you.
To Solomon Duane: You are very good at math. You are the best at acting.
To Robert Frazier: You are a great person and can make friends easily.
To Brian Gonzales: You are very athletic and good at sports.
To James Hood: You are fun-loving, nice, happy friend. You are great in school and great at soccer.
To Cole Jordan: You are tough and don’t give up in what you do. You also are very smart and you are a quick
learner.
To Zane Knaack: You are a great football and basketball player. I wouldn’t like to play sports without you. You
are nice.
To Connor Long: You are a great, hardworking boy. You are a really great drawer. You are a great friend and you
help.
To Neil Malik: You are very good at basketball. You are good at shooting 3 pointers.
To Cabot McTavish: You are very nice and good at soccer.
To Chipper Neikirk: You are a very kind student and you are funny.
To Nathan Williams: You always try to do your best in making friends.
To Andrew Thetford: You are very nice and one of the smartest people I know.
To Harrison Taylor: You are really funny and keep people entertained.
To Briggs Standing: I like how you are very funny.
To Paul Southern: You have great sportsmanship. Thank you for being my wrestling partner.
To Sebastian Singh: You are funny, good at sports, cool, and have good handwriting.
To Peyton Simpson: You are a good friend at school and never annoy the teacher or classmates.
To Arman Shekarriz: You are smart, funny, creative, and always know when to tell a joke.
To Landon Porter: You are great at sports.
4B
To Steven Weinstein: You are awesome at basketball and your skills are unmatched.
To Trent Smith: You are great at basketball and you are a great sport. You are very funny.
To Brett Pezzella: You are hilarious and you’re a great athlete.
To Tucker McGruder: You are very, very, very good at sports.
To Grayson Glenn: You are a very fast runner.
To Daniel Moscoso: You are a great friend and you’re great at tag.
To Ben Furchtenicht: You are a very great Quarterback in recess. You throw great spirals.
To Jacob Knapp: You are the funniest person I have ever met.
To Destin Rodgers: You are a nice friend, you are very smart, and I like how you’re never mean and athletic.
To Patrick McElroy: I think you’re good at soccer and piano.
To Nicholas Sabatino: I think you’re a funny guy and also a good football player.
To Ray Fitzgerald: You are an excellent swimmer.
To Robbie Russell: You are really awesome and you’re really nice.
To Max Steingold: You are very good at football.
To John McKee: You are a great sports player, especially in soccer!
To Lawrence Bernert: You are great at basketball and football. I hope you have a great spring break!
To Makarious Salib: You are fun and really nice.
To Peyton McNider: You’re very good at sports with a charming personality. You are a very nice friend, and I like
you very much.
To Ryan Ramirez: You are a great sports player. You are a good friend and very nice.
To Zach Suttle: You’re really funny and nice. I think you’re really fast and great at basketball. You’re the
strongest guy I know.
To Connor Holland: You are great at basketball.
To Anthony Asuncion: You’re the best friend a person could have.

4GA
To Ava Gardner: You are so funny and sweet. I love being your friend!
To Carson Birdsong: You are a great friend. I love your Key Lime Pie.
To Brammy Rajakumar: You are so sweet to everyone you meet. I’m so glad you are my friend.
To Lauren Fine: You are always very nice and friendly.
To Peyton Hope: You are really funny. You can joke about anything and are intelligent, always using common
sense.
To Samantha Farpour: You are a really great friend and I enjoy having you in my class.
To Windsor Warlick: You inspire me to be a good person. You are nice and kind.
To Lily Hackbirth: You are so sweet and an amazing soccer player. I love being in your class.
To Gabby Foley: You are REALLY funny and you always make things fun.
To Holley Cromwell: You make everyone feel good about themselves. Whenever I’m with you, I laugh and
smile.
To Sarah Yue: You are a very smart girl and you have a great personality.
To Ellie Prodan: You are a great friend and a really fun person to hang out with.
To Abigail McCammon: You always come to school feeling great which makes me happy and want to smile.
To Parker Kreiser: You are so nice and fun. You are like a sister to me.
To Xyla King: You are a kind, helpful, and friendly friend.
To Fiona Clunan: I think you are very nice and smart. I hope you are in my class every year.
To Elle Lambert: I always see you at school everyday. You make me smile.
To Madison Kirkman: When I am upset, you make me smile. You have many good qualities and are pretty.
To Jayda Kerlew: You are the funniest person I know. You are really nice and kind.
To Chloe Wetzler: You are pretty, smart, and good at spelling. I like your shoes.
4GB
To Callie Poole: You are the best soccer player in the universe.
To Mia Gilley: You always make me smile!
To Meg Woodward: You are a spontaneous, super, awesome, thoughtful, a good friend, kind, patient,
fashionable, powerful, loving, cool, and pretty!
To Ainsley Fox: You are so awesome. You are a sweet person and great at swimming and tennis. Thanks for
being a great friend.
To Molly Brown: You always make me feel special. You also make me smile and laugh when I’m sad. You’re an
amazing friend.
To Katherine Barbour: You are so honest, caring, open-minded, modest and funny. I think you are really good
at drawing too!
To Katie Oliver: You are so nice and you always respect me, and you are nice to be around.
To Ingrid Benkovitz: I can’t believe how awesome, cool, pretty, sweet, kind, super candy caney person you
are.
To Peyton Tysinger: I think you are extraordinary, funny, smart, and cool. You are always so very nice to me.
To Kara Kaufman: You are so helpful and funny and I love the fuzz.
To Brooke Klewans: You spread knowledge around the world. You are a walking encyclopedia.
To Kennedy Watson: You are so sweet. You make me laugh. Thank you for being a great friend.
To Amberly Butler: You are a good friend and a caring friend. You stick up to others and are fair to all.
To Lindsey Hooper: You are a great friend.
To Frances Harrington: You are so funny and you make me laugh all the time.
To Emma Somers: You are so sweet. Your bright smile lights up the classroom.
To Olivia Alfele: I love your stylish clothes and you are so giving and loving.
To Virginia Hobbs: You are such a great tennis player and you are so pretty.
To Straeten Avery: You are always there for me. You are very sweet.
To Virginia Darden: You are always there for me, and you’re kind and caring. You’re a very good class
citizen.

5A
To Ben Richardson: You are a very good football and lacrosse player. You are fast in lacrosse and have good hands in
football.
To Hannah Towler: You are very smart and are really good at drawing.
To Christian Randolph: You are smart. You are also good at sports.
To Clay Gould: You are very funny and you are a good friend to everyone.
To Eleanor Lilly: You are really smart. You are also really nice and neat and don’t get into trouble.
To Finn Cochrane: You have really wacky socks and awesome shoes! You’re a good athlete and really funny.
To George Stedfast: You are a great wrestler and you are funny.
To Mary Alice Russell: You are my best friend in the entire world. You are the sweetest person I know.
To Neel Kaloji: You are smart, intelligent, and kind to others.
To Ryan Patino: You are really good at science, and you are really good at giving updates to the class which is really
helpful.
To Chai Hibbert: I think you are a great artist. I also think that you are very nice.
To Shruti Vachhani: You always cheer people up when they’re down and you are very creative.
To Reid Mason: You are one of the most athletic and funny people I know. I hope we will always be friends.
To Tori Walker: You are one of the best artists I know. I’m glad we’re tight friends with so much in common.
To Gabi Diskin: You are kind, creative, and trustworthy. You are also a good friend to everyone.
To Katie Debbas: You are a really good swimmer. You are a really good friend and student.
To Ben Levy: You are a great reader and so funny in class.
To Mariah Moss: You are multi-talented. You can dance, act, and sing, all of which you excel at. You are a great friend.
To Perry Smith: I think that you have a very creative mind and you are respectful to all of us.
To Reagan Richardson: You are a good public speaker and you are nice to everyone.
To Julia Beck: You are so nice. You are really fun to be around. I am so glad you are in my class this year.
To Hunt Stockwell: You are so aggressive when it comes to sports and the brightest person I know.
5B
To Abby Feigenbaum: You are always there for others and never let anyone down!
To Audrey Fleder: You are a great field hockey player! You are also great at basketball!
To Callie Dickinson: You are a great swimmer! You have talent and I hope to be in your swim group!
To Will Finney: You are always courteous and nice to everyone. You are someone who will turn a frown upside down any
day.
To Stanton McDuffie: You are really good at lacrosse and really funny.
To Josh Gould: You are funny and good at soccer.
To Mariann Kazakis: You are a great worker in class.
To Justin Zhan: You are good at baseball.
To Ridge Moore: You are really funny, competitive, and fair, and you are a great friend and partner.
To Griffith McTavish: You are really good at sports and very smart.
To Alek Sas: You are very smart!
To Alayah McIntosh: You are very smart and nice.
To Liza Ware: You are nice and very kind to everybody.
To Elena Adams: You are an amazing horse-back rider.
To Payton Stredler: You are funny and smart. You know a lot about horses and birds.
To Chase Elser: You are always a kind person and very fun and funny.
To Ann Driskill: You are a great artist!
To Bryn Galumbeck: You are really good at field-hockey.
To William Wilson: You are really good at baseball.
To Will Locke: You are funny and a great friend.
To Jimmy Peccie: You are a nice friend and a smart student.
To Callum Krishna: You are very funny and nice!

5C
To Joanne Kenton: You are energetic and you lift every one’s spirits . You also make me laugh and you are one of
my favorite Y.P.T.P.ers.
To Elizabeth Heckard: You’re really nice to everyone and great at field hockey.
To Kellen Hornbuckle: You are very good at dancing and you are very nice, kind, and funny.
To Noa Greenspan: You are very, very nice and always have a great attitude. You also are great at playing the
violin.
To John Sykes: You are very funny and a great friend. You are smart and athletic.
To Colby Worden: You are very nice and very good at sports.
To Riley Fulmer: You are nice and very talented when it comes to swimming and field hockey.
To Sammy DeLorenzo: You are a really good defender and attacker in soccer.
To Carson Yeates: You are smart and can be really,really,really funny sometimes.
To Lily Clarkson: You are a great friend and a lot of fun to be around.
To Greer Gill: You are a good friend and very good at field hockey. She is very funny too!
To Sven Patzer: You are funny, smart, and are a good friend. You are also nice and caring.
To Reese Dorroh: You are good at reading. I enjoy having you in my class very much.
To Katie Mele: You are a great friend, I’m glad you’ve been in my class every year, hope it’s the same next year.
To Rolf Williams: You are smart and intelligent and you are fun to be around.
To Will Spivey: I think you are a great athlete and have good sportsmanship.
To Sophia Burke: You are good at drawing, piano, and theater and you are very nice.
To Nathan Wachtmeister: You are great at lacrosse, without you on defense we would be terrible.
To Hans Christoffersen: You are good at soccer, lacrosse, and acting.
To Sierra Burton: I love it when you always try your hardest to make someone laugh or smile when they’re feeling
down.
5D
To Anna Heaton-I like how you always know how to make a person feel good.
Adavya Dhawan-You are a great swimmer. You are also very smart and get good grades.
Makayla Thornton-I like the way you make me laugh and how you are always in a positive state of mind.
Emma Christoffersen-You are always so happy and ready to help at the lunch table at any time.
Ava Borte-You are a great surfer and a great artist.
Alex Twelves-You are great at sports and at collecting different sports sneakers.
Josh Rubin-You are very creative and good at guitar. You are always optimistic.
Micah Whitmire-You are very kind to others, very good at sports, and you are always full of laughter.
Emma Wilkins-You have neat handwriting and it is very easy to read, and you are nice to your friends.
Warrington Webb-You’re a very good waiter and you always make me laugh.
Mackenzi Mills-You always make me laugh, especially when I’m down, with your awesome sense of humor.
Grace Zoby-You have a great sense of humor. And you are also kind to me. Also you are a very good friend to have
around.
Dominic Benedetto-I admire how you made me feel welcome at my new school.
Hayden Jones-I really like the way you persevere and don’t give up.
Ashland Jared-You’re a great friend and an awesome tennis player. You make me laugh and I ‘m glad you’re my
friend.
C.J. Ball-You’re very good at playing the violin.
Matthew Dalton-You are very nice to everyone in our class and you make me laugh.
Paul Carey-You are very funny when you act. You’re a good soccer player at break and very athletic.
Taylor Harvey-You always are happy, and you are very good at gymnastics.
Cross Birdsong-You are good at every sport and academics.
Halle Gill-You are really good at field hockey.

6A
To Perry Frazer: You have a great sense of humor and you really liven up the class.
To Matt Cooper: When you make a joke, everyone laughs. You are funny!
To Rice Webb: You have a randomly funny sense of humor and a very kind personality.
To Samantha Chiang: You are really good at math. You are always kind and never mean.
To Chris Kazakis: You are really fun to be around. You are always keeping everyone on their toes.
To Madeleine King: You are friendly and full of life.
To Carl Kaufman: You’re a nice person to have in class. You make the whole class laugh.
To Colin Stott: You are so outgoing, and you always brighten up a room when you enter it.
To Maggie O’Berry: You are always smiling and a great friend who can make me laugh.
To Carter Furr: You are funny and nice.
To Graham Barbour: You are the coolest guy, and you are very unique.
To Ritika Kaloji: You are a nice, smart, pretty, and energetic girl. I am glad to be your friend.
To Michael Estrada: You are so fly at reading, which is what I admire you for!
To Hallie Griffiths: You are a diligent worker and are a good team player. You are always nice and only have
serious stories and comments.
To Jaden Baum: You are very smart and kind to everybody and that makes others feel good about themselves.
To Buddy Blair: You are always kind to everyone and open to new ideas. You also always make everyone laugh.
To Hannah Foleck: Your bubbly personality always brings lighthearted fun into everyone’s day.
To Molly Reed: You are a good friend.
To Olivia Kamer: I would like to compliment you on how nice you are. Nice is the way to go!
To Jamie Levin: I think you are awesome because you are smart and talented.
6B
To Gage Elliott: You are nice, funny, and athletic. You are also a great sport and a great friend.
To Laura Osborne: You are a very attentive listener in class and a great friend.
To Haley Young: You’re really smart, love chocolate milk, and have good handwriting. You also have a good passion
for being hyper.
To Reagan Harwood: You are a great sport in everything you do, including the following: soccer, basketball, and
curling.
To Nicky Benkovitz: You are very nice to everyone and you pay attention to everyone, and you are always attentive
in class.
To Will Tysinger: You are nice, because you are one of the people who became my friend early in the year!
To Connor Jacob: I like how you are talkative!
To Josh Fitzwilliam: I like the way that you respect others and have great sportsmanship.
To Emily Mesisco: You are always helpful towards others and a good friend to many people.
To Elizabeth Sykes: You are always so happy and very optimistic.
To Noah Sutton: You’re always happy and cheerful!
To Taylor Skolnick: You are a happy and energetic person. You are always there for someone who is sad.
To Helen Shaves: I like the way that you are very nice to your friends, a good student, and a very nice participant.
To Jillian Bracken: You’re always happy and most of the time you’re smiling!
To Ashley Cress: You are very kind and I enjoy sitting next to you in English.
To Ryder Wagnon: I like the way that you always come into class with a good attitude.
To Madison Truess: You are an awesome friend, because you are always there to stand up for me.
To Nathalie Danso: You always have a great attitude about going to class in the morning.
To Austin Poole: You are always optimistic and look at the bright side of every situation.
To Zach Paris: I like the way that you are always on time to class, and you never forget your books!
To Chessie Scott: You always come into school with a great attitude! You also have pretty cool pants.

6C
To Alina Khan: You are really smart and funny. You are very nice and cool.
To Caitlin Fisher: You are always quiet and never disruptive, and you are an enthusiastic speaker!
To Milana Berry: You are a great person and you also have a great sense of style.
To Sarah Keenan: I’m glad that I recognized your wonderful character traits at the beginning of the year; now
I can enjoy them forever.
To Clay Best: I think you are nice and funny. You always make me laugh. Also you are nice to everyone.
To Pretlow Parrott: You are really good at sports. You are one of the most athletic people I know.
To Aly Bailey: You are a fashionable girl and optimistic. You can make me laugh too!
To Julia Lambert: You are always happy and very kind to everyone. You are very smart too!
To Ned Broach: You are very friendly and creative!
To Hannah Barcus: I think you are kind and funny. You are also very smart and nice.
To Tanhen Cooper: I feel that you are kind, and you’re fun to be around.
To Molly Ball: I think that you are descriptive and smart, and I love your stories! You have very nice handwriting.
To Will Clark: You are a great friend, because you are always a good science partner and you always cheer me
up.
To Petey Decker: You are really nice to everyone you meet, and you are a very funny person.
To Brian Garber: Whenever someone is feeling down, I see you trying to cheer them up. That is very kind.
To Oliver Denk: You are very kind and caring to others.
To Katelyn Anderson: I think you are really optimistic and funny. You’re very fun to be around. You are also very
pretty.
To Larson Kaidel: You are an awesome artist, especially your drawings, and you know how to celebrate life. You
are also a great friend!
To Alix Galumbeck: You are very smart and fun to work with on projects. You are also funny.
To Luke Frazier: You are very funny and are always laughing.
To Garrett Walsh: You are very nice to people.
6D
To Carson Meek: You are very good at playing soccer at recess!
To Tyler Windsor: You are very funny and nice. You are a good friend!
To Holly Power: You are very fashionable and always wear amazing clothes!
To Andrew Jordan: You tell funny jokes to our class!
To Jenna Koen: You are always smiling and have a good attitude every day!
To Jessica Craven: You were one of my first friends at this school. Thanks!
To Austin Rutter: I think you are an enthusiastic fisherman!
To Anthony Peters: You are always nice and are intelligent in class!
To Nicholas Warden: I like how you are always willing to help your classmates when they are having trouble!
To Eric Hope: You are always so nice and helpful to everyone!
To Taylor Acra: You are always friendly and never mean!
To Savanna Dotolo: You are very funny and make me laugh. You are also never mean to anyone!
To Miles Fine: You are very nice, and you have a cool space pen!
To Ellie Whitmore: I enjoy sitting next to you in math!
To Adena Gordon: You are very good, nice, and mature during times when it is easy to mess up and be immature!
To Chloe Ellis: You are very funny, and you always are nice to everybody!
To Andy Cheng: You are fun to play speedball against!
To Claudia Wanamaker: You are very funny, smart, and athletic!
To Justine Kaskel: You are so smart, and you are one of the funniest people I have ever met!
To Lilly Dorroh: I think you are one of the nicest and, (of course,) funniest people in the world.

6E
To Marquelle Jones: Your silent comedy is a real gift.
To Jordan Franzman: You always know how to cheer someone up. And I really liked your performance in YPTP’s
The Emperor’s New Clothes.
To Paige Forsyth: You bring fun to everything you do.
To David Pyle: You are a very good LAX player.
To Julia Minder: You are a good singer and a great classmate.
To Olivia Silva: You are smart, and you also played the piano very well at talent time.
To Dioskoros Salib: You always impress me with how smart you are. I know if I ever have a question, you’ll have
the answer.
To Travis Cole: You are an amazing science student.
To Meagan Greenzaid: Your attitude twinkles like the evening star!
To Luke Cromwell: You are funny every day, and you tell great jokes.
To Nico Moscoso: You’re the best, because you have a great sense of humor.
To Hughes Prillaman: You are a funny person. You are also a great waiter.
To Lindley Richardson: You are smart, very fun, and super nice. I’m so happy you’re in my class this year.
To Christina Buchanan: You are a friendly, fun, and outgoing person, while still maintaining an air of respectability.
To Bailey Bashara: You are a great pianist.
To Rachel Melley: You are always willing to help others in need.
To Molly Chang: You are amazing at drawing and you are fun to be around because you are a great friend.
To Karl Diamonstein: You are very nice and funny. You make me laugh all the time!
To Karr Hersh: You are a serious and funny person! You finish your work really fast because you stay focused.
To Jay Wetmore: You are a very talented athlete and a good person.
To Tracey Whalen: You are such a great friend! You are a really good soccer player. It’s so nice to have you in my
class.
Recipe Corner: Bake Up Some Lovin’ Treats
for Valentine’s Day
Recipes from Lindley Richardson and Helen Shaves, Staff Bakers
These two recipes feature the chocolate and heart shapes tied to Valentine’s Day
sweets. You will probably need your parents’ help to make these in the kitchen, but
that just adds to the fun. The second recipe uses a brownie mix (from a box), but you
can also make brownies from scratch.

Raspberry truffles:
Ingredients-
1 ½ cups fine chocolate wafer crumbs (Oreo works best)
6 tablespoon of melted butter
1 packet of milk chocolate (Hershey’s)
6 raspberries
Paper muffin cups
Instructions for baking:
Pour the butter in the Oreo crumbs and mix it around so it sticks together
Put Oreo mixture in the paper cups to form a crust
Put a few raspberries in the bottom of the crust
Melt the chocolate bar in the microwave until its pasty/liquid
Spoon the melted chocolate into the crust
While chocolate is still hot, place a raspberry on top along with some white chocolate chips
if desired.
Wait until the truffles are fully cool before eating!
Heart brownie-cupcakes:
Ingredients-
1 box of Supreme Brownie mix with the syrup pouch inside
Water, oil, and eggs—ingredients required on the box
1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar
Paper cups
Muffin pan
Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Spray the paper cups with cooking spray
Place paper cups into tray
Fill each baking cup with 2 tablespoons of batter, prepared according to instructions on
the box.
Bake 24-26 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool in pans for
20 minutes. Carefully remove paper cups from brownies and place upside down until it
cools all the way down.
Cut small hearts out of paper. The hearts should be smaller than the brownie. Place the
paper heart on bottom of brownie and sprinkle it with powdered sugar with the paper
still on. Repeat this with the other brownies. Remove the paper. It should look like a
heart is on the brownie!