NOTICE

Student Union

2 . Mark asked, “Do you think they’ll let me play?” Mark’s father knew that few boys would want someone like Mark, mentally and physically disabled, on their team, but the father still approached to ask the boys if Mark could play. They exchanged glances with each other and said, “We’ll try to put him in to bat.”

Mark struggled over to the team’s bench and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father’s joy at his son being accepted.

In the bottom of the final inning, Mark was scheduled to be at bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch (投) came and Mark missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Mark. As the pitch came in, Mark swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The pitcher could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman, but he just threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates. The audience and the players from both teams started screaming, “Mark, run to first!” Never in his life had Mark ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked.

By the time Mark rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time, understood the pitcher’s intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head.

All were screaming. “Mark, run to third.” As Mark rounded third, all were on their feet, crying, “Mark, run home!” Mark ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who won the game for his team. Tears rolled down the father’s cheeks.

That day, the boys from both teams helped bring true love and humanity into this world.

A climbing event to celebrate the New Year

Yours,

Li Hua

6 . When it came time to vote for the speaker at graduation in the class meeting, Ms. Lenihan asked who would like to be our class speaker. Being a (an) ________ girl, I tried not to make eye contact. Seeing several classmates go up to the front to state why they should be the speakers, I felt a sense of ________. But at last Ms. Lenihan ________ in front of us and said, “We will have another meeting this week, and I expect to see more participation. I am ________ that some of you are just sitting there when you should be up here!” When she said those words, I looked up to see she was glaring right at me. I felt so nervous, but knowing she had so much ________ in me, I should not let her down.

After spending the whole week practicing a speech, I stood up in front of my classmates. There were eight to ten other participants, and I didn’t ________ much for myself. When the votes came in the next day, Ms. Lenihan announced that the class chose me! I would have to stand up in front of our entire school to make a speech. My ________ level went through the roof, but Ms. Lenihan told me she was glad that I had stepped up to the ________.

Over the next month I worked on my graduation speech. When I stood up in front of the whole school, I was still nervous, ________ when I looked at Ms. Lenihan, I remembered the whole reason I was up there was that she believed in me. I believe I ________ that day, and will always remember the encouragement that Ms. Lenihan gave me.

7 .    

Welcome back to school! Have you signed up for an after-school activity yet? Here are some of the activities you can try.

Do you like sports? How about joining the football team? It has tryouts at 3:00 pm next Tuesday. Many of our best players have moved up to college. So now the team needs new players. For more information, meet our sports advisors, Ms. Matte or Mr. Stergis.

This year, your schoolmates in the school art club plan to paint a mural (壁画) on the wall by the office. So they need new members to help create it. Are you interested in drawing, painting or taking photographs? This club is for you. The first meeting of the school year is at 3:15 pm next Wednesday in room 221. Please see Ms. Greenway for more information.

There are some new activities you can have a go at. Try the new after-school science club. It has plans to enter the national senior robotics competition this year. So if you want to try building a robot, this club is for you. See Mr. Larson in room 105 for more details. The club meets at 3:30 pm every Thursday.

Do you like acting? Are you good at singing? The school play this year is a musical — The Sound of Music. Come and try out for it at 3:10 pm next Monday in room 125.

For a list of all the after-school activities this year, click here, or pick up a membership form from the advisor’s office — room 107.

Yours Sincerely,

Li Hua

Be a true runner

For me, it was normal to feel lost at the inter-camp track. Four camps of kids were ready to lead their teams to a blue ribbon and win the day. Not me. I was too little to be the leader and too skinny to be an athlete. I knew this by the time I was twelve, because my camp counselors（辅导员）and the other kids reminded me of it every chance they got. So when our camp needed a fourth runner in the two-mile race around the lake, I knew I was no one’s first choice.

I hid in the shade of a maple tree as they called the names of the runners, my body tensed as I heard a counselor call, “Fred! Where is Fred! He is in this race!” It was Barry. He spotted me under the tree. “Fred! We need a 12-year-old who hasn’t been in other events to run the two-mile!”

He gave me a push towards the starting line. Having no confidence and trying to save myself from the shame of taking the last place as four camps watched, I pleaded with him.

“But I don’t know the way around the lake!”

“You’re in. Just follow Bill!” Barry smiled.

Bill was my friend and the fastest runner in our camp. And then Barry said, “When you make it to the last stretch（最后一程）on the field, just throw your head back and run.”

At the starting line, I stood next to Bill and trembled.

“On your mark… Get set...” The gun cracked and sixteen of us took off. I stayed close on Bill’s heels, a little too close for Bill, I guess. He shouted at me, “Back off!”

I did. Two guys passed me, but I kept my eyes on Bill.

It was tiring. The distance was widening between Bill and me. We made the turn from the dusty road onto the muddy, wooded trail that would go around the lake back to the field. Through the trees, I saw Bill trip over a tree root and fall. A runner from another camp passed him.

In a moment, Bill was up again and running.

I didn’t know when I crossed the finish line.