Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society École Poirier Exploring the Lighthouse Division 1 2023-2024
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 2 SHERINGHAM POINT LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION SOCIETY Project Team (Change Canada Consultants Ltd.): Ian Fawcett (Project Manager) Kathleen Arnason (Project Coordinator) Bill Turner (Project Advisor) Commemorative Book designed and written by Ian Fawcett. SPLPS: John Walls (President) Contact: [email protected] Address: PO Box 1002, Sooke, BC V9Z 1J1 Website: http://sheringhamlighthouse.ca http://changecanadaconsultants.com Cover photo: Jaxson Cover inset: Nikolai Back photo: Rakeem
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 3 Exploring the Lighthouse École Poirier Division 1 Contents The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society........................................................................4 Exploring the Lighthouse............................................................................................................................ 5 Exploring the Lighthouse - The Program..................................................................................................6 A Brief History of the Lighthouse...............................................................................................................7 Exploring the Lighthouse - Reflecting What You See..............................................................................9 Exploring the Lighthouse - Telling Your Stories...................................................................................10 Photographs and Stories from the Students in Division 1 (Ms. Ridewood’s Class)............................11 A BigThank You .........................................................................................................................................67 Raising Funds to Protect the Lighthouse..............................................................................................68 Unintended Consequences.......................................................................................................................69
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 4 The Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society In 2003, the Government of Canada declared that the historic Sheringham Point Lighthouse was no longer needed to ensure maritime safety in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Advances in technology meant that the Lighthouse could now be discarded — torn down, sold off for other uses or, simply, left to rot and eventually to fall apart. In response, a small group of neighbours gathered to form the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society. They were determined that the Lighthouse, which had stood for almost 100 years as a symbol of their community, would not be lost. For the next twelve years, the Society’s volunteers worked extremely hard to fight for the Lighthouse’s protection, doing everything they could to raise awareness about the threat to their community heritage. They rallied their community, local businesses and other groups, lobbied and strategized with all levels of government, raised funds and, eventually, put forward a plan to take on the responsibility to care for and conserve the Lighthouse themselves. In 2015, the Society’s efforts were successful. The government agreed to transfer the property to the Society and also, at the same time, they officially designated Sheringham Point Lighthouse a “Canadian Heritage Lighthouse”. As the new owners and stewards, the Society worked for the next seven years to restore the Lighthouse to its former glory, and to make sure it will always be accessible for the public to enjoy and appreciate. The Lighthouse is now protected and is open to the public as a community heritage park.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 5 Children today have a greater range of opportunities open to them than at any time in recent history, and greater freedoms than ever before. Thriving in this chaotic environment requires an ability for all children to be able to find a strong foundation from which they can build their lives, achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. For most of us, that foundation starts with the family, and extends outward into the community. Just as a tree needs deep roots to grow tall and strong, so does a child draw nourishment and vitality from his or her own roots, from the comfort of belonging, from having a place to call home. Understanding and, in particular, experiencing their own connections to the people and places around them is invaluable for children in so many ways. Learning about their own and their community’s history provides a base from which they can explore their world and help them answer that most fundamental of questions: “How did this come to be?” Our history is not just an academic pursuit to be left to historians. It’s not just about dates and far-off locations, nor is it just about great battles, world-shaking events, the comings and goings of kings and queens and presidents. It’s also about the lives of the people who lived here before, their struggles and triumphs, their thoughts and ideas that nurtured their families, built their communities and shaped their world. It’s about the stories our grandfathers told us, and those from our neighbours. We all have stories in our lives and they are, in their way, as full of drama and intrigue as any of the great sagas of our history classes. It is our stories that shape us, that make us who we are. Our history – our heritage – is best lived and experienced, understood through the things we can see and touch and feel, and passed on in a way that warms our hearts and feeds our imaginations. It’s why we need to work hard to conserve, appreciate and celebrate our heritage — not just the castles and stately mansions, but the cottages and the old lighthouses as well. Those remnants of our past have stories to tell. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” ~ Albert Einstein Exploring the Lighthouse École Poirier Division 1
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 6 ...The Program To help children in the local area strengthen their connections to their own community, we wanted to provide an opportunity for them to visit Sheringham Point Lighthouse, to learn about its history and operations, to appreciate its significance and understand why it is being conserved. It was also our hope to inspire them – and, through them, their families and friends – to take a personal interest in further exploring their community and helping to protect and celebrate their heritage and the future of the Lighthouse. We developed this short program, called “Exploring the Lighthouse”. This program has several parts: 1. History and Operations – we provide a short presentation outlining the history of the Lighthouse, and also talk about how lighthouses work and their role in maritime safety and community development. 2. Visit to the Lighthouse – the students visit the Lighthouse to see firsthand what it’s all about, and to experience its remarkable character and ambience. 3. Reflections – we ask the students to creatively express their impressions of the Lighthouse site by: • Taking photographs while they are at the site, focusing on the features that capture their attention/imagination. • Writing a story (either fictional or non-fiction) about a Lighthouse. 4. Commemorative Book - we compile the students’ photographs and stories into this commemorative book, which is being provided online to all the children, their families and the whole community. Exploring the Lighthouse It is the Society’s hope that we will be able to find the ongoing resources to make this project an annual event, and to make it available to all the elementary schools in the local area, with the result being that all children growing up in this part of the world will have the opportunity – through their visit to the lighthouse – to better understand and appreciate the community they call home. Focused in on the visit to the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 7 A Brief History of the Lighthouse... Sheringham Point Lighthouse was built in 1912, and illuminated for the first time on September 30 of that year. The Lighthouse was built in response to the tragic wreck of the steamship SS Valencia, on January 22, 1906. En route from San Francisco to Victoria and Seattle, late at night and in rough weather, the Valencia missed the turn into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and steamed directly on to the rocks near Pachena Point. Of the 173 people aboard, 136 were lost. Creation of the Lighthouse began in 1911, with the purchase of 4 acres of land from Shirley resident Edwin Clark. The following year, the lighthouse tower was built, along with a small boathouse and a house for the lighkeeper and his family. The first lightkeeper, Eustace Arden, arrived in September 1912, and continued at the site until 1946. The light itself was a 3rd Order Fresnel Lens. Originally lit by oil lamps (and later by electric lamps), it was made up of many prisms which focused the light into a powerful beam that could be seen up to 25 km away. The lens Exploring the Lighthouse Under construction - 1912 Newly completed - ca 1912
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 8 rotated through a clockwork mechanism of pulleys and weights – each about180 kg – that had to be re-wound every three hours. Because of the size and weight of the lens, it was seated in a bed of liquid mercury, to allow it to turn without much friction. In 1925, a fog-alarm building was added to the site, and a new “diaphone” (two-tone) fog-horn was installed. Originally a wooden, peaked-roof building, constructed in front of the tower, this building was replaced in 1976 with the concrete block building that is still on site. The diesel engines that provided power for the site were also located in this building. A number of other structures were added to the site over the years, including radio towers and sheds, a fallout shelter (that was actually never used as such, but came to be used to grow mushrooms instead), other utility buildings and, in 1964, a new, more modern house for the Lightkeeper. During the 1980s, the Lighthouse was automated and it was finally destaffed in 1989 when the last lightkeeper left. Except for the tower and the engine room (fog-alarm building), all the other structures on site were taken down, or deliberately burned, to avoid vandalism. Left largely unattended for the next thirty years, the Lighthouse began to deteriorate and was in danger of being lost forever. Then, after many years of lobbying by the local community, in 2015, it was transferred to the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society. It has now been restored to its former glory, and is open to the public as a community heritage park. ...A Brief History of the Lighthouse Exploring the Lighthouse Following construction of the fog alarm building - ca 1926 Following construction of the boat house - 1912
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 9 Exploring the Lighthouse “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” ~ Dorothea Lange, Photographer Reflecting what you see... Photography is a powerful tool for exploring the world around us. It causes us to focus more intently on what we are looking at, to look more closely, pay attention to the details, and take nothing for granted. It creates an intimate connection with the subject and with the environment that surrounds it. While it’s a very personal process, the end result is universal. To appreciate a photograph requires no ability to read, no language in common, no prerequisite level of education or life experience. Just an ability to see and to feel, and a willingness to participate. For this part of the program, we provided each student with a cell phone camera and some basic instruction in its use, as well as a brief overview of the art of photography. Then we asked them to take photographs while they were at the lighthouse, focusing on the things that caught their attention and/or their imagination. When we returned to the school later, each student chose his or her favourite photo, and explained why they chose it. There were lots of amazing photographs – creative and insightful! The following pages showcase their chosen photographs. Enjoy! “Photography represents the world we know, and suggests a world beyond what we can see. Creativity is the gap between perception and knowledge.” ~ Emmet Gowin, Photographer
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 10 Exploring the Lighthouse “Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” ~ An old First Nations proverb “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” ~ Rudyard Kipling, Author Telling your stories... Story-telling has always formed the underlying basis of human communication. Our stories are the ways that we connect ourselves to one another and to our communities. They help define who we are and where come from. Children naturally understand the power of story-telling, and we wanted to provide them with tools and strategies to explore and expand their own story-telling abilities, to share their own stories and to learn from others. Author Kathleen Arnason spoke to the students about the basic elements of creative writing, focusing on getting the children to explore their own feelings and values and to think about what is important and has meaning for them. Each student was asked to write a story (factual or fictional) about a lighthouse, incorporating what they had learned and what they had seen throughout the day. The following pages contain the results of that work, and they speak for themselves. Kathleen talks about the importance of storytelling and creativity. Ian tells the story about how the Lighthouse was built.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 11 Photographs and Stories from the Students in Division 1 (Ms. Ridewood’s class) Exploring the Lighthouse
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 12 Aaliyah’s Pages PURPLE FLOWER “I like this photo because I love how pretty it is and I love nature/forest. I chose it because that place was so pretty. I would go back but I didn’t like the hill.” Aaliyah’s Photo Selection: DON’T GET FORGOTTEN by Aaliyah My name is Kayla Anderson Jones. I’m 13 years old, and this is when I was forgotten. I was playing outside with my best friend, Taylor. Taylor is a really awesome best friend. She’s really nice. We’ve been best friends since kindergarten. My mom called me and Taylor inside. Taylor is really tall, and I’m short compared to her. It was dinner time, and it was my favorite: homemade pizza. After dinner, my
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 13 Aaliyah’s Pages (continued) mom told me it was bedtime, so I went upstairs and brushed my teeth. I said goodnight to my parents and then went to bed. I fell asleep so quickly. The next morning I woke up, and it was so quiet I could hear my breath. I took a shower and went downstairs to eat breakfast. I walked into the kitchen, but there wasn’t any food on the table. “MOM!” I yelled, but there was no answer. I just made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, then started walking to school. I went to Taylor’s house and called her name, but there was no answer, so I started walking to school by myself. Once I got to school, I thought I was the first one to arrive, but a couple of hours later, no one else had come. So, I went home. A day later, I was getting worried about my mom, and it was really quiet on my street. I called my mom nine times with no answer. I tried one more time… And finally, my mom answered. I was so happy. “Oh my gosh, hi Mom, where are you?” Mom ignored the question. “I thought you were gone. I’m so happy you’re still alive...” I said, “Mom, where are you?” “I’m in Mexico, sweetheart.” “WHAT!? But I’m all the way in France!!? Oh dear, Mom, how did you get over there in just one day?” I said, “But you were just here yesterday.” “No, I wasn’t, Kayla. Listen to me. Don’t make any noise,” “Why?” I said quietly. “The people that you were with aren’t real… they are monsters, aliens. They attacked us on October 11,” Mom explained even more. “Mom, it’s November 28…?” I said. “I know, Kayla. Where is Taylor?” Mom said. “Taylor’s right here.” “Hi, Ms. Anderson.” “Please call me Sarah,” my mom said. “Where are my parents?” “They’re in the living room.” “Girls, look. I can’t come and get you girls.” “Then how are we going to come see you?” “I don’t know, Kayla!” Mom started to get stressed. “Mom, calm down. Sarah, can I see my parents?” Taylor said. “Yes,” Sarah passed over to Taylor’s parents. “Hi, Mama and Papa.” “Oh my gosh, baby!” Taylor’s mom cried into tears, so did Taylor. “Where are you, Taytay?” Taylor’s dad asked. “I’m still in France, Papa.” “FRANCE!?” Taylor’s dad exclaimed. “Whose house are you at?” “At the lighthouse in Tara Bay.” “Okay, just stay there. We’re going to come and get you guys.” 5 HOURS LATER “Hey, Kayla, I’m really hungry,” said Taylor. “I know, Taylor,” Kayla tried to call her parents again. They didn’t answer. “It’s been 4 days, Kayla. I don’t think they are going to come and get us.” It’s been 2 months since that happened. I sadly passed away a month after this crazy thing. The end. DON’T GET FORGOTTEN - cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 14 Alexis’ Pages WATER BY THE ROCKS “I chose this photo because I love swimming and I collect rocks. And my fav movie is Mound, and it reminds me of that.” Alexis’ Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 15 Alexis’Pages (continued) BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU USE by Alexis One completely normal day, Weston was at Sheringham Point Lighthouse, spinning the light in mercury when he noticed he started to feel sick. The next day, he went to a doctor who was also a scientist, and the doctor said, "According to my research, you might be poisoned." Weston freaked out and asked, "What did I do to get poisoned?" The doctor inquired, "What did you say you were using to spin the light in the lighthouse again?" “Well, mercury, of course. It is one of the only metals in the world that is a liquid,” he replied. “Well, mercury can make you very sick and even poison you, so you need to go to the hospital,” the doctor advised. Weston was very sad and scared. "We will take down the lighthouse," someone suggested. "No," said Weston. "Wait, I have an idea. What if we take out the light in the lighthouse? It means it won't work anymore, but it will still be there." The doctor agreed, "Fine." They still made Weston go to the hospital, but he was very happy that they did not take down the lighthouse.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 16 Aubrey’s Pages BLUE BELL FLOWER “I chose this photo because it is really pretty and I just really like it! I always found a great interest in flowers and I want to learn more about flowers.” Aubrey’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 17 Aubrey’s Pages (continued) HEAVEN OFFICIAL’S BLESSING (BUT DIFFERENT...) by Aubrey (Sunday, February 5) Once upon a time, there was a martial god named Xie Lian. Xie Lian had long brown hair and wore a white kimono. Despite being short, he had beautiful golden eyes. He had just ascended and was on his first mission. His mission was to venture into the ship-sinking black water territory and locate Ming Yi, who is the Earth Master. Xie Lian was considered the best martial god in the heavens, and he had a bestie named Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng had longish black hair and a bright, shining red eye, with the other eye covered by a black eye patch. He was quite tall and slender, dressed in beautiful crimson red. Hua Cheng was a ghost king, around 810 years old, close to Xie Lian’s 817 years. Despite their ages, neither aged in appearance. They embarked on the mission together, boarding a ship and setting off to the ship-sinking black water territory. A while later, they saw a light in the distance and started heading towards it. Reaching the light was challenging due to the very windy and rainy conditions, and the high waves. They then realized that it was just a lighthouse. They realized they were really close to shore just as the boat Xie Lian and Hua Cheng were on crashed into the lighthouse! They both passed out. A little later, Hua Cheng woke up and tried to wake Xie Lian, but without success. He picked him up and carried him to a field, laying Xie Lian down on the grass under a great big tree. Hua Cheng waited for Xie Lian to wake up, but he did not, so Hua Cheng got up and started to look for materials to make a campfire for Xie Lian. When Hua Cheng went to look for materials, Xie Lian woke up and realized his head was bleeding rapidly! Xie Lian called out for Hua Cheng. The moment he did, Hua Cheng came running over, yelling, “Gege! (Gege is a nickname for Xie Lian. It means older brother or older male friend in Mandarin. It’s pronounced Guh-guh) Are you alright?!” repeatedly. As soon as Hua Cheng got close enough, he froze in fear. Hua Cheng approached Xie Lian and said in a trembling voice, “Gege! Your head is bleeding really badly!” Xie Lian responded
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 18 in a soft and calm voice, “I’m fine, San Lang. (San Lang is a nickname for Hua Cheng that only Xie Lian calls him. San means third/three, Lang means youth.) What about you, are you alright?” “I’m fine! Why are you worrying about me? You’re the one hurt, not me!” Hua Cheng exclaimed, trembling rapidly. Hua Cheng quickly ripped off a part of his crimson red clothes and wrapped the fabric around Xie Lian’s head. Xie Lian felt lightheaded and wanted to lay down, but he also wanted to help Hua Cheng gather materials. Despite it being difficult to talk, Xie Lian forced out, “Don’t worry about me, you know I can’t die; I’m immortal. It’s not even close to how painful it was when I got stabbed 100 times, hahaha…” After a bit of silence, Hua Cheng spoke up, “Don’t joke about that, Gege…when Gege got stabbed, it was serious.” Hua Cheng laid Xie Lian back down, made a small fire, and surrounded it with stones. Then, somehow, Hua Cheng used the materials around him to make a fishing rod and went to try to catch some fish to eat. After a while, Xie Lian woke up and saw Hua Cheng with a fish on a stick in his right hand. Hua Cheng cooked the fish, put it on a clay plate, and gave it to Xie Lian. Xie Lian ate the fish quickly and thanked Hua Cheng. Then, Xie Lian quickly rushed off. While walking around, he came across a small patch of beautiful blue flowers in a field surrounded by weeds. Xie Lian thought they were very pretty and wanted to find out what they were called. So Xie Lian asked Hua Cheng, “Hey, San Lang, there were these flowers that looked like raindrops, they were blue and they hung downward. Come, I’ll show you where they are.” “Okay, you lead the way, Gege.” Hua Cheng followed Xie Lian all the way past a forest of brightly colored green trees. Then, at last, after a couple of minutes, they found themselves in a field of weeds. Then, suddenly, Xie Lian started to run towards something. Hua Cheng noticed that Xie Lian was running towards some bluebells (a type of flower that is a baby blue color and hangs downward like a lamp, sometimes described as looking like a raindrop). Hua Cheng chased after Xie Lian, and when Xie Lian sat down next to the flowers, he asked, “San Lang, do you know what these flowers are called?” Hua Cheng sat down next to him and replied, “These flowers are called bluebells. Do you like them, Gege? If you do, I can get you lots more of these flowers.” Xie Lian laughed, “Thanks, but you don’t need to.” **The Next Day (Monday, February 6)** It was a sunny day, and when Xie Lian woke up, he Aubrey’s Pages (continued) HEAVEN OFFICIAL’S BLESSING - cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 19 realized that they were both drenched because it had poured rain the previous day. Xie Lian wanted to strip off his clothes to let them dry but hesitated because Hua Cheng was nearby. Once Xie Lian got up, he saw Hua Cheng making something. He approached Hua Cheng and asked, “San Lang, what are you up to now?” “Just making something to chop down trees, to get wood,” Hua Cheng replied. “So you’re making an axe?” Xie Lian guessed. “Yes, you’re right, Gege. You’re always right.” A little later, Xie Lian saw Hua Cheng chopping down some of the smaller trees, which were still big enough to build something with. Xie Lian didn’t approach because he was afraid a tree might fall on him. Then he noticed that Hua Cheng had changed his appearance; he now looked like a fine-looking youth, appearing only 16-17 years old. Xie Lian chuckled a bit before noticing the tree Hua Cheng was cutting down was about to fall on him! He shouted, “San Lang! Watch out, the tree is going to fall!” BANG! Xie Lian stood there. He couldn’t see anything for a minute, but when he could see again, he saw Hua Cheng holding the tree up with one hand and holding the axe with the other. “Don’t worry, Gege. I’m fine, see?” Hua Cheng moved out of the way of the tree, then started to chop the branches off. After removing the branches, he began to chop the tree into smaller pieces to make it easier to handle. Xie Lian approached Hua Cheng to ask what he planned to do with the wood. “San Lang, what are you going to do with all that wood?” “I’m going to make a small boat for us, Gege.” “So we can get out of this place?” “Yes, you’re exactly right, Gege.” A while later, Xie Lian noticed how hungry he was. He didn’t want to bother Hua Cheng just to get him food, so he thought he should look around for some berries. While searching, Xie Lian turned a corner and found a large bush of blackberries. He ran over to the bush, picked some berries, and carried them back in his pale white hands. Showing the berries to Hua Cheng, he said, “Wow, Gege found some berries. Are you going to share with me?” “Only if you want some,” Xie Lian replied. “San Lang would like some of the berries that Gege picked,” Hua Cheng smiled affectionately. “By the way, when will you be finished building the boat, San Lang?” “I will be finished in two days at the least,” Hua Cheng replied. “How long did Gege think it would take?” “I don’t know, maybe five days?” “Five Aubrey’s Pages (continued) HEAVEN OFFICIAL’S BLESSING - cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 20 days?! That’s so long. Especially for a ghost king.” “You’re right, San Lang. I don’t know what I was expecting, five days is way too long for a ghost king.” “It’s alright.” **The Next Day (Tuesday, February 7)** Hua Cheng woke up and slowly got up, thinking about finding some clean and fresh water to wash his silky long black hair. He wondered if bringing back some clean water might earn him praise from Xie Lian. So he set out in search of fresh water. After walking for a while, he found a small river. Yesterday, Hua Cheng had made a wooden bowl with his newly crafted tools, specifically for collecting water, so he brought the bowl with him. He used the bowl to scoop up some water, then made his way back to Xie Lian. After returning, Hua Cheng continued working on the boat, laboring all day and night. By 5:22 A.M., Hua Cheng had completed the boat. He woke Xie Lian up, and they set off. (Sunday, February 13) After five nights and six whole days at sea, at 11:48 P.M., Xie Lian felt the boat shake. He immediately got up and saw that they were at shore. He woke Hua Cheng, and they both disembarked from the boat. “San Lang! We’re back!” Xie Lian exclaimed. “Yes, we are!” Hua Cheng replied with a smile. “San Lang, I just remembered something...” Xie Lian said, a realization dawning on him. “What?” Hua Cheng looked at him curiously. “We could’ve just teleported our way back...” Xie Lian said, a hint of amusement in his tone. “Oh right, I forgot...” Hua Cheng laughed, slightly embarrassed by the oversight. THE END. Aubrey’s Pages (continued) HEAVEN OFFICIAL’S BLESSING - cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 21 BONUS PICS Luke’s Photo RJ’s Photo
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 22 Beckett’s Pages ROCKS AND STONES “I like the rocks and stones in the picture. They are cool because the rocks are emotional for one thing.” Beckett’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 23 Beckett’s Pages (continued) ROCKS AND STONES by Beckett “The rocks and stones at the lighthouse are cool in every way,” said the seal named Andy, who wore avatars. He and his friend Jack looked at rocks by the lighthouse. They found a diamond of their own one day and asked the lighthouse keeper to watch the diamond for the night. That night, someone took it. The next day, they looked all over the lighthouse. There were only three tourists, and two slept at a nearby campsite, and one came back, said the lighthouse keeper. Andy and Jack went looking for the culprit. They looked at the campsite and they saw the perpetrator. It was Barney the dinosaur; he had the diamond. Barney said, “I don’t have the diamond,” and ran… into a pole. Oof. Later that day, they found the diamond in Barney’s pants. The end.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 24 Cooper’s Pages WHERE I BELONG “I like this photo because it’s pretty, like my family.” Cooper’s Photo Selection: WHERE I BELONG by Cooper There was a boy named Jeremiah who went fishing at sea with his father. They made some good catches and then ate them for dinner. That evening, the boy’s mom read him a story which he loved. Then he shut his eyes but had a nightmare about being lost at sea. He woke up and ran to his parents, saying, “Mommy, Mommy!” The parents said, “What? What?” The boy replied, “I had a bad
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 25 Cooper’s Pages (continued) dream.” The parents said, “You can sleep with us.” Then they went to sleep. The next day, the boy went fishing again and saw something strange. He told his dad, “I saw something,” said the boy. The dad saw nothing and replied, “You must be tired.” But the boy insisted, “But I saw something.” That night, the boy sneaked out to find what he saw. He jumped in the water and searched for the thing that scooped him in its mouth and took him to some place. It was a fighting arena. The boy, who had trained in Muay Thai, beat Aubrey’s favorite anime guy. Then he went to a bar and got some root beer. The next day, he went home, and his parents were so happy to see him. He told them everything, so he thought about whether he should be a fighter. So he said, “Why not?” and got to training. He went to fight a guy named Michael Jackson. He won the fight, then trained more, and got invited to a tournament. He passed the qualifying rounds and made it to the semi-finals. It was tough, and he won. It was crazy, and then the finals came. They were bashing each other with crazy hits, but then… Jeremiah was knocked out but then got back up and fought and fought and fought until the opponent was knocked out. Jeremiah was the champion. Then he started to hit the Griddy and said, “This, I’m going to eat a banana.” It was delicious. So then he won the next year, and the next one, and the next one, and he became a five-time champ. His life was going great until he had a challenger. His name was Pattycake Joe, who loved to play pattycake for some reason. They were training hard. It was crazy, and then it was fight night. Five rounds of ruthless head-bashing, the fight started. Pattycake was hitting him hard until Joe got knocked out, and Jeremiah decided to retire and went back to his home. He also got married and had three children: the oldest, Avery; the middle, Jack; and the youngest, Cloey. Then he lived with 2.5 billion dollars. He was that good at his sport. But then some guy called him out for a fight, so he accepted the challenge. They were hitting each other, then the enemy got knocked out, and he was done. Then he said, “This is where I belong.” Then they all smiled. The end. WHERE I BELONG - cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 26 Ella’s Pages BLUE BELL FLOWER “I like this photo because the flower’s blue and it’s my fav colour. And I love flowers.” Ella’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 27 Ella’s Pages (continued) MOM’S SPAGHETTI by Ella Once upon a time, I was at my friend’s house, and we were playing Uno and jumping on the trampoline when my mom called me in. It was spaghetti and homemade cupcakes for dinner. After eating, I brushed my teeth and went to bed because it was a school day the next morning. My mom made me pancakes for breakfast, and for a snack, it was an orange and leftover cupcakes and spaghetti. Then I went to school. At school, my friends and I lined up for lunch, which was soup and crackers. After lunch, we went back to our class where we were doing a morning meeting and finish-ups; it was boring. When school ended, I went home, and my mom had made spaghetti again. I relaxed, then I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was dinner time. We had turkey and mashed potatoes. After dinner, we went to the lighthouse, and there I found these beautiful flowers that inspired me in spring. When I came home, I saw lots of flowers, so I went to bed. Then I woke up in a pile of flowers. I didn’t know if it was not a dream or what. I walked home, but I didn’t realize I was in a different country. Then I saw a lighthouse, but the country I was in was Toronto, and then I woke up in Sooke. How did I get here? Is this a dream or something? Then I saw my favorite flower; it was a bluebell. I picked it up and then went to my house. Was this a coincidence? Then I woke up. It was a dream or something. The end. Oh wait, it was a dream. Goodbye. I didn’t know I was in a coma. The end.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 28 Elleanor’s Pages Elleanor’s Photo Selection: THE LIGHTHOUSE FROM 1950 “I chose this photo because it’s heaven from 1950. It’s the lighthouse.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 29 Elleanor’s Pages (continued) TITANIC by Elleanor In 1912, the Titanic set sail and tragically sank. It was one of the most tragic events in history. There were 2,000 people on the boat, but only a few survived. Some predict that the wreckage may be gone by 2050. Currently, it is 2024. The boat split in half, a result of the sea’s corrosive effects. Originally, the Titanic was only supposed to carry 1,000 people, but due to non-compliance, 2,000 people were on board. The Titanic struck an iceberg, which tore a hole in its side, leading to its sinking. At 12:00 AM on April 15th, 1912, over 1,000 people died because there were not enough lifeboats, and only a few were available. Now, 116 years after it set sail, the Titanic rests at the bottom of the sea. People have been unable to see the Titanic up close, except for a few who observed it by boat. These observers did not assist during the disaster, leaving many to perish. That day, many lives were lost, and countless people did not return home. Interestingly, there were no lighthouses at that time; it was 1912, and now it is 2024. Imagine if the Titanic disaster occurred in 2024 instead of 1912. What would happen? It would indeed be a massive tragedy if it happened again. Would the outcome be the same? The end.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 30 Finn’s Pages Finn’s Photo Selection: Finn wasn’t able to be with us when we went to the lighthouse. But if he had been, we think he’d have taken photographs like this. It reminds us of his poem.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 31 Finn’s Pages (continued) SURFING by Finn It was fun surfing; I got up so many times. The water was so warm— well, it wasn’t actually warm, it’s just warmer than in Canada. I saw a lighthouse in the distance. It was cool; the sun just melted into the water. The sunset was so beautiful, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. But before that, I went sideways on my surfboard, which I’ve never done before. I was quite surprised with how good my dad was too. My brother was also surfing with me. I had a better surf teacher. Eli got up more, but I caught longer waves, so I spent more time on the waves. I went over the falls on a boogie board, where I could have died, but luckily it was a medium-sized wave. I think I broke my back, not literally. Going over the falls is when you paddle too fast and start on top of the wave. Sometimes you get lucky, and the wave goes in front of you, but I wasn’t. It pulls you into the wave and under; you can’t fight it, you just have to wait. Because the harder you try, the more energy you lose, and the more energy you lose means you can’t swim to shore when you’re weak. Unless you have something you can float on. A float won’t work; it will break on the wave, but a surfboard and boogie board will work.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 32 Gabe’s Pages Gabe’s Photo Selection: LIGHTHOUSE MEADOW ZONE “I chose this photo because it’s cool and I just like it.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 33 Gabe’s Pages (continued) **Chapter One:** Once there was a lighthouse and four kids named Shae Morley, Gabe Gormley, Jaxson Adams, and Timmy McBob. They lived on a ship, and Shae was the captain. One day they found a lighthouse. They knew there was no owner. So, they went to live in the lighthouse, but they didn’t know it wasn’t a normal lighthouse… "Finally a place to live in," said Shae. "Welp, we should put down our sleeping bags," said Jaxson. "Okay," said Timmy. So they put down their sleeping bags and went to sleep… CRASH!!!! "Gah!" They all woke up. "Where’s Timmy?" said Gabe. Shae and Jaxson looked at Timmy’s sleeping bag, and Timmy wasn’t there. Only Timmy's glasses were left. "Oh no, we will all die at the age of 10," said Gabe. "I'm 11," said Jaxson, "and Timmy is 21." "He is?" said Gabe. "But he's already dead, so it doesn't matter," says Gabe. Jaxson rolls his eyes. But before he could say anything, he noticed that Shae and Gabe looked terrified. "Did you hear that?" they both say. "No," says Jaxson. But then they all stop; they can all hear footsteps. THE LIGHTHOUSE... by Gabe **Chapter Two:** They all freeze, then they hear screeching. They all turn around and go to run but bump into the wall. They see the figure; it's completely black. Shae turns on the lights to see what it looked like, but the figure was still black, with dark red horns, dark red wings, and red eyes. **Chapter Three:** "Okay, guys, Jax, you're the strength, Gabe, you're the speed, and I'm the smarts. We could probably defeat it," says Shae. Jax goes running at the monster; the monster gets hit but is only down for 30 seconds. Gabe slides under the monster's legs, punches it in the face, and zooms out of the lighthouse with his backpack on, and Shae and Jaxson are right behind him. They jump in the boat, but right after they get in, the monster gets up and teleports onto the boat. But they are already far away, and Jaxson kicks the monster into the water, and they all watch as the monster drowns and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. THE END
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 34 Hunter’s Pages THE LIGHTHOUSE “I chose this photo because the background is white and the land looks like the sea.” Hunter’s Photo Selection: THE LIGHTHOUSE by Hunter There was a ship coming from San Francisco. It was January 30, and it was midnight with bad weather. The snow was coming down fast. They were heading to Vancouver Island, but they never made it. They were supposed to turn, but they couldn’t see the turn and crashed into the side of a cliff. There were 173 people on the boat, but sadly, only 37 made it out. There was a guy named Lucas, who was one of the
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 35 Hunter’s Pages (continued) crew members and a cook, the best one though. He was on the lifeboat coming off, but the ship was sinking to the bottom. One hour before the crash, he was cooking for a table of 13. He was the only cook there; all the other cooks were sleeping in their beds. But Lucas was the only one up, so he was up until 3:43 AM. Thirty minutes before the crash, he was about to go to bed, but feeling too jumpy, he went to take a walk around the ship. He wanted to go up to where the captain was. So, he walked up there, and the captain said hi and Lucas replied, “Hi.” But then the captain asked, “What are you doing up here? You’re up so late.” At 3:56 AM, Lucas said, “I know, I am kind of jumpy,” so the captain said, “Oh,” and added, “I know that feeling.” Lucas replied, “Yeah.” Then, he went down to his bed. Five minutes before the crash, he was sleeping, but then he heard bang, bang, BANG, and then he got up. He ran to the lifeboats, but they were not coming down, so he went for cover as everything was flying off. Two minutes later, it stopped. The boat was stuck on the side of the cliff. Lucas was so scared he was going to jump into the water. But it was -24 degrees, so his friends said, “Don’t do it, you will get too cold, and maybe you will die.” So, they waited and waited and waited. It was 8 hours from the crash when they had to get food from the kitchen. So, he went to the kitchen; all the food was off the shelves, so he had to pick up the food that did not need to be heated on a stove. They only had cereal and milk, but the only bad thing was that it was getting stale. One day passed, and the ship sank a bit overnight, so the boat only had one day left. A person saw the boat and called 911; they said the rescue team was on the way. Another day passed, and the boat was falling down into the water, and the rescue team was not able to get to the boat. The lifeboat turned on, and they got in the boat right before the boat sank. End of story. THE LIGHTHOUSE - cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 36 Jaxson’s Pages PIRATE’S COVE “I like this photo because it’s beautiful. I chose this picture because it looks like a pirate cove.” Jaxson’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 37 Jaxson’s Pages (continued) SHERINGHAM LIGHTHOUSE by Jaxson The pirates landed on a beautiful island that they called Pirates Cove. The pirates knew that they could always find their island because there was a special lighthouse on it. When they explored the lighthouse, they found something strange! There was a coconut man shining a light at them. The pirates were scared, so they ran back to their ship. The coconut man chased them, and the pirates told him to stop chasing them. The coconut man said, “Come back and come inside my lighthouse. I have many things to tell you.” The pirates were happy to hear stories, so they followed the coconut man back to the lighthouse. The coconut man gave the pirates coconut cookies, and they drank coconut milk while they listened to all the great stories. Their favorite story was about how the coconut man’s dog stood up and sang a song about the lighthouse. When the song was over, he ran to the water, turned into a whale, and swam away. The end.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 38 Leela’s Pages YELLOW FLOWERS “I chose this photo because I like how pretty this flower is and I like these types of flowers.” Leela’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 39 Leela’s Pages (continued) YELLOW FLOWERS by Leela Once upon a time, there was a glamorous lighthouse with pretty flowers! So pretty, I know, right? Anyway, one day, the lighthouse had problems… so sad. Well, guess what? The flowers noticed. Yes, the flowers were alive, you silly goose; this isn’t reality. And so, the flowers pushed themselves out of the ground! It was hard for them, but they did it, and all of them waddled to the lighthouse. One flower named ‘Awesome Flying Potato’ said to the lighthouse, “Hello there, Mr. Lighthouse! Are you doing alright?” The lighthouse replied, “No, Awesome Flying Potato, I don’t feel good…” All the flowers gasped dramatically; the lighthouse was always so happy and bright, and now it was feeling sad. The flowers knew they had to do something about it, and so another flower named ‘Cheese’ said, “We will be back soon, Mr. Lighthouse!” And so, the flowers walked away. A few days later, the flowers came back to the lighthouse. The lighthouse was shocked they came back; he thought they wouldn’t come back. The flower named ‘Cheese’ had a block of cheese. Cheese said, “Eat this cheese, Mr. Lighthouse! You will feel better!” And so, the lighthouse did. He ate the block of cheese, and a few seconds later, he smiled. The flowers smiled too. The lighthouse said, “This cheese tasted like trash, but it made me feel better. Thank you, Cheese.” Cheese gasped angrily, then said, “UGH! HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY AMAZING CHEESE!!!” The lighthouse spoke up, “I’m sorry, Cheese.” Cheese spoke up angrily, “I DON’T CARE, YOU TALL THING! YOU INSULTED MY FOOD! I WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THAT, UGH!” One flower named ‘Obese Cat’ was cackling at the argument. Cheese noticed and narrowed his eyes, then said, “Obese Cat, stop cackling, or I’ll throw you into the lake!” Obese Cat said, “That’s okay, I love the water, plus I need to lose weight. I have eaten way too much McDonald’s, and swimming is great exercise!” Cheese scoffed then spoke up to Obese Cat, “Well then, I’ll throw you into a dungeon!” Obese Cat laughed, then realized what Cheese said, and then Cheese spoke again, “I’M SERIOUS, YOU BAKED BEAN!” Obese Cat shed a tear then said, “I’m not a baked bean... because… YOU ARE!” Cheese gasped loudly then yelled, “YOU HAIRY FLOWER! YOU ARE A CRUSTY, NOT CLEAN, OBESE THING!” cont...
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 40 The lighthouse said, “Now, now, Cheese, some people have their dislikes in food. I don’t like the cheese you gave me, but that’s okay. You have your dislikes, and so do I, even the other flowers have dislikes.” Cheese sighed, “Whatever, you skyscraper thing.” 2 WEEKS LATER Cheese, Obese Cat, and the lighthouse still hadn’t made up about the argument. All of them were still upset at each other, except for the lighthouse and Obese Cat. Since the lighthouse was wise, the lighthouse waddled over to Cheese and said, “Cheese, I’m sorry about what happened 2 weeks ago; I’m really sorry.” Cheese glared then said, “Whatever, it’s fine. Give me time to at least forgive you.” The lighthouse nodded in agreement, then walked away. After a few minutes, Cheese went to Obese Cat. Cheese said to Obese Cat, “Hey, I’m sorry about what I said before; it was wrong, and I didn’t know what I was doing because I felt angry.” Obese Cat said, “It’s fine, I understand. That’s how I felt when I couldn’t get McDonald’s for dinner. It still makes me mad to this day, but that was 11 years ago…” Cheese smiled in a terrified way then spoke, “What is wrong with you?!?!” in a friendly and joking way. Obese Cat said, “There is a lot that is wrong with me. Once I face-planted into someone’s birthday cake, I was banned from birthdays. Oopsie-doopsie.” Cheese laughed. Obese Cat smiled innocently, like he never face-planted into someone’s birthday cake. Cheese then said, “Mr. Lighthouse apologized to me, so, shall we have a dance party?” Obese Cat said, “Yes, but do not have cake there, you know, for obvious reasons.” Cheese nodded and said, “Okay!” *On the day of the party* Certainly! Here’s the continuation and completion of the editing from where it left off: Cheese was eating cheese in the corner of the dance party, and Obese Cat was stuffing his face with food, as always. They all had so much fun, and they all became besties. But then… Obese Cat didn’t get McDonald’s and had a whole tantrum, yelling at Cheese and the Lighthouse. But they made up again. THE END OF THIS STORY. THE LIGHTHOUSE - cont. Leela’s Pages (continued)
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 41 Logan’s Pages Logan’s Photo Selection: Logan wasn’t able to join us during this project, or when we went to the lighthouse. But if he had been there, we think he’d have taken photographs like these.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 42 Logan’s Pages (continued)
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 43 Luke’s Pages Luke’s Photo Selection: BLUE OCEAN RIVER “I chose this photo because it’s cool and I like blue and the ocean.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 44 BLUE OCEAN RIVER by Luke Luke’s Pages (continued) One night at the lighthouse, a blue ocean river was created when lighthouse workers dug a big hole. One of the workers, named Kai, was kind, funny, and wealthy. He had black hair and was tan. After a while, he looked into the hole and noticed it was full of water from the ocean. The water was not receding with the ocean waves, and then Kai fell in and started to drown. No one was there to save him, and he was sad. Finally, his friend Josh came and saved him. Kai said, “Thank you, Josh!” Josh was kind and sometimes mean. He had brown hair and was black. A few days later, Josh got sick from mercury and chemicals. A year later, he passed away. At his funeral, it was Kai’s turn to say something about Josh: “He was a great friend. Rest in peace, also brother from another mother.”
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 45 Madi’s Pages Madi’s Photo Selection: Madi wasn’t able to be with us when we went to the lighthouse. But if she had been, we think she’d have taken photographs like this. It reminds us of her poem.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 46 Madi’s Pages (continued) HEARTSTOPPER!!!! by Madi Characters: (by Alice Oseman) Charlie: 16, Nick’s boyfriend, in year 11, birthday is April 27, likes woolly sweaters, plays the drums Nick: 17, Charlie’s boyfriend, in year 12, birthday is September 4 Tao: Charlie’s friend, year 10, 15, birthday is September 23 Elle: Charlie’s friend One day… Nick and Charlie were going to the lighthouse… “Nick, where are we going?” “It’s a surprise, Charlie!” “Fine!... Wait... I hear seagulls!... Oh my gosh! The beach!” Nick chuckles. “I knew you would like it!” “I only like it because you brought me here!” Charlie smiles then holds Nick’s hand. “You’re holding my hand...?” “Duh! We’re boyfriends!” “Right... just getting used to it! Y’know, the only boy I’ve liked is you!” “Aw, Nick! Also, you don’t have to say that in public because I’m out...” “I know! Wait, is that a lighthouse? The light is moving!” Nick smiles while still holding Charlie’s hand. “Let’s take a photo, Nick!” “Sure!” Then they take a photo! The photo looks like Charlie is kissing Nick’s cheek; that’s normal for them! “Nick... how did we get in the ocean, and why are you holding me like I’m your newborn baby?” Nick laughs.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 47 “You’re not my child! I’m carrying you to the lighthouse!” “Oh, okay! Fine with me!” A few hours later... “NICK, I’M FREEZING!!!!!!” “Charlie, we’re almost there!... We’re here! Woah...” “Nick... why is it so big?” “I’m not sure! You’re the smart one!” “Am I though?” “Yes, you are!” They smiled at the beautiful lighthouse. “Why is there a lighthouse in Kent though?” Nick chuckled. “Maybe... it’s to see people in the dark?” “Maybe, Nick! But I’m not sure why someone would walk in the dark, but okay!” Later... Nick and Charlie went their separate ways... (they just went home). Tao knocked on Charlie’s door. “Charlie! I’m coming to your room!” Tao notices a photo of Nick and Charlie... Uh, you know, going mwa. “Uh, Charlie?” “Yes, Tao- Ah... uh, I don’t know what to tell you about that...” Charlie sighed and smiled. “Me and Nick are... dating.” Tao was a bit shocked but then said, “What... well, I’m happy for you!” Charlie sighed and smiled. “Wanna invite Elle over?” “Sure.” Elle later came over... Charlie explained more of his relationship with Nick to them. Elle said, “Wow, Charlie! I never thought that would happen to you! You really like Nick, don’t you?” Then they invited Nick back over, and they all watched a movie together. TO BE CONTINUED! (never) Madi’s Pages (continued) HEARTSTOPPER!!!! - cont.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 48 Millie’s Pages PURPLE AND PINK FLOWERS “I chose this photo because purple and pink are my favourite colours, and I like the shape of the flowers.” Millie’s Photo Selection:
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 49 LIGHTHOUSE FLOWERS by Millie Millie’s Pages (continued) One day, when the people were doing their daily check on the lighthouse, everything was normal but for one thing: flowers. Nobody knew how the flowers got there. But no one really cared because the flowers were very pretty and they looked nice next to the lighthouse. But little did they know, a ghost gardener had planted those flowers and was going to plant many more flowers. Like, A LOT more flowers. So later that night, the ghost gardener planted some peace lilies and some sunflowers. After the people did their check and left, the ghost gardener just kind of chilled until night. But then some emo teenagers came, thinking they were so emo and cool, but the ghost gardener didn’t care. BUT THEN they DARED to pull out the ghost gardener’s flowers and they put in fake black roses. But for them, that was a mistake... “Ehehe...” So the ghost gardener scared them so much that they peed their pants and ran and screamed, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HELP THERE’S A SPOOKY DOOKIE GHOST!” Inhale “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.” Mind you, they looked very spooky and scary. They also looked like they could win a fight easily. But in the end, the ghost gardener replanted their very pretty flowers, like foxgloves and peace lilies. And they all lived happily ever after. The end.
Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society Page 50 Mirah’s Pages BIRD “I chose this photo because it has a bird and I love birds.” Mirah’s Photo Selection: