WFS 2021 2022 Yearbook

Student
Yearbook

Academic Year
2021/2022

This yearbook contains the results of the diligent labor of the Write for Success
students. Their varied approaches and unique styles applied to each assignment supply
impressive and imaginative reading. I hope you will peruse the pages and marvel at each
individual masterpiece. Enjoy!

Elementary 1

Sofia D.

My Pet Nina

Since I was little, I wanted to have a pet. Everyone chose a dog when the time came.
Excitingly, our parents got us a pet since COVID hit ,and playing with her would be something
to do. In fact, we did reading and researching for the perfect kind of dog which is a cobberdog
(basically a calmer bred labradoodle). Nina’s breed is really cute. She is high maintenance and
needs attention. Getting a pet is exciting. Nina really loves getting attention and having family
time.

Nina’s appearance is very adorable by nature. Beautifully, curly red fur covers her 70-
pound body. Nina is a good cuddle buddy because she is very big and fluffy, which makes for
fun cuddling! Her puffy tail matches fabulously with her fluffy body. Where dogs can have pink
or black noses, my dog has a big black nose. Nina's appearance is absolutely adorable.

Playing with Nina can get intense and competitive, but not aggressive. One way I play
with Nina is I sneak up on her. Then she jumps on me. Quickly, I love to sprint swiftly and grab
toys, and when I hold the toys up high, she loves to jump to get them. Since I play with Nina in
the yard, I chase her everywhere in the fenced area. Tug-o-war can get very hard and
competitive, which she tugs towards the ground, and I am pulling with all of my might. Finally,
another way is I throw the ball and she runs away with it. Nina is amazing! I enjoy playing
many different games with Nina, but sometimes it can get intense and competitive by nature.

Nina’s tricks, which can be very funny, are sometimes even sneaky. One of her tricks
after dinner is that she places her head directly on the tabletop and licks the crumbs. Another
one of Nina’s tricks is grabbing random junk and toys on the floor and sprinting away with them.
Because we have human baby number five in the house and Nina is competitive with mom's
attention, Nina plops herself right down in my mom’s lap when it is vacant. Hilariously, Nina is
always desperate for attention. She is never neglected and just wants 100% of the attention. I

put Nina in the crate at night. In decline she does not listen to me, and then I ask mom or dad for
help. Then she listens. Nina is a hoot. These are the reasons why I love Nina’s sneaky and
funny tricks.

Since Nina is big and curly, she looks like a bear. Nina and I can get very competitive
when playing together. Yes, Nina’s tricks can get the whole family laughing or staring with her
funny and sneaky tricks. She is the most spoiled, cute, and funny dog. Nina is spoiled because
she expects all the attention. Her tricks are also funny, and she looks cute. Nina is the best!

Jadyn R.

Jupiter

Jupiter’s size is enormous as it is the largest planet to orbit the sun. It was named after
the Roman god. Jupiter can be seen from earth without special equipment. Jupiter is 1 1/2 much
bigger than all other planets together. If it was hollow, more than 1,300 earths would fit inside.
Jupiter has a really big size to it.

Interestingly, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a crazy storm which is much like a hurricane.
Mysteriously, its hurricanes, which have been raging for more than 300 years, spin more
ginormous than earth’s worst hurricanes. Jupiter is nearly three times the size of the earth.
According to scientists, Jupiter’s colors are dull pink and bright red. Because it’s so unusual,
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is inspiring.

Cleverly, spacecrafts have been invented to explore Jupiter. Scientists have been taking
pictures of Jupiter which helped useful scientists discover new moons. While exploring Jupiter,
Galileo’s total orbit was seven years. When it carefully probed, it gathered information. Voyager
discovered the ring around Jupiter. If you are an astronaut, never go along Jupiter. Imagine
going at Jupiter and exploring it. That would be fun and funnily scary.

Joseph T.

Exploration of Jupiter

Jupiter is extraordinarily big in size. It is the largest planet to orbit the sun. It was named
after the Roman god because it is so large. Due to its humungous size, Jupiter can be seen from
Earth without any special equipment. Because of Jupiter’s extreme size, it is one and a half
times the size of all of the other planets combined. If Jupiter was hollow, it could completely fit
1,300 earths inside of it. Due to its size, Jupiter stands out from all of the other planets.

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is so massive that it takes over most of the planet. It’s spot is a
storm much like a raging hurricane. The spot is worse than any hurricane storm on Earth.
Jupiter’s age ranges from more than 300 years. Three Earth’s put together would make up the
size equivalent to Jupiter. The unique color of the Great Red Spot is a brightly colored red, and
the rest of the planet is a muted and dull pink. If you look up into the sky, you may be able to
amazingly see Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Many spaceships are up on the planet Jupiter, trying to find ways for humans to explore
the planet. The robots had long, head-shaped tools with a camera on top which can astoundingly
take pictures. Some of those pictures led to the discovery of new moons. The aircraft Galileo
totally orbited Jupiter for about seven years. Galileo was optimistically probing the planet to
gather useful information. Another ship called the Voyager orbited Jupiter, discovering the ring
like Saturn. With the advances in technology, exploration will continue on the planets.

Cecelia W.

Hi, my name is Cece. I'm ten years old, and I live in Pennsylvania. I have five siblings.
I'm the second oldest. I live on a farm. and I have eighteen chickens, two dogs, one cat, two
horses, three ponies, and two bunnies. I love to garden. My favorite hobbies are skiing, playing
tennis, golfing, sewing, baking. I love flowers. I like to fish. I like to ride horses, and I love to
dance. I'm homeschooled. My favorite food is chicken parmesan. I would really like to go to
Prince Edward Island. I would like to open a bakery when I'm older, and I really want to go to
summer camp. My favorite thing I did in this class was the hummingbird essay.

Hummingbirds
Hummingbird’s appearance is quite different from other birds. They have beautiful,
bright feathers. They are so pretty. Their feathers are mainly for show. They have a shiny fine
coating that simmers like jewels in the sunshine. The hummingbird's appearance is beautiful.
Hummingbirds live in a nest, and they are aggressive nearby enemies. The father darts
and then scolds. They live in high tree branches so some predators cannot reach them. The
mother builds the nest, and the father watches the eggs and darts and scolds. Hummingbird nests
are very protected.

Elementary 2

Donovan D.

Pecos Bill Rides a Tornado

Pecos Bill was the best cowboy. One day, he decided that he would ride a tornado. He
waited in Kansas for the biggest tornado. Then a colossal tornado appeared. It whirled so loud
that it woke up people in China. It turned the sky black and green.

Pecos Bill grabbed the massive tornado and jumped on. The tornado attempted to get
him off. It whipped and whirled. It tied the rivers into knots. It flattened entire forests. While it
raged about, Pecos Bill just sat on it, looking calm and jabbing it with his shiny spurs every now
and then.

The tornado finally decided that it was never going to be able to throw Pecos off. It
rained itself out. There was so much water, it washed out the Grand Canyon. After some time,
Pecos Bill fell. He hit the ground so hard, he created Death Valley. That was how the rodeo
started.

Lorelai D.

Animal Chores

During the day, I perform several chores, which I started recently. The first two I enjoy
but not so much the last. Because my dad is allergic to them, all of the animal chores occur
outside. Caring for the soft and kind cat and her cute, cuddly, clumsy kittens, I do happily every
day. I won’t forget these animals. Another one is caring for the dog, and the last as well as my
least favorite is dealing with our chicks.

One of my current responsibilities is caring for our friendly, loving barn cat, Hilde. If
someone states that I enjoy doing this work, I won’t deny it. I find caring for Hilde and her cute,
clumsy, cuddly kittens quite fun. Hilde is the friendliest cat! Naturally, I check her water to
make sure it’s clean and clear. If it isn’t then I rinse the blue bowl and get clean, sparkling water.
I supply food for her a few times every day because she needs to nurse her three-weeks-old and
growing kittens. Shaking out the blankets, which makes me sneeze, I don’t enjoy and only do it
once a day. I play with the soft, lovable kittens to make sure they will be friendly and used to
humans when they get older. Last and easiest, I pet Hilde to show her that we love and care for
her. Hilde and I are both delighted that I have the merry responsibility of caring for her.

Another responsibility that I do every day is caring for our dog, who is named Winston.
He is six years old. Feeding him every evening, someone always must do if I can or not. I check
to make sure he has water twice a day and that it isn’t awfully dirty. When his gray, heated
blanket tumbles and flops out of his house, I replace it as well as make sure it is on and warm. In
addition to that task, I make sure the red towel in front of the house is blocking the entrance so
that the wind doesn’t get in. Easily, I play and have fun with him. I really enjoy this
responsibility of caring for our family pet except for when the water splashes me and I get chilly.

Although chicks are quite messy, I like the responsibility of caring for them. Effortlessly
I play with them and pick them up so that they won’t be mean when they are older. I ensure that
they have a good supply of crunchy food as well as water, which is sometimes terribly dirty.
Using my fingers, I get most of the wood shavings out of the water also. Inside their coop, I
check to see that the heat lamps are on so they can stay warm and cozy. Confirming that the door
is latched, I keep the cute, fuzzy chicks safe and warm. I love the timid chicks. The
responsibility of caring for chicks is fun.

Playing with the cute, cuddly, clumsy kittens, I find fun. Despite his messiness, I enjoy
watching the dog, whose name is Winston, gobble up his food contentedly. As they grow, our
baby chicks are terrified of everyone and everything. Understandably, my favorite chore is
caring for the kittens because they are so soft, cuddly, and adorable.

Aliza K.

Dolphins in the Deep

Dolphins live together in a group called a pod. Dolphins, which are very social, help
each other efficiently fight and hunt. Dolphins may be one of the most intelligent animals GOD
made. Sometimes dolphins will circle a school of fish to form a barrier. One by one the
dolphins will pick off the school of fish. Dolphins are amazing because they can kill sharks by
ramming the snouts into the shark! Dolphins can even plan and prepare to trap fish. A dolphin
pod is so cool.

Unicorn of the Sea

A narwhal is sometimes called the unicorn of the sea. The horn of a narwhal does not grow out
of the skull whereas it grows out of the mouth! Narwhals, which can get up to fifteen feet long,
have tusks that can get up to seven feet long. The scientists do not know why the narwhal has a
tusk. It’s for fighting, maybe. We may never know. Though we have learned that there are
special nerves and blood vessels in the narwhal’s horn, scientists are still trying to figure it out.
A narwal has definitely earned the name UNICORN OF THE SEA!

Elementary 3

Marisa F.

The Unselfish Boy

“The Boy Who Saved a Town” is a short, realistic legend which was published in 1865.
Apparently, the author is an American woman named Mary Mapes Dodge. She was highly
respected. While this story definitely describes Dutch life in the 19th century, it is fictional.
Unlike all other stories, it is part of a bigger work called The Silver Skates.

A young Dutch boy who is about eight years old lives in the Netherlands, which is a flat,
low-lying country. This young lad is quite smart and knows a lot about dikes which are used to
protect farms and villages from the sea’s crashing waves coming in and creating a flood. One
day as the lad is walking home on top of the dike, he suddenly hears a small trickling sound. He
stops in his tracks. What should he do?

The boy stoops down to see if he can tell where the sound is coming from. Finally, he
spies a tiny hole in the side of the dike. As he is standing there looking at this hole, he sees the
hole grow bigger. Being a smart lad, he knows that this tiny hole will in no time become a huge
torrent! If action is not taken, the wall might collapse, and then the whole town and its fields
would be washed away in a great flood. Nobody is around to help, so the young boy selflessly
kneels down and sticks his small fingers in the hold to plug it.

Early the next morning, a young minister happens to pass by. Spotting the boy, he kindly
frees him from his task. He feels relief! Soon the dike is repaired, and everyone is safe.
Because his is humble, the boy quietly trudges home while the minister, who is very excited,
passionately tells everyone about the boy’s beautiful, selfless act of kindness. The boy is
dedicated to helping his town. Without a doubt, this story goes to show the importance of little
actions.

This story is very enjoyable because it was believable and because the boy was unselfish
and cared for other’s safety. He was just an ordinary boy but did a small act that made all the
difference. This story was created in a very realistic setting. This story shows how important it
is to live by the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do onto you.”

Alivia K.

The Princess’s Late Ball

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess, who was riding her elephant across the
savannah. Her name was Dolia. She had opted to go for a ride because she wanted to get outside
to get some fresh air. It was scorching hot that day. Fortunately, she had her large palm branch
fan with her to cool herself. Dolia was enjoying the wonderful view and ride atop her elephant.
Then she got a message that she needed to return to the palace to prepare for that night’s event.
As they were heading back toward the castle, Dolia was thinking what attire she should wear. I
should wear something extremely elegant for this evening’s ball with the prince the princess
thought.

Up ahead there was a kangaroo rat scurrying throughout the savannah. Since it had been
searching for food for days, it was not a plump little animal. The tiny creature was supposed to
find food and return it to its family. The kangaroo rat was enormously famished out in the wild
savannah that it began to daydream of coconuts full of seeds and plump large insects.
Unfortunately, the elephant saw the little creature. Thinking it was a mouse, it started bucking
because it got frightened. The elephant, who was shocked by all the commotion, dashed off into
more grassland.

Dolia’s elephant ran off opposite of the direction of the palace after he threw her off.
Dolia began to ponder what startled her animal so badly. Then she realized that she was stranded
and quite a way to her castle. Dolia, who was so scared what wild creatures were nearby, didn’t
notice that she was walking. Until she saw a fashionable carriage did, she realize. As she
observed it from afar, she hit her head gently with her hand because she didn’t recognize that it
was the prince’s carriage before. The prince asked that his wagon be stopped because he saw the
princess. Politely questioned why she was out here alone as he walked out of his carriage. She
told him, and he asked if she wanted to be taken back. She was so exhausted of the savannah that
she gratefully said, “Yes.” Even though she was late, she still had a marvelous ball. After they
said goodbyes, she saw that her elephant was safely back at the palace.



Intermediate 1

Paul B.

I am Paul, and my age is 13 years old. I have four sisters, one brother, and two parents. I
like to play Ping Pong, baseball, and piano. My favorite things are cards, waffles, and guns. I
have one dog and two cats. I play on a baby grand piano.

My favorite composition that I wrote this year is “How the Goats Win,” because it was
different, and it kept me entertained.

How the Goats Win

“Three Billy Goats Gruff,” which is a very interesting story, is a Norwegian folktale.
Fortunately it was orally handed down from generation to generation. Peter Christen Asbjornsen
and Jorgen Moe are the authors who printed it. Because it is popular, in 1859 it amazingly
became a pleasant part in Popular Tales from the Norse. Existing today, it is a popular short
story because it’s very interesting. In the original story, there is one illustration with pen and ink,
and it is very creative. It’s a very good story.

There are three Billy goats named Gruff, who are in danger because a troll wants to
consume them. Because they read a lot of books, they are smart, and they are all different sizes.
Seeing the green grass, they want to trip trap up the hill and become fat. There is a creaky bridge
above a stream next to a hillside where they choose to hungrily graze. Unfortunately, there is
also a troll who lives under the bridge. Without any kindness, the troll is nasty, ugly, and hungry.

The greedy troll wants to unbelievably devour the Billy goats when they come over the
bridge. The smallest one, who has a very quiet voice, goes over the bridge first. Since the
smallest one says to wait, the troll waits for the bigger one. Walking over the bridge, the medium
one comes. With annoyance, the troll waits again for the bigger one. Eventually, the largest one
approaches the bridge.

The big Billy goat, who is very strong, poetically explains his intentions to the troll.
Because the goat is mad, he gruesomely dances on the troll and tosses him into the water.

Fortunately the troll is gone forever because he tried to eat the Billy goats. Trapping over to the
others, the big Billy goat Gruff joins the goats on the grassy hill. On the hill they get so fat they
can barely walk home. The goats win. Then the big Billy goat ends with a cute rhyme.

In most cases people want the hideous troll to lose because he is bad. Writing together,
Peter Asbjornsen and Jorgen Moe, who are the authors, make the troll’s home very convincing.
Obviously, the theme is that smart ones win, and this is shown when the troll was violently
tossed into the water. Because the troll was torturously and terrifyingly trampled on, it’s too
gruesome for children. The outcome obviously was not a surprise since the troll lost. The troll is
gone forever.

Anthony B.

George Washington: A Great & Humble Leader

George Washington is most likely the humblest president of America. Without him, we
probably would not be seeing the America we know today. Back then Britain controlled North
America, and the people of America wanted to gain Independence. Unknowingly, George
Washington was a crucial figure in this. Commanding the Continental Army, he served his
country, which was followed by him becoming the prudent president of the Constitutional
Convention, and lastly becoming the first president of the United States!!!

George Washington was a humble man. When he was given the position of commander
over the Conventional Army, he didn’t seek it, and only accepted it because the people needed
him. The people wanted to give him a monthly pay of $500, but he declined that too! In his
speech he stated that he was not equal to the command he was given and was honored. George
Washington was an amazing commander who not only led but suffered with his men in battle
and kept his men in the battlefield! At his highest point, he was in charge of more than fifteen
thousand troops, which he commanded with meekness.

George Washington also served his country when he presided as a prudent president of
the Constitutional Convention. He was chosen to be president of the convention because of his
wisdom and the way he kept his army together. He realized that the task would not please
everyone. The interesting thing is that he took no parts in debate and did not push his ideas. He
focused on holding the Constitutional group together, and he did a great job. After the
Constitution was finished, the people trusted it because of the reputation of George Washington.
George Washington was the right person to be chosen to be the president of the Constitution.

Through his leadership, George Washington humbly governed as the first president of
the United States. He was voted unanimously, and everyone voted for him. What Washington
did was always the best for the country, including becoming president. Washington set an
example to other countries. He knew he couldn’t govern alone, so he appointed 350 best advisers
to help him. George Washington used his first veto on an unconstitutional bill, and once again
helped America. When another round of elections came, he let another man become president.
What a meek president George Washington was.

George Washington was involved in forming the USA we know today. Because he was
selfless, his men trusted him. Meekly, he focused at forming the Constitution and set high
standards for presidents who followed him. Doing his best for the country, not for himself,
George Washington humbly made the United States the amazing, free country we know.

Bibliography
Blassingame, Wyatt. The Look-It-Up Book of Presidents. Revised ed., Random House, 1993.
Philander, Chase D. World Book Multimedia. 2013 ed., Software Mackiev, 2013.

Levi C.

My name is Levi; I’m 13 years old and in 8th grade. I live in Pennsylvania, and I have
two older brothers. A few things I really enjoy doing are reading, playing video games, and
writing. In fact, I've been working on a book for the past two years and this class has definitely
helped me improve my writing skills. Some of my favorite foods include bacon, pizza, and most
pies. Eventually, I would like to visit Yellowstone National Park primarily because of the
wildlife and the natural beauty there, and Israel because of all the biblical historical sites that are
located there. During the summer I plan to just relax and have fun swimming in our pool. I
especially enjoyed writing about George Washington because of his selflessness as a leader.

A Selfless Leader

George Washington helped shape the United States of America in many ways. Unlike
America today, Washington lived when Britain still controlled North America. Longing for
freedom, the people started to become tired of British rule and wanted to gain independence.
Patiently, Washington, who served as the commander of the Continental Army, encouraged his
troops through tough times. When the war was won, he was elected president of the
Constitutional Convention. Once the Constitution was approved, Washington was officially
elected as the first President of the United States of America.

George Washington served selflessly as commander for the Continental Army. He did
not seek the position of commander, and he didn’t accept the five-hundred dollar monthly pay
which was extended to him for the role. In his acceptance speech Washington said that he did not
think himself equal to the command he was honored with. During the privation of the war, he
encouraged his men as he suffered with them. Valiantly, Washington kept his men in the field
even if he knew they stood no chance against the enemy. He rarely commanded over fifteen
thousand troops at a time. George Washington was a courageous commander and a selfless
leader.

After the war, George Washington served as the president of the Constitutional
Convention. They needed someone who could hold the convention together. Hearing that
Washington willingly held his army together, they decided to choose him. Predictably,
Washington was a prudent president for the convention and recognized that to please everyone
was impossible. He didn’t take part in the debates and didn’t push his ideas. Instead, he focused
on holding the convention together. When the Constitution was approved people trusted it
because of Washington's wisdom. As well as being a commander, George Washington was a
sensible president for the Constitutional Convention.

Washington went from being the president of the Constitutional Convention to the
President of the United States. He was elected unanimously because everyone trusted him.
George Washington was a very sincere President and did only what was best for the country.
Knowingly, he perceived, because he was the first President, that he had to set a good example

for future leaders. Washington chose three-hundred and fifty of the finest advisors. Without
hesitation, he vetoed any bills which he thought were unconstitutional. Following being elected
twice as the President of the United States, Washington retired willingly and without regret.
George Washington was an earnest President of the United States.

George Washington played a big part in forming the United States of America to what it
is today. Defending the country, he was trusted as a commander because he was selfless. As
president of the Constitutional Convention, Washington, who was entirely focused on forming
the Constitution, only wanted what was best for his country. Concerning politics, he was also an
excellent example as the first President of the United States. Obligingly, Washington sought to
do what was greatest for his country, not for himself. George Washington made the USA a free
country through his courageous spirit and selfless acts.

Bibliography

Blassingame, Wyatt. The Look-It-Up Book of Presidents. Revised ed., Random House, 1993.

Philander, Chase D. World Book Multimedia. 2013 ed., Software Mackiev, 2013.

Eleanor G.

My name is Ella, and I am thirteen. I’m in seventh grade, and I am homeschooled. I live
with my parents and older sister. I am the youngest in my family except for our dog. I enjoy
reading, creating crafts, and exploring in the woods. My favorite foods are pasta, pears, and
M&M’s. When I am older, I hope to become a mother and wife. My favorite place to visit is
Gulf Shores in Alabama. This summer I hope to swim, explore new places, and hang out with
my best friends. I especially enjoyed writing “The Emperor’s New Suit” essay because I enjoy
reading, and it is very humorous.

The Emperor’s New Suit

On April 7, 1837, the Danish folktale called “The Emperor’s New Suit” was published
by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen. The story was included in a collection of stores called Fairy
Tales told for Children, which was a multi-story book written by Hans Christian Anderson.
When this story was written, illustrations were painstakingly drawn in pen and ink, so the
illustrations in this story are true to their time. They are also detailed. Finally, this story has
been adapted to the stage and to film.

At the beginning of the story, there is an emperor. Unfortunately, the emperor is so
focused on dressing frivolously that he does not pay attention to his town. Since the town is a
bustling trade center and is his capital city, this might just be his downfall. Claiming that they
can weave cloth that is invisible to the stupid and those who are unfit for their position, two
swindlers travel to the capital city, which is also the setting. The covetous king cockily craves a
charming costume commissioned from this cloth as he would be able to tell which of his subjects
are smart and which are right for their command. He orders a costume

In the story, the main problem belongs to the emperor. He is proud. Because the
emperor enjoys his clothes so much that he wants them to be of the highest quality, he willingly
pays tons of pounds for the gold thread and expensive cloth which the swindlers ask for.
Sending two officers of his to view the progress of the suit, the king puts his devious plan in use,
which he will use to determine the difference between his officers. Regretfully, the plan does
indeed fail, as the two officers both lie about seeing the fabric. They tell the emperor how
exquisite the pattern is, and how wonderful his Majesty will look in the beautiful suit. The shady
swindlers sew with silver string, smugly showing the king the splendid suit. The officers, afraid
to admit that they are stupid or not worthy, praise the king, telling
him just how wonderful his suit is.

In a parade where the emperor wears his suit, the people all praise him and his clothing.
Complimenting his looks, everyone is scared to admit that they cannot see his clothes. Finally, a
young innocent child blurts out the truth: the emperor is wearing no clothes! Everyone admits
that they cannot see the suit, but the emperor does not stop, although his statement makes a big
impact on him. While it hurts his pride, the emperor, who will not back out of the parade, vows
to himself that he hurriedly helped himself into this predicament and he can get himself out of it.

In conclusion, this story has some faults. The ending never provided details about the
invisibility of the cloth. People may not like that it does not reveal the entire conclusion. What
happens to the swindlers, who are excellent at swindling, remains unanswered. When the
emperor parades down the street, a child is the only one who tells the truth. It’s marvelous to be
truthful. Thankfully, the moral of the story is also a good thing because it teaches people to be
humble.

Keirsten K.

Snowy Day

One snowy afternoon Calvin decided to carefully form snowballs. Trotting out of the
front door, Calvin, who could not wait to begin, noticed his friend Hobbes strolling down the
street. Determining whether it would be more fun to create snowballs with a friend, Calvin
hurriedly rushed over to Hobbes. Calvin immediately invited Hobbes to form snowballs with him
behind the hill in his backyard. Looking startled, Hobbes, who did not expect someone to be
rushing at him, replied “Yes!” So, the best buddies began their journey to the slender hill in
Calvin’s backyard. Once at the snowy hill, the best friends set to work skillfully packing
snowballs in their warm gloves while joyfully humming a Christmas song. Suddenly, Hobbes
heard an army of kids marching towards them. Abruptly, an idea popped in Calvin’s head, “We
could have a snowball fight!” he exclaimed excitedly. At once Calvin and Hobbes hastily
molded snowball after snowball preparing for a fierce fight. The wind started to blow across their
faces, and Calvin felt a slight chill. He became thankful for the hat his grandma knitted for him.
Unexpectedly, Hobbes became thirsty and ran inside to get a drink. Persevering though the
harsh, snowy winds, Calvin continued producing snowballs.

Calvin who became uneasy, yelled for Hobbes to hurry up, as loud as he could. Growing
impatient, since he was desiring for Hobbes to hurry up and help, Calvin started to sweat, despite
it being freezing outside. When Hobbes finally marched back, the two friends thought of an
effective plan to ambush the approaching kids. Working at a steady pace, Calvin and Hobbes
needed to complete their arsenal of snowballs before their snowballs melted. As well the kids
were getting nearer, and the two friends really needed to hurry before the army of kids arrived.
Concentrating as hard as he could, Calvin grew frustrated, scared, and excited all at the same
time! Peering down from the hill, Calvin could see that the kids were already at the bottom!
Gazing at the army of kids, Calvin and Hobbes were nervous and tense.

Hobbes, who had a secret plan, hollered to Calvin that his super plan was ready. Hobbes
secret plan was to catapult a snowball by putting the snowball on one side and jumping on the
other side. Creatively, Hobbes thought that if he wore a scarf it would make him look more
heroic. Launching the icy snowball, Hobbes and Calvin watched the horrific snowball soar
though the air. Then suddenly, plummeting to the ground, the snowball struck the army of kids.
Next, Calvin began to pelt the army kids with his arsenal of snowballs. Extremely surprised, the
kids began to realize they were stuck in the colossal snowball, and they suddenly started to
tumble down the hill! When the snowball reached the bottom of the hill, the kids were incredibly
dizzy. Finally, once their minds began to clear up, the kids rushed home, since they were
dreadfully frightened. With a whoop of excitement in the air Calvin and Hobbes celebrated their
successful win. Calvin was thankful for Hobbes quick thinking, or else that secret plan of his
would have never existed.

Sydney L.
My name is Sydney. I am 14 years old and I’m in 8th grade. I used to live in Hawaii but
recently moved to Alabama for my dad’s job. My dad used to be in the Army, so we moved
around a lot. We have been to Paris and London, and I was born in Germany. I have three older
sisters and two pets. My oldest sister is getting married this summer, so I will have a brother-in-
law soon! I like surfing, hiking, reading, and playing soccer! My favorite thing I have written
about,would probably be sharks. I enjoyed learning more about them because they are such
interesting animals.

(This is a picture of me and my sister. I am the one with glasses.)

Sharks
Sharks are located all around the world, and they come in many sizes. Whale sharks are
60 feet long, and they weigh 70 tons, which makes them the most massive sharks. The largest
basking shark is 45 feet. Basking sharks are mostly found in Nova Scotia and Norway because
they like the cold. Pygmy sharks are only eight inches, which makes them the smallest sharks.
The average shark size is one ton, which is the size of great whites and tiger sharks. Sharks are
incredibly located in all five oceans!
Sharks have an interesting breeding behavior, unlike fish. A pregnant female shark has
never been captured, although there is still a little bit of information on them. Female sharks have
about six million eggs, but unfortunately only one to two are born. Female gestation lasts about
three years. Once the baby shark is born it first swims to the bottom of the ocean and cuts the
umbilical cord. Sharks, who have a very different breeding behavior then most animals, are still
amazing creatures!
Sharks are incredibly dangerous predators. Basking sharks and whale sharks only eat
small fish. They do not kill people, which makes some people believe that they are not predator.
Tiger sharks eliminate reef sharks in the shallow water. Reef sharks hide in coral reefs. Some
reef sharks are tame, although they are all vicious predators.
Sharks have very fascinating teeth. Sharks lose about 30,000 teeth in their lifetime,
although they are constantly being replaced. Shark teeth are not attached to
their gums, which means when they replace their sharp teeth, their teeth move forward like a
conveyor belt. The shape of their teeth depends on their diet. Sharks have very interesting teeth.
Humans should not interact with sharks because they are very dangerous. Lemon sharks
are most fatal towards humans. Lemon sharks hunt in the shallow water where people swim.
Lemon sharks are attracted to brightly colored bathing suits. Splashing in the water provokes
sharks. Most sharks circle their prey before they attack. Thankfully, whale sharks and basking
sharks do not feed on humans, which makes humans not afraid of them. Although some sharks
are not dangerous, humans should not interact with them.

Billy N.

My name is Billy. I live in a family of six with two brothers and a sister. I am a
skateboarder, Christian, and athlete. My favorite sport is track and field because I get to run a lot
and hang out with my friends. I am also homeschooled. My mother has been teaching my
siblings and I from day one, which is no easy task. One of my favorite meals is pigs in a blanket
because I get to help make them. My favorite composition I wrote this year was about sharks.
The reason this is my favorite is because I really enjoy learning about all the amazing animals
God has made and how they are all different from one another in unique ways.

Swim with One Eye Open

Beautiful sharks of every size live all over the world. Tiger sharks migrate to various
locations. In the winter they hunt on coral reefs because food is abundant there. Amazingly the
largest shark ever seen was a sixty-foot-long whale shark weighing seventy tons, which is about
seven times the weight of an average school bus. Another amazing shark is the basking shark.
They live in cold places like Nova Scotia and Norway. The biggest basking shark ever seen was
45 feet long. They can be located all over this massive world. Sharks may look scary, but they
can be quite astonishing.

Sharks have unique breeding behaviors. It may amaze you, but a female basking shark
produces an average of six million pups, which only one or two of will survive. Sharks’
breeding behaviors are not like fish. Instead, they are more like humans. Great white sharks in
the wild avoid humans, so there is little information known about their breeding habits. Much is
known about lemon sharks breeding behaviors because they are easily observed in captivity.
Sharks have quite unique breeding behaviors.

Shark teeth are amazing. The teeth, which come in rows, brutally tear because sharks are
predators. The average shark loses about 30,000 thousand teeth over its lifetime. When it loses
a tooth, a replacement behind it will slowly move forward. The teeth are attached to the gum of
the shark. Not all shark teeth are the same. The whale shark doesn’t have teeth at all. Instead, it
has gill rakers used for eating extremely small plankton. Shark teeth really are incredible.

Sharks can be deadly. There are 60 different kinds of reef sharks. Some reef sharks are
tame because they were raised by humans. They generally do not attack us, because they do not
see us as predators. Reef sharks kill thousands of fish in groups with their deadly slashing bites.
Even these mighty sharks can be beat. The tiger shark, which is bigger, can kill and swallow
reef sharks. If necessary, sharks can be quite dangerous.

People and sharks don’t always get along. Tiger sharks have been known to severely
injure and even kill people when given the chance. Surprisingly, some people claim the tiger
shark is a gentle giant. Most people will disagree with that. It has been shown that sharks are
attracted to the sound helicopters flying close to the ocean, because it usually means there are
people in the water. Lemon sharks are one of the most vicious kinds. They hunt in shallow
water and are attracted to splashing, which makes them a serious threat to people swimming.
Sharks really don’t like humans.

Johnny N.

My name is Johnny. I have three siblings – two brothers and one sister – so I am kept busy
most of the day. Some of the things that I love to do are track, learning my language, and playing
piano, especially classical and ragtime music. A few of my hobbies include wood working and
making languages. I have made two languages so far and hope to make more. My absolute favorite
foods are my mom’s homemade crockpot mac-n-cheese, pink lady apples, and Mandarin oranges.
The things I like most in track are long jump, 110-meter hurdles, and triple jump. My favorite
composition that I wrote this year is “The First American Hero” because it is fascinating to hear
of all the struggles that we went through to be free and hearing about our founding fathers,
specifically George Washington.

The First American Hero

During the savage times when Britain still controlled North America and the Americans
were desperately fighting for independence, out of the ashes came a man named George
Washington, a man that would shape the United States of America forever, which is something we
remember the most. During the war, he was a selfless commander of the Continental Army, and
although he only had around fifteen-thousand men, he was still able to win the war. Taking little
part in the debates, he then oversaw the Constitutional Convention as the president. Finally, he
was the very first president of the U.S.A.

George Washington, a great leader in many aspects of his life, was a selfless commander
of the Continental Army. Interestingly, he didn’t even want the position of commander, and him
not accepting the five-hundred-dollar pay shows his humility. In one of his speeches, he declared
that he was not equal to the position of commander. At first, the people didn’t trust him, but when
they saw him suffering with his men, they began to see him as their leader. Even though his army
was much smaller than that of the British, he was somehow able to keep his men on the field of
battle, which is an amazing feat of military strategy, seeing as how he only had fifteen-thousand
men. Despite the power of Great Britain, Washington amazingly fought and won the American
Revolution with just a rag-tag army. This is a classic example of the American courage of this
nation and of the astounding work and persistence of the commander George Washington.

Showing how great of leader he was, George Washington was a prudent president of the
Constitutional Convention. He was chosen to be very knowledgeable with his army. But during
the convention, he rightly judged that he was not able to satisfy everyone. Instead of speaking his
mind, he decided that he needed to hold the convention together instead of cause strife among
everyone, so he took little part in the debate. Astonishingly, after the convention, many people
began to trust him more and more, which proved to help him in many ways. Starting to gain the
peoples trust, George Washington once again proved his ability to lead this nation when he led the
Constitutional Convention as president of it.

Greatly loved by the people, George Washington proved himself again while he was the
first and most sincere president of the United States of America. Throughout the nation, all people
great and small thought that he should be president and was elected unanimously. Obviously, he
agreed, and he seemed to always do what was best for the country. He soon realized that he would
set the example of president for decades to come, which is something that really advertises his
humility. He even appointed three-hundred and fifty of the best advisors to help him in his
decisions. He was then able to veto an unconstitutional bill. Being amazingly wise and virtuous,
George Washington is one of the best presidents the U.S. has had, and he is stilled greatly admired
today.

Taking little of the credit and always being humble, George Washington was involved in
the forming of the country. Not only was he trusted as being a selfless commander, but he also
focused on forming a just Constitution. Among other things, he was a great president and set high
standards as one, although he did feel stress on how he ran the country because he was the one the

future presidents would look at. Importantly, he, who will always be commemorated as one of the
greatest presidents, almost always did what was best for the country and not for himself. He is the
reason that America is a tremendously exceptional and free country.

Bibliography

Blassingame, Wyatt. The Look-It-Up Book of Presidents. Revised ed., Random House, 1993.

Philander, Chase D. World Book Multimedia. 2013 ed., Software MacKiev, 2013.

Camden R.

Sharks

Sharks come in different sizes and come from all over the world. Sharks are located in all
five oceans. The tiger shark follows currents to tropical places. The bull shark likes cold water
and likes to be just off the coast of Nova Scotia and Norway. The whale shark is the biggest
shark; it can grow up to sixty feet long, and it can weigh seventy tons. The average size of great
whites and tiger sharks is one ton. The plankton shark is eight inches long, and it is the smallest
shark.

Sharks have interesting breeding behavior. They don’t fertilize eggs like fish. Instead
they internally fertilize like humans. When a female shark is pregnant, it is not allowed to be
captured. Sharks are scared of humans, so they usually stay away. A shark can have up to ten
pups. The pups remain in shallow water for a few weeks.

Viciously, sharks eat a lot of food, and they have a special diet. There once was a baby
shark and a scientist who tried to save the baby's dying mom and got a bite from the baby shark.
By instinct it bit him because baby sharks eat anything. The tiger shark eats other sharks and
swallows them whole. Reef sharks have feeding frenzies and surprisingly eat thousands of fish.
Sharks usually don’t like to eat humans because they think humans are predators. Basking sharks
and whale sharks eat small food like plankton and tiny fish. Sharks eating fish does not harm the
ocean. It helps keep the fish from overpopulating because if that happens the fish would eat all
the plants in the ocean and there would not be any more plants. Sharks are vicious predators, and
they eat a lot of food.

Sharks use their teeth for so many things. Their teeth are amazing. Sharks lose so many
teeth they usually go through thirty thousand teeth in their lives. They are constantly replacing
teeth like a conveyor belt. Their teeth don’t go very far into their gums. A shark's tooth shape all
depends on the shark's diet. Shark’s teeth are so amazing.

Natalie T.

My name is Natalie. I am 13 years old, am I am in eighth grade. I live in New York. I
have seven siblings; I am the fifth oldest. My birthday is on July 28. Some of my hobbies are
baking, cooking, singing, doing my nails, and playing word games. My favorite food is pizza,
and I like many pasta dishes. Someday I would love to visit Spain. When I am older, I want to
own my own bakery. This summer I want to have sleepovers with my best friend and travel. I
love to watch old show and movies that include Little House on the Prairie, I Love Lucy, The
Lucy Show, The Lord of thew Rings and more. My favorite essay from this year was the one
about animals because I love animals. Horses are my favorite animal.

Instincts of a Shark

Sharks can be located in each of the five oceans. The tiger shark intentionally follows the
water current towards the tropics. The basking shark likes cold regions, like Nova Scotia and
Norway. The longest whale shark that has ever been found was 60 feet long, and the heaviest
they can be is 70 tons. An average-sized great white shark weighs up to 1 ton, just like the tiger
shark, definitely less than the giant shark. The pygmy shark is the smallest shark, which is eight
inches long. It is so interesting that a shark’s size matters where you can find it in its location.

The shark breeding behavior is definitely unlike fish. If you compared a fish and a shark
to man, the shark’s breeding behavior is more like mankind. Pregnant female great white sharks
have not been able to be captured, since they keep away from humans. Little is known about
their breeding behavior. Sharks give birth to up to ten pups per year. The first pup born swims to
the bottom of the ocean and breaks the umbilical cord. Shark’s breeding behavior is very
different which makes them very unique.

Sharks are dangerous predators. An experienced scientist was studying sharks in the sea.
He saw a baby shark in danger and ran to help it. The baby shark’s instinct is to bite, and that is
just what it did. It bit and injured the scientist. Even though sharks are sharks, and you might
think they would help each other. Well you’re wrong. A tiger shark will violently kill a reef shark
and swallow it. Reef shark’s feeding frenzy is thousands of fish a day. A basking shark and a
whale shark will mainly eat small fish and other sea creatures. Sharks don’t kill people unless they
are harming them. Some people do not think of basking and whale sharks as predators, but they
really are. Actually they are more afraid of us than we are of them. The reef shark only eats fish,
so they won’t harm you. Some sharks are predators, but only to fish, not to humans.

A shark’s teeth get lost and broken, and then they get stuck in the animals that they eat. A
shark approximately loses 30,000 teeth in a lifetime. Shark’s teeth constantly get replaced in their
life. Their teeth move forward like a mechanical conveyer belt. A sharks’ teeth aren’t attached to
their gums like ours, but by an entirely different way. Every shark tooth shape depends on their
diet. Some people collect sharks’ teeth, and every shark’s tooth is different. You can tell the breed
of a shark by its teeth.

Sharks do not interact well with humans. If you were ever attacked by a lemon shark, it
would be most fatal. Cunningly, some people claim the tiger shark is gentle. When splashing in
water it provokes the sharks and makes them attack. The lemon shark is attracted to people in
bright colored bathing suits. Intimidatingly, the shark is attacked to helicopter noises. The
shark knows it means that people are in the water. I would be very scared with the combination
of sharks and humans.

Emmarie T.

Hello, my name is Emmarie, but most call me Emmie or Emm. I am 13 years old and in
7th grade. I live in Rock Spring, Georgia. In my free time or just for a hobby, I like to play the
piano, swim, and do photography. I also love to cook and bake, although I am not a pro at it yet.

In my family, I have 7 siblings, five sisters, and two brothers, and one of my sisters lives
at home with me. I am the youngest. My dad owns his own business, and my mom is a stay-at-
home mom.

My favorite food is pizza, but it really depends on what I’m in the mood for.
I really want to go to college, but I have not found what I want to be. I was thinking of
becoming a dyslexia teacher. I also want to travel, although that is more of a want than a career,
and I still have time to ponder on what my career will be. If I traveled, I would go to Great
Britain because of its astonishing history! I do love Hawaii, but I've already traveled there
before and would love to go again.
My favorite school subject is IEW and American history. In IEW I love to write
alliterations because they are very creative, and I enjoyed writing a paper on George
Washington learning new things and qualities he had.

George Washington

As a wonderful, selfless commander, working hard George Washington led the army into
war. He was found as a selfless man for numerous reasons. He was given a commander's
position although he did not seek the position. Humbly in his speech, he announced he
considered himself unequal to his spot. He declined his monthly pay of $500. He never failed in
keeping his men in the field even though there were only 5,000 men. He suffered with his men
and truly did his wonderful job being a selfless commander.

Speaking wisely, George Washington stepped up to be the president of the Constitutional
Convention. He focused on holding the community together as one nation. He was wise to stay
out of debates and not push his ideas. Also, he noticed he was not capable of pleasing everyone.
People trusted him and believed he was wise. One reason for this is that he held the army
together and was wise with his army. He made wonderful and wise choices while he was the
president of the Constitutional Convention.

George Washington was very sincere in all he did. Being sincere made everyone love
George Washington, and everyone voted for him to be the president for this reason and many
more reasons. When he was president, he did what was best for his country. Then in his time of
being the president, he realized being the first president meant setting the example for future
presidents. So knowing this meant doing his finest job. He also knew that he could not do it
alone, so he chose 350 best advisers. The people decided he should get a bill for his outstanding
work, but he declined. Once his time as the president was over, he stepped down willingly.

Helping form the USA as we know it today, George Washington became president in
1789 when he was 57 years old. George Washington was involved in forming the USA. He
became a commander before evolving into a president. One thing that people witnessed about
him was a selfless commander, and that became reason he was chosen to become the first
president of America. He became well authorized by nearly everyone. With these miraculous
qualities in him, he set high standards for future presidents to glean from. The most important
thing known of George Washington was he did his most satisfactory in caring for his country
rather than caring for himself, and he made the USA a free country. As George Washington
helped form the USA, he also changed many lives in doing so and was inaugurated to become
president two times through 1789 - 1797.

Intermediate 2

Hannah D.

The Consequences of Anger

“The King and His Hawk” is a historical piece of fiction. Being part of the book Fifty
Famous Stories Retold, which is 200 pages, “The King and His Hawk” is compiled along with
a series of other brief stories. Although no one knows who originally wrote this story, we do
know that it was retold by James Baldwin. In 1896, the story was originally published. It was
a while ago. Later on, in November 2005, it was republished by Yesterday’s Classics since
people didn’t want such a story to be lost in the past. Elaborately, there is one detailed
illustration drawn with graphite.

In the story, one of the main characters is Genghis Khan, who is a king and a valiant
warrior. Eagerly, he and his friends go hunting one day. Bringing his favorite trained hawk,
they diligently seek out some game. They are in the mountains. In these mountains, they are
exploring the woods. Since the hunting game didn’t go too well, they decide to head home.
Genghis Khan separates from the others since he wants to take the longer way back.

Because Genghis Khan is thirsty, he tries to obtain some water. Unfortunately, it was a
hot summer, which means that considerable amounts of water has dried up. Finding a small
trickle of water at last, he gradually fills up his cup. Four times he fills it. After each of the
four times, his hawk knocks it over every time. He ends up killing his hawk since he is so
overcome with anger. He climbs higher to find the source of the water in order to quench his
thirst.

When the king arrives at the top, he sees a lifeless poisonous snake sprawled out in the
water. Dangerously, the water is contaminated with the snake’s poison, which would
presumably cause the king to die if he drinks it. Realizing that his hawk had been trying to
save him, the king begins to feel sorry for what he had done. He takes the bird home. After
this day, the king learns to never do anything in anger.

This story intricately describes the king’s thirst well. When he was filling his cup with
water, he couldn’t wait until the cup was filled. In addition to the meticulous description of the
king’s thirst, another positive aspect of this story is the lesson it teaches, which is not to do
anything too quickly. Being hasty to do things without thinking it through could hurt people.
The dead snake that appeared after the king had climbed to the top was an interesting surprise.
Unfortunately, the story has quite a sad ending.

Joseph N.

My name is Joseph, and I am 15 years old. I live in the state of Pennsylvania. I share a
household with two brothers, two sisters, my mom and dad, and two cats. I enjoy going to my
job at a camp and working with some of my friends. In my free time I like going hiking, biking,
and swimming. Traveling is one of my all-time favorite things to do. Whether it’s a different
state or country it’s fun to learn different cultures of that place. My favorite season is summer
since there are so many fun and interesting things to do without the annoying cold weather. My
favorite assignment I wrote this year was about the invention of chocolate. I liked learning and
writing about the unique history and interesting process the chocolatiers had to figure out to
bring us one of the most popular candies of the modern day.

The Invention of the Process of Chocolate

Around the world everyone loves chocolate. The rich and creamy taste and texture was an
immediate huge success to the candy industry. Since chocolate items can be found in many
stores, it shows how popular the candy is to the public. Celebrating holidays, people commonly
purchase chocolate that is often sold in decorative shapes to mark the day. Sometimes different
flavors are found. Unexpectedly, most people are surprised when they find out where chocolate
comes from and how it is made. Chocolate is a sweet delicacy which can be served and enjoyed
in many ways.

The process of making that rich chocolate, which most of us love, is quite long to make
sure everything is done right since it is a delicate process. Unlike most words, we get the word
chocolate from the Spanish word “chocolatl.” Since the first cocoa bean was possibly
discovered by the Olmec people of Mexico around one thousand BC, we credit them for the
discovery. Cocoa beans originate on a tree that grows in the south. It is near the equator.
Chopping down the fruit, the workers harvest the beans in certain months. Eventually the beans
will turn into chocolate.

Interestingly, the source of chocolate comes from a cocoa tree that grows in tropical
climates. Usually, we get our cocoa beans from Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia which are the
largest chocolate producers. They are large, warm climates. While seventy percent of the
earth’s cocoa comes from Africa, the remainder comes from South America, although it is a bit
strange that only one country in South America produces chocolate since cocoa is native to
South America. Drying out, the cocoa seeds eventually become beans. Inside the pod there is
about thirty to forty seeds. The quality of chocolate can vary depending on the climate and
location where the cocoa is grown.

The cocoa bean harvest is a relatively quick harvest that will usually last from October
through March. Because the beans are cut down by hand, this process requires a lot of people
and takes a long time. After the beans are chopped down, they are spread out because they need
to dry up and ferment. Oddly this will give them a brown chocolate color and that distinctive
cocoa flavor which most of us love. Fermenting, the beans will change and be ready to use
anywhere from one day to one week. They change color quickly. Harvesting the beans twice a
year, along with the relatively quick process, allows much chocolate to be sent all over the
world.

It is quite a long and skillful process to successfully turn cocoa beans into ground cocoa.
When the beans are finished drying, they are roasted at a temperature of 210-290 degrees for
about thirty-five to forty minutes where they will get that rich cocoa flavor. Crushing up the
beans, factory workers separate the beans from the shells and kernels. After that step, they add
all the ingredients such as, sugar, cocoa butter, and milk. This makes the substance sweet.
Immediately after mixing it is sent to be heated and cooled which gives it that special chocolate
texture. A special machine called a conche will smash and swirl the chocolate sauce. This will
give it that glossy look, so it is ready to be poured into molds. From bean to chocolate is quite a

long process, but the product will be sent all over the world giving the chocolatiers a lot of
business.

Growing in the warm south near the equator, the cocoa trees are tended, and the beans
are harvested, then sent across the world. After being chopped down, the pod is sliced in half
while the seeds are picked out of the fruit. Immediately after being dry roasted, they are
processed into cocoa. Then the cocoa goes through the carefully thought-out steps which make it
into chocolate. Now it can be packaged. When the process is finished, it is a delicious, rich,
creamy candy that most of us love.

A chocolatier is someone who has a special talent for making and inventing chocolate
and chocolate recipes. Over different time periods each chocolatier had their season of carefully
and creatively experimenting with trying to come up with chocolate recipes. Immediately these
chocolate recipes were a huge success and sent to places all throughout the world. When it
comes to chocolate most people think of the famous chocolatier, Milton Hershey, because he is
one of the first chocolatiers. He brought chocolate to America. The Mars family also played a
big part in the chocolate business by creating most of the specialty chocolate bars. Playing the
biggest part in chocolate production, Henri Nestle was another huge tribute to the chocolate
industry rapidly spreading it to so many countries and turning it into so much more.

Milton Hershey is well known for his delicious chocolate and his amazing success for
being a chocolatier. The first experience he had with sweets is when he worked as an apprentice
at a candy shop. Soon after he quit that job, he started up a taffy and caramel shop. When he
went to an exposition in 1893, he was fascinated as he saw chocolate being made for the first
time. After seeing the chocolate, he began looking for ways to make chocolate less expensive so
everyone could afford it. Then he had an idea. Eventually after a lot of experiments which took
a long time, he became the first American to develop a milk chocolate bar in the year 1900.
Creating an extremely popular chocolate empire, Milton Hershey made the chocolate population
grow in America and made it cheaper.

Another famous chocolatier is Frank Mars who created a lot of delicious chocolate that
we still love today, since many people desire the rich creamy taste. During his childhood, he had
his first experience with candy in his parent’s kitchen with his mom. When chocolate started to
get more popular, Frank’s mom showed him how to hand dip different things in melted
chocolate. He loved it very much. Being taught to make chocolate at a young age, he created his
first big success with the Milky Way candy bar. Eventually he came up with more bars named
Snickers and Three Musketeers. Most of the chocolate that is famous today was made by Frank
Mars, which proves that Mars and Hershey were the pioneer men who made chocolate accessible
to the public. After years of planning and hard work, Mars eventually became the only chocolate
company bigger than Hershey and is responsible for creating many of the famous chocolates that
most people still love to this day.

Henri Nestle was another famous early-day chocolatier. Starting out selling condensed
milk to a chocolatier, he eventually became a chocolatier himself. When the year 1905 rolled
around, he launched his own milk chocolate recipe and company. It became a huge success.

After years of constantly hitting ups and downs and surviving two world wars, he became the
biggest food and drink company because it still exists to this day. He was also known for
inventing another type of chocolate by only using the bean’s pulp, which many people were
excited about. Eventually after his impressive chocolate success, he expanded his company to
make all different types of everyday items. Over the course of a few decades, he became one of
the most famous chocolatiers.

When people hear the name Milton Hershey, they usually think about one of the most
famous chocolatiers because his brand lives on to this day. Creating the specialty candy bars
such as Kit Kat, Twix, Snickers and many more, the Mars’ family is responsible for making the
crunchy and gooey candy people admire today. Unlike most other chocolatiers, the Nestle
company cleverly expanded from chocolate to lots of other foods and created the biggest
business with the most selection. Cleverly all these chocolatiers made chocolate popular and
affordable. That helped the chocolate industry. These people made it possible for all people to
enjoy it today, which we are grateful for.

As you can see, there are a variety of steps involved in the making of chocolate.
Patiently, many people labor on the process to produce the finished chocolate product. Along
with the making, there are a variety of different chocolate shapes and flavors. This keeps
chocolate exciting. Many people are thankful for the entrepreneurs who determinedly
experimented with cocoa beans since we can enjoy this delicious treat today. Thinking of past
chocolatiers, we are grateful for the sweet and creamy candy they created so it can be enjoyed
today by millions of people.

Bibliography
“Chocolate History: Who Invented Chocolate?” Facts About Chocolate, 2006 – 2012, facts-

about-chocolate.com/chocolate-history/.
“How Is Chocolate Made? From Bean to Bar…” Facts About Chocolate, 2006 – 2012, facts-

about-chocolate.com/how-is-chocolate-made/.
“Mars History Timeline.” Mars. Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates, 2017,

www.mars.com/global/about-us/history.
Mattern, Joanne. The Mars Family: M&M Mars Candy Makers, ABDO, 2011.
---. Milton Hershey: Hershey’s Chocolate Creator. ABDO, 2011.
McMahon, Jr., James D. “Milton Snavely Hershey.” The World Book Multimedia

Encyclopedia, World Book, Inc. 2005.

Mowbray, Sean. “A Brief History of the Nestle Brand.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip LTD,
theculturetrip.com/europe/switzerland/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-nestle-brand/.

“The Nestle Company History.” Nestle.com, nestle.com/aboutus/history/nestle-company-history.

Teubner, Christian, et al. The Chocolate Bible, Penguin Group, 1997.

“Where Does Chocolate Come from? Does It Grow on Trees?” Facts About Chocolate, 2017,
facts-about-chocolate.com/where-does-chocolate-come-from/.

Ziegler, Gregory R. “Chocolate.” The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia, World Book, Inc.
2005.

Joella N.

My name is Joella, and I’m the youngest of my family of four. Although I’m in seventh
grade, I still learn a lot from other people around me. I have one older brother. Joyously, I have
fun crafting and playing my violin. Without my grandma, who taught me how to crochet, I
would have never been able to find the joy of crocheting. Being cute, my puppy is so much fun
to play with. My favorite writing that I did is the one on the chocolatiers. I like that writing
because it was fun learning about how chocolate is made.

Where Does Chocolate Come From?

Although almost everyone loves chocolate, you may wonder, “Why?” “Where does it
come from?” or “Who made it?” Within chocolate is a rich and creamy texture, which can have
other candies inside. Being found in almost every store around the world, chocolate is sold on
many really fun holidays such as Christmas and Easter. All of it is yummy. Curiously some
people wonder where chocolate comes from. Chocolatiers find many different ways to make
delicious chocolate.

“Where does chocolate come from?” is a question that is commonly asked. Tiringly, the
process to make chocolate is very long and difficult. The word chocolate is thought to come from
a Spanish word, chocolatl, although people don’t know the meaning of it. The proses of making
chocolate dates as far back as 1000 B.C. when chocolate was used by the Olmec people of
Mexico. Planting the seed, farmers begin the first step that will allow the tree to grow, which is
an amazingly long procedure. Then pods grow on the tree and ripen. The fruit is then harvested.
Turning the beans into cocoa is a very long process that people are willing to make for the end
result.

Cocoa trees, which are native to South America, are the source of chocolate. They grow
in warm climates. Over seventy percent of the cocoa trees are grown in Africa, although it is
grown in other places. Covering the trees, flowers will eventually turn into fruit which will then
turn into pods that contain the seeds. Surprisingly thirty to forty seeds can be found in one pod.
When the dark seeds are taken out of the pod, they become cocoa beans. Cocoa trees are the start
of the wonderful thing called chocolate.

When harvesting coca beans people start with cutting the pods down by hand, which will
help the tree not to get hurt. Stretching to the top of the tree, people use a machete that is
attached to a long pole to reach the fruit that is at the top of the cocoa tree. Gently, people use a
pole to smack the pods open in order to reveal the cocoa beans and the sticky pulp that are found
in the middle. After the beans have been found, they are taken out and left to ferment while they
dry in the sun. This takes around a week. Some companies will dry them over a fire, but that
gives the end product a terrible taste. As the beans ferment, they start to develop their color and
flavor. Harvesting the darkly colored coca beans is a very hard task.

From cocoa beans comes the amazingly smooth and sweet chocolate that everyone loves.
Once the beans are ready to be roasted, people put them in a hot roaster, which was pre-heated to
210- 290 degrees, for thirty minutes to two hours. While in the roaster, the beans will start to
develop their flavor. Grinding the beans, the cocoa butter will separate from the coco powder.
Slowly people will add sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla, and milk to the cocoa powder, which will
give it a nice flavor. Chocolatiers will then conch the mixture which is where they swirl and
mash it to get the correct texture. Cheap chocolate means that they conched the mixture for a few
hours, whereas expensive chocolate has been conched for up to sixty days. By heating and
cooling the chocolate over and over, the chocolate gets more of its flavor. It will also get shiny.
Chocolate is loved all around the world.

Near the equator cocoa trees are commonly found. Cacao trees grow along the equator.
Interestingly the process of trying to get the seeds out of the pod is the most delicate part of the
process. When the beans are out of the pods, they are processed into cocoa powder. While being
processed the beans develop their flavor. Being careful, chocolatiers must make sure that
everything goes properly, although if they don’t it won’t taste the same.

So, now that you know where chocolate comes from you might wonder what happens
next. Once the beans are completely broken down into the different elements, they are given to a
chocolatier, who makes it sweet, creamy, and puts it in fun molds. Taking a long time,
chocolatiers have to experiment with chocolate in order to make it taste correct. Although some
things are native to one country, chocolate can be found all over the world, since cacao trees are
grown almost everywhere. There are many famous chocolatiers. Shockingly Milton Hershey,
the Mars family, and Henry Nestlé have made some of the most popular chocolates that are still
around today.

Milton Hershey is well known for his delicious chocolate and his amazing success at
being a chocolatier. After fourth grade, he quit school and found a job as an apprentice to a
candy maker. Quickly he learned how to make taffy and perfect caramel, although he did learn
tons more. After seeing an exposition of chocolate being made in 1893, he knew that he wanted
to try to make chocolate, which was, at the time, very little known to Americans. Seeing milk
chocolate made in other countries, Milton Hershey wanted to do the same, so he invented a
recipe and became the first American to make milk chocolate, which just makes chocolate
creamier. When he came up with this amazing recipe, he got inspired and made the Hershey bar.
He was the first person who made chocolate affordable for everyone, because of him everyone
can have that treat. With all of his wealth, he made an amazingly nice living place for his
workers and a huge chocolate factory. He named it his empire. Although Milton Hershey’s
education was short, the candy maker taught him into his fortune.

Another famous chocolatier is Frank Mars who created a lot of delicious chocolate that
we still love today. When Frank Mars was a little boy, he mostly stayed indoors and helped his
mother, who taught him how to make candy. Triumphantly his first success was when he made
the milky way chocolate bar. Once his son, Forest, grew up Frank took him on as a partner in his
chocolate business. Being the only chocolate factory that was bigger than Hershey, Mars factory
had an advantage. He had more confidence in what he made because he knew that people would
like it. He created some famous chocolates. When Frank died Forrest took on the chocolate
industry and partnered with Murrie and Hershey to make sugar-coated chocolate. While we
know these candys as M&Ms they really stand for Murrie and Mars. This massive chocolate
factory is all thanks to Frank’s mother, who taught him everything about candy and chocolate.

Henry Nestlé started his career working to make chocolate milk in 1875. During WWII
the demand for condensed milk was high. He was able to make lots of money by selling his own
version of condensed milk. While having some knowledge of how to make chocolate milk, he
launched his own factory in 1905. He was very successful. He surprisingly started being a
chocolatier in 1988 when he worked for a company who made KitKats and Butterfingers. These

are the more famous ones, although he made many other chocolates. Eventually he invented a
healthy recipe of chocolate, which had 40% less sugar. By only using the beans and the sweet
pulp, he didn’t have to add any sugar. Henry Nestlé came along way from working in a chocolate
milk factory to making famous chocolate treats.

Although Milton Hershey is a famous chocolatier, who makes amazingly good
chocolate, he is not the only chocolatier. Frank Mars invented chocolate bars. Instead of
inventing a great chocolate bar, Henry Nestlé had the biggest chocolate factory, although he did
make some chocolate. Thankfully these three amazing and hardworking chocolatiers were able
to make chocolate affordable to even the lowest of class. Making a possible way for people to
enjoy chocolate, Milton Hershey, Frank Mars, and Henry Nestlé were all heroes in the chocolate
world.

Among the many steps involved with making chocolate, tons of people are
working to make it the way that we like it, although there are many machines involved also.
Creatively people have invented a variety of chocolate. Experimenting on chocolate, people
have made so many new chocolates. Because all of these people worked hard, we have
chocolate today, which is amazingly yummy. Most people love chocolate.

Bibliography
“Chocolate History: Who Invented Chocolate?” Facts About Chocolate,2006 –2012, facts-about-

chocolate.com/chocolate-history/.
“How Is Chocolate Made? From Bean to Bar...” Facts About Chocolate,2006 –2012, facts-about-

chocolate.com/how-is-chocolate-made/.
“Mars History Timeline.” Mars. Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates,

2017, www.mars.com/global/about-us/history.
Mattern, Joanne. The Mars Family: M&M Mars Candy Makers,ABDO, 2011.
---. Milton Hershey: Hershey’s Chocolate Creator. ABDO, 2011.
McMahon, Jr., James D. “Milton Snavely Hershey.” The World Book

Multimedia Encyclopedia,World Book, Inc. 2005.
Mowbray, Sean. “A Brief History of the Nestle Brand.” Culture Trip, The Culture

Trip LTD, theculturetrip.com/europe/switzerland/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-nestle-
brand/.
“The Nestle Company History.” Nestle.com, nestle.com/aboutus/history/nestle-company-history.
Teubner, Christian, et al. The ChocolateBible,Penguin Group, 1997.
“Where Does Chocolate Come from? Does It Grow on Trees?” Facts About Chocolate,2017,

facts-about-chocolate.com/where-does-chocolate-come-from/.
Ziegler, Gregory R. “Chocolate.” The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia,World Book, Inc.

2005